Thanks for all the kind words.

Yes, adding UTM coords and grid is on the enhancement list.

Gary, you're looking too hard for something that does not exist. There is no download link.
Gmap4 runs entirely online.
Nothing to download.
Nothing to install.
Nothing to buy.

Wanna start with a world map?
Here ya go:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.259207,-16.760195&t=t1&z=2

This is pretty darn cool. Thank you!

Gmap4 has been updated to version 1.9.1 dated January 17, 2011. This version adds support for UTM coordinate grids. All UTM support in Gmap4 uses the WGS84 datum. This UTM support works worldwide. For more info on UTM coordinates see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Transverse_Mercator_coordinate_system

(Pay back time: When you visit other outdoor-related forums, please do a search and see if Gmap4 has been mentioned. If not, it would just take a moment for you to pass the word along. Also, are you doing the social network thing? Consider saying something nice about Gmap4.)

Here’s a map of Grand Canyon Village with a UTM grid.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=36.059592,-112.139836&t=t2&z=14&coord=utm

To toggle UTM support on and off, click Menu ==> UTM On/Off. If UTM is ‘on’ then Gmap4 gives you UTM information in three ways:

1. A UTM grid is displayed. This UTM grid is displayed on both the MyTopo topographic maps (USA and Canada) and the standard views (aerial, etc) provided by Google Maps.

2. The lower right corner of the screen will always show the UTM zone and UTM coordinates for both the cursor and map center.

3. You can get the UTM zone and coordinates for any point on the map by right-clicking that point.

Things to keep in mind

You can build you own map links by using URL parameters. If you want your map to appear on the user’s screen and already have UTM turned on, then add this URL parameter: &coord=utm

Here is a comparison:
With UTM on
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.ph...2&coord=utm

With UTM off (default)
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.ph...ek.kml&t=t2

If you zoom out far enough then you will not see a UTM grid. Instead you will only see vertical red lines which mark the edges of the UTM zones.

UTM grid lines that are near the edge of their zone often appear curved when displayed using the map projection used by Google Maps. The grid lines in the adjoining zone will curve in the opposite direction. For example, the next map is centered near Lake Tahoe. The red line marks the edge of adjoining UTM zones. Double click each side of the red line (this changes the map center) and watch the UTM grid lines change. The grid lines are calculated based on the UTM zone that contains the center of the map.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=39.115536,-120.208437&t=m&z=8&coord=utm

Some MyTopo topographic maps already have a UTM grid printed on them. Caution! Some of those printed grids are based on the older datum NAD27. Those older grids will have a uniform offset from the grid displayed by Gmap4 which is based on datum WGS84 . For example: Here is a map showing part of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area in Washington State where the MyTopo maps have a UTM grid based on the WGS84 datum. Click Menu ==> UTM On/Off and you will see the faint UTM grid printed on the map:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=47.47229,-120.80588&t=t2&z=14&coord=utm

By contrast, here is a map showing part of the Yosemite Valley area in California, where the MyTopo maps have a UTM grid based on NAD27. Note the uniform offset between the two sets of grid lines.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.736733,-119.568449&t=t2&z=14&coord=utm

Usually (but not always) the different zoom levels use a different scale for the UTM grid. To learn the grid scale, compare the cursor coordinates (lower right corner) as you point to adjacent grid lines. If you want to know the zoom level, right click the map.

Maps with UTM grid lines can be printed. File ==> Print Preview

If you know of any other map viewing software that can display the MyTopo topographic maps along with a UTM grid, I would enjoy knowing about it.

Future UTM improvements

There are different methods for putting labels on the grid lines. I am pondering what will work best.
Another possible improvement is to let the user change the line width, color and/or spacing.
Other ideas?

Next Gmap4 update

Bad news: The ‘Search’ feature of Gmap4 no longer works very well for placenames. This feature uses Google’s ‘geocoding’ service on the backend. OK, I admit it. Gmap4 was pushing the envelope in its use of that service. Whoops - Google pushed back. Guess who won? I will add a second search tool that is designed to work well with placenames.

Good news: The existing ‘Search’ feature of Gmap4 still works fine for searching on (1) anything related to addresses including names of many settlements that no longer exist and (2) any reasonable way to write a latitude/longitude pair.

Finally, if you find Gmap4 to be useful I hope you can take a moment and do some ‘pay-back’ by letting other people know about it.

Enjoy!
Joseph - Gmap4 author

I get it now. Nice!

Thanks for incorporating UTM. It is most helpful.

I just promoted Gmap4 from version 1 to version 2.

Little reason: I added support for viewing the set of topo maps that used to be known as Terraserver and now are known as Microsoft Research Maps. Click the map type button in the far upper right and select “US Topo”. You can really see the quality difference compared to the MyTopo maps.

The US Topo maps often load a bit slow. Part of the reason is that each map tile must be re-projected on-the-fly in order to match the map projection used by Google Maps. I added support for these maps in case they show old (abandoned?) trails that are not on the MyTopo maps.

Big reason: This update introduces a new text file format that makes it super easy to produce maps. For a quick look, scroll down a bit on the Examples page: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_examples.html

This new file format is so easy that middle school students can quickly learn how to produce maps.

Maps can include:
* Many different kinds of symbols (i.e. markers/icons)
* Lines of any color and any width
* Balloons that appear when symbols are clicked
* Links in the balloons
* Clickable photo thumbnails in the balloons
* And more

Did I mention that this is truly easy?

For the details, you can search the Help file on ‘delimited’. Or just go to page 32 in the 5-6-2011 version of the Help file. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_help.pdf

Homepage: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

Enjoy.

Joseph

Very nice Joseph. You should also post this in the forum at www.backpackinglight.com

This program is really looking really nice.

Thanks a bunch,

Blake

www.outdoorquest.biz
www.outdoorquest.blogspot.com

Any chance of a LAT/LON grid for us dinosaurs?

Thanks for doing the work on this, Joseph. Great map and thanks for incorporating the UTM features.