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:
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
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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 905-629-3118.
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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