3597 question (using vias to build a route)

According to Garmin support yes. Even though we all know some 200 series will do more then one via.Look at notes at bottom. With all other nuvi devices you can add several via points per route.

How do I add a via point to a route on my Camper, dezl, LIVE, nuvi, RV, or zumo device?

When you set up a via point on a route, the device navigates to your final destination by way of the via point that you added. In other words, you navigate first to the via point, and then to your final destination.

To add a via point to a route:

Touch a destination
Touch Go
It may be required to allow the device to calculate to this destination before moving on to the next step
Touch the menu button or back arrow to return to the main menu
Touch Where To?
Locate and touch the desired Favorite, Point of Interest, Address, or Recently Found
Touch Add to Active Route or Add As a Via Point
Some devices will require you to select Done

Note: With the nuvi 30, 40, 50, 52, 54, 200, 300, 600, 1100, 1200 and 1300 series, you can add one via point per route. With all other nuvi devices you can add several via points per route.

The MapQuest program does make it a snap to do routes. http://www.poi-factory.com/node/42698

On the 3597 routes are called trips. From the main screen, touch Apps, Trip Planner, and New Trip. You can choose the starting point, end point, and via points. Up to 30 via points can be used. Then save the trip. In the future, edit and save it again.

This is so simple that I never use the PC before a trip except for custom POIs. The trips planned on the nuvi are displayed on BaseCamp.

Favorites can be used as via points. You can transfer the favorites from the 255.

Everything the 255 can do, the 3597 can do and more. The menus are different and it takes some exploring as well as reading the manual to find all this.

dobs108

On your 255, you could create a multi-point route as your active route, but you couldn't save it and pull it back up for later use. You also couldn't create a route on the computer and import it into the 255.

So the 3597 Trip Planner gives you these added functions that your 255 didn't have ... saved trips and route import.

I have Trip Planner on my model also and as posted it is easy to use. Info for 3597 http://goo.gl/h4aKPN

The procedure is pretty much unchanged but I caution against using Trip Planner - it's a real PITA.

Personally, I lay out my routes using Base Camp. Just enter the starting point and the end point then stretch the route to follow the desired roads.

One of the nice things about using Base Camp is you can eliminate all those waypoint orange flags by telling the planner "Don't Alert on Arrival." Once the rout has been planned, it's a simple point and click to transfer to the 3597. The biggest advantage is you have your computer's screen to play with rather than the unit screen. It's easier to adjust positions of the individual points on a big screen than trying to play with the little Nuvi screen.

Trip Planner is a PITA as it will break down a trip into fixed segments according to the driving options and hours you have to first enter. If you drive further (or less) than what the planner says you are to cover, you can't modify the remainder without starting all over.

But once you've figured it out, you might forget how you used to do it on the 255w. Assuming you want a route that you don't want to save... I was accustomed to selecting a destination and then using the "near my route" facility to sprinkle in some vias from my favorites and poi. My 750 was happy with that and nicely reordered the vias into the proper sequence. Doing it that way on the 3597 won't find points near my route beyond the 1st via. The workaround was to insert vias starting with the one closest to my destination and working backwards. That does work but the recommended way is as previously mentioned, is to go into the Apps function and select Trip Planner. To be honest, I haven't had particularly different results with it. What works best for me is to break my travel day in half. I set my destination where I plan to stop for lunch and then toss in a fuel stop and anything else along the way I might want to see. At lunch, I generate a new "Where to?" with my evening destination and any desired stops for that leg.

There are other alternatives such as BaseCamp but I've not tried that. Each finds a method they like best. The bottom line is that the 3597 will do what the 255w did, but the steps might be different and the screens and menus certainly look different. I had a bit of buyer's remorse for a couple of days but I quickly got over it and haven't looked back.

When using Trip Planner for all my trips with the 3597, I have never entered driving options or hours. That is for the optional Scheduling feature which I see no point in using. The trip is not divided into segments. Trip Planner never says what I have to cover. I always drive further or less than I planned, with no difficulty from Trip Planner.

While navigating on a trip, I can navigate away from the trip with a "Where To," or drive away from it without navigating. I can then open Trip Planner and navigate back to the trip with a selection of routes, in the direction I am going, not from the beginning but somewhere along the trip that makes sense. I do not have to start over.

Trips can be edited at all times. If you are navigating on a trip, stop the trip and edit and save the new trip. Start Trip Planner on the newly edited trip and navigate to the trip. Again, the trip is rejoined somewhere that makes sense, not the beginning.

Total flexibility! Simple to understand!

A key point - In this thread we are talking about the Trip Planner app on the nuvi, which is not the same as Trip Planner in BaseCamp on the PC. That could have caused confusion.

dobs108

How did we determine that searching "along the route" will only go to the next via point? There must be a limit but what is it? Searching along a very long route would bring up an impossible number of POIs or Favorites.

On 1/16/15, t923347 wrote about the 3597:

dobs108

When I want to route a trip that I am planning to take. It is easy once you get use to it.

Per the Garmin website, it appears that my 750 and models of that generation supported up to 200 waypoints in a route (not sure who would do that), the new generation support only 30 and that seems to be reasonable.

This discussion came up within the last couple of months but I don't have the reference at hand. I can recreate it at will. I think the behavior only appears on the 3597 but I don't know for sure.

I do a simple Where To? and use any method to select the destination then select Go! and let it generate a route.
I then do another Where To?, Search - Near My Active Route ((for the test I use a the Cracker Barrel file that has only a handful of points between me and my chosen destination. I could use Favorites (now called Saved Places) or a Garmin provided POI, it doesn't make any difference.)) The search offers 8 locations. For my test, I have decided on 2 that are at exits immediately on my route. One is 39 miles away, the other is at 124 miles.
If I select the one at 39 miles and then repeat the last step, only 3 are now listed, none beyond the 39 mile point on my route and the one at 124 miles is no longer available to me.
If I select the one at 124 miles first, then repeat, 6 are displayed and I can now select the one at 39 miles and both will appear as vias or waypoints on my route.

If I do the same thing on the 750, I will get a list of only 2 (the search radius on the 750 is much smaller than the 3597) and can select in any order. I really should run this past Garmin, but as this is supposedly a discontinued model, I don't expect much in the way of support unless this behavior exists on other current models.

I found this used to be a very simple way to add a via from the Custom POI list while en route.

Up Ahead seems to work well, but understandably will not look at any Custom POI.

This is interesting - so the 3597 displays more POIs than older units!

dobs108

I truly appreciate all your help & guidance and must say that your all very convincing

That is good to know about the 30 via point limit. While I can't imagine planning a route with more than that any time soon, it is still good to know.

Dobs108, is that listed in the on line manual or did you learn of it some other way?

Begin to imagine the organizational capabilities one must have to use the trips function...

Cripes, I have a hard time planning a trip to the gas station without being sidetracked to somewhere else.

Do you guys that plan out your trips have any other forms of fun in your lives other than planning a trip???

Hmmm.. Kind of makes me think of Timothy Leary

That is from a search of FAQs on the Garmin support website. At this link there are sections for older units and newer units. These are detailed instructions on how to create and edit a route/trip on any Garmin device (on the device itself):

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?...

The text is too long to post in this thread.

dobs108

We are obsessive - that is why we are here!

dobs108

Your mileage will vary, but I find using POI to plan a route to be every bit as problematic as using BaseCamp the first few times. The problem being you can't adjust the locations for the individual points. This leads to the unit directing you off the route to go to the POI location and then it nagging you until you either delete the point if you have more than one as intermediate points on your route.

Every via point is selected on the nuvi along the road you want to take. The reason for a via point is to select one road over another. For main roads the via point in one direction usually is different from the other direction. Passing a via point is seamless and does not direct you off the route.

dobs108

Now you are back to my original point about using Trip Planner. If you use Trip Planner in BaseCamp, it is a real PITA to plan multi-day trips as that software breaks trips into fixed segments. If you use waypoints, then you have to build the waypoint using BaseCamp or MapSource and then tranfer the point to the unit which is the same as building the route and then transferring the route which is not the same as using Trip Planner.

Yes, once you have built the waypoints, you can use the Trip Planner function on the unit, but then you have already built the trip as a route so why play with the waypoints multiple times when you can build the route in BaseCamp using the waypoints and transfer the route to the Nuvi.

Putting waypoints on roads is not as easy as it sounds as you need to zoom in as close as possible and insure the point is correctly positioned. If you are off just a little, the unit may route you miles out of your way because it thought a side road was closer to the point than the road you wanted. Of course, this where that rare item common sense comes into play as you could also determine the route was incorrect and you didn't need to get off the road you were on.

The hangup in this discussion is the fact there are two different functions with the same name and that's a Garmin error. Trip Planner on the unit is more a route planner than a trip planner. Personally, I do route planning and stay far away from the Trip Planner function.

Since this thread is about creating via points to tell the nuvi which way to go, this is for those who have never used a nuvi to do this:

It doesn't matter whether via points are created using the nuvi or created in BaseCamp and transferred to the nuvi. Canuk's idea is to use the nuvi. The advantage is that the nuvi is always with you and via points can be created and edited in the car.

Many of my via points were created years ago as Favorites on my 760 and live on as Saved Places on the 3597. To get off Long Island you have to cross one of many bridges and go through New York City, where Gridlock was invented. Would you let the nuvi tell you what bridge to take? I have a saved place for every bridge, one for each direction.

To create a via point on an older nuvi, zoom all the way in on the road you want to take. The lanes will separate for each direction. Touch the road and an arrow appears. Touch Save. Name the Favorite something to remember easily such as GW Bridge Westbound. Then make another point in the opposite direction for the return trip, named GW Bridge Eastbound.

To create a via point on the newer nuvi, touch the road and a blue circle appears. Touch the menu icon (three bars). Touch Save. Name the Saved Place as above.

To use these via points, create a Route on the older nuvi or create a Trip onboard the newer nuvi using the Trip Planner app. They are both the same thing - just different names and the menus are different.

On the older nuvi touch Where To? (on some nuvis touch Tools). Touch Route. Touch New. Select a Start Point and an End Point. Touch the green + sign to add a via point. Select which Favorite to use. Add another via point (up to 30). After saving the route, look at it on the map to be sure the magenta line goes the way you want for the entire route. If not, add a via point and save it again.

On the newer nuvi, touch Apps. Touch Trip Planner. Touch New Trip. Select the via points from Saved Places. All other steps are the same.

Using this method, canuk can create via points on Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia, a road the nuvi would never take otherwise.

dobs108

With only minor editing, this could be made into a FAQ - one that would be extremely helpful.

Sometime the simplest way is indeed the best way

Thanks

Yes, and it needs to be rewritten. Aren't there other FAQs on this? I am away from my PC now.

There are many FAQs that deal with routes, but do not think there is one that addresses the need to use a "via" point to FORCE the device to go a certain way.

That is what attracted me about your post.

Some times I force the GPS to route the way I want to go. It works fine every time. After you do a few of these route, it does take up a little of your time. I normally do one route if I know where I am going.

You might want to note that on the 2013 and newer nuvi's (like the 3597), once via points have been added to a trip, they can be changed from destinations to shaping points. These shaping points become part of a given trip segment and prevent the nuvi from "announcing" the point as you pass it

Funny alandb should mention passing via points in an unannounced, uneventful manner. These ideas on forcing a route using via points are adapted from the way marine GPS units are used.

Marine via points, called waypoints, are at buoys in most cases. In salt water, the buoys are steel and weigh several tons. Marine GPS units are connected to a motorized steering unit called an autohelm, which is like cruise control but it also steers on your course, or route. The GPS will announce the approach of a via point.

Marine charts, or maps, are so accurate, and the GPS is so accurate, that if you place the via point on the buoy, the boat will literally crash head-on into the buoy, which can sink the boat immediately. This is especially exciting in fog! For that reason, via points must be placed about 50 yards away from the buoy, measured at right angles to the course.

dobs108

If ever you have the time in making a FAQ on creating via points & explain the differences between using them as destination versus shaping points would not only be appreciated but certainly beneficial to many of us

...has crafted a series of video tutorials on Basecamp explaining this. Definitely worth watching.

I thought it could be achieved without Basecamp as I don't use that program nor have any interest for it at this point of time.

I use the "Track" tool. No Vias or Waypoints. Doesn't clutter up your Saved Places.

Accessible thru "APPS" on the 3597.

Just be sure that travel mode is set to "Automobile" or you will get some weird routing. Set the mode in the top toolbar and set it once again in the Track tool. Takes awhile to figure out how to use it though.

The FAQ is in progress. I am testing every step on my 760 and 3597. All facts need to be checked on Garmin support as well as the nuvi manuals. All contributor's opinions in this thread need to be included.

dobs108

Using waypoints to shape a route has been around for many years. The issues for users in defining the difference between a shaping point and a waypoint actually resides in the device and its software.

There is no functional difference between a waypoint and a shaping point. They bot are markers placed as intermediate points on a route, the difference being in how the unit handles them and the properties you can assign to the location. The key element difference between a shaping and a waypoint is if the unit alerts when the point is reached. The ability to assign an alert or not has been in both MapSource and BaseCamp for virtually forever but the ability of a unit to alert or not is tied to the unit's software.

My 885 will accept either a waypoint or a shaping point, however it treats both as waypoints in that it is an active point in the route and the time and distance to reach the point is displayed. The arrival is announced and then the unit continues along the rout to the next programmed point. The 3597 will use the shaping point as part of the route calculation however its presence is mainly hidden and the arrival is not announced is no alert is one of the properties. (I'm operating off memory here, but I believe the 3597 will show a dot on the map for the shaping point and it may display it in the banner bar.)

Suffice it to say that all 3 digit units will announce a waypoint or shaping point along with most 4 digit units. It's only the latest units that have the ability to not announce. Of course, the Zumo motorcycle units have had the shaping point capability for years, so their software wasn't the same as a comparable automotive unit. Motorcycle Mama clued me in on that several years ago when I was still green behind the ears.

But again, the biggest challenge to creating a shaping or waypoint is the correct placement of the point. For me, using either Mapsource or BaseCamp has always proved invaluable as a much bigger segment of the map is displayed and it's much easier to move the point with a mouse than a finger.

I'll also admit I haven't played with Mapsource as much the past couple of years so I'm uncertain as to its rout transfer capability. I know it will transfer the start and end points and I believe it will also do the intermediate points as well but I haven't tried building a route with waypoints in Mapsource for a couple years. I know Basecamp handles all points laided out in the route correctly.

One final point, if you haven't started using Basecamp, I do urge you to start. Garmin as video tutorials which are lacking in many areas (at least the ones I've seen) and Norwood also created some which I understand are more detailed but I haven't taken the time to view his.

I just got my 3597 and hooked it up to the computer. It says 1.23 gb free of 7.01 gb. Odd. Then the map update said it was 5 gig. Loading map now

Your question really doesn't belong in this thread dealing with building routes but,

1.23 GB free space sounds about right. The map update will overwrite the old map files with the new ones so 1.23GB free now should be plenty of room.

The 3597 uses a bunch of internal memory space for Voice Recognition files, 3D building and 3D Terrain files, Junction View files, and the new TTS3 voices take up lots more space than the old TTS voices did.

The FAQ on via points is posted. Thanks to all of you. There are a number of additions and revisions that seem to be needed.

www.poi-factory.com/node/44330

dobs108

I just got my 3597 and playing around with it and have a question when creating a route in trip planner.

Let's say trip "A" is 500 miles from start to finish, before using my 255WT I would put in various vias (5 for example) along with the finishing location and the unit would route me that way.

Using the 3597 I created a trip using the same 5 vias as I have in the past and noticed that when I press go it'll ask me "select next destination". If I select the final destination the unit will route me differently than I want to because I haven't included the vias to force the routing that specific way.

Knowing the above I press go and "select my next destination" as my first via, the unit will route me the way I want to go.

Now when I press the top of the screen to preview the route, I see it will take me to my first via and then there's another green go button for my second via, another green go button for the third via and so forth.

My first question is will the unit do all this automatically or when I get to my first via I'll have to press the green go button to get to my second via and so forth until my final destination ?

Dobs108 mentions in his FAQ
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/44330 that we can use shaping points so that the GPS doesn't chime when arriving at a via point & I'm not sure what exactly I'm doing wrong but when I press the orange flag nothing happens.

I'm enjoying my new toy but it'll certainly take some time and practice in learning all the capabilities this unit has.

Yes, you will get directions to the next "via" automatically once you reach the first one. This will continue until you get to your final destination.

I normally use my 3597 with the sound muted and rarely, if ever, knowingly use shaping points, so I can't answer your second question.

I have done a little experimenting with shaping points, but not enough to know all the ramifications of using them instead of waypoints. One of my concerns about shaping points is what happens when you deviate from the route forcing it to recalculate? For example, suppose you leave the freeway route to get gas or go to a restaurant or nearby attraction. Will the nuvi recalculate to the next shaping point? Or, will it skip all the remaining shaping points in that segment and recalculate to the next "hard" waypoint. My sense is that it does the latter, but would need to do some experimenting to validate that theory. I can't think of any way to test this in simulation, so it would require actual driving of a route.

Shaping points are regular waypoints with the exception they do not alert or post a flag. If you are on a route with shaping points and deviate, the unit will recalculate from your present position to the next shaping point, just as it would do for any other intermediate point on a route. There are times when it will want you to backtrack to hit a point and you handle that in the same manner. You edit the route and either delete the point or select the next point.

When creating a trip using the Trip Planner app in the nuvi, first create the starting point, then create the end destination. All via points are inserted in between the start and the end.

After you have created a trip in the 3597 with via points using the trip planner app onboard the nuvi, this is how to use that trip:

To start navigating, do NOT use Where to? on the main page! We are talking about a trip, so use the Trip Planner app. Touch Apps/Trip Planner/Select Trip/Go and the nuvi will navigate the entire trip without having to select any intermediate destinations or via points.

If you drive part of the trip and stay at a motel, the next morning do the same thing. Touch Apps/Trip Planner/Select Trip/Go and the nuvi will navigate to the trip without starting at the beginning.

Shaping points have nothing to do with this. A via point will have a chime alert as you pass it. A shaping point will not. That is the only difference. Most nuvis do not have shaping points, and the 3597 does not.

dobs108

I have already validated the theory. I have used routes with via points on my 760 and trips with via points on my 3597 for 5 years. It is routine to deviate from the Route/Trip for many reasons. The nuvi returns to the Route/Trip at a location that makes sense. It does not start at the beginning or navigate to some distant via point.

dobs108

For sharing your knowledge and insight with me, now after having created all my routes on the unit (13) it'll soon be time for me to actually test them out (trial & error)

One last thing, on my 255WT if I had inserted a via (lets say for example a Welcome Center just a little off the interstate) and I decided not go to the Welcome Center my unit would try for two exits to reroute me to the Welcome Center but after two exits it would understand that I wasn't interested in going there and would continue routing me on my way.

From your experience will the 3597 behave in this matter or will it continually want me to get off at the next exit to reach the via point in which I didn't go to ?

Depending on how the unit reacts, I might have to correct/ customize several routes because I like adding the vias "just in case" but don't always choose in going there.

The 3597 doesn't nag. If you skip the via point at the Welcome Center and continue forward on the Route/Trip, it will quickly continue on with the Route/Trip without saying anything.

My idea is to create all the via points on the road you want to drive on, so I never make a via point for a Welcome Center or, for example, a restaurant to stop for lunch. I drive off the Route/Trip for these stops and resume the Route/Trip later.

If your idea is to include the Welcome Center or restaurant, it would work just as well.

dobs108

It's good to know that it'll continue routing you even though it never arrived at a certain via point that was initially programmed.

I always take the same route from home to Florida twice a year when going on holidays therefore I always stop for gas at a certain Pilot/ Flying J and basicaly have all my stops down to a T.

After having driven for many hours, I'll program for example South Carolina Welcome Center as a via to get out and stretch a little but at times I don't feel the need to stop so I just continue thus the reason that I won't go to that certain via.

In general though (95%) the vias I program are there for a reason and I do navigate to them.

So far I'm enjoing the 3597 with it's tons of new features but found that the glass gives a good glare in the bright Florida sunshine in comparison to my 255.

I'm not complaining as I don't expect that problem when I do get back home

A via point will have an alert as you pass it. A shaping point will not. I previously said, "Most nuvis do not have shaping points, and the 3597 does not."

In fact, the 3597 has shaping points. Following the Garmin FAQ on shaping points on a saved route, I clicked on a via point to change it to a shaping point and it did not work, so I concluded that the 3597 does not have shaping points. It was thought the reason it did not work is because the saved trip did not have three or more via points, but that was incorrect.

The procedure described in the Garmin Support Shaping Point FAQ has been removed from this thread because it is not specific enough for a user to follow and successfully create a shaping point.

I have driven several test trips and am in the process of writing a POI Factory FAQ on changing via points to shaping points.

dobs108

The screen of the 3597 is as shiny as glass, because it is glass! A matte screen protector is available. I always order three because applying it doesn't always go well. There is a small hole in the screen protector for the speaker hole in the lower-right corner of the nuvi which makes it difficult to position. Just cut 1/2" off the corner to expose the speaker.

Here is one of many:

http://www.amazon.com/3597LMTHD-Anti-Glare-Finishing-Protect...

dobs108

I haven't seen the "select the next destination" prompt and none of my via points have "Go" buttons. When I drive the route, it is continuous past all the via points without pressing another "Go" button. When passing a via point, there is a chime because I have not changed it to a shaping point. The chime does not have to be acknowledged.

I am guessing that you did not start navigating by Using the Trip Planner app, selecting a trip, and touching "Go." When you intend to navigate with a trip, I don't think it would be correct to press the "Go" button to a via point.

dobs108

To do this there must be a saved route which has at least 3 via points. (not including the start and end points)

On the map, touch the orange flag of the via point. This changes it to a shaping point. Touch Next, Touch Save, to save the route again. (Edit - This is the procedure from Garmin Support FAQ. It has proven to be incorrect. I am writing a POI Factory FAQ on this.)

In my opinion, this is not a big advantage.

dobs108

My first question is will the unit do all this automatically or when I get to my first via I'll have to press the green go button to get to my second via and so forth until my final destination ?

If I am following you correctly the vias you are refering to.You used them to make a route.

Once you go to Apps,Trip Planner,Touch the Saved route.You should now see the Go tab.Touch Go.If you are at the start location.Your 2nd stop should already be marked.Juts hit start and its all automatic after that.

I touched app on the main screen, trip planner and then started adding my destinations.

I put in my starting point as the place where I was leaving from (example Flying J in Florida exit 131, off I-95) and my final destination is the Flying J in Georgia exit 29, off I-95)

If i don't include vias, it won't take me up at all times on I-95 thus the reason I use vias. I don't want the unit asking me to take an aleternate route.

Back to trip planning :

I use my starting point from where I am, several vias so that I stay on the I-95 and my final destination as the Flying J in Georgia. I save this trip and call it Georgia Northbound.

When I go back on my main screen I press apps, then trip planner and then choose the route called Georgia Northbound. I then see on the right hand side of the screen the button map and go. When I press go it asks select next destination. IF I scroll downwards to my final destination (Flying J Georgia) and press go the route calculates and tells me to drive to highlighted route.

Now I touch the top banner to see what route exactly it will take me on I see that it deviates off the I-95 which I don't want it to do. I press stop on the main menu screen and start over.

I press apps, trip planner, Georgia Northbound, go and it asks me "select next destination" (All my vias and final destination appear). I press my first via closest to where I am and press go.

The unit calculates and tells me to drive to highlighted route. I once again press the top banner to see how it will route me.

It shows that it will bring me to my first via, but for my second via it has a green go button, a green go button for my third via and etc.

The way the unit routes me this way is corret and the way I want to go but was wondering if I would have to pess go everytime I got to a via or if this would be done automatically.

Perhaps I didn't create my trip in the correct manner but there doesn't seem to many ways in doing it.

***I just see these green go buttons when I touch the top of the screen because I want to be sure that the unit routes me my way. I've had previos map updates where the unit would for some reason take me on an alternate route and when I see that I add an additional via so that it takes me the way I want to go***

I sense that I'll be a top notch via specialist very shortly