Map/Image Viewer

J

Jonny the eye

New member
I really need a map/image viewer for my PALM TX which can handle very large images. It should allow to pan and zoom. I have few large maps of my oft frequented cities which I have scanned. Each map is about 3500*2000 pixels. I dont use GPS , so I dont want any coordinates or any such info, I just want to look at the map. The remaining "figuring out where in the world" I am process I think my brain can handle. So basically I just need a image viewer which will not compress the map to fit the TX screen size. It should keep it big and wide.
I started searching and the best I found was VDI Viewer (HTTP://www.okob.net/projects/vdi/). I could load one of my gigantic scanned map files in bitmap format (a whopping 6.3MB file-remember this was one of my smaller files-; the converter provided by this vdi viewer converted it to a 2.1 bmp.pdb file which looked great on my Palm TX.)
Good.
Also it is Freeware.
Excellent.

But I am still not happy.
Firstly, vdi reads its files only from the internal memory, which means I cant store the huge files on my SD card. I somehow bypassed this by using Filez and copying the files I didnot need immediately to the SD card and whenever I needed them I used Filez to transfer the files back to the internal memory. But that is a lot of hard work.

Secondly vdi uses only 320*320 area of the TX screen wasting the collapsible grafitti area.

Anyone out there has any nice suggestions.
 
I use and swear by AcidImage, especially for maps - which you and I share.

A solution to your problem of VDI needing images on the handheld could be solved by using TealAlias, and putting the program and images on the SD Card and creating an "alias" on the handheld. This alias is about 3k in size, launches VDI and any databases (pics/maps) you have on the card; when the "alias app" is closed, the temp memory goes away and all is still on your SD Card for next time. Launching is very fast.

You might want to check size limits with AI Pro; so far it's handled all of mine but I'm not sure about your 3500x2000 pixel shots. I think they'd be fine - there is a trial available but I'd recommend you get AcidImage PRO and pay the extra few $$ - gives you a lot of extra options/abilities.

Two files will be created in the folder where you store your maps - both "Ai.thumb" related; this allows faster opening of thumbs to find an image as well as faster opening of the image itself, and they are draggable (I use it for maps myself vs GPS!).

So either TealAlias and VDI to solve the storage problem but not the 320x320 limitation, or AcidImage Pro to solve both - check 'em both out and see what's good for you.

TealAlias:
http://www.tealpoint.com/softalia.htm

AcidImage Pro Beta page (one I use):
http://www.acid-image.com/aibeta.html
 
I read the following on the vdi project web site:

If you are using the viewer of v1.6 or later and your Palm supports expansion cards (like Sony memory stick or SD memory cards), you may save the converted images to the /PALM/Launcher/ directory on the card. The viewer will allow you to work with the images pretty much the same way you work with the images installed to the main memory (open, delete, get image info ...). It will also allow you to copy images between the main memory and the expansion cards. Note, that even though images are stored on the expansion card when you open one of them you have to have enough main memory to load it. Also beware that loading from an expansion card can take time. The viewer will start automatically when the card is inserted if you copy it to: /PALM/start.prc file on the expansion card.


It appears that you can store the files on the card and open them up. However, you need to make sure you have enough available ram (internal memory) to open the file.
 
It seems I was using vdi ver 1.5. I updated to ver 1.8 and now VIOLA!!! it supports SD card. That is great.

I went ahead and downloaded TealAlias. Am still pretty new to this, so will take time for me to UNLEASH its power!

Now I am seeing which one to buy acid image or GrxViewPro. ANy suggestions?
 
jack123d,

Before you start making decisions you could do worse than take a look at Resco Viewer [URL="http://www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&PartnerREF=&siteid=1&prodID=49978"]http://www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&PartnerREF=&siteid=1&prodID=49978. [/URL]Resco viewer is my personal preference for viewing maps because it allows you to define your own keys for zooming, scrolling etc. This makes viewing maps a joy. I don't disagree with the fact that AcidImage is an excellent product but if your key requirement is being able to view and manipulate maps then you should definitely look at Resco before you make a decision.
 
This is exactly the info I was looking for!

I'm very new to the whole PDA world (heck I don't even own one yet :p ) .

I'm a maintance electrican @ Toronto Airport and I deal with all kinds of different types of electrical equipment.
I want to be able to scan electrical schmatics, operating manuals onto my PC than download them onto a PDA.

Now this post answered what software I should use, but it didn't answer what PDA I should get.

Do I need a fast processor?
How much ram should I get?
anything else I need to know?
How do you guys like your PDA's?
It must have Wi-Fi.

Thanks for all the awesome info!

Man all this Internet crap belows my mind.

Tony.
 
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