12) Using Trip Editor

Intro

The Trip Editor should not be considered a full-blown trip planner tool.

From the pre V1.9 help file:

It can not, and probably never will, calculate a route. The trip file format has not been decoded enough, TripManager does not know anything about routing algorithms in general and more importantly used on the Zumo.

This has changed with V1.9! The Trip Editor can now calculate a route using the route points of the loaded trip. The result can be shown on the map to give a preview which roads will be used, and saved to a GPX file containing a track, and a route containing automatically added shaping points. See Route calculation.

Notes:

· The calculation is done using GeoApify's webservice. Their webservice requires an Api Key, and has different plans, including a free plan.

· The Api Key should be entered in Advanced Settings.

· The route calculation produced by GeoApify is not necessarily the same as on the Zumo. An obvious reason is that Geoapify uses (apparently) OpenStreetMap data to calculate the route, but surely more reasons come in to play.

· Despite that warning the produced track, together with the route points could actually be used. To put it in perspective, routes created by MyRouteApp, Kurviger, as many other route planners will also recalculate on import, producing something different than planned.

What it can do:

· Review the results of a calculated trip, and make minor modifications.

· Change general parameters. Trip name, Routing preferences, Transport method and Departure date.

· Add, or Delete a route point.

· Move a route point to a new location.

· Reorder the route points.

· Create a new empty trip. Add route points from map coordinates.

· Lookup address information for selected route points and save that in the Address field. That info will also be available in the Trip planner on the Zumo XT(2)(3). Note that the route planner on the XT2/XT3 will only show addresses for Via points.

· Import/Export route points from/to GPX/CSV files.

· Import can read Via and Shaping points from a route in the GPX, or Way points. The GPX can be processed by Trk2Rt first to automatically add more shaping points.

· Export can create a GPX from a trip file, that you can import in BC.

· The Trip can be opened in Kurviger, for route planning.

· It can read/write trip files in folders on your computer’s hard drive, and on the Device Zumo XT(2)(3).

Note: Modifying a trip clears any existing calculation result, and will make the Zumo recalculate the trip next time it is opened.

Editing an existing trip

· Open a trip, from your hard drive, or the device

· Click on Trip Editor, Edit

The Trip Editor opens up on the left, leaving space for the map. Selecting a Route point will update the map.

Creating a new trip

Choose either New trip (MTP device), or New trip (Windows). A dialog opens where you need to enter a Trip name and click on OK.

Notes:

· Make sure the selected model matches the model you want to create the trip file for. XT, XT2 and XT3 trip files are not compatible.

· MTP device will normally be an XT(2)(3), but it is possible to use any MTP device that allows storing files. Hence the term ‘MTP device’ is used.

· New trip (MTP device) is only enabled if an MTP device is connected.

A blank Trip Editor window opens:

Trip editor controls

Edit boxes TripName, RoutePreference, Transportation and Departure can be edited.

The model (XT(2)(3)) is readonly, the model of a trip file can only be specified when creating .

The Grid columns can be edited, except for the ID, which is autoassigned.

Right Click brings up the context menu. All functions are also accessible using keyboard shortcuts.

The coloured buttons on the right:

Move Up

Insert

Delete

Move down

Lookup address (if configured)

GPX

Import

Trk2RT + Import

Export

CSV

Import

Export

Kurviger

Opens the trip in Kurviger

Clicking OK saves the trip file, Cancel discards the changes.

You can use the clipboard to copy from/to Excel. To avoid problems with the decimal format in the GPS coordinates first set the format in Excel to ‘text’.

Common tasks

Change a route point:

· You can change the name and address to something meaningful.

· Change from Shape to Via or vice versa.

· To change to GPS position you can overtype the Lat/Lon values, but it is easier to use the button ‘Apply coordinates’ from the map.

Delete a route point: Ctrl+Del

Insert a route point: Ctrl+Ins

· The route point will get a default name: ‘RtePt’ + Id

· All route points with default names will be renumbered when (other) route points are inserted.

· The route point will be set to Shape. When saving the trip file, the first and last route point are automatically reset to Via.

· The route point will get the GPS coordinates from the currently selected point on the map.

Moving a route point: Alt+Up, or Alt+Down

Moving multiple route points:

· Mark the lines to move, using Shift + Cursor keys, or Shift/Ctrl+Left mouse button.

· Cut the lines to the clipboard, using Ctrl+X.

· Select the line where the route points should be moved to, and Paste using Ctrl+V.

Deleting route points, looking up address and copying/cutting to clipboard support multi-selection.

Adding route points using the Map.

· Locate the point you want to insert on the map.

· You can use the Search button, or use Ctrl+Left mouse button.

· Select the route point where the new point should be inserted after.

· Click on the Plus button, or use Ctrl+Ins.

Updating the Address

· Select the route points to update, or use CTRL+A to select all route points

· Click on the Lookup Address button.

· The requests will be throttled, meaning TripManager will issue no more requests/second than specified.

Import route points from a GPX, or CSV

· Click on the GPX/CSV button, and choose Import. Open the file.

· A dialog will be shown with the Waypoints and Routes found in the GPX. Check what to import.

· To automatically add more shaping points use Trk2Rt + Import. More shaping point will create a trip that matches the original route closer.

· The newly created route points will be added after any existing route points.

Export route points to a GPX, or CSV

· Click on the GPX/CSV button, and choose Export.

· The saved GPX contains only route points. In BC you will need to recalculate.

Open the trip in Kurviger

· Click on the blue globe button.

GPX compatibility has been tested with BC, Kurviger and MRA, but other software should also work.

When saving a trip file the calculation will be cleared, to ensure that the next time the XT(2)(3) will recalculate the trip. A MessageBox will appear to warn you.

The map will reflect the changes made, and connect the route points using straight magenta. lines.

You can turn on/off zooming in on a selected route point using the checkbox Zoom in on point at the bottom of the map.

Route calculation

Route calculation should be enabled by entering an Api Key in Advanced/Setting/Kurviger/GeoApify.

Route preview

With a trip containing route points loaded Right Click and choose Route preview, or CTRL+R.

The calculated route is shown on the map in the color (red) configured in settings.

To limit the calculation to only the route points you're interested in, and thereby not exhausting your credits, select those route points first. (Use Shift, or Ctrl + Left Click)

The route calculation can also be exported to a GPX on Windows, or sent to a connected device. Use the GPX button and select one of the 'calculated' menu options.

The GPX file will contain a track with the calculation result and a route with the route points as loaded in the Trip Editor. There is no guarantee that importing the GPX in your route planner, or Zumo, will produce the same result as GeoApify!

When you set 'Add shaping points in calculated routes' to true, TripManager will add shaping points to the route, in an effort to make the route follow the track closer, but you should always check the result.

Webservice API

This is a link to GeoApify documentation describing all the parameters. TripManager uses only these parameters:

apikey=

waypoints=

mode=motorcycling/drive

taken from the trip file. If automative then drive else motorcycling

type=balanced/short

taken from the trip file. If shorterdistance then short else balanced

intermediate_waypoint_mode=through_stop/pass_through

For the export to GPX through_stop else pass_through

avoid=tolls/ferries/highways

Taken from the settings