Create Route

This page provides detailed instructions on exactly how to convert a "Track" to a "Route" so that you can use your GPS III Plus to guide you on future trail rides.

There are two methods you can use to convert a "Track" to a "Route":

	Use the "TracBack" feature on the GPS III Plus, or
	Manually create a new route using Topo USA

Note: If you choose to create your route manually using Topo USA, you will have to upload it to your GPS (see next page). If you prefer the quicker TracBack method, you can disregard the Upload Page, since creating the route is done within the III Plus (i.e., the route will already be there).

It stands to reason that creating a route manually will take much longer than letting the III Plus do it for you automatically. However, besides having strong AR tendencies :), I still prefer creating my own Routes using Topo USA for two other reasons:

	You have complete control over where each waypoint is placed
	And, more importantly, the route is saved on your PC so that if anything happens to the route on your GPS, you can re-upload it again from your PC!

Notwithstanding, here are the procedures to create a Route using each method:

I. How to convert a "Track" to a "Route" using the TracBack feature on your III Plus:

1. "TracBack" the saved log

	- Press MENU, MENU
	- Highlight "Track Logs", press ENTER
	- Highlight the log you want to convert, press ENTER
	- Highlight "TracBack", press ENTER

- The number of points will be reduced to 30 or less (depending on the length and complexity of the track), after which a new Route will be created.

2. To view the new Route, which will be labeled TRACBACK:

	- Press MENU, MENU
	- Highlight "Routes", press ENTER
	- Highlight "TRACBACK", press ENTER

- Note that up to 30 waypoints have been created (named T001, T002, etc.), and the route is now in reverse direction (T030 is at the top).

- To re-invert the route (so that the first waypoint is again T001), press MENU, highlight "Invert", and press ENTER.

- To "activate" the route (so that you can "follow it" on your next trail ride), press MENU, highlight "Activate", and press ENTER.

3. If you want to keep this new Route on your III Plus, you must rename the Route. This is a limitation of the III Plus. Everytime you convert a Track to a Route using the TracBack feature, the III Plus names the route "TRACBACK". That's okay for your first TracBack. However, if you TracBack a second Track, it will overwrite the first one! To rename the route:

	- Press MENU, MENU
	- Highlight "Routes", press ENTER
	- Highlight the route named "TRACBACK", press ENTER

	- Highlight the route name again, press ENTER again
	- Edit each character in the old name to change to the new name (max of 13 characters)
	- Press ENTER

II. How to manually create a "Route" from the track using Topo USA on your PC:

1. In Topo USA 3.0, manually locate the "track" on the map that you want to use to create your route.

2. Under the Navigate tab, click the New/Edit button. Then click the New button underneath the Name box ("Route#" will automatically be displayed in the Name box). Highlight the Route# name and type in whatever name you want to give this route (e.g., Golden Spike). Click the "Pt to Pt" circle in the Route By box. Next click the "Auto Calculate" option in the Calculate Options box. Finally, click the green "Start" button in the Create/Edit box.

3. Place the mouse pointer on the track where you want to start your route (e.g., at the trailhead) and left click the mouse. Topo USA will automatically place a green circle on your map and label it "Start".

4. Next click the red "Finish" button in the Create/Edit box. Place the mouse pointer on the track where you want to finish your route and left click the mouse. Topo USA will automatically place a red circle on your map and label it "Finish". If you checked the Auto Calculate option as instructed in Step 2 above, Topo USA will also automatically draw in an orange (highlighted in red) line between the Start and Finish points.

5. Then click the yellow "Waypt" button in the Create/Edit box. Also check the "Add Waypt or Via" option. Place the mouse pointer on the track where you want the first waypoint to be and left click. Topo USA will automatically place a yellow circle on your map and label it "(1) Wypt". If you checked the Auto Calculate option as instructed in Step 2 above, Topo USA will also automatically redraw the orange/red line between the Start point and the first waypoint; and then between the first waypoint and the Finish point. Continue left clicking along your track, adding waypoints to create your route. Each time you add a new waypoint, Topo USA will automatically redraw your orange/red route line.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: You can ONLY use a MAXIMUM of 30 waypoints for each route. This is a limitation of the III Plus, NOT of Topo USA. A Garmin GPS III Plus route cannot have more than 30 waypoints. If, for example, you create a route in Topo USA using 40 waypoints, and then upload that route to your III Plus, only the first 30 waypoints will upload. The last 10 will be ignored and you will not get that last portion of your route.

6. You must now change the names of all of the waypoints in Topo USA. Unfortunately, this is another limitation of the III Plus. Actually, this only has to be done if you intend to store more than one route at a time on your III Plus (which I do, because I often ride more than just one trail on most rides).

EXPLANATION: Suppose you create a new route in Topo USA and name it Golden Spike (for example). Topo USA automatically names the waypoints Wpt1, Wpt2, Wpt3, etc. Ok, fine. Now you create another new route and name it Rock Quarry Road Trail. Topo USA again names the waypoints Wpt1, Wpt2, Wpt3, etc. Still okay. Now you upload the Golden Spike Trail route to your GPS. So far, so good. Finally, you try to upload the Rock Quarry Road Trail route to your GPS. Not okay anymore. Since Topo USA uses the same waypoint names for all routes, you've just overwritten your Golden Spike Trail waypoints with the Rock Quarry Road Trail waypoints!

7. To rename the waypoints in Topo USA, click the Navigation tab, and then the Advanced button. Select the route you want to edit in the Name dropdown menu. The names of the waypoints should now be visible for that route in the Waypoint Names box (to the right of the Route Name box). Highlight the applicable waypoint in the Waypoint Name box, then click Rename. Type in the new waypoint name (max of 7 characters) and press enter. Do the same with all remaining waypoints.

8. Now that you have created a new route based on the downloaded track, you can delete the track in Topo USA. Your new route will be saved under your C:\Delorme Docs\Navigation subdirectory (or another location that you may have specified during installation of your Topo USA software).

9. Print a color hard-copy map of your route to use as a reference (optional). First, set the magnification of your screen to 50% in the Magnify box in the Control Panel on the far right of your screen. This will make it easier to view the entire print area. Click the Print tab, then the map button in the Options box. Check the "Lock Scale & Print Area" options in the Map box. Select a scale in the dropdown menu so as to fill the print area with your route as much as possible. If you can't fill the print area using the largest scale, uncheck the "Lock Scale . . ." box and zoom in another level. Recheck the "Lock Scale . . ." box and try setting the scale again. Use the "Page Setup" screen to switch between portrait and landscape settings. And under the "Page Layout" screen, you can add a title and/or comments to your map. When you are satisfied, click the "Print Now" button.

[ Home ] [ Record Track ] [ Download Track ] [ Create Route ] [ Upload Route ]