Occasionally we will get a message such as this one
maps aren't working.
This alone isn't usually enough for us to diagnose the problem. On this page we will list some of the questions we will ask, and it might help you diagnose this sort of problem faster.
What Map Source are you using?
When you say a map isn't working, what map is it? Recall that there are 20 or so choices in the full menu, and this product is used across the world.
There are some map sources (Mapquest Open Aerial, USGS Color Aerials) that aren't completely reliable. They work great when they do, which is why you have made us keep them, but sometimes they just don't. We have provided the "US Topo Imagery" map source as an alternative to these, and we pay towards the server costs to make it more reliable.
When you first start BackCountry Navigator, you are prompted to select a map source. You are NOT stuck with whatever you choose the first time.You can go back to the layers menu and choose something else. It lists four recent sources that you have used, and also has a button that says "More Map Sources".
Where is the Screen Centered?
This matters, and users often don't know. You can see your current center by pushing the [+} button on the left hand side of the screen. That's only if the coordinates are meaningful to you. Regardless, you can report those coordinates to support so we can try that same area.
Centering the map screen is important if you care about what area it shows data for, and even for finding data that you have already downloaded.
The search button at the top of the screen allows you to center the map. You can do this by typing in a place name such as "Red Rock State Park, CA". All places which you have previously searched for are cached, and will show up as suggestions when you search. In this way you still have access to center the screen while offline.
Another way to center the screen, is to type in coordinates in any of our supported formats. Type these into the search box at the top of the screen, and then choose Center.
A given map source will not show valid data outside of its range. For example, if you are looking at several of the map sources which only have data for the continental US, you may see Xs, or blank areas if the screen is centered.
What Zoom Level?
Occasionally, knowing the zoom level of the map is important. You can find a small number on the right hand side of the screen between the (+) and (-) buttons.
What *DO* you see?
If you are not seeing the map you had hoped for, it does make a big difference what you are seeing instead.
What if I see a bunch of gray squares that say "Preview Off" or "Internet Loading" in small letters?
This probably means that preview is off. Go to the Layers menu (by pushing the layers button at the top of the screen) and check the box for preview.
Note that you cannot turn internetl loading on when viewing a map folder. This is intentional. Based on customer feedback, people wanted to make map packages that would only show what was downloaded, that would not be "tainted" by tiles cached during preview.
In the case of viewing a map folder you may see a message like "Map Package" and a package name. This will remind you to switch to another package if this one isn't the one with the data.
What if I see a bunch of gray squares that say "No connection" in small letters?
That means we don't think you have an internet connection AND we don't have a tile already downloaded for the area you are viewing, in the Main Tile Cache, or the Map Package that you are viewing. It is important that you download areas before going out into the wilderness where you won't have coverage.
What if I see a bunch of Xs?
This may indicate that there are sever side troubles or trouble connecting to the server. In this case, knowing what map source and where the screen is centered. If we know this, we may be able to report the error on the server side. Note, though, that some sources are free but we have little to no control over them.
It is not an error if you see this in a place that is outside of the map's range. In this case, you could also see a white background, a blue background, a logo, or words that say "not yet available".
The Xs, could, in some instances, indicate we are having trouble writing to the storage location. Please check the storage available on your storage, twice if possible. When it gets filled up, all maps map stop working, and you may get other messages and warnings.
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