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paknight
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
 Posted - 23/10/2011 : 12:39:06
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I’ve been testing Map Maker on-and-off during the past year, and find that it is probably the best solution to a particular mapping requirement that I have. Map Maker is very quirky, in that several features are not intuitive and it crashes often, but I have had some great results from it once I’ve settled my head into the way that it works.
However, I do have three slight concerns before purchasing the Pro licence:
• I have noticed that there are regular updates to the software, which is obviously a great thing – it means that someone is actually listening to the End Users. But I am rather concerned that there appears to be no way of officially reporting bugs or ‘features’, nor is there any way of discovering what features are known to the software author(s), or of a timescale to fix them. I’m sure that such a publicised List, plus a ‘Wish List’ would reduce the number of repeated Posts to this Forum.
• The Manual. It seems that the Manual goes back to 2002. Obviously an up-to-date Manual is a selling feature in its own right - I often download a User Manual for any Hardware and Software before making a purchase, I can see what I will be getting for my money.
• I have made three requests to this Forum - each invoked no solution, excepting responses from other Users experiencing the same problems. I have resolved two of these problems myself (the answers would have been in an up-to-date Manual) - I just had to use trial-and-error before getting the results that I wanted. The third problem remains unanswered; it’s a repeatable bug, and most annoying (I was able to repeat the problem from a ‘clean’ install on a new PC), but nothing seems to have been done about it. The bug isn’t there in a MM version prior to July 2011, but I require the newer features in later versions than this.
I do not mean this Post in way of non-constructive criticism, but just to ask that, if this is the only Support Forum for Map Maker, that End Users can have a way of officially reporting a bug or wish, and that we have the reassurance that bugs are known about, and of a timescale to fix them. I do understand that re-writing a Manual is a lengthy procedure, and that this Support Forum is probably being operated only through the good-will of Latitude Cartography (which is greatly appreciated), but it would be nice to know of the future of Map Maker.
Peter Knight
Wiltshire Walks
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djprang
36 Posts |
Posted - 25/10/2011 : 01:00:04
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Hear hear to your concerns Peter.
I don't know if you've tried contacting MM direct but that'd be the way I'd report a bug or ask for assistance were none forthcoming here.
IIRC we did have a wish list on the forum but it was removed and so it seems MM isn't planning on any major update. I'm not the only one who'd support MM were it to release a version 4 of the software and it's rather sad to see MM withering and dithering as it is now. If you do contact MM direct then maybe you could find out what the future of MM might be and let us know.
Mike
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Joe
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2011 : 01:49:10
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I agree with DJ. As much as I am a fan of MM, it has fallen way behind the GIS curve. I still use it to make printed maps, which it still does better than most low-cost or free software, but it lags behind in many other respects. Free programs like gvSIG and Quantum GIS can now do almost every other task MM can do, plus they have a lot of other other features lacking in MM such as WMS and on-the-fly reprojection. I find that I'm using these programs more and more as they become mature products.
Criticisms aside, I would buy an updated version of MM in a heartbeat, because I love the look and feel of MM and its many unique features. However, it would have to have the advanced features I have just mentioned as well as the ability to load larger data sets without hanging up or crashing. That's just a hint of the features and improvements I would like to see in a new version of MM. I could write a wish-list as long as my arm, as I'm sure could many other dedicated users. I hope a new version is in the pipe and MM is not going the way of the Packard. (For you Brits that's a fine old American car company that went out of business in the 1950's, before bailouts were popular here).
Joe Thompson
Wildlife Biologist
San Diego, CA |
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mapmaker
470 Posts |
Posted - 26/10/2011 : 09:44:18
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| There is a version 4 well on the way, but we cannot yet give a timetable. |
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Joe
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 27/10/2011 : 04:52:18
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That's terrific news. Do suggestions from dedicated users of MM Pro have any influence on the next version?
Joe Thompson
Wildlife Biologist
San Diego, CA |
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mapmaker
470 Posts |
Posted - 27/10/2011 : 12:57:27
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| Suggestions are always welcome but we cannot always guarantee to accommodate them. |
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djprang
36 Posts |
Posted - 28/10/2011 : 00:56:53
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| That's really good news MM and thanks for letting us know, much appreciated. |
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Joe
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 28/10/2011 : 17:50:26
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With that understanding, here is my feature wish list:
on-the-fly reprojection;
*ability to read and export .prj files;
*ability to reproject bitmaps;
*automated linking of vector file to database;
*updated georeferencing, where to establish control points you click on target and then on georeferenced document, rather than inserting x and y;
*ability to insert north arrow and scale bar anywhere in layout, inclding outside of map frame;
*drawing tools for layouts, so users can have unlimited ability to construct layouts and save as templates;
*ability to integrate data in the same view through WMS, WFS, WCS and JDBC sources;
*an expanded suite of data types that MM can handle (make it the Swiss Army Knife of GIS data conversion);
*ability to work with much larger datasets than MM can currently handle without freezing or crashing.
Wishlist of items that I would like, but may not be realistic!
*64-bit operation;
*batch reprojection;
*expanded raster tools, including enhancement of visible bands, image statistics, filters, transparencies;
*modified version of MM for data for professional grade GPS data collection, running on Windows CE, CX environment (something like ArcPad).
I realize that many of these suggestions may be unrealistic and that MM will decide what is best, but I appreciate the opportunity to submit them. Best of luck on the new version.
Joe Thompson
Wildlife Biologist
San Diego, CA |
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Gerhard
Ghana
17 Posts |
Posted - 20/11/2011 : 18:23:04
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I also like to add to the discussion of pro and cons of Map Maker.
Don't compare MM with current open-source GIS (even not with gvSIS, which I consider the best of that class). They all dont have the full functionality of MM, and to program into an open-source GIS is a very costly and lengthy exercise.
Only very little published, but extremely powerful is the ability of MM to import/export data and settings (loc, xy, mme formats of vector files, but also chart filters, projections, final display templates, projects etc). Most of them are txt or csv files, thus easy to manipulate - once you know them.
This gives another strength: The ability to customize through macros (with MMmacro).
All very powerful tools, other GIS dont have. Enjoy.
Some external manuals are available online (e.g. mine).
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Joe
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 20:13:05
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Gerhard, thanks for the manuals you have created, I have found them very useful.
I still would like to see a future version of MM adapt some of the features that have become fairly standard on commercial, and in some instances open source GIS. I agree that MM is still great mapping software, but things like ability to access map servers for background layers and on-the-fly reprojection would be nice.
Joe Thompson
Wildlife Biologist
San Diego, CA |
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Bug Reporting
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