Australian "Online" Maps for Locus Maps

Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
Hi All,

This is still under development, I have developed a specialised XML config that will make "Locus Maps" load very high quality Digital Topographic Maps from publicly available online map sources and some of these scale down to 10K -- which is extremely high detail.
e.g.
  • Qtopo maps from Queensland Gov
  • Topographic Six maps from NSW Gov
  • Topographic Vicmaps
  • Topographic Tasmania
  • SA -- plus some sources for WA and NT
  • 250K Topo maps of all of Australia
  • plus some other interesting sources
This is not for everyone, and remember at this stage I will just say it's under development, and this is all my own work, and in no way endorsed by Locus Maps, although they do publish examples on how to make up the config files. If using the these map sources for navigation, please do so at your own risk. Remember at your own risk, I am not going to be responsible if you drive off the end of the earth and disappear out to space..

Just a couple of notes before we start, this will not work with Apple Ipads or Iphones, and it's for Android phone and tablets only and it will need a paid for version of "Locus Map Pro" which can be obtained from the Google Play Store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus.pro&hl=en and that is selling for $10.99 at this moment: BTW I don't profit in anyway from anyone purchasing Locus Maps etc .. it's all up to yourself, and if you do fork out the $10.99 and none of this works for you, well it ain't my fault. This will take some skill, to make it work, and that would be copying a downloaded file to directory on you tablet or phone, and restarting "Locus Map Pro" application, or even totally restarting the phone or tablet.

If your O.K. with the all above, and don't mind getting a little technically involved with your tablet or phone -- let begin
  1. Download Australian-Locus-maps.xml file from https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1XU3lBW7QxJ7mM7teLL4arWeJqAd50coi , you can either do that on your phone/tablet or PC (that's the file that I have created)
  2. This is after a install of "Locus Maps Pro", and confirmed that it is working, copy the file to /storage/emulated/0/Locus/mapsOnline/custom/ on your Phone or tablet.
  3. Restart the "Locus Maps Pro" -- Might have to totally restart your phone --
The full path of the file should be /storage/emulated/0/Locus/mapsOnline/custom/Australian-Locus-maps.xml but there is so may different android devices out there, on some peoples devices the path might look a bit different but basically it got be over to Locus/mapsOnline/custom/Australian-Locus-maps.xml

What should this look like when it's installed -- and Remember this is for Online Maps

Locus-Maps-Phone-Menu001.jpg


On a phone you should see sources looking this or
Lotus-Tablet-Menu001.jpg


A Tablet looking like this -- Yes you can offline the Maps

And a sneak preview of what the maps look like
Locus-Maps-Map001.jpg


Enjoy and please do give some feed back.

Cheers
 
Kippie

Kippie

Well-Known Member
Works great! It's a good addition to the OSM outdoor map. But how do you download an offline copy into Locus Map? I noticed in your screenshots that the offline downloadable status is Yes, but mine is No.
 
Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
Great news, not sure why your not able create an offline map from the online maps, I have tested offline a map, on both my tablets and my phone, so not a issue with XML config file .. Maybe have a look at Locus Maps download guide https://docs.locusmap.eu/doku.php?id=manual:user_guide:maps_download maybe there is something there that will help you. If that does not help maybe ask a question of Locus Map Forum.. https://help.locusmap.eu/

About the map sources, I started to wonder if the ACT was included in the NSW maps..

Locus-Maps-Map002.jpg

Yes Canberra and the ACT is included on the NSW maps.
 
Swaggie

Swaggie

Moderator
I havn't used this program but interested if you have anything around Walhalla,Licola etc...Just a screenshot...

Cheers
 
Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
It will be just Walhalla -- Now the screenshots are off a Samsung S2 9.7" tablet which has a fairly mad arse resolution of 1536 x 2048 pixels so I have scaled down the screenshots by 50% and converted them to jpegs, but i am fairly sure you will get the idea..

Screenshot 1 -- I had not downloaded elevation data
Walhalla-Map-Screenshot001.jpg


What the arrow is showing is the button to download elevation data

Screenshot 2

Walhalla-Map-Screenshot002.jpg


Once the Elevation has downloaded I get hill shading -- not really a part of the maps, just a layer that I have switched on via Locus

Screenshot 3

Walhalla-Map-Screenshot003.jpg


Might as well have it a bit zoomed in note the Australian Alps walking track, and the mines

Lo Maps of the area are very good as well (they are the offline maps available via the Locus Store)

Walhalla-Map-Screenshot004.jpg

I wonder what the Crazy Horse Cafe is like?

The Points of Interest are from Locus

Remember these images were scaled down, and converted to jpegs for posting on this forum.

Cheers
 
Gidgee

Gidgee

Active Member
You can offline google and bing maps? What's the source(s) of the 10k?

Oh, and well done and thank you.
 
Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
I will not discuss those 2 sources -- they were only a part of that config to confirm some of the accuracy, of the other sources, which if you read my first post confirms nothing -- and that said please refer to those as the "other interesting sources" and the "other interesting sources" might be O.K. and might be able to offline as well, but I will not confirm or deny that either. Actually the XML config file that I created is only a text file and can be read in a text editor, but once again, it might not be a idea to discuss that either. What I will say enjoy :p
 
Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
mauriceb said:
To much mucking around for serious maps and planning functions and fiddling around converting maps ect.
Click to expand...
Just a quick note, maps as being discussed need no converting, just drop the config file in the correct location on your tablet or phone and the maps will just appear as Online Maps, after a restart of Locus Maps. Please don't judge this config setup without trying.

Cheers
 
Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
Looks like that this specialised XML config actually works with the "free" version of Locus Maps https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus so I was sort of "wrong" :oops: -- as i sort of thought that the free version of Locus Maps couldn't take custom configs, maybe they changed that years ago and i just didn't know. Anyway this map config does work with the free version of Locus Maps, and the maps can even be offlined .. just tested off lining parts Lysterfield Lake in Vic.. The good news here, anyone can try this with a Android phone or tablet, with Locus Maps Free version for free -- So it don't cost anything to try ..

Screenshots of zoomed in Maps of Lysterfield Lake from Locus Maps free version,
Screenshot_20190222-090347.jpg


Screenshot_20190222-090420.jpg


This was tested with a pretty cheap fake arse tablet that was off Aliexpress (Which I got a part of my purchased price refunded) -- very surprised with the results, of how well the Locus Maps Free Version worked.
 
Kippie

Kippie

Well-Known Member
It's fantastic now that I've sorted out the download issue. The only limitation I found is that I am limited to downloading 10,000 tiles/day. Not a big deal as most areas of interest are smaller than that.
So thanks for sharing this.
 
Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
Kippie said:
It's fantastic now that I've sorted out the download issue. The only limitation I found is that I am limited to downloading 10,000 tiles/day. Not a big deal as most areas of interest are smaller than that.
So thanks for sharing this.
Click to expand...
Hi Kippie,

What was your download issue? As your solution or fix may help someone else.

About the 10,000 tiles/day limit for the online maps, remember there is also OpenAndroidMaps, and LoMaps available for the larger areas like the whole of Australia, and those also zoom in nicely. Actually zoomed out the OpenAndroidMaps, and LoMaps actually work better.
 
Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
Just seeing how people have got on with this new maps sources config -- see if people are succeeding or if it's just not working for them?

Now for a "hint" on how to get the best out of the online maps that are in Locus Maps and that is switch "off" the unnecessary standard map European map sources, that comes with Locus Maps -- and just leave on some world and the Australia Maps that this map config, it should make Locus Maps easier for some people to navigate.

  1. Go to Map sources
    Locus-maps-sources001.jpg


    Locus-maps-sources002.jpg

  2. Once looking at the "Online" maps select the three dots right hand corner
    Locus-maps-sources003.jpg

  3. Select Available Maps -- and "Deselect All" and then select "only the sources that your interested in like the Local Australian Gov Maps.
    Locus-maps-sources004.jpg

  4. Once you exit that dialogue you should end up with a map list that maps sense, without listing European and US maps that are no use in Australia
    Locus-maps-sources005.jpg
I hope this is useful for some people.

Cheers
 
ajr40

ajr40

Member
Cyberess said:
Hi All,

This is still under development, I have developed a specialised XML config that will make "Locus Maps" load very high quality Digital Topographic Maps from publicly available online map sources and some of these scale down to 10K -- which is extremely high detail.
e.g.
  • Qtopo maps from Queensland Gov
  • Topographic Six maps from NSW Gov
  • Topographic Vicmaps
  • Topographic Tasmania
  • SA -- plus some sources for WA and NT
  • 250K Topo maps of all of Australia
  • plus some other interesting sources
This is not for everyone, and remember at this stage I will just say it's under development, and this is all my own work, and in no way endorsed by Locus Maps, although they do publish examples on how to make up the config files. If using the these map sources for navigation, please do so at your own risk. Remember at your own risk, I am not going to be responsible if you drive off the end of the earth and disappear out to space..

Just a couple of notes before we start, this will not work with Apple Ipads or Iphones, and it's for Android phone and tablets only and it will need a paid for version of "Locus Map Pro" which can be obtained from the Google Play Store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus.pro&hl=en and that is selling for $10.99 at this moment: BTW I don't profit in anyway from anyone purchasing Locus Maps etc .. it's all up to yourself, and if you do fork out the $10.99 and none of this works for you, well it ain't my fault. This will take some skill, to make it work, and that would be copying a downloaded file to directory on you tablet or phone, and restarting "Locus Map Pro" application, or even totally restarting the phone or tablet.

If your O.K. with the all above, and don't mind getting a little technically involved with your tablet or phone -- let begin
  1. Download Australian-Locus-maps.xml file from https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1XU3lBW7QxJ7mM7teLL4arWeJqAd50coi , you can either do that on your phone/tablet or PC (that's the file that I have created)
  2. This is after a install of "Locus Maps Pro", and confirmed that it is working, copy the file to /storage/emulated/0/Locus/mapsOnline/custom/ on your Phone or tablet.
  3. Restart the "Locus Maps Pro" -- Might have to totally restart your phone --
The full path of the file should be /storage/emulated/0/Locus/mapsOnline/custom/Australian-Locus-maps.xml but there is so may different android devices out there, on some peoples devices the path might look a bit different but basically it got be over to Locus/mapsOnline/custom/Australian-Locus-maps.xml

What should this look like when it's installed -- and Remember this is for Online Maps

View attachment 58952

On a phone you should see sources looking this or
View attachment 58953

A Tablet looking like this -- Yes you can offline the Maps

And a sneak preview of what the maps look like
View attachment 58951

Enjoy and please do give some feed back.

Cheers
Click to expand...
outstanding, will use this when travelling around the middle of Aussie in may
 
Cyberess

Cyberess

Active Member
Thanks for the feedback, glade you like the config -- I think I have sourced some of the clearest maps of the High Country in the States of Vic, NSW, QLD and Tas
 
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