Author Topic: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool  (Read 2899 times)

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« on: 10 May, 2021, 08:52:05 am »
I've had a hunt round the usual suspects but can't find a simple snap to road option.

I plot routes in Memory Map and then save (usually a Track) as a .gpx  - that works fine but gives straight waypoint-to-waypoint lines that pretty much works for on bike navigation.

BUT what I'd like to do is snap my .gpx file to the actual road and save as a more accurate .gpx - I know it can be done but can't remember (senior moment) how - or with which mapping tool.

All help appreciated

Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #1 on: 10 May, 2021, 09:26:04 am »
Try RideWithGps

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #2 on: 10 May, 2021, 09:50:51 am »
Try RideWithGps

Tried that - no cigar I'm afraid  :(   

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #3 on: 10 May, 2021, 09:54:26 am »
Rwgps certainly snaps to road.
I use it all the time as my route planner.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #4 on: 10 May, 2021, 09:54:54 am »
+1

Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #5 on: 10 May, 2021, 10:04:48 am »
You want to import a low quality GPX and snap it to a high res map rather than plan a new route?

I know both Strava and Komoot do this, but neither of them are free or particularly great at it, although it is technically speaking a hard problem.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #6 on: 10 May, 2021, 10:36:47 am »
You want to import a low quality GPX and snap it to a high res map rather than plan a new route?

I know both Strava and Komoot do this, but neither of them are free or particularly great at it, although it is technically speaking a hard problem.

Yep - first sentence is exactly what I want to do.     I'm pretty sure that Strava Labs (beta) used to do this but doesn't now.    I really don't want to get sucked into Strava , I'll take a look at Komoot.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #7 on: 10 May, 2021, 10:59:19 am »
Upload the gpx to RWGPS. Open it and choose Open in Route Planner from the More menu. You can then drag the route to make snap to roads. I'd add a few control points at key places first thoigh.

Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #8 on: 10 May, 2021, 07:20:22 pm »
Agree with Pingu. Adding extra control points is essential
Komoot will do it but I think is harder.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #9 on: 10 May, 2021, 07:27:02 pm »
Upload the gpx to RWGPS. Open it and choose Open in Route Planner from the More menu. You can then drag the route to make snap to roads. I'd add a few control points at key places first thoigh.

. . .  somewhere - 'cos I've done it before - you can upload a crude .gpx and it snaps to road automatically . . . it may be the Strava Labs set-up but that seems to have changed - I've looked at gpsies, ridewithgps, Komoot and a few other mapping things but can't find a solution . . yet.

Ridewithgps doesn't seem to want to play with my uploaded .gpx.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #10 on: 10 May, 2021, 07:47:07 pm »
Have you tried plotaroute? Not saying it will, just another suggestion.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #11 on: 10 May, 2021, 08:14:08 pm »
Convert track to route then ask your software of choice to recalculate the route. Garmin Basecamp can do the latter.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #12 on: 10 May, 2021, 09:02:20 pm »
Upload the gpx to RWGPS. Open it and choose Open in Route Planner from the More menu. You can then drag the route to make snap to roads. I'd add a few control points at key places first thoigh.

. . .  somewhere - 'cos I've done it before - you can upload a crude .gpx and it snaps to road automatically . . . it may be the Strava Labs set-up but that seems to have changed - I've looked at gpsies, ridewithgps, Komoot and a few other mapping things but can't find a solution . . yet.

Ridewithgps doesn't seem to want to play with my uploaded .gpx.

Instead of trying to fix a nasty low-resolution gpx from some other tool, might it not be quicker and easier to simply re-create it from scratch in a better tool like rwgps?

I can knock out a 200k audax in a few minutes; this thread has been running for long enough for me to re-create my entire audax history from scratch!

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #13 on: 10 May, 2021, 09:16:04 pm »
Upload the gpx to RWGPS. Open it and choose Open in Route Planner from the More menu. You can then drag the route to make snap to roads. I'd add a few control points at key places first thoigh.

. . .  somewhere - 'cos I've done it before - you can upload a crude .gpx and it snaps to road automatically . . . it may be the Strava Labs set-up but that seems to have changed - I've looked at gpsies, ridewithgps, Komoot and a few other mapping things but can't find a solution . . yet.

Ridewithgps doesn't seem to want to play with my uploaded .gpx.

Instead of trying to fix a nasty low-resolution gpx from some other tool, might it not be quicker and easier to simply re-create it from scratch in a better tool like rwgps?

I can knock out a 200k audax in a few minutes; this thread has been running for long enough for me to re-create my entire audax history from scratch!

My preference is to create the routes using the OS 1:50 000 mapping as that's far and away the best for detail and seeing the options related to type of road, terrain, hills etc.

Mapmyride is giving me some reasonable conversion to following roads from my .gpx files

αdαmsκι

  • Instagram @ucfaaay Strava @ucfaaay
  • Look haggard. It sells.
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #14 on: 10 May, 2021, 09:19:04 pm »
If you want OS Mapping then you can use GPX Editor (for £20 a year) as it has Google Maps, OSM & OS maps all embedded and the routing will follow the roads.
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

https://tyredandhungry.wordpress.com/

Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #15 on: 10 May, 2021, 09:33:32 pm »
My preference is to create the routes using the OS 1:50 000 mapping as that's far and away the best for detail and seeing the options related to type of road, terrain, hills etc.

www.bikehike.co.uk has OS 50k mapping.

Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #16 on: 11 May, 2021, 11:45:06 am »
Likewise, Cycletravel also now has OS mapping, though that might just be for supporters.
I have the full Memory Map on CDs, cost a fortune and was worth it at the time, but I can't remember when I last used it.

Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #17 on: 11 May, 2021, 04:30:48 pm »
I’ve got anquet full 1:50,000 GB. I only use it for route mapping walks and printing laminated A5 versions these days. 

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Simplest/best "snap to road" tool
« Reply #18 on: 11 May, 2021, 04:51:53 pm »
As the OP - I have Memory Map on a Windows PC with OS 1-50,000, OS 1-10,000 and France at 1-100 and 1-250 scale - as well as the "free" GB overall route planning maps. 

Been using it since 2003 with a couple of special price upgrades to a version only a couple of years old.  [I did have quite a few "evaluation copies" of the 1-25.000 maps - but they don't work with the latest core software]

I like using it as :  a) on the PC you can hop easily from 50,000 to 10,000 scale   b) you can scroll across the map area faster than any of the online OS offerings that I've seen   c) saving routes to my own PC is simple (as is then loading to my Garmin Edge 1000 - or even the ancient Edge 200 I still use from time to time)   d) creating printed maps is simple.   It's just all round faster to use than online stuff.  I have no interest in performance stats or cloud-storage etc.

It looks like I can get the snap to road to work pretty well with MapMyRide - at least adequate for what I need.   AND along the way I've discovered that you can save Mr Google's directions to a .gpx  (limited usefulness, but good for the odd occasion)

Anyway, thanks for the contributions.