OziExplorer ".dat" files - REV 11 - May 19, 2004 Changes since Rev 10: - None Additions since Rev 10: - added lognmea.dat Overview ======== There are some ".dat" files that can be placed in the OziExplorer program directory to influence how Ozi behaves. For many of these files, the key is that the file exists - it doesn't matter what the file's contents are - the file can be empty. For at least some(maybe all) of these files, Ozi appears to check for the file at program startup, so deleting/renaming the file while you have Ozi running may not have any effect. For at least some(maybe all) of these files, it doesn't matter what case you use for the file name. The information below may also have entries for programs that are 'related to' OziExplorer, such as Img2ozf. Differences in OziExplorer Versions =================================== The information below is based on OziExplorer 3.95.1 and higher. Explained in the Ozi Help file: =============================== bsbfull.dat - see Special Keys and Stuff datums.dat - see Adding User Datums dshift.dat - see Program History, Beta Version 3.85.3a mmfile.dat - see Moving map File Hook nopcanvas.dat - see Map Printing, Waypoint Symbols will not print - see Trouble Shooting, Waypoint Symbols will not print - see Program History, Beta 3.83.g showxy.dat - see Special Keys and Stuff sidscrollbar.dat - see Program History, Beta Version 3.90.3c sidfull.dat - see Program History, Beta Version 3.90.3a tifffull.dat - see Special Keys and Stuff tripmate.dat - see Tripmate GPS - see Special Keys and Stuff - see Program History, Beta 3.73f userpointer1.dat - see Moving Map User Defined Pointers Used by the old version of the OziExplorer API ============================================== message1.dat message2.dat mmfile.dat Other valid .dat files ====================== aplog.dat - autopilot output will be written into a file called apLog.txt cfs.dat NOTE - this 'CFS stuff' only applies to a particular region of the world, and it requires specific maps and data formats - adds two new choices to the "Options" menu, "CFS Find Map" and "CFS Draw Track" - "CFS Find Map" opens a dialog box where you can: -- browse the filesystem for a 'Map Name' -- enter a 'Position'. It's not clear what should be entered here, but it appears to only accept numeric input, with no letters or symbols allowed. Perhaps it expects a rectangular grid reference. -- click on the 'Find' button to "Find the Position on the Specified map". Everything I tried resulted in "Position not found on specified map", although when using a 6-digit Position, the search took longer. -- clicking on the '?' button("Show Help") opens the help file with an error because it can't find the requested information - "CFS Draw Track" opens a dialog box where you can: -- browse the filesystem for a 'Map Name' -- enter 15 'Track Points', presumably in the same Position format as used for the 'Position' field under "CFS Find Map" -- select a 'Track No', 'Color', and either 'Area Type' or 'Line Type' -- click on the 'Track Create' button to "Draw the Track on the Specified Map". Everything I tried resulted in "Position not found on specified map", although when using a 6-digit Position, it took longer for the message to appear. -- clicking on the '?' button("Show Help") opens the help file with an error because it can't find the requested information ecwfull.dat - same as bsbfull or tifffull, but for ecw images GarminSymbolNames.dat - if this file contains the proper contents, it will change the names of the Garmin waypoint symbols. The proper format for the contents is unknown. GarminSymbolSets.dat - when Ozi's "Garmin Symbol Set Creator" is used to add new symbol sets, the data for these is stored in this file indexhatchpolygon.dat - when map polygons are displayed on the Index Map, they will be filled with a crosshatch pattern loadblankmap.dat - load a blank map at startup(same as menu choice Map, Blank Map) lognmea.dat - when an attached GPS is transmitting data, and "NMEA Communication" with the GPS is started, the received data will be written to a file called nmea.log, in the OziExplorer program directory. Note that the received data is logged, even if it is not NMEA data, such as when a Garmin GPS is used in PVT mode. lowdebug.dat - causes a file "debug.log" to be created in the Ozi program directory - the file remains empty, so a guess is that maybe "debug.dat" needs to also exist, and have some specific contents to specify what info should be written to the log movemapcal.dat - adds a "Move Map Calibration" choice to the Map menu - selecting "Move Map Calibration" opens a window that allows you to move the whole map's calibration up, down, left, or right, by 1 or more units, and to save the new calibration to the current '.map' file multitrack.dat - adds a new menu choice "MultiTrack", with choices "Start Tracking" and "Stop Tracking" - selecting "Start Tracking" produces a dialog box with the message "You are not authorised to use the MultiTrack option" showcalcornermarkers.dat - corner markers will be on as default when calibrating a new map showcalpoints.dat - the map's calibration points are shown on the map - the coordinates of the calibration points are also shown - the coordinates information may be truncated where it extends past the edge of the screen showcornermarkers.dat - the Map View window(not the map) will show the corner markers - will persist across loading of different maps, unless turned off manually tfw.dat - adds a new menu choice "Write TFW File" to the "Options" menu - when "Write TFW File" is selected, a TFW file will be written to the same directory as the map's image file - apparently is limited to meters, and the map must be square relative to the meter grid(ie no rotation) - for more about the possible use of tfw files, see two messages from the OziExplorer Users mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OziUsers-L/message/17755 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OziUsers-L/message/17812 usescales.dat - NOTE: "usescales.dat" no longer functions, as of Img2ozf version 2.08(or maybe earlier), but the functionality appears to still be available, via the use of a "1.d1" file(see below) - this is for the Img2ozf program, version 2.01 or greater - specifies the zoom levels to be used - needs to be in the same directory as the Img2ozf program - here is an example of the file's content: ;enter the scales you require ;only 75, 50, 33, 25, 20, 10, 5, 2.5, and 1 can be used ;all other numbers will be ignored ; 75 50 33 25 20 10 5 2.5 1 Valid files with extensions other than ".dat" ============================================= 1.d1 - this appears to be the 'replacement' for the usescales.dat file that worked with earlier versions of Img2Ozf - see usescales.dat for more information on how it works - credit goes to Michael Pogrebisky: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ozi-UsersCE/message/1945 Possible .dat files =================== If you discover that any of these are valid, please advise as to what they do. debug.dat jpg64.dat kapheaders.dat - BSB-related? mmDepth.dat mmscrollmap.dat showECW.dat showMFT.dat showmm.dat tech1.dat tech3.dat
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