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Custom Map Themes

silentvoyager

Is there any comprehensive information about what each element in a map theme means?

For those who are unfamiliar with map themes, Fenix has a few built-in themes that change map appearance: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/garmin-technology/wearable-maps/map-themes/

Inside, a map theme is a text based XML file. It is possible to copy an existing theme and modify it, and copy a new theme to the watch. Then the watch can see and use the new theme. For example, I tried copying and modifying the existing High Contrast map theme with some success. There is an online map theme editor that makes it easier to generate a new theme: https://jnr.fi/garmin/. Some information about map themes can also be found here: www.newenglandriders.org/.../.

However there are two main problems:

1) It seems that some map elements are not included in the existing map theme. For example, there is still some light green background on high contrast maps that I couldn't get rid of even though I replaced all light green elements with white. 

2) I have a hard time figuring out about half of map theme elements. Some of them are more obvious based on their names, but some others have cryptic names.

What I am trying to achieve is to make a theme that is as much high contrast as possible so it is easier to see when running. The existing high contrast theme isn't really good for trail running because it shows dashed red line trails on light green background, and that isn't really a good contrast. Surprisingly, the popularity theme is the best for trail running because it shows trails with thicker lines if those trails happen to be popular, but again, if I plan an adventure in a less popular area, the popularity theme isn't suitable. 

I know that there are a number of custom maps, but all of them seem to be too busy with elements and colors, and not as many options exist for the US compared to the Europe. For trail running I want to maximize the map readability as opposed to the level of details.

  • 0 in reply to silentvoyager

    Good point I'd forgotten this, just checked and I do already have it set to Less, I haven't actually experienced this being an issue where I lose too much detail on trails though. Guess it just depends where you run and the quality of the maps for those areas. 

    I do also get the issue described by the OP on the road as well, eg if I'm travelling I'll map a couple of routes and often at least part of the run will be somewhere urban. Did this last week and it was impossible to navigate even with detail on Less cause there was way too much detail, was also early morning and dark which didn't help. 

  • 0 in reply to 7291493

    The map visibility is so poor that I have to use wrist gesture for the backlight. Without backlight I have a very hard time seeing the map during winter months. But the wrist gesture backlight leads to very high battery usage because it activates way too much even when I am not looking at the watch. 

  • 0

    Hi everyone,

    I'm the creator of the map theme editor (https://jnr.fi/garmin/) mentioned earlier in this thread. I saw your feedback regarding the difficulty of customizing themes for trail running and recently pushed a massive update to the tool that may solve some of the problems discussed here.

    Here is how the new update helps:

    1. No more cryptic names You mentioned having a hard time figuring out what the MPM_ elements mean. I've mapped out and translated most of Garmin’s cryptic tags into plain, human-readable English (e.g., changing things like MPM_MDB_TRK_DK_RED_CLR to simply "MTB trail (red / difficult)" or MPM_PARK_CLR to "Parks & forests"). You no longer have to guess what you're editing.

    2. Missing map elements added You also noticed that some background colors (like the light green in high contrast) couldn't be removed because the tags were missing. I’ve updated the Master Template to include all 100+ customizable tags we know of (so far). This includes all the previously missing background polygons, land boundaries, and trail line variants. If Garmin lets you change it, it's now exposed in the editor.

    3. Better interface The editor now has a completely overhauled, responsive UI with sticky navigation, making it much easier to jump straight to the "Tracks, trails & UI mapping" category to tweak your trail lines to be as highly visible as you need them to be.

    If you are still looking to build the perfect, clutter-free trail running theme, give the updated editor another try! Let me know if you run into any issues or discover any new tags I should add.

    Cheers!

  • 0 in reply to guerrilla cheese

    Great, will definitely check this out when I have time.