Creating routes

You can create a route to plot your course on the map and show a list of instructions for every change of direction and distance.

You can create a route on the map using three methods:

•	by clicking an area on the map to use as the start and end points

•	by using a search made available in the Get Directions window

•	by using values from selections as the start and end points

1.	If the Map Tools pane is not expanded, in the map viewer, click the Map Tools button.

2.	On the Map Tools pane, click the More Tools button and then select Get Directions. The Get Direction window opens.

Figure 298 

Using the Get Directions window to plot a route

[

3.	In the Start Point field, click the Pushpin icon and click an area on the map. A flag is displayed on the map in that location to indicate the start point for the route.

4.	In the End Point field, click the Pushpin icon and click an area on the map. A flag displayed on the map to indicate the end point.

5.	To include additional locations on the route, click Add Via link and use the Pushpin icon to add more points for the route on the map.

Figure 299 

Adding more locations in between start and end points

NOTE:

You can reverse the start and end points for the route by clicking the Swap link .

6.	If available, select any additional options, such as route method or allowing u-turns.

•	Click the Options link to view additional settings for the route. This options are configured by the administrator so the options and labels will vary from the shown options.

Figure 300 

Options for routes

7.	After selecting all options, click Get Directions.

After the route is calculated, each change of direction is shown with a flag marking start and end points. Each change of direction and intermediary points, if included, are shown as individual steps.

 

Figure 301 

Listed directions for a route

8.	Scroll to the bottom to view the print options.

9.	Export the route as KML by clicking the Export as KML button.

10.	You are prompted by your browser to save a .KMZ file to a location of your choice on your computer. If you have Google Earth installed on your computer, you can double-click the KMZ file to view the route in Google Earth.

Printing route directions

When printing the displayed route directions, you must first preview the route printout as a .pdf or .html file so you use the printing capabilities in those applications you have installed on your computer.

Figure 302 

Print options for a route

•	If you select the Include Main Map check box, the map is displayed on the first page with the directions listed on the following page.

 

Figure 303 

Printed directions

•	If the Include Turn by Turn check box is selected, a map image for each turn is shown.

Figure 304 

Printed directions with turn by turn map images

11.	Click Print. The Print Preview window opens.

12.	(Optional) In the Comments window, enter any description or comments for these directions. If included, these comments are displayed either under the map or if the map is not included, before the directions.

13.	In the Format field, select either HTML or PDF for the exported results and click the Preview button. The print preview opens in the application

14.	Print the directions from the installed application.

Using searches for route points

If the map administrator has enabled a search to be used to locate a start, end or intermediary point in your route, a Search icon is displayed beside the field in the Get Directions window.

You can use a search to be a start, end or intermediary points in a route.

1.	In the Get Directions window, click the Search icon . The search opens in the Get Directions window.

Figure 305 

Using searches to locate start or end points for routes

2.	Enter the search criteria as required and click Search.

Depending on how the search was configured, different options may be available.

3.	When the result from the search is found, the result is entered as a location in the route.

Figure 306 

Search results as a route start or end point.

4.	Enter the remaining criteria as required and click Get Directions.