Introductory Guide

Basic instructions are all here on this page. For more detailed tutorials, or answers to common questions or issues, choose from the other options in the user guide menu.

Using GPS

To show your current position on the the chart, switch GPS positioning on or off at any time by tapping the GPS icon. It is useful to have it off at times when you are not actually using it to save battery life – for example when just browsing the charts. You can choose whether or not GPS positioning starts automatically when you start the app from the Settings page.

When you first activate the GPS button your phone will ask you to give permission for the Nz Charts app to access your location. You can change these permission settings later if you wish using the Settings App on your phone.

Your location will show as a blue dot. You may need to scroll or zoom out to see it depending on your current location. The blue indicator will also display a wedge shaped projection (if your device has a magnetic compass sensor) which shows the direction your device is

currently pointed in, and a black arrow which indicates which direction you are moving in (when you are moving). You may also see a larger blue circle surrounding the central one. This indicates uncertainty in the position depending on the current strength and quality of GPS signals your phone is receiving.

When GPS is turned on, the ‘follow mode’ icon will be available. Tapping this icon will center the chart on your current location. Tapping it again will lock the chart to your location so that the map will move as you do. Tapping it a third time will lock the orientation of the chart to the current orientation of your device – ie as you turn the map will follow your orientation and the chart will be aligned to the direction you are facing.

Using the charts

You can freely pan and zoom about the charts using drag, pinch, or rotate gestures. The orientation of the chart relative to North is showing with the compass icon or orientation indicator. Tap the alignment indicator to realign the chart with North facing up.

Select the ‘Go To’ button to locate a place on the chart by grid co- ordinates, or by a distance and bearing offset from a known position. Enter grid co-ordinates into the dialog box, and add an offset and bearing if needed, then press the ‘Go to co-oords’ button. To enter coordinates or offsets in different units use the buttons on the right to cycle through available units.

Tap the crosshairs icon at the bottom left of the dialog box and the easting and northing boxes will be updated with the co-ordinates where the map is currently centered. Tap the blue dot icon and the location will be updated with your current GPS co-ordinates (turn on GPS first if needed).

Tap the fullscreen button to toggle between full screen mode where all the controls are hidden, and normal view mode.

Peak Finder

The Peak Finder button will launch a camera view that shows surrounding peaks and topography. See this page for further info.

Recording tracks

Tap the record icon on the bottom bar to show recording options. Choose an icon and enter a track name if you wish (these can also be changed later), and then press record. If GPS positioning was not already active then it will activate for you, but may take a moment to obtain an accurate enough position to begin recording. Once an accurate starting position is available your track will be recorded and will display on the map as you go.

Press stop to end track recording (select record or tap on the track timer indicator if needed to bring up the options). Once recording is completed you can select your track at any time from the map by tapping on its icon, or select it from the ‘Search’ menu by name or under ‘user tracks’, and from there you can view and edit track details as well as share the track with other people or devices.

Creating waypoints and routes

Waypoints and tracks can either be imported from existing kml or gpx files by clicking on a link or file and choosing to open them with the NZ Charts app, or created within the app using the ‘Create’ menu option.

To create your own points, tap on the ‘Create’ menu icon. Move the map so that it is focused on the point where you would like to create a waypoint or start a route and select ‘create’

Once a waypoint is created you can add points to form a route. Select the waypoint you want to edit and scroll the control options if needed to display the add/delete point menu options. Position the map where you want a new point and click add. Use the left and right arrows to scroll through the points in the route and further edit them. A route can also be inverted, ‘enclosed’ to form a shape boundary, split, joined with another route, shared, hidden from the map, or deleted.

Other route details can be edited at any stage by selecting the route from the screen or from the Search menu. Drag up the window to show and edit further details about the route.

Following routes

Make sure that GPS is switched on, then select a route to navigate to, or a route to follow and select ‘Follow’. The display at the top of the screen will now display your current bearing, the bearing you need to follow to reach the waypoint and distance to the point.

The bearing to the waypoint will show as an icon on the compass bar at the top of the screen. Simply rotate around until the icon aligns with the center marker on the compass and you will be facing directly towards the waypoint.

Use the Direction button to swap between forward and reverse following of a route. Use the next button to navigate to the next point in the route if you pass a waypoint without getting close enough to trigger the auto skip.