Autochart pro

Fellas, I think the information you’re getting from customer service isn’t real accurate. Many of their reps haven’t had much experience with it yet, and are probably giving out false information.

I have the program, and I have been using it a fair amount already. Here’s the short of it. You can record all the sonar data you want right now, even onto blank SD cards. For data recording, you don’t have to use the zerolines sd card. You can also import all of that recorded sonar data into the Autochart program, right now. You can start building your maps, all you want.

The ONLY thing you’re not able to do at this time, is use the maps you’ve created, on your depthfinder. But, as soon as the software update comes out for your depthfinder, you’ll be able to use your zerolines sd card with all the maps you’ve created then.

Other bits of information:
The program doesn’t actually ‘save’ the map in the program. Rather, it saves the path to all of your sonar recordings and data that you’ve imported. The lakemaster map that you create from your imported data, is saved on the zerolines sd card (unless you create a local copy on your hard drive). The lakemaster map simply updates itself as you add more and more data, and you click ‘update lakemaster map’ on the icon list. If you create a local copy of the lakemaster folder from the zerolines sd card onto your hard drive, then you don’t need to have the zerolines sd card in your computer to create maps and update them. If you haven’t created the local copy, then you need to have the zerolines sd card in your computer to update contour maps. There are instructions in the manual on how to do this.

Also, you can create many different lakemaster maps and they are saved in your hard drive (if you’ve created a local copy). You could have 20, 30, or 100’s of lakemaster maps saved on your hard drive. When you’re going to fish that area, you can move the map to your zerolines sd card and use it on your depthfinder (once the depthfinder update comes out).

Let me know if you have questions. I know that contradicts some of the information you’ve been given. But I know because I have actual experience with the program and have been using it frequently. I’ve even imported data I recorded back in 2010 and 2011 to build lake maps in the program.

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When I got home I loaded it into the software and got a nice color depth map, but when I tried to create the lakemaster map, nothing happens.

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You should just be Peev’d at yourself, for not knowing how to learn the program. If you were able to create a nice color depth map, you imported the data correctly and are practically all the way there.

If you had the zerolines sd card plugged into your computer, then it likely would have created the lakemaster map. If you didn’t have the zerolines sd card in, then it cannot create a lakemaster map… UNLESS!! (create a local copy of the lakemaster folder from the zerolines sd card, and point your autochart program to that file instead). Then you can create and update the lakemaster map without the zerolines sd card in your computer.

Let me know if you have questions how to do this. (or check out page 6 in the “Getting Started” manual).

The biggest issue that is making me mad is that I can only create one recording at a time and the others go off the screen in the same area so I can’t even get a big map on my computer of any areas I mapped. And having to load one every time is [censored]. Their is an auto save setting that should save all the maps you create and leave them on a the computer screen

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Just talked to hummingbird people and they said for every unit pre 2014 the chip is useless until update.

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Sort of, but not totally. You need it and the data on it, to create a local copy of maps on your hard drive.

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Also said you can’t even record data now to save to put back on the card because the unit is not putting it in the right format yet.

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That might be true, not sure. I’ve only used blank sd cards to record and import data so far.

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and blank SD cards will not work for creating maps to put back on the chip.

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This part is confusing. You can use blank SD cards to record sonar data, and import it into the program. But you cannot use blank sd cards to create maps onto. You have to create your maps onto the zerolines sd card with it plugged into the computer, OR create a local copy of the zerolines lakemaster folder on your hard drive. Then, you can create your maps on your hard drive, and transfer them to the zerolines sd card at a later date.

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said its a waste of time to record anything now unless I just want to see it on the computer.

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It is not a waste of time to record data now. You can use that data and see it on your computer, and create maps as I’ve mentioned. You just cannot use them in your depthfinder yet.

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can’t get my recordings to save on the program and leave my maps on there

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Your recordings and maps don’t save on the program, from what I’ve been able to find anyways. The program saves the path mapping to all your data recordings, and you build small sections of maps where you want to see data from your recordings. It does save your lakemaster updates though, and it is displayed as a background map. However, when you open the program, you have to change your background map to the lakemaster map to be able to see it.

Hope this clears up some of those myths…

Is there a different number to call to get answers? I would hate wasting my time and my gas

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The biggest issue that is making me mad is that I can only create one recording at a time and the others go off the screen in the same area so I can’t even get a big map on my computer of any areas I mapped. And having to load one every time is [censored]. Their is an auto save setting that should save all the maps you create and leave them on a the computer screen

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That is confusing. Do you mean you can only create one MAP at a time? You can go into the settings and change the size of map you create each time.

I think the reason it does smaller sections of map each time are that you can process them faster, and then click “update lakemaster map” and it updates just that section of your custom lakemaster contour map. For example, you go out fishing and collect some data on an area. You don’t need to completely recreate your entire map. You can update the lakemaster map for just the section you fished and have new data for.

I feel like I might need to create a video tutorial on some of this for you guys…

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Is there a different number to call to get answers? I would hate wasting my time and my gas

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Read page 6 in the “getting started” manual…
It says right there that you can create and save your maps on your hard drive. Then move them onto the zerolines sd card to use them in your depthfinder. (*after the depthfinder update is released)

So the card can be updated a little piece at a time and not a whole map overwrite every time? It is confusing and not any info out there yet. Be nice to hear from xx99 users that have it

Here’s pg 6 of the manual if you don’t have it:

Using a local copy of the regional map

With the default settings in AutoChart, the AutoChart SD card must be present to display the regional map, or to create custom maps. You do not need to specify the location/drive for the SD card, AutoChart will find the card for you.

You can also create a local copy of the regional map on your hard drive:
1. Copy the LkMaster folder from the SD card to a place on your hard drive, for example to C:\LakeMaster\LkMaster. Make sure to leave the original LkMaster folder on the SD card!
2. In AutoChart, go to Tools/Settings/LakeMaster. In the AutoChart (regional) map group box, select Use local copy and use the Browse botton to select the local copy folder.

AutoChart will now use the local copy for displaying background maps, and custom maps you create will also go to this local storage. For example, if the local copy resides in C:\LakeMaster\LkMaster, a custom depth map will be generated in C:\LakeMaster\AC\LkMaster.

Important: If you select to use a local copy of the regional map, you MUST manually copy your custom maps back to the original zerolines SD card in order to be able to use those maps on your Humminbird unit. For example, if your custom depth map was generated to C:\LakeMaster\AC\LkMaster, copy the AC folder including all its content to the root of the SD card.

Important: Your custom maps will ONLY work on the original AutoChart Zero Lines SD card. If you place the map data on a different card the maps will not work on your Humminbird unit.

Using your custom maps on your Humminbird unit
When you insert your AutoChart SD card into your Humminbird unit, the unit will recognize the AutoChart card and you will have options in the Chart menu to select which one of your maps you want to display (requires unit firmware 6.85 or newer), and which map you want to use as a transparent overlay.

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So the card can be updated a little piece at a time and not a whole map overwrite every time? It is confusing and not any info out there yet. Be nice to hear from xx99 users that have it

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Yep! The custom lakemaster map that you create anyways. You don’t have to create a perfect map the first time, or create the whole thing at one time. You can add to it as time goes on, and you collect more data.

I’ll try to provide some screenshots and examples later tonight.

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Is there a different number to call to get answers? I would hate wasting my time and my gas

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Read page 6 in the “getting started” manual…
It says right there that you can create and save your maps on your hard drive. Then move them onto the zerolines sd card to use them in your depthfinder. (*after the depthfinder update is released)

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The humminbird rep said you need the update to be able to record in the correct format to be able to make a map for your card. So all data recorded so far may be useless except for computer view.

I think that rep meant that if you are recording data onto the zerolines sd card.

Everything I’ve been told by other Humminbird reps (even as far back as a year ago) said that you could begin saving sonar data and you could import that at a later time when the software was released.

I think whoever you talked to either mixed up what you were asking, or didn’t explain it correctly to you. Or you misunderstood what he actually said.

Sonar data is saved in only one format (.son). And, you can import .son data, or .ht (humminbird tracks), or old dr depth files to the program, and create maps from that data. As long as you can import that data into the program and create maps from it, when you EXPORT that map to the zero lines sd card it will work in your depthfinder.

If you don’t want to trust me, then don’t. I’m 99% sure after reading the manual that there is NO reason to doubt it will not work.

Read the manual, it pretty much explains most things…

the update is out! still cant get my maps to show up on the unit. let me know if anyone figures it out . must be doing something wrong

Are you selecting the proper card slot in the chart menu? It will option right, left, or automatic.

Yes it just shows a basemap and camera icons where I started and stopped recording. No details on the map

When uploading files – I have 1 recording from my own unit that pulls in fine. I have a few from a buddy on a USB drive so I could play with the program. When I try to open them, I get an error – Error: Could not open file. That’s all it says… Any ideas why these files wont open?

re any of you guys able to run the HB software on a MAC computer?

Thanks,

FDR