Turn Off Auto Recalculate on Routes Created Outside the GPS!

Those of us who use zumos have the ability to turn off recalc. But it is not the universal "cure" that some think it is.

First, all routes always recalc to some extent when imported into the GPS, so they have to be "robust" enough in BC to "survive" that experience. This is easily done by making sure there are enough waypoints or vias to force your desired route.

Second, even with recalc off, if you deviate from the route while riding, the GPS will either recalc (if set to do so), or ask if you want it to. Say no and you can try to follow the purple stripe to get back on route, but it is much easier to let the GPS figure that out by saying yes. But of course you need to have used the "robust" method described above for this to work properly without wrecking your route.

I leave mine set to recalc and am careful constructing my routes.

I agree that being able to turn off recalc is a good option that helps us make choices -- just wanted to point out that it's not as black and white as I used to think.

-dan

Those of us who use zumos have the ability to turn off recalc. But it is not the universal "cure" that some think it is.

First, all routes always recalc to some extent when imported into the GPS, so they have to be "robust" enough in BC to "survive" that experience. This is easily done by making sure there are enough waypoints or vias to force your desired route.

I leave mine set to recalc and am careful constructing my routes.

I agree that being able to turn off recalc is a good option that helps us make choices -- just wanted to point out that it's not as black and white as I used to think.

-dan

For new units, yes, but there are still many other units in use that actually don't.

With my "antique" 478 chart plotters, and most Street Pilot models, when recalc is turned off, even a two point route will not be recalculated unless I allow it. The GPS will display the route based on the BaseCamp or MapSource defined "route points", period. If you examine a .GPX file of a route in a text editor you'll see hundreds of these in addition to "waypoints" and "via points" This is the way routing worked in the beginning and IMO, should be the way it still works. This allows me to create a route in BaseCamp using City Nav, load it to my unit and then use it with a mapping product that doesn't even support auto routing. I do this all the time with the old Roads and Recreation products. It's one of the reasons I never got on the Zumo bandwagon. Most if not all of the newer Garmin units ignore these route points, a big step backwards IMO.

Disappointed with Montana software (Auto Recalculation)

As I detailed in a posting on GPS's in ADVRider, I'm feeling very unhappy about losing the ability to plan routes, detailed and not so detailed, in advance of many days of riding only to load them into my new Montana and then having pretty much all of that effort ignored.

As said above and by many others, this function has worked very, very well in the old "brick" GPSMAP units and I've had many of them. That feature is the primary reason I use a GPS on the road. Other than adding Via points to existing Routes, finding things is somewhat secondary for me.

When I travel I have a very good understanding of what roads I want to be on and having the software "determine what is best" for me after all the time, reasearch and energy I put into creating and loading Routes is infuriating. I know when I'm deviating from a route and I generally have a pretty good reason for doing so. I know how to get back to that route if need be. If not, THEN it's time to re-calculate. I do not need the software to second-guess me...

And relatedly, Edit Via on the fly as a function when using canned routes and current routes has become mostly useless. Another loss of user functionality.

As stated earlier, the software on the Montana is a large step backwards. I too waited out the Zumo/Nuvi craze in the hopes the Garmin would offer at least the basic functionality of the "antique" GPSMAP series. Software should always be the "enabling" tool on the hardware. Right now that isn't the case and for my brother and two other friends with 276C's, I'm advising them to hold off on the Montana.

Please fix this problem as soon as possible.

As a new Montana owner -- and long-time GPSMAP 276 owner -- add my voice to the chorus. To the Garmin software developers: please ensure that, when I take the time to create detailed routes in Basecamp, those routes are not then recalculated when I call them up on my Montana. I spend a lot of time planning cross-continent rides to ensure I'm riding the roads I want to travel. Basecamp is my friend in doing that. Don't ruin that relationship when I transfer them to my Montana and open them to navigate.

Thanks for listening and please also realize that for every one of us who comments here, there are many more who have the same beef, but don't frequent these forums to complain about it.

Thanks for listening and please also realize that for every one of us who comments here, there are many more who have the same beef, but don't frequent these forums to complain about it.

Or worse for Garmin - people who don't complain but also don't upgrade because they know the forced route recalculation would drive them crazy.

For some, it really is a deal-breaker.

For some, it really is a deal-breaker.

Yep. I will NOT buy any of the newer units because they don't support routes. I don't mean the "trip" feature or whatever it is called I mean routes as they've been implemented by Garmin for a decade or more.

I have a 1490T and a 76CSx both of which implement routes. Also I use MapSource NOT BaseCamp because, for me, it is far superior when creating routes. I don't care if its discontinued--it works! One day BaseCamp might work for me but for now it's a "work in progress" IMO.

BTW the "issue" of PC software creating routes different than a GPS unit has been around for almost a decade. It is easily rectified by using via's (or whatever Garmin wants to call them this week). In MapSource they're easily created by using drag'n'drop of the route line. It's very simple. I don't know if BaseCamp supports that feature or if it ever will.

Edit: According to this post I've been using "Shaping Points" for all these years. I've always referred to them as "Via's" as that's what MapSource calls them (see the attached image). The 1490T and 76CSx support these but don't announce their presence when following routes.

First, all routes always recalc to some extent when imported into the GPS, so they have to be "robust" enough in BC to "survive" that experience. This is easily done by making sure there are enough waypoints or vias to force your desired route.

As a long time 276c user, I enjoyed creating custom routes for the roads I wished to travel. I recently purchased a Montana 600 and quite like it except for the "via point" distraction. I have no problem adding additional via points to make sure I travel the route as I intended but what I really can't stand is the announcing of these via points, not to mention the difficulty in observing accurate nav stats like "dist to next turn" and "time to next turn". It is my understanding that BC allows for shaping point support on Zumo units, meaning that these "shaping" or "via" points can be altered so that they are not announced. It would be fantastic if this feature was supported by the Montana series GPS's.

~Steve~

As a long time 276c user, I enjoyed creating custom routes for the roads I wished to travel. I recently purchased a Montana 600 and quite like it except for the "via point" distraction. I have no problem adding additional via points to make sure I travel the route as I intended but what I really can't stand is the announcing of these via points, not to mention the difficulty in observing accurate nav stats like "dist to next turn" and "time to next turn". It is my understanding that BC allows for shaping point support on Zumo units, meaning that these "shaping" or "via" points can be altered so that they are not announced. It would be fantastic if this feature was supported by the Montana series GPS's.

~Steve~

Does putting the shaping point precisely at an intersection fix the flag/announcement problem on your Montana? I think I recall this as a workaround prior to getting my zumo.

-dan

If you look back through the features added with each software update on the Zumo 550. ( That might not be available on the Garmin site any longer).

Anyway a "shaping point" must be placed exactly on an intersection, or a part of a road that does not have an address (an onramp, most Interstate highways, and some rural roads. If it is placed thusly it will not be announced or flagged on units that support that. Zumo 550, 478 chartplotter, and it's relatives, I am not sure if the Zumo 660 series supports that, And some others mentioned in posts above.

If you take the time to precisely position those points, using MapSource it works very well on my Zumo 550. I've not been able to test it yet with the new BaseCamp beta.

Does putting the shaping point precisely at an intersection fix the flag/announcement problem on your Montana? I think I recall this as a workaround prior to getting my zumo.

-dan

Dan,

I tried this to no avail. I contacted the Montana Beta team and they indicated that this functionality was something they were looking into but couldn't offer any further details.

~Steve~