Google Earth and Mapsource v6.9.1

[Ebbo]

Well done Garmin, this is stunning!

The latest version of Mapsource v6.9.1 is compatible with Google Earth!

 

First make sure you have Google Earth installed

http://earth.google.com/

 

Install the latest version of Mapsource v6.9.1

http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209

 

Then open a Garmin file in the new version of Mapsource, preferably one with route trails. Once opened, click on view in the task bar, the bottom icon is ‘view in Google earth’ click!

Once Google Earth has loaded the Garmin file, zoom in and angle the view back, with a flick of the mouse, you can fly the trail points as a route, brilliant!

 

To get you started try this one

http://www.ebbo.org/euroramble2004/grossglockner_garmin_track_waypoints.gdb

It’s a ride over Grosglockner Pass in the Austrian Alps

 

 

Or this one, a ride including the highest pass in the alps the Col de la Bonnette

http://www.ebbo.org/routegrandalps/Saturday_25_June.gdb

 

There are more to look at, they are scattered around the later Travelogues of www.ebbo.org enjoy!

 

P.S. I don’t do tech support

[steve.foote]

I haven't had a chance to try it, but is sure sounds slick. Thanks for the heads up.

[Marty Hill]

Quick, someone come to atlanta and show me how this works.

[graemer57]

Not so brilliant Google Earth only works on Pcs not on Macs. I know we are in a minority but us Mac users still make up a significant number of users. I know they are working on it but come on Google... pull your finger out!!!!

[ClearwaterBMW]

great comment

i have pc's and a mac

i love my mac but for google earth

NOT TO MENTION all my garmin software/trip routing, etc....

a PC is STILL the only way you CAN go

 

greg

[RockLives]

This will not work unless you have a prior version of garmin software on your computer. Sounds good, but I do not have any version of Garmin on my computer.

[smiller]

I know we are in a minority but us Mac users still make up a significant number of users.

 

For better or for worse Macs make up a single-digit percentage of the total number of PCs in use.

[TrainingWheels]

 

For better or for worse Macs make up a single-digit percentage of the total number of PCs in use.

 

Yeah, and they tend to whinge too much about silly things like design and usability. I maintain a relationship with a PC for basic GPS fundementals, but have never been impressed with Garmin's ability to write software. I wish they would release an SDK so that someone else could develop an open source one. It'd be good for everyone (even Garmin!).

[Bill_Walker]

Not so brilliant Google Earth only works on Pcs not on Macs.

 

Same for Garmin's Mapsource. And I still haven't been able to get the V7 maps to install on the old PC I have. I finally used somebody else's to download the new maps/info to my GPS, but now I have no Mapsource at home. I'm really close to buying another @#$#@#@ Windoze machine just so I can run Mapsource. This, in a household with 5 Macs!

[Mike O]

...I wish they would release an SDK so that someone else could develop an open source one. It'd be good for everyone (even Garmin!).

 

AMEN... The user interface is sub-par at best and about 10 years old in terms of GUI and User technology.

 

Regards,

 

Mike O

[HexST]

Aern't BMW's less than 2% of mototrcycles sold in U.S also? I'm a powerbook user and not being able to use mapsource on it sucks by at least 98%.

[MattS]

Yes, but Macs suck slightly more than BMWs suck.

[russell_bynum]

The user interface is sub-par at best and about 10 years old in terms of GUI and User technology.

 

Yep. Probably the product of Outsourcing development to the lowest bidder in India.

[Mike O]

The user interface is sub-par at best and about 10 years old in terms of GUI and User technology.

 

Yep. Probably the product of Outsourcing development to the lowest bidder in India.

 

Don't even get me started...I've got enough horror stories to drain a good bottle of <fill-in-the-blank>

 

Regards,

 

Mike O

[Bill Dennes]

I agree with Ebbo, this is good stuff. It's especially nice for reviewing tracks.

 

The rider with no Garmin software to update can still play with Google Earth (GE) if his PC is new enough and beefy enough. GE takes a fair amount of horsepower, but does not really require a separate video card. If he doesn't have a Garmin GPS, then he has no track info to play with anyway.

 

Right on Google and Garmin!

[eruff]

Knick, I agree with you.

 

-Eric

[Ebbo]

There’s no doubting Garmin has poor software, but I was enthusing about the fact you could ‘fly’ your Garmin trails on Google Earth, which is pretty cool, has anybody tried it yet?

[Ken H.]

has anybody tried it yet?

Yeah just got it to work. That is SO cool!

 

One tip - I had to disable my pop-up blocker to get it to work.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

There’s no doubting Garmin has poor software, but I was enthusing about the fact you could ‘fly’ your Garmin trails on Google Earth, which is pretty cool, has anybody tried it yet?

 

Yah, tried it last night. Would be cooler if I could adjust the perspective while flying. While cruising along a route, if I try to adjust the tilt so I can get a better view of the road ahead, the movement stops and I have to start the route over again - at which point it resets the tilt to its default value.

[Ebbo]

Yah, tried it last night. Would be cooler if I could adjust the perspective while flying. While cruising along a route, if I try to adjust the tilt so I can get a better view of the road ahead, the movement stops and I have to start the route over again - at which point it resets the tilt to its default value.

I couldn’t agree more about the fixed angle, and if you touch anything it stops dead, then you have to start again. Still, it is free! And hopefully the software will be developed further.

Personally, I don’t bother with the automatic route tracking; Mostly because the resolution for the areas I go is so low, and its too restrictive, as mentioned above. I just follow the route setting my own height and angle. A flick of the mouse has you flying the route nicely.

[MattS]

Been using it for about three months, when it first appeared in a beta release of Mapsource.

 

Definitely interesting ... a few nits: it doesn't use elevation/altitude data from the GPS tracks, so if you follow your path across a bridge, the track does not cross the bridge, but shows its path across the crossed terrain. A little strange.

 

Also, it won't show routes except as a polygonal approximation. Yes, it's great that I can see where I've been, but a better use would be for where I will be, and that ain't really happening in this version.

[Ebbo]

I’ll be honest Matt, I didn’t know it was in an earlier Beta release, but that’s because about a year ago…

I VOWED NEVER TO TRY ANYMORE GARMIN BETA PROGRAMS!

 

Sorry, I was shouting…

[MattS]

I VOWED NEVER...

A sound strategy. I was suprised the early release worked as well as it did.

 

My 3-year-old PC wasn't too happy, though, and this was one of several factors that pushed an upgrade. Works nicely on the new machine.

 

Here are the first few miles of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Tennessee. The white blob next to the 100 is the Loveless Cafe.

 

 

Note: the default setting causes the tracks to look ugly, like this:

 

 

Manually adjusting the track properties solves the problem (turn off the points, keep the path):

 

[Ebbo]

Manually adjusting the track properties solves the problem (turn off the points, keep the path):

Now that’s a good tip Matt! thanks I’ll give it a go

 

Looks a good road too, through those hills,

[MattS]

Quick, someone come to atlanta and show me how this works.

Marty, that's 520-364-1241 then 0 at the prompt.

[Bill Dennes]

I don't understand the last part of Ebbo's "how to."

 

I selected a track, got Google Earth loaded, zoomed in and tilted back. The track points are visible. That's so cool that I responded earlier, ignoring the "fly the track" part. Now I want MORE.

 

What do I do with the mouse to start "flying" the track points?

 

Frustrating to be so close...

[Bill Dennes]

Well, here's what I missed:

 

No need to select a track in MapSource before bringing in Google Earth. Just load the file that contains the tracks.

 

Once Google Earth is loaded, Zoom and Tilt to suit your taste. Now find the track you're interested in, in the "Places" box under Temporary Places/GPS Device/Tracks/Active Log nnn.

 

(You'll probably need to look at the track timestamps in MapSource before bringing in Google Earth to find out the name of the track file you want.)

 

Expand that track's Active Log entry and select the "Path" choice that appears.

 

Now press the play button at the bottom of the "Places" box and get ready to start grinning!