1.
Introduction
2.
Installation
3.
Upgrades
4.
Activation
5.
Preparation. Getting Started.
8.
«VIEW» menu
9.
«TRACK» menu
10.
Pushpins
11.
Glossary
12.
Contact Us
Introduction
SmartMap
is easy-to-use software for navigation with digital maps.
SmartMap
is a Pocket PC application which uses vector and raster maps. It is compatible
with any NMEA protocol GPS receiver connected through the Compact Flash socket
or the serial port. The program enables you to view maps, determine your
position on the map, view the current track (trail of moves), save the current
track, and export tracks as ESRI Shape files.
Limitations
of the trial version: 14-days trial period.
Installation
Use
ActiveSync to establish a connection between your Pocket PC and the desktop
computer, run SetupSmartMap.exe and follow on-screen instructions. After
installation, copy your maps to “My Documents” directory of your Pocket PC or
any of its subdirectories.
Upgrades
New
versions of the program can be installed in the same way as the initial
installation of SmartMap. Answer OK when the setup
program asks you to confirm an upgrade. Use the same Activation code to
register as in your previous installation.
Activation
After you
have purchased SmartMap you will receive an e-mail
with an activation code. Please, make sure your device is connected to
Internet, start SmartMap and click Registration in
Tools, type in your activation code from the e-mail and press Activate now.
In case you can't connect to Internet from your pocket PC or smartphone, activation will take more time: click Activate
off-line and carefully read instructions in the pop-up window. After you've performed the
necessary action you will receive an e-mail with the necessary instructions for
completing your activation.
Note: as
you can see activating your SmartMap on-line is much
easier than the off-line variant which can take considerably more time. We
recommend you on-line activation.
Preparation. Getting Started.
Depending on the type of your GPS
receiver, connect it to your Pocket PC serial port or insert it in Compact
Flash slot. Start SmartMap. When the program starts
for the first time, it will initiate a search for a GPS receiver on all ports.
If a GPS receiver is not found, most likely, this type of receiver is not
supported. (For unconventional types of GPS receivers, such as NAVMAN, use
manual setup in Tools menu.)
Attention!
If you run SmartMap without connecting a GPS
receiver, the program will display the following error message: “Can’t find
GPS. Possibly, this GPS receiver is not supported” (see the
image below). After clicking on “Finish”, the program will continue
working without a reciver. In this mode you can view
maps in VTM format and place pushpins.
If a GPS
receiver is found, SmartMap is ready to work. Load a
map using “Map/Load Map” menu item or button on the button bar. Maps in VTM
format should be stored in “My Documents” directory or in any of its
subdirectories.
Attention! A GPS receiver needs time (from 1/2 up to 10
minutes, depending on the type of the device and other conditions) to warm up,
find the GPS satellites, and collect enough information from them for
positioning. It is necessary to receive sufficiently strong signals from at
least three satellites.
The color
of the cursor indicator, located in the center of the main window, shows the
current state of signal reception.
Black. GPS receiver
is not connected or not found by the program.
Red. The program
has found a GPS receiver, but there are not enough satellites in the zone
visible to the receiver or quality of signals from satellites is poor.
Coordinates are not determined.
Blue. Three satellites with a good level of
signal are found. Coordinates are determined.
Green. At least four
satellites with a good level of signal are found, coordinates are most
precisely determined.
The main window
The main window displays maps, with
the current position marked when the GPS is working by the triangle cursor
indicator. By default, the window displays the compass hand, current speed, and
the pushpin button. In the bottom of the screen you will see the menu and the
button bar.
Use Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons to change the scale of the map. You can also
change the scale using Zoom in and Zoom out items in Map menu.
Fit to screen scales the map to fit on the screen.
After
loading the program, warming up of the GPS receiver, and determining initial
coordinates, SmartMap starts drawing the track and
showing your current position. You can save the drawn or loaded track at any
time as a SmartMap Track (*.smt)
for future use (option “Save Track” in “Map” menu). Alternatively, you can
export your track in an ESRI Shape format (*.shp), or
as a *.csv (comma-separated-values) file for further
processing in MapManager (option “Export track” in “Map” menu).
“Save As”
dialog window appearing after you select “Export Track” has the following
features:
· The
program automatically generates and offers a new file name, forming it from the
word “Track”, the current date, and the track number. You can accept the
suggested name or edit it.
· SmartMap exports tracks to the most common ESRI Shape
format. Saving the track to a text file lets you export the track data to other
applications.
Adjusting the interface
You can
work with the program using default settings, or customize them using the
“View…” and “Track…” items of the “Tools” menu.
«VIEW» menu
Units – choose «Metric» or «Nautical»
measuerment system. (In nautical
system, distances are measured in nautical miles, one mile is equal to 1852
meters).
Show –
choose which elements of interface are displayed in the main window:
Track –
toggles display of the current track.
Compass –
toggles display of the compass hand in the upper left corner of the main
window.
Speed –
toggles display of the current speed in the upper right corner of the main
window.
ScaleBar
– toggles display of the current map scale in the bottom right corner of the
main window.
Area
(Professional version only) – displays either the area covered by the wide
track or the area formed by the track and the line connecting its ends
(depending on the current state of the “Wide track” option).
Map
orientation – lets you choose the map orientation:
North ahead – the map does not move, and is
oriented up North. The indicator shows the direction of motion relative to the
map.
Course (ahead) – the indicator is always
directed ahead, along the direction of motion. The map turns according to your
moves.
Polygons filling – color filling of polygon objects in a vector map.
«TRACK» menu
Auto Save – automatically saves the
current track.
Break if no
signal – draws red line connecting the ends of the current track when the GPS
signal is lost.
Auto load
last saved track – loads the last saved track when the program is started.
Filtering –
filters information from GPS satellites. PDOP – an indicator
of the quality of geometry of the satellite constellation. Imagine an
umbrella, the handle of which is on the land surface (GPS receiver), and the
dome is formed by the satellite constellation. If the dome is narrow, the PDOP
value is high (poor quality). If the dome is wide, the PDOP value is low (better
quality). A good PDOP value is from 4 to 6.
Parking –
filters chaotic noise when GPS is immobile. Precision of a GPS receiver is
limited (1-30 meters), so when you do not move, your track moves around because of the limited
precision and changes in the satellites position. As a result, the program
draws a chaotic track. Mark the checkbox to reduce this effect.
Straight –
straightens the track. SmartMap receives information
from the GPS receiver every second and correspondingly every second it could put
the next point on the track. The more points are on the track, the more memory
it will require and the more time would be necessary to display them. With the
Straight option on, the program will wait to put points until the specified
interval is reached, and no points inside the interval will be recorded as long
as you move along a straight line (without deviating more than 5 meters).
Smart
header (Professional version only) – the “smart filter” smoothes the track
based on the analysis of the motion history.
Wide track
(Professional version only) – Select “On” to draw a track of the specified
width, set in “Width” field in meters. This option can be used, for example,
while searching a territory (e.g. a rescue operation), applying fertilizer or
chemicals to agricultural fields, sowing or planting agricultural crops, and so
on.
Pushpins
When you move, you can mark points
on your route using the pushpin button (). In the dialog box, appearing after
you click the button, you can enter a name, choose an icon to be placed on the
map, enter notes, and even edit coordinates of the pushpin. Later you can edit
pushpin attributes, export (as text or ESRI Shape files) or delete them (see
screenshots below).
Pushpins
are stored independently and will be displayed (if you choose to display
pushpins in View) even if another map is loaded.
Glossary
ActiveSync – software
for transferring and synchronizing data between a desktop PC
running Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/2003 and Windows CE devices. In Windows Vista software name -
CompactFlash – interface (slot) for connecting
various peripheral devices to a Pocket PC. A variation of PCMCIA
standard for a variety of portable devices.
ESRI
shape – most widely
used format for storing geographic data. The format was developed by ESRI
(Environmental Systems Research Institute), a leader in the GIS industry. It is
supported by such software as ArcView and ArcInfo from ESRI and others.
GPS
(Global Positioning System) – a global navigation system providing precise worldwide positioning
and navigation.
GPS
receiver – a device
that receives signals from GPS satellites and calculates coordinates and other
navigation information.
JPEG – one of the most common raster
formats used for storing various graphical data.
MapManager
– desktop PC
software (for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP) from Vito Technology for viewing and
preparing color vector and raster maps for program VITO SmartMap.
Pocket
PC – special kind
of PDAs without keyboard running on Windows CE.
Pushpins – places on a map marked by a user
for future use. Each pushpin has its own coordinates, name, and icon.
SmartMap – software for working with raster
and vector maps on Pocket PC.
VTM – format for storing geographic data.
Specifically developed by VITO Technology for Pocket PCs with their limited
resources, this format is characterized by quick rendering of maps.
Windows CE – operating system developed by Microsoft for
pocket computers.
Contact Us
If you have
any questions, comments or suggestions on VITO SmartMap,
please email us at support@vitotechnology.com.