IGN Maps on CD Rom

[Paul Reed]

I was in Arras today and picked up in a bookshop a CD Rom from a company called Bayo.Com; they have scanned and transferred to CD all the 1/25,000 Blue series IGN maps. The one I bought was '62 Est - Pas de Calais (62) Partie Est which covers (from our point of view) the ground from Armentieres to Loos, Loos to Vimy Ridge, Arras battlefield, and as far south as the Somme (ground mainly east of Albert). To the east it takes in most of the Cambrai battlefield.

At just over 30 Euros, this was a bargin; you can print maps of and reduce up and down the scale; you don't appear to be able to save sections of the maps.

Despite being French software, I had no problem installing and running it. It doesn't appear to work with XP.

I have found a website at:

http://www.bayo.com/cartographie/cartoexploreur/

But they don't appear to sell on-line, so you will probably have to look out for them in bookshops and bigger newsagents when next in France.

[Guest Michael Orr]

Dear Paul,

It is possible to save sections of maps from these CDs. When you are running the CD & have selected the area you want on screen, press the Print Screen button. Then open Powerpoint (& possibly other programmes, but I haven't tried it) and open a new file. Then hit the Paste button and the map section should appear & can be edited and saved. In Powerpoint you can then use the Trim facility to remove unwanted material on the edge & overlay using the normal Powerpoint drawing tools, eg arrows, boxes &c.

(This tip comes courtesy of Barbara Taylor of Thames Valley WFA).

My copies of the CDs work in XP with no problem.

I think it may be possible to order at least some of the CDs on-line via the IGN web-site but I am having problems accessing it tonight.

Best wishes

Michael Orr

[Frank_East]

I think that www.bayo.com is the marketing arm of www.ign.fr.

If you access Ign you will find the full catalogue of the 1/25OOO Blue Series with the online purchasing facility "Commander un Cederom Bayo"

I have purchased two Cederoms via IGN and online,a very good delivery turn round,as good as what you would find in the UK. The CartoExploreur programme hitched up to my Windows 98 without a problem.

The programme is said to be compatible with Windows 9X,ME,NT, 2000 or XP.

Tonight I notice that Cederoms 62 Est and 59 Nord are listed at 30.34 Euros each + P&P but online are listed as not being available.Looks as if IGN are out of stock on these.

Regards

Frank East

[Paul Reed]

Thanks for that tip Michael - I shall try that out this weekend.

[MartinWills]

On a more light hearted note, does this mean that key places on a battlefield will no longer be at the junction of four separate maps. No doubt it will now be just on the edge of the hole at the middle of the CD-ROM!

That apart this sounds wonderful. Does anyone know if there are any UK stockists as yet (eg Stanfords of lang Acre, London).