If you are using a GPS device in your feed truck, you will want to map the location so it easier to understand where the truck is when playing back an audit trail. When you map a location you will be helping Fusion understand where all the pens are and you can optionally add a Google Maps image underneath the pens to make it even easier to see where the truck is.
There is only one current mapping for each location. When you open this window in a truck, it already knows the location so the window opens directly. If you open this window from Fusion Client, you will first be asked which location you want to map.
Each location only has one mapping, regardless of how many trucks there may be. This means you only have to map the location once with one truck. The mapping will then be shared among the other trucks at that location.
| For the best accuracy in multi-truck situations, we recommend placing the GPS device the same distance from the discharge unit on each truck. For example, you might position the GPS device 2 meters forward and 1 meter to the right of the discharge unit on each truck. This will make each truck more consistent with the underlying shared mapping. |
There are basically two stages in the mapping process. The first stage must be done in a feed truck and involves driving along each bunk while Fusion Truck records GPS points. This stage may also include recording the position of various points of interest such as a feed mill, office, or shop.
The second stage is where you add a Google Maps image underneath the pens mapping. This can be done on a truck, but you will find it easier to use Fusion Client in the office where you can use a mouse to precisely position the underlay map.
Mapping a location can be done over a period of time. For example, you could use Fusion Truck to map out just a few pens. After syncing, you could then use Fusion Client to add the base map. Sync again so Fusion Truck gets the base map and you can then map out more pens. Each time a new mapping is saved, it will be sent to the truck (or back to the server) on the next sync. This also means that you can re-map just one pen at any time in the future without having to remap the whole yard.
Although there is a lot of flexibility in how you map, the following is our recommended procedure:
With the Pens tab selected, you will see a list of current pens on the left side. If any of the pens have already been mapped, the checkbox beside them will be checked. If you select a pen that has already been mapped, the pen will be drawn in red on the map to the right. Also, instead of a straight line, the bunk area (the thicker line) will be drawn using the actual GPS points recorded during the mapping. This can give you an idea of how settled the GPS device was during the mapping.
To map a pen, select the pen you want to map and then make sure the following fields are correctly set. These fields give Fusion the additional information it will need to draw the full pen boundaries.
| You can change these fields after a pen has been mapped and Fusion will immediately update how the pen is drawn. |
| Note that there is no relationship between the pen and bunk dimension fields in the Pen edit window and the values entered here except that those dimensions will provide default values for this window the first time a pen is mapped. The ones in the Pen edit window are solely for calculating density values and the ones you enter here are solely for drawing the map. Changing dimensions in one place does not automatically change them in the other place. |
Next, click the Drive Bunk… button. Fusion will ask you to drive to the beginning of the bunk. You should position the truck so that the discharge unit is where it would be if you were really about to start feeding this pen. When you are in position, click the Start button and then follow the instructions. Fusion will tell you when you can begin driving. Make sure you drive along the bunk just as if you were actually feeding and try to drive at a speed so that the arrow stays within the green area. When you get to the other end stop the truck and then click the Stop button. You may have to wait a few seconds while the GPS device finished settling and Fusion returns to the Pens tab.
| Don't feel as though you have to hit the Stop button exactly when you stop the truck. Just stop the truck and then click Stop. It won't matter if there are a few seconds in between as Fusion waits until the GPS settles anyway. |
You can also click the Cancel button at any time while you are driving a bunk to go back to the Pens tab without changing any mapping information for the pen.
The pen is now mapped. Fusion will draw it in the map (in red, if the pen is still selected) so you can see if it looks accurate.
If you want to re-map a pen, select it and click the Clear Pen button. Then go ahead and map it again as explained above.
To add a point of interest, make sure the Points of Interest tab is selected. Then click the + button. You can either choose a custom point of interest or from a list of common ones. Either way, a point of interest will be added to the list. To change the label, touch the Label field and enter a new name.
It is possible to add points of interest without recording the position for them. For example, you might enter several points of interest in the office so they were ready to map with the feed truck later on. Points of interest that have been mapped will have a check next to them in the list.
To map a point of interest, select it in the list. Make sure the truck is located at the correct location and then click the Record Current Position button. Fusion will wait for the GPS signal to settle and then record the position and add it to the map. Points of interest are added to the map as small circles and the selected one will be drawn in red.
You can remove a point of interest by selecting it and then clicking the - button.
The Base Map Calibration tab is where you add a Google Maps picture underneath mapped pens. You don't have to do this, but it can add perspective which makes viewing the map later on much easier. This feature cannot be used until at least one pen has been mapped, but it really only makes sense after all the pens have been mapped. We recommend doing this part of the mapping in the office with Fusion Client.
The first step is to add the Google Map picture. To do this, click the 
button. A pop up window will open with the following options:
The next step is to adjust the Google Maps image so that it matches up with the pens Fusion draws based on your pen mappings. There are a variety of tools you can use to do this. In the Base Map section of the window you can use the 
button to adjust the scaling of the image. The 
button can be used to rotate the image. The 
button is used to change the transparency of the image. Often you will want the Google Maps image to be lighter so the pen overlay is more visible. Finally, you can move the Google Maps image relative to the pen overlay by setting the Drag Mode to Base Map and then dragging the image directly.
As you work to align the base map, use the button in the Working Scale area to adjust the size of the entire picture. This doesn't change the map calibration in any way. It just allows you to zoom in on certain areas as you work on the alignment. When zoomed in you can also pan the entire image around by dragging with the mouse. Make sure the All Layers option is selected first so you don't accidentally move just the base image by itself.
In some cases you may wish the mapping included some areas that fall outside the bounds of what you have mapped. For example, you might want to include a road way or turn around point that is beyond the bounds of the map. This can be done by clicking the 
button in the Boundaries area. A popup window will appear and you can click the 
or 
buttons to increase or decrease the boundaries on all four sides. Or you can return to the original boundaries by clicking the Auto Set Bounds button.
In the Base Map Calibration tab there is an additional option labeled Device Position…. This is used to help Fusion draw the pens a little more accurately. When you drive the bunks to map out a location, your GPS device on the truck will probably not be close to the discharge chute, yet Fusion is assuming this. When you click Device Position…, a window will open and you can enter the horizontal and vertical distances between the GPS device and the discharge chute on the truck that is doing the mapping. Fusion will then use this information to draw the pens with this offset in mind.
After you are finished making your changes, click the Save As A New Mapping button. Mappings can never be edited. Rather, new mappings are created when you click this button. This ensures you have a history of mapping changes to which you can return if you make mistakes.
If you don't want to save any changes you made, click the Cancel button.
If you want to revert to a previous mapping, click the Load Previous Mapping… button, which is only available on Fusion Client. A window with a list of all previous mappings will appear. The current mapping will be at the top of the list. Mappings are not labeled, but you can see when they were created and the user who created them. Select the mapping you want to use and click the Load Selected button. That mapping will be loaded into memory but you still need to save it if you want to keep it as the latest mapping.
If you make mistakes during a mapping, it is usually easiest to simply re-drive the bunks you want to create. However, you can completely clear all mapping information if you need to by clicking the Clear Mapping button. This button is only available in Fusion Client.
You can open this window by going to Fusion Admin → Setup → GPS Mapping in Fusion Client or Fusion Truck Main Menu → Options → GPS Mapping in a truck.
