[Xastir] getting maps to draw, my experience

[Curt, WE7U]

On Thu, 4 Feb 2010, gnu not unix wrote:

> I had some angst when I first tried to get maps to go
> with my xastir setup. Here they are installed in
> /usr/local/share/xastir/maps/{map subdirs}
> and they show up ok in the map chooser window.
>
> Anyways, it turns out that on my setup, if I
> first clicked "disable all maps" in the top level
> map dropdown, then enabled the bottom four
> buttons in the top level map dropdown, I could
> then unclick disable all maps, and oh boy, my
> internet link got slow as the maps poured down
> and painted the xastir window (I am using the
> online tigermaps).

"Disable all maps" is good for when you want to speed things up in
zooming/panning.  It disables all local and internet-based maps
temporarily.  I sometimes use that togglebutton just to quickly move
somewhere and then re-enable my maps again.

As far as "Automaps", I'd leave that off unless you're real clear
about what it does.  I personally never use it anymore.  It enables
ALL MAPS THAT MIGHT FIT YOUR MAP SCREEN.  If you have internet-based
maps working and local maps you'll get a mismash of maps all loaded
at once, with only the top raster map and/or the top vector maps on
top of that visible to you.  You could end up having 100 or more
maps loaded if you're zoomed out.


> For me, nothing works properly here unless I do
> the "disable all maps," fuss with map settings,
> and reenable maps dance.

I really don't understand the purpose in messing with those bottom
four toggles.  I leave them all enabled on my system.

Near as I can tell you might have a problem with downloading
internet maps on your system, therefore Xastir is waiting for a
timeout from those fetches before it continues on.  Turn off
automaps, turn off internet-based maps, and see if that improves
your response time.  It sounds like you either have a slow or
undependable link, or you have multiple internet-based maps enabled.
That last makes no sense because they're all raster maps and only
the top one will end up being visible when Xastir is done drawing.
Try enabling exactly ONE internet-based map (or local raster map for
that matter).

-- 
Curt, WE7U.                         <http://www.eskimo.com/~archer>
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