| Jack Erbes 2007-01-29, 10:33 pm |
| Kam Oe wrote:
> Hi, I can export routes and maps from MS Autoroute 2007 in this format
> "Pocket Streets Map" (.mps). As I'm buying a navegator / PDA it's
> important that it can read that format / route.
>
> Did some searching and can't make much sense of this format.
> I assume that all PDA's running Windows Mobile 5 will have some
> software for that... any tips ?
>
You don't want to use Pocket Streets on a PDA, it is absolutely useless
compared to any other navigation application used on PDAs. With Pocket
Streets you are essentially uploading an image of a route you planned
over a very small area (a map 5 or 10 miles on a side for example). You
are basically uploading an image of the map, you really cannot do any
routing changes on it, create new routes, or anything else.
I use M$ Streets & Trips 2006 on PCs (desktop and laptop) for reference
and could add a GPS receiver to the laptop and use it for a navigation
console. I might consider doing that in a motor home or truck where
there was enough room on the dash or engine cover for a laptop. For a
driver to use a laptop in a car is simply too impractical and dangerous.
M$ has created another of their stupidly incestuous applications with
S&T 2006 and 2007 (and Autoroute 2007 too I assume). It is presented
from the viewpoint that it is the only application in the world and
everyone in the world is using nothing but it. S&T 2006's ability to
import data is focused only on other M$ applications. Here is what it
can import:
Excel (*.xls, *.xlt)
Access (*.mdb, *.mdw, *.mda)
Outlook contacts
Text files (*.txt, *.csv, *.tab, *.asc)
Data Link (*.udl)
S & T Pushpin Files (*.stp)
And the only thing it can export is a M$ Pocket Streets map. And, as I
said, Pocket Streets is a laughably inept and useless application for
PDAs. Pocket Streets is so bad that it does not even approach "barely
useful".
I think M$ just woke up and noticed people like GPS and maps. They have
spent some effort in developing S&T 2006/2007, and have even done a
pretty good job on it. The mapping data is great, about as up to date
as can be found. And the program is a real bargain at about $40 MSRP.
But they are clueless about what people are using GPS and mapping for
and what they might want to do.
M$ needs to wake up and realize that people are going to want to use the
route and trip data with things like Google Earth and crank in some
ability to export to useful formats like *.gpx, *.xml, etc.
And S&T 2006/2007 does not save any track data either. Another key
piece of the puzzle is missing there. It makes me wonder if anyone
involved the M$ S&T program development efforts has a GPS or knows
anything about it.
If I were looking for a PDA application for a PDA, I'd look at Tom Tom 6
Navigator.
Don't bother looking at DeLorme's Street Atlas HandHeld. It is almost
as dysfunctional as Pocket Streets. If you want to try SA HH, order it
direct from DeLorme and you can return when you don't like it (you'll
only be out the shipping cost).
If you are interested in some third party applications that are useful
for taking GPS data (waypoints, routes, and tracks) and converting the
data for use with a number of different brands of GPS receivers or from
one file type to another, look at the softwares at this link. GPSBabel
and GPS Utility are probably two of the most versatile programs there.
http://gpsinformation.net/#3rdparty
Jack
--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA (jackerbes at adelphia dot net)
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine dot com)
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