CoPilot Trucker 11 issues

Am working with a new install of this software.
Using a Vaio, XP home SP2, 1.73 G processor, 1 G mem.

Issue #1: Will only start in 800 x 600 screen resolution. Rather than full-screen at my usual 1280 x 768, I am now back to SVGA standard of, what? 1993? You can start in 8x6, then change your screen to higher resolution but you will be stuck in a little window on the left side of the screen. This is a known "issue" and the company is working on it but this is far beyond annoying. At least to me.

Issue #2: Manual editing of the gps.cfg file to assure the program detects the GPS device when it starts. OK, fine, it's no biggie, true. It is an annoyance and we all deal with more than enough annoyances every day, don't you think? My GPS is one of the ones "recommended" for this program and one that the company will package with the program. So what's the deal?

Issue #3: Non-standard interface. Most folks who choose to use laptops to do their routing are probably accustomed to a standard interface. I have been using one version of another of Windows since the first release of vaporware way back in the early '80s. Mac users are also accustomed to their particular interface and have been for years. This is unsettling and difficult to navigate.

Issue #4: Activation? What? Activation is just crazy and haven't figured out how to do it yet. Will let you know when I do and how it's actually done. The "User's Guide," (all 4 pages included with the program) states that this will happen when you enter your license code. Nope. Sorry. Nada. Doesn't happen. Have registered online but the program still is not "activated." Registered, yes, activated, no.The company emails a code for activating it but haven't figured out where to do that. Does run (not mentioning that messed up 8x6) smoothly, even without the activation code entered.

Issue #5: There is no way to stop a "calculate route" process, at least that I have found, and it can go on for quite a while. Like 30 minutes. Perhaps it's my little laptop but, geeze louise, that's a LONG wait. Ratchet hasn't got that kind of time if he calls me at 3 a.m. and needs to get somewhere in a major metro without running the reefer into a low overpass, getting on a skinny street or something equally bad.

Will try to update as I use this. Right now it is really a p.i.t.a., though... I hopre the company fixes some of these issues, I can handle some of this stuff but the main problem right now is that blasted screen resolution. argh!

 

I thought copilot 11 was for vista . You might need to get copilot 9 , Just a thought . Or 10

 

Nope, it is supposedly compatible with XP SP2. The display resolution issues are reportedly a problem with Vista, as well. Am wondering if it is a local driver issue?
Think I may install it here on the desktop and play with the display and drivers. Maybe there is some type of workaround that I could use or a patch or something.
Don't know. It looks like it would be a really nice program once the user gets comfortable with the interface.
(the speech feature just cracks me up, as well. would be a nice feature if you don't mind a mouthy laptop. )

 

Yes I saw the speech . I thought it was pretty funny.

 

Changed the voice to the male because the default just annoyed the crap out of me. LOL

I think I will contact support at ALK about the display thing. Will give them specifics on my system and see if there might be some current help...

Doing maintenance on both the laptop and this machine and then will do a clean install here...

 

Installed on this machine *boom* full screen. OK, so if it runs on my Nvidia gforce 8600 gt, it should be able to run on the laptop.
Did some massive cleanup, defragmented, updated the video drivers... restarted the laptop and started trucker....


Voila! Full-screen!

Now we'll see what it will do other than talk to me.

 

glad it's working I plan on getting it once I'm done with training . Unless they get there stand alone unit on the market .

 

Navigating around is a little difficult but the program seems stable enough. Switching back and forth from Trucker to the start menu or another program is smooth and there aren't any hangs. It doesn't eat tons of memory or processor time either and, when it shuts down, isn't hanging on to any system handles as far as I can tell.
There are some enhancements that are really nice, such as 53' box routing and all the various hazmat stuff. Being able to dictate particular types of roads to avoid and tell the program max. vehicle speed for various routes is also really great.
Haven't gotten far enough into the program to really know what all the bells and whistles are. I'd like something like an HoS calculator so I'd have an approximation of possible travel distances for finding someplace to stop for sleeper time. Will see if that is in there somewhere...

 

This is quite a change... customer service is allowing me an active copy on the laptop for Ratchet and on this computer at home so I can help him if his hands are glued to the wheel!
Wow.

Sure not dealing with Microshaft and that's a fact....

 

Just don't try to find an address, it could only locate 3 out of 6 addresses I tried to find. My copilot seems to be off by 3/10 of a mile. had to buy a garmin just to get the right time to turn. In my opinion it is a very poor program for 200 bucks worth about 50.00