[mkgmap-dev] gpx track files do not work on routable maps

Thu Mar 8 10:33:16 GMT 2012

Hi Marko,

2012/3/7 Marko Mäkelä <marko.makela at iki.fi>:
> On Wed, Mar 07, 2012 at 08:13:55PM +0000, Eric Fernandez wrote:
>>Many thanks. My file is different:
>>
>>$ ll /media/GARMIN/Garmin/gmapbmap.img.orig
>>-rw-r--r-- 1 eric users 13123584 16 févr.  2011
>>/media/GARMIN/Garmin/gmapbmap.img.orig
>
> Do you want to have a copy of my file?

Thank you, I could try it, although I am pretty sure this will not
affect the routing too much. I now use the 705 without any base map
and find it more reliable. I do not know any instance where the base
map "improves" navigation, I only found out it may make it worse. I
might be wrong though.
I can provide you with mine too, but I understand you would not be
able to upload it.

>
>>Marko: I have seen in the archives that you also reported that the base
>>map interfered with navigation on the Edge 705! Have you been able to
>>better understand the issue and correct it?
>
> No, I was satisfied with my hypothesis (that the OSM data was to be
> blamed; there was a 'routing island').

Could be  worth it to try, but again you cannot do it anymore.

>
> Can you load the area around the route to JOSM and check that the ways
> that were replaced by the straight line are connected as they are
> supposed to be? That would rule out errors in OSM data.

I had a look indeed and could not find any error using the OSM online
editor potlatch 2.

> I believe that the future belongs to the likes of OsmAnd. Their routing
> data structures probably are much worse than Garmin's, because OsmAnd
> can only calculate very short routes. But within a couple of years, it
> will be there. (Or, nobody else expect me has an issue with asking a
> remote server how to get from point A to point B.)

That is interesting. I tried OsmAnd on my Nexus S and indeed it is a
very interesting piece of software. I even could do long routing
(Oxford to London) and it seemed to work. The fact it uses OSM and is
open source ticks all the boxes for me. The only issue I see with it:
- a smartphone is not as rugged as a GPS device like the Edge. I am
aware of mounts and casings, but they are certainly not ideal
- battery life is really too short on a smartphone. A Nexus S using
GPS has low autonomy compared to the Edge.

Ideally, we would need proper GPS units that can accept not only OSM
but also external routing applications. Do you know any of them?

Kind regards,
Eric