This page discusses the use of MapSource when directions are pasted into CueSheetMaker See MapSource txt for a discussion of using MapSource when a saved .txt file is to be loaded into CueSheetMaker. Pasting is by far the best method to use.

MapSource is software for drawing routes for use with a Garmin GPS device. See the GPS page for details about its usage. It is by far the easiest and most satisfactory mapping program for cue sheet making. Its only defect, a minor one, is that it cannot draw routes off road: thus no trails.

MapSource is distributed as part of Garmin's MapSource City Navigator North America v8 DVD. One does not need a GPS unit to use it. As of this writing, the product is available from several sources on the Internet for about $120. (The following source has been reliable, but caveat emptor: http://gpsnow.com/gmmap60acc.htm).

To make cue sheets, the “Directions” from MapSource are copied and pasted into CueSheetMaker which will then produce an Edit Cue Sheet. This Edit Cue Sheet may be modified as desired and rows deleted or added. Once it is satisfactory one of the several cue sheet forms may be chosen from the CueSheetMaker tool bar.

MapSource creates a set of directions when a route is drawn. These directions may be displayed, inspected and copied to the clipboard. MapSource constructs directions from the route that appears on the map, and MapSource decides upon the turns that are needed. The user creates the route by placing via’s on the map and MapSource selects roads connecting them. If the roads do not go where they are wanted, the lines connecting the via’s may be dragged to correct the route. 

If desired, one can use the minimum number of via’s to define a route, but a satisfactory route in MapSource may not work as well on a GPS unit which uses a different computer. The GPS computer may choose roads different than those chosen by MapSource. so it is wise to create routes with more than the minimum in order to constrain the GPS computer. It is always worthwhile to examine the route on a GPS unit before setting out on a ride..

 Specific turns should not be marked with via’s if the route is to be transferred to a GPS. This is because the GPS will only beep at a turn when it is marked by a via. If the GPS unit calculates a turn, it will show a white arrow both at the turn and warn you in advance that a turn is approaching. The arrows are not displayed if the GPS does not calculate the turn.

Waypoints at turns will be ignored by CueSheetMaker since the “directions” produced by MapSource do not indicate turns at waypoints. Turns are indicated for via’s but not for waypoints, so via’s are OK for making cue sheets. The best policy is to place neither via’s nor waypoints at turns..

One can force MapSource and CueSheetMaker to include a particular point by including a waypoint (not just a via) in the route with a name starting with $. For example, the crossing of a busy highway might be marked with a waypoint named “$Interstate 95”, which would cause a waypoint named “Interstate 95” to appear in the cue sheet, the $ being stripped off.

Here is an Edit cue sheet produced by pasting the MapSource directions into CueSheetMaker. The first two rows of this sheet should not be changed. Anything else in the sheet may be changed in the usual way. For example rows may be deleted by selecting the entire row by clicking on the row number and pressing the delete key.

.And here is the finished cue sheet. The only revision needed was to change the Turn in line 14 from L to S..

Illustration of making a cue sheet and GPS file with MapSource

The start of the ride may named by inserting a waypoint with the waypoint tool, . Simply click on the start location with the waypont tool and fill in the waypoint name. I usually change the symbol to a red flag. One does not have to insert a starting waypoint. Next, select the route tool, , and click the first waypoint, or if you have chosen not to insert a starting waypoint, simply click on the starting location. Then click a few times on the map laying down via’s that roughly describe the route, winding up with a final click on the starting point. Press the “Esc” key to finish. The following picture will give you the idea: here I have chosen five via’s in addition to the waypoint named ”Home”.

In general the route will not be precisely what is wanted, so the next step is to add a few more via’s to pull it into the shape desired. To do this click on the selection tool and drag it through one of the purple lines to turn the route yellow. When it is yellow, placing the selection tool on any point of the route (including on via’s) will enable that point to be dragged somewhere else. A new via is deposited when you click after dragging. The following picture shows the route after dragging the yellow route causing the addition of two new via’s near the start of the ride.

When the route is as you like it, save it as a GDB or GPX file for use with your GPS.

Check the route on your GPS unit, because the route calculated there may differ from the one in MapSource, and it may be necessary to add additional points in MapSource to make the route on the GPS unit agree with what you want. In case of real difficulty, check the “Follow road options” on the unit to make sure you have allowed the unit to select road types of interest.

 To remove via’s on the route, turn it purple by clicking the selection tool, , someplace off the route , and then right click on a via, select it from the pop up menu and check the “Remove waypoint from route” item.

To paste in directions, use the “Directions” tab in the “Route Properties” box to display the directions, as in the illustration below. The “Route Properties” dialog may be reached by double clicking the ride name at the left of the MapSource main window.

If MapSource has read in a GPX file, the directions will be incomplete. On the “Via Points” tab of the properties page, click the “Recalcualte” button to fill out the directions properly.

Next, start up EXCEL and then select all the directions in the MapSource “Directions” list with Ctrl A. Copy them to the clipboard with Ctrl C. Select the paste pot, , from the CueSheetMaker toolbar in EXCEL and an Edit Cue Sheet will be created. If EXCEL tells you that the clipboard does not contain MapSource directions, copy them again with Ctrl C -- for some reason the copying does not always work.

Note the “Center map on selected item(s)” check box in the above illustration. This is useful in locating turns on the map when checking over the Edit Cue Sheet.