[hamilc]

Why is the flight planning map so bad. Do I need to refresh or what? It seems that I cannot zoom or select where I am at at all.  I get some sort of outline but tht is all.

[TheOtherCliff]

The map version changes every week or so and old versions become less and less useful.  Update: But note that you should really use a single map version number because you don't want things shifted differently in this map tile than that map tile.  Also, things like a new building complex there in one tile and not there in the tile next to it.  Also small things like summer foliage here and winter foliage there.

The current version is 842

You need to set an environment variable called:
GCS_GOOGLE_SAT_VERSION
    to
842

I suggest that you right click on map and do "Rip Map" for all areas that you fly and for all zoom levels that you want.  Once you rip all your normal flying sites into the one computer, that big map file (named Data.qmdb) can be copied, like from desktop to laptop for use at the field and you don't even need an internet connection then.

[hamilc]

Where do i set the environmental variable?

[hamilc]

The map update is very slow and pixelated. Should I reset something?
Where can I find the current version?
Where is the file data.qmdb located?

[TheOtherCliff]

Where do i set the environmental variable?

Different places for different operating systems; you didn't mention what OS..  In Windows, I recall it being in a tab under Device Manager.  Ask Google.    I use Linux.

The map update is very slow and pixelated. Should I reset something?

That is why you need to set that env var.

Where can I find the current version?

?

Where is the file data.qmdb located?

For some OS's capitalization is important.  Just use your OS's GUI search utility to find Data.qmdb
Or from a command prompt in Windows you can:
  dir c:\Data.qmdb /s/b
From a Linux command prompt (terminal) you can:
  sudo find / -iname 'Data.qmdb'