Updates

MartinF
8 days ago

I have just had a look at the comments in the beta section of the forum. It seems that we may finally get a bigger cursor, but it is possible that the map themes will be removed and we will be limited to whatever view Garmin deems best. I would love a bigger cursor but, apart from that, I am very happy with my current setup. I have adapted a map theme, both route and cursor are reasonably visible, sensors stay connected and the gradient function is about as accurate and responsive as I have ever seen it.

I would not want to exchange my map theme for a bigger cursor and could happily use my 1040 without another update. I believe that it is not possible to turn off updates but, if I am wrong, please could someone tell me how to do it. What happens when the next update appears if I don't click install? Does it reappear every time I turn on the Edge? I can imagine that sooner or later it would get installed by mistake? Is it possible to backup the entire Edge on to a computer and then reinstall if necessary? Can this be done without losing ride data, distances, etc?

If only Garmin would realise that giving people fewer options is always going to be a bad thing! Please Garmin, give us a bigger cursor and leave the map themes alone.

  • 0 7 days ago

    Yes agreed, I posted this in the beta forum but as there is nothing in the 27.07 change log about the removal of the MapTheme it would be better if it did not come as a surprise to users when they update to the final 27.xx production version.

    The more I use the 27.07 beta without my previous (many) maptheme customisations the more I believe a promised (but not yet delivered) bigger cursor, while highly desirable, is NOT a satisfactory replacement for the maptheme.

    If Garmin persists with removing the maptheme they have to provide at least the following as a minimum to replace things that can be done via the MapTheme.

    1. Ability to change the cursor (VEHICLE) color, I would be happy with the same color for the whole cursor rather than the current 4 or 5 colors that comprise the cursor.
    2. Ability to change the active route color ("MPM_ACTV_CRS_CLR"), again a single color for both the borders & center sections would be acceptable although I have done some useful things by changing the "MPM_RTE_ARRW_CLR" & "MPM_RTE_ARRW_OTLN_CLR"
    3. Fix the long time non functioning customisation of the zoom level for "LAND COVER", this "should" turn off Land Cover (shading for forests, parks, grasslands etc) when the Land Cover zoom Level is set to "None". I currently change the Land Cover items color in the maptheme to be the same as the base map color, I do this to make a clean, clear map with JUST roads and without the confusing jumble of colors for land cover areas.
    4. Restore the previous road colors rather than the now monochrome blue/grey/black or provide a means of setting colors for the road hierarchy, its only 3 or 4 levels corresponding to the OSM levels
    5. A way of hiding the Virtual Partner on the map even if it isn't removed from the background.

    I don't know what the benefits to Garmin is in removing the maptheme but there is certainly no benefit to its customers.

    (Forum software is preventing me from inserting explanatory GARMIN screenshots)

    @MartinF relating to one of your questions, when you are presented with the update screen with the Install Now/Later options you can still press the back arrow in the Top-Left of that screen and this cancels the update and does not ask again for at least a week* at which point you do the back arrow again. (* a week or more, I don't know what the maximum duration is as I usually update anyway, of course Garmin can change this behaviour any time it wants)

    Thanks

  • 0 7 days ago in reply to L.Rouge

    @L.Rouge thanks for the reply. Could I ask you to say more about what you did with the route arrow? I'm still looking for further improvements.

    Regarding Garmin's ability to change the way that updates are installed, and specifically to make it more difficult to decline an update: I wonder if they can make this change without installing an update.

  • 0 5 days ago in reply to MartinF

    Maybe some miss naming but the Maptheme items "MPM_RTE_ARRW_CLR" & "MPM_RTE_ARRW_OTLN_CLR" relate to the chevrons drawn on the course line, the chevron inner color (default white) and outline (default Black). Frequwntly they seem to be drawn exactly over an upcoming intersection I would like to see detail of but obscured by the chevron. The "colors" also include the "Transparency" code so I can have a Theme that makes the chevrons invisible

    Other users have found it useful to make the Course line transparent and just follow the chevrons, there was a recent post about this in the beta forum by a user in Morocco that used this to distinguish between options for the next turn.

    https://forums.garmin.com/beta-program/edge-1040-series/public-beta-bug-reports/i/edge-1040-series---27-xx-bug-reports/bring-back-map-theme?CommentId=c975242d-b9b5-4c0c-97d0-3afa2ea6add7  

    Garmin developers / management just don't understand the things that are important to their customers (or some of them)

    I don't use "Turn Guidance" so the map and course line becomes more informative and useful.

    I would expect Garmin would have to make a change to the software in order to change the update behaviour but in the past (like the current maptheme removal) they often don't highlight all  significant changes

  • 0 5 days ago in reply to L.Rouge

    Thanks again! Chevrons and intersections are not something that I've never noticed as being a problem. This just shows, though, and it's something Garmin don't seem to be sufficiently aware of, that we are individuals with differing needs and priorities. We have eyes that respond differently to certain colours and should be able to adjust the way that the map looks and behaves in a way that suits us. Riding a bike requires awareness of other traffic, pedestrians and, in the UK, potholes. The less time that has to be spent looking at the screen the safer it is. For that reason we need a screen that is most visible and informative for each of us,  and that is not going to be Garmin's one size fits all philosophy. The more options there are for colour and size the better. The fact that at least some Edge users are prepared to spend time creating a map theme that suits their needs should make this abundantly clear to Garmin.