Lost with conversions

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Kneedragger55

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 28, 2016
Messages
138
Reaction score
40
Location
Raleigh, NC
File converters..... I'm trying to convert a KML to a TRP in order to import into CoPilot. Using Macbook running OS X 10.6.8 (older snow leopard) and I'm having a hell of a time finding a converter that will work with this platform. It seems like everything uses Java, and Java from Oracle is no longer supported on this OS X. So I'm relying on native OS X Java and I'm getting nowhere. I've tried GPSBlabel (wouldn't run) and Route Converter, but Route Converter is designed for Java 7/8, which is not supported on Snow Leopard. Native Mac Java gives me nothing but a command prompt when trying to run Route Converter, and most of the converter options I've referenced on here don't support TRP. Am I really going to have to update my OS X in order to run a freaking file converter? I can do what I need to with Google Maps, but I downloaded CoPilot to be prepared in case I loose service in the middle of the NC mountains. The drag and drop feature for modifying routes on Copilot is just too cumbersome, and I already have all these routes created in Google. Hoping just to import. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 
Try Tyre 6.44 if you already have it installed. It can import Google files and save as CoPilot. Do not upgrade to 6.45 as they have eliminated import of Google files from website (Google keeps changing the code, they can't keep up). However, I see the 6.45 version still says in can import KML or KMZ...... try it. I am not a Google maps user so not sure.....

 
Thanks. Only works for Windows unfortunately. Could run a WIN simulator, but most of those are only supported by OS X 10.8 or later

 
Ok so I bit the bullet. Upgraded the mac to OS X 10.11, about time. Everything fortunately works great. Now I'm running the Java based GPS converter that wouldn't work before, and it's pretty cool. Found here. Now it seems like the problem is based on the KML file. When I copy the KML file into the converter I get two "position lists". One is the original route google recommends, the fastest one along interstates that is not modified, this route only has two waypoints (beginning and end). The other position list is my route, which displays perfectly; however, it displays as 4078 distinct way points. That's fine on this Java based app, but when I convert to TRP and put it on my phone, copilot freezes and won't open it. I can get the TRP file to display within Copilot, but when I try to open the app freezes completely. HELP!! Any copilot users out there who import from KML?

 
Played with route converter last night and it is in fact the number of positions/waypoints that creates havoc in Copilot. Route Converter does have a feature to delete duplicate positions, different algorithms, etc but I can't get it to work. When I simply retraced my route in the converter and uploaded the TRP file, it worked great. However, I'd really like to avoid retracing ever route I have. Going to hopefully make some progress, I've asked for some help on their forum.

 
Routing between different programs depends completely on the matching of the maps database, and the algorithm used by the programs to calculate a route. Different programs have different rules for deciding which turns to make, and different programs have different databases for map data. An intersection in one data set may not exists in the other, even when they look identical on screen.

I haven't used CoPilot in years, as when i was looking at it, it didn't even begin to compare to Google Maps, and would not store routes; it would only start a route from my current position. I was investigating it because of its ability to navigate without cellular data, but the program sucked so bad I simply gave it up. Maybe it's worth looking at again.... Just the ability to save routes is something it didn't have when i was looking at it.

Anyway, a route conversion with just the start and end points will almost never match when sent to another system. Using more waypoints forces it to stay closer to your desired route. I looks like your converter uses start/end only in one of its position lists, and a waypoint every few yards in its other list. The first won't match and will need to be "fixed" and the second doesn't fit because there's too much data.

I don't know that you have any choice but to either re-create from scratch in CoPilot, or take that step of retracing in the converter.

 
Understood and thanks for the input. CoPilot seems to have improved "vastly" from when you last checked it out. I can save routes, either to a cloud, or just export them individually in whatever format I choose. And they definitely put the "delete duplicate positions" tab in there for that exact reason, to deal with the import function when you have way too many waypoints; for some reason I just can't get it to work. Really, CoPilot will be my backup unless I need otherwise. I just wanted to be safe since this is my first lengthy trip. I've got google maps w/ gps, copilot, and paper maps haha. I think I've looked at enough maps online to find my way blind folded.

 
Yes, I am using Copilot. I have never had a lot of luck moving routes from Google to Copilot. Mechanically I can do it but it seems that the Google shaping points really screw with CoPilot. You get a message that you have reached your destination on every shaping point and there may be 10 of them in one corner (and they aren't technically duplicates since they are a few yards apart). I haven't found a way to fix this yet.

ps - I use Garmin as my main go to navigation tool but I do like to have everything loaded on CoPilot as a backup in case of Garmin failure (which happened to one of my riding friends on a trip). Paper maps of the route are also in my tankbag as a final backup/sanity check on Garmin.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ok sounds good. Ughhh....this should really be more simple. I'll probably end up just retracing routes in Route Converter just to make sure I have them. Either way thanks for the feedback

 
It's getting better but a lot of the issue is that Garmin makes it hard to move data in and out of their units. Which is ironic given that Garmin as a company sees themselves as the "internet of things" leader. They have the best routing and navigation algorithms but they are stuck in 2006 as far as interoperability and User Interface goes.

For example: Why can't Basecamp be web enabled, so that you could load routes to your Zumo right off a browser and store your routes in the cloud? My buddy who had his Zumo crap out on a trip had no way of loading his routes onto a replacement on the road. His mistake was trying to load a map update the night before his trip and it didn't take, leaving only the "base" map.

I can load onto my Co-Pilot from my dropbox account from anywhere, and I use Co-Pilot exclusively for business travel these days (with Google Maps as backup). I don't even bother taking a Garmin unit along anymore.

There are some really great threads on AdvRider about GPS tech. I usually go there when I am stumped.

Joke of the day: Why does Garmin call them Lifetime Updates? Because it takes a lifetime to apply one update!
w00t.gif
I'm here all week...tip your waitress.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Got the Route Converter app to work last night. Not sure why it wouldn't work before, but now it's great. Basically, there are three "types" of position arrangements for each route, tracks, routes, and waypoints. The track is the exact same as the route, just different... So if I select track (based on 4000 positions) I can convert the track to a route. When I do that it maintains the correct route, but deletes about half of the positions. At that point the algorithms work and I can cut down on the positions with either of the 3 options it offers. Pretty neat, you just have to make sure the route stays the same after you delete a bunch of positions. Got it to work though, so that's great. Basically once I fix the TRP file for Copilot, I just save it to my dropbox (which is linked to my phone). I can use a file transfer app to move the TRP file from my dropbox to the Copilot folder and walla...I've got the custom route in copilot. Seems to work great now, happy to have a backup if/when I loose service. I'll be trying copilot out for the next week or so, and I may even use that exclusively to save data if I'm satisfied.

 
Top