Improve Road Visibility in City Navigator

HMR

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Some Garmin units, i e 278 and 60CX, shows brown roads on brown background:

newtyp3.bmp


But it's possible to change the roads to look like roads in a standard, Hallwag, roadmap:

newtyp2.bmp


One problem is that all lakes disappear with the updated road graphics. Solution is to show the roads from the modified CNEv10 overlaid on the CNEv9 map.

This is how to do it:

1. Install City Navigator Europe 2008 (CNEv10) in Mapsource. Assume that this map is stored in C:\Garmin\CNEURO10

2. Download hallwag.typ and put it in C:\Garmin\CNEURO10

3. Add a pointer to the new typ-file to the Registry. It should look something like this (don't tamper with the Registry if you don't know what you are doing!)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Garmin\Mapsource\FamiliesNT\City Navigator Europe NT 2008]
"ID"=hex:1c,01
"IDX"="C:\\Garmin\\CNEURO10\\CNEuroNT_2008.mdx"
"MDR"="C:\\Garmin\\CNEURO10\\CNEuroNT_2008_mdr.img"
"TRF"="C:\\Garmin\\CNEURO10\\CNEuroNT_2008_trf.trf"
"TYP"="C:\\Garmin\\CNEURO10\\hallwag.typ"

4. If your GPS has CNEv9 preinstalled then upload with Mapsource new map segment from the re-typed CNEv10 to your memory card.
If your GPS has no preinstalled map, upload with Mapsource map segments from both CNEv9 (or CNEv8) and the re-typed CNEv10 to your GPS.

5. Activate, in the GPS, both maps.

OK?
 
what if you just have CN 2008?
Try to find a copy of Metroguide. That map does not require unlock code. It's not routable in the GPS but it may work fine as background?

Not entirely legal but if you already have a license for CNE2008 this shouldn't be a big issue. Metroguide is obsolete beside CNE2008.
 
Try to find a copy of Metroguide. That map does not require unlock code. It's not routable in the GPS but it may work fine as background?

Not entirely legal but if you already have a license for CNE2008 this shouldn't be a big issue. Metroguide is obsolete beside CNE2008.

i've tried metroguide, it is easily made routable with metrowizz, but found it lacking in important detail compared to city navigator, so dumped it.

i was wondering about improving the contrast using 2008 alone, as your post talks about v.9 plus 2008.
i think what i'm trying to say is: is using the modified 08 as an overlay of v9 necessary, or can it just be used on it's own? obviously, it would have to be unlocked.

using it as an overlay doubles the space needed on the memory card.
 
What this modification needs is an installer because theres no chance I'll be messing with the registry to that extent, hopefully that will come in time.

Whats the chances HMR?
 
i was wondering about improving the contrast using 2008 alone, as your post talks about v.9 plus 2008.
i think what i'm trying to say is: is using the modified 08 as an overlay of v9 necessary, or can it just be used on it's own? obviously, it would have to be unlocked.

It's enough with only CNE2008. But then you will see no water nor any other colored areas at all.
 
What this modification needs is an installer because theres no chance I'll be messing with the registry to that extent, hopefully that will come in time.

Whats the chances HMR?
Small. Creating an installer means that I would tamper with other people's Registry. No way! Maybe someone else can create an installer and post a link to it here?
 
Ok I've done it, I didn't realise it was just one additional line to the registry, so it was quite easy.

And the difference in Mapsource is quite astonishing, thats the best representation of a traditional road map I've seen, never thought I'd see that in Mapsource

The motorways network shows up clearly in green (previously in blue)
A roads are in red (as normal)
B roads are in Yellow
minor roads are outlined without color (previously a black line)

Rivers seem visible as a blue line

lakes and sea are the same color as land and not shown (I can live with that)

My compliments to whoever made that .typ file, he obviously feels the same way as I do, standard Garmin mapping is :mmmm


Comparison maps below,
 
a) Would this also be possible for the Zumo?
If so: Would it change the road colour scheme in the ZUmo as well?????

b) Can you custom select road colours ?
 
how's the improvement downloaded onto your GPSMap60CSx?
GPS has gone to night mode and I can't be botherd to see if I can disable that at this time of night :eek: I'll see if I can do some screen grabs of the two tomorrow and post them up, then you can make your own minds up.
 
@HMR

Can i create my own colors?

You have now used the colors from Hallwag AG maps i see. I like to make a Michelin or TomTom color scheme.


Ahh, i found the source: http://www.cgpsmapper.com/manual.htm and then the Creating DEM-like maps using TYP customisation manual
 
More info: It seems as if it is cGPSmapper that don't support NT-maps fully. This may explain the problems with polygons (lakes).

There are Swedish hackers engaged in this and some progress is noticed. Stay tuned! ;)
 
Ok, a few screen grabs coming up,

Firstly the 60Csx,

Note, none of these look yellow on the GPS, more a bronze color

Original map should be on the left - Map with .typ modification on the right, this does look good on the GPS
 
This is on the 3 mile scale, old on the left - Map modified with .typ on the right, something not working right now, roads have become a little bloated and it doesen't look good on the GPS
 
Now the 276c, the old map should be left or top, map modified with .typ right or bottom (depends on your PC screen size)

To be honest it looks better on the 276c than it does the 60Csx, the larger screen shows the extra detail well.
 
276c on 3 mile scale, again old map left or top, modified map right or bottom.

Quite a difference in the mapping here, roads look very good on the 276c with the modified mapping, but something seems to have happened to what detail is shown too.

In summery, I think there's still a bit of work needs doing, but I have to say it does show promise :thumb2
 


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