Importing mapping coordinates in Microsoft Street and Trips allows you to visualize points of interest and waypoints on each map you will create. To do so, a new template must be created unless you only want specific data to apply only to certain maps. Microsoft Street and Trips uses a template for all its maps. It is easier to build a template with a copy of the one included with the software and add data to it. You will normally find this template in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Streets & Trips\Templates under the name “New North American Map.stt”. You can copy of this file andsave using the name “Copy_of_New North American Map.stt” just in case. Data will be imported in the original template file.
Here’s the web page where you can download data files for various GPS applications (Delorme, CoPilot and Microsoft Street and Trips).
http://www.discoveryowners.com/cginfolinks.htm
In the first column, you have a short description of these files. They are available in WinZip file format. Microsoft Street and Trip’s files appear in the last column
Download those you want to import (right clicking of the mouse).Once the file unzipped, have a look at them using notepad (faster to load). Some may need a preliminary cleanup or editing before importing them. For example, they might have email addresses or blank lines or other information which will not be imported in MST. Here’s an example of two lines from one of these files:
FL Florida City 1/07
26.546919,-81.789593, Ft Myers FL x131.
The first line is an example of useless data, so it can be removed. Some files contain column titles or headings in the first row. If not, you can add a new first row containing these headings. Usually, the first value corresponds to the latitude, the second to the longitude and the third one to a description of the data. MST will recognize them if you use the terms “latitude, “longitude, name”, the first two separated by a comma. The second line contains the actual data. Each value, latitude, longitude and description, in this file is separated by a comma and is the equivalent of a column cell. Once the cleanup done and the edited file saved, your are now ready to import it MST.
Open the application and open your “New North American Map.stt” template. Don’t double click it. This will only create a new file in the application. Once opened, select “Import Data Wizard...” from the "Data" menu. A dialog box will appear asking you to open the data file you want to import. Once you have selected it, another dialogue box will ask you specify what character separates the values. Since MST already read your file, it detected a character for you to confirm.
- [list:q4ar0jib]
[/list:u:q4ar0jib]
Click the “Next” button.
The next dialog box will ask you to determine the country or region of your data. Choose the concerned country from the list. It also contains a small option box you will select or not depending if the first row contains the actual heading of each column.
- [list:q4ar0jib]
[/list:u:q4ar0jib]
- [list:q4ar0jib]
[/list:u:q4ar0jib]
If no headings were given, you must select the appropriate heading for each comma separated value or column MST has detected. A list of headings for you to choose from appears in a drop down menu under each column of values. Unless otherwise specified by the creator of the data file, select “latitude” from the first list, “longitude” from the second list and “name” from the third list. If you don’t know what the content of any other column is or can’t find an appropriate type from the list, select <Other Data> indicating MST not to import the column.
Once all columns have been identified, click the “Finish” button.
- [list:q4ar0jib]
[/list:u:q4ar0jib]
Depending on the volume of data imported, the map will be covered with pushpins. As you zoom in they spread out and let you have a better view of the information displayed on the map.
Save the template file.
By default, each set of data uses the same pushpin. You can change to a different symbol either from the “Legend and Overview” sub-menu under “View” or directly from any given pushpin of a set.
- Legend and Overview: Right-click a set under “Pushpin” and select “Properties” from the contextual menu. In the dialog box, click “Symbol” to choose one of the symbols or to import a custom made symbol of your own (must be a .ico, .bmp or .png file). If you import a symbol, you have to select it once it appears in the list of symbols.
Right clicking a pushpin: Select “Properties” from the contextual menu. In the dialog box, click “Symbol” to choose one of the symbols or to import a custom made symbol of your own (must be a .ico, .bmp or .png file). If you import a symbol, you have to select it once it appears in the list of symbols.
- [list:q4ar0jib]
[/list:u:q4ar0jib]
Here's a link to download my custom symbols :
http://www3.sympatico.ca/danielle_pa...om_Symbols.zip
After choosing your symbols, save the file again.
Note that the « Properties » dialog box also give you other possibilities such as using a different name for the set than the name of the file you imported. You can also decide which column will be displayed in the balloon when you right-click on a pushpin and select “Show information” in the contextual menu.
- [list:q4ar0jib]
[/list:u:q4ar0jib]
Importing data in Microsoft Street & Trips
Linear Mode
