OruxMaps - Installation & Use
Introduction
Many members will be familiar with digital mapping of one sort or another. Here in the UK we are fortunate to have the quality mapping produced by the Ordnance Survey; perhaps to the extent that we take it somewhat for granted. Other countries have their own flavours, for the most part, and these vary in quality. But it's fair to say that you don't have to travel too far to find countries where good quality mapping is hard to find, and/or prohibitively expensive. In some cases it simply doesn't exist.
At this point we must note that, for the purposes of this discussion, we're really only interested in mapping that can be used offline. Online sources are available, of course, but are of no use if you don't have an internet connection, as could well be the case if you're in a remote area. You need the mapping to be installed on your phone, or whatever device you intend to use.
OpenStreetMap is the 'Wikipedia' of the mapping world and is created and developed entirely by volunteers. OSM, on its own, does not include elevation data - contours, in other words - but what may not be so widely known is that it can now be bundled with an additional elevation 'layer' that does.
To cut a complex story short, you can now get OSM maps for anywhere in the world which will display contour lines. This development, for me, is a game changer. And it's free. What, as they say, is not to like?
In an article like this, it's not possible to cover all the possibilities but I just wanted to run through a concrete example of how to install an OSM app and map on an Android phone or tablet. Of course, there are any number of other devices and operating systems, but hopefully, the principles may be relevant to them as well.
We'll take two approaches. The first is the 'easy' option in that you don't need to configure too many options on your device to get things up and running. If you want a little more control over what goes where, then you might look at the second approach. This might be the case, for example, if you have limited internal memory on the device and want - or need - to put the (large) map files onto a microSD card. You may also wish to install additional themes, or 'skins'. Essentially, you'll need an app, a map and at least one theme...
Mapping Apps
Firstly, you'll need to install a suitable mapping app to your phone. There are a number to choose from, but I'd suggest OruxMaps or Locus. They are either free or cost just the price of a coffee. Each has its own learning curve and we're going to limit this discussion to OruxMaps on an Android device. The principles should be equally relevant to other setups, but there are just too many to cover them individually.
So download and install OruxMaps (or OruxMaps Donate, as it may be called). This is a flexible piece of software and there are a shedload of settings and options. Probably best not to alter too many just yet. Now, bearing in mind what we said above, you can either choose the easier option (1) or the more flexible, but more involved, option (2).
1. The Easy Option
You've installed OruxMaps and probably driven it round the block to make sure it works. In order to view the promised map with contours, we need to install a theme and, of course, a map. Let's get one for the UK
1. you need to use the browser on your device because you're going to install directly onto it
2. navigate to https://www.openandromaps.org/en/downloads/europe
[note that you can have the pages in English or German if you wish]
Near the top of the page you'll see a blue button labelled 'Install Rendertheme'
3. click or tap the Install Rendertheme button
On the next page, in the table below you can choose manual download options as well as automatic downloads. You want the automatic download for OruxMaps
4. tap the blue OruxMaps download button to install the theme
Now we need to find and install the UK map...
5. go back to the download page at https://www.openandromaps.org/en/downloads/europe
6. tap the '+' icon to the left of the Great Britain selection
7. tap the maroon OruxMaps button to install the map .. it may take a few moments
Start OruxMaps now, or restart it if it's running. When using it there are a number of ways to select the map and the theme. Here's one:
8. swipe right from the top left of the screen to bring up OruxMaps options menu
9. in the Maps section, tap the 'ring-binder' icon (not the cogwheel) to get a list of available maps
10. make sure you have the Offline tab selected and tap the Great Britain map
11. swipe right again to get the options menu
12. tap the Mapsforge Theme section to tap and choose a theme from the list
Note that the default theme will render the map but doesn't show contours. The theme that you installed earlier actually has two flavours - Elevate and Elements. Try them both; you might find that one works better in built-up areas, for example, than open countryside.
Some themes offer further options to show and hide certain features to suit your own purposes. If you want to try a couple more then have a look through the next section.
2. The Slightly Harder Option
If you're going to try this yourself, then you need to be comfortable navigating around your phone's file system, copying/moving files and so on. You will also need to be able to unpack a zipped file on your PC and transfer files to your phone or other device.
Firstly, you need to install OruxMaps as per the instructions above.
There are questions as to where you want to install the map files, which can be quite large. If you have an SD card, then that will likely be the best option. If so, then create a folder on it called, say, Maps. So, in general, the app is on the internal memory and the map(s) will be on the card. If you don't have a card then you'll need to create the directory in another location. Wherever it is, you'll now need to search through the app's settings so that you can set the map folder location to the one you've just created. We'll explain that process shortly.
You'll also need to create another directory inside the Maps one called, say, Themes. While you're at it, you might want to create another one inside the Maps directory called DEM; we'll come back to that one later. You can, of course, choose your own directory names if you wish.
You now need to tell OruxMaps that these are the directories that you intend to use. How to change those default directories to point to the ones you've just created? As usual, there are a number of ways to do this. Here's one:
1. swipe right from the top left of the screen
2. tap the 'cogwheel' icon at the Maps section
3. tap the Maps Directory section at the top and navigate your file system (not always intuitive!) to locate the Maps directory, or whatever you called it
4. tap the OK button to set it as the new preferred option
5. repeat steps 1-4 to set the DEM files directory
The option to set the Themes directory is a little harder to find:
6. swipe right from the top left of the screen
7. tap the 'cogwheel' icon at the Maps section
8. scroll down to find the Mapsforge Settings section and tap it
9. look for the Mapsforge Themes section and set the new directory as before
So you've now got an app and you've set up your preferred default directories. We now need to download and install a map. Let's assume that you want a map for the UK. You can either download the map to your PC and then copy it across to your device, or you can download it directly to your Maps directory. The process is as follows :
1. navigate to download page at https://www.openandromaps.org/en/downloads/europe
2. in the Great Britain section, just click or tap the blue Download button
3. if you wish to rename the map file then now is the time to do it
4. copy it to your Maps directory if it isn't already there
You now need to install some themes. To make life a bit easier, we've prepared the files you need for each of the themes into three .ZIP files. You've done a lot of work to get this far so I'd suggest installing all three and trying each one. If you don't like a particular theme then just delete the files and it won't appear in the list.
The themes are called Elevate, Voluntary Cruiser and Tiramisu. Elevate actually installs two flavours of itself - Elevate and Elements. Try them both; you might find that one works better in built-up areas, for example, than open countryside.
To install them, you can download them to your PC, unzip the files and then copy them across to your Android device or you can download the zipped files to your device and unzip them there. So, for example, to use the first method:
1. on your PC download the three files to a temporary location
2. unzip each in turn to that location, or another of your choice
3. copy the files to the Themes directory on your device, making sure to preserve the file structure - subdirectories and so on
4. restart OruxMaps and it should now list the different themes (see 11 & 12 in the previous section)
5. you can either save the zipped files somewhere or just delete them entirely
You can download the themes from the links here:
Elevate
Tiramisu
Voluntary Cruiser
You might also note that some settings can be tweaked in some themes, for example to show, hide or emphasise cycling routes, hiking routes or whatever. You might want to alter the size of text and/or icons. Settings for this can be found in the Mapsforge Settings section mentioned earlier.
You'll probably also have come across options to show hill shading and/or 3D map views. This process requires downloading additional DEM files. They will be in .HGT or .HDR format and it is these files that will go into the DEM folder that you created earlier if you use those features.
Tracks and Routes
Tracks & routes are essentially the same in that both can be represented as collections of waypoints in GPX files. It may be useful, however, to consider a track as being a record of a journey that you, or someone else, has already completed. A route, on the other hand might be thought of as a journey that has yet to be undertaken. This is not a strict definition, but you may gain a better understanding if we consider the sort of information that the route or track file contains.
Firstly, GPX files are simply text files and you can open them in any text editor. Other than the header information at the start of the file, you'll see that the track or route is just a collection of waypoints. A waypoint, at its most basic, will clearly contain the coordinates of the point in question; in other words, the latitude and longitude. These two figures may appear in a number of different formats but they all specify the location.
Each waypoint may also contain more information than that, however, and especially so if we are describing a track. Typically, whatever device has recorded the track may also have added a date and timestamp. It may also have added the altitude, or elevation. Some may even have added the temperature, heart rate, cadence and so on.
Depending on your software, this information might allow it to calculate average speeds, gradients and even how many calories were burned.
So armed with a little background information, how does it relate to OruxMaps? The two main uses are to record a track and to display a track or route with a view to studying it or following it on the ground. As of now, we'll use the terms route and track interchangeably.
We mentioned earlier how to set up directories to keep your maps and themes in. OruxMaps will have a default directory set up where it expects to find tracks and it will look something like:
/storage/emulated/0/oruxmaps/tracklogs/
If you want to change this then you can do it in a similar way to what was described above. In the main options dialog, look for the Tracks/Routes section and you'll see the option to set the directory to one of your choosing. You may already have tracks that you've recorded yourself or downloaded from, for example, Wikiloc.
I must say that I've found OM's track display options to be quite confusing. There are often a number of different ways to do the same thing and navigating your way around can be quite problematic. Generally speaking, to display a track you need to get OM to import a copy of it into its internal database which results in there being two versions of the track. If space is limited, then, it makes sense to purge OM's database from time to time ... more on this later.
So if you have a track that you wish to view, and have a copy of the GPX file in your Tracks directory then in order to import it, you can proceed as follows:
1. swipe right from the top left to get the dialog options
2. click the icon (not the cog wheel) for the Tracks/Routes
If you have any tracks then this is where they'll be listed. To import one then do the following:
3. tap the 'import' icon - looks like a 'turn right' icon with a floppy disk, at the bottom, 4th from right
4. choose the top one of the three: GPX/KML/TCX....
5. put a tick by the track(s) that you want to import
6. click OK at the bottom
Now that it's in the database, you should be able to show it on the map
7. repeat steps 1 & 2 above
8. tick the track you wish to show
9. click the 'map' icon at the bottom left - looks a bit like a flag
You're now presented with a dialog with various options which we'll leave you to explore at leisure. If you just want to view the route:
10. select the No Navigation and Nothing options
11. click Accept
If the GPX file contains elevation data, as described above, then you may see the track highlighted in various colours. The chevrons show the direction and the colours give an indication of the gradient. You may also see distance markers at various intervals. Many of these display options are customisable - see the user manual for more details.
There are a number of ways to remove the route from the display:
a) tap the start or end point (chequered flag) and then tap Delete - note that it is still in the database but not shown on the map
b) swipe R from the top left and click the arrow at the left side of the Tracks/Routes section to expand it - tap the Clean Routes/Wpts option
As noted previously, if space on your device is limited then you may wish to delete tracks from the database from time to time as they are essentially duplicates - you can always re-import them again if necessary. To do this, proceed as in 1 and 2 above, select the tracks to delete by ticking them and simply hit the Trash icon at the bottom of the screen.
Points of Interest - POIs
We explained earlier how to download a map from OpenAndroMaps. You may also have noticed an option to download a POI file. POIs include a whole gamut of items related to tourism, shopping, travel, entertainment and more...
On a journey and running out of fuel? POIs might show you the location of the nearest petrol station. In an unfamiliar town and looking for an ATM? A restaurant? A hotel? You get the idea...
So download the POI file as well as the map. If you rename the map, then be sure to rename the POI file as well. Simply make sure that the POI file is located in the same directory as the map.
To use them:
1. make sure you navigate to cover the area of the map you're interested in
2. swipe right from the top left corner to bring up the menu
3. select Waypoints Tools > Search in Map (offline)
4. for example, tick Food & Service, or tap the arrow at the right to expand that section
5. tick the items that you're looking for
6. tap the big tick at TR corner to generate a list of relevant POIs
either
7a. if you tap any one of them you'll get a number of options:
if you tap Create Waypoint it will appear on the map
if you tap Show On Map it will be centred on the map but only persist for a short time
or
7b. if you tap the 'layered pages' icon at the TR then they will all be shown on the map
To get rid of them:
if you chose Create a Waypoint, tap the (green) icon and there's an option to delete
if you chose Show On Map then swipe R from the TL corner > Map Tools > Remove Overlay
Of course, POIs are only as useful as the information that OSM contributors have submitted and - hopefully - kept up to date. Once again, you probably know your own area as well as anyone and could get involved yourself.
DEM Files
DEM stands for Digital Elevation Model. OSM does not include elevation data although - as we've seen - it can be bundled with an extra 'contour overlay'.
You'll probably have come across an option in Orux to offer hillshading to create a 3D image of the landscape. This, however, requires that Orux downloads DEM files which contain a grid of elevation data. Orux can do this on the fly for the area that you're looking at but, of course, you need to have a network connection to do this; not always convenient if you're out and about.
So is it possible to download these DEM files and store them on your SD card or other memory in the device? The simple answer is Yes but, as usual, the are a number of issues to consider.
The data itself originates from a variety of sources, many of which are based in the US. The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in 2000 produced a '3 arc second' grid of elevation readings covering most of the Earth's surface. This grid gives elevation data at intervals of roughly 90m and has subsequently been improved in the intervening years. It is in the public domain.
A more accurate '1 arc second' set of data is also available. It is based on a grid of points roughly 30m apart. Again it covers most, but not all, of the Earth's surface. It is also in the public domain.
For a good introduction and overview of the subject you could navigate to Jonathan de Ferranti's website at http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/
So what to use and where to get the data?
For most purposes, the 3 arc second data will be perfectly fine. You have to bear in mind that this data is relatively easy to obtain. Another factor to consider is that the more detailed 1 arc second data will take up much more space and probably more processing power to render. It is also more of a faff to obtain in that you need to create a (free) account with the United States Geological Survey before you can download the data.
Recall that we suggested creating a DEM folder to store the data. If you didn't do this then please look back at the earlier section that refers to it.
3 arc second data
To download a selection of this data and install it:
1. navigate to http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/Coverage%20map%20viewfinderpanoramas_org3.htm
and choose the areas that you wish to download
2. clicking any one of the grid 'squares' will download a zipped DEM file for that area - about 9 or so will cover most of the UK
3. unzip the file to a suitable location - you should find another folder with maybe 18 .HGT files in it
4. copy the individual .HGT files into your DEM directory - do not put them in a subfolder of it.
5. repeat for as many zipped files as you wish
You can now use the Orux menu option to create the hillshading view.
IMPORTANT: it seems to work fine if you are using the default theme, but may not work with other themes.
1 arc second data
I've included the following notes but must add the caveat that I haven't actually followed through the whole process myself. I got most of the way through it and am including the notes for anyone who wants to use this more detailed data themselves. It is, if you like, included for a sense of completeness.
Firstly, you need to create an account with the USGS - you'll just need an email address and a password.
1. head for https://ers.cr.usgs.gov/register/ and register to create your account
When you want to download the DEM data then do the following:
2. head for http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ and log in
There are a number of ways to select the region that you're interested in and the type of data that you want. Here's one that allows you to draw a polygon to select your area of interest.
3. make sure that the Search Criteria tab at the top is selected
4. select the Path/Row tab
5. select the Polygon tab just underneath
6. click the map to draw a polygon covering your area
7. select the Data Sets tab at the top
8. select the Digital Elevation > SRTM > SRTM 1 Arc Second Global
9. select the Results tab at the top
You should now see listed the individual data sets that cover your area. There could be a lot of these - for example, there will be around 100 covering the UK. Each individual set has a number of small icons associated with it. If you click the second icon from the left, it will show the area covered by that data set.
If you gave a manageable number of datasets you might want to download each one individually. If you want a single bulk download then you can add the datasets to a 'bulk download set' by clicking the second icon from the right. This might seem like a good idea, but you will need to install some software which will unpack them once downloaded. Follow the instructions to see how it works.
If you can, it's probably best to download each separately. To do that:
10. click the 3rd icon from the right to see the download options
11. choose the BIL format and download the file(s)
For each file that you download then
12. unzip it to see 4 files
13. you only want the BIL file and the HDR file
14. rename the BIL file to a DEM file
15. put the Dem file and the HDR file into your DEM directory
You can now use the hillshading option as noted previously. Bear in mind that this may only work if you use the default theme.
Well nobody said it was going to be easy!
NB: as noted earlier, the DEM data covers most of the Earth's surface. There are areas that are not covered in, for example, more northern and southern latitudes. I was surprised to discover that 1 arc second data is not available for the Shetland Isles, though 3 arc second data is. Just sayin'...
Other Considerations
We need, perhaps, just to take a step back for a moment. It's important to keep in mind the nature of OSM. As with all mapping - including our own Ordnance Survey - it invariably contains imperfections and inaccuracies. OSM is constantly evolving and it's a good idea to refresh your own copy of the map from time to time.
We also note that the level and accuracy of detail will vary from place to place, area to area and country to country. You may wish to get involved yourself and contribute to the project. These maps are only as accurate and useful as the data that is available - you could help to add to that and to improve it.
Locus maps has been mentioned as well as OruxMaps. Both apps have a wealth of features and both have pros and cons. The good news is that if you want to use both apps then you only need to install one version of any particular map as it can be used by both apps if you tell each one where the map is located. There seem to be a few differences in their use of themes, however, and it might be best to keep separate copies of those files for each app.
Both OruxMaps and Locus support a number of other map formats and you may wish to investigate this for yourself.
Finally, we've said that these apps and maps are essentially free. Of course, that isn't the whole story and many developers have spent time and effort in bringing all these resources together and I can only suggest that you consider making a modest donation for their work. The developer of the Tiramisu theme, for example, suggests that, if you find it useful, then you might donate to the OpenAndroMaps site to help keep it running.
You'll find relevant links below.
OpenStreetMap
OpenAndroMaps
https://www.openandromaps.org/en/
Tiramisu
https://tartamillo.wordpress.com/tiramisu/
Voluntary Cruiser
http://forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=2915.0
NB: you need to create an account - it's free - and log in to be able to download this theme
Comments/ideas/blame/insults, please, to
