MapSource vs BaseCamp

Former Member
Former Member
This might be the same as "Fighting City Hall" but for the user of Garmin GPS for about 11 years and the MapSource Product, BaseCamp is not an equal replacement. First of all, MapSource is more intuitive and easier to navigate on my pc, which I do all of my route planning. Second, I am able to store separate files. I do one each for long rides, say 2 weeks / 3000 miles / 250 waypoints. I do a separate file for each year for shorter trips of a few hours, thus I have 2012, 2011, 2010 ... files. As for the Route Properties -> Directions screen, I can cut and paste it directly into Excel so that I can use this data to develope route itineraries. Instead of a row and column structure that is used with MapSource, BaseCamp pastes all the data in one column that is very difficult to work with, taking a lot of time to spread it back out into different columns. I use the Categories feature quite a bit to diferentiate things such as food, fuel, attractions, Harley Dealers, route plan, etc. I cannot do this with BaseCamp. Everything about the data in BaseCamp is difficult to work with. I am sorry but unless Garmin can restore features and make it easier to find your way around and save files BaseCamp is a looser in my mind.
  • Problem is somewhere near Mondragone, you can try to create shorter route. I think nuvi works correctly but I haven't tested with recent CN EU.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    ...my gut feeling is that it's an issue between Mapsource and the maps, maybe just some tiles...

    Certainly there could be some "issue" with data in some map tiles/segments/chunks.

    My suspicion is that there's new format data in the maps at certain locations that newer devices and BC can deal with or ignore while MS throws a wobbly. I don't have an older device that has new maps in it but that'd be an interesting test.
  • My oldest nuvi is nuvi 200 but its firmware is only 3 months old. Devices are updated unlike Mapsource.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    Devices are updated unlike Mapsource.

    Some are. My GPSmap 76CSx hasn't been updated in years. I could buy CN NA NT 2013.40 for it but I no longer use it (except as a backup) in my car. I do have CN NA NT 2011.10 for it.
  • I know, I have 60CSx with firmware 4.0. Would be interesting to make a test with it. But this is not a device sold with City Navigator and Lifetime.
    As for nuvis, I think all have been updated recently except the oldest nuvi 3xx/6xx. Maybe someone can test problematic routes on 3xx or 6xx?
  • Did you simulate it?


    Ran the simulation this morning. No problem with the route at all on my 1490, even displayed the odd junction view, so whatever the problem it seems to be between Mapsource and the map in that area.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    I have figured out how to save separate files of data to keep some of my information separate.


    Care to enlighten us?
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    Well there are a few ways depending on your expertise and comfort level.

    One could use BaseCamp's backup/restore mechanism to change out databases. The problem with that (for me anyway) is that the backup file can be very large (e.g. 2GB) because it includes Birdseye images etc.

    Another way to is manually save/restore BC's waypoint/route/track database files manually. The files are

    AllData.gdb
    FolderData.gfi

    in the

    C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\Garmin\BaseCamp\Database\<Version>


    folder (on Vista/Win7/Win8).

    All that said the model of BC is to have a single database. I prefer the multiple (GDB) file model of MapSource but I doubt BC will go that way.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    I know, I have 60CSx with firmware 4.0. Would be interesting to make a test with it. But this is not a device sold with City Navigator and Lifetime.
    As for nuvis, I think all have been updated recently except the oldest nuvi 3xx/6xx. Maybe someone can test problematic routes on 3xx or 6xx?

    I got A friend's Nuvi 350 and I updated it to CNEU 2013.40.
    I simulated a route ,as said previously in this thread, from Naples to Mondragone.
    Well Nuvi crashed.
    Simulating the route as soon as it reached Mondragone zone ,I got a weird message from nuvi , in my language:it sounds in English like" sensors drowned in afs" or similar ,I dont remember it exaclty lol, then I had recalculating message and nuvi moved the position to the starting position in Naples.
    Second try, from Mondragone to Naples, nuvi as soon as zoomed to start simulation crashed and shut down.
    And it didnt restart, just splash screen then black screen and shuts down.
    Nice I sent map to sd and I could remove it.
    Another test, reinserted sd: crash again.
    At this point Nuvi couldnt restart even removing sd. I had to plug it to pc and replace CNEU with another map.
    Zooming in that Mondragone zone in CNEU makes crash Nuvi and bricks it.
    I hardly suggest not to update old Nuvis like 350 to CNEU 2013.40, risk to brick them routing in some zones is too high
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    I hardly suggest not to update old Nuvis like 350 to CNEU 2013.40, risk to brick them routing in some zones is too high

    Thanks for taking the time to perform these tests and posting the results.

    I think this confirms my hypothesis that there's been some change (addition) of the map data format that units with newer firmware can deal with but older ones (and MapSource) can't.