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Help with OS maps

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9 comments

  • Hugh Hudson

    I have submitted a few routes plotted with OS Maps desktop recently, and this has not been a problem for me, perhaps because the start and end points only need to be within 50m of the Slow Ways locations, and very few existing routes start and end in exactly the right place.

    In most cases there is a recognised path or road within this maximum distance, but if there isn't you need to plot the first two points without enabling snap to footpaths, and ensure that the snap function's first point is on a recognised path or road, which may involve trial and error. Snap to footpath works pretty well most of the time, but not all rights of way are in its data set, so sometimes you have to plot paths manually by turning it off.

    In my experience the OS plots still won't produce GPX files with elevation data, so you have to run the files through another tool such as https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/elevation before uploading them.

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  • Cristie Moore

    Hi Hugh,

    Thanks so much for your help.  I will give it a go.  Great tip about gps visualizer too.

    Best wishes,
    Cristie

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  • Robstoke73

    Hi,

    Hugh's post above is really helpful. I was having trouble uploading routes I'd exported from OS Maps. I had problems with getting them accepted (start / end points not matching) and then the elevation and (more importantly) distance information not showing up in Slow Ways.

    Both these problems seem to be resolved by converting the file on gpsvisualiser.com before uploading. Looks like there might be quite a lot of routes on the site with missing distance and elevation info that will need fixing at some point. Some clearer user guidance on gpx files would be useful.

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  • Yorkie Christine

    Just seen this thread after posting about elevation data not transferring through, and yes it would be great to have clearer guidance at some point about gpx files.  I bought an OS subscription just to be able to create new routes for Slow Ways (I'm a paper map girl myself) so it's disapppointing to realise now that there's a known issue with it.  

    I'm not very techy but will have a go with gpsvisualiser for any future routes I create as long as it's fairly straightforward (and free!).  

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  • Robstoke73

    Hi Christine,

    I've had a quick go at writing some instructions - you should be able to access them here:

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/12HVDslXT8BIUR6tLNqufA5UEvik3lbwL/view?usp=sharing

    Rob

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  • Yorkie Christine

    Cheers Rob that's great!  I'll have a go next time I'm creating a route. 

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  • Yorkie Christine

    Thanks again Rob, I've just followed your instructions and my new Haxsta two route has successfully uploaded complete with its elevation data.  I'm delighted and very appreciative!  

    I have saved gpsvisualiser in my favourites for future routes. 

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  • Naomi Wrighton

    I have done this by duplicating an existing route, that way the start and finish are bound to be right and it is probably less effort, especially if much of the route is the same as an existing one.

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  • Hugh Hudson

    The instructions are good, but I have been using a slightly simpler method, which uses the default elevation data set. From step 3:

    3: Go to https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/elevation

    4. Under Solution #1: DEM database, use Upload a File, click on Browse and find your GPX file, then click Convert & add elevation

    The steps from 5 onwards are the same.

     

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