I am experimenting within the FMC of the 737 NG and built my first flightplan ever with a SID and a STAR.It's the tutorial KDEN-KLAX route but I did it slightly differently. I went to ROUTEFINDER flight planning services and did a query for an airway KDEN-KLAX. It returned me the following:KDEN SID DBL J60 BLD J107 HEC STAR KLAX I went into the FMC and after entering KDEN and KLAX as the departure and arrival points, I entered page 2 of RTE and entered DBL; BLD and J60; HEC and J107. Then I went to DEP/ARR and selected a departure runway for KDEN and a SID. I played around with the SIDs on the ND since they went in all kinds of directions until I got ROCKI4 that went to BLD (TRANS). Then I entered the arrival ILS runway for KLAX and searched for a STAR. Finally, I took KIMMO2 since that ran from HEC (TRANS). The arrival looks very odd and loaded a huge loop to LAX 170 although it does turn back to the arrival runway and there's a MA point at RAFFS.I think I get the TRANS stuff but I can't explain it succinctly right now. But it seems I need TRANS points that link to the planned routing at the start and end, for the SID and STAR (?)Appreciate any comments on this effort. Thanks!Jonathan

Best idea is to see if you can find cahrts or preferred routes for the airports.Have a look at http://www.vatusa.org/html/index.php, the USA VATSIM web site, usually has details of DPs and STARs or links to them.

First off, don't program in a runway when you're still on the ground. You can, but it's just a guess at what destination winds will be. Your expected landing direction will likely be given to you by Center when you begin your descent. Then your expected runway will be given to you and then cleared for an approach to it by TRACON/Approach control.As for building routes, I think you're putting the cart before the horse. I wouldn't search for jetways first. First I would play with the SIDs to find one that goes in the general direction of your destination. Then search for a STAR that comes from the general direction of your departure airport. Then try and find a jetway or two that goes in between. If you don't have a flight planning tool like FSBuild or FSNavigator and you're just using the PMDG FMC to plan your route this might be overly complicated given the limited display.A better idea if you have no flight planning tool would be to go to either the arrival or departure VATSIM ARTCC website and see if they have a preferred routing listed. For something like KDEN-KLAX, two higher volume airports you will be likely to find a route. As an example, I went to ZLA's website and under the "For Pilots" heading I chose IFR Flight Planner. I entered KDEN->KLAX and High Altitude Airways and came up with: ROCKI4 HBU J128 PGS J64 CIVET CIVET4The problem you are having I believe is one of two things.1) You are choosing a STAR that comes in from the EAST and you'r choosing an approach that is landing to the EAST. This might give you some rather wacky FMC computed routing. If you are flying with ATC remember that somewhere along your STAR you're going to be vectored off it onto your approach course. 2) I'm not exactly sure which STAR that is. However, I know the LAX STAR's I remember all had slightly different routing at the end depending on what runway you were landing. There were 3 intersections for each of the 4 runways. However, you're only going to be using 3 of those intersections for your actual arrival/approach transition. But the nav databases contain all of them and if put in a linear fashion the FMC will try to compute the route between all of them, which is not their intended use.Either way, things like this will happen, even in real life. STARs might not line up perfectly with each and every runway approach course at an airport. That is why if the FMC can't compute a route the ROUTE DISCONTINUITY ... message is displayed and why the checklist advises you to verify the LEGS of a route.When I am flying I never enter my STAR when I am on the ground. I wait until I'm climbinb to cruise altitude to enter my STAR and descent forcast. Then, if I have no ATC, I'll wait until I'm close to the end of the STAR, or shortly before a point on the STAR where I know there is a different crossing restriction based on active runway, to actually ented my runway approach into the FMC. Otherwise I just choose the runway and don't worry about the course since ATC will likely be vectoring me onto final.Hope any of that helps. I'd definately recommend purchasing a flight planning tool though if you plan on doing many flights.

Thanks for these replies, gentlemen.I do use FSNavigator 4.6 (I've used FSN for 5 years or more by now), but I was mainly interested in seeing if I understood the VIA/TO stuff as well as finally learning something about SIDs and STARs. I've always hand-built my flightplans with FSN and really built my own SIDs and STARs but they were not accurate or precise. I've never really been entirely clear about how they work from a programming point of view. Now I am learning in baby steps.Thanks again and Cheers!JS