KML convert to vector map

[rkirmeier]

I have really large KML (15MB) file that when I import into Locus it gets VERY VERY slow and I have a GNex (dual core) phone. I'd like to convert the paths in the KML to a vector map or looking for other suggestions to make this usable. I have spent several hours looking for options and have come up with basically nothing. I hope someone can offer some advise...

Thanks much,
Robin

[rkirmeier]

It really surprises me that no one or the developer has not addressed this need yet. There are a lot of states/counties that are providing GPX or KML downloads with tracks of public trails. These often cover large areas and Locus simply can't efficiently handle the size. The application clearly can already read and understand these tracks so all we need a way to "render" it into an image or vector map for overlay. I here the argument that you should filter the tracks but that can be a lot of work to break it out in to many different files for import and it would be nice to be able to see everything at once on the screen. I have been dealing with this for years and have split out files. The truth is that many people would be challenged to split out a file like this. A person should be able to browse to a website and download the file directly on the phone then import and render it without using a computer.

All the props to the developer! Locus is really an amazing GPS application and I have long since dumped my Garmins but beg you to please add some better support for needs like this. Even the ability to read Garmin IMG files would be huge as there are lots tools available to convert about any format to the Garmin IMG format. IMO, this is about the only thing Locus is missing other then multiple device sync/realtime linking which is a long outstanding request of mine. Support for large GPX/KML and/or IMG files is howerver leaps and bounds more important then the multiple device sync/linking.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give this some thought. Heck, I'll donate $50 to get this feature!

[Menion]

Hi,
  garmin IMG format is really not possible. Too much work on one person and I even don't know if it's legal to support it. Problem with huge number of KML files is simple. Locus need to retransform every spheric coordinates that are in KML files, into projection of current map. This takes quite a lot of CPU (this is applied during zooming). Then when you move with map, things that slow down whole moving is fact that I use software drawing on screen, not supported by hardware graphics card. So slow Locus with huge number of points is not about "making better support for huge number of points", but about "make support for OpenGL accelerated drawing on screen". When this will be done, this will work much better.

PS: did you tried to put KMZ files into Locus/mapItems directory and in Locus from Map manage > Items, load it? Should be faster then import to database

[elmuSSo]

My idea was always to convert any vector map file (KMZ or SHP...)  into the same format as the Vector maps in Locus are (the ones you can download). But I was struggling a lot with finding the right way to do that, and I don't have any successes in that field. These vector maps are always nicely and fastly rendered, so it would be cool to find a way to put any vector files into that format.

[Menion]

I'm more then sure that there have to be way to convert KML or SHP files into classic OpenStreetMap XML file, isn't it? If so, then it's quite simple to convert this XML file by Osmosis into vector format Locus can handle. Problem is then just the first step. I saw few days ago some list of programs that allow convert OSM XML to SHP, so there have to be also opposite way

[rkirmeier]

I understand there is no easy solution to this otherwise I would have found it in the 6+ hours or research/reading I have done. This is why I am saying that the developer should take a look. There are so many resources for trails/tracks, POIs in  KML, GPX, etc files on the internet and your average user has no idea how to deal with these formats. I am technical and creative but could not come up with a reasonable solution and finally gave up. If Locuas and read KML, GPX, vector maps why not built a "render map from KML/GPX" option? Just seems like this would make the software all that more user friendly for non technical people and would be of great value. I wouldn't suggest this but more and more organizations/states/counties are providing downloads but it becomes a technical challenge to these downloads.

Please consider it...