Topo Maps 2 :: Using Topo Maps 2 with the Original Topo Maps App

Topo Maps 2 has been designed to provide a smooth upgrade path for users of our old app, Topo Maps (and Topo Maps for iPad).

Sharing Maps

This should happen automatically; if you have both apps installed on the same device, then maps installed in the original app should be visible in Topo Maps 2 immediately.

This doesn’t work in reverse, i.e. maps installed in the new app are not shown in the old app. You can delete shared maps from either app. If you install more maps in the old app or delete them in either app, you will probably need to restart the other app for it to notice the change.

The original app has a “quick” install mode where you can download low-resolution versions of the maps and later upgrade them. These maps are understood by the new app but it cannot upgrade them, nor can it download low-resolution versions of its own maps.

You might want to compare maps that are shared in this way with the traditional USGS topos downloadable in the new app as they may differ in a couple of ways. The new maps come from a different source and may be higher-quality scans. They may also be different editions of the map, possibly newer but also perhaps older.

Downloading Terrain

When you download maps in the new app, the app also automatically downloads corresponding terrain data. This is used for the 3D mode, elevation display, panorama mode and other features. For maps shared from the old app to work correctly, at some point you need to manually download the corresponding terrain data.

To do this:

Here’s a group of maps in the old app.

Here they are, automatically shared to the new app.

Tap

Maps

then

D/L Terrain

. The yellow grid shows where shared maps are installed.

Tap on individual maps, or do a “long touch” to select a group of neighboring maps, then tap

Download Terrain

. A progress bar is shown during the download, but note that unlike when downloading maps there is no diagonal animation and the appearance of the grid does not change.

Note that the grid does not change to indicate where terrain has or hasn’t been downloaded. (The word “Downloaded” indicates that the map itself is downloaded, not the terrain data.) If you try to download terrain where you have already done so, you’ll get a message like this.

Transferring Waypoints

It is possible to transfer your waypoints from the old app, but note that this is a one-way copy of the data; they are not shared between the apps in the way that the maps are.

To transfer your waypoints:

Here are some waypoints in the original app.

Tap the “Waypoint Files” button at the bottom of the screen. (That’s the button directly above the compass button in the screenshot.)

In the Waypoint Files screen, tap “Export” at the bottom of the screen.

In the Export Waypoints screen that is shown, select “Everywhere”, give a meaningful name, and select “GPX”. Then tap “Export Waypoints”.

Back in the Waypoint Files screen, your new GPX file should now be shown in the listing. Tap on it.

Now tap the Share button at the bottom left of the screen.

In the Share window that is presented, find Topo Maps 2 in the list of apps and tap on it.

Topo Maps 2 will now open. You should see that your waypoints are shown on the map.

Familiar Settings

If you want to make the new app look a little more like the old one, there are a couple of things you can configure:

You can set the crosshairs style to “full screen”.
You can adjust the button layout.

Map Modes for Old vs. New Maps

By default the new app will show maps that it has downloaded in preference to maps shared from the old app, where both are installed.

You may want to change this, for example if you want to compare the old and new maps. This is possible by creating a new map mode; see Map Modes.