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Windows Application to create GPX files

Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:30 am
by yp@telenet.be
I'm a big fan of AlpineQuest and I use it a lot for hiking! It's great!
My old Garmin GPS is no longer being used, it is much easier to put my smartphone in flight mode to save batteries, and use my smartphone with a big high resolution color screen as a hiking GPS :-).

Like many users here I think, I used to be a Garmin GPS user, and therefore I still use the Mapsource application on my windows PC to plan hiking tours. I mostly create routes in mapsource with OSM maps, and save these routes or tracks as a GPX file on my smartphone.
Then I open the GPX files in AlpineQuest and the hiking fun can begin.

Some of you will maybe create routes directly in AlpineQuest, or on an android tablet, but personally I still prefer my PC or laptop with a classic mouse to create routes and GPX files.
Now, there is my question: I'm looking for an application on windows that could replace my old mapsource and is able to use online OSM maps like the wonderfull OSM maps from Thunderforest (if you don't know these maps yet, start using them because they really are the best for hiking).
So, is somebody here using a windows application to create GPX files, AND is that application capable of using online thunderforest hiking maps (http://www.thunderforest.com/) ?
If so, I would like to know which application that is, and how to use (install) the thunderforest maps... (maybe a link to another forum discussion or wathever...).
I also contacted Thunderforest for more info, but unfortunately I didn't receive much info from them.

Thanks in advance to anyone who could help me on this!
Best regards,

Y

Re: Windows Application to create GPX files

Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:57 pm
by Psyberia-Support
Hi and thanks for your interest in AlpineQuest and your support!

I do also like Thunderforest maps, that's why most of them are available by default in the app (Cycle, Landscape, Outdoor and Transports).

Concerning your request, the only PC softwares I use are MOBAC (using Thunderforest maps, but with a very rudimentary GPX editor), and QGIS (also having both features, but quite hard to configure and use), so I do not recommend any of them as a simple GPX planner.

However, I did use a lot http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI, which can display Thunderforest and export routes in the GPX format. It used to have a very useful auto-routing feature, but it seems to not be working anymore, so be sure to un-check it. A similar tool is https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/create/ but it requires a (free) user account to export your routes, I never used it.

Hope it helps
Best regards

Re: Windows Application to create GPX files

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:52 pm
by yp@telenet.be
Hello,

Thx for your answer!
I tried "http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI" and this tool seems very very promising!
I was able to create a GPX file and save it to my laptop. Nice!

thx,

Yves