Map packs

A map pack is a portable bundle of map definitions — each map’s name, address, size, axes, scaling and type — optionally carrying the cell data too. It lets you move a set of maps between collections, and between tools, without an A2L. The format round-trips with ECUZilla map packs. Export and import are available from the map list and the Collections menu.

Figure 1

What a pack contains

Every map in a pack records its full definition — name, address, dimensions, scaling, marker, type and the X/Y axis blocks — so the receiving collection knows exactly how to lay the map out. A pack can also include the cell data (the actual values), and when it does it stores a provenance hash of the binary the cells were read from.

Exporting a pack

The Export dialog offers three choices:

• Format — CSV (a spreadsheet-friendly file that carries definitions only, never cell bytes), JSON (interoperable with external tools) or MTX (.mtxPack, the native format).
• Maps to include — all maps in the collection, or only the maps you selected before opening the dialog.
• Source version — which version’s cells to read, and an Include cell data option (automatically off for CSV, which cannot carry values).

Importing a pack

The Import dialog loads a pack and lists its maps (ID, address, whether cell data is present). You then decide how it lands:

• Match incoming maps to existing ones — choose what to match on, so a pack updates the maps you already have instead of duplicating them.
• Address offset (optional) — shift every address by a fixed amount, for when the pack was built against a ROM at a different base.
• Apply cell data to a new version — if the pack carries values, write them into a brand-new version (which you name) rather than over your current one.

Tip — applying cell data to a new version keeps your working version untouched, so you can compare the imported values against it before deciding to keep them.

Figure 2

Map packs vs A2L

An A2L is the manufacturer’s authoritative symbol file for a specific ROM; a map pack is a lighter, shareable bundle you build and export yourself and can pass between files and tools. Use the A2L to define maps from scratch, and a map pack to reuse that work elsewhere.

Note — CSV is the most portable choice for sharing layouts, but it carries definitions only. Use JSON or MTX when you also want to move the cell values.

See also

• Importing A2L symbol files
• The map editor
• Collections & versions