Interactive Maps and Floor Plans on iPad without Wi-Fi or 3G

GoodReader for iPad

Here's a great tip that came from one of our customers who needed to use his interactive map without internet access. This is great when you are on the road in low techsville.

Here's how it works. You copy all the files for your interactive map onto your iPad into an app called GoodReader. You can then use GoodReader's built-in browser to view them. Since the files are already on your iPad, there's no need to get them from the internet. Follow the steps below and your map will be installed and running on your iPad internet-free in a few minutes.

1. First make sure your tour has been enabled to run on your iPad. You do this by checking the Enable Mobile Internet Options box on the Tour Manager screen in MapsAlive.
   
   
2. Now get the files for your interactive map. In the MapsAlive Tour Builder, choose Tour > Export and then click Download Published Tour. This gives you a zip file containing everything you need.
   
   
3. If you don't have it already, buy and install GoodReader for iPad ($4.99 from the iTunes Store).
   
   
4. With your iPad connected to your Mac or PC, open iTunes, select your iPad from the Devices section, and then click Apps in the top menu bar. Then click on GoodReader in the File Sharing section near the bottom of the screen.
   
   
5. Drag your zip file onto the GoodReader Documents section or click the Add button to browse for it. This copies the zip to your iPad. I tried this on a PC and am assuming it works the same on a Mac. If not, someone please let me know.
   
   
6. Now launch GoodReader on your iPad. The zip file will appear in the My Documents section on the left. When you touch the file name, GoodReader will prompt you to unzip it. Note that if there is a circle to the left of the file name, then touching the file name only selects it. In that case, touch the Unzip button in the Manage Files pane on the right and then click the blue Done button.
   
   
7. GoodReader will create a folder having the same name as the zip file. Touch the folder name to see the files in the folder. If there is a circle to the left of the folder name, touching the name will only select it so first click the Done button in the Manage Files pane, then touch the folder name to open it. At this point you can delete the zip file if you like.
   
   
8. Inside the folder locate the file named index.htm. It's the HTML page that launches your interactive map.
   
   
9. Touch index.htm and your interactive map will display in the GoodReader browser. To make it easier to find this file the next time, you could rename it to __index.htm so that it will sort at the top (that's two underscores in front of the file name).
   
   
10. To prove that your interactive map will work without Wi-Fi or 3G, put your iPad into Airplane Mode. GoodReader will display a dialog telling you to turn it off, but just press OK.

I was really happy to learn of this solution and hope you will find it useful. If you have a good tip like this that you think other MapsAlive users would like to see, please send it to us.

Enjoy!