Discussion: Course planning and control description creating in OpenOrienteering Mapper

Here is simple example with special symbol set, created from scratch in OOMapper (opensource alternative to OCAD) using only its app specially for "sprint sample.omap" (that distributed with OOMapper)
DETAILS - https://github.com/OpenOrienteering/mapper/issues/...

DIRECT LINK FOR TESTING FILE -
http://d.profismart.org/files3/01/Control_descript...



Main target of this example is creating simple add-on for OOMapper, that give possibility create O-maps with courses and descriptions on it WITHOUT any additional free course planning software (like PurplePen, Corpse, etc.)
Please, try it, test and give feedback! ;-)

More info about OOMapper and installers links are here:
1) http://openorienteering.org/apps/mapper
2) http://github.com/openorienteering/mapper

Awesome initiative. I'll download it and give it a try when I get a chance.

By the way, a dream wishlist thing for OOM is the ability to create layouts independently of the main map, so that one can keep a main map comprising the latest field updates, and separately create layouts for an event, in which the main map appears cropped to a boundary line, and is surrounded by logos, title, scale, legend, space for control descriptions, and. so forth. I'd like to start on creating a layout for my August event, but can't do that until all field updates are final on the main map (or I need to repeat the layout after the last updates, or add the updates on two map files).

Can you do that by adding a crop line symbol (normally hidden) that you use to chomp out a piece of map? Then you create a new map consisting just of your layout elements, and at any time you can do the crop on your master data version and drop it into the layout map.

Yes, there are workarounds like that. It's such a common task, though, that an efficient first class way of doing it seems worthwhile. Ideally there should be a map data file with history, and separate layout and course files, without copy and paste steps. It may sound minor, but document control is a key issue for maps that undergo updates over decades. With copy and paste, there's too much possibility that someone later can only find cropped layout versions of the map, or very old versions of the full map. If each event file is a layout layered atop the full latest map, then anyone who has the layout file likely has the full map also. If someone in the club keeps a master repository, separate layout and full map files would make it more likely that the edits happen in the full map, and not in myriad layout map files.

Just open the map as a background in the layout map. Then any changes to the map will be reflected in the layout map.

> By the way, a dream wishlist thing for OOM is the ability to create layouts independently of the main map
.
Think its can now realised by "Map parts" option, but its need improving soon.
1) http://www.openorienteering.org/mapper-manual/page...
2) https://sourceforge.net/p/oorienteering/discussion...
--
> Just open the map as a background in the layout map. Then any changes to the map will be reflected in the layout map.
.
Think, you mean "Templates" futures
3) http://www.openorienteering.org/mapper-manual/page...
4) http://www.openorienteering.org/mapper-manual/page...
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One problem with templates based on other maps now is its not possible use them in color separation process (raster or pdf export with temptates work).
So, I hope it would be fixed as soon as possible by "unifying map parts" and "templates" functionality
5) https://github.com/OpenOrienteering/mapper/issues/...

Greate news: OpenOrientering Mapper would have this "Course Design" symbol set very soon.
Now you can get it from special branch in official repositary on Github.
https://github.com/OpenOrienteering/mapper/tree/co...

So, it look like OOMapper closer to be complete tool for orienteering map and course design ("All-in-one").
;-)

Here is page in Mapper manual (that also distributed with program)
http://www.openorienteering.org/mapper-manual/page...

I might be in the minority, but I do not like this direction.
There are already several great course planning options for us, including Condes & Purple Pen. We don't really need another one.

What we do need is more great capabilities in the mapping software. For example two problem that don't have a good solution right now:
1. The various layout options that Jim mentioned above.
2. Version control / history

I would prefer to see these valuable volunteer skills, time, and efforts put into those mapping-specific areas rather than building another option for stuff that we already have. That's my opinion at least.

None of that software works natively on Linux though, so I definitely appreciate this move. Usually if I want to design a course for training I have to boot a VM with Windows, which isn't very practical.

Fresh OOMapper unstable build with "Course Design" symbol set for course planning and control description creation ready for testing (look binary with prefix "...unstable_0.6.20160727...")

Get it now - http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/dg...

No PurplePen or Condes for OS X. Bring on OOM flexibilty.

It would be nice to have course design for Android, so that it could be captured in the field.

OpenOrienteering Mapper 0.6.4 RELEASED!

>>> http://www.openorienteering.org/news/2016/mapper-0...

Now it include "Course Design" symbol set and example. Also "Help" include related article how use it!