Bryan
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Posted: 16 January 2008, 6:42 AM
I have imported LINZ Topo Layers into OCAD by importing DXF files.
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Bryan
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Posted: 17 January 2008, 3:22 AM
Note that the DXF files are not readily available - the company I work for (Terralink) has converted all the data into DXF (as at 2005) and I have access to it. Terralink obviously provides it for a cost but as long as it's only a small area, anyone wanting say one 1:50000 sheet could twist my arm.
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Michael
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Posted: 17 January 2008, 6:39 AM
To add to Bryan's post, DXF files import into the standard version of OCAD. Bryan's offer is therefore a most useful one.
I too have used DXF to make 1300sq.km of map around Wellington, but I felt I was over-twisting the arm of the person who was converting into DXF for me. That's why I looked into the shapefile method. Of course Jim is entitled to make a charge for his investment in OCAD Pro and his time.
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Chris Forne
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Posted: 19 January 2008, 3:45 PM
Hi,
You can download all the topo data from LINZ topo online in Shape file format, however at present I have only figured out how to do this one screen at a time. Therefore, for a large area, I have to repeat the process, making sure I have the right offset so the various map segments fit together nicely afterwards.
When exporting the data I select the box for every single topo symbol, so that they can all be converted into OCAD. I have written a little program to do the conversion for me, as well as join all the map segments together properly. This also allows additional information to be extracted such as the contour heights to create index contours, or relief shading, correctly convert different road/track types to appropriate OCAD symbols, plus many other useful features. It works fine on standard OCAD version.
At present I am doing this for a small fee, so if you are keen to make a new map let me know. I am also planning on writing some more software for fixing OCAD issues, such as duplicate symbols sets, or converting old maps to correct IOF symbols.
Chris
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Michael
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Posted: 18 February 2008, 3:10 AM
After lots of mapping based on LINZ topo data I've found it pretty well as per the printed topos. I recently found a missing hilltop though. It would hardly be surprising if a few small features had been missed in the digitising, so be alert when using them.
The one-contour hill is centred at NZMG 2671080 5988380 or just north of control 71 in the Eastbourne Rogaine. It nearly caused the control to be put in the wrong saddle:-))
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Michael
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Posted: 6 March 2008, 8:18 AM
Anyone had any recent experience with digital offset. As I understand it the file is used to make CMY and K plates within the machine and it is said to be superior to digital printing. It has a setup cost, and because it is ink (not fused toner?) there's an extra day involved. Over a certain number its cheaper.
I've got some dollar numbers from some printers but looking for assurance that it really is at least as good as digital. A tiny mis-registration of the CMYK dots would make a fine line like a contour fuzzy. And by definition they can't do a one-off proof!
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Martin
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Posted: 6 March 2008, 9:34 AM
from memory IOF still requires offset printing for major events
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Greg
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Posted: 6 March 2008, 9:49 AM
from the ISOM2000 via the IOF rules
"3.5 Printing
An orienteering map must be printed on good, possibly water resistant, paper (weight 80-120 g/m ).
Spot colour printing is recommended for IOF events. Other printing methods may be used, if colours and line
width have the same quality as printing with spot colours.
Legibility depends on the correct choice of colours."
further down
"3.5.3 Alternative printing methods
Colour copiers, printers and other digital printing equipment are not yet suitable for printing orienteering maps for
high level competitions. It is very difficult to achieve the line quality, legibility and colour appearance of traditional
spot colour printed maps using this kind of equipment.
It is expected that the continuing development of computer technology will lead to the possibility of using
alternative printing methods with quality suitable for large competitions."
These are form 2000, I'd say that technology has greatly improved in the last 8 years of digital printing.
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Michael
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Posted: 14 March 2008, 11:27 AM
Probably going to stay with digital - at least quality is known. Sounds like digital offset becomes viable over about ca.1000 X A3. Unclear whether this can be made up of different files, but I suspect it might have to be 1000 of the same, or perhaps 500 each of two files, or something simple like that. So a big rogaine or something like that, not an orienteering event with 13 courses. Need to be on the lookout for a suitable opportunity.
This message was edited by Michael on 14 March 2008, 6:40 PM
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Michael
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Posted: 28 March 2008, 3:08 PM
At the mapping meeting Jim Lewis said avoid the Garmin Etrex. The Etrex is not a single model, and the top of the range now has the same high-sensitivity chip that the 60-series has. I'm getting some quite good gpx files from a mate with an Etrex HCx. There's a Venture, Legend and Vista HCx which differ in bells and whistles but not in fundamentals I think. It's a couple of hundred bucks cheaper than the 60 series.
When I say "quite good" I mean not losing the signal over an extended ride through mature pine forest and thick native bush, and discrepancies with roads visible on the orthophotos of within 30m. Not enough for conventional foot-o mapping, but a great help for the MTBO/Rogaine mapping we do at 1:20,000.
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Michael
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Posted: 10 April 2008, 5:57 AM
Lactic Turkey has made a street-park map of 2/3 of Waitakere City for the Eco City Challenge. Auckland OC and NorthWest OC no doubt have semi-topo maps of parts of Auckland too. It would be good to hear that you are all using the same mapping conventions, have all related your maps to the same national grid (NZMG or NZTM) and put your paper coordinate origin in the same place and used the same grid-magnetic angle. So that you can join your bits with OCAD-Import and know they will fit EXACTLY. Like I'm sure you've had to do in Woodhill...
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Martin
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Posted: 10 April 2008, 7:29 AM
of course...
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addison
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Posted: 10 April 2008, 7:56 AM
Does anyone other than maybe Jim Lewis and Michael Wood have OCAD 9 Professional?
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Michael
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Posted: 10 April 2008, 9:26 AM
I run OCAD 9 Std. I have asked Jim when I wanted shapefiles imported.
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runningbeast
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Posted: 10 April 2008, 9:56 AM
Mapping conventions? national grid and paper co-ordinate origin. What mumbo jumbo is this?
We just drew the map making it symbols etc as we went using an aerial photo overlaid with council parks, contours etc as the template.
Mapping conventions? huh!
It looks good though!
This message was edited by runningbeast on 10 April 2008, 4:56 PM
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