GeoTalks 2025 User Conference

Copyright protection on GM_ExportWebFormat

oic_chris
oic_chris Global Mapper User
in SDK
Aloha!

A client of ours experienced something we have never seen before.  While attempting to create Web (OpenStreetMap) Tiles using the GM_ExportWebFormat() function of the SDK, a copyright protection popup appeared.  In our development of the Web Tile export interface, we have never encountered this.  At the time, our client was using an older version of our software that featured v14.2 of your SDK.  We have recently upgraded our library to v18.2.1, however we are running into some issues - which I may need to start a new thread at a later time.  Both are running the 32-bit libraries.

Is there a way to allow the user to bypass the copyright protection?  For instance, our client wants to take an exported Tile Map onto the open ocean.  Since there is no internet on the open water, the client wants to take a personal copy.

Here is the client provided screenshot of the popup.



On the same note, where may I find the legalese of the usage and output of the SDK?

Answers

  • aaronc
    aaronc Trusted User
    Answer ✓
    The problem is that the data is not ours so we cannot bypass the copyright. You could find an open source option or find some other way to get a local copy of suitable data.

    Sorry for the inconvenience.
  • Gresley
    Gresley
    No, I don't think data ownership is the problem. I am having the same issue - I can't export an image - and some of the files that it says are copyright protected are polygons created by me, so they definitely do not have a copyright problem. Also, some of the other data I have used to create the image are issued under a Creative Commons licence or similar, so I certainly have permissions to use them. Global Mapper is somehow assigning inappropriate protections to data.   How can we turn this off?
  • bmg_bob
    bmg_bob Global Mapper Programmer
    Hello,

    I suggest that you contact Blue Marble Support directly via email (geohelp@bluemarblegeo.com) so they can investigate this. Please include sample data and a workspace that cause the copyright message to be erroneously displayed.

    Cheers,
    Bob
  • oic_chris
    oic_chris Global Mapper User
    Revisiting this issue, the no-export-copyright-go-elsewhere solution is very unfortunate.

    If the copyright states that generating an image -file- violates copyright, I'm assuming that generating an in-memory image is valid?  If not, then I'm guessing the majority of the SDK would be in violation working with any copyrighted material.  If it is valid, then here is the workaround.

    Load the layers into the SDK and have it render an in-memory image.  Then take the in-memory image and save it to an image format with appropriate geocoding.

    Would this be a violation of copyright considering we're on the client side of the SDK?  I don't know.  The odd thing is, we as developers/clients/users of the SDK pay an annual fee, which one would assume includes the royalties of the supported content.  A copyright-wall on "World Imagery" almost sounds fishy, no?

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