| Jack Erbes 2007-03-13, 10:33 am |
| line123 wrote:
> I have a C320, which at times makes very strange routing decisions. The
> MapSource software seems to make many of the same decisions. However, the
> MapSource is easy to "fix" by planning Routes with Via points.
> Unfortunately, unlike transferring Maps or POI to the 320, the Route option
> is grayed out.
>
> Is there a way to transfer Routes into the C320? A different way to
> accomplish same thing?
>
The thing you are doing in MapSource is placing waypoints to serve as
via points that force the routing to go the way you want to go. That is
the only real cure for those strange routing decisions. When you have a
route like that in MapSource and upload it to the Garmin models that do
multiple destination routing, the via points are uploaded too and they
are used when the route is activated on the GPS. As long as the mapping
is the same you get the same route you saw in MapSource.
I think a work around for the C320 would be for you to place waypoints
at all the places where you want to turn off onto a different route.
Those will be uploaded to the c320 as favorites. Then, on the c320, you
can choose to go to the favorites. As an example, if you have a route
with four waypoints in it you could number them 1, 2, 3,and 4 with the
last one being the destination.
On the c320 if you are at 1, you could activate a route to 3 and then
add waypoint 2 to that as a via point. That would take you to 3 via 2.
When you got to point 3, you could then choose to go to point 4.
We're talking about a moderately complicated and distracting process.
You would probably have to place waypoints, test the route on the GPS,
move the waypoint if it did not work right, then try it all again. I'm
not sure but what it would not be easier for some to simply follow the
route offered even it it was not the way you wanted to go.
But I could simply never abide any GPS receiver's ignorance of good
routes and the bad routing decisions that resulted.
If I had to use a c320 I would probably have lists of arcanely numbered
waypoints and would be uploading and testing the routes before I tried
to drive them. And I'd probably have notes on paper that prompted me so
I could coach the GPS into doing what I wanted to do as the trip unfolded.
That sure reminds me of some of my first trips with some of the early
navigation softwares. Those were pretty arcane and troublesome in use
if you wanted to be in charge and choose the routing. That was some 10
years or so ago, the software has gotten a lot better.
It is unfortunate that, as far as I am concerned, Garmin has lost their
focus on the value of some of the best navigation features that evolved.
They are leaving off some of the features that evolved that are of the
most value in navigating. Things like multiple destination routing,
route optimization for multiple destinations, and track histories.
Those features are not offered on any of the newer lower priced models
and are missing even on some of the higher priced models.
Jack
--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)
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