These comments relate to memory Map v5 unless otherwise stated.
Memory Map (MM) software provides for a set of maps and a means for
navigating around them As soon as you start creating / doing things
then you should be considering the use of overlays.
Initially, when you create routes / marks / trails etc., you manage
them in the properties area and this allows you to complete processes
and appears sufficient.
These items become more difficult to manage as their volume increases
resulting in updates taking progressively longer to perform the more
details you attempt to retain.
MM provides a means of managing these items and it is known as Overlays.
The concept of overlays is that you can import details into the system
as an overlay (set of details additional to the maps) as and when they
are needed. If you are working on a map of London there is little point
in having all of the details of your hikes from North Wales loaded into
the system.
Overlays are managed from the overlay menu and allow you to import
and export overlay files (MMO) whether to save backup copies for safekeeping
or emailing to friend or retrieve details that you have been sent or
previously secured for safekeeping. Additionally, options are provided,
for deletion of items in various ways.
Within the properties area you also have the facility to delete items
en-bloc within the categories you have created.
To use MM successfully you need to organise your data efficiently and
this then allows to perform actions on a set of data that is related
to each other. Luckily you can create new categories easily by right-clicking
your mouse whn in the properties area.
The facility also exists to save routes / tracks to MMO files by right
clicking the mouse while the pointer hovers over that item.
No matter the approach you take the objective should be to save sets
of data to MMO files that exist outside of MM These can then be imported
again when they are needed. By clever use of features such as exporting
all, exporting category, deleting category etc. you can create a folder
of data files that will enhance your enjoyment of the package.
Name your MMO files as something meaningful, such as Lake District
Trails. In the future, when you revisit the area you can load the existing
details before adding your new endeavours to MM, and then save the entire
set again.
There appear to be some exceptions to what should be standard practice;
one of these being bitmaps. There is no means of exporting these to
make them secure but they are deleted if you use features such as delete
all.