Convert Maps for Mac OSx

If you don't want to convert the maps, I converted the most popular openmtbmaps / velomaps ready to be used with Basecamp or Roadtrip in gmap format for Mac OSx. Simply look at the bottom of the download page for them (only available to donators)

 

Don't convert but use Qlandkarte GT

just accept that Garmin programs for Mac OSx are lousy - (well the whole OS is as lousy as Windows, but with fewer people using it, I wont give a damn for it - best treat your Mac hardware with a good OS like Ubuntu Linux instead of junk with nice eye candy).

However Qlandkarte GT is working splendidly with the openmtbmaps, and is easy to learn. Only drawback is, that there is no autorouting support for garmin maps (yet). You only need to extract the maps to a folder of your choice then use Qlandkarte GT.

 

Don't convert but use gmapsupp.img import by Basecamp

The irony of Basecamp for MacOSx not reading in the standard .img format, is topped up, by the fact that it reads the nearly identically structured gmapsupp.img files.

So use Windows Basecamp/Mapsource or gmaptool or mkgmap or sendmap to create a gmapsupp.img - put it on a external harddisk or flash memory (you could also put it onto your GPS, but than it's slower) and import it into Basecamp. This way you also don't have to actually convert the maps.

 

 

Convert the maps:

See several possibilities on how to do it below:

 

Convert the maps with gmapibuilder

wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Gmapibuilder

To unzip you can use: http://unarchiver.c3.cx/unarchiver

 

Convert the maps yourself under Windows with tools provided by Garmin:

Unfortunately you need an Windows installation for converting the maps. Principally you have to:

1. Install the maps with install.bat under Windows (You have to have Mapsource installed)

2. Downlaod, install and run Garmin Map Converter for Windows

3. Downlaod and install the Mapstall/MapManager package to your Mac to complete the migration Garmin provides detailed instructions how to do this http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3897 See also http://www8.garmin.com/macosx/index.jsp

Alternatively you can use Sendmap to transfer the maps to your GPS (see Tutorial (still to be written))

You could also install Qlandkarte GT - you will have to compile it first though. Builds are only available for Windows (plus easy installation on Ubuntu - but probably added into repos soon anyhow).

BTW: As all my maps are published under CCBYSA 2.0 / The new Openstreetmap Licence - you may share your mac map files freely - as long as you contribute openstreetmap.org and openmtbmap.org and stick to the same license. Unfortunately you need an windows installation for converting the maps to "Mapsource for Mac" aka Roadtrip.

Principally you have to:

1. Install the maps with install.bat under Windows (You have to have Mapsource installed)

2. Downlaod, install and run Garmin Map Converter for Windows

3. Downlaod and install the Mapstall/MapManager package to your Mac to complete the migration Garmin provides detailed instructions how to do this http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3897 See also http://www8.garmin.com/macosx/index.jsp

Alternatively you can use Sendmap to transfer the maps to your GPS (see Tutorial (still to be written))

You could also install Qlandkarte GT - you will have to compile it first though. Builds are only available for Windows (plus easy installation on Ubuntu - but probabley added into repos soon anyhow).

BTW: As all my maps are published under CCBYSA 2.0 / The new Openstreetmap Licence - you may share your mac map files freely - as long as you contribute openstreetmap.org and openmtbmap.org and stick to the same license.

 

Convert and Install the maps yourself using Mac OSX only (description provided by Tom):

Required software:

Garmin Basecamp, as well as MapInstall and MapManager
.exe unarchiver, such as Keka (7zip GUI for MacOS) or Archiver (not free)

Steps:

1. Download the velomap or openmtb map of your choice.
2. Extract the .exe file using Keka or Archiver. You will end up with a couple of subdirectories. The one you are interested in contains the .tdb and .bat files etc. If you're installing velomap Europe, extract the map tiles to the same directory as the .tdb file.
3. Open Gmapi builder application. In the main window, click the ellipsis (…) button next to the 'TDB File' field. Navigate to the folder where you extracted your map, and select the 'mapset.tdb' file, and click OK.
4. You will notice that all of the other fields in Gmapi Builder auto-populate, EXCEPT the 'TYP file' field. Click the ellipsis button next to that field, and select the .typ file you are using (trdxyz.typ, veloxyp.typ, etc.).
5. Click the 'Convert' button, and wait until the conversion finishes. By default, the .gmapi file will be created in the directory where the .tdb file is, but you can set it to go wherever you like using the 'Output directory' field.
6. You now have a gmapi file that Basecamp can read. Open Garmin MapManager and select File --> Install Map (⌘–I), navigate to the newly created .gmapi file and click 'Open' to start the installation.
7. Your map will be installed for Basecamp. You can copy it to your GPS unit or SD card using MapInstall. Be aware that MapInstall WILL OVERWRITE the gmapsupp.img file on your GPS unit, so rename it first if you want to keep it.
 
Notes: 
 
If you're installing the velomap for all of Europe, make sure you extract the contents of the veloeurope.exe file (i.e. mapset.tdb, etc.) and the contents of veloeurope.7z TO THE SAME DIRECTORY. You want all the image files (xyz.img) and the other files in the same folder.
 
If you don't want to use MapManager for step 7, you can try to skip it and open the map directly from Basecamp. That seems to be unreliable in the current version—sometimes the map gets installed, sometimes nothing happens. In any case, the gmapi files are installed into the directory ~/Library/Application Support/Garmin/Maps/.
 
 

Convert the maps using JaVaWa Map Converter (Mac OSX or Windows at your choice)

See here (for extracting see explanation above): http://www.javawa.nl/mapconverter_en.html

21 comments to Convert Maps for Mac OSx

  • Phlashman
    Friday April 22nd, 2016 at 05:22 PM

    I’m trying to convert the .gmap file to an img file on a Mac. All the instructions above are out of date and don’t work. For example in Tom’s (above) description he talks about unpacking the .exe file to get the .tbd and .bat files. Well there are no .exe files to extract in my map’s package contents. Also using JaVaWa doesn’t work as it can not find a .TBD file. The only Windows machine I have access to runs Windows XP and Basecamp won’t work on that as it needs a .NET framework which is not supported. Grrrr…

    Any know how to do this on a Mac?

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