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Waypoint and Road Track UK Databases for
HPx00LX Palmtops and the GARMIN GPS45
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v1.1
20 June 1996


General
-------
The enclosed files contain Hewlett Packard HPx00LX databases of
waypoints and segmented road track logs for the UK. The databases have 
been set up to allow their partial upload to a Garmin GPS45 with the 
excellent G7TO program by Ron Henderson (crh@cv.hp.com), thus allowing you
to get a relatively detailed moving map display on your GPS without
exceeding its memory capacity.


The Databases
-------------
The files are:

way.gdb, a database of over 1500 UK towns and motorway junctions

trak.gdb, a database of motorway and major A road track log segments. 
Each segment has 5 points. The individual segments should join up when
adjacent database records for the same road are selected.

Note that as the base data comes from different sources, the roads
represented in trak.gdb aren't quite coincident with the motorway
junctions in way.gdb, but I have found trak.gdb useful nonetheless.

Data Sources
------------
Base data has come form several sources. I have converted it to
latitude/longitude where it was not already in that format.

The motorway track log segment data and town data is based on that
contained in Steve Litchfield's (slitchfield@cix.compulink.co.uk)
Mapper software (for the Psion S3A palmtop). He notes:

"Please emphasise in your read.me file or whatever that the data is not 
guaranteed in any way! My representation of roads is very approximate, 
and junctions and nodes can be as much as 2km out in lat and long! 
Downloaders need to be aware of that."

I have found the accuracy of his data quite adequate for a macro view of the
road system, and fine for the town locations, as most towns cover over
2km radius anyway.

The Motorway junction and services data has for the most part come from
Paul Ross (paul@paulross.demon.co.uk). He has targeted +-50m as the accuracy
of this data! He notes:

"Use the data at your own risk. I accept no responsibility at all for any
inaccuracies. You have been warned. Fair enough?"

I have found the accuracy of his data spot on driving across a few motorway
junctions as a test.

***None of the data is guaranteed accurate in any way by me either***

Installation
------------
Put way.gdb, trak.gdb, way.icn, and trak.icn together in the same 
directory (eg \_dat).

How to use the databases
------------------------
The procedure is to select a range of roads and locations from the
databases, export them to one of more files suitable for upload to your
GPS45, and then to upload them.

Open one of the database files (say, way.gdb) in the HP's Database
application. Select the records you're interested in. Some subsets have
been predefined.

For example, edit the "Corridor" subset to find all those points within
a user defined rectangular shaped area. Use existing waypoints to help
you define the limits. If the area is too big, you'll end up with more 
points than it's possible to upload into your GPS at once. Too small, 
and you'll miss detail that's useful. Once you've defined a general SSL 
statement that works you can use the same statement (with Copy/Paste) in 
both databases to create two files, one for waypoints and the other for 
roads within the selected area.

You can use a predefined 'Smart Clip' definition to export the data in a 
format G7TO can directly accept. In the database 'Print' dialogue, 
select 'Custom' in the Style box, and select 'G7TO format' in the drop 
down list in the same box. Then 'Print to' 'File'. The resulting file 
can be uploaded to the GPS45 with a G7TO command like

g7to -o G45 -i filename

If you want, you can use batch files to manage the launching of G7TO. 
GPS.BAT, GPS.ICN and UPLOAD.BAT have been supplied as examples. To use 
them, create \GPS and \GPS\DATA directories. Put the above named 
files in \GPS. You'll also need DOS 5's CHOICE command accessible in the 
DOS path (or just put it in \GPS as well). In the HP's System Manager, 
add a new entry with the following parameters:

Name: GPS Upload
Path: c:\gps\gps.bat|320
Comments: <Fn>!

The |320 forces you to close all the other applications first so just in 
case things go wrong (!), you'll be less likely to damage your data in 
C:. The upside down ! (<Fn>!) ensures it runs exclusively.

When you export the data in the databases by printing it to file, put the 
files in \GPS\DATA. Then run GPS.BAT, which should now be an icon named
'GPS Upload' on the main System manager screen. That's it.

G7TO format files from the WAY database just contains waypoints. 

G7TO format files from the TRAK database contain a waypoint with the 
name of the road segment, and a 5 point track log for each section of 
road included in the file. The road name will appear on your GPS's map 
display when its associated waypoint is within range (one of the 9 
closest waypoints). As the waypoint name is the same for all segments of 
the same road, only one occurrence of the waypoint (actually the last
uploaded) will be left in your GPS45 even though several segments of the
road (and thus several instances of the road name waypoint) will have
been generated. If this sounds confusing, look at a sample 'print' file
to help your understanding.

Revision History
----------------
1.1
Integrated the data from Paul Ross. The motorway junction accuracy
should have improved. More motorway junctions included. Motorway services
data added. Some changes to sample batch files.

1.0
Initial release

Distribution
------------
This is 'Emailware'. If you try it, I'd appreciate an Email with 
comments and any constructive criticism. You can freely copy and/or
distribute the data, but you should keep all the files together in
the one archive wayuk11.zip. If you wish to distribute the data in
another form, contact the original provider of that data as listed
above.

John Seymour

johns@cix.compulink.co.uk
