NOTE! All features in the ”Share” menu of the app are currently (17 Feb. 2016) not working due to a bug!

If you do not find what you need here, please visit the support site.

Table of Contents

Getting Started

Follow these easy steps to get started!

For use in Sweden, skip UTM and go directly to this section.

UTM Settings

Go to the Settings tab and go through the settings one by one. The information needed is typically printed somewhere on your paper map.

Take a look at this example:

  1. First check that the map is based on UTM and either WGS 84, NAD83 or ETRS89.
    The older European datum ED50 is not supported.
  2. Check the UTM zone.
    The app has already set this zone for you: [In the in-app version of the manual, the current UTM zone is shown here.]
    If not OK, you need to switch off "Auto UTM Zone" and set the zone manually.
  3. Finally, set the map scale and grid size.
    In the example, the scale is 1:24 000 (not shown) and the grid size is 1000 meter.

Finding My Location

  1. Now it's time to start using the app!

    - Go to the Paper Map tab .

    - Look at the numbers surrounding the square in the middle of the screen. You should be able to find the right square on your paper map by finding the same numbers at the edges of your map:
  1. Take your iPhone and hold it like a magnifying glass over your map and adjust it until the square on the screen is aligned with the corresponding square on your map.
    If this is hard, try putting your left hand thumb on the map square, while holding the iPhone with your right hand. Then it is easier to spot the right square.

    When the view is aligned, you can easily find your position on the map!
  1. On the World Map tab you can verify your position by comparing with an online map service. You will see the selected map square projected onto the world map. If you have moved or zoomed the map, just tap to find the right map square again.

    Info about the button, visible when running iOS 6, can be found in the iOS 6 section below.

Now, you are ready to use the app!


Reference Section

Map Pin

You can put a map pin at a position. Just tap . Then a pin is created at your current location.

When the pin is selected, tap "Edit", then move the pin freely on the screen ( and ) or enter new coordinates ().
A tip: touch a bit away from the pin to avoid covering it with your finger.

Location / Pin Selector

On the tabs , and , you can select between showing your current location and showing the position of the map pin .

Coordinate Conversion

Go to and create a map pin by tapping . Then, tap "Edit".

Now, if you want to convert from degrees to UTM, simply enter the latitude and longitude. Then the conversion is done automatically as soon you have finished entering the values.
The other direction is equally simple.

Coordinate Formats

Degrees (Latitude / Longitude)

Currently, only decimal degrees are supported. A minus sign must be entered for W and S coordinates.

Grid Coordinates

Grid coordinates are always positive. Max. number of digits is 7. (Easting in UTM has max. 6 digits.)

There are various conventions for abbreviated coordinates. Either a few of the least significant or most significant digits can be dropped (sometimes both). This app does not support such conventions, so all digits must always be entered!
Always check that your results are reasonable!

Sharing (Exporting) Coordinates

On the Coordinates tab there is a "Share" button for sharing (exporting) coordinates. The following options are supported:

  • Apple Maps - will launch the built-in "Maps" app and show the selected position there. (From iOS 6.0.)
  • Google Maps - will launch the "Google Maps" app and show the selected position there. If the app is not installed, the web version of Google Maps will be shown. (For older iOS versions than 6.0, the "Maps" app will start.)
  • Google Earth (KML file) - will launch the Google Earth app and show the selected position there. Note that the Google Earth app must first be downloaded from App Store before this option can be used.
  • E-mail - will create an e-mail template including the selected position in three formats: (1) Plain text. (2) A Google Maps link. (3) A KML file that can be opened in Google Earth.
  • SMS - will create a text message/iMessage template including the selected position in two formats: (1) Plain text. (2) A Google Maps link.

When using iOS 6, there is a new export option available through the "g" button of the World Map tab. (See also the iOS 6 section.)

Auto/Fixed UTM Zone

The easiest way to set the zone is to let the app do it automatically based on your location.

In some areas, maps are produced with a non-standard UTM zone (e.g. to let an entire state or country use the same zone). Then you may need to enter a fixed zone manually. This is done on . Set the Auto switch to OFF, then enter the zone.

UTM Zone Format

The final letter (C - X) must be always be included (e.g. "17R") when entering an UTM zone manually.

If you have a set of grid coordinates to convert, and you know the zone number, but not the letter, set the Auto UTM Zone switch to ON. Then pick any letter (C - M for the southern hemisphere, or N - X for the northern). If you picked the wrong letter, a warning message will appear. You can then press "Change Zone" and the correct zone (with letter) will be calculated.

Map Scale and Grid Size

These values are important for getting the visual representation right on the Paper Map tab (and also the grid square projection on ).

Examples:
- If the scale is 1:24000, enter 24000 in the Map Scale field.
- If the distance between two grid lines on your map is 1000 meters, enter 1000 in the Grid Spacing field.

National Grids

The app is initially supporting national grids only for Sweden.

Sweden

Newer (2007 -) topographic maps in Sweden are based on SWEREF 99 TM which is a national adaptation of UTM (zone 33 extended to cover the country).

Older maps (- 2007) are based on RT90 (RT90 2.5 gon W) which is the legacy national grid in Sweden.

Settings for Sweden

Go to the Settings tab and make the following settings (the information needed is printed on your paper map):

  1. Set RT90 or SWEREF 99 TM.
    (Tap the "Map Datum / Grid Reference" box).
  2. Set the map scale and grid size.
    In Sweden, most topographic maps are produced in 1:50 000 with a grid size of 1000 m, except for the mountain areas, where the maps are 1:100 000 with a 2000 m grid.

You may now jump back to Getting Started, step 4 to learn how to find your location!

Conversion Between Different Grids

Go to and set the "from" grid.

Go to and create a map pin by tapping .
Then, tap "Edit".

Now, enter the grid coordinates. Conversion to degrees (lat./long.) is now made.

Finally, go to again and change to the new grid. The coordinates of the map pin are now converted automatically.

You can now go either to or to to read the converted coordinates.

Specific iOS Versions

iOS 6 - New Map Service

In iOS 6, the new Apple Maps service is replacing Google Maps as the standard online map in iPhone. This means that the World Map tab will get a new look.

During a transition period, the Grid Tool app will offer access to Google Maps as a complement. Just tap the new Google button on the World Map tab. The functionality of this optional Google Maps view is however somewhat reduced (no scrolling or zooming). Please note that this service is intended as a temporary solution and may be removed in a future version of Grid Tool.

By using the Google Maps service through the new Google button, you are bound by the Google Maps Terms of Service.


Information to iOS 4 and iOS 5.0 Users


The minimum iOS version has been increased to iOS 4.3, since apps optimized for iPhone 5 cannot support older iOS versions than 4.3.

Future versions of Grid Tool will probably require at least iOS 5.1, due to new planned features.




Support

Please, visit the support web site.