Posted by Mitch_MD on 11/2/05 5:10am
Msg #73603

RE: mapping tip of the day

This is for Art and the others in the thread from yesterday.

Here's a trick I discovered: using whatever mapping program you use (mine is MS Streets and Trips), setup your home address as both the start and end of the trip, then punch in the address of the place you're going to and add it as a stop. Voila! Instant roundtrip directions and mileage.

I've also found you can save your home address start/stop location as a template and just open directly to that when launching the program, rather than having to drill down from a full US map each and every time.

Another tip is to use the shortest directions sometimes, rather than the quickest.

Reply by thnotary_NY on 11/2/05 8:36am
Msg #73620

If you use MapQuest, it saves Your address(from) and all you fill in is the To address, so each time you go back, your address is already there. I use that to get the miles and time of travel and directions of cource. I also use my GPS map to get up close and a different view. Yahoo's map even gives which streets are going in which direciton.

Reply by SSEmobile on 11/2/05 10:33am
Msg #73656

Nice tip! A great directions sheet is automatically produced, along with maps. I had already been printing maps, but this is even better.

Be sure to adjust optioons available from the main menu, Route, More Options, and you can make your fuel cost a little closer to estimate a real value for travel pay ect.

Any automation like this is more then just handy ......

ByTheWay, I just bought that program (newest version, 2005) at Fry's for $39.95, and it can all be all installed on the harddrive, taking just 24.31 GigByte, so for a laptop it's not impossible to do without the CD. This is a major improvement over the last version, where I had to run GameDrive or VirtualDrive and put an image on the harddrive to run it from.

But thanks for this tip Mitch, it will really help!!

Reply by Mitch_MD on 11/2/05 10:58am
Msg #73667

Re: mapping tip of the day

Umm, the latest version of Streets & Trips is 2006.

I've noticed over the years that many application packages are rev'ed to new versions in the fall, usually between the tail end of August and the beginning of November, probably so everything new is available for the Holiday buying season.

Reply by SSEmobile on 11/2/05 7:00pm
Msg #73847

Re: mapping tip of the day

Regardless, the package I picked up two weeks ago was still labled "2005", and has roads in my area noted that are still in the maybe-they-will-be-built stages ....... :o]

And it beats "Microsoft Streets '98" that I have used for, well, years .........

Great stuff to have, glad you posted about it!