RouteConverter
Download

Frequently asked questions

Please read the frequently asked questions before asking in the forum.

What can I do when I see error messages?

This should not happen. If you see one, open Help / Send Error Report..., log in if necessary, and send me a detailed description of the problem along with screenshots or files for further analysis.

Which formats are read and written via gpsbabel?

RouteConverter doesn't need gpsbabel and can read and write the majority of its formats without it. gpsbabel is used for binary and rare formats like:

  • Alan Map 500 Tracklog (*.trl)
  • Alan Map 500 Waypoints and Routes (*.wpr)
  • FAI/IGC Flight Recorder Data (*.igc)
  • Garmin MapSource 5.x (*.mps)
  • Garmin MapSource 6.x (*.gdb)
  • Garmin PCX5 (*.wpt)
  • Garmin POI Database (*.xcsv)
  • Garmin POI (*.gpi)
  • Geocaching.com/EasyGPS (*.loc)
  • Holux M-241 Binary (*.bin)
  • iGO8 Track (*.trk)
  • Magellan MapSend (*.trk)
  • National Geographic Topo 3 to 4 (.tpo)
  • OziExplorer Route (*.rte)
  • OziExplorer Track (*.plt)
  • OziExplorer Waypoint (*.wpt)
  • TomTom POI (*.ov2)
  • Tour Exchange Format (*.tef)

Overall, 18 out of 115 formats use gpsbabel.

How can I show more than one track?

Questions like "Is it possible to show more than one track at the same time on the map, with no connection between the end of one track and the beginning of the next, and a different colour for each track?" come up in the forum from time to time. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Workarounds:

  • add or insert a position list into an existing one;
  • switch between position lists for file formats that support it, e.g. *.gpx, *.kml;
  • start RouteConverter several times and switch windows with Alt/Tab.

Why is the distance information not correct?

Differences in the distance information almost always come from a different method of calculation. In tracks the straight-line distance is calculated — the direct path on the Earth's surface from one position to the next. For routes, the distance is measured along the road network. The 'Type' combo box lets you switch between Track and Route to see both distance calculations. The 'Distance' column in the position list, the 'Add File' dialog for the RouteCatalog, and the Y-axis of the elevation and speed profile views always show the straight-line distance. Unfortunately, it is technically very challenging to surface the Route distance in those places, because the routing takes place on Google Maps servers and only the final result is shown in RouteConverter — as a Route on the map and in the Length and Duration information.

What does "Complete → Coordinates" do?

Complete → Coordinates performs geocoding by sending the description text to the Google Maps Geocoding API, where an algorithm tries to find coordinates for the text using its database.

The process is not unambiguous and can produce surprising results depending on how the description reads, because many places on Earth share the same name or have names that aren't unique. Use Complete → Coordinates only when you have a description for a position but no coordinates.

There's also Position → Find Places…, which performs geocoding too and additionally lets you insert new positions with both a description and coordinates.

Why is the elevation information not correct?

When I compare the elevation data my GPS device recorded with the values that come out of Complete → Elevation, I see large differences. The summed ascents and descents can be off by a factor of three.

RouteConverter can fill in elevation data from several sources.

Offline data sources

RouteConverter downloads the offline data from NASA SRTM and from Jonathan de Ferranti's project on demand.

Online data sources

Every online service has rate limits that can be reached quickly. Once they are, RouteConverter reports an error at the end of the run and you have to configure a different service.

Accuracy

It's worth noting that position accuracy and elevation accuracy on consumer GPS devices are often lower than people expect: roughly plus/minus 15 metres for position and plus/minus 25 metres for elevation. With a calibrated barometric sensor and stable atmospheric pressure, elevation accuracy can drop to about plus/minus 5 metres.

User-data analyses suggest that, when in doubt, the data sources RouteConverter queries can be trusted: they almost always agree to within plus/minus 2 metres.

Little is published about the accuracy of the online services. The NASA SRTM3 data is on a 90-metre grid and has shown high correlation in studies with the 25 m DHM of the TOP50 series produced by the German state surveying authorities.

Summation

RouteConverter sums every ascent and descent and displays the totals prominently above the position list. The totals are a frequent source of confusion: the input data is noisy, no smoothing is applied, and the result therefore depends heavily on the number of positions. You can easily verify this by significantly reducing the number of positions.

Further reading

How do I upload files to the forum?

The forum accepts only GIF, PNG and JPG images as post attachments. To attach an arbitrary file, add it to a ZIP archive and attach the ZIP archive to your post.

In MyBB, the steps are:

  • log in to the forum
  • open the forum section where you want to post
  • click New Thread or Reply
  • write your message in the text field
  • scroll down below the editor to the Attachments section
  • click Add Attachment or Choose File
  • select your image or ZIP file
  • upload the file and wait until it appears in the attachment list
  • submit your post