Make your own map on iPhone


Step 1: Add the picture map (*)
  • 1.1 Add a map image to the photo library on your phone. You can either download it from the Internet e-mail it to yourself and save from the message or take a photo of a paper map.If the downloaded picture is in PDF format, see Convert PDF to JPG.
  • 1.2 Navigate to the map-making wizard. From the home screen, tap Maps → Add Maps → Create New Map.
  • 1.3 Select the picture you've downloaded from your photo library.
  • 1.4 Name your map and add a description (i.e. ski resort map, park map, theme park map)
  • 1.5 Tap "Save" in the top right-hand corner. The map will take up to a few minutes to load, depending on the size of the file.
Step 2: Anchor Your Map: At Home (You will need an Internet connection. You will not need to physically be in the area your map covers.)
  • 2.1 Tap "My GPS Anchors" to anchor(**) your map.
  • 2.2 Choose a landmark on the picture map that you know you can easily find on a Google map(***). Center the crosshair(****) so that it points as accurately as possible to the landmark. You may have to zoom for better accuracy.
  • 2.3 Tap "Google" in the top right-hand corner of the screen, taking care not to brush the picture map and thus upset the crosshair.
  • 2.4 Find this same landmark on the Google map. Center the crosshair over it as accurately as possible. If you are using a building as your landmark, make sure you choose the same corner. Use the map/sat/hyb keys in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen to switch the Google map to the satellite or hybrid map.
  • 2.5 Tap the "+" anchor button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. A purple pin will appear in the middle of the crosshair.
  • 2.6 Switch back to the picture map to make sure you've set the anchor in the right location. If not, tap it so that it becomes red, go to the Google map, and hit "Delete".
  • 2.7 Repeat the instructions to add a second anchor point. A map needs a minimum of two anchor points to be GPS-navigable. Adding more than two anchors will make the map more accurate.
  • 2.8 Tap "Done".
Step 3: Anchor Your Map: On the Spot (You will not need an internet connection. You will need to physically be in the area your map covers).
  • 3.1 Open the map you want to add an anchor to in the home screen.
  • 3.2 Tap "locate me". A blue GPS dot will appear on the map. If this dot is exactly where you are, your map is either perfect or you are standing on a pre-existing anchor.
  • 3.3 If the dot is not showing your location correctly, tap it. A bubble will appear saying "Current Location +/-10 meters".Tap the dot again. A crosshair will appear on the picture map if your GPS precision is high enough. Move the map so that the crosshair points to your exact location.
  • 3.4 Tap "I am here".
Convert PDF to JPG
  • 1. Use free tool GIMP (www.gimp.org)
  • 2. Open file, click "select all"
  • 3. In the "Import from PDF" dialogue window choose "Images" for "Open page as". Set "Resolution" to make the image not too big yet readable. To do that you may need to re-open the file several times and change the resolution (usually, it is between 100 and 200). After opening the file, set "zoom" to 100% and make sure all the small details are readable.
  • 4. Save image as JPG and set quality 85%-90%. The final JPG file has to be under 10 megapixels (3000x3000) and under 5 MB.


Glossary

* Picture map: the map you are trying to make GPS-navigable — a ski resort map, a campus map, a park map, etc. Bear in mind that for maximum accuracy a map that covers a lot of land will need to be high-resolution. The average Maprika map is between approximately 1000x1000 and 4000x4000 pixels; anything lower than about 500x500 will end up looking grainy and anything over 4000x4000 will take a long time to load.

** Anchor: the point on a picture map that corresponds to and it tied to a point on the Google map. Typically determined by landmarks found on both maps. Street intersections, building corners, and transit stops make excellent landmarks. Anchors are represented by purple pins on both maps. Selected anchors are red.

*** Google Map: the general map Maprika ties other maps to. It is the same map you will find on maps.google.com or in the Maps application on your iPhone.

**** Crosshair: the red circle in the middle of the screen with four spokes pointing towards the center. A crosshair will remain at the center of the screen. You can use it to select landmarks by zooming and panning either the picture map or Google map such that the crosshair points at the landmark.





Make your own map on Android


Step 1. Start new map
  • Go to "My Maps" screen, press menu, select "Create Map".
Step 2. Select picture (*)
  • Find a picture of a map in your Picture Gallery or take a photo of a map with the phone camera.
  • It can be any map — park, ski resort, or college campus map or even a hand-drawn map.
Step 3. Map name and description
  • Please provide an appropriate map's name and short description (e.g. "Ski trail map" or "Campus map" )
Step 4. Georeference the picture (You would need to match several points from the picture to their geographic locations)
  • 4.1 Choose a landmark on the picture map, like a street intersection, a store, or a house.
    You should be able to find it on a Google map(***).
  • 4.2 Pan and zoom until this landmark is directly under the red crosshair(****) in the center of the screen. Switch to the Google map. Find to the same landmark on the Google map and position it in the center.
    Verify the match by switching between Google and Picture maps.
  • 4.3 Tap "+ Anchor" at the bottom of the screen. Repeat these steps for as many locations as possible.
Tips:
  • 1. Please set at least 5 "anchors"(**). The more "anchors" you add, the more accurately GPS will work on your map. This is especially true for "complex" maps such as ski resorts.
  • 2. Do not place all the "anchors" in one place — spread them across the map.
  • 3. To move existing "anchor" to new place tap this anchor (the map will center at this "anchor"), move the map so the crosshair(****) is under the place you want to move the "anchor" to. Tap "Move anchor"
  • 4. If you added or moved "anchor" incorrectly you can "undo" — press menu, select "Undo"
  • 5. You can select "Google map mode" — street or satellite — from menu
  • 6. You can interrupt Step 4 at any time and return to it later — your anchors would be saved automatically. If you want to add more "anchors" to your custom map you can go to "My Maps" screen, select your map, and tap "Edit map anchors".

You can also fine-tune your map right from the main Maprika screen. If Maprika doesn't show your location correctly due to small number of anchors or due to inaccurately placed anchors you can tell Maprika where you actually are. This will improve the accuracy of the map. From the main screen press menu and select "Adjust location". Move red crosshair to the place where you actually are. Tap "I'm here". This can be done not only for your custom maps but also for maps downloaded from Maprika.


After you created a map, and believe your map can be useful to others you can share your map with all Maprika users. Select your map from "My Maps" screen and tap "Share this map with community".



Glossary

* Picture map: the map you are trying to make GPS-navigable — a ski resort map, a campus map, a park map, etc. Bear in mind that for maximum accuracy a map that covers a lot of land will need to be high-resolution. The average Maprika map is between approximately 1000x1000 and 4000x4000 pixels; anything lower than about 500x500 will end up looking grainy and anything over 4000x4000 will take a long time to load.

** Anchor: the point on a picture map that corresponds to and it tied to a point on the Google map. Typically determined by landmarks found on both maps. Street intersections, building corners, and transit stops make excellent landmarks. Anchors are represented by purple pins on both maps. Selected anchors are red.

*** Google Map: the general map Maprika ties other maps to. It is the same map you will find on maps.google.com or in the Maps application on your iPhone.

**** Crosshair: the red circle in the middle of the screen with four spokes pointing towards the center. A crosshair will remain at the center of the screen. You can use it to select landmarks by zooming and panning either the picture map or Google map such that the crosshair points at the landmark.





Make your own map on Windows PC


Step 1: Download Maprika Map Designer tool Step 2: Login
  • Once Maprika Map Designer installed login with the same email/password you registered on your mobile device — select from menu "Server → Login…"
Step 3: Start new map
  • 1. Check if map you want to add does not exist on Maprika — select from menu "Server → Server Maps…" and search for map name.
    2. Select picture. JPEG and PNG formats are supported. Please do not use screenshots from Google Maps, Google Earth etc.

    If you have PDF file you there are several options to create a map from it:
    1) use any PDF to JPEG converter, for example GIMP application (www.gimp.org) would work very well to convert PDF to JPEG — pay attention to "resolution" field in "Import from PDF" dialog (usually, it should be between 100 and 200).
    2) use snapshot tool of Adobe Acrobat — copy required portion of the PDF file and select "File → New from Clipboard" in Maprika Map Designer.

    Tip: you can use "View → Visualize…" from menu to see how your picture would look like on different mobile devices. This would help you to check if resolution of the picture you selected is OK.
Step 4: Georeference the picture
  • To create a map from your picture, you need to match several points from the picture to their geographic locations.
  • Add points selecting "Add point" from "points" panel, then position pins to correct positions in "picture" and "google" panels.
     -or-
  • Right click on "picture" or "google"panel and select "add point" from popup menu — the point would be added at the place of the click, other panel adds point at calculated location, you can move them then.
     -or-
  • "Ctrl + left click" on "picture" or "google"panel.
  • Please set at least 5 points. The more points you add, the more accurately GPS will work on your map. This is especially true for "complex" maps such as ski resorts. Do not place all the points in one place — spread them across the map.
Step 5: Check map quality
  • 1. Move mouse over "google" panel. The crosshair on "picture" panel will move to the calculated place.
  • 2. Use "View → Errors". It shows the residuals (in pixels). The higher values indicate either the point placed incorrectly or more points are needed.
  • 3. Use "View → Mesh". The mesh should have no knots or folds.
Step 6: Add map information
  • Select from menu "File → Map info…" and fill in all fields. Please provide an appropriate map's name and short description (e.g. "ski trail map" or "campus map" )
Step 7: Edit map thumbnail
  • You can edit map thumbnail Maprika users would see in map list — select from menu "File → Edit thumbnail…".
  • You can also edit the thumbnail in any image editor and replace automatically generated thumbnail. Thumbnail must be 96x96 pixels, JPEG format.
Step 8: Upload to Maprika server
  • Select from menu "Server → Update server".


Glossary

* Picture map: the map you are trying to make GPS-navigable — a ski resort map, a campus map, a park map, etc. Bear in mind that for maximum accuracy a map that covers a lot of land will need to be high-resolution. The average Maprika map is between approximately 1000x1000 and 4000x4000 pixels; anything lower than about 500x500 will end up looking grainy and anything over 4000x4000 will take a long time to load.

** Anchor: the point on a picture map that corresponds to and it tied to a point on the Google map. Typically, determined by landmarks found on both maps. Street intersections, building corners, and transit stops make excellent landmarks. Anchors are represented by red pins on both maps. Selected anchor is green.