Routing Software?

myrrh · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:59 am Post subject: Routing Software?

A friend posed this question to me: He wants to be able to enter 10-20 street addresses into a program and have it determine the most efficient route to all the addresses. He needs this only for a particular major US city.

He wants to use his laptop. Is there software that will do this without a GPS? Or is using a GPS the best way to do this? If a GPS is the way to go, which GPS/software?

lbendlin · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:38 am Post subject:

CoPilot Desktop does route optimization. The GPS doesn't have to be connected.
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

myrrh · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:03 am Post subject:

Thank you for your reply, Lutz. I went to their website and did not see anything called "desktop." Does it go by another name?

lbendlin · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:06 am Post subject:

http://www.alk.com/copilot/laptop.asp
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

Tumbleweed · Frequent Visitor Joined: Aug 30, 2004 Posts: 315

lbendlin · Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:16 pm Post subject:

tumbleweed, it is not uncommon to do GPS routing on a laptop. Particularly RV and HGV drivers use that a lot. There are a few programs available, CoPilot, iGuidance, even MS Autoroute. But only CoPilot does the optimisation.
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

Scarecrow · Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:50 pm Post subject:

MS Autoroute can do optimaisation. If you create a route and save it (be sure to close Autoroute after saving, as it tends to hang on to the .axe file) you can use this utility http://leforres.perso.cegetel.net/itn to convert the .axe file to a one of a number of types of file.

I believe if you use a Tom Tom you can import an itinerary (.itn) file as a required route.

I have a Garmin Nuvi, and the way I use the program is to convert the Autoroute file to a .csv file, which is then saved in my POI file for downloading to the SatNav. To find the route, go to custom POIs and it will be in there under whatever name yousaved the converted file to.

Unfortunately with the Nuvi, youcan't navigate the entire route in one go, as the unit will only allow you to navigate to an end point via one waypoint, but it's a useful way of creating and storing all the waypoints in one place if you want to choose your own route over what the SatNav might otherwise choose.

	PocketGPS
	Web