Google Maps to Garmin export

[Rob]

Found this site in a recent Touratech mailing: www.motoplaner.de

The site is in German, but google can translate it to English. What is neat about this is it uses google maps for route planning (which i like because it offers that super convenient "route-dragging" ability where it connects to roads automatically). And then it can export to GPX for use by Garmin devices and loads them as a series of waypoints (you choose how many).

Now, Mapquest offers gpx export as well, but I don't like their online mapping as much as I do google maps. And google maps can "send to garmin" but just sends individual waypoints/addresses - last I knew, it won't translate a route into a series of waypoints that garmin can use.

I'll need to play with this more, but this might mean I can avoid using Garmin's Basecamp, which I'm not particularly fond of.

 

[RedLdr1]

Be advised Google is in the process of changing their Map app.... I'm using the new "Beta" version of Maps and it is quite a bit different. And is this case "different" is not necessarily better....:rolleyes1:

 

[DirtFlier]

I would be somewhat surprised if Goggle maps can be exported into a Garmin unit. Similar to Apple, Garmin is highly-protective of their own software.

 

[charlie b]

That's why I like Copilot on my phone and tablet (it will also run on the PC). Do all the planning and such, then just send it to the phone.

Not quite as good as Google maps because of the satellite view. I set the route with Copilot. But, to check out certain places, like a road condition, I'll use the Google satellite zoom and streetview to look at it.

 

[Rob]

Be advised Google is in the process of changing their Map app.... I'm using the new "Beta" version of Maps and it is quite a bit different. And is this case "different" is not necessarily better....:rolleyes1:

I don't mean the app - I mean on the desktop browser - where I tend to do my route planning. Although I think they're upgrading that soon too along with the android apps so we'll see what happens.

 

[Rob]

I would be somewhat surprised if Goggle maps can be exported into a Garmin unit. Similar to Apple, Garmin is highly-protective of their own software.

It can. From google maps right now on your browser you can "send to" a garmin device. And from mapquest you can export to gpx. There are no tricks involved. These options have been there for some time.

So in google maps, you have a start point and and end point and can alter the route to get from one to the other. If you use the google maps function of sending to a garmin device, all it sends is the starting and ending points and the garmin device plots its own route.

What the website I linked does differently is it will take that google maps route and translate it into a series of waypoints. So instead of just the starting and end point, it will fill the entire route with points so your garmin will follow that specific route rather than plotting its own.

 

[RedLdr1]

I mean on the desktop browser - where I tend to do my route planning. Although I think they're upgrading that soon too along with the android apps so we'll see what happens.

The desk top browser's Map, on Google's home page, is the one I'm "beta" testing.... Hopefully the old version will be for around for a while longer as now I can only have a Start and Stop destination with no way points.... I have to revert to the old version for any serious map work.

 

[Rob]

Ahhh. I haven't bothered checking it out. Is there anything it does better or that you like more compared to the old version?

 

[RedLdr1]

Is there anything it does better or that you like more compared to the old version?

When they get the bugs out it will have a lot more business info than the older version. I suspect, but do not know, this enhancement is for proximity marketing for Android users. I'd say that there is much more info about business available than in the old version. Any business with Reviews is well defined and allows a single click for more info. There is a "Explore" tab along the bottom that brings up photos and info on random(?) local points or the satellite view. And when you click on a given spot it becomes a balloon you can save as a destination, get more info, or get directions to it, or pop up Street View... Still a work in progress but it is fun to play with as they work on it...