@ourlocality – Page 10 – Community Mapping

Computer Hangs

Map Maker will handle fairly large data sets, but there are a instances when it has a tendency to hang.

Too many layers

If you are working with many layers, try clearing any layers you do not need. Try also using the drop-in drop out functions, to show layers at the appropriate map scale.

When you try to load a big .shp file the timer never stops, OS Master Map for example.

We have created a .dra of OS Master Map which seems to overcome the hanging problems.

To create a .dra from a .shp use the UTILITIES > VECTOR menus to import the file and save it as .dra

Map Making Tools

We are using a variety of tools including:

Windows tools like

Arc GIS Explorer Java to view and query maps (EASY TO USE)

Tatuk GIS viewer – to view and query maps (EASY TO USE)

Map Maker Pro and Gratis – to print maps, collect new data and create maps and perform complex spatial analyses (viewer and elementary are EASY TO USE- full version DIFFICULT TO USE)

Online tools

Google Maps

UMapper

Bing etc.

Access Violation

This is not that easy to troubleshoot or fix, unhelpful error numbers are given but no simple solutions seem to exist.

Check if there is a pattern, does it occur every time you perform a particular operation? Is it intermittent? Does it persist after a fresh start?

For example, deleting styles in a range in Project Style management consistently gives this error. It is most likely a Map Maker bug.

If the problem recurs persistently, but there is no pattern and restarting Map Maker doesn’t work, try turning your computer off for a minute and restart it again.

Check that you are not trying to do something silly (like loading a project from a different application).

If that doesn’t seem to fix it, try simplifying your project – have you got a guddle of data layers that you don’t really need?

If possible, try re-creating your project bringing in your data, any .tif layers etc. and refreshing your styles.

Finally it could require re-installation of the Map Maker program, or possibly an update to the Windows operating system.

Failed to Redraw

You open up project in Map Maker and get: “Redraw failed [4]”. What’s that about?

A map maker project (.geo) usually consists of several layers, a linked database and links to style files.

So a working map project consists of multiple files stored on your PC on a network or on a portable device.

The .geo file is simply a text file with the project instructions. Basically any changes you make to the location or names of the files and folders in between sessions will potentially throw an error when you retrieve a project that uses those files.

Fixing is relatively easy. Go to the project manager and under files you’ll find all the files that should be in use by that project, incl. the original file names and their locations. Either re-create your project from the new locations or rename & move the files and folders that were changed. The first course of action is probably easier!

When things go wrong

Map Maker and Arc GIS can play up from time to time.

The usual causes are:

You have tried to load a corrupt data set
You are trying to view or link to a very large data set / database
You are performing a complex operation on a very large data set

That said, both programs will throw inexplicable errors from time to time. If you get repeated errors try:

Closing the program and starting it again
Restarting the Workstation / PC

If neither of these resolves your problem, and you cannot open the program, it may need reinstalling.

Otherwise you can try and

Simplify your project by reducing the number layers, the linked databases
Start the project again