Need help with best way to copy a route for editing

[Peobody]

I just found my myself trying to duplicate a route so that I could create a new route using a lot of the copied route. I first did a right-click > Copy and then pasted into a different list but found that modifications made to it were also made to the original. I then tried right-click > Duplicate and was surprised that it didn't let me choose a destination list folder. What is the best way of copying an existing route so that it can be used as the base for a new route?

I have also just discovered that if I copy a waypoint from one list folder to another, any change to the copy also affects the original. What is the trick to using existing waypoints in new routes without affecting the originals.?

[ZFtracker]

I "duplicate" the route. It is duplicated in the original List, usually with a number suffix. I then "cut" the duplicated route and "paste" in a new List or List Folder.

Copying appears to keep everything connected to the original, whether waypoint or route. I always duplicate, then usually rename before cutting but that does not appear necessary, though the route name or waypoint does need to have a unique name.

[rbentnail]

First things first- Google the difference between COPY and DUPLICATE. The terms are NOT interchangeable as you are using them, they do two different things. Please, you need to be very specific about what you are asking.

Simply put:

- if you want to modify a second identical route without changing the original, you want to DUPLICATE.
- If you COPY (as you found out) the original will change as the copy is changed. Most people do not want this to happen.

[Let me preface the rest by saying- I'm talking ONLY about ROUTES. I have no idea about waypoints]

Now, once you're good with that and decide to always DUPLICATE, Base Camp does what it does. Meaning this--> your right click>DUPLICATE creates a route of the same name + a number in the list you are in. If you want it someplace else, you have to move it there yourself. This is when we maintenance guys get to say, "the sky is blue, that's just the way it is. If you want something else, I'll need a few months to re-write the program." Now, if your original route was named XYZ the new DUPLICATE will be XYZ1, then in sequence XYZ2, XYZ3, etc. You should be familiar with that by now. My personal convention is to ALWAYS move my duplicate to a separate list from the original. If I don't it seems I always modify (mess up) the wrong one. Then, once moved, I immediately change the the route name to further ensure I'm always working with (modifying) the correct one. I stress this- do it!

[Peobody]

I understand the part about duplicating a route, renaming it, and then cutting/pasting it to a new folder makes sense. What is tripping me up is that waypoints appear to be global to Basecamp instead of being specific to the route it is in. Modifying a waypoint in a copy also modifies the original. Does that also happen when you duplicate a route? Must modifying an original waypoint in the duplicate route be avoided?

[sussamb]

Waypoints amended anywhere will change those waypoints globally, so if you change a waypoint in a route it will change it everywhere.

[colirv]

Modifying a waypoint in a copy also modifies the original. Does that also happen when you duplicate a route??

Yes. If you think you will want to modify the waypoints, click "yes" when, having asked Basecamp to duplicate the route, it asks you if you want to duplicate the waypoints as well. The waypoints will then be duplicated with the same suffix as the duplicate route. You can then modify them without affecting the originals.

[Peobody]

Thanks all. I thought I was being smart when I started a waypoint naming convention the included sequential number in it route, a day number if multi-day trip, and reference to the route (eg "CT2021_D1_01_<address>" for 2021 trip to Connecticut Day 1 WP 1 or "CT2021_D1_l_ Good Eats" for a Day 1 lunch stop at the Good Eats cafe). This is very handy when looking at a list of waypoints but it sure makes it difficult to re-use a significant portion of a route in a new route. Duplicating and then renaming waypoints should be easier than creating new ones though. I will figure that out later today when I get back at it.

[ZFtracker]

Also, remember when naming or renaming waypoints or via points their is a maximum character limit on the GPS device. My Zumo 590 appears to truncate after 30 characters. Basecamp doesn't appear to care, or least I haven't hit the limit.

[jfheath]

The data in Basecamp is stored in a fully normalised relational database.

Each item is identified by the unique name that you give it. It is stored once and once only. If an item appears in a number of lists, then they are links to where the single item is actually stored. Change any one of them it changes the data that it is linked to. So all of the items that link to the same data are also changed.

Copy and Paste makes another link to the original data.
Duplicate creates a new data item with a slightly different name and links to it.

Delete will get rid of the link and the data that it is linked to. It will warn you that it will remove the same item from all lists.
Remove, just removes the selected link, not the data itself