Looking for a mapping program

[IbChristian]

Just to be specific, I'm referring here to road and trail maps. What I'm looking for is a program I can download onto my computer so I can I can use it offline to create and edit road or trail maps and print them out. Since this will be used to create specific maps for bicycle routes which sometimes will have the same start and end points I would like something that can create maps turn by turn. Think: DeLorme Topo USA/North America (for those of you old enough to remember those). Obviously I would like it to come in a Linux version, but I can always get an "emulator" to run a Windows program if necessary. I have been looking for such a program, but everything nowadays seems to be cloud based, and accessibility to the internet is not always possible on the road.

Offside, if this isn't the right place for this topic, Is there a specific forum category here for discussing programs/applications?

Thanks again, Y'all are a great help.

 

[deb_user]

OpenStreetMap
Google Earth

 

[MikeWalsh]

@IbChristian :-

Welcome to Linux.org.

'Kayyy... So; a 'mapping' application, huh? I think I can help with this one. Expanding upon that provided by @deb_user, above.....take a look here:-

Cruiser - OpenStreetMap Wiki

Now; this is Java-powered (which means it's platform- & architecture-agnostic). It'll run under any OS, and any architecture.

You DO need to install an appropriate build of the JRE (Java Runtime Environment). Others here will recommend using the Linux-native equivalent - 'IcedTea' - and can help you with getting that installed from the repos (all distros have this in their repositories).

Like so many Java-powered apps, devs tend to concentrate on the actual Java coding. They rarely provide 'frills' like a Menu entry, OR an icon. Most tend to come as a self-contained directory, and you start them by either clicking on a shell-script OR directly on the .jar file itself. You can also launch them from the terminal by 'calling' Java then the app itself.

It's quite easy to drag (or 'send') the shell-script or .jar file to the desktop. You can then use it as the launcher. You can rename it, and if desired add an appropriate icon to it.

It's not quite 'click-to-install then click-to-use'.......but it WILL do what you want.


Mike.

 

[IbChristian]

OK, Being only "semi-literate" in computer-ese, I didn't understand a lot of that. What will doing all that do regarding the operation/user interface of the program?

 

[deb_user]

Being a free open-source project, OpenStreetMap is not as polished and user-friendly as many commercial programs, but it works. The user interface is perhaps more primitive than some would like, but it is what it is, and the mapping part works, which is the important part.

 

[IbChristian]

LOL! Define "primitive", I've been using DeLorme's TopoUSA 8.0 for over 15 years now!

 

[MikeWalsh]

I think there's around 15 different, included on-line map 'styles'.....including a recently-added 'satellite' layer (think GoogleEarth's 'Street View', but without the labels). I think 2 or 3 of these have been put together specifically for ramblers & cyclists, since they mostly seem to concentrate on cycleroutes & footpaths.

Plus you can download and add new map 'styles' yourself.

This is a far cry from the early versions of the older Cruiser, which I started with nearly a decade ago. That had just 3 included online maps, and no ability to add others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

At the time I was running 'Puppy' Linux on some pretty weak hardware. Google Earth itself was out of the question - too 'heavy' - but I soon realized that Google Maps also included the same 'Street View' stuff plus satellite/map layers, too. It was also far lighter, and was much more gentle on elderly hardware.

I was looking for a kind of lightweight 'desktop' version of Maps, since Maps only ran in a browser. One of our Puppy forum members had started a thread about Java-powered software - which is cross-platform - and made mention of Cruiser. I took a look at it, annnd.....

.....it fitted the bill perfectly. Job's a good 'un!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

AFAIK, the Android/iOS smartphone versions of Cruiser have the Java all built-in. These literally ARE click-to-install, click-to-use. It's only the Linux desktop build that needs some bits installing manually FIRST, before you then install the app itself.

I'm afraid this is normal behaviour for Java-powered software under Linux.

(shrug...)


Mike.

 

[IbChristian]

OK, I'll try that, thanks.

Just in case it doesn't work though, is there a Windows/Linus adapter software (I think they're generically called "emulators"?) that will still run older programs, so I can continue to use TopoUSA? It was copy-written in 2009...

 

[kc1di]

There is wine and some other like winboat that can run some windows programs. Wine being the most difficult one to get going
Winboat offer a bit more but still not all windows programs will run in them.

WinBoat - Run Windows Apps on Linux with Seamless Integration

WinBoat lets you run any Windows application on Linux with seamless desktop integration. Elegant interface, automated installs, filesystem integration, and native OS-level windows.

www.winboat.app

How to install wine on Mint,

How to Install Wine on Linux Mint (22, 21) - LinuxCapable

Learn how to install Wine on Linux Mint 22 or 21 using the WineHQ repository. Run Windows apps and games without a VM.

linuxcapable.com

There are others also.
you can also run windows in a Virtual machine. Which will run most anything widows will.

Installing and Using VirtualBox on Linux Mint

Linux Mint is a popular and user-friendly Linux distribution known for its simplicity and stability. VirtualBox, on the other hand, is a powerful virtualization software that allows you to run multiple operating systems on a single physical machine. By installing VirtualBox on Linux Mint, users...

linuxvox.com

But give the open source apps a chance first see if they will meet your needs.

 

[GatorsFan]

My last job i was a Geospacial Imagery Analyst before I retired one of the tools was QGIS it is designed for Spatial visualization
you can get it here

 

[IbChristian]

Is there a guide for installing Cruiser in linux? I found the git-hub page, but all it has is the files, not how to load them. Or is it something simple like a pop-up with a "RUN" button?

 

[osprey]

Is there a guide for installing Cruiser in linux? I found the git-hub page, but all it has is the files, not how to load them. Or is it something simple like a pop-up with a "RUN" button?

On the github site it says to get the app from Google Play. To run google play apps on a linux computer, evidently one needs an android emulator, or a an app that runs android on linux, or wine. Not having done this myself, a colleague mentioned the app waydroid. Using wine is a bit roundabout because it just runs the MS android emulators.