Community Forums

SJ_Joel · 08-03-2020, 05:45 PM

I am new to RVTW and find it to be very useful, but it has a couple of deficiencies that are bothersome. Perhaps someone has a solution to these issues.

1. On a long trip, coast to coast, I show the entire route then use the +/- to zoom in on a portion of the trip. Let's say I want to look the routing and CG near Madison WI. Unlike Google Maps or other map apps the font for larger cities doesn't correspond to the size of the city. Without the ability to easily see the large cities it is difficult to find a desired location. Of course I can search on that location, which zooms in so tight that I cannot tell where I am relative to the rest of my trip. Am I missing something?

2. The other annoyance is that the app seems to zoom up and down with me doing much of anything. I would hope that it would stay at the zoom level until I purposefully change it.

FYR I am using Microsoft Surface Book 2 running Windows 10. For a browser I have been using Microsoft Edge. I find that this app runs fast enough and is useful in many ways other than these annoyances.

Thanks!

Joel

Sue46 · 08-03-2020, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJ_Joel

I am new to RVTW and find it to be very useful, but it has a couple of deficiencies that are bothersome. Perhaps someone has a solution to these issues.

1. On a long trip, coast to coast, I show the entire route then use the +/- to zoom in on a portion of the trip. Let's say I want to look the routing and CG near Madison WI. Unlike Google Maps or other map apps the font for larger cities doesn't correspond to the size of the city. Without the ability to easily see the large cities it is difficult to find a desired location. Of course I can search on that location, which zooms in so tight that I cannot tell where I am relative to the rest of my trip. Am I missing something?

Yes, you need to learn about radius rings, these are rings that you set based on distance or time you want to travel in a day. Also, if you click on the stop in the Trip drawer you will zoom to that location.

2. The other annoyance is that the app seems to zoom up and down with me doing much of anything. I would hope that it would stay at the zoom level until I purposefully change it.

The zoom annoys me also. Nothing I know of to control it.

FYR I am using Microsoft Surface Book 2 running Windows 10. For a browser I have been using Microsoft Edge. I find that this app runs fast enough and is useful in many ways other than these annoyances.

Thanks!

Joel

Have you looked at any videos?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu8uA8TRlpHjlqyZC0WRZdg

Have fun, we are all here to support you.

SJ_Joel · 08-04-2020, 06:39 AM

Thanks Sue46 for your reply.

Yes, I have probably watch at least 10 YouTube videos on RVTW and found them helpful. I have also used both the standard and advanced radius and these are very useful.

Perhaps I need to state my problem more clearly. When I click on one of my stops in a region with lots of cities and towns it zooms in too far for me to get my general orientation. I get that orientation best by seeing where I am relative to the larger cities in that region. In Google Maps the fonts for large cities are more prominent (larger bold font) than smaller cities. I can see this easily on Google maps, but this feature is not preserved on RBTW for me. I understand that the maps actually comes from Google Maps so this ought to be possible. It seems as thought these larger fonts are actually there ever so briefly and then disappear as it renders the map image.

Is there anything that I can do to restore the Google Map font differentiation? For now, I bring up both Google Maps and RVTW and flip back and forth. With a 2 headed system this would be even easier, but it wouldn’t be necessary if RVTW preserved the map fonts.

Thanks again!
Joel

Sue46 · 08-04-2020, 07:01 AM

RVTW does not use Google Maps and hasn't in quite a while. Google Maps priced themselves out of the market.

Try setting your resolution to low resolution and see if that helps. I find it is similar to Google Maps.

I use ctrl +/- for zooming frequently on numerous sites. Messes other things up but fast to use.

SJ_Joel · 08-05-2020, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue46

Try setting your resolution to low resolution and see if that helps. I find it is similar to Google Maps.

I use ctrl +/- for zooming frequently on numerous sites. Messes other things up but fast to use.

I can understand why this app wouldn’t use an expensive Google subscription. It is the same reason that Amazon tablets is forked Android.

As I look more closely at this I see that there is a difference in fonts for larger cities, just not as much as I would prefer.

The CTRL +/- sort of works for quick zoom, but it is also changing the size of the other items in the screen such as the waypoints. Is there any keyboard shortcut for the +/- of the map alone? The +/- control for map is there on the screen, but that is a bit less convenient than a keyboard shortcut.

Thanks again Sue46!

Joel

Sue46 · 08-05-2020, 02:00 PM

There are always trade offs, at least with ctrl +/- it is fast and easy to change the zoom.

SJ_Joel · 08-05-2020, 11:39 PM

Today I found a solution to zoom the map easily without using the +/- buttons on the screen. I got out my Microsoft mouse with a thumbwheel. As I scroll the thumbwheel the map alone zooms up and down without affecting the size of the tools at the top or sides. This makes the app far easier to navigate!

Sue46 · 08-06-2020, 04:40 AM

I am impressed you still had a mouse!!! Good idea!!!

CaptainGizmo · 08-07-2020, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJ_Joel

I can understand why this app wouldn’t use an expensive Google subscription. It is the same reason that Amazon tablets is forked Android.

As I look more closely at this I see that there is a difference in fonts for larger cities, just not as much as I would prefer.

The CTRL +/- sort of works for quick zoom, but it is also changing the size of the other items in the screen such as the waypoints. Is there any keyboard shortcut for the +/- of the map alone? The +/- control for map is there on the screen, but that is a bit less convenient than a keyboard shortcut.

Thanks again Sue46!

Joel

Joel and Sue,

YES...THERE IS a keyboard shortcut for zooming the map. Simply the + or - key...without any modifier! The trick to making this work is to click ANYWHERE on the map section first, otherwise the system won't realize why you're typing + or -.

The frustration you guys are experiencing is because you're using the wrong command key to zoom. CTRL +/- (CMD +/- for Mac) is NOT a zoom for the CONTENTS of the browser; it's is a VIEW ZOOM for the ENTIRE BROWSER WINDOW. This really jacks things up. Hint: CTRL/CMD 0 returns it to "NORMAL".

This being said, on the TrackPads like my Macs, there ARE 2 ways to make the actual MAP zoom! One, is to swipe 2 fingers up or down. The other method is a PINCH gesture...and this works for ALL iOS devices and I'm sure other devices as well.

HTH

Sue46 · 08-07-2020, 03:32 PM

I didn't know that but I tried it and it zooms way too much, ctrl +/- zooms in smaller increments.

CaptainGizmo · 08-08-2020, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue46

I didn't know that but I tried it and it zooms way too much, ctrl +/- zooms in smaller increments.

Yeah, again, one (crtl +/-) is a "system/browser" zoom and may be a bit finer grain at the sacrifice of blowing everything up. The other (+/-) is the actual "program/website/map" command, but may be too coarse.

drjenk · 08-08-2020, 04:34 PM

Hi, what, if any, standalone GPS unit can or should be used in conjunction with RV trip wizard? I see it has low bridge warnings built into the RVTW tool. I was considering buying a standalone GPS unit, like a Garmin or Rand Mcnally, just to get this functionality as our 5th wheel is 13'4" high. But if I can get this ability through RVTW, I'd just as soon stick with that and export the routes it recommends for our height. I'm trying to avoid getting yet another screen on the dash as I already have the built in truck GPS, the backup camera, and tire pressure monitor. Another screen up on the dash is something I want to avoid if I can, but will do it if it will help prevent me from destroying the roof of our trailer. Thanks for any advice.

SJ_Joel · 08-08-2020, 10:39 PM

I have an older Gamin RV 760 which warns me of road hazards, but these only show just before I encounter them. With RV Trip Wizard, however, you will see hazards when planning in advance. While the Garmin is pretty good, it isn’t perfect. It once had me turn onto a road so narrow that branches were touching both side of my RV. I could have avoided this by turning .5mile further along.

CaptainGizmo · 08-10-2020, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drjenk

Hi, what, if any, standalone GPS unit can or should be used in conjunction with RV trip wizard? I see it has low bridge warnings built into the RVTW tool. I was considering buying a standalone GPS unit, like a Garmin or Rand Mcnally, just to get this functionality as our 5th wheel is 13'4" high. But if I can get this ability through RVTW, I'd just as soon stick with that and export the routes it recommends for our height. I'm trying to avoid getting yet another screen on the dash as I already have the built in truck GPS, the backup camera, and tire pressure monitor. Another screen up on the dash is something I want to avoid if I can, but will do it if it will help prevent me from destroying the roof of our trailer. Thanks for any advice.

This is kind of a topic for another thread. Lots of this discussion for units such as the new Garmin RV890. Yes, having 2 sources of guidance has its benefits; no matter which you choose.