Zumo User Forums

sussamb wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 6:34 am These numbers are confusing. My understanding was that a route can contain up to 29 via points, and it's only if there are more than that then a route is split?

jfheath wrote: ↑Fri Jul 30, 2021 5:47 pm If you go off route and Off Route Recalculation is allowed, then the Zumos will immediately recalculate the current section of the route. That is, from where you are now to the route point that is the next one in the list - ie to where it was trying to take you anyway.
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If the next route point is a Shaping Point (ie will not announce on arrival and shows up as a blue disc on the map), and you keep ignoring the instructions to take you to it, then the Zumo will stop trying to get you to go back to it IF any of the following happens.
1) You join the original route AFTER the missed shaping point
2) You press the skip button
3) Some later models prompt after you have ignored a couple of instructions - do you want to skip the next point.

It will only take you to the end of the route if you have no more route points between where you are now and the end point !

If the next point is a Via Point, then all of the above is true - except point number 1. The later Zumos (after 660) will not let you ignore a Via Point by just joining the route after the Via Point. It will take you back to it. But the other comments from 2) onwards all apply to Vias.
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If that is not your experience, then the chances are that you have done something wrong at the start of the route - like you have chosen the end point when asked to select the next destination at the start - or Basecamp has some of the options in Edit / Options / Device Transfer ticked.

A common error is to have a route consisting of Start, End and a load of Shaping Points. But no other Via Points.

When you start the route, the Zumo asks you to slect the next destination. It gives you two choices. The start, and the End. That's it.
It doesn't give any more choices, because that screen will only list Via Points - and you haven't set any. If you had, they would be listed as well.

So what do you choose. The answer is the start. But if you have already passed the start when you set off, then the stanav will try to get you to go back to it. And if you have autorecalc turned off, the satnav just goes quiet. The magenta line is taking you back to the start point which as you take your feet off the ground is about 10 metres behind you, but you carry on ahead. Following a magenta line which it isn't following becasue you have ignored the instruction to go back tot he start. And with autorecalc turned off, it isn't going to say a word. The trick is to put the start at a point a mile or so up the road - somehwere that you will definitley ride through once you have set off. Always select the start point when you say 'Go'.

The other mistake, which I reckon everyone makes at some point, is to think -"Well I am already at the start. So I'm heading to the end next.?"
Wrong. Zumo regards the 'next destination' as meaning the next Via Point. You don't have any except for the start and the end. And you've just asked it to take you to the end. Which it does. It gets you there using the current Zumo settings. Motorcycle, Faster time (probably). And it ignores all of those shaping points that were designed to make your road trip of a lifetime.

Anyone who says that there are no shaping points or that the route recalculates to take you to the end has invariably misunderstood exactly what they have asked the Zumo to do.

(Note to MRA users. For a long time, MRA had two gpx formats v1.0 and v1.1. One of them created routes with all shaping points. One of them created routes with all Via Points. I believe that this has led to some having lots of issues with Zumo routing. They seem to be working on this now, and the 1.1 Beta version creates both Vias and Shaping Points. The tear drop symbols are the shaping points. The hand held up (as in 'Stop') symbol represents a stopping place - a Via Point. Click on the point to get the menu to change it from one to another.)


Final Point. Some later Zumos (I know the 595 and the XT do this) will recalculate every section of the route if you press skip at any time. The route still passes through the same route points in the same order (except the one you have just skipped), and it will probably claculate the same route that it had before if you have placed your shaping points carefully. But it may introduce other variabls like traffic info, your riding preferences that have built up, and how fast you ride on certain roads. Stuff like that. I do not know for certain what info it makes use of but those are my current suspicions.

I think having a track displayed as well as the route is the best way (for me) of keeping me up to date with route changes. The track stays put, even if the route changes.

jfheath wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 7:12 am @Fxwheels - It's nice to read your reports of what you are finding out about the XT.

Can I ask, is this your first satnav, or if not, what have you owned before ?

Please don't assume anything from that question - I spend a lot of time trying to explain things to people and it is very rare to find out how someone reacts to a new-to-me feature. Keep them coming in - your comments are so positive and are good to read.

Fxwheels wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:03 pm I'm with Garmins since probably 2008 or so. The most successful Garmin to me was car's Nuvi 1450 and 1490. (Difference is 1490 has phone connectivity and displays data like elevation, time of day, miles to finish, etc... right on the side of the screen if you like. I still have it for backup as they're proven in the "battle".

Fxwheels wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:03 pm I also used Garmin Montana 660. I loved the photo function where you can make a picture of the location and navigate to it later just by clicking on the pic. I also loved the Reverse the route option where you can just reverse it and ride the route in the opposite direction any time later on. It has tons of different functions for nautical and hiking, off-road track navigation... but as a street navigator it is not so eh, good.

Fxwheels wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:03 pm Now, the Nuvi 1490 have an older operating system. The navigating software is perfect but not as let's say, as sophisticated as the current one. Yet it does the job well. It does not know about shaping points and treating via points as shaping points with announcing them yet not insisting on visiting.

Fxwheels wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:03 pm Sure Zumo's new operating system and software is a cut above. However it takes hands-on experience and tests to know what it does best and its corks. There're only two Zumos left on the Garmin site" the 396 and the XT. All in all they're good navigation devices and I guess there is nothing better on the market today, yet both aren't 100% perfect and have room for improvement. My routes are rather complex with many shaping points, turns and whatnot, and until I started to trust Zumo, I always had two devices navigating the same route.

jfheath wrote: ↑Wed Nov 03, 2021 5:10 pm I agree completely. One good technique for this is to have a track and a route displayed on the screen at the same time. That way you get to see where the satnav wants you to go in magenta, and if it goes a different way from the plan, the track underneath becomes visible. A black track works well for this. The track doesn't alter. It helps to build up a picture off how the XT decides it is going to change your route, and whether or not you want to do what it says.

A lot of what I have learned in the same way that you have is now posted on this site. Its a 'sticky' - the very top post in the Zumo XT forum.
Or if you want - PM me an email address. And I'll send you a personalised pdf copy - but I've just discovered something else that I want to put in it. I'll keep the site up to date with new changes, the pdf - once it has left my hands I cannot alter it or add to it.