Lowrance MAPCREATE 6 ADDENDUM

Pub. 988-0147-56

Addendum For

MapCreate 6

Important Additional Information

Since the manual was written for MapCreate 6, some changes and new
features have been added to the program. These additions are now
available in MapCreate 6.1, and include:

Map Build Changes

• You can now generate a quick estimate of the final file size of
your custom map. The new Estimator button will save you time
and help you plan and organize your custom maps and data.

File Saving Changes

• MapCreate 6.1 automatically finds your connected MMC card
reader and by default will save your custom maps and GPS data
directly to your MMC card.

• Some other changes and fixes affect the way you load and save
older custom GPS data files, as well as the way MapCreate saves
untitled map border files.

• There is an important note if you ever need to format your MMC
card.

NOTE:

Due to differences in operating systems and personal settings,
sample screen shots appearing in this addendum or your product's
manual may not be identical to your screen's display.

Map Build Changes

Estimate Custom Map Size button

MapCreate 6.1 toolbar with new Estimate Custom Map Size button.

The Estimate Custom Map Size button is a new feature in MapCreate

6.1. As the name suggests, this feature calculates an estimate of the

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final file size of your custom map based on the current map borders.

Estimating the map size is faster than a full map build. With this fea­ture you can test several different map borders to optimize the space
available on your MMC cards. Now you can more easily include as
much information as possible in the space you have. (See Important
Notes About File Size on page 5 of your manual).

When the estimator finishes, a dialogue box will

reveal your custom map file size.

Using this command is simple. When you have your map borders in
place, click the Estimate Custom Map Size button. (See the manual for
instructions on creating map borders.) The program will take a moment
to extract some necessary information. MapCreate will then display an
estimated file size based on the current map borders. (For information
on saving a custom map, see page 33 of your manual.)

File Saving Changes

Default Save to MMC Card Reader

When saving custom map files and GPS Data Files, MapCreate will
now find your connected MMC card reader and default to that drive.
(MapCreate 6.0 saved to your hard drive by default.)

This change affects the instructions for saving Map Border Files, Cus­tom Map Files, and GPS Data Files (pages 33, 35 and 43 of your man­ual). Instead of the "data" sub-folder located within the MapCreate

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folder on your hard drive, these files now appear directly on the MMC
card, if you follow the directions provided.

Saving directly to your MMC card will often save you time when pre­paring your GPS unit for a trip into the field, but sometimes you will
want to save your information in a more permanent location. For those
times, you can still save files directly to your hard drive from MapCre­ate, or copy them from the card. This change affects only the default
save location - you still have all the same options for changing the final
save location.

Other Fixes:

Page 3: Map Border Files. MapCreate 6.0 automatically saved unti­tled Map Border Files to your hard drive as "untitled.lmp" when you
closed MapCreate without first saving the border file. You could not
choose a name or location for this file. In MapCreate 6.1, the problem
has been fixed. Choosing to save changes will now open a standard
Save As window where you can choose the name and location of the
map border file.

Page 4: Old GPS Data Files (GDM or *.low). Although MapCreate 6
is designed to load and read older GPS Data Files in the *.low format,
MapCreate 6.0 also allowed users to choose to save new files in the
older format (though the program could not actually save them). This
has been corrected. You can still open files in either format, but you can
now only save GPS Data Files in the new *.usr format.

MMC Card Format. If you ever have to format your MMC card, you
should know that MapCreate, as well as Lowrance and Eagle GPS
products, will only read cards that are FAT formatted. MMC cards for­matted using FAT 32 or NTFS will not work with our products. (Al­though it was true for MapCreate 6.0 as well, this information does not
appear in the manual.)

WARNING:

You should never format an MMC containing a Navionics
chart. Formatting the MMC will permanently erase the
chart from the card.

NOTE:

This addendum supplements the manual MapCreate 6, part num­ber 988-0147-38. The following modified Quick Reference replaces
the one on page 17 of the manual.

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Working With MapCreate

A Quick Start Reference

With Changes for MapCreate 6.1

If you're really in a hurry, and you have some computer experience, the
following 10-step command summary may be all you need to get started.
For more detailed explanations, read through the lessons in this section.

How to make and save a rectangle map

1. Start MapCreate by clicking the Windows

MAPC

from the menu.

REATE

2. Maneuver the Master Map so you can see the area you want to in­clude in your map. Use the
east or west. Use the

Zoom-In

P

AN ARROW

and

buttons to move north, south,

Zoom-Out (Z-I

needed to close in on or back away from the area you're viewing.

3. Click the

C

REATE MAP BORDERS

button in the toolbar. Move the mouse

pointer above and to the left of the desired area.

4. Click, hold down the mouse button and drag diagonally down and to
the right until the desired area is enclosed with the green border box.

5. Release the mouse button.

6. Click the

S

AVE MAP BORDERS

name for your Map Border File, then click

button. In the Save As dialog box, type a

S

Map Border File to your MMC card or Secure Digital Card.)

7. With the Map Border File still open, click the
button. After a moment it will tell you your map's file size. If your map
file is too large for your card, redraw your custom map or turn off some
Map Categories.

8. When your file is the right size, click the
When the map is built, click

to save the file. In the Save As dialog

OK

C

box, type a name for your Custom Map File, then click
name used for the Map Border File is automatically entered. If you
want to use the same name, just click

S

AVE

.)

9. After the program has saved the map, close MapCreate.

10. Follow the instructions in your GPS manual for loading the MMC
into your unit.

NOTE: The Map Border File that you created can now be deleted or
archived by copying it to the "data" sub-folder located in the MapCreate
folder on your hard drive.

button and choosing

S

TART

or

N

. (MapCreate saves the

AVE

E

REATE CUSTOM MAP

) buttons as

Z-O

UT

STIMATE CUSTOM MAP SIZE

button.

. (The same

S

AVE

4

Notes

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How to Obtain Service…

…in the USA:

Contact the Factory Customer Service Department. Call toll-free:

For Lowrance:

Lowrance Electronics and Eagle Electronics may find it necessary to change or end
their shipping policies, regulations and special offers at any time. They reserve the
right to do so without notice.

800-324-1356.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time, M-F

For Eagle:

800-324-1354

…in Canada:

Contact the Factory Customer Service Department. Call toll-free:

800-661-3983

905-629-1614 (not toll-free)

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, M-F

…outside Canada and the USA:

Contact the dealer in the country where you purchased your unit. To locate a
dealer near you, see the instructions in paragraph number 1 below.

Accessory Ordering Information

LEI Extras, Inc. is the accessory source for sonar and GPS products manufac­tured by Lowrance Electronics and Eagle Electronics. To order Lowrance or
Eagle accessories, please contact:

1) Your local marine dealer or consumer electronics store. To locate a Lowrance
dealer, visit the web site, www.lowrance.com. Click on Support, then click Dealer
Locator. To locate an Eagle dealer, visit the web site, www.eaglesonar.com.
Click on Support, then click Dealer Locator. Or, consult your telephone directory
for listings.

2) U.S. customers: LEI Extras Inc., PO Box 129, Catoosa, OK 74015-0129

Call toll free in the U.S., 800-324-0045,

dard Time, M-F, or visit our web site www.lei-extras.com.

3) Canadian customers: Lowrance/Eagle Canada, 919 Matheson Blvd. E. Mis­sissauga, Ontario L4W2R7 or fax [phone].

Call toll free in Canada, 800-661-3983, or dial 905 629-1614 (not toll free), 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, M-F.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Stan-

For Lowrance and Eagle Products

Pub. 988-0147-56 © Copyright 2002

All Rights Reserved

Printed in USA 082902 LEI Extras, Inc.

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