[OSM-talk] Can someone suggest a OSM/nearmap-based route-plotting tool

[Craig Wallace]

On 10/01/2010 22:12, Steve Bennett wrote:
>
> Track:
> - WYSIWYG (the track on the gps is exactly what you created on the computer)
> - totally independent of map data quality
> - Can be as long and complicated as you like

Most Garmins are limited to 500 points in a saved track. Though this is 
usually plenty, unless it is a rather long journey.

> Route:
> - Gives better instructions ("left at the next roundabout") etc
> - Easier to create and manage
>
> I tried both this weekend and found routes weren't reliable enough.
> Sometimes you'd get a "route calculation error". Also, my GPS doesn't
> support routes with more than 50 waypoints. It seems a lot simpler just
> to create a track and be done with it.

You could turn off autorouting. ie set it to "off road" instead of 
"follow road". Then it will just give you a straight line between the 
points in the route. With most Garmins, this works with up to 250 points 
in a route - its just "follow road" routing which is limited to 50 points.

Though I usually use "follow road" routing for (road) cycling, I find 50 
points is plenty for most journeys. You just need enough to make sure 
the Garmin calculates the route you want, ie one waypoint after each 
junction would work.
Though, yes it does need good mapping data to work properly. So its a 
good way to find errors in the OSM maps anyway.

This page has some more details of the pros and cons of tracks vs routes 
etc (specifically for cycling, but useful for other things): 
http://www.aukadia.net/gps/lwg_5.htm

Craig
(sorry for the duplicate message, forgot to send it to the list)