How I did it ... Downloaded .pdf to Ozi [Archive]

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sschmez

14th June 2008, 09:35 PM

Today, I posted a thread regarding Seasonal Road Closures (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/trip-ideas-advice/58276-seasonal-road-closures-2008-a.html) 2008 with a link to the Parks Victoria (http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1process_content.cfm'main=9&page=8#Sea) page. In that thread I also supplied some .zip files, containing a .png image file (converted from .pdf) and an Oziexplorer .map file, which is the file that geographically locates the image in/for Oziexplorer. This means that the map can now be viewed in Oziexplorer.

I was asked in that thread for a bit of a tutorial, so here's my attempt at explaining what I did.

There were a few steps involved, but once things were in place it was quite easy to do.
The steps involved were:

-download and install the software to turn a .pdf file into an image file(.png) with enough resolution to be readable in Oziexplorer (a screenshot of a .pdf won't do)
-download the .pdf map from Parks Vic page.
-Convert the .pdf to an image file(.png)
-Calibrate the image for use in Oziexplorer (create .map file)
-Add borders around the randomly shaped map image.
-zip the .png and .map files for posting in the thread (create .zip file)

Here goes, wish me luck;)

I needed some software for the conversion first.
Oziexplorer FAQ page (http://www.oziexplorer3.com/support/oziexplorer/other/faq_pdf_convert.html) has the info on how to convert files from .pdf to .png, using a free program and the links are there too. See below.

Converting Maps which are in PDF format to images which can be used in OziExplorer
OmniFormat is a free document conversion utility which can be used to convert maps in PDF format to one of the supported image formats.
Note: OmniFormat requires that Pdf995 - also FREE - be installed.
Installation instructions
1. Download and install Pdf995 Free Converter. (OmniFormat cannot be installed without Pdf995 installed first).
1. download and install Pdf995 Printer Driver
2. download and install the free converter.
Get the two Pdf995 downloads from here (http://www.pdf995.com/download.html)
3. Download and install OmniFormat
Download Omni Format here (http://www.omniformat.com/download.html)
Instructions for using the converter
4. Run OmniFormat (Note: the free version has several advertising popup windows.)
5. Click on Options and change the resolution of the converted image to the required setting - the higher the value the better quality image produced.
6. Click "ok" to close the Options dialog.
7. Select the Output Format PNG format is a good choice.
8. Click the "Start Monitoring" button.
9. Copy the PDF maps to the OmniFormat "watch" folder (C:\Program Files\Omniformat\Watch). Any PDf which is copied to the "Watch" folder will be converted to the selected format.
10. Note: If you want to change the format to another image format, STOP Monitoring first, change the format and Start Monitoring again.
11. After copying the PDF to the Watch folder the conversion process will begin, the converted file will be saved into the Watch folder and the copied PDF will be deleted.

Once I had Omniformat in place I was able to go to the Parks Vic (http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1process_content.cfm'main=9&page=8#Sea) page and click on the link for my area of interest, this downloaded and opened the file in my browser. Above the top left corner of the map, is an option to "Save a copy". Clicking the option, and saving the file to the "watch" folder in "Omniformat" meant that the file was converted to .png very quickly. (Omniformat must be running and monitoring the watch folder)

.....TO BE CONTINUED ....

For those with an older version of Ozi...
PNG Image Loading Support Files
The PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format is a highly compressed format which can give similar compression to GIF. To use this format you need to have this dll LPNG.DLL (http://www.oziexplorer3.com/xtras/pngdll.zip). Put the dll in the Oziexplorer directory. (This file is now automatically installed with new installations and therefore is generally not required).

sschmez

14th June 2008, 10:21 PM

Part 2 ...
(dunno if part 1 made any sense at all)

Calibrate an Image (map) for Oziexplorer

Open Oziexplorer,
Click "File",
Click "Load and Calibrate Map Image"
Navigate to the image file and "open" it

Scroll around the map to the information area which should give information on the map datum, magnetic variation etc.etc.
Enter the relevant info into the correct place on the setup tab (right of screen)
The maps from the Parks Vic .pdf's don't have this info so I'll explain that later (some actually have grid lines though)

Click the next tab "Point 1"
Start near the top left corner of the image and then click on your map image at the precise point where two grid lines intersect (zoom window on - very handy) and enter the "Degrees & Mins" or the "UTM Co-Ordinates" in the appropriate place on the tab. One or the other, don't need both.

Click on the next tab "Point 2"
and then near the bottom left corner of the map image, click on your map image at the precise point where two grid lines intersect and again enter the appropriate info in the right place on tab 2

This procedure can be repeated up to nine times, but for a map image with grid lines you'd only need to do it at three or four points. so do the bottom right corner and the top right as well (just for practise)

If your map doesn't have grid lines (like some of those converted from the parks Vic .pdf's), you can still calibrate your map using the points from another map. Opening another Oziexplorer screen and navigating to an already calibrated map in your area of interest, you can get the UTM or D,M,S reference of an intersection, mountain or other feature and then by identifying that feature in the map image to be calibrated and making it your calibration point, enter the info in the right place on the tab.
I'll usually do this in six to eight places to ensure accuracy.

Hmmmm, I might have to do some screen shots and add pictures
.... it makes sense to me.... dunno about you

.... to be continued ..... tomorrow ;)...

Stevo

Xtreme

14th June 2008, 10:39 PM

Sounds clear so far Steve.
And thanks again for the time and detail you're putting into this, as I said before, it is very much appreciated.

Roger

sschmez

15th June 2008, 06:52 PM

Righto... Part 3

So far,
we've downloaded the free software to convert .pdf files to .png (image) files,
we've downloaded the .pdf files for converting.
we've converted the .pdf files to .png (image) files
and we've created .map files with Oziexplorer to calibrate the map image to it's correct location to be used by Oziexplorer.

Now....
because maps have an index, key, sometimes photographs and other information on them, it's useful to exclude these for use in Ozi. When using the moving map feature and the track you are on is in the middle of the map key area or a photo, you'd rather have had Ozi. swap maps earlier to one that actually shows the track you're on, then have a nice line across "useless" (in this case) information.

Oziexplorer, by default, creates a border of four points around the extremes of any square or rectangular image (map) that you calibrate. It will however support a border of up to 100 points, allowing extremely random shaped maps to be used. Time to download another great little tool:D. Lots HERE (http://members.shaw.ca/davepatton/ozi/utilities.html), the one we want is "Mapborder (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder.html)" from here (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/oziutils.html)

Mapborder is a tool that enables easy creation and maintenance of Oziexplorer map borders.
A map border defines the geographical limits of any given Oziexplorer map image.
Oziexplorer itself can create and maintain only four corner markers to define the border, resulting in a square or rectangular border.
It can however support up to 100 corner markers for odd-shaped map images, but cannot create these elaborate polygon borders itself.
This is where Mapborder comes in, it enables easy creation and maintenance of the more elaborate borders.

Download (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder116.zip)

I created a folder in C:/Oziexplorer and called it "Mapborder" and then unzipped to there

4.0 Installing/Upgrading/Uninstalling

Simply copy the Mapborder executable to any folder.
If you wish, the Oziexplorer API DLL (oziapi.dll available separately) may be placed in the same folder, though it is recommended it is placed in the \windows\System32\ folder, where it can be available for any third party applications.
The mapborder configuration file "MAPBORDER.INI" will be created the first time Mapborder is run, and will be saved in the same folder as MAPBORDER.EXE.

The "oziapi.dll" mentioned is from the Oziexplorer (http://www.oziexplorer3.com/oziapi/oziapi.html) page and I put it into the same folder as suggested above ... download (http://www.oziexplorer3.com/oziapi/oziapi_dll.zip).

that will do for now .... next .... how ???
Stevo

sschmez

15th June 2008, 08:36 PM

Part 4 .... How ....
to put a border around an odd shaped map, or exclude the extra "stuff" on the map image from being used by Ozi in moving maps.

I'm going to cheat a bit now, because the online help files (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html) for "MapBorder" are quite good and in plain English. No use in me paraphrasing.

I did put a shortcut on my desktop to "C:\OziExplorer\MapBorder\Mapborder.exe" to make it easier to find and start

7.0 Using Mapborder

Start the Mapborder application.
Click the [Load MAP] (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.1.1) button on Mapborder.If Oziexplorer is not already running, Mapborder will attempt to start it.
If Mapborder does not know where the Oziexplorer application is, it requires you to manually start it-
This is required once only, after this, Mapborder will know where to find the Oziexplorer executable for the next time.

If you have renamed the Oziexplorer executable (oziexp.exe), Mapborder will never be able to start Oziexplorer itself (you will thus need to start Oziexplorer manually first).

[Load Folder] (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.1.2) is similar, but will sequencially load all map files found in the specified folder.

Thus saving you the trouble of loading many map files one by one manually.

It is best for you to first become familiar with Mapborder and the Load Map operation, before trying Load Folder.

Select the .MAP file that you wish to modify.
Select the [Edit Border] (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2) tab, and choose function you wish to use (Add) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.5), (Insert) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.6), (Move) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.7), (Delete) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.8) or (Edit) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.9)If you wish to make a few minor changes to the existing border, click the [Load Original] (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.1) button, and you will be presented with the original border that can now be edited.

While editing:At least four corner markers are required before the [Save MAP] (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.1.3) button becomes active.
Up to 100 points can be entered. The program will beep, and stop adding points once 100 has been reached.
At this point, only the (move) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.7), (Delete) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.8) and (Edit) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.2.9) functions will be available for selection.
The border you draw must not have any crossed (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/bad_border.gif) lines, it must encompass the map area of interest (example1) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/good_border.gif) (example2) (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/border_example.gif).

Once you are finished, click the [Save MAP] (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntserkezis/mapborder%20help.html#5.1.3) button.It is at this time a backup (if requested) is saved, and the new changes implemented into the .MAP file.
The changes should become visible immediately.

Once you exit the Mapborder application, if any backup files had been created, you will be asked if you wish to delete these.Clicking yes will delete any backup files created during that session only.
This enables you to clean up afterward, if you had not intended to back up MAP files anyway.

On exit:Anything you had changed in the [Configure] tab(s) will be saved to the INI file.
The Mapborder application will also save its position on the screen to the INI configuration file.
The next time you run Mapborder, it will be positioned in the same place you left it.

The very first time you run Mapborder, it will be positioned in the centre of your screen.
If you position Mapborder off the edge of your screen, it will be moved to the centre the next time you run it.

Are you still with me ???

Stevo

disco_ute

15th June 2008, 08:59 PM

AWESOME work mate!

Xtreme

15th June 2008, 09:49 PM

timaus13

15th March 2009, 09:28 PM

Sorry 4 hijac but needed to thankyou all for the help.

Especially Nick in the post on the 1st page.

After purchasing 2 Gps units and 2 laptops to use for my photography and gps tracking I have found the information Invaluable.
Thankyou very much for sharing.

I am now using the google software to create small but high detail maps I need for the area,s of Tassie that our group travels.
Fanbloodytastic.

Mate it has saved me hours of research and reading.

cheers