• Type :
    Denotes the nature of the entity. A trail is a unique and defined path, if you will. It connects one geographic point with another geographic point, and is frequently known by some name.

    A route typically incorporates one or more trails or trail segments. A trail user might walk on seven different trails to complete her route, and may or may not walk the full length of any of those trails to do so.

    A point is just that: a single point, described by a single coordinate pair of latitude and longitude data.

  • Region :
    This is a greater area that 'holds' a trail, route, or waypoint. This is loosely defined, and the area covered in a region is named and defined by the TrailMapper site operator in your area. So, there may be only a few regions or many regions on this TM site.

    The concept of a region is supposed to help the user know where to start looking for a trail, or where to upload a trail.

  • User :
    TrailMapper stores seasonal usage data associated with trails and routes. The idea is that some users are inappropriate for certain trails or routes, and there may be seasonal limitations as well.

    For example, a steep, narrow, winding trail might be best left alone by dog mushers, but be perfectly suited to snowshoers. In the summer, that same trail might well be useable by all summer users except horseback riders, due to the danger to the animal.

  • Season :
    TrailMapper stores seasonal usage data associated with trails and routes. The idea is that some users are inappropriate for certain trails or routes, and there may be seasonal limitations as well.

    From a TrailMapper standpoint, 'Summer' includes springtime since the ground conditions are so similar.

    'Winter' includes everything that 'Summer' does not.

    'All_Season' means that for the shown user, time of year is largely unimportant.

  • Class :
    Pertains to routes and trails, and is definable from one TrailMapper site to the next. By default, this refers to the state of development of the trail or route. A 'Class' of 1 indicates that the trail is poorly developed, and is little more than a rough hewn path through the surroundings.

    A 'Class' of 5 indicates that the trail (or route) is highly developed. It might be an officially designated path, it probably gets routine maintenance, and is probably hardened, if not paved.

  • Length :
    Self explanatory. Units are miles, by default.

  • Elev. :
    This is either the elevation change of the selected route or trail, or the elevation at a point. The units are feet, by default, but locally definable.

  • Keyword :
    This is a powerful search tool. It quickly searches the description, notes, and name fields of every item in the database, using your keyword or keywords.

  • Advanced Search :
    Advanced search options allow you do refine a trail search, based on specific parameters. Advanced search options are 'tacked on' to a keyword search or visible area search.

  • Area :
    Search within current view. Zoom and pan to the view you want, then search. TrailMapper will return items that have at least one set of coordinates within that view.

  • Author :
    The original poster of the data. Bear in mind that subsequent editors of the data (trail, route, or waypoint) may have more responsibility for the displayed data than it's author.

  • Number of Points :
    Less interesting for waypoints (number of points = 1), this is how many points are used to display the selected trail or route. This is informational only, and not a searchable data field.

    Many GPS's have a 500-point limit for tracks. So, if you upload a track to your GPS that you downloaded from TrailMapper, this number is significant to you.

  • Name :
    This can be difficult to arrive at. Many trails are unnamed, or are known by several different names. It is recommended that all known names be entered, separated by commas. If a trail (or route) does not have a name, leaving this field blank is acceptable, particularly if the description and/or notes contain references to the area the trail is in.

  • File :
    The uploaded file containing the geographic data. Currently GPX, TXF and KML filetypes are accepted. After the geographic data is extracted, the original file is discarded. (Not to worry, your files remain intact.)

  • Data Compression :
    In general, compress data.

    If an uploaded datafile is known to have very few data points (say, 50 or fewer), you may well choose not to compress the file.

    Additionally, if you download a file from TrailMapper and then reupload it, you should select the "No Compression" option, as the trail has already been compressed.

    For those who are interested, the current compression algorithm is a lossy method, removing data points that do not change direction established by the last set of points, provided that the data points are not a large distance from the last pair. So, a very straight trail will have fewer datapoints than a very twisty trail.

  • NavTool Layer:
    This control toggles the Navigation Tool layer in the Google Earth plugin. The control appears on the right side of the TrailMapper window. In addition to the controls offered in this layer, your mouse offers virtually all the same functionality.
    • Left button: click-hold for panning.
    • Middle button: click-hold for tilt and rotate.
    • Right button: click-hold for smooth zoom and 'flying'.
    • Scroll wheel: rotate for zoom in and out.

  • Stats Layer:
    This control toggles the display of some data at the bottom of the Google Earth plugin window.
    In the middle, the coordinates of the mouse pointer are shown, in degree/minute/second format.
    To the right of that, the ground elevation at the mouse pointer is shown, in feet.
    At the far right, the current eye altitude is shown. This changes as you adjust the zoom and tilt of the display.

  • Scale Layer:
    This control toggles the display of the scale, appearing at the bottom left of the Google Earth plugin window. The units are in miles.

  • Sun Layer:
    This control toggles the display of the "Sun Toolbar", an onscreen widget that models sunlight. Shadows are cast off of hills and mountains, the works. The "Sun Toolbar" has many options, left to the user to tinker with.

  • Roads Layer:
    This control toggles the display of the road layer, complete with road names.

  • Borders Layer:
    This control toggles the display of the borders layer, showing major political boundaries -- states, provinces, countries are represented, but smaller subdivisions (boroughs, counties) are not.

    When this layer is enabled, some placenames also are shown, depending on the zoom level.

  • Lat/Lon Layer:
    This control toggles the display of latitudinal and longitudinal lines. As you zoom in and out of a view, the lines are recalculated and redrawn, in order to more or less maintain the same number of lines on the screen.
    Also, the lines are "draped" over the earth, thus lumpy terrain will display lumpy lat/lon lines.

  • More Information :
    This list is only part of the help system included with TrailMapper, showing brief definitions of the data fields and buttons encountered in TrailMapper.

    A more complete help resource is available by clicking the "Help" button at the top right of any TrailMapper screen.