The basic interface makes it easy to display a specific map in the application which can then be downloaded. It is possible to either use the initial map to zoom to the location in the world map or to enter a location in the form at the top. The program will automatically zoom to that location then. Users need to make sure to uncheck the offline checkbox first so that new map tiles can be downloaded from the Internet.

The mouse can be used to scroll around on the map. It is also possible to use the slider on the left or to right-click and select the zoom in or out option to change the zoom level of the map.

The map view can be changed from map to satellite and terrain. A click on the Download button will display the download option where the user can fine tune the latitude, longitude, area width and height as well as the minimum and maximum zoom level.

The maps are then downloaded to the local computer system so that they become available in offline viewing mode.

The settings of the Google Maps offline viewer can be used to change various parameters of the program including the download directory for map tiles, the window size of the application, edit locations to access them easier, place markers or enable GPS mode.

GMapCatcher is available for Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems. The software can be downloaded from the Google Code page. (via Blogs DNA)

Offline Maps is a software program for Microsoft Windows that offers the following functionality to users and developers:

The application provides following functionality to its users:

• The ability to download tiles to a folder on your computer of a given zoomfactor along a path
• The ability to view the downloaded tiles in the application
• The ability to draw a path on the map and save that path to a file
• The ability to receive data from a GPS device and position the map at the points received from the device

To developers it provides following functionality

• The ability to develop new layers with specific functionality
• The ability to draw on the map using longitude and latitude coordinates
• The ability to draw on the map using regular coordinates

The developer provides access to a version for the Microsoft Windows operating system and a mobile version for Windows Mobile devices. Supported are Google Maps and Open Street Maps. It is furthermore possible to load maps that have already been downloaded from either service. Several additional options are provided in the layers tab including ripping, routing and GPS options.

The software program requires the Microsoft .net Framework. Interested users can download it from the Codeplex website.

One problem that many users experience when using Google Maps is the inability to create maps that do not fit on the computer screen. This usually means to take a screenshot of each part of the map and either keep them as separate images on the computer or to join them together in an image editor. Both options are not very comfortable.

A better solution is the portable software Google Map Buddy which allows the user to download and join any area in Google Maps. The program does that by opening Google Maps in its interface. All navigational options are provided which means it is possible to find a location in the world by searching for it or to get directions by using that feature.

The program offers a small control overlay that can be used to draw a rectangle on the map. This rectangle will be downloaded and joined together later on.

There are two additional steps after drawing the rectangle on the screen. The first is the selection of the zoom level. A higher zoom level results in greater detail but also in additional images that are downloaded and joined in the end. The program will display the number of images that are created. There is also a visual aid if the Draw Helper button is pressed.

The Create Map Image will start start downloading the selected area from Google Maps to the location specified by the user in the file browser. The map parts will be downloaded separately at first and joined in the end. It is furthermore possible to keep the single map images or delete them in the end.

Google Map Buddy is a helpful program for users who want to download or print maps from Google Maps without having to join them afterwards. It is for instance possible to create a detailed map of a specific town or location which would take a long time to create manually due to the many screens it would be displayed on.