Bob Morphew

I have only ever used Filtering (reducing the number of points in a tracklog) when I needed to upload the track back into the GPS, as my Garmin 60Cx limits the maximum points per uploaded (or Saved) track to 500. However, I prefer the full detail of the original track (I ride off-road trails in remote areas), so I now just add all the tracks I might ever want to access on my GPS into a custom Garmin-compatible "overlay" map. This process is well documented with numerous tutorials (Google "Garmin Custom Maps") and once you learn the process, it only takes a few minutes to produce a new map using huge numbers of large tracklogs. It really seems much more convenient than massaging tracks so they fit the GPS specs (and then being limited to 20 or so tracks). I have literally thousands of detailed tracks in my custom maps and all are available at any time via the Map Setup "Hide/Show" option. Is there another reason to filter tracks? Bob

Shivia - You don't "trace" the route. Create the waypoints first and then open a blank new route (Ctrl-R or Edit/New Route) and use the "Add Waypoints" button. Walt - Yes, I have my Preferences/Wapoints set to the green dot and I also check the box "Use these defaults ...." plus use a unique 2 letter prefix for the waypoints in each new route. That way I can upload several routes and the waypoint numbers don't conflict (although Mapsource handles the conflict by renaming duplicate waypoints). Bob

Don't use the Route Tool. I first create the waypoints and select the "City(small)" waypoint symbol - it's a small green circle - and then I use "Edit/New Route" and "Insert Waypoints" to create the route. No blue flags cluttering the screen in either Mapsource or on my GPS (60CSx). Also, when I transfer the Route to the GPS, I uncheck "Waypoints" and just send the Route. That way you don't have unnecessary waypoints cluttering the screen after you delete the route. Bob

Can you explain what you mean by "not working"? If you mean you cannot see any map detail - just a white rectangle - then zoom in. If you mean Mapsource crashes, then it may be an inappropriate FID/Product codes. Whether or not your custom map works in Mapsource also depends on what versions of cGPSmapper and MapsetToolkit you used to compile the maps. I've heard there are some issues with some of the recent versions. Do the maps work correctly in your GPS? Bob

Unless Garmin changed this recently, there was a limit of 50 daily tracklog files on the mSD card. Once 50 was reached, the new GPX files overwrote the oldest ones. Last year, I found if I copied 51 old GPX files to the mSD card, then it would continue saving new ones without overwriting old ones. I haven't checked to see if newer firmware changed this feature - 50 was more than enough for my needs. Bob

Cypherman - We are trying to trackdown an error when installing a mapset to Mapsource with MapsetToolkit. We get a cGPSmapper error but the output from cGPSmapper scrolls past FAST and then the CMD window disappears. We don't get the "Convert termined" message. It would be GREAT if you could make MapsetToolkit work like MapEdit when processing a cGPSmapper command. In MapEdit, the output stays open until you click "Close" so it's real easy to review where the error is. Could you add this to Toolkit, please? Thanks Bob

You are not changing level definition in the [MAP] section to a less detailed level. It's easier to do this in MapEdit than to manually edit the [MAP] section of the mp file. BTW, custom map making is a complex task if you don't follow the method in "rws's Tutorial". If you want to stray from the basics, be prepared to study the cGPSmapper User Manual. Bob

Depends what you mean by "works". Iamasmith was describing a "Factory Reset" which reboots the GPS, resets the Options to Factory settings, and wipes out all the User Data. The key presses you described are for a "Hard Reset" which pops up a screen asking if you want to delete User data - if you say NO, then it just reboots and leaves the User data and options settings the same. Bob

Sorry, but it was correct. Here's an e-mail I received a while back from Garmin Tech Support on the 60CSx: Bob

I haven't seen that problem before - if there are no registry errors for that mapset, you obviously should be able to select your map in the dropdown maplist, and then use the Maptool to click anywhere on your map (when it should turn pink) and appear listed in the Maps panel on the left. Have you tried zooming out far enough that your map just appears as a white box with "cGPSmapper" in one corner? If you want to e-mail me your MP and img files (dualsport AT morphew DOT ca), and the TYP if you used one, I'll try and test it for you. Bob

I use GPicSync - a free download from Google - to geocode my motorcycling pics and then display them on Picasa, also a free Google application. Bob

There was a post on this Forum a couple of weeks back about a website that had free golf maps and had a great tool for making your own golf course map using Google maps. If you have the interest to make your own course maps, or can find the ones you need, then the 60CSx would be well suited for your needs. Check this link: GPS Golf Course Maps Bob

Download a free copy of GPS TrackMaker. You can import scanned maps and calibrate them with two known waypoints, then load in your waypoints/caches and see them on the maps. Do a Google search - there's lots of places that post instructions on how to do it. Bob

Thanks again, Cypherman, for a great product .. I use Toolkit to "pre-install" my maps and generate the TDB and REG files so I can make an auto-installer with INNO Setup. I run Win XP and can get the correct XP Registry entries from your REG file but I've heard the Vista uses a different Registry key. If that is correct, is there a way to run Toolkit to make it produce a Vista-compatible REG file on an XP computer so I can see what entries INNO will need? Thanks Bob

The easiest way to fix this problem is to download MapsetToolkit (use Google) and run it to find which map is product 132. Highlight it and click uninstall. Run Mapsource again and check there are no errors. Re-install "product 132" and check Mapsource again. If you uninstall Mapsource, you'll have to re-install every mapset, and if you have several this will take a lot of work. Bob

I read your post when you first made it but it didn't sink in fully. After re-reading and going into Mapsource Preferences I see that I misunderstood the Time Options page as well. I get it now .... eventually! Thanks for your patience in re-explaining it. Bob

When I look at my tracklogs in Mapsource they are definitely in LOCAL time - not UTC. When I compare the trackpoint time/location with the JPG "Time Taken/Location" the times match. Yet I understand that it makes a difference if you put the wrong UTC offset in GPicSync when Geocoding, so this suggests it needs to know hwo to match the JPG and the GPX times, but they seem to be the same. Where exactly is the UTC time in the tracklog? My GPS knows my offset from UTC and it displays the correct local time. Thanks Bob

If it shows up in the drop-down map list in Mapsource then it should be able to be transferred to your GPS in the normal way (I.e. use Map Tool to click on map section(s), and then use Send to Device). Try MapsetToolkit to "Check Registry" and see if there are any errors. If they are, fix them and then re-install the maps in Mapsource. Bob

Get a copy of rws's Map Making Tutorial from here: http://www.snowmobileworld.com/forum/index...showtopic=79939 It will explain all you need to know. Bob

I have a Nuvi 550 (same as 500 except City Navigator instead of Topo) and I'm dissapointed in it's tracklog capabilities. The only control you have is whether the track displays or not. No colour changes from cyan. No mangaing tracks on the GPS. So far no evidence of anything except the Active tracklog, but I read on another Forum that someone mentioned an Archive folder, so I'm thinking that I haven't been using it long enough to fill the Active log and need an archive. I tried uploading tracklogs along with routes and waypoints. The waypoints go straight to Favouites (i.e. to Current.gpx), the Routes stay in Temp.gpx until you use Settings / My Data / Import Routes, but the tracklogs do not show up at all. I tried creating a Current.gpx file in Mapsource with a mixture of my 60Cx tracks and some Nuvi 550 tracks, and then overwriting the Current.gpx in the GPS. The tracks created on the Nuvi will display, but it ignores the 60Cx tracks (I was trying to fill up most of the 10,000 point Active log to test if it did start archiving tracks (like the Zumo 550 does). I tried my standard workaround for exceeding the tracklog limit on my 60Cx by converting the tracks into a Garmin Map, but the 550 doesn't like custom maps. They work in Walking & Cycling modes, but not in Driving or Scootering modes. My conclusion is that it doesn't handling tracks well enough - a major concern for me - so it's going back to Costco soon. Bob

In GPicSync you need to specify the time offset from UTC so you could just try running it with only one or two pictures and your full GPX file. Look at the pictures on Google Earth and see if they are in the right location. Change the UTC offset until the pictures are correctly located then run the full batch of pictures. I set the "Geocode if time difference is less than" to 2500 seconds to cover the case where my bike is parked for about 30 minutes while I wander around taking pictures, and the GPS is OFF. Usually the time difference is within a few seconds if I keep my GPS running. BTW, you can re-run GPicSync several times and it just re-writes the GPS coords. I don't use the "Backup Pictures" option. Bob

Unfortunately that's what I expected to be able to do but it doesn't work. If you use Mapsource to send a GPX file to the GPX folder, it arrives as "Temp.gpx". When you use Tools / My Data , you do NOT have the choice of importing tracks or waypoints - only routes. However, all the waypoints in Temp.gpx are now also in Current.gpx. The Nuvi 760 was the same. The nuvi 550 and 760 both offer tracklogs, but do NOT offer the feature of saving Tracks. When I try "Where to", the closest choice is Trac-Back, and it will only allow you to use the LAST segment of track, even if that isn't the complete trip you'd like to do. It then converts it to a route so as to provide turn-by-turn directions. I'm starting to suspect that none of the current Nuvi's can read tracklogs stored on the SD card, and the 550 doesn't handle custom trail maps well. Sort of rules them out for my applications. Bob

Can you elaborate on which Nuvis do this? Are these tracks uploaded from a PC or tracks previously stored by the GPS itself? I have a 60Cx and a 60CSx so I'm used to the way they handle tracks, maps etc. Last December I bought a Nuvi 760 as it was claimed to handle tracks and routes. I could send a GPX from Mapsource with tracks, routes and waypoints (as "temp.gpx"). The tracks could not be used on the GPS. I returned it and got a Nuvi 550 as it was meant for driving, hiking, cycling, etc so I figured it would have the tracklog stuff well sorted. I'm finding again that I cannot upload tracks back to the GPS, either to internal memory or to the mSD card. If I cheat and create a new "current.gpx" with tracklogs in it, then it only recognizes the tracks that were created on the 550. I tried to add 8000 trackpoints from my 60CSX as I'd heard that the 550 created a tracklog Archive (like the Zumo?) but it just ignored the 60CSx tracks and only showed the 550's so I haven't found out if the 550 does eventually start archiving the tracklog. So far, I haven't found a way to access tracklogs on the mSD card - any suggestions? Bob

Unless you are a programmer, I'd agree it's not easy to follow that tutorial if you are just starting. I've got some notes from the Inno Setup Tutorial that's no longer on-line. If you download a copy of Inno Setup, you can probably make an installer from one of my scripts by just changing my file and Map names to yours. Inno is very full featured so to learn how to use it from scratch would be difficult, but just modifying a working script is relatively easy. I'll send it to you. Bob

The max number of points in a Tracklog transferred to a Garmin GPS is usually 500, and the max number of transferred (or Saved) tracks is usually 20. These numbers vary by model but probably apply to your Vista HCx. Tracxklogs on a SD card can only be viewed on a computer - they are not usable on the GPS. The best way around the problem is to convert the 39 detailed tracklogs to transparent overlay maps and upload those to your GPS. You can then turn them ON/OFF like your other map(s). Lots of tutorials on how to do this if you Google it. Unfortunately, this (and most other GPS "extras") don't work well with pre-loaded maps on Garmin mSD cards. You cannot add any other data - tracks, maps, Custom POI's, etc without destroying the maps. Garmin really should point this out with their product documentation. They sort-of do that by saying pre-loaded SD cards are for people without a computer but not many seem to recognize the implications of this. Anyway, doesn't everyone have a computer now, especially if the own a GPS? Bob