Winter Closure of Alpine Passes and Mapsource 6.12.0 Beta

Last year SYS Software Version 4.00 finally enabled my Quest 1 again to find the shortest route (with CN 8) in the Alps even if it meant going over one of the passes.

Now Mapsource Beta 6.12.0 has got an additional switch for 'Seasonal Road Closures'.

Seems to work.

Thank you Garmin!!!!!!!

Changes made from version 6.11.6 to 6.12.0:

Changed the default file format to GDB version 3.
Added web links. This feature allows user created internet search options to appear on context menus. These search options can use either location or name information.
Added a MiniMap.
Added new waypoint symbols (contacts, geocache, hunting, etc.).
Added support for multiple links on waypoints, routes, and tracks.
Added additional guidance for the user when clicking on the ?View in Google Earth? menu item.
Added support for writing waypoints, routes, and tracks to SD cards for new chart plotters.
Enhanced the driving directions page in the route dialog to provide additional statistics.
Added two options to the routing preference ?Try to Avoid? list: ferries and seasonal road closures.
Added support for multi-line comments for waypoints.
Added a transfer preference to specify if (and which) serial ports should be searched for Garmin devices. This should solve problems for users that have badly behaved internal modems that cause MapSource to hang.
Added the ability to join tracks from the Tracks page.
Added track color to the list on the Tracks page.
Changed the behavior of the track draw tool to populate the elevation in tracks if the map product has DEM elevation data.
Changed several feature symbols (mountain peak, city, and airport) to be smaller so they don?t obscure as much of the map. This only applies when the large symbol size is selected.
Adjusted the layout of several preference pages for improved usability.
Changed the behavior of several dialogs to ignore the degree symbol in user provided coordinate strings.
Fixed an issue when selecting map sets larger than 4 GB in size.
Fixed an issue with saving files to offline network drives.
Fixed an issue with preserving line feeds inside of comments in GPX files.

Der Lustenauer said:

Now Mapsource Beta 6.12.0 has got an additional switch for 'Seasonal Road Closures'.
Seems to work.

Click to expand...

Where do you enter the date?

Assume that I want to create alpine routes TODAY to be used in JULY? How do MapSource know when I will use the route?

Now that's a smart question!

HMR said:

Where do you enter the date?

Assume that I want to create alpine routes TODAY to be used in JULY? How do MapSource know when I will use the route?

Click to expand...

I assume that if you tick "Avoid seasonal Road Closures" it will work a route out not using roads that have closures. It won't take into account the time of year or if they're open or closed, it will just ignore all the roads that could have seasonal closures on them.

HMR said:

Where do you enter the date?

Assume that I want to create alpine routes TODAY to be used in JULY? How do MapSource know when I will use the route?

Click to expand...

Hi HMR. There was a bit of a discussion here

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72360&highlight=Winter+closure

The problem was, that in alpine countries (Switzerland, France, Italy and Austria) MapSource (with CN8 but not with CS 7) has not been able to calculate the shortest route between 2 points if the shortest route meant crossing a pass with eventual winter closure. It calculated routes around mountain passes (instead of 'shortest routes') and the user had to force it over passes.

There was a bit of a discussion about that in German and Swiss forums between some outraged users and some expert users (like you) used to deal with the shortcomings (if they have seen them at all) and not understanding what the fuss was about because they had their workarounds.

What made it worse for me was that my Quest 1 (again only with CN8) was suddenly unable to route the shortest distance in the alps (clearly something you would expect) till the fix with firmware 4.00 came.

But, to answer your question, Mapsource does not know, does not need to know, but it will give now more choice how one wants the routing to be calculated (at least when this new version is working properly, which it is not yet!).

And then it is down to me, non expert GPS user, to check if that pass is open, to turn around at the latest if there is a big sign saying 'Furka Pass closed' for example, or keep on going into the snow and ice because I trust my GPSR more than that sign.

Der Lustenauer,

where is 6.12.0 available to download from? A link would be good

Dave

Found it http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?product=999-99999-00

Dave

Hi Dellis

there is a new version from today here

http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3333

it promises to fix this

Changes made from version 6.12.0.1 to 6.12.0.2:
• Fixed an issue at startup with CD-based MapSource map products.
• Fixed an issue when printing route driving directions.
• Fixed an issue with auto-routes either not overlaying the roads on detailed maps.
• Fixed an issue with auto-routes generating point-to-point routes.
• Fixed an issue with the Celestial Info dialog not being displayed.

not overlaying the roads on detailed maps was the biggest issue in european forums the last few days, followed by a problem with the 'Grossglockner' in Austria.