Sharing GPX files with others and a few questions about time estimates. Thanks
Quote from ISST on 08.08.2022, 15:08Hope all is well. We use Scenic for our driving group and have close to 20 users (all with lifetime subscriptions). One issue keeps coming up so I thought I would reach out for help. We created a route and shared it with the others via a GPX file. Most folks use Scenic but one guy uses Calimoto; he has an Android phone. Everyone was able to open the GPX file and download it to their iPhones. Overall everyone got a similar result but a few folks had different directions during the ride. The guy with Calimoto had no issues. For some reason, for some folks, Scenic will say make a right turn here which was not on the original route. We checked and everyone is running the same version of Scenic and the same iOS. Also we made sure that if you click on edit the route and go into Routing Options, everyone is on Balanced for the route options and avoid highway. Just wondering if you had any suggestions? Also, the timing for the routes are most of the time off? We did a drive to Kentucky recently and the App said lunch was 4.5 hrs away in Hazard KY. We stopped and someone pulled up restaurants on google maps to look for an alternative resturant and we then realized that the restaurant was only 15 minute away. Sometimes when we all drive together some will have the information saying that the route is 2 hrs and others 3 or 4 hrs. Not complaining .... we love Scenic just curious if we are doing something wrong? I attached an example route below. Sorry, one last question. When you send a GPX file which file should people open: The choices are 1) Vias and stops as Routepoints, 2) Via as path- Garmin Extension, and 3) Scenic App. Thanks in advance. We greatly appreciate your help.
Hope all is well. We use Scenic for our driving group and have close to 20 users (all with lifetime subscriptions). One issue keeps coming up so I thought I would reach out for help. We created a route and shared it with the others via a GPX file. Most folks use Scenic but one guy uses Calimoto; he has an Android phone. Everyone was able to open the GPX file and download it to their iPhones. Overall everyone got a similar result but a few folks had different directions during the ride. The guy with Calimoto had no issues. For some reason, for some folks, Scenic will say make a right turn here which was not on the original route. We checked and everyone is running the same version of Scenic and the same iOS. Also we made sure that if you click on edit the route and go into Routing Options, everyone is on Balanced for the route options and avoid highway. Just wondering if you had any suggestions? Also, the timing for the routes are most of the time off? We did a drive to Kentucky recently and the App said lunch was 4.5 hrs away in Hazard KY. We stopped and someone pulled up restaurants on google maps to look for an alternative resturant and we then realized that the restaurant was only 15 minute away. Sometimes when we all drive together some will have the information saying that the route is 2 hrs and others 3 or 4 hrs. Not complaining .... we love Scenic just curious if we are doing something wrong? I attached an example route below. Sorry, one last question. When you send a GPX file which file should people open: The choices are 1) Vias and stops as Routepoints, 2) Via as path- Garmin Extension, and 3) Scenic App. Thanks in advance. We greatly appreciate your help.
Quote from Guido on 08.08.2022, 16:01Hi @isst,
Thanks for using Scenic and for your questions. Happy you are enjoying Scenic so far. And totally understand your questions. Here are my answers. If there's anything else, Please let me know.
Cheers,
Guido
Different routes
That's a bit strange indeed. Especially since you are all on the same version. A few things spring to mind, but I honesty can't be sure:
- One thing that could make a difference is having the offline maps installed or not. Per default, Scenic tries offline calculations first (side note: you can force it to try online first in Settings > Finetuning > Prefer Offline Calculation), but if map data is missing, it will go online. The offline and online calculations can give different results at times. The offline algorithm is just a bit different. Don't ask me what is different or why. I can only guess. HERE maps is not transparent in that.
- Slight variations in GPS accuracies. Different iPhone models have different GPS receivers. Typically newer phones will have better accuracy. These slight inaccuracies can cause Scenic to 'snap' your location to the 'wrong' road (if there are two roads very close to eachother). This could cause recalculations.... which brings me to the next possible reason..
- Differences in Detour Behaviour settings. Especially the 'auto-skip via points' setting should be treated with caution. It can change the route quite a bit. I recommend to turn this off to be honest. Here's a forum topic with more details: https://scenic.app/forum/topic/auto-skip-via-points/#postid-3860
Overestimated durations
Unfortunately this is a known issue in the HERE framework. Here's a forum post on that: https://scenic.app/forum/topic/arrival-time-inaccurate/#postid-2764 I don't expect this to be resolved soon I'm afraid, as some of it is caused by errors in the max speed data of roads. However, 4.5 hrs vs 15 minutes is too big of a difference. I'm quite sure this could not be caused by an overestimated duration. Probably this was caused by a via point that was skipped, and Scenic trying to guide the person back to the missed via point, before going to the restaurant. If that happens (if you don't reach a via point that you planned to reach), duration will actually increase if you don't skip that via point manually (through the 'skip via point' button). Although... it is possible this auto-corrects though... depending on your Detour Behaviour settings.
Sharing of the route
For Scenic users I recommend that they don't import the GPX, but in stead, add the route to their Scenic with the 'Add to Scenic' button on the shareURL web-page. (the page that appears when they click the share link). For non Scenic users, it depends a bit on where they are importing too. If the software can make a navigable route out of a track, importing the track is probably best, although you will loose any info on plannend stops. For some garmin devices you could try the (Vias as path - Garmin extension). Otherwise the (vias and stops as route points) is probably best.
Hi @isst,
Thanks for using Scenic and for your questions. Happy you are enjoying Scenic so far. And totally understand your questions. Here are my answers. If there's anything else, Please let me know.
Cheers,
Guido
Different routes
That's a bit strange indeed. Especially since you are all on the same version. A few things spring to mind, but I honesty can't be sure:
- One thing that could make a difference is having the offline maps installed or not. Per default, Scenic tries offline calculations first (side note: you can force it to try online first in Settings > Finetuning > Prefer Offline Calculation), but if map data is missing, it will go online. The offline and online calculations can give different results at times. The offline algorithm is just a bit different. Don't ask me what is different or why. I can only guess. HERE maps is not transparent in that.
- Slight variations in GPS accuracies. Different iPhone models have different GPS receivers. Typically newer phones will have better accuracy. These slight inaccuracies can cause Scenic to 'snap' your location to the 'wrong' road (if there are two roads very close to eachother). This could cause recalculations.... which brings me to the next possible reason..
- Differences in Detour Behaviour settings. Especially the 'auto-skip via points' setting should be treated with caution. It can change the route quite a bit. I recommend to turn this off to be honest. Here's a forum topic with more details: https://scenic.app/forum/topic/auto-skip-via-points/#postid-3860
Overestimated durations
Unfortunately this is a known issue in the HERE framework. Here's a forum post on that: https://scenic.app/forum/topic/arrival-time-inaccurate/#postid-2764 I don't expect this to be resolved soon I'm afraid, as some of it is caused by errors in the max speed data of roads. However, 4.5 hrs vs 15 minutes is too big of a difference. I'm quite sure this could not be caused by an overestimated duration. Probably this was caused by a via point that was skipped, and Scenic trying to guide the person back to the missed via point, before going to the restaurant. If that happens (if you don't reach a via point that you planned to reach), duration will actually increase if you don't skip that via point manually (through the 'skip via point' button). Although... it is possible this auto-corrects though... depending on your Detour Behaviour settings.
Sharing of the route
For Scenic users I recommend that they don't import the GPX, but in stead, add the route to their Scenic with the 'Add to Scenic' button on the shareURL web-page. (the page that appears when they click the share link). For non Scenic users, it depends a bit on where they are importing too. If the software can make a navigable route out of a track, importing the track is probably best, although you will loose any info on plannend stops. For some garmin devices you could try the (Vias as path - Garmin extension). Otherwise the (vias and stops as route points) is probably best.
