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120 D RATS Maps online and offline

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MAURIZIO ANDREOTTI edited this page Oct 1, 2021 · 8 revisions

D-RATS Maps are based on open streetmap tiles. Each zoom level has a different set of tiles. Map tiles are downloaded locally when the map is pointed to a certain location, and then retained both for performance and offline use until a configurable threshold has not reached.

This allows to use D-Rats maps without internet connection. Important is to browse in advance the location of interest or bulk download the map tiles of a certain area.

more infos: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tiles

BASE MAP

In the preferences it is now possible to indicate a different map server where to get the map tiles - options for the base map could be:

Note: default BASE US map is in German and English. This can be tuned changing https://tile.openstreetmap.de/ to a different one (recall that https://tile.openstreetmap.org/ doesn't allow acces from applications like D-Rats anymore), then use the Map menu of the Map window to “delete the local map cache”, then to “refresh” it from the .org source.

Other maps

There is also support for maps protected with the API Key, like the one from thunderforest (yes, you need to register and get your own API Key) CycleMap, landscape and outdoor.

'Cycle map config with API Key parameter 'Link http://a.tile.thunderforest.com/cycle 'API Key: ?apikey=5a1a4a79354244a38707d83969fd88a1

Note - as of 0.3.5 the default API Key is mine personal with a char changed. For time being I am keeping it as I am lazy (I will never recall that by heart) and it is easier for me to have it there, especially when I need to test maps on a new compile and I don’t have it stored for copy paste.

Donwloading maps

NOTE: The D-Rats Mapdownloader application has been discontinued -- please use one of the exisitng opensource tools to download the maps tiles to use offline in D-Rats .

You can use JTileDownloader (also discontinued, but could still be used to download maps from mapservers which have no autentication) http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/JTileDownloader

The map site URL are:

     Base map:     Openstreetmap
     cycle map:    OpenCycleMap

When downloaded just move the tile folders under the right map folder in D.Rats, e.g:

     Base map:     C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\D-RATS\maps\base
     Cycle map:    C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\D-RATS\maps\cycle

Errors related to Map in the log

About the error:

GError: Couldn't recognize the image file format for file 'C:\Users\jspit\AppData\Roaming\D-RATS-EV\maps\base\12/1170/1552.png'

and in the map window a Red X will be displayed in the place of the map tile.

This depends by the fact that that specific png got corrupted … so d-rats complains that the png file cannot be loaaded and diplayed in the map – just after that message the latest version deletes the corrupted file so to force a new download next time that map window is refreshed (you can test changing zoom to another level and getting back)

Additional note: In case of the https://tile.openstreetmap.org/ the png files are all corrupted in the sense that the server returns an invalid file for being displayed, ….So red x are the normal behaviour.

Notes from Glen Strecker: To use the maps, the BaseMap server URL needed to be changed from https;//a.tile.openstreetmap.org/ to https://a.tile.openstreetmap.de/. The .org site would not work. In order to use the other maps, cycle, landscape, or outdoors, you must first go to thunderforest.com and obtain their free API. The API string should read "?apikey=" followed by the API you obtain from their site. Report position timestamps on map should remain off unless you are wanting to use D-Rats in a mobile environment as it will create too much data.

Error of Map which don't get downloaded and SSL certificates errors in debug.log

i noted that on my windows 10 the maps don't get downloaded due to some HTTPS certificate validation error. google it seems some issue related to outdated certificates on the windows system which should be updated, but i wasnt able to figure out how to to fix it.

If you happen to get into such situation, you can this workaround :

go to config panel -> preferences - maps

and take out the "s" from the https urls, i.e.

https:// --> http://

in my case this worked for thunderforest maps.

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