Importing Google Maps Routes

#1 · 29.07.2024, 22:41

Hey Guido

A quick one.

I used Google Maps to create a route, mainly because the Scenic Here map doesn't seem to have the same level of detail that I needed to locate the destination. Anyway, that's not the issue, the question is for what Scenic does after it receives the imported file (using the URL capture method).
Why are there two entries in the import list?

One is a route, the other is a track.
The route has 2 points and a distance of 78 km (at least) while the track shows the correct distance but has 317 points

Which one do I use to import into Scenic?

I'm doing this via the Mac Mini desktop computer.

Incidentally, I did import both. I did this to test the differences. Both created the same route and each with roughly the same number of vias (around 28 each) despite one having 2 points the other having 317).

And what is the difference between a "via" and a "point"?

Note: this is to help me understand better how Scenic works (and hopefully help others, too), nothing more.

Thanks.

Martin

#2 · 30.07.2024, 08:16

Hi @marts,

You should use the ROUTE and not the TRACK. I'll try to explain a bit:

In Google Maps you can add stops in the the left hand panel. Those become stops in Scenic. In other words, all the entries you see in the left hand panel in Google, will become stops in Scenic. Scenic imports the location and the names of the stops.
In Google Maps you can also drag the route line to make the route take different roads. These "drag points" become via points in Scenic, and help Scenic get the same route as Google Maps.
However this is not a guarantee that Scenic results in the same route. Especially if there are no or few "drag points" the chances that Scenic calculates a different route between your stops woud be high (because Scenic uses different map data and a different routing algoritm).
That's where the track comes in. Scenic uses the track from Google (which is the actual shape/geometry of the route), to extract additional via points at key places along that geometry. These via points are added to the route and with that, the chances that Scenic calculates a different route than Google become a lot lower.

Importing the route will indeed give you the same route as importing the track, but there is one big difference. If you import the track you will lose your stops and stop names. (The information you added in the left hand panel in Google). If you only have a start and destination in the left hand panel this differences is not really noticeable, but if you add additional stops you will notice this.

Does that explain?
Best regards,
Guido

If you're enjoying Scenic and are happy with the support, please leave a nice rating in the App Store. It would mean a lot to me ❤️

#3 · 30.07.2024, 20:22

Thanks Guido.

Great explanation.

Just to clarify, the route had the start end finish, no vias, stops or whatever you call them in Google Maps.

Now that you've explained how this stuff works I can now experiment with dragged routes and so on to see how they look when imported into Scenic.

They say to never stop learning and trying to understand things. Helps keep the brain healthy as you get older. This, for me, is one way of doing that, taking up hobbies which are tech based, since I retired two years ago. Photography is another.

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