Travel planning tips – Basecamp and Zumo XT

[Raf]

On the navigator screen when you are traveling a route how are the WP put?
In alphabetical order ? or in order of distance?

[Peobody]

When you select a route from Trip Planner but before hitting Go, the waypoints are listed in the order in which you will encounter them when traveling the route.

Once on the route, if you tap the top bar on the XT screen, the upcoming turns and waypoints (and distance from one to the next) are also listed in the order you will encounter them.

Oddly, the listing of waypoints in Saved (or Favourites) does not have a discernable order that I can identify. My best guess is that they are in the order in which they were added to the device but I am not certain about that.

[Raf]

...
Oddly, the listing of waypoints in Saved (or Favourites) does not have a discernable order that I can identify. My best guess is that they are in the order in which they were added to the device but I am not certain about that.

Mhhh!
I think they are put in order of distance. From where you are

[Peobody]

I believe you are correct. I had not paid attention to the distance number until you mentioned that.

[rbentnail]

Wow, it took me waaaay to long to figure out that I had to double-click on a route and then work inside of that box, what Russ referred to as the "route options" box.

Hmm, I guess I left that little detail out, eh . Good you got it figured out anyway. Saves a lot of time switching points from one type to another the way I do routes.

If this is your first experience with that 'Route Options' box, take some time to explore it. Here is where I change route name & color, types of points, and especially using the Route Options tab (hence my name for that box ) to customize the route in Base Camp. Once transferred, I've found that when using route customization, the XT is significantly less likely to change the route at all by using the preferences it wants to use by default. Very handy little tool there, check it out.

And also in the Route Options box, tick the box 'Center Map'. Now as you go down the list picking individual points, the map zooms all the way in so you can see exactly where the point is placed and move it if needed. Then click the next point on the list, edit as needed, and so on. I do all editing first, then change point types, then customization last as Base Camp is kind of haphazard about which type of point it uses if you insert a new one.

[Peobody]

If this is your first experience with that 'Route Options' box, take some time to explore it.

It isn't. I use it as you describe. I just had a senior moment when trying to figure our how to set Waypoints as Shaping points, forgetting that it is done in the Route Options box. The Shift+Click tidbit was extremely valuable. I spent the afternoon reviewing 14 routes (1/day of an upcoming 14 day trip) using Shift+Click to select ranges of Waypoints and setting them as Shaping points. At the moment I prefer setting Waypoints and then turning them into Shaping points solely because they are visible in numerous place, both in Basecamp and on the XT. Inserted points are only visible in on the map and in the Route Options box in Basecamp and not at all (AFAIK) on the XT. Seeing those flag on the XT map is reassuring that I am on the intended route. I have not yet played with tracks but I suspect I will change my mind once I have both a track and a route displayed on the XT map.

[jfheath]

Inserted points are only visible on the map and in the Route Options box in Basecamp

That is correct. Inserted points do not show up in the lower left Basecamp window pane where the routes, tracks and Waypoints are listed. This is the only reliable way of identifying a point that was created as a Waypoint in Basecamp.

.....and not at all (AFAIK) on the XT. Seeing those flag on the XT map is reassuring that I am on the intended route.

All of the route points show up in the trip list that appears when you first load a route into the XT:
Via points show as orange flags;
Shaping points are shown as light blue discs.

There is no simple way to recognise points that were created as Waypoints on the XT map or trip list.

It is confusing that by default in Basecamp, the blue flag is used to indicate a Waypoint.
On the XT, the flag is used to show a Via Point

The orange flags are easily seen on the XT screen, and are indeed reassuring. These are the Via Points in your route - the ones that are set to alert. Shaping points are also shown on the map as small blue discs, these are less easy to see, and because there is no text displayed or spoken message as you approach, they can often pass by un-noticed. But they are always there.

Waypoints are saved in Favourites / Saved locations on the XT. There is no reliable way to show the points that were created as Waypoints on the XT screen - unless you have enabled Garmin Explore.

If Explore is not set up, then Favourites / Saved Locations can be displayed if 'Up Ahead Places' is selected in the XT settings. They show up as chunky white symbols (hearts) in green boxes. But these can stop showing up if they were transferred from BC in two or more batches.

[rbentnail]

I have not yet played with tracks but I suspect I will change my mind once I have both a track and a route displayed on the XT map.

I tried a track along with a route last weekend for a RTE to Charleston, SC. Made absolutely no sense to me and I fail to see any advantage of displaying a track whatsoever. I've tried to keep up with the conversations but they get way too deep for me without actually seeing something while it's working.

[Peobody]

In the event of a recalc that changes the route, having the track visible as the original route sounds useful. Attempting to follow it may require more attention to the GPS than I am comfortable with. I am accustomed to creating routes with lots of waypoints so as to minimize the risk of a recalc messing up the original route and am not averse to splitting a day trip into two routes if the number of waypoints became an issue. I am curious about adding a track though. The bottom line for me is finding the best, easiest way to create and ride a route.

[jfheath]

I tried a track along with a route last weekend for a RTE to Charleston, SC. Made absolutely no sense to me and I fail to see any advantage of displaying a track whatsoever. I've tried to keep up with the conversations but they get way too deep for me without actually seeing something while it's working.

Have you seen these snapshots, Russ ?

This page shows a red track underneath the magenta route. You can't see the track normally - unless you manually edit the theme file - but when the route has been recalculated, the underlying (original) track reveals itself. The images show the screen just before the recalculated route diverts from the track, and again just before the two rejoin each other.

app.php/ZXT-P50

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Images 3 to 6 show a sequence of four shots when navigating a track and going off route. Although the image shows a megenta line, this is a track that has been loaded into the XT and then Go! is pressed. It isn't a route.

app.php/ZXT-P51

----------------------------------------------------------------------

And this one shows what happens when you navigate a track that you have asked the XT to turn into a trip, and then deviated from the route. The XT keeps the track in place but finds a route to get you back to it. This works well as long as you don't try to tie it in knots when deliberately going off the intended route.

app.php/ZXT-P53