A rather major update is finally complete (nearly). All .kml files have been replaced by .kmz versions. This has reduced file size by a factor of around 100:1 . This meant that one of the main reason for zipping the downloadable files had been removed. The second reason was the nasty habit of some browsers opening the .gpx files as they downloaded them - this I overcame by using .gpx?dl=1 in the link for the downloads. So I unzipped them and re-indexed the files and at the same time altered the presentation of the info windows (This is the bit that is not yet complete). The use of sketches to provide access to the files has a disadvantage because first time users of the site have often supposed the sketches to be the actual tracks. (This hasn't been helped by the fact that I have found a fairly easy and much more precise way of producing the sketches) So I have tried to emphasise that to see the real tracks it is necessary to download them..
The Introduction pages are also changed to reflect the usefulness of the Google files now that the imagery is improving so dramatically. And now that OpenCPN have overcome most of the problems with longer tracks there will be less need in future to chop up tracks into such short bits. The world spins.
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