# Canon Map Utility



## Old Sarge (Mar 26, 2016)

I am having a problem which puzzles me more than it annoys me. I occasionally use the Canon Map Utility to show where pictures were taken. It does a pretty good job of putting the images on a map. However, about a year ago I started using a Surface Pro 3 as my main computer. I use a docking station and most of my files, other than program files, are on a Synology Diskstation. When I want to add one of those files to the Canon Map Utility I get the following error message: "You cannot specify a file saved in a system folder, removable disk, or folder stored on a network, or a file with a name that is too long." Thinking that updated software might help I d/l the latest version and still have the same issue.

Does anybody have a suggestion of software I might want to use instead of Map Utility? All data comes from my 7DMkII or a GP-E2 used on my 7D or simply logging the data so I can synchronize with other cameras being carried when on vacation. Any ideas will be appreciated.


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## dppaskewitz (Mar 27, 2016)

I use Lightroom. My photos are stored on an external hard drive, with the program files and Lightroom catalogue on my laptop drive. I use the GPS in my 6D all the time and have never had an issue with Lightroom reading the location metadata. Displays correctly on the Lightroom map (so long as the GPS actually was able to get a fix when the photo was snapped - but that is an entirely separate, extremely puzzling and annoying issue with the 6D GPS).


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 27, 2016)

Some software does not like external drives. The only way around it is to copy to a local drive. I tried mapping the remote as a local drive, but that does not work either.

As noted, other software does not have this limitation. I suspect it does not work because of the way Canon stores the mapping data.


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## Old Sarge (Mar 27, 2016)

dppaskewitz said:


> I use Lightroom. My photos are stored on an external hard drive, with the program files and Lightroom catalogue on my laptop drive. I use the GPS in my 6D all the time and have never had an issue with Lightroom reading the location metadata. Displays correctly on the Lightroom map (so long as the GPS actually was able to get a fix when the photo was snapped - but that is an entirely separate, extremely puzzling and annoying issue with the 6D GPS).


The fix on the location can always be "iffy" I think. I noticed, using Photoshop Elements, that the location where a picture of a fox was taken was several miles away from where I knew I took the picture. Also had a picture of a Grizzly that showed to be in downtown Gardiner, MT, and though that probably happens from time to time I know it wasn't where that particular bear was photographed. Problem may have been the time sync now that I think about it.

I can always check the locations using Elements but it, like most adobe products, is such a memory hog and I just thought the Canon software would be easier to use occasionally when my 73 year old memory fails me.  



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Some software does not like external drives. The only way around it is to copy to a local drive. I tried mapping the remote as a local drive, but that does not work either.
> 
> As noted, other software does not have this limitation. I suspect it does not work because of the way Canon stores the mapping data.


Not a big issue, really. Just a minor annoyance. Funny how different software works. I once had a logging device that had proprietary software but it wouldn't just give the coordinates, it would try to
assign an address to the location and usually did pretty well.

Thanks for your thoughts.


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