All the documentation I read about installing these open maps involves Mapsource, which Garmin doesn’t issue anymore. What do I do if they only offer Basecamp?
Why does Garmin not offer MapSource anymore? It’s still availabl to download from their webpage.
You don’t need Basecap/Mapsource to install maps on the Nuvi.
All you need is a map in the right format (gmapsupp.img).
This must be copied to a folder ‘Garmin’ on the SD-card and you’re ready to go.
You can download and use Basecamp and send the maps with Mapinstall.
Or you can continue to use Mapsource, Garmin stopped developing this software but it is still available.
To emphasize chris66’s point. The gmapsupp.img file must be on the SD card. Some Nuvi’s (eg.1400 series) will ignore maps placed in the Garmin folder in internal memory.
Also, if the OP wants MapSource, he can successfully install it after BaseCamp has been installed. MapSource still has some useful features like listing names of map tiles.
Ok, maybe I’m going about this the wrong way, but from reading the wiki it seemed to make the most sense that I use http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl (I live in Eastern Canada). The very specific instructions apply to using Mapsource. If I just substitute “Basecamp” for “Mapsource” will that work just as well? Or am I going about this the wrong way?
If you download an installer package (not the gmapsupp.img) from http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl, it will install into either BaseCamp or MapSource (or both, I have BaseCamp and 2 versions of MapSource running on my PC). The installer sets registry items on the PC which both BC and MS use and the same settings work for both BC and MS. MapSource was the original application, BaseCamp is the next generation with features that support Garmin’s newer handhelds like raster mapping (Garmin Custom Maps). So yes, for MapSource read BaseCamp. However, the interfaces are a little different.
Actually, the problem was that the img file I wrote to the microSD didn’t save properly. Does Linux have problems flushing its cache when it does that? I thought the major point of ejecting USB drives was that so the write-behind cache would be flushed, and the user wouldn’t pull the drive until it was flushed.
Now I’m just wondering how the device chooses which map to use when they are both selected.