IMatch 2017 Map Panel Video - Check it out.

[Mario]

I decided to make a small video so all interested users can have a look at the new Map Panel.

https://www.photools.com/media/mappanel.mp4

(1920 pixel - I floated the Map into a separate window for this demo).

In this video I load a GPX file - courtesy John (jch2103).
Then I let IMatch map the files in the current scope to the track and render the track on the map.
Zooming in reveals the 'intermediate' markers the Map Panel has placed for all files which could be mapped to the loaded track.
This shows you if the result is what you have expected. Else you can change the time zone settings and repeat as often as needed needed.

Next I zoom out to see the entire track path again and then use the command to update the metadata of the files with the calculated coordinates. This not only updates the lat/lon/alt and time, but also performs reverse-geoding if you have this enabled in IMatch.

If you look very closely you see a progress bar dialog flashing. Updating data for ~ 50 files ( about 400 individual data elements) is so fast with IMatch 2017 and the new scripting system that the dialog vanishes before it entirely shows.

Did I mention how much faster the new scripting is than BASIC 
I see so many useful and cool features coming...

The video also gives you an impression on how refined the user interface of the Map Panel is.
Remember: The Map Panel is 'just' an IMatch app, written entirely in JavaScript and HTML.
It comes in full source code so if you are interested in programming you can see how it's done.
I don't minimize the code and I've added tons of comments to this and all other apps so everybody can learn from it. Or fix my bugs, if you happen to stumble upon one.

[sinus]

Krass! 

Wow, impressive and cool, thanks a lot!

[ben]

Cool. Looks very nice.
I haven't used the map panel very often so far,though.
Why do you have to map images to the track? Are the gps positions not stored with each picture?

[Mario]

Why do you have to map images to the track? Are the gps positions not stored with each picture?

This process fills the GPS coordinates of the images from an external GPX file. You need this if your camera has no built-in GPS and you use an external tracker. Or you record your track on your smart phone and later want to copy the coordinates from the track into the image files taken with your camera.

If your images already have GPS coordinates, you don't need GPX files or the import feature.
You can of course also manually add GPS data to your files using the target marker in the map panel as before.

importing GPX files is a feature that is relevant for specialists or users who don't use cameras with embedded GPS receivers. Not all cameras have GPS.

[hro]

Very cool. Thanks for the video. (And so close to where I live, haha).

[jch2103]

Very nice!

[sinus]

You can of course also manually add GPS data to your files using the target marker in the map panel as before.

importing GPX files is a feature that is relevant for specialists or users who don't use cameras with embedded GPS receivers. Not all cameras have GPS.

That is what I do. I use the target marker in the map panel for specifiy my location.
In my case I take pictures mostly from one point and this information is enough for me.

If I am 100 Meters away does not really matters for me. Since the location with IMatch and the map is so easy, I do it this way. But of course, maybe my next cam will have a GPS built in.
But some stuff I simply not use (like my embedded WiFi in my Nikon, what I have never used since today).

[Mario]

You probably shoot in your studio or on-location mostly.
That's what I do to. I take a reference image with my smart phone (embeds GPS data) and then use this to quickly set all other files once they are in IMatch. Works a charm. This will of course also work in the All New Map Panel.

But if you travel a lot, having the ability to import GPX data directly in IMatch 2017 will save a lot of time.

[DigPeter]

At present I take a gpx file from my garmin gps and then use Downloader Pro to match my image files and embed the gps meta data in them.  Am I correct in understanding that the IM2017 map panel can now do this?

[Mario]

Yep.

[DigPeter]

Yep.