Nav 7 - Join Routes?

[ecirwin]

I have been working on the route for my upcoming vacation (5400 miles). I had to create the route in several different sessions. I could not figure out how to add to an existing route, so I just created new ones. Is there a way to join these routes together into one continuous route? As it stands, the routes just sort of start/stop arbitrarily. It was the roads I am interested in, not the destination.

BTW, I am totally green at this GPS thing. I got the mount installed the other day, but it isn't wired yet. I plugged the unit in and sat in the driveway the other day, just so that it would start me out in the middle of the ocean anymore. I've got to get it wired and use it before my trip at the end of August.


Eric

[ranks]

Under route properties, you can insert the waypoints.
Waypoints are inserted above the highligted waypoint.

Try this:

1) open route properties for the second route
2) select all waypoints in the route properties, by click one, then CTRL-A
3) edit-copy (CTRL-C)
4) close second route
5) open 1st route properties
6) highlight <end> in list of waypoints
7) edit-paste (CTRL-V)

Now route 1 is route1+route2

Repeat by copying route3 waypoints, and adding to end of new route1

When done, recalculate

Routes can contain hundreds of waypoints in mapsource, but
My GPSMap 60Csx only allows 50 waypoints per route if you chose the "follow roads" option.

Hope that helps

[jzeiler]

I think it is far easier to manage a long trip if it IS broken up into several routes. I have a 13 day California trip planned out by each day. If you make one big one and get off route it will "recalculate" and mess up all your waypoints. The longer the route the longer that recalculate will take as well. Just name each one day01.. day02.. and so on. Other wise just open each route, copy all the waypoints go back to the first route and paste them in and have it recalculate. You will end up with all the way points in one file (one BIG file).

[ecirwin]

I just want to make sure I understand this. If I get off course and it has to recalculate the course, it will take quite a bit of time to recalculate the 5400mile route. It will keep trying to guide me back to my original route as close as possible, right? Or will it totally blow away all the work I've done and just try to lead me home all of a sudden?

I can understand wanting to divide the route up into sections. I am hesitant to lay down a definitive route for each day. I don't want to keep myself on a firm schedule and want to be able to explore if I choose to do so. Also, you never know about weather or health that could mean slowing me down. I want to have a plan, and easily be able to follow. That is why I bought a GPS. So, I can see dividing it up into 1000 miles sections, or whatever. So, at the end of each section, I would have to stop and call up the next part of the route, correct?

Right now, I think I have 5 sections of route, but they are all different sizes from 500 miles to 1600 miles. I have just been building it as I have time. I have to do it at work because I am on a Mac at home. Can't wait for Garmin to come through on the Mac thing. Thanks to James' description, I am pretty sure I will be able to combine all the routes and then maybe I can work on evenly dividing it.

[jzeiler]

I guess it depends on how you make the route or force certain roads. I have found I have to put a "via" point in to get it to follow the roads I want. If you don't have a hard via in as a waypoint it can "choose" another road during a recalc. That is why I like smaller routes even if I have to activate two or three a day they are easier to manage. If you stop for the night in the middle of a route it just picks up where you left off the next day so you are not "locked" into a schedule.

I make up my routes on the computer and alter the choices the software makes. Then I follow the route in a good zoom to see if I accidentally dropped a point on the south bound side of the interstate vs. the northbound side, etc. If you get a glitch on the road you can always terminate the route and re-activate it. It will pick up from your current position and then keep going.

My biggest suggestion is actually use it a bit before the trip and work out the bugs in your procedures. Better to get frustrated a bit now than on the big trip. Even if it some short little local routes in the cage (did I say that?) the more familiar you are the better your trip will be.

Good Luck

[ranks]

If you have a route, and go off course (Lets say you see a sign for a scenic site)

1) your garmin gps will recalculate a new route from your current position to the next waypoint in the route. (A route is just a series of waypoints).

2) The longer and/or more complicated the route, the more calculation time it takes.

What I would do is create routes for sections that you really want to specifically travel and use waypoints for general "go to" destinations.

Your GPS has preferences....Follow Road, Avoid UTurns, Avoid DirtRoads, Avoid TollRoads, Quikest Route, Best Route, etc. The route between two waypoints can change with the different settings. Pick waypoints to keep you on the section you want.

If you have multiple routes, when you finish one, yes, you have to select the next. This is why laying them out by Day is good. Or you can lay them out at planned stops, gas/food, etc. I prefer not to have a plan and just put in the waypoints for areas of interest, and routes for ensuring certain road segments are travelled.

I don't know about your GPS, but mine will only let me navigate a route using "follow roads" if it has less than 50 waypoints.

Use this trip to experiment. Have one big route, multiple "day" routes, multiple "I really want to ride this road" routes, and many waypoints.
Try different ones out, and see what works best for you.


I just want to make sure I understand this. If I get off course and it has to recalculate the course, it will take quite a bit of time to recalculate the 5400mile route. It will keep trying to guide me back to my original route as close as possible, right? Or will it totally blow away all the work I've done and just try to lead me home all of a sudden?

I can understand wanting to divide the route up into sections. I am hesitant to lay down a definitive route for each day. I don't want to keep myself on a firm schedule and want to be able to explore if I choose to do so. Also, you never know about weather or health that could mean slowing me down. I want to have a plan, and easily be able to follow. That is why I bought a GPS. So, I can see dividing it up into 1000 miles sections, or whatever. So, at the end of each section, I would have to stop and call up the next part of the route, correct?

Right now, I think I have 5 sections of route, but they are all different sizes from 500 miles to 1600 miles. I have just been building it as I have time. I have to do it at work because I am on a Mac at home. Can't wait for Garmin to come through on the Mac thing. Thanks to James' description, I am pretty sure I will be able to combine all the routes and then maybe I can work on evenly dividing it.

[ecirwin]

Yes, using it a few times is definitely on my list. That is why I got it a month early. I have it mounted, just need to get it wired now. Nothing like a Tupperware strip to get the blood flowing.

I built my routes by following the roads I wanted and clicking on roads or towns every once in a while to get it to go where I wanted. I just started at the house and kept clicking as I followed the roads. If it went somewhere that I didn't want to go, I used ctrl+z to undo it and put in a shorter way point. You should see how many points I have in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York. There are so many roads there that you really have to narrow it down. Ontario and Quebec are much sparser by comparison.

Thanks again for the input and answering the newbie questions. I am pretty techie, so I should pick it up fast.
Eric

[ranks]

It sounds like you built your route differently than I do.
I put in the start and end, then calculate the route.
I look at the route, and find where it differs from where I want, then add a waypoint, and recalculate. Then I repeat the process.

Changing the options (Faster vs Shorter), etc may help follow the route you want to take. I try to have as few waypoints as possible to get me on the roads I want. (Fewer waypoints along a route means faster recalc time, less clutter, since waypoints show up on the map too.)

It sounds like you'll do fine. Just practice a little around town before heading out, and leave yourself some time to incorporate what you learn while playing, with your routes that you're creating.

Yes, using it a few times is definitely on my list. That is why I got it a month early. I have it mounted, just need to get it wired now. Nothing like a Tupperware strip to get the blood flowing.

I built my routes by following the roads I wanted and clicking on roads or towns every once in a while to get it to go where I wanted. I just started at the house and kept clicking as I followed the roads. If it went somewhere that I didn't want to go, I used ctrl+z to undo it and put in a shorter way point. You should see how many points I have in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York. There are so many roads there that you really have to narrow it down. Ontario and Quebec are much sparser by comparison.

Thanks again for the input and answering the newbie questions. I am pretty techie, so I should pick it up fast.
Eric

[ranks]

I would also really try to learn to use the GPS itself to create routes, waypoints, and find things.

I never take my computer with me, and if you've mad a mistake, or want to improvise, then it can be frustrating, trying to figure out the gps while parked on the side of the road in 100F heat. (I Know !!)

Also, if you search the site, there is a link to a list of wayoints for BMW Motorcyle dealers across the US. That could be handy if you run into problems.

[ecirwin]

Ok, really stupid newbie question here. Now that I have the route defined, can I transfer just the route from the computer to the GPS without the way points? The way points I used to define the route are not really all that important to me. I just used them to make sure it took the roads I wanted. I have transferred to the GPS one time and I seem to remember some kind of option like that. I could not see the route after that transfer, but I think that was because it had placed me in the Atlantic Ocean. I had not turned the unit on outside yet.

I was thinking that I could go back and add way points that I really wanted, if I could just transfer the route without the points.

BTW, I bought a Garmin 2720.

Good advice on building/changing a route or two on the GPS itself. I am amazed at how sparse the documentation is. I figured I would be buried in a book for a few evenings. There isn't much there though.

Thanks again, maybe soon I will be answering the questions.
Eric

[ranks]

Waypoints used with the route are transferred with the route.
Other (waypoints not used in a route) are seperate.

When you transfer, you may choose maps, routes, waypoints, and tracks.

Sending a route will send the waypoints used to make the route, not every waypoint.

waypoints will send all waypoints.

A tip to lean the GPS is to just play with each screen, hit enter, and menu on every page, see what options there are. Most all screens have a "restore defaults" option on it.

[ecirwin]

Thanks James,

I plugged it in while sitting in bed last night. It actually got a signal. I managed to get a route to my local (90 miles away) BMW dealer. It wasn't the route I normally take. I think I figured out how to add some way points to redirect it, but it wasn't easy and it was getting late. I was getting frustrated until I realized that you have to recalculate before the point will show up.

Is there any trick to getting it to scroll across the screen easier? It seems to recognize my scrolling action about half the time. The touch screen is great, but a little scrolling button like on a cell phone would be easier to use.

I am learning, but I just haven't had enough time lately to really play with it. Hopefully by this weekend I will be getting more comfortable with it.

Eric

[ranks]

Glad to see you're getting the hang of it.
Maybe someone with your model will chime in about the scrolling.

Mine is a smaller handheld portable with a rocker button on front.
No touch screen on it.

Good Luck on your trip and have fun with your new toys !!

[jzeiler]

Eric,

James seems to be more savvy on this than I am (I'm just at the dangerous stage). But which GPS do you have? The 2610 I have came with a remote that works better than the touch screen. I have found that creating routes on the GPS itself is a pain. That is why I build as much as I can in little routes on the computer first. Sounds like you are getting the hang of it all.

[ecirwin]

John,

I completely forgot about the remote, duh! It is still in the box. I bought the 2720.

I'll give the remote a try tonight.

Like Jim said, it might be a pain to build routes on the unit, but it is a good skill to have while on safari. You never know when you might need to change things up.

Eric

[gulfxray]

Like Jim said, it might be a pain to build routes on the unit, but it is a good skill to have while on safari. You never know when you might need to change things up.

It is a pain, but sooner or later you will wish you knew how to do it.

Even simple things like 'get me home' from where-ever-I-am. I got stuck once not knowing how to do this...

I always have home loaded as a waypoint in my GPS (as well as any dealer with a state or so). I get home to sort to the top by naming it _Home

Best thing to do, in my opinion, is read/play/read/play and enjoy!