Installing MalSingMap into Garmin BaseCamp on a Mac

Having only used MapSource on a PC, I was not familiar with the BaseCamp equivalent on a Mac. I had just tried loading maps into BaseCamp (Mac version) by plugging in my GPSr only to discover that it would not detect MalSingMap that was installed on a uSD card.

I came across an article in the MalSingMaps Forums with a brief but incomplete description of the process. So here's my idiot's guide version to getting all this to work on a Mac. I really should get around to including some screenshots. But that's a labour intensive task that will have to wait until I retire or feel industrious. Hopefully this plain text version will get you started for now.

STEP 1 - Install VirtualBox and XP
You are going to need a Windows machine. Or a functioning instance of Windows running in a Virtual Machine on a Mac. This is not as difficult as it sounds. Download VirtualBox from Oracle and install. Start VirtualBox, insert your XP disk and follow instructions. Boot XP and Install all service packs.

STEP 2 - Install mapconverter
You will need to install Garmin's mapconverter utility. Get this from http://www.garmin.com/mapconverter. Do this in your Windows XP virtual machine. I had a problem getting this to install. Windows complained that the program could not run because of a configuration error. Fortunately, there's a workaround. Download and install a copy of WinRAR. Then right click on the mapconverter installer icon and select the extract to here option. Double click on the setup.exe file and follow onscreen instructions.

STEP 3 - Download MapSource version of MSM
Download a copy of the MapSource version of MalSingMap from http://malsingmaps.com. Do this in your Windows XP virtual machine. The file comes in the form of an executable. Double click to run it. Follow on screen instructions and allow the map to install into the default location (unless you really want it to go somewhere else).

STEP 4 - Convert the map
Run the Garmin mapconverter utility. Do this in your Windows XP virtual machine. Follow onscreen instructions and select the map you wish to convert. It finds the maps automatically. At least it did for me. That's why you should let the map install into a default location in STEP 3.

STEP 5 - Move the converted map to Mac filesystem
Set up a shared folder in VirtualBox. This will appear as a network drive in your VirtualBox XP file explorer. Move the *.gmapi file into this folder so it becomes accessible in your native Mac OS X filesystem.

STEP 6 - Download and install Garmin MapManager
You can download and install this Garmin utility from the Mac AppStore. Search for Garmin and it will appear as one of the items.

STEP 7 - Install your newly minted *.gmapi
Now fire up MapManager and use it to install your *.gmapi file. You'll need to tell the program where your *.gmapi file is located. And you are done! Congratulations. Give yourself a pat on the back.

Start BaseCamp and look under the Maps drop down menu. You should find your MSM map listed as one of the available maps. Click to select. Enjoy. Thanks to all the fine folks at MalSingMaps for their labour of love.