Route Planning software for TomTom and other GPS's

[DahDit]

Don't know if anybody here has used this piece of software?

"Tyre" www.tyre.tk

You use Google Earth to plan your route before uploading it to the GPS.

Comments? Feedback? Looks good.....

[2old2boogie]

Neil, I have a Tom Tom Rider 2nd Edition. If I plan a route and download it to the TTR will the SD Card have enough memory or should I buy another with more memory. At the moment it has UK & Ireland. There is no indication on the existing card regarding memory, it just says 'Rom Tom Rider'.

Apologies for being such a luddite!

;D

[DahDit]

Haven't tried it myself yet so cannot say.

Waiting for a Navigo to arrive in the post, then I'm modding it to put TT maps on it - then I'll be able to help......I hope. Being a newbie to GPS's myself, it'll be a learning curve for this luddite too. ;D

All I can say at the mo' is try it.....I can't see the planned route files being so large as to fill the SD card if it has a few Mb free. These files should just be text files and therefore not too big.

Let me know how you get on, it sounds like an interesting and useful add on.

Ref memory space on the card, just insert the card into a PC card reader and it'll show you how much space is available when you highlight the card via "My Computer"

[teejayexc]

Thanks Neil, had a play with this tonight.

Pretty impressive and easy to follow and make routes, you can even go on a little tour of your chosen route in a bike or a car , and alter your speed , not quite XBox graphics on your bike though .

One niggle, don't know if it's google maps or the 'tyre' software, but postcodes are a bit wayward when you search for them (gave mine in Mkt. Rasen about 11 mile away ).

Will play some more and report back. ( I can have a ride on the bike and not leave the warmth of the office ).

trev

trev

[DahDit]

Awesome!

Looking forward to testing it on the Navigo when I get around to putting TomTom on it.

[El Fuego]

I find postcode search in Google maps can be a bit awry at times.

[DahDit]

Just used the software today to route plan the latest (and very convenient for me ) "Readers' Route" as published in the latest copy of MSL - Mar 08. "Windmills, Wolds and Fens".

It worked a peach. Very straight forward once you got used to the idea of zooming out to navigate around Google Earth's map, then zoom in again to accurately place the desired waypoint.

After that, you just name the waypoint, mouse over it.....RMB > Copy and it's automatically copied across to the Tyre list. Doddle.

Tyre couldn't find my erm, "TomTom " when connected via USB cable, so I just saved the .itn file to the desktop, navigated via windows to the TomTom "ITN" folder on the SD card and dragged/dropped the proudly created .itn file in there.

TomTom recognised it straight away.


The other useful thing about the software is that you can both import and save in a whole host of GPS file formats inc. Google Earth, Garmin, PCX5 files and GPS Exchange files.

Excuse me as I'm off for a ride. ;D ;D ;D



If anyone wants a copy of the route I created e-mailing to them PM me. See below!

The file it created was only 454 bytes (!) so I guess most people will have space on their SD cards for lots and lots and lots of routes.....

Louth Loop MSL Mar 08.itn
<snip>
-000852|5336314|1 Louth A153|0|
-007020|5331500|2 Cadwell Park|0|
-011475|5320850|3 Horncastle|0|
-011221|5319352|4 B1183 South|0|
-006894|5315784|5 Moorby|0|
-005682|5313327|6 Revesby Bridge|0|
-003909|5303749|7 Frithville|0|
001562|5303886|8 Sibsey A16 North|0|
011543|5324171|9 Ulceby Cross|0|
018410|5326613|10 A1104 Alford|0|
017539|5329537|11 B1373 Withern|0|
014331|5331622|12 A157 Louth|0|
-000785|5336696|13 Louth Finish|2|
"Neil"
<snip>

Highlight the text between the <snips> and paste into Notepad etc. Then save as whatever you wish with suffix .itn

[DahDit]

When using v5.21 of this software, a new script error has appeared when using Google Maps as the default planner. The author is aware of this error, he's posted a note on the website highlighting the fact.

The error does not occur when using Google Earth as the route planner, so that is a work-around until the fix has been written and the next version is available for download.

[speighty]

What was the route like?

[DahDit]

Quite good really - some nice twisties and open quick bits. Decent scenery and points of interest.

Trev did it the day after.....

[DahDit]

Update available already! ;D

1. Run Tyre

2. Select Tyre > Help > Check for Updates

3. Click OK, then close the Tyre program and the update will download and start automatically.

Rgds,

Neil

[Fiasco]

Geek

[El Fuego]

Works.

[teffort]

Thanks for the tip Neil
Reading your post I downloaded the Tyre software as I'd been struggling trying to get the Postcombe route into my TomTom Go. Trying to load waypoints on minor roads via the TomTom screen using the maps is a real pain so I plotted my route using Google Earth and then used Tyre to convert it to an ITN file, uploaded it to my device and it worked really well.

[Fiasco]

Are you also able to make a Garmin Mapsource file from the Tyre file Teff ?

If so, it would be useful if you could send me one.

I haven't looked at the software yet, don't tell Neil he will be very cross with me !!

Dave ;D

[teffort]

Seems that Tyre is a utility written for TomTom so I doubt that Garmin would recognize the file. I'll mail you a copy and you can try if you like.
Tyre converts a series of location markers that you create in Google Earth into waypoints that TomTom will recognize. You then use the normal TomTom software to create the route between the waypoints.

[DahDit]

Teff,

Tyre will save your routes in other formats.....it'll be worth experimenting to see how well it does in converting for Garmin etc.

You just choose a different format when saving, instead of using the ITN format......

Could you PM me the ITN for the Postcombe route? It's just a text file, so you can open it in Notepad etc, then copy/paste it as a PM.....

Rgds,

Neil