General questions regarding use

[wgrant]

I have read through the Forum posts and the FAQ. I have been playing with the web version of the app for several days.

I am looking to use the app to build routes/tracks for delivering newspapers, for myself and my daughter. Because these are free papers, they are delivered to everyone in an area who does not explicitly ask not to receive them. The delivery areas themselves are fixed and the track that the driver drives is the same each week, although the number of papers delivered can fluctuate up or down. These tracks typically involve going up the right side of street, doing a U-turn at the end or a specific intersection, and coming back down the other side, throwing out the driver window.

As I have created the waypoints, a typical delivery route has somewhere between 175 and 250 waypoints defined. I have built sets of waypoints and tried to create routes as well. I understand that these routes will be adjusted by whichever navigational app I load the route into based on that app's routing algorithm.

I have several questions. First, is this a valid use of this software? If so, what is the best way to configure waypoints so that the track will go up and down streets? Should I create a route of track with this many waypoints or try to break the area into a series of smaller sections? I have tried to create a route in the software for the whole area from scratch as well change the waypoint list into a route. In both cases, I get a light blue route that follows the streets initially but then part way in switches to an orange line that goes from waypoint to waypoint like a track.

Please forgive my lack of understanding of the correct terminology. Any direction or guidance you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks!

[kumo]

Hi and welcome here...

Everything depends on the satnav and the accuracy of the gps position.

The satnav must be able to 'understand' your files.
And it must be able to announce 'destination reached' when a delivery point is reached.

The satnav can't pinpoint your position without typical errors. The gps position accuracy mainly depends on number and geometry of satellites 'visible' and on reflection/shading errors by large buildings. The typical accuracy is somewhere around 30 yards diameter. So you may get in problems when the calculated gps position has a large error and when building doors or post boxes are close together.

[wgrant]

Understood. In my case, I am not trying to map the individual addresses I am delivering to but only the route or track I would drive. My routes are all rural for the most part, so buildings are not close together.

Should I use RouteConverter to build waypoint lists, routes, or tracks to import into the navigation app I am using? I have created a route in RouteConverter for one of my delivery areas as well as a set of waypoints which I then switch to a route. In both cases, I get a light blue route that follows the streets initially but then switches to an orange line that goes from waypoint to waypoint like a track. Trying to understand why the switch in behavior in the app... Can you shed some light on that for me?

[kumo]

This behaviour of RouteConverter indicates that the routing algorithm did not found a valid route along legal streets at the orange part of the trip.

In high mountains this may e.g be caused by a street closure due do snow.

In rural areas it (mostly) indicates that one or more points are set too far from the real street. You may switch to satellite view and zoom into the map. Then mark line by line in the position list and compare the positions with the real street. Move points to the real street when they are off the street.

In some very few cases the (google maps) routing algorithm is faulty.

[IlmariKrebs]

for my understanding track should be the right type otherwise your navigation device tries to calculate a route instead of guiding you from point to point in your track