This was just posted on the Mapwel list. Will be very interesting to see how well it works:
QuoteI would like to inform you that routable version of Mapwel with
turn-by-turn navigation support is almost finished. I do already drive through
my town with Mapwel-created routable map. There will be a beta version released
very soon (hopefully 2-3 weeks). Everything is finished now, except turn
restriction support. Routable version will allow to create complex routable maps
from OSM and MP files with a few clicks of mouse. It will also work with other
vector data sources like shapefiles, GPX and KML files, and manually drawn or
vectorized roads.
Best Regards
Dusan Balara
Mapwel team
I have been using Mapwel for awhile for its support of custom types (which they call "user defined styles"). It does have some restrictions in that it doesn't support Mapsource, but it's a very impressive piece of software nonetheless. It's an all-in-one solution with its own very fast compiler - cgpsmapper is not needed. For more info: http://www.mapwel.eu/
QuoteIt does have some restrictions in that it doesn't support Mapsource ...
So how do you get the data on the GPSr? Some interface in Mapwell or SendMap, etc ?
There are several ways, depending on which version you purchase. With the basic version, you connect the GPS to your computer and send the map directly. This version only allows for map upload to one registered device. I have the advanced version which doesn't have these restrictions. You can send it directly to the GPS within the program if you like. Or you can export it to an .img file which can be dragged and dropped to the GPS in USB disk mode. They also offer a free program similar to SendMap for this.
I was trying to use Mapwel for a while for the custom types, but ran into the problem of not being able to run my image files into MapSource, where all the rest of my maps are. Fortunately, Mapwel will merge their img files into the existing gmapsup on the device. So you can load all of your non-Mapwel maps from Mapsource and the use Mapwel to integrate the ones that can't use MS. Merging is slow, but it works.
Yes, that is an interesting development.
I still would really want it in MapSource; then it will be way awesome. Novice users (and me) will want it in MapSource.
Obviously you guys have "bonded" with Mapsource and I have not. ;) Seems like the main need would be for people with older models which don't have enough memory to hold a full mapset (otherwise you could just drop a gmapsupp.img file into your Garmin folder). You could still use mapsource with another map on your PC and the Mapwel map on your GPS otherwise if you just want to exchange tracks, waypoints, etc.
Mapsource just isn't one of those programs which give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. And now we have raster-based maps on the newer handhelds. They don't work in Mapsource either, so I suppose they will not be of interest?
see, that is interesting that the rasters don't do mapsource.
For my 60csx mapsource seems like a good choice. with a dakota or oregon I might think differently.
mkgmap has been routable for just under a year and supports OSM and MP file types. Its free and fully supports MapSource, even routes in it. I haven't gotten into TYP customization, so I don't know how it compares with Mapwel there.
More details on this thread:
http://forums.gpsfiledepot.com/index.php/topic,586.0.html
The routable version of Mapwel has just been released. Have not tried it myself yet. See: http://www.mapwel.eu/routing/routing.html