The universal route

What is meant with a universal route?

A universal route is an effort to create a route in a route planner that will remain the same when loaded in a Satnav.

A personal note: I dont believe there is a method that will always work, for all routes. But that should not let us stop trying.

Targeted route planners are Basecamp, MyRouteApp, Kurviger, or Google maps. More general any route planner that can create a GPX, or KML file.

Targeted Satnav's are the Zumo XT(2), Tread 2. Other devices should ideally also work, but require testing.

I am using tracks, that I convert to trips on the Satnav. Why would I need anything else?

Typically trips converted from tracks do follow the original planned route quite well, but they prevent the Satnav from calculating an alternative when you need to deviate. Restarting the trip, after a stop, is often problematic, because all Via and Shaping points are lost. Restarting the trip with Closest Entry Point does not always work.

By it's nature (Trips from tracks only have begin and end points) these trips are unable to calculate to the next route point. Resulting in RUT behaviour.

The general approach

Create a route with enough shaping points to make the Satnav calculate the same route, as the route planner did. But do not add more than needed to allow the Satnav to calculate an alternative to the next route point when you have to deviate.

The Tools

1) Compare and Fix in TripManager.

The compare function in TripManager can be used to check semi- automatically the original track/route with the (re)calculated trip on the Satnav. Only for XT(2) and Tread 2.

Added with V1.7 are checkboxes on the lines with differences, and a button Fix Trip, that will create a new Trip, or GPX, with additional shaping points only for the differences found.

See the section Creating a fixed trip from the compare. in 7) Comparing a trip with a GPX

So, It is a tool to check the result, and create only shaping points on route segments that are different.

2) Trk2Rt (By Steve Follen)

One of the things Trk2RT can do is enhance a route by adding additional shaping points. It can even create a route from a track(log).

It uses GPX, or KML , files as input, typically created by BaseCamp, MyrouteApp, Kurviger, or Google Maps.

If installed using the TripManager installer Trk2Rt is added to context menu of GPX and KML files in Windows Explorer and TripManager. Using the context menu you can easily 'Create a route from a track', or 'open' the file in the TrkT2Rt dialog, to have all options available.

Trk2Rt is also available in the Trip Editor via the speed button Gpx/Trk2RT + import.

So, It is a valuable tool to add additional shaping points, resulting in a device route that matches the planned route better.

For more info See: Trk2Rt on GitHub and Trk2Rt_UsersGuide.pdf

3) Kurviger route planner

Kurviger is a complete route planning tool, targeted at motorcycle usage.

TripManager V1.7 has added options to open a GPX, or Trip, file directly in Kurviger. The file can be on a device, or a Windows folder. This option can help in quickly checking a route. Very helpful are the warnings that Kurviger can give about misplaced route points.

In Advanced/Settings a Tab has been added called Kurviger where you can set up the defaults to use for the Kurviger website.

One of its unique features, that can help in creating a universal route, is the option to add additional shaping points to the exported GPX. There is even an intelligent option, but that is not available in the free version.

So, In addition to being a good route planning tool, it can help you add additional shaping points, resulting in a device route that matches the planned route better.

Note: Kurviger uses the term Waypoint for Route points. This can be confusing.

For more info See: Kurviger route planner

Example usage

1) Using BaseCamp and Compare+Fix

· Create a small route in BaseCamp and export the calculated route to GPX.

· In TripManager use Send to, and use Force recalculation. See 6) Send to device. Method 5.

· Recalculate on the unit, reboot again in FileTransfer mode.

· In TripManager. Select the trip file. Use the Compare+Fix method. See screenshots:

Right click in the Trip Info tab.

You can use Ctrl+Alt+B for comparing BaseCamp GPX files, or CTRL+Alt+C for comparing with a GPX containing a track.

Select the route/track in the GPX to compare with.

In the Log window the difference lines are prefixed with a checkbox. To manually create an additional shaping point, check the corresponding line. Note that you can also check the lines from the trip file, in case you prefer the Zumo alternative.

All checked lines will become additional shaping points when you 'Open fixed trip', or 'Save fixed GPX'.

When you select a Segment Line, or the First line, You can use Prefer GPX. TripManager will automatically check lines that you can use as a proposal. To control how many shaping points are added use the General setting MinShapeDist.

Open fixed trip will open the Trip Editor with the added shaping points.

Save fixed GPX will create a new GPX file.

Here you can:

· Export to a GPX, or CSV

· Open in Kurviger.

OK. Will save the trip file

Cancel. To abort the changes

2) Using Kurviger and Compare+Fix

In Kurviger you have the option to create additional shaping points when exporting. Once the GPX is exported the method for comparing is analogous to the previous example.

Click on the 3 dots, and select Export

I recommend using File format GPX (*.gpx) and selecting both Route and Track.

Your preferred interval should be experimentally determined.

Personal Note: Using 'Navigation device'/'Garmin/Zumo XT' adds a lot of lines to the GPX. TripManager does not use them. Importing on the XT takes a lot longer.

The intented advantage is a route that resembles the plan better, but in the event of recalculation they are all discarded, and the result will be different. As such it has no advantage over a Trip from a Track.

The Compare+Fix is essentially the same, only now you need to use Ctrl+Alt+C and select the Trk line.

Because of the added shaping points the difference is only minimal. In real life I would not bother making changes to the Route.

3) Using MyRouteApp and Trk2RT and Compare+Fix

Export a route in MRA using GPX 1.1 (Route + Track + POI)

For the purpose of this demonstration I'm now using the Trip Editor, but the exported GPX can also be used in the Send To method.

Use Trip Editor/New trip (MTP device) to create a new empty trip.

Type a name

In the blank trip Click on Trk2Rt + Import

Open the GPX exported from MRA.

Check both the Rte and the Trk line, for best results.

Change the exportPercent (Given in per mille) to control how many Route points the new trip should have. (In the screenshot 10 corresponds with 9 Route points)

Note that MRA calculated the western variant.