Frequently Asked Questions

The most commonly asked question is: "What is Mapsource, why do I need it, and where do I find it?"...here are some explanations:

What is Mapsource and why do you need it for the T4A GPS Maps?
Mapsource is an application which enables you to view Garmin compatible maps on your PC, do route planning and transfer maps, waypoints, tracks and routes between your PC and your Garmin GPS device. T4A GPS Maps are Garmin compatible maps and you need Mapsource to view it on your PC and to transfer it to your Garmin GPS device.



Where do you get Mapsource?
Mapsource is a Garmin application and is normally distributed with official Garmin products. In South Africa, a Garmin GPS are not distributed with a copy of Mapsource and you would need to buy a Garmin Map product in order to obtain a copy. In South Africa you can buy the Garmap Africa Series 2008 March Edition DVD. This is available from most GPS dealers throughout Southern Africa. When you install any of the map products on this DVD, it will first install Mapsource on your PC.

If you bought a Garmin GPS in South Africa it would most probably have been shipped with the Garmap Southern Africa Streetmaps loaded either on the GPS or on a separate SD card. This entitles you to unlock your Garmap product on your PC as well. This process however is not required to use T4A GPS Maps on Mapsource. Also refer to http://www.garmap.co.za

For a free copy of the latest version of MapSource, please follow steps below:

Step 1. Download and install Basecamp from Garmin: click on the link below and it will take you to the page to download Basecamp for Windows. Follow the on screen instructions. When finished with step 1, download the link in step 2 below.

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4435

Step 2. Download and install the latest version of MapSource from Garmin: Click on the link below and Follow the instruction given on screen.

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209

Please be assured that Mapsource will not start until you have at least one map installed onto your PC.

You now have a legal working copy of MapSource with a PC only base map.



Mapsource Compatibility Issues: Mapsource 6.14.1 has been released on 18 July 2008 and all T4A GPS Maps produced prior to this date has a compatibility issue with this release of Mapsource. T4A products affected:

• All T4A GPS Maps CDs prior to version 810.
• All T4A GPS Maps Electronic copy (sold via internet) prior to version 806.
  Remedies:
• For older versions of CD’s and electronic copies you will have to either upgrade to the latest version of T4A GPS Maps or downgrade your Mapsource to version 6.13.7 which is available from http://www.tramsoft.ch/gps/garmin_mapsource-software-upgrades_en.html#V06137 

MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. I successfully installed T4A Maps Pro but cannot open the IMG files in MapSource.
2. When I run the setup for T4A Maps I get an 1155 error.
3. How do I select and upload maps to my device from MapSource.
4. How do I install Garmin USB drivers for Windows XP Pro 64 bit?
5. Installing T4A Maps on Windows Vista puts MapSource out of action?
6. Does T4A run on the Mio, JNC or Tom Tom GPS?
7. I’m unable to search for addresses on my Quest when T4A and Garmap V1.5 are both loaded on it.
8. I’m unable to locate any POI’s on T4A with the Garmin Colorado GPS.
9. My Garmin Colorado switches off when I go to the “Select Map” option to change between different mapsets. I am however able to load multiple mapsets to it.
10. How do I transfer map/s to my Garmin GPS or compatible device?
11. Are there compatibility issues between some versions of T4A and Mapsource v6.15.11 and when loading the new Garmap Africa Series 2009 cd?
12. I have T4A GPS Maps 8.06 on CD; can I upgrade MapSource to v6.15.11 or v6.15.3?
13. Is it possible to download the T4A map on my cell phone if it has GPS setting?
14. I have a Mac PC (i.e. Macintosh PC), will Tracks4Africa be able to work on it?
15. How do I uninstall previous versions of Tracks4Africa map/s on my PC before installing the new version?
16. How do I download the T4A map/s from links received?
17. I have a Garmin 76cx Garmin 276 and I’m having difficulties looking up an street address on my Garmap maps when the Tracks4africa Maps are also on my device. How can I solve this problem:
18. Every time I try to do a POI(Place Of Interest) search on my Tracks4africa Maps in Mapsource, I get this error report:
19. How to transfer the maps to your GPS device when you have a Macintosh:
20. T4A maps aren’t very detailed in Mapsource, what can i do to see more detail.
21. Is it possible to download T4A maps onto my laptop if it has a GPS receiver connected?

ANSWERS BELOW

T4A GPS Maps are available in Mac format to registered users of version 10.05. Please contact sales@tracks4africa.co.za with your product purchase details and we would gladly provide links to download these files. 

To view these maps on your Mac you also require ROADTRIP which is a similar application to MapSource but developed for Mac OS. Refer to Garmin’s web page for more information on this topic. From here links are provided to the tools you require for the conversion process.

Tracks4Africa on your Mac

Firstly go to: http://www8.garmin.com/macosx/. Download RoadTrip and MapInstall software and install on Mac.

Secondly purchase tracks4africa (for windows) maps:
http://www.t4a.co.za/t4a_maps_pro.asp#buy_maps.

Thirdly, email sales@tracks4africa.co.za with your purchase reference number and you will be emailed the download links for the tracks4africa maps in Mac Format.

1. Go to Start (at the bottom left side of your taskbar) 
2. Click on all programs 
3. Look for a Tracks4Africa / T4A Maps Pro folder 
4. Highlight it (Tracks4Africa / T4A Maps Pro Folder )
5. The drop down list will show all T4A maps that can be uninstalled
6. Uninstall all unwanted map/s from here by clicking on the map option to uninstall. (ie. if all maps must be uninstalled, there is an option to “Uninstall T4A Maps Complete”).

1. Click on the link 
2. You'll be ask to Run or Save the file. Select the save option
3. Save the file to desktop (to find it easily again) 
4. When the download is completed, open the saved file on your desktop by double clicking on the zip folder 
5. Click on the file inside(exe file) and follow the instructions given
6. Open Mapsource / BaseCamp and select the map/s to view.

With a Mac you need RoadTrip or BaseCamp to view the map(s) and do your route planning and MapInstall to send your Map(s) to your GPS device. . If your Garmap maps are on your sd card, send our maps to your internal memory and vice versa.

Your GPS device should be connected to the Mac and switched on.

Step1: Open MapInstall and click on continue.



Step2: In the next window you have to choose where you would like the map(s) to be send to; your GPS (example: Nuvi 500) or No name( your sd Card in your GPS)

 Under "device"you can either choose between the internal memory of the GPS which will be the name of your device [example Nuvi 500 (Unit ID 3523640917)] or the Sd Card (if you have one inserted in the GPS) which will be listed as No Name on the drop down menu.

Step3: Click on continue. On the top of this window in the left-hand side corner is a drop down menu of all the maps installed on you Mac.



Select the map(s) you want to send to your GPS and click on the maps below.



The map is a light blue colour when selected.



Step4: When you have selected all the maps that you want, click on "Send Maps" in the right-hand side corner at the bottom. The maps will now be send to your GPS device, it will either be on your sd card or internal memory, depending on which one you selected.

This is only applicable to version9.10, 10.05 and version 10.10 maps. In Mapsource when selecting which map to send to your GPS (Topo/ Navigational) with your map tool, you will see there are two blocks over RSA Free State Eastern Cape KZN, Namibia and RSA Western & Northern Cape maps when moving the mouse cursor over these maps.

This is how you will select which map you want to send to your GPS device. (See below)

If you only transfer the Topo map to your device, (there will be no map available) you will only see TOPO lines on your device. In order to see all the detail (i.e. navigational detail) of the (Topo) map you have transfer both Topo & Navigational mapset (RSA Free State Eastern Cape KZN, Namibia and RSA Western & Northern Cape).

The Namibia map and the West- and Northern cape map consist of both a Navigational map and a TOPO map. This can be a bit confusing, because on Mapsource it displays as one map, however, when you send the map, you have to select both “map tiles”.

You will see that when the map is open, you have to make sure that you select either the TOPO map or the NAV map (or both if you want to make use of both). You will see the name of the map you selected on the left side of the screen in your Mapsource and below the picture of the map at the bottom of the screen when you scroll with the map toll over the map.

The screenshot below shows the Topographical (TOPO) map of Namibia selected:



The screenshot below shows the Navigational (NAV) Namibia map selected:



Once you have selected both tiles, TRANSFER and send to your device (GPS).

Can I use a Tracks4Africa SD card built-in car navigation system?

T4A GPS Maps are Garmin compatible.  If the unit in your car makes use of the Garmin software, i.e. Garmin Mobile XT, then T4A GPS maps would be compatible.  However if your built-in navigation system uses any other type of navigation software then T4A GPS maps cannot be used on these systems. 

Non-compatible systems that we know of:

• Planet Electronics makes use of the Garmap Drive software.   This is not a Garmin based system, hence T4A GPS maps cannot be used on this unit.
• Built-in Toyota system is not compatible.
• Built-in Land Rover system is not compatible.

Yes, Tracks4Arica maps are compatible with Windows 7.  

What does the below error message mean when I install my Tracks4africa maps on my Windows 7 PC. 

If tracks4africa maps are first download onto Windows XP or Windows Vista PC you will receive the above error message. When downloading a Tracks4Africa link from an online purchase, you have to ensure that you download and install it on your Windows 7 PC in order for it to work

On my older version of T4A I could search for street names, but on the latest v11.05 when I search on my GPS under address, I get a message saying ‘no data available’.

T4A maps are not street maps, i.e. you cannot search for a specific street address. However, on previous versions you could search for some streets (the ones that were labeled). That was changed on v11.05 (this is also available on our current v11.10). After realizing that a lot of our customers use the map to search for street names, (most of the streets in Namibia are labeled with the street name) we changed the maps again to include the street search. Once again, only the streets that are labeled with the street name are searchable and you won’t be able to search for a specific street number.

If you have purchased the v11.05 map between May and June and you need the street search function, please e-mail sales@tracks4africa.co.za  

I purchased the Tracks4Africa pre-loaded SD card v11.05, but on my Garmin Colorado I cannot view any photos when accessing the T4A guide (see http://tracks4africa.co.za/about/GPS_Travel_Guides/ for more information on the T4A guide). On my Nuvi the photos display fine. What is the problem?

The Colorado series was specifically designed without that functionality and you will not be able to view photos on this unit.

How do I transfer map/s to my Garmin GPS or compatible device using Garmin BaseCamp?

Step 1: To install Garmin BaseCamp on your PC, visit the Garmin BaseCamp download page and follow the on screen instructions.

Step 2: To install Garmin MapInstall on your PC, visit the Garmin MapInstall download page and follow the on screen instructions.

You now have a legal working copy of Garmin BaseCamp and Garmin Mapinstall.

When sending the map/s, Mapinstall should be open and your GPS system switched on and plugged in. Each time a map set is sent to a Garmin GPS the previously loaded maps are erased from the GPS. If your Garmap maps are on your SD card, send your T4A maps to the internal memory on your device and vice versa.

Click on FIND DEVICE and select the GPS unit to transfer the maps to the internal memory or the memory card / removable disk to transfer the maps to the SD card in the device.



Click NEXT. From the dropdown list of maps, select your T4A map.



Zoom out until you can see the whole map:



Click on the top left corner of the map and scroll the mouse across the map. If you purchased a single map, simply click on the picture of the map so that the map turns pink:

If you have purchased individual maps, select each map separately and only once you’ve selected all the maps you want to send click on NEXT.

Click NEXT and FINISH.