How do I navigate to a certain location on the map?
Enter the address of your desired location into the
"Address" box at the top-right of the RouteLoops page, and then
click "Set Start/End Location". RouteLoops will
create a map with a marker at that spot. See "Why can't I find my address?" if this is not working. (When
the RouteLoops page first loads, a map of the world will be displayed. Once you have used
RouteLoops one time on any given computer, a cookie will help RouteLoops remember the last
location you used.)
Additional ways to manipulate the map include:
How do I set the base location for my route?
Enter the address of your desired base location into the "Address" box at the top-right of the RouteLoops page, and then click "Set Start/End Location". RouteLoops will create a map with a marker at that spot. All requested routes will use the address indicated by the marker as the base location. You can also double-click on the map to set the base location.
The marker on the map should always indicate the desired base location for the route.
Once you have entered your desired base location into the "Address" box, or double-clicked on the map, the map will show the base location. Below the address box is a box into which you put the desired route distance, and a button which says Create a Route of this Length. Click that button and you will get a route. Notice that the button changes to say Create a Different Route of the Same Length. This indicates that if you click that button (as many times as you like) you will receive a new route with the same Start/End location, and of the same approximate length. You can change the desired route distance and other options (travel mode, clockwise or counter-clockwise, direction, units, etc.) using the menus on the right of the page. Click on the "Route" or "Different Route" button to generate a new route.
How do I get a new route for the same base location?
Clicking "Create a Different Route of the Same Length" will generate a new route from the same base location, using the same parameters (requested route length, tracel mode, etc.) Since there is an element of randomness to RouteLoops, clicking "Create a Different Route of the Same Length" can generate many different routes using the same input values.
Or you can change the distance or travel mode or any of the other options to vary the route. (See below for more detail about options.)
How does the use of Travel Mode effect the route?
RouteLoops allows you to select the Travel Mode for your route. The list includes:
Think of RouteLoops as a virtual route planner. In an attempt to find a route with the parameters you have requested (base location, length, travel mode), RouteLoops occasionally finds itself unable to create a route. In those very rare cases, no route is returned. If this happens, please just click the "Route" button again. Because of the randomness that is inherent in the RouteLoops concept, eventually RouteLoops should find a route using the values you have entered.
When all else fails: Please send us the Permalink for your request so we can try and understand what is going on.
Why can't RouteLoops find my address?
RouteLoops is using Google to find the address that has been entered. The Google algorithm is very strong and should, in almost all cases, return the correct location. If it does not, please contact us with the location you are trying to use. For the US, this is the most complete format that should be used:
| 123 W Main Street, Springfield, OH 45502 |
| 123 W Main St, Springfield OH 45502 |
| 123 W Main St, Springfield OH |
| 123 W Main St, 45502 |
The goal of RouteLoops is to create closed-loop routes that start and end at the same "base" location. However, due to the randomness that is built-in to RouteLoops, sometimes the routes will not be classic "box" or "circle" shapes. They may be figure-eights, or, sometimes, even lines that go out, and back, along the same path. If the generated route is not to your liking, simply click "Create a Different Route of the Same Length" and try again. The RouteLoops virtual route planner never gets tired of trying again.
A Permalink is a permanent link which stores all of the information needed to generate the route, and display, on the RouteLoops page you are currently looking at.
Wikipedia describes Permalinks here. Permalinks can be used to store your routes in your bookmarks, send favorite routes to your friends, and even to communicate with RouteLoops about problems you are having. If you send us a Permalink, we can try and figure out what may be going wrong.How can I save a route in my bookmarks?
RouteLoops uses Permalinks to store routes that you like into your bookmarks. Right-click on "Permalink" at the top of the page, and choose "Bookmark this Link" from the pop-up menu. The bookmark name will be "Permalink" by default, so give it a more memorable name (e.g. "My 25 mile bike route") so you can find it later
How can I email a route to a friend?
The Permalink feature also makes it easy to share routes that you like with your friends. Right-click on "Permalink" at the top of the page. Then you can either choose "Send Link" from the pop-up menu, or "Copy Link Location", after which you can paste the link into your email client.
Can I view my route on a Google Map?
Yes you can. RouteLoops uses Google Maps as its base, so the display is already using Google Maps.
How can I load a route into my GPS?
RouteLoops outputs routes in two popular formats used for GPS devices: the GPX format, and the TCX format. Both types can be loaded into your GPS device in the same way. First, save the GPS file (either GPX or TCX) to your computer. Next, connect your GPS device to your computer, and upload the file using whatever method is described in the user guide for your device. A brief discussion of the GPX and TCX file types is below.
GPX is the GPS Exchange Format. For a detailed description, see here. If you are not interested in the details, all you need to know is that your GPS device almost certainly supports the GPX file type. If you can load the GPX file into your device and tell your device to navigate using this file, your device should provide all of the functionality that you are accustomed to with your device (maps, turn-by-turn navigation, recalculation of routes, etc.)
TCX is the Training Center Database XML from Garmin, used to transport GPS and other fitness data between Garmin products. Details on this format are here. On Garmin devices the TCX data is used to store what Garmin refers to as "Courses", which are routes that have already been traveled. This is a very convenient format for RouteLoops users (who have Garmin devices) because the desired route will be highlighted on your Garmin device. The unit will not attempt to "navigate" for you, but it will let you know if you are on, or off, course.
Can I use my route on an iPhone?
Yes! Click here to read about the free RouteLoops
iPhone app that you can get in the App Store.
Also, the old answer to this question, a description of another way this can be done, which comes from a RouteLoops
friend, is below.
There are several apps for the iPhone that will
use the built in GPS and compass to track your position, current speed, max speed, overall
average speed, and distance. Most of them also have some sort of built in map functionality.
Just about all of them have a free version and a paid version. The paid version typically
has a few extra features. Some of them have the ability to accept downloaded gpx track files.
None of the apps I found would accept a gpx route. I've tried just about all of them and found
MotionX GPS to be a winner.
Among many other "bells and whistles" features (like automatically transmitting your position
every few minutes to preset email addresses, just in case you're riding alone), the paid version
of MotionX GPS provides an email address where you can send a gpx file. About a minute later,
you will receive a return email with a link. Click on the link in the iPhone's Mail app, and it
will open MotionX and import the gpx track. Tracks are stored on the iPhone. You can select the
track you just imported and select to "follow" the track. The app will overlay the downloaded track
on the map so you can follow the route while it tracks your ride progress. Here's a link to their site:
http://news.motionx.com/category/motionx-gps/ It includes several screenshots of the app.
Using the gpx track enhancement on RouteLoops, I can put in the address of the starting point, set
the number of miles the group would like to ride, find a route that looks good, export that as a
GPX track, import that into my iPhone, and lead the ride without fear of getting lost.
What about using RouteLoops on an Android device?
We have a way to do this, too. Click here to read about
how you use the RouteLoops application right from your Android powered device.
Does RouteLoops work with Bing maps?
Bing maps have never moved beyond the beta stage. If you are very interested in having the
application run on Bing maps, provide that feedback and we'll see what
we can do.
To access the beta version of RouteLoops on Bing, go
here.