Importing LOC files into Garmin MapSource

[+shadefrog]

Is it possible to properly importing LOC files into Garmin MapSource? I have tried and every time the co-ordinates for me new waypoint are incorrect. I have to manually enter them. I checked the help files for MapSource and found out the program can save information into a GPX file. Not sure if it supports that format when loading data though.

 

Once I have all my waypoints entered, I then transfer this data to my GPS. It is a Garmin eTrex Legend.

 

Any advice would be great. Thanks for the help.

[+XopherN71]

GSAK is probably the most common...

http://www.gsak.net/

 

To convert .loc to .gpx you can use a program called GPSBabel:

http://www.gpsbabel.org/

 

If you pay $3/mo or $30/yr you can get the files from here in gpx format (or go to Garmin.com and get them for free).

[+IBcrashen]

Yes you can but you dont import, you open mapsource and then open the loc file.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Yeah, you can open LOC files directly in MapSource. No need to convert. As a test, I downloaded the LOC and GPX files for a cache and opened them both in MapSource and they both were exactly the same location.

[+shadefrog]

If I OPEN the LOC file with mapsource I can only deal with one file at a time since opening another LOC files closes the previous one. Mapsource lets me add a new waypoint (via the EDIT menu). This way I can add as many waypoints as I want. This is the method I was using. This is the method that was causing discrepancies in the co-ordinates.

 

Okay. Seems that when I ADD a new waypoint the program does not use the co-ordinates from the LOC file. Instead mapsource adds the waypoint where I last clicked on the screen.

 

Bummer.

 

I guess I'll stick to manually entering the co-ordinates.

 

Thanks for the help. Can't wait to go out again.

[+Red90]

Open each LOC file in a separate Mapsource window. Copy and paste the waypoint from one to the other.

 

If you have a lot to do, then there are programs that will open multiple files at once, like g7towin and then save as a single GDB file for viewing in Mapsource.

[+Miragee]

You can use EasyGPS to get all the .loc files from each Search page and open that .loc file in Mapsource. Then, you can download another page of .loc files and open those in a new instance of Mapsource. Copy and Paste from one to the other to combine all the Waypoints.

 

However, since that is so much work, you could just pay $3.00 for one month of membership to GC.com to check out Pocket Queries. With those, you get 500 caches in each. Using GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife), you can combine PQs, filter them for the area where you are going to go, and send 1000 waypoints to your GPSr in a few seconds.

[+questreme]

I have posted a program that will fix all the loc files at the same time

and has a option to combine loc file so you only have to read in one file

 

Upload program at: http://computersforrefugees.mywebcommunity.org/loc.htm

 

that is

computers for refugees . my web community . org / loc.htm

(without the spaces)

Edited March 23, 2011 by questreme