October 22, 2021
Global Mapper Mobile pairs with Global Mapper to help teams take data and maps into the field for reference and data collection. Sharing a project created in Global Mapper to an iOS or Android device, Global Mapper Mobile can then be used to view, edit and add to the data in the field.
To demonstrate the interaction between Global Mapper and Global Mapper Mobile applications, experts from Blue Marble hosted a live webinar exploring both applications. Below are the live questions and answers from this webinar.
Will a recording be made available?
Yes, as an attendee, you should have received an email with a link to the recorded session posted on our YouTube channel. If you did not register for this live webinar, sign up here to see recordings of this and past webinars and check out our YouTube channel for many more helpful videos.
What device are you running Global Mapper Mobile on?
For this demonstration, Global Mapper Mobile was being run on an iPad. Global Mapper Mobile is available on both iOS and Android devices.
When you use the online imagery layer, does it download an area or stream it continually?
The online data for the bounds of your current map screen is cached and displayed in Global Mapper Mobile. When you zoom/pan on the map to change the view bounds, the needed data tiles are streamed from the online source.
With Global Mapper Mobile Pro, you can save online data for offline use on your mobile device. If you are heading into an area with low connectivity, this is recommended so that you can view the needed data even if you are unable to stream additional views.
Is it possible to show the captured tree image next to the actual location on a map?
In Global Mapper desktop linked images, like those captured or added to data collected in the field, can be placed on the map next to the image location. This is not an option in Global Mapper Mobile as the image would obscure map data on the smaller mobile device screen and inhibit map use. In Global Mapper Mobile, the image can be viewed through the IMAGE_LINK attribute on the Edit Feature screen.
When you attach a picture, can you take a picture with your camera?
Yes, when attaching an image as an attribute, you can capture a new image with the device camera. You can also create a point from a picture. Use the Pictures point create mode or use a long tap gesture on the map to open the device camera and capture an image. The image will be added to the map as a picture point feature at the GPS location where the image was captured.
Can you add multiple pictures for the same feature?
Currently, Global Mapper Mobile only allows one picture to be added to each feature. Our development team has been made aware of the request to add multiple pictures to a single feature and is working toward an improvement of this functionality.
If you attach a photo to the feature, are they also sent to the office, so people working on Global Mapper see it and can use it further?
Yes, linked images will be saved with the map to be exported and shared with other Global Mapper and Global Mapper Mobile users.
Are we able to order the attributes, eg. to have “alive” as the last attribute or group them?
In Global Mapper Mobile, you cannot change the order of the attributes. When working with a feature template attributes will be ordered as they were in the creation of the feature template.
Can I add multiple layer types to be edited? Say points, lines, and polygon editable layers?
Any vector feature in Global Mapper Mobile can be selected and edited with the digitizer tool. In the mobile app, it is not possible to select and edit multiple features, but once the data is transferred back to Global Mapper desktop, multiple features can be edited at once.
Use Spike to measure vertical surfaces?
Currently, Global Mapper Mobile does not integrate with any rangefinder devices for data collection. Our development team has been informed of this request specific to Spike.
Can you use the NMEA string to post-process the data to a greater accuracy?
NMEA data from the GPS device can be recorded and exported from Global Mapper Mobile Pro for later use. Once sharing the recorded NMEA data from the mobile device you can process it with whatever tools you have available.
What does the NMEA data look like back at the office? How would that data be typically used at the office?
NMEA data is the location data produced by the GPS device. This data can be parsed in a text format or loaded into other programs to further process the raw location information captured by the GPS.
Can the office manager see the data being collected in the field in ‘real time’ as it’s being collected?
No, the data being collected in Global Mapper Mobile is being collected on the local device. To get data back to the in-office Global Mapper desktop users, the map must be saved and shared.
Are state plane and lat/lon the only options for coordinate systems in Global Mapper Mobile?
Global Mapper Mobile allows you to retain the projection used in Global Mapper for data display. When exporting the data to a Global Mapper Mobile Package (*.gmmp) file, you have options to keep the current display projection or convert the data to Geographic (Lat/Long) WGS84.
Can I make a request for Microsoft Teams to be added to this list, please?
Any shared driver service accessible to mobile and desktop users can be used to transfer data between Global Mapper desktop and Global Mapper Mobile.
If you are interested in Global Mapper Mobile, download the app for free from the iOS App Store or Google Play store. If you would like to explore Global Mapper, download a 14-day free trial today! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
