CreaMMM: Maps and cartographic series automatic creation

This program creates MiraMon maps (MMM format) rapidly from the command line. An existing map may be used as a template. This program is useful for automatically generating map series (with many sheets, typically map series such as "Topogràfic 1:50000").

If working with map series where the file names are fixed (changing only the directory or the first few letters of the name, for example, to indicate which sheet is which) but for which some layers of some sheets of the series may be missing (for example a small sheet containing no electricity power lines), then prepare a template for the map with the maximum number of layers present and select option 2. If working with series where the name and the order of the layers is constant but the names of the layers change, select option 1.

The program modifies the sections of the map layers, the view, the general view and the title.

For option 1 no template is needed. Option 2 only works if the map and the template are located in the same directory.

Option 2 is excellent for unifying map series made up of many sheets. It will make a BAT file with the list of all the layers and for which the program is called as many times as there are layers. The following syntax could be one of the lines in the BAT file (for sheet 222-222):

CreaMMM 2 mapes\222-222.mmm mapes\template.mmm #dircapa# ..\222-222 /VERIFICA "/TITOL=Full 222-222. Topogràfic 5000"

As can be seen, a template (template.mmm) map is needed in the same directory as the new maps. The program makes the changes to the paths of the layers in the template. In the example line, parameters 4 and 5 tell the program that, when interpreting the template, where it says "#dircapa#" this is changed to "..\222-222".

Note on maps series: The display properties can be defined using a .REL of a map series. The map series are used to manage the display of all the sheets of the same layer from a single file. Each map then contains, for each layer, the name of the .REL file in which the display characteristics are found. When the user wishes to change the display settings they only have to change one file and the whole series changes. It is possible to have various sets of .RELs for the same series for different uses (for example for colour or for black and white printing).

The program support map series but it is not obligatory that the maps should be parts of a series. Nevertheless, for the reasons given above and set out in detail in appendix 4 "MAP SERIES" of the MiraMon manual (accessible through the Help Menu), we recommend working with map series whenever there are various map sheets referring to the same concept (contour lines, roads, etc).

Syntax:
CreaMMM 1 NewMMM TemplateMMM Layers...
CreaMMM 2 NewMMM TemplateMMM SearchText SubstituteText

NewMMM is the MiraMon map to be created.
TemplateMMM the MiraMon map that will serve as a template for all that is not generated by the program. If a template is not wanted the user can enter NUL (only option 1).
Option
- 1 The names of the layers and some of the display parameters are entered in the command line.
- 2 The names of the layers are taken from the template and only the SearchText is changed for the SubstituteText in the layers' paths.
Layers represent the description of each layer. They are entered one after another. All file names included extensions.
- For RGB rasters it is necessary to indicate the names of the 3 IMG files one after another.
- For rasters with a colour palette it is necessary to indicate the raster file followed by the palette or NUL if there is no palette.
- For JPEG rasters it is necessary to indicate the raster file.
- For point or node files it is necessary to input the point file.
- For line or arc files is is necessary to indicate the name or the line or arc file and the palette or RGB combination for a constant colour (eg 255,0,255).
- For polygon files it is necessary to input the name of the polygon file followed by the palette or RGB combination for the interior or NUL to leave the insides empty, followed by an RGB combination for the borders or NUL to index using the same palette as the polygon interior.
- For map series files it is necessary to indicate the name of the graphics file and the name of the REL of the series. (See the note on map series)
SearchText Text to be searched for inside the path name of the layer in the template map. If you don't want to search enter a character string which can't be found.
SubstituteText Text to substitute the SearchText in the path name of the layer in the new map.
/TITOL= The title of the map. If not entered the first layer is used.
/VERIFICA Indicates that it is necessary to verify the existence of the layer. In option 2, if the layer does not exist it will not be included in the map and the program continues. In option 1, and where a template exists, the program stops. If there is no template the program emits a message but allows the process to continue. For VEC type files, the program always verifies the existence of the file and stops if it doesn't find it because it needs to read the documentation file to identify the file type.