kmz files question

[Kiwi-family]

I have maps.me on my phone.
I have read this on this site: These kmz files you can use in the free, offline app 'maps.me', which you can download for any android smartphone and Iphone.

However, when I try to download the files a little box pops up to ask me how I want to use them. I don't know! I need the computer to do it for me. I'm clueless. What do I need to do?

It's agonising to know there are maps out there that I cannot see.

 

[C clearly]

Does it give you a choice, say, of maps.me and and another program? I have seen that, but other times, I just open something, poke around, and then it magically appears on the map in maps.me. Try zooming in on your map (assuming that you have that downloaded).

 

[jsalt]

Does this thread help at all?:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/advice-requested-re-walking-the-del-norte.49231/#post-533757
Jill

 

[evanlow]

You computer doesn't understand the kml/kmz files.

Best way is to send an email to yourself with the kml/kmz attachment.
Then open the email on your phone.
Download the file on your phone. Once you click on the file the iPhone will open it on Maps.me.
For Android phones (like Samsung), open the file after the download and the Maps.me app will take over on store it under it's tracks.

Cheers...

 

[intrepidtraveler]

Thank you so much @evanlow for a very simple, concise explanation for this process. Even my tech-challenged brain can follow through with this.

 

[Miroslaw]

You computer doesn't understand the kml/kmz files.

Best way is to send an email to yourself with the kml/kmz attachment.
Then open the email on your phone.
Download the file on your phone. Once you click on the file the iPhone will open it on Maps.me.
For Android phones (like Samsung), open the file after the download and the Maps.me app will take over on store it under it's tracks.

Cheers...

I have maps.me on my phone.
I have read this on this site: These kmz files you can use in the free, offline app 'maps.me', which you can download for any android smartphone and Iphone.

However, when I try to download the files a little box pops up to ask me how I want to use them. I don't know! I need the computer to do it for me. I'm clueless. What do I need to do?

It's agonising to know there are maps out there that I cannot see.

I have maps.me on my phone.
I have read this on this site: These kmz files you can use in the free, offline app 'maps.me', which you can download for any android smartphone and Iphone.

However, when I try to download the files a little box pops up to ask me how I want to use them. I don't know! I need the computer to do it for me. I'm clueless. What do I need to do?

It's agonising to know there are maps out there that I cannot see.

I have maps.me on my phone.
I have read this on this site: These kmz files you can use in the free, offline app 'maps.me', which you can download for any android smartphone and Iphone.

However, when I try to download the files a little box pops up to ask me how I want to use them. I don't know! I need the computer to do it for me. I'm clueless. What do I need to do?

It's agonising to know there are maps out there that I cannot see.

Well, try to use Google Earth, you actually see your track to the particular house or tree.
Download Google Earth, then open downloaded previously kmz file by clicking on it.
This will take you directly to your track in Google Earth.
You can practise on my kmz file I published here few days ago. It is for Camino Central Portugues and it can be accessed through my post in Camino Portugues section of this forum. Good luck.

 

[Kiwi-family]

I'm going to say thank you to everyone for their responses....BEFORE I try to play with the instructions? I am grateful for your assistance even if I can't make it work!

 

[Kiwi-family]

Does this thread help at all?:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/advice-requested-re-walking-the-del-norte.49231/#post-533757
Jill

Yes! Worked first time thanks.
That gets them on my phone, still need to work out how to get the files to open on my computer.
And need to find a Camino de Madrid kmz file.

 

[Kiwi-family]

My! That was a bonus - I've managed to find ALL the camino trails, so now I can go anywhere;-)

 

[evanlow]

Welcome...

With Google Earth on the PC and Maps.me on the phone one can eliminate the chance of getting lost on some of the less trodden caminos with not as good waymarkings as Camino Frances. One less thing to deal with to make the camino more enjoyable.

It also makes detours much easier.

 

[Kiwi-family]

And finally I also have the Te Araroa Trail, which is the trail that runs the full length of NZ - so I can go out and try my local portion to check I can actually use the thing on the ground! And see how much it chews my battery.

My only question now is how to open the files on the computer. Perhaps it is better that I don’t know;-)

 

[evanlow]

Hehehe, if you want to know.

1. Download 'Google earth' on your PC.
2. After installation, open the program. It will show the globe and zoom into your location in NZ.
3. Look in the menu to open tracks and select the kml/kmz in your PC.
4. The progran will show the track on the map.
5. The difference is 'Google earth' look more topgrapical wheres Maps.me more urban.

When using it on your phone take note.

1. Programs will first try to find your location via cell signal. It will triangulate with multiple cell towers just like it would with multiple satellites. It is faster, within a second or two.
2. If you have no cell signal or sim card then it will activate the GPS. For that you will need to be outdoor. It might take average 20 seconds to do that. Also GPS takes more power than cellular location.
3. For that reason I always get a local SIM card in Spain. April this year I paid 15 euros at the train station for an Orange Sim card. Gives me 2 GB data for 30 days and 5 euros talk time.
4. Incredibly it does not consume internet data when talking to the cell towers to find my location. The 2 GB data is just pure internet, to update blogs, message home, etc.

Have a blast trying it out in NZ. Cheers.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Thanks @evanlow - you make it sound so easy, but still I have ended up in a pickle!
Google earth downloaded. Had to install chrome too. Success so far.
Went to the forum resources GPS tracks menu and picked one to download. Had to choose an app to use to download it. Google earth was not an option so I decided to pick the one with 4 stars.
Tracks now open in my computer - but in the map programme I selected and not in google earth - and I can't find how to delete. Oops. Sorry.
Also google earth did not do too well pinpointing my location - at least it would not have been accurate enough if you were on foot - about 35km away;-)
Will keep trying. It really does sound simple.

 

[evanlow]

Hi Kiwi-Family,

Here is the instruction to open (import) the tracks to your google earth. Follow it. I hope that helps.

https://support.google.com/earth/answer/7365595?co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop&hl=en

 

[jsalt]

And see how much it chews my battery.

Hi Rachael, when you have finished looking at MapsMe, on your phone, out in the field, make sure you go back to your home screen. One time, I just closed the cover, thinking the phone would automatically switch off, as it usually does, but it didn’t, and 2 hours later, when I got my phone out, and opened the cover, MapsMe was still on the screen, and the battery was way down low.
Jill

 

[Kiwi-family]

@jsalt Thanks for that - good to know.

 

[alipilgrim]

It's been a few years since I've used maps.me so things might have changed but back then I learned thru trial-and-error that you have to actually close the program to stop it from working in the background and draining the battery. If you have an iPhone some options to save battery are: 1. double-tap the home button, then flick "up" the maps.me screen which will actually close the program. 2. Go into Settings > maps.me > Location and select "While Using" 3. From the same Settings page you can also turn off "Cellular Data" so it only uses GPS. Hope this helps...

 

[evanlow]

Hi Rachael, when you have finished looking at MapsMe, on your phone, out in the field, make sure you go back to your home screen. One time, I just closed the cover, thinking the phone would automatically switch off, as it usually does, but it didn’t, and 2 hours later, when I got my phone out, and opened the cover, MapsMe was still on the screen, and the battery was way down low.

That's true. Explains why I always closed the app after I use Maps.Me to find my location and track. Also the reason why I prefer the cellular option (local SIM card). 2 seconds to find my location via cellular each time is way better than 20 seconds or more with GPS and cellular also uses less battery than GPS.