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Precision Mapping Streets 4.0

FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions



What is Precision Mapping Streets, 4.0?

What is new in Precision Mapping Streets, 4.0?
What are the system requirements for Precision Mapping Streets, 4.0?
How do I install Precision Mapping Streets, 4.0?
Can I use my old overlays from Precision Mapping Streets v. 2.0 with Precision Mapping Streets v. 4.0?
Can I use the overlays from Precision Mapping Streets, v.3.0 and v.3.5?
How do I get the Drawing and editing toolbar to show on the screen?
How do I get the Symbol Library to show on the screen?
Can I run the Program without a CD-ROM disk?
What are the proper drive locations in the Customize Box?
When I search for a street or city, I get the message "No matches found."
When I zoom in, the map turns yellow, and streets do not appear.
I copied all the data files from Precision Mapping Streets 3.0 to my hard drive so I could run the program without the CD-ROM disk. I just upgraded to Streets 4.0. Will these data files work with the new version?
When I attempt to install the program by selecting File, Run, and typing D:\setup, I get an error message that says "Cannot find the file ‘d:\setup’ or one of its components…" Do I have a defective CD-ROM disk?
When I print maps to my HP LaserJet IV, city names appear in white lettering and are unreadable. How do I print maps with the city names displayed as they appear on my screen?
I’m having difficulty getting a database file to import into Streets 4.0. I’ve gotten various error messages, but never success. Any clues to what I might be doing wrong?
In Streets v  3.0, whenever I started the program, it brought me to the same view as when I last used the program. In v  4.0, the program always starts with a view of the continental US. Is it possible to have the Streets 4.0 remember and go to my last view upon startup?
Will Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 work with Windows CE?
Why can’t I view county names in version 4.0?  I could do it in version 3.0
Can I combine multiple overlays and save it as one?
Do you have maps for other parts of the world I can use in Streets?  Can I use the underlay feature of Streets 4.0 to display aerial photographs from other parts of the world?
Under Screen Options, Area Shading, there is an option called M.C.D.s  The help file says the option toggles the display of Major Civil Division Shading.  What are MCDs?
I’m having difficulty printing with my Hewlett Packard OfficeJet printer.  Are there any changes I can make in order to print?
I would like to bring a track file from Traveler 4.0 into Streets 4.0 as an overlay so I can use the drawing tools  to create and print a customized map.  Is this possible?
I think I have found a database error. What should I do?
Are you able to print out the latitude/longitude grid?
What map datum is Precision Mapping Streets based on?
What does the ‘Unable to allocate bitmap’ error message mean when I am trying to print?
Can I have Precision Mapping Streets version 3.0 and 4.0 installed at the same time?  Can I run the two programs at the same time?
 When I start the program, all I see are the words ‘Canada’ and ‘Mexico’?
How do I edit the text that I’ve already placed on the map?  How do I delete it?
What is ‘Aspect Ratio’?
Does Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 have GPS capabilities?
My question is not answered in the Frequently Asked Questions. How do I reach Technical Support?

 

 

Q.  What is Precision Mapping Streets, 4.0?  
A. Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 lets you take an incredible journey across the United States. Based on the latest road and highway network sets available, Streets 4.0 delivers the most current and up to date maps possible. New and improved features will allow you to quickly search and locate virtually every street segment, public building, waterway, address, railway line, and landmark. Expand your mapping experiences with advanced features such as image underlay, database linking and new printing options. Create a customized map using the program’s advanced drawing features and share these unique images with friends, family, and business associates. Overall, Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 has been designed to satisfy your total mapping needs for now and into the next millennium. 

 

Q. What is new in Precision Mapping Streets, 4.0?  
A.

Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 includes many new features that are equipped to make your entire mapping experience as simple as possible.

New and improved features:

Search Engine:
Because of your input, we have enhanced our search engine in Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 to allow the database to search any street address from any point on the map, and any landmark once the map is inside the street level detail threshold.

Toolbars:

New icon buttons have been added to the toolbar setup. Buttons are now available for Lat/Lon grid, Open File, Save File, Print Document, Drawing Toolbar and Bird's Eye View.
Database information:
The new version of Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 uses the most current database available. This version includes street level detail for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Hawaii, as well as highway information for the entire North American Continent.

Landmarks:

The landmark library has been improved threefold. The appearance has been changed so most landmarks are represented by pictures rather than numbers. The database has also greatly expanded, including many more places of interest. There is also a new search feature for the landmarks, once inside the street level detail threshold.

Measuring Tools:

The measuring tools, Measure Area and Distance, familiar from our past version of Precision Mapping Streets, have found a place on the new toolbar. These new icon buttons allow for the measurement of two or more points on the map. Distance measurements are in miles or kilometers and area measurements are in square miles or square kilometers.

Overlays:

The original Overlay (drawn objects) and Symbol toolbars are now compacted into a single convenient pop-up menu. This pop-up menu is accessible through two buttons. The Draw toolbar button at the end of the main toolbar, and the Symbol Library is accessible in the center of the Drawing toolbar. Added are the new Polygon object, Macartor circle and Macartor line.

Options:

The Layers display has been modified. With this new interface, you can now  choose what is displayed on the map with greater ease.

Zoom and Distance:

The Zoom and Distance keys are now located in a status bar along the bottom of the screen.
View Region:

This feature allows you to zoom to a region of the country or state directly.

Q. What are the system requirement for Precision Mapping Streets, 4.0?  
A. These are the required and recommended system requirements for properly running Precision Mapping Streets 4.0
  • Computer Operating System:
    Compatible systems would include computer systems with Windows 95/equivalent or higher.

System Classes:

  • 486 66MHz to Pentium - Minimum system recommendations (should function adequately)
  • Pentium 100 MHz or higher - Recommended system.

System Memory:   The system memory (RAM) is an important factor in performance due to the amount needed to load and display the map data.

  • 16MB - Minimum amount of RAM (When searching in large metropolitan areas, the system will tend to be slow due to the amount of memory used by the map data).
  • 32MB - Suggested amount of RAM (The system should run smoothly).
  • 64MB or higher - Maximum performance.

Display

  • The system was designed for a 256-color environment. If possible, it is strongly recommended to set your video resolution to 800 x 600.
  • There is a full topic located in the help files of Precision Mapping Streets 4.0, under "System recommendations."

Q. How do I install Precision Mapping Streets, 4.0?
A.
  1. Click on "Start" and then "Run".
  2. Type in "X:\Setup.exe" ("X" represents the CD-ROM drive).

OR

  1. Click on the icon "My computer," then click "pmap40 (X:)"
  2. ("X" represents the CD-ROM). Double click the icon "Setup".

 

Q.  Can I use my old overlays from Precision Mapping Streets v. 2.0 with Precision Mapping Streets v. 4.0
A.

Yes.   Download and use the .exe file "pm2conv" from following link, and filter your saved Precision Mapping Streets v. 2.0 overlays thought the converter.  After this process, your saved overlays will be compatible with all of the Precision Mapping Streets upgrades.

Download: Precision Mapping v. 2.0 Overlay Converter.

Q.  Can I use the overlays from Precision Mapping Streets, v.3.0 and v.3.5?
A.

Precision Mapping Streets versions 4.0, 3.0 and 3.5 all use the same overlay file type, *.ovr. If you have any overlays from Precision Mapping Streets 3.0 and 3.5, you can easily import them to Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 by opening them through the File, Open Overlay Command.

There is a full topic located in the help files of Precision Mapping Streets 4.0, under "Open Overlay."

Q. How do I get the Drawing and editing toolbar to show on the screen?
A. The Drawing and editing toolbar, familiar as tabs in the Precision Mapping Streets v.3.0 and v.3.5 toolbar, are combined as one toolbar for easier access and use. By default this toolbar should be open and in a secondary position under the main toolbar. If it is closed, the button "Drawing Toolbar" located on the main toolbar to the right of the User View Selection box, can be clicked to access this powerful toolbar.

Q.  How do I get the Symbol Library to show on the screen?
A. The Symbol Library, familiar as the Symbol tab in the Precision Mapping Streets v.3.0 and v.3.5 toolbar, is now easily accessible through the "Display Symbol Box" button, located in the center of the Drawing toolbar. With the options easily accessible in the Drawing and Editing toolbar, creating personalized overlays and symbols is now easier than ever.

Q.  Can I run the Program without a CD-ROM disk?
A. Yes. Look in the help files under "Optimize Program Speed"

Q.  What are the proper drive locations in the Customize Box?
A. If the program was installed with the Fast Option enabled, the tab "Directories" should be:

(**Note: this assumes the drive you installed the program on is "C:" and "X:" is the CD-ROM drive)

  • State- X:\PMAP40\STATES
  • Data 1- C:\PROGRAM FILES\PMAP40\DATA1
  • Data 2- X:\PMAP40\DATA2
  • Data 3- C:\PROGRAM FILES\PMAP40\DATA3
  • Help- X:\PMAP40\HELP

In "Autoload" tab:

  • Library- C:\PROGRAM FILES\PMAP40\LIB\PMAP.LIB
  • Underlay- X:\PMAP40\CONTOUR\PMAP.PCC

In the "Overlays" tab all are initially selected.

  • There is a full topic located in the help files of Precision Mapping Streets 4.0, under "Configurations."

Q.  How do I import and use underlay images, the "Satellite Sampler" disk, or other photo bitmaps?  
A. Precision Mapping Streets will load and display images stored in a 256-color .bmp format underlay. Using pre-assigned reference points, CONTAINED in a corresponding .sat file, an image will properly appear under the display. These images usually are scanned maps, aerial photos or satellite images. Each image must have an associated .sat file that references the coordinates for the image.

To create a .sat file:

  1. Open Notepad (or any other ASCII text editor).
  2. Type the upper-left (or northwest) corner coordinates in "DD.dddd" format followed by the lower-right (or southeast) corner coordinates.
  3. Save the file with the same name as the graphic image, but with a .sat extension (e.g. "hoover.bmp" would be "hoover.sat").

There is a full topic located in the help files of Precision Mapping Streets 4.0, under "Underlay."

Q.  When I search for a street or city, I get the message "No matches found"  
A.
  1. Make sure the CD-ROM disc is in the drive.
  2. Double check the spelling of the street or place. Occasionally, unexpected spaces in words are found in the directory. For example, when looking for "DeKalb, IL", traditionally spelled as one word, the search option will only find it if a space is added (De Kalb, IL).
  3. Simplify the search by shortening your entry.  For example, instead of looking for "South State Street" in Chicago, just try looking for "State".
  4. If you have version 4.01.02 (click on Help, About to find the version number), Click on Options, Detail Thresholds, and increase the Search Radius value to 16 miles or more.   You may experience an increase in search time as you increase the search radius to larger values.
  5. If, by zooming into a desired location and the specific street you are looking for does not appear, but surrounding streets do, please click here for more information.

There is a full topic in the help files of Precision Mapping Streets 4.0, under "Search Manu".

 Q.  Why does my map turn yellow when I zoom in?  
A.
  1. Make sure the CD-ROM is in the drive and close the door.
  2. In the program, select "File" then "Configure".
  3. Confirm the drive location settings (see "proper drive settings" for more information).

OR

  1. Click the "Zoom USA" button to view the entire continent. It is possible that the cursor has zoomed to areas without street level detail, such as South America.
  2. Make sure the "Map" button on the toolbar has been clicked on. For more information, see the toolbar" section of your help files.

Q. In Streets v. 3.0, whenever I started the program, it brought me to the same view as when I last used the program. In v. 4.0, the program always starts with a view of the continental US. Is it possible to have the Streets 4.0 remember and go to my last view upon startup?
A. By default, the program starts with a view of the continental United States. To instruct the program to start with the view that was displayed when it was shut down, select the Options, Miscellaneous command, and make sure Save Viewport is checked.

Q. Will Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 work with Windows CE?
A. No.  Precision Mapping Streets was designed to work with Windows 95/98/2000/NT.

Q.

Why can’t I view county names in version 4.0?  I could do it in version 3.0.

A. This feature was removed in Precision Mapping Streets 4.0.

Q. 
Can I combine multiple overlays and save it as one?
A. No.  Currently you cannot combine or ‘stack’ overlays on top of each other.  The program was designed to view one overlay at a time.  An overlay currently in memory is cleared before a new overlay is opened. 

Q. 
Do you have maps for other parts of the world I can use in Streets?  Can I use the underlay feature of Streets 4.0 to display aerial photographs from other parts of the world?
A. Precision Mapping Streets was designed and optimized to display map information for the United States.  Map data for other parts of the world is not available for use with Streets 4.0.  If you have an aerial photograph in BMP format, you could view the file in a program such as Paint. 

Q. 

Under Screen Options, Area Shading, there is an option called M.C.D.s  The help file says the option toggles the display of Major Civil Division Shading.  What are MCDs?

A. Major Civil Divisions are subcounty areas such as towns, townships and cities.  If MCD shading is toggled on, the shading for these areas will display once the scale is below two miles.  Until you get below two miles, shading will be based on County or State, depending on the scale and options selected. 

Q. 

I’m having difficulty printing with my Hewlett Packard OfficeJet printer.  Are there any changes I can make in order to print?

A.

Some Hewlett Packard OfficeJet printers have a printer driver conflict with Precision Mapping Streets 4.0.  This can cause the printer to display error messages on the screen when you attempt to print, or simply not print at all.  To resolve this problem, you need to install the HP DeskJet 550c printer driver from the Windows 95 or 98 CD-ROM, or from a pre-installed CAB file.  

Using the "Add Printer" wizard, located in the Printer Folder via the Control Panel, install the HP DeskJet 550c driver.  If prompted, place the Windows 9x CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive and set up the printer for the same printer port as your current printer (usually LPT 1).  Do NOT make this driver the default printer.

Before printing from Precision Mapping Streets, you must turn off the Hewlett Packard Status Monitor/Manager.  When printing from within Precision Mapping Streets, make sure to choose the new 550c print driver by selecting the File, Print, Setup command.

Q.

I would like to bring a track file from Traveler 4.0 into Streets 4.0 as an overlay so I can use the drawing tools  to create and print a customized map.  Is this possible?

A

If you are willing to do a little work, yes, it is possible.  The format of Traveler’s track file, *.TRK, is a text file of longitude, latitude values separated by a comma – almost the same as that required by the .CMX overlay format for creating a polyline.  All that is missing is the file header and line style information.

Using Notepad, or other text editor, locate and open the track file you wish to print.  Track files are located in the folder where Traveler was installed, usually C:\Program Files\Precision Mapping Traveler 4.0\track with the file extension .TRK.  Once open, immediately save the file to the Streets folder with a .CMX file extension.  If you accepted the default location for Street’s files, and the new file name was “MYTRACK”, you would save the file as C:\Program Files\Pmap40\mytrack.cmx.  Be sure the file name has only a .CMX extension.

Header and line style information must now be added to the file.  At the top of the file, add the following text lines:  

CHICAGO MAP EXCHANGE FORMAT

REAL

DATA  

 

Pline xx

The xx is the number of lines (points) in the track file.  The first point immediately follows the pline xx statement. CMX files can only support a maximum of 100 entries (lat/lon points). Immediately after the last line in the file, append the following two lines:

 Pen(0,0,0)

 Brush(0,0)

Pen (Style, Thickness, Color) Pen(0,0,0) stands for the defaults of a solid line of thickness 0 and black color.  Pen style should be kept at 0 (solid line) while thickness can range from 0 to 15.  Color refers to system color, and can have a value of 0 (black) to 15 (white).  Brush(0,0) specifies a clear fill pattern and black fill color (that would be used if the object were a closed object.

A practical example follows:

CHICAGO MAP EXCHANGE FORMAT

REAL

DATA  

 

Pline 5

-71.111616,42.781440

-71.111936,42.777472

-71.112256,42.774656

-71.111360,42.774272

-71.109632,42.773760

 Pen(0,3,9)

 Brush(0,0)

This would create an overlay of 4 line segments connecting the 5 data points displayed as a blue polyline 3 pixels wide.

Q. I’m having difficulty getting a database file to import into Streets 4.0. I’ve gotten various error messages, but never success. Any clues to what I might be doing wrong? 
A.

Database linking (the file doesn’t actually get imported) is a very powerful feature of Streets 4.0. You must follow some basic guidelines in order for the linking to be successful.

  1. The file structure must be dBase IV compatible.
  2. The first 3 fields of each record must contain the longitude, latitude, and an ID text field.
  1. The longitude and latitude fields should be formatted to contain 5 decimal places.
  2. The longitude and latitude values must be in the form DD.ddddd, i.e., decimal degrees.
  3. The longitude field (always first) must be a negative value, e.g., -87.66342.
  4. The third or ID field will contain the text to be displayed on the map.
  1. There can be up to 32 fields per record

To link the file, start Streets, and select File, Database Link, and use Select to locate the database file. Click on Open, and the dialog will display the number of records in the file, number of fields per record, and the creation date. You also can determine whether to display text, markers, or both, the type/color of the marker, and the threshold scale below which the ID text will be displayed.

Once you’ve made your selections, click on OK, and the database file will be linked to Streets. Markers and text (if enabled) will identify each point. If your database contained additional fields, select the Query, Feature Information command, place the finger cursor on one of the markers, and left click the mouse button. A dialog will popup, enabling you to scroll through the additional fields for that record.

To change the display options, simply re-select the File, Database Link command with the new options.

Q.   When I print maps to my HP LaserJet IV, city names appear in white lettering and are unreadable. How do I print maps with the city names displayed as they appear on my screen?
A. There are two settings to check to ensure proper printing with an HP LaserJet printer. From Streets, select File, Print, Setup, and Properties. Click on the Graphics Tab, and make sure that for Graphics Mode, "Use Raster Graphics" is selected. Click on the Fonts Tab, and make sure "Print True-type as Graphics" is selected. Click on Apply, and continue with your printing. To make these changes the default values for your printer, click on Start, Settings, Printers, highlight the printer you are using, and select File, Properties, and make the same changes as above.

Q.  When I attempt to install the program by selecting File, Run, and typing D:\setup, I get an error message that says "Cannot find the file ‘d:\setup’ or one of its components…" Do I have a defective CD-ROM disk?
A. The message simply means Windows can not locate the file at the location you said it would be located. First, make sure the CD-ROM disk in properly inserted in the CD-ROM drive. Next, make sure "D" is the correct drive letter for your CD-ROM drive. Double click on My Computer, look for the drive with the CD-ROM icon, and see what letter it is. Re-enter the command, but replace the letter "D" with the letter of your CD-ROM drive. For example, if your CD-ROM drive is (M:), enter "M:\setup" 

Q.  I copied all the data files from Precision Mapping Streets 3.0 to my hard drive so I could run the program with out the CD-ROM disk. I just upgraded to Streets 4.0. Will these data files work with the new version?
A.

No. Because the Streets 4.0 data files contain additional information, the formats of the files are different from those of earlier versions. You’ll need to replace the old files on your hard drive with the new files.

Q.  I think I have found a database error. What should I do?  
A. At Undertow Software, Inc., we strive to bring you the highest quality, most up to date database available. Occasionally, there will be errors in the database we use. In this case, make a copy of the area on the map that is incorrect (see your help topic file for exporting a map in "File Commands") and email it or fax it to (815) 886-9829. We will do our best to correct these errors in future versions.

Q. Are you able to print out the latitude/longitude grid?
A. Unfortunately, you are not able to print out the grid.

Q. What map datum is Precision Mapping Streets based on?
A. Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 is based on NAD83.

Q. What does the ‘Unable to allocate bitmap’ error message mean when I am trying to print?
A. The ‘Unable to allocate bitmap’ error message means that you are trying to print with the underlay turned on. You must have the underlay turned off when trying to print.  To turn off the underlay, press the UND box at the bottom right-hand corner of the program.  This will toggle the underlay on and off.

Q. Can I have Precision Mapping Streets version 3.0 and 4.0 installed at the same time?  Can I run the two programs at the same time?
A. Since Precision Mapping Streets 3.0 and 4.0 are two totally different and independent programs, installing them at the same time on the same machine is possible.  This would mean that you could run them at the same time without any problem.  Just keep in mind that the data format for the two programs are different, so they do require there own, separate CD-ROM

Q. When I start the program, all I see are the words ‘Canada’ and ‘Mexico’?
A.

You most likely have the Map turned off.  On the second toolbar, there are three buttons on the left hand side, ‘Overlay’, ‘Map’, and ‘Underlay’.  Click ‘Map’.  This toggles the map on and off.  The map of the USA should appear.

Q. How do I edit the text that I’ve already placed on the map?  How do I delete it?
A. Click the arrow icon on the toolbar located next to the magnifying glass.  This will put the program into edit mode.  Now click on the text.  Nine boxes will appear around the text.  You can use these boxes to move or size the object.  By pressing the delete key on the keyboard, you can delete the text.  Unfortunately, you cannot change or edit the actual text. 

Q. What is ‘Aspect Ratio’?
A. Aspect Ratio tilts the map on a slant, so the user can view the map at an angle.  The higher the number, the higher the slant.

Q. Does Precision Mapping Streets 4.0 have GPS capabilities?
A. No.  Precision Mapping Streets does not have this capability.  Traveler 4.0, however, does have the ability to interface with a GPS unit.  Please email our tech support department for further information.

Q.  My question is not answered in the Frequently Asked Questions. How do I reach Technical Support?  
A. In the Technical Support department, we strive to provide quality product support for all of our applications. We have also worked to create and maintain these Frequently Asked Questions for 24-hour Customer Support. If Undertow Software's Frequently Asked Questions do not fulfill your needs, please send us an e-mail.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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