Loading Garmin Maps into BaseCamp

[chippehawk]

I want to copy the Europe Map I have installed on an inserted microSD card onto my computer so I can plot routes within BaseCamp without having to connect my Garmin device.

When I connect my Garmin GPS to my computer Garmin Express only "sees' my installed US Map and NOT the Europe Map on my card. So I'm not able to use this method to copy both maps. When I open BaseCamp I tried to use Garmin MapInstall to copy the Europe Map but received the following message "No unlocked maps were found for this device." I then opened the Map Product Manager within BaseCamp and the status of both my US and Europe Maps is "Not Lockable".

It would seem that both maps should have been detected by Garmin MapInstall if the status of both maps is Not Lockable. So I'm at a loss for how to copy the Europe Map on my Garmin to my computer. I can use Garmin Express to copy only my US Map. I don't know why Garmin Express doesn't recognize my installed Europe Map.

I appreciate any advice.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

I want to copy the Europe Map I have installed on an inserted microSD card

1) How did you install the Europe map to your microSD card?

2) Official Garmin maps on your GPS are usually detected by Basecamp and installed onto your computer automatically, is the Europe map purchased from Garmin?

3) What format is the Europe mam in ?, eg. a single *.img, multiple *.img files plus other files, a different format

When Garmin express detects new files for download it gives options to copy to computer like this :-



If 'Computer' is selected thw map will be useable by Basecamp

 

[chippehawk]

I purchased the microSD City Navigator Europe NT Card directly through the Garmin website and inserted it into the slot on my Garmin DriveSmart 61 device. Here is my image of Garmin Express:

Garmin Express just detects my North America map to install onto my computer and not the Europe map on the card. BaseCamp has no problem detecting both maps when I plug my Garmin into the computer:

Here is what the BaseCamp Map Product Manager shows:

But I see no option to install these maps from BaseCamp onto my computer. BaseCamp only provides a method of installing maps onto my Garmin DriveSmart 61 device:

So I'm back to figuring out WHY Garmin Express does not detect my Europe map on my inserted MicroSD card.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

OK I think I have worked out what is going on, I'm guessing you purchased a satnav / GPS with lifetime US map updates, Garmin Express is used to download any map updates, but because the Europe maps can't be updated Express won't handle them (there is nothing for it to do), it may be that Garmin has purposely done something to the files on microSD to prevent them being copied, however it is possible to make Basecamp 'see' some files of this type.

Copy the contents of your microSD card to a folder on your computer, then use this computer folder when pointing to the *.img files to work on

You will need 2 free to download programs :-

MapSetToolKit

and

cgpsmapper

There are some notes on how to use these programs:- Click Here

 

[chippehawk]

Well, I'll try 2 more things. First, contact Garmin Technical Support directly for more insight into Garmin Express's ability/limitation to copy their Europe map on an microSD card to my computer. Second, attach my Garmin GPS to my computer and search for the location of the Europe map and try to copy/paste directly onto my computer.

You are probably correct about their Garmin map having some copyrighted protection to prevent it from being copied off the microSD card. I don't believe the Europe map can be updated by any means other than purchasing the latest version for sale.

 

[chippehawk]

Well I discovered the simplest solution that allows BaseCamp to detect my Europe map without plugging in my Garmin device. Remove the microSD card from the Garmin GPS and insert it into a microSD card slot on your computer. If your computer has the larger SD card slot then you'll need an SD card-microSD card adaptor. Fortunately my computer had the smaller microSD card slot so I was able to confirm this method.

I can now generate customized routes for a future European road trip without have to always lug around my Garmin GPS. For my North America map I can use Garmin Express to copy it to my computer for BaseCamp to access if I so desire.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

It is possible to achieve the same thing by creating a virtual drive on your computer and placing a copy of the map files in this area, another user did post details to this thread but has removed his post for some reason, the virtual drive info. is here :-
IMDisk VIRTUAL DISK DRIVER

Note:- Anyone copying map files in this way should ensure that they are not violating any end user agreements