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Waypoints are the basis of each route. In this manual, you can read about all the possibilities for waypoints in the MRA Routeplanner!

First: what does that mean?

• Each point on the route is a waypoint that helps to determine how the route goes, other than the basic settings of the route calculation. That's why you can also call waypoints: 'shaping points'. These points form the route but otherwise have no specific information or value.
• Some waypoints have not only been created to form the route but also indicate a special place that should not be missed while driving (such as a special road, a nice lookout or a monument). These are called 'viapoints'; points that we want to pass for a specific reason and that we would like to be alerted to (more about this further in the manual). 

Via-points

So, as described above, via-points are waypoints at a special place that you don't want to miss. Here you can think of a beautiful mountain pass, a specific bridge or monuments. Via-points are also, for example, the location where we have planned a coffee stop or a lunch break.

The start and endpoints are always automatically a via-point.

Create a via-point 

• First of all, make a route point as you are used to;
• Click on the stop-off point that you want to create as a waypoint: the stop-off point menu will now open in a
• pop-up;
• Click on the icon for more options: the rest of the stop-off point menu will now open;
• Click the button with the stop-off point called 'via' (see image);
• To change the waypoint back into a waypoint, click this button again (see image).

Timed waypoints

With some waypoints, we already know in advance that we will stay there for a longer period of time than the route calculation indicates. These specific waypoints can be pre-planned with the new MyRoute-app functionality. This makes it easier for you to estimate the total planned time of your route. This will also help time management for professional travel organisations and driving instructors.

• Setting extra time can be added to a shaping point as well as a via-point;
  • Shaping points: You can include some extra driving time because you expect to drive slower than indicated in the route calculation. Just plan some extra time in a shaping point. 
  • Via-points: As mentioned above, via-points are locations that we want to pass for a special reason. This could for example be a coffee stop, lunch break or meeting point. Set the estimated break/stop time of this location to get a better indication of your estimated total travel time.

Pay attention! The MRA Routeplanner provides an estimate of the duration based on the settings in the route planner and the data available to MyRoute-app. The indicated time always deviates from the exact time it takes to drive the route, e.g. due to the crowds on the road.

Create a timed waypoint

• Click on the waypoint to which you want to add a 'pause time';
  
• At the bottom of the waypoint menu you will see the bar for entering the pause time;
  1. Enter the desired scheduled time (hours and/or minutes);
  2. Click on the icon next to the timeline to modify the icon: you will see a drop-down menu from which you can choose different symbols as icons. It is also possible not to add an icon to the timed waypoint. It is also possible to add an icon without adding time!
  Icons have no impact on the duration of the journey. So you can choose any icon for any timed waypoint.
  
• Click on the cross in the time bar to remove the time.
  

You will see the time added directly at the waypoint and it appears in the route list. This time is added to the total time of the entire route and will also be mentioned and taken into account when exporting a PDF file.

The calculator - Gold

In addition to the timed route points, MyRoute app introduces the calculator. With this toolkit functionality, you can easily calculate how long the planned time and distance is between two self-defined route points. 

• Open the toolkit and click on "calculator";
• Use the dropdown menus to select the waypoints between which you want to calculate the distance and time. Finally, click on "perform calculation" and the results are immediately visible!

Would you like to think along with our developers and other users about new functionalities and their further elaboration? You can do this at our MRA Community Forum!

Consequences for saving and exporting routes

The routes you plan in the MRA Routeplanner are, of course, for you to use. In this heading, we explain which functionalities can and cannot be included when you save or export a route from the MRA Routeplanner.
Attention! These new functionalities of the MRA Routeplanner have been implemented very recently. The next step is to further explore the possibilities for the different document types. We will work on further implementations of these functionalities in the future.

Via-points and...

• MRA Navigation - For iOS devices, via-points are visible as such in MRA Navigation since our last update! So make sure you have the most recent version from the app store. We are currently working hard to update the Android app. 
• Garmin navigation - MRA Routeplanner trip points can be exported to Garmin devices. This works best with the Zumo XT. The waypoints then become so-called 'hard' route points. 
  • Pay attention! From MyRoute-app we always recommend exporting a planned trip to a navigation system as a track! This generally makes it easier for you to navigate.
    
• TomTom navigation - via-points of the MRA Routeplanner cannot yet be exported as such to TomTom. 

Timed Waypoints and...

Timed waypoints are really a functionality for during planning. It allows you to make more realistic planning and estimated journey time. The time of the final trip, of course, depends on traffic, speed-driven and how long you really stop.

• PDF file - Provided you set a start time when creating a route; when saving as a PDF file both the planned driving time and the planned pause time will be shown. The icons you add to the waypoints will also be visible in the PDF file. It is, therefore, a direct printout of the MRA Routeplanner's planning.
  Setting a departure date and time can be done in two ways (see also picture below):
  • When starting a new route;
  • Via 'routest' with the option 'edit route'.
    

The Icons

The icons that can be added to a waypoint to give more information about it, are a functionality of the MRA Routeplanner only and therefore cannot be exported to Garmin and TomTom.
In the future, however, the icons will be visible in MRA Navigation. We are also investigating whether it is possible to give the icons (or similar variants) to other navigation systems and apps.