## What's New with IIAB Maps for the IIAB 7.2 Release?

#### See also the [IIAB 7.2 Release Notes](https://github.com/iiab/iiab/wiki/IIAB-7.2-Release-Notes).

1. There's a new **Install IIAB Maps** page (http://box/osm-vector-maps/installer/) with [instructions](https://github.com/iiab/iiab/wiki/IIAB-Maps#how-do-i-install-map-packs-and-satellite-photo-regions-on-iiab-72-), separate from IIAB's Admin Console:
   1. This [very visual page](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/2458907/94740848-46c4eb00-0341-11eb-93ea-e3e4758dce48.png) facilitates selecting/downloading/installing of Map Pack(s) for your favorite "continent(s)".  (SEE 2. BELOW)
   2. And then likewise for Hi-Res Satellite Photo Regions serving your local communities.  (SEE 3. BELOW)

2. **Map Packs** no longer bundle both data and program in a .zip file.  All Map Packs are really now just a collection of 3 .mbtiles files:
   1. The main focus of a Map Pack remains Hi-Res Vector Map data from OpenStreetMap, for your selected "continent" — but Lo-Res vector map tiles (1.74GB .mbtiles) and Lo-Res satellite photos (932MB .mbtiles) are also included for the entire planet.  Read more at: https://github.com/iiab/iiab/wiki/IIAB-Maps
   2. Map Packs' OSM vector tile data (from 2017) was updated to data from [September 2019](https://archive.org/details/osm-vector-mbtiles).
   3. The world view (planetwide OSM vector maps included with all Map Packs) increased zoom levels from 0-9 to 0-10 (1.74GB osm-planet_z0-z10_2019.mbtiles) so that city search is successful more of the time.
   4. Multiple Map Packs can be downloaded/installed (one "continent" at a time).  However this can waste disk space with duplicate data (and "continent" bounding boxes have been designed so that this is rarely necessary!)

3. **Hi-Res Satellite Photos** can be downloaded/installed for any 100 x 100 km, 300 x 300 km, or 1000 x 1000 km square region (around any map point that you click!)
   1. These new Hi-Res Satellite Photo Regions are 'squares' with 4 additional levels of satellite photo zoom (i.e. zoom levels 10-13) giving you 16X the resolution (i.e. 19 x 19 m pixels) and 256X more photographic information density.
   2. As compared to Lo-Res Satellite Photos i.e. zooms level 0-9 (305 x 305 m pixels) everywhere else on the planet (932MB satellite_z0-z9_v3.mbtiles is included with all Map Packs).  (SEE 2. ABOVE)
   3. Multiple Hi-Res Satellite Photo Regions can be downloaded/installed (one "square" region at a time, even if they overlap!)

4. Some variables have newer meanings:
   1. `osm_vector_maps_install` in [/etc/iiab/local_vars.yml](http://wiki.laptop.org/go/IIAB/FAQ#What_is_local_vars.yml_and_how_do_I_customize_it.3F) means install the map program (about 40MB).
   2. `osm_vector_maps_enabled` in [/etc/iiab/local_vars.yml](http://wiki.laptop.org/go/IIAB/FAQ#What_is_local_vars.yml_and_how_do_I_customize_it.3F) is once again standardized, solving #2484 install delays.
   3. `osm_vector_maps_installed` in `/etc/iiab/iiab_state.yml` means a functioning world map with 7 levels of zoom (z0-z6) has been installed — i.e. a preview of IIAB's mapping system that helps you select Maps Pack(s) and Satellite Photo Region(s) to download and install on your IIAB.  (SEE 1. ABOVE)

5. **Drag-and-Drop Map Overlays** — try this by dragging and dropping any relevant GeoJSON file onto the IIAB Maps (http://box/maps) in your browser!  For example try this GeoJSON file, to explore the shape of gerrymandered US Congressional districts: https://eric.clst.org/assets/wiki/uploads/Stuff/gz_2010_us_500_11_20m.json

6. Separately: Students can _right click_ on IIAB Maps (http://box/maps) to **add descriptions and photos** of local points of interest — and then save and restore them using their local browser.  [CAN ANYBODY SUGGEST STUDENT/TEACHER GEOGRAPHIC ADVENTURE & LOCAL EXPLORATION TIPS THAT WORK ON PHONES?]

#### Please also see the IIAB Maps doc: https://github.com/iiab/iiab/wiki/IIAB-Maps