Map Designer includes the ability to record and play back map routes. This can be very useful for checking how your maps will display in the vehicles, especially at which zoom value the street labels appear.
Simply install and launch Map Designer on one of your mobile computers and connect the GPS receiver, as described above. Drive to the location where you want to begin the route and make sure your GPS receiver is active and receiving valid data.
Click the Route Simulator button to bring up the controls that allow you to Record, Play, Pause, and Stop the route simulation.
Pressing the round record button in the Simulator panel will begin recording the GPS signal to the computer. While you are recording, the Record button will intermittently flash red, as shown in the image below. The data display above the Record button will show Latitude & Longitude coordinates as they are being captured from the GPS. To stop recording, press the Record button again and you will be prompted to assign a name to the route and save it. Once you assign a name to your route, it will appear in the Route Simulator Panel so you can play it.
The image below shows some routes that were recorded as part of the Beaverton FD sample data that is installed with First Look Pro Map.
Follow these steps to try out the sample Baskin & Robbins pre-recorded route yourself:
1) Choose the Select Mutual Aid command from the File menu and then choose the Beaverton FD department.
2) From the list of occupancies on the right, double click on Baskin & Robbins to load that location on the map. This places the address locator at the correct location for that building.
3) If the GPS receiver is not already receiving data, click the GPS On/Off button to activate it.
4) Click the Route Simulator button to bring up the controls. In the sample data, four routes have already been recorded.
5) Click on the Baskin & Robbins Route on the table and then click the Play button.
This starts playing the recorded route so you can see the vehicle’s progress as it moved towards the address. The other controls allow you to pause, stop, adjust the speed of the simulation, and slide the vehicle’s location along the route.
Playing a pre-recorded route allows you to see exactly how your maps will display on the vehicles and verify that the street labels are turning on at an appropriate time. If you do not like the results, you can make some changes and record the route again until you get what you want.
