Need help creating route - or I'm returning my Garmin!

The learning curve in Base Camp can be a little daunting, but it will do what you want. But since you are familiar with MapQuest, you can create your route there and transfer it to your nuvi. The trick that most people miss in Map Quest is that you need to change each via point (or shaping point that you create by dragging the route) into a "stop" before you send the mapquest route to your nuvi. Just right click on the white dot on the route and select "Make it a route stop" from the pop-up menu. Once you have converted all the shaping points to stops, send the route to your nuvi, and it should show up as a Trip in the Trip Planner app.

Hi,
........ If there is anyone who can guide me through this process I would be very grateful.......

Well, I would certainly agree that BC is not user friendly, but is not ALL Garmin's fault. Each map that is available for the Garmins (lots!) affects how the algorithm to route from point A to Point B works, most of which is NOT under Garmin's control. Without knowing precisely which map you are trying to route from Florida to North Carolina on it is hard to help.

On a routable map like CNNA, the best way to get and KEEP the route you want is to start at the beginning point and rather than just selecting the end point, make several intermediate points by left clicking the mouse just slightly AFTER any intersection that will define a turn onto the road you want. Let BC do it's thing. Then zoom in and make SURE the magenta line is following the route you expect. Reposition or add any of these points (called Via Points) as needed until the magenta line does exactly what you want. On a 300 mile trip it might need about half a dozen to force the route the way you want.

THEN CHANGE THE ROUTE PROPERTIES TO DIRECT!! Only then send it to the 2597 and let it re-calculate the route. The map you use in BC and the map that is on the 2597 MUST BE IDENTICAL or this will not work and you will end up with a screwed up route.

I have a 3597 which is very similar and what I have found is that as long as I have via points where needed to force the route in BC to my preferences it USUALLY does not change when loaded, but the above technique is more likely to work all the time. Oh, and the route PREFERENCES must match up too.

It does take some time to learn just how many or how few via points it takes to prevent unwanted re-routing on any given map...I've only been doing this for four years now and I only get frustrated on one out of ten routes now. :( On a motorcycle, I now have ended up converting a route (once perfected) to a track to avoid device specific hassles...but then there are no directions...:mad:

For a 'visual guide' try looking at these. It's actually very simple. Contrary to what AAARGH says above I have never needed to convert my route to 'direct' prior to sending it to my nuvi, also note that Nuvis can't handle tracks so I suspect AAARGH has a Zumo, which can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sLSv96Grpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JnqwnHEPPY

Basecamp will read the map off your nuvi so certainly if you haven't downloaded the map it contains to your PC for Basecamp to use ensure you have it plugged into your PC and use the map from it when planning routes. Again while what AAARGH says will work I've never seen the need to create routes as he describes. I put in the start and end point, then see what changes I need to make having seen the route Basecamp creates. You'll see in the uTube video that it uses the same method. Note that later versions of Basecamp (and not I think shown in the video which does NOT use the latest version) allow you to 'rubber band' the route by selecting the 'hand tool', press Alt then click on the route and pull it to where you want to place a shaping point. Note on your nuvi these are true shaping points and not via points. The difference is that shaping points are not announced and you can skip them should you wish. Via points ARE announced and you MUST go through them. You can change via points to shaping points and vice versa, either in Basecamp or on your nuvi in Trip Planner. Unless I specifically intend to stop anywhere on my route I use shaping points rather than via points.

...... also note that Nuvis can't handle tracks so I suspect AAARGH has a Zumo, which can.

.....

AAARGH, who is actually ROCKYTFS, (no thanks to the forum software which just converted my username uncommanded) has both a Montana an a Navigator V. You are correct, I don't have to change to direct before loading on the 3597.

Edit: Wonder of wonders, I'm back to ROCKYTFS again!!

You're obviously in two minds lol

Thanks for the input. I was relieved to learn that I could use MapQuest to create my route and then send/load it to my Garmin. Since my initial route FL-NC is a long route, I decided to do a test. I created a route to my son's house who lives on the other side of town. Once I created it, I saved it, and when I clicked on Send, there was a GPS tab, and click it was done. When I looked at the route I had just sent to the Garmin, it showed the original route in blue and the one I created in magenta. I was thrilled. Couldn't wait to show my husband that it worked when he arrived home. So, when I showed him how simple it was, I created another test route and when I went to Send it to the GPS, the tab was no longer there. I spent the remainder of the day trying to figure out why the GPS tab/link had disappeared. I used Internet Explorer (as Chrome said it didn't support the Garmin Communicator Plugin) so I completed my route in Internet Explorer. Since my Computer (desktop - Windows) was showing the attached device, it couldn't be the Garmin or the USB itself. I deleted and downloaded the Communicator Plugin again. Still no GPS tab. I tried my MAC laptop. I installed the PlugIn, it didn't work either. I am assuming the problems lies within the Garmin Plugin. When I bring up the page for the plug in it lists the accepted browsers it uses, so I tried downloading it again. No GPS tab. I don't know what else to do. Why would it work once but not again. I spent time on BaseCamp, but again, it was so confusing to me I had to walk away! Can anyone help and explain why the PlugIn worked one time but not the next? I really thought I had this done, and the funny thing is all I want to do is Send ONE ROUTE (the FL-NC) to my Garmin....after that I'm done!
Thanks
Ruth

Browsers are phasing out support for plug ins. Your best bet is to view the videos I posted and use Base Camp.

Hi Sussamb,

You have been kind enough to help me previously with my Garmin issues. Hopefully you can tell me where I went wrong a few days ago trying to get my Garmin 3598 to follow the route I had made on Basecamp. I adjusted the route by inserting several points along the chosen route until I was satisfied. I then added more waypoints along that highlighted route to ensure that my 3598 followed the exact route. When I transferred the route to my Garmin the route appeared under 'Trip Planner' as it had been drawn. When I then loaded that trip the following day I was asked to confirm the destination which I did and then it calculated an entirely different route.

What do I need to do to get my Garmin to follow my chosen route and should the individual waypoints along my chosen route be displayed when I load that route or just the final destination?

Should the calculation for route planning be on a particular setting ie shortest route? Mine was on fastest.

Thanks for your help

Pev

If you have a trip in trip planner on your nuvi you need to select the first point in the trip. I suspect you selected the last?