streets and trips file add-on

[benny the deuce]

I am just curious, i am in the process of building a file on my computer
of all the truck stops in u.s. for my streets and trips program.
can you think lof anything else to add to it?

[Jackrabbit379]

When I was working days delivering, I used to run a route that covered Dallas/Ft Worth. I kept all my stops on Streets & Trips. Of course, you are OTR, so it would be rare to see the same places all the time, but when I did drive OTR, along with the truck stops, I also had Blue Beacon truck washes on my Streets & Trips.

[Malaki86]

The big truckstops (Flying J, Pilot, etc) have files you can download and import into Streets & Trips (or DeLorme). Some work without a problem, others are a pain.

Just go to each truckstops website and hunt around - you'll locate em.

[ibamars]

i used to type in the address from the truck stop where I was at and then add it to my pushpins so I knew where there was a truck stop.

Microsoft Streets and Trips does not list all the truck stops out there. The other thing I used to do was keep my GPS enabled and when I stopped for the night I would click pushpins and show where I was at for the night and label it and Voila, I knew what distances and mileages truckstops were.

Now once you get out there for a while you will get to know where your truckstops are and you will not need Microsoft. Why? because you will memorize where those stops are.

I was on a dedicated run from New Hampshire to Florida. I used to leave at the same time everyweek so I knew where to go. But when I was all over the place, after a while you memorize, and you will not need it as much as you used to. You will just need to update the new truckstops that they are building out there.

peace.

scott

[FreeKen]

You might want to indicate which ones have IdleAire

[Malaki86]

Here are some downloadable POI files for GPS apps:

Cat Scales: http://www.catscale.com/downloadlocationlist.cfm
IdleAire: http://www.idleaire.com/locations/IA_ATE_active/
Weight Stations (has other files as well): http://www.discoveryowners.com/cginfolinks.htm
Loves: http://www.loves.com/locations.asp
Petro: http://www.petrotruckstops.com/location_search.sstg
Flying J: http://www.flyingj.com/highway/amenities/amenities.cfm
T/A: http://www.tatravelcenters.com/taweb...px?page_id=568
Pilot: http://www.pilottravelcenters.com/Lo...Locations_File

You'll need the .csv (comma delimited text file) of each.

Enjoy!!!

Edit:
I'm working on a template file which will have all of the above already imported. Once I finish this, I'll make it available as a free download.

[redwards41]

Did you get done with that file yet Malaki86
would be nice to have thanx

[Malaki86]

Did you get done with that file yet Malaki86
would be nice to have thanx

I was basically away from the computer for about a week (just got married). I've got the beginnings of it, but need to do some work before it'll be available.

[Malaki86]

Well, I sat down last night and started working on the pushpin (POI) set for Streets & Trips. I made a map template file that has the following POI's in it:
Cat Scale, IdleAire, Flying J, Petro, Pilot, T/A, Weigh Stations

I also "made" icons for each of the above POI's. So, for Flying J's, you'll have the "J" logo, Pilot has their "P", and so on.

I wanted to also add POI's for: Blue Beacon, Eagle Truck Wash & Interstate Scales but they have no downloadable list that will "match" to addresses or longitude/latitude. I also was unable to include Love's truckstops as only about 25% of their list has "matchable" addresses or latitude/longitude. I'm still working on the Love's POI set.

As far as setting it up for users to download, I'm working on that right now. I'm not sure if the template file "embeds" the custom icons into the file or not. If you want to download the template file (under 1 meg) here are the links (these are hosted on my home computer):

Template file: ftp://reqbot.serveftp.com/Big%20Truck.stt

Icons (only needed if there is no custom icon already set when you open):
Cat Scale: ftp://reqbot.serveftp.com/CatScale.ico
IdleAire: ftp://reqbot.serveftp.com/IdleAire.ico
Weigh Stations: ftp://reqbot.serveftp.com/scale.ico
Flying J: ftp://reqbot.serveftp.com/Flying%20J.ico
Petro: ftp://reqbot.serveftp.com/Petro.ico
Pilot: ftp://reqbot.serveftp.com/Pilot.ico
T/A: ftp://reqbot.serveftp.com/TA.ico

Note: when you initially open the template file, you'll see the map of the USA zoomed out full. The icons COMPLETELY cover the map. However, the more the map is zoomed in, the more realistic the pushpins will appear. This is because S & T doesn't "scale" the icons the further out the zoom level is set at.

You can customize how MS Streets & Trips opens. For example you may prefer that it opens zoomed into a specific map area, shows Route Planner pane, uses larger font size, etc. 

Create a new map or modify an existing map with the features you'd like to see whenever you open a new map.

On the File menu, click Save As.

In the Save in box, browse to Program Files\Microsoft Streets & Trips \Templates, and click New North American Map.stt.

Click the arrow next to the Save as type box, and then choose Map Template from the list.

Click Save

When prompted about replacing New North American Map.stt, click Yes.

Your map replaces the Streets & Trips default template.

I also came across a couple of things to make S&T better this morning:

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/t...TOPIC_ID=24519
This addon adds a number of features that are missing from S & T. Read the info on the web page. The addon program is completely free.

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/t...TOPIC_ID=21067
This is a bunch of Tips & Tricks for S & T that can be used to "fine-tune" the program. There's a lot of good information.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me, either here in the forums or via PM.

[countryhorseman]

Did you get done with that file yet Malaki86
would be nice to have thanx

I was basically away from the computer for about a week (just got married). I've got the beginnings of it, but need to do some work before it'll be available.