Mapsource - Add elevation data to track from topo?

[+limawhiskey]

I have a track in MapSource with no elevation data, and I'd like to complete the track info with that, if possible.

 

It seems I can do this in my GPSr unit ( Tracks > Select track > MENU > Profile > Use Map Data) to view the profile, but when I try to view the track's profile in MapSource, I get no similar option.

 

I'd at least like to see the profile using map data, and preferably complete the track data by grabbing the elevation for each track point. Surely if it's possible on the handheld I should be able to do it in Mapsource too (you'd hope). But I can't see how.

 

Help is a bit vague:

You can view a vertical profile of your tracks. If you are using maps that contain topographical data, you can also view a vertical profile of your routes.

MapSource is version 6.12.2, maps are Topo GB v2.

 

Can anyone help? TIA

[CenTexDodger]

I have a track in MapSource with no elevation data, and I'd like to complete the track info with that, if possible.

 

It seems I can do this in my GPSr unit ( Tracks > Select track > MENU > Profile > Use Map Data) to view the profile, but when I try to view the track's profile in MapSource, I get no similar option.

 

I'd at least like to see the profile using map data, and preferably complete the track data by grabbing the elevation for each track point. Surely if it's possible on the handheld I should be able to do it in Mapsource too (you'd hope). But I can't see how.

 

Help is a bit vague:

You can view a vertical profile of your tracks. If you are using maps that contain topographical data, you can also view a vertical profile of your routes.

MapSource is version 6.12.2, maps are Topo GB v2.

 

Can anyone help? TIA

 

First, upgrade MapSource to 6.12.3. Then, when you save tracks in the GPS, you lose a lot of the data associated with the track points. If you use the "active log" or the active track saved on the micro SD card (assuming you have an x unit) then you should be able to see the track profile in the track properties dialog box.

[+limawhiskey]

CenTexDodger, thanks for the advice about upgrading (which I've done) and the explanation about tracks.

 

I had noticed that a saved track keeps only position data, whereas both active and archived tracks retain elevation info, which is a bit strange. Not sure what the theory is behind that - if anyone can enlighten me please do so!

 

However, the track that I'm referring to in my original post was created outside MapSource and I wanted to add (or at least see) the elevation data, as my GPSr seems to be able to do (although not permanently!).

 

I'd still welcome advice about this issue if anyone has any for me!

Edited April 11, 2007 by limawhiskey

[Grasscatcher]

A quick check on a short "track" I did this morning then downloaded to Mapsource TOPO....

What Mapsource receives is a "saved" track 11-April-07 and an Active Log track.

 

I did a track profile in Mapsource on the "saved" track and can see altitude data as well. In the tracklist, right click the desired track , click Track properties, click Show Profile

 

On the "Active Log" track, same procedure. You will note that Track Properties shows several additional columns of info on the Active Log track. (but altitude is shown on both saved and AL)

 

However, If you "hand draw" a track, you can't do a profile of that track.

 

If you can see a profile of any specific track on your handheld, then you should be able to download that track from your unit to Mapsource and also see a profile in Mapsource.

[+limawhiskey]

Thanks for that Grasscatcher, but the track I'm having trouble with wasn't created by the GPSr (it started as a path in Google Earth, converted to a track in GPX format using GPS Visualizer).

 

The result is that every track point only contains position data (longitude and latitude), and the only columns I see under Track Properties are Index, Leg Length, Leg Course and Position.

 

However, If you "hand draw" a track, you can't do a profile of that track.

It seems I can, but only using MapSource - so if I use its track draw tool I end up with a track with longitude, latitude and elevation data (and hence the additional Altitude column in Track Properties).

 

If you can see a profile of any specific track on your handheld, then you should be able to download that track from your unit to Mapsource and also see a profile in Mapsource.

That's what I would have thought, but it doesn't seem to be the case - I can view my created track's profile on the handheld, but not in MapSource. The handheld seems to grab the elevation data on-the-fly, but MapSource won't.

 

I was hoping that within MapSource there would be a way to see the profile in a similar way that the handheld generates it, and maybe therefore to grab the elevation data to complete that missing from my track. I suppose I thought that I wouldn't be the first person to want to do this, and there would already be a solution!

 

Any more ideas? All suggestions gratefully received!

Edited April 11, 2007 by limawhiskey

[Grasscatcher]

Apparently GPS Visualizer is stripping the elevation data when converting to GPX. Try seeing if you can do a profile in GPS Visualizer.

 

You might see if GPS Babel will convert from Google to GPX without stripping the elev data, then open the GPX with Mapsource and see if it's there.

 

Unexpected things sometimes happen when converting files between programs.

[+limawhiskey]

Actually I've leftout a step above - I'm confusing myself here! The conversion is not to blame; I stripped the elevation data from the GPX file, as Google Earth had recorded the elevation as zero at every points on the path (despite the Terrain database layer being on and terrain data was present), which GPS Visualizer had duly converted.

 

I removed it as I hoped that MapSource would kindly fill in the blanks for me with information from my (expensive!) topo maps. Too much to hope for possibly!

 

So I'm still looking for a solution...