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[Joey Ravn]

I'm planning to do a little GPS for my city, Oviedo. It was founded during the 8th century, so you can imagine how streets are: small, twisted and irregular.
So, I thought I could make a set of maps for MoonShell, that could act as a GPS, with the obvious limitations, of course. That's no real-time positionment, no voice instruction, etc.
I know there are some projects like this for the most important european cities (Paris, Brussels and a couple more, IIRC). But, I never worked with MoonShell in more than a user level usage. Could you give me some guidelines for this?
I'd like to know:

1. How can I "cut" the map? Obviously, the whole city will be to big to be handled at once by MoonShell, but I don't know if it would be better to divide it into neighborhoods (they are all pretty small) or a squared grid, like any other map (which cuts neighborhoods, and that can be a problem).

2. Which is the optimum resolution to use while manipulating images in MoonShell? I'd like to use a big image, but I'm afraid it would take quite a lot to load.

3. If I use a big image, would I be able to move it with the stylus up, down, to the sides and all that stuff? In real time? (Without any long preloadings I mean).

4. Does MoonShell have a "feature" or something to make marks on the image? Like, marks for a destination or something like that, or a drawing a path to follow, etc.

Thanks in advance

[autobulb]

I think a better term for what you are trying to accomplish is a... map. GPS implies that there is some positioning device that will show you a location on a map or with coordinates. There is a series of maps made for DS called AMAP4DS, though only major cities' metro systems are made. He has provided the source code and provided instructions on how to make your own maps which run as NDS files. Search for AMAP4DS and find the site or another DS enthusiast site that hosts his source code. I've read the tutorial and basically all your questions will be answered, except this will be done through it's own little program (that has 4 levels of zoom support) instead of moonshell. Using his program the answers to your questions are:

1. Resolutions are specified in the tutorial for all 4 zoom levels.
2. Same as question 1.
3. Yes.
4. Unfortunately no, sounds like a good idea.

[dantheman]

To add to that, when using large images in Moonshell, the entire program freezes and has to remake the entire image for each minute adjustment.  

Comic Book DS might actually be better suited for your task, as it's got progressive zooming, various levels of quality, and can handle relatively large images without freezing.

[autobulb]

I've heard good things about Comic Book DS but are the two screens able to function separately? I use AMAP4DS for the New York Subway and it works amazingly well. On the bottom touch screen is the whole map zoomed out, which doesn't provide much detail, of course. But there's a box that you can drag around which displays a zoomed in section on the top screen. That way, you can use the map without constantly zooming in and out to find out where you are and where you want to go.

[dantheman]

That's the way Comic Book DS works too.  Zoomed out view on the bottom screen, zoomed in view on the top screen.  You can also change it to dual-screen mode if you'd like, using the touch screen to move around the image.