[JimRo]

Jon,


I love the Garmin 2820 it does everything I want it to do as a unit. Easy to use, works great with Bluetooth which is a primary requirement for me.

However, MAPSOURCE is one of the WORSE pieces of amatuer software I have ever seen (and I have seen quite a few of them). It is inflexible, counter intutive and very un user freindly.

The Find Places application almost makes you want to go take some medication.

I have a high tolerance to pain and software bugs but this is a hugh piece of crap foisted on the public.

Tuesday morning Garmin (The Software people) and I will be having a "Come To Jesus meeting"

There is absolutley no parrell to setting waypoints with map data off the desk top and searching snfd setting them using just "Maps"

The two seem to be mutually exclusive applications.

Heres an example. To establish a new way point I had to go use Maps On Us on the net to find the location. Cant find it on Map Source using " Find Places" Had to go to the map portion of Map Source find the approx location and work my way down in map scale until I could find it and establish a waypoint. INCREDIBLE

This software won't even find my town correctly and let me type in the street I live on which has only been around since 1870 I have to do it using the maps only

DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY 3D PARTY software apps available as an alternative to Map source that will function on Garmin Products, I searched couldn't find anything but irratated people on different forums.

However, I can handload everything in off the unit and the unit never misses a beat

 

[Cliflyri]

DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY 3D PARTY software apps available as an alternative to Map source that will function on Garmin Products, I searched couldn't find anything but irratated people on different forums.

Oh Please let there be something - thank you for asking this question.

I just started using Mapsource and thought I was just being dense, as I couldn't get mapsource to find ANYTHING in my local area. Not by address, not by intersection, NOTHING! I read tutorials and can find the post office Jon mentions in one of his but nothing else.

The best part is this software comes with a unit which cost me hundreds of dollars and I can't find a damn thing, yet with software I downloaded for FREE I can pinpoint anything on the planet (thank you google earth).

I would gladly pay a fair price for a 3rd party app that would do the job.

Chris

 

[Jon]

I know that a lot of LD riders use MS Streets & Trips or Delorme's Street Atlas to program their routes since the software is more user-friendly and the search features actually work...

The output of S&T can be converted to the appropriate format by using GPSUtility - SA files can be converted by GPSBabel as well.

 

[SC Steve]

I know that a lot of LD riders use MS Streets & Trips or Delorme's Street Atlas to program their routes since the software is more user-friendly and the search features actually work...
quote]

But does it have the same use of mapsource to where it will interface witht eh GPS? I have not really used mapsource much, but if something is easier, it might be worth the cost. I know several that use the Streets and Maps proggie and like it alot.

 

[Tony in AZ]

Interesting that this post is here......

I am using the Mapsource software at the moment to find locations for our trip to TN in 2 weeks.

Some places list their GPS coordinates on their web sites. I will be damned that I finally found the way to enter them to the Mapsource software to create a waypoint

 

[Fuzzy]

I have to agree that the search function of Map Source can be frustrating. Especially if you are searching for a specific address or business. I believe part of this is due to the data base which is furnished by Nav Tech. However, I have found the software to be very effective for trip planning. Although not extremely intuitive there are some features that allow for quick route generation on the type of roads you want to ride. Map Source also privdes an excellent interface with a garmin GPS.

I think even Jon will agree that we have generated some great back road routes all over the western US using Map Source. 8)

 

[Cliflyri]

I have to agree that the search function of Map Source can be frustrating. Especially if you are searching for a specific address or business. I believe part of this is due to the data base which is furnished by Nav Tech. However, I have found the software to be very effective for trip planning. Although not extremely intuitive there are some features that allow for quick route generation on the type of roads you want to ride. Map Source also privdes an excellent interface with a garmin GPS.

I think even Jon will agree that we have generated some great back road routes all over the western US using Map Source. 8)

I wish I could, but I can't even 'find' my destinations.

Then I just had a very wierd thing happen. I was practicing planning a route and used the route tool to change (drag) the route to different roads. Things looked good until I zoomed in on the route. Mapsource has me going along a road, then taking an exit and backtracking on that same road for several miles, then turning around again and continuing along the original path. Not a very efficient way to travel. Worse yet, I can't figure out how to remove the backtrack portion without deleting the entire route. :x

 

[oldtags]

One of the tips that I have found to make the find function work is to not put street designators like East, West, or even St or Ave. For example if you are looking for 16th St E, just put in 16th or 16 and choose form the list it gives you. If you want West Georgia St SW, just put in Georgia and choose from the list.

I agree that MapSourse should be a lot better; maybe someday Garmin will get off the dime and give us a better mapping program.

 

[Fuzzy]

Then I just had a very wierd thing happen. I was practicing planning a route and used the route tool to change (drag) the route to different roads. Things looked good until I zoomed in on the route. Mapsource has me going along a road, then taking an exit and backtracking on that same road for several miles, then turning around again and continuing along the original path. Not a very efficient way to travel. Worse yet, I can't figure out how to remove the backtrack portion without deleting the entire route. :x

If you look closely, I'd bet you dropped a via point on the wrong side of a divided highway. The software is doing the best that it can to honor that via. You can edit the via point in route properties without deleting the entire route.

Another hint is not to use the "shortest distance" calculation option, it will often have you exiting and entering a highway to save a few feet on the route.

In no way am I arguing that Map Source is great.... I have learend to deal with it's quirks and actually enjoy using it to plan our trips. 8)

 

[Cliflyri]

If you look closely, I'd bet you dropped a via point on the wrong side of a divided highway.

That was it, and thanks for the tip on how to delete the via points. I dropped the via point with the map zoomed out and it ended up on the wrong side of the highway. Guess that's a 'watch out' with mapsource.

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[Timmer]

Personally I don't care for S&T except for planning about how long I can travel in a day. I don't find it intuitive at all. I have been using Map Source for about 3 years and it works extremely well for me.

 

[Themobb]

Right on, Rimbo!

Find in MS is just about useless for anything less that a CITY!

I was trying to find an address in Lakeland FL on W Lime st. I use "Find address" and no luck whether I search for "W", "West", "Lime W" or whatever.

I give up and plug the address into Google maps and have the location in about 3 miliseconds.

So I go back to the MS map and sure enough, there it is, on the map as "W Lime St"

The search function and the maps are definitely NOT related!

Still, if it weren't for "Find" and "routing" problems I wouldn't have too much to complain about Garmin products in general...


Lance

 

[JimRo]

Themobb

I guess some people are less pickey than you and I are.

As far as I am concrned this is a crap application and Garmin ought to get their head out of their _ _ _ and get another supplier of fix the problem.

Anybody who would actually buy this !!! To me its like a word processing application that spells a alot the words wrong or won't allow you to correct the spelling and all the choices to correct the mis spellings are misspelled or in Galic or can't add attributes like Bold or highlight and have to figure a way to fool it
I'm not wasting my time fooling anything for the price you pay for this

 

[luckyman]