Can't download GPX files to my Colorado 400t

[10sgrl]

I just got a Colorado 400t so I can download descriptions along with the coordinates. But my system keeps giving me the 'Don't recognize the file extension' error when I try to download the GPX file, and nothing I do will allow them to download. Help!

[+fegan]

Try this site for info on loading geocaches on your Colorado:

http://garmincolorado.wikispaces.com/Geocaching#toc1

[+seekerfamily]

Tried the pocket queries to the gpx file, does not load to colorado _ step 3 on link - any suggestions?

[+fegan]

Tried the pocket queries to the gpx file, does not load to colorado _ step 3 on link - any suggestions?

 

How far from your current location are the geocaches in that PQ?

 

Have you tried searching by Name, rather than the default Distance?

[+Chrysalides]

I guess a lot of people got Colorados and Oregons for Christmas

 

Here's my response in another thread.

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=4168922

[+seekerfamily]

Tried the pocket queries to the gpx file, does not load to colorado _ step 3 on link - any suggestions?

 

How far from your current location are the geocaches in that PQ?

 

Have you tried searching by Name, rather than the default Distance?

 

Less than 10 miles from home - when search by name not found

[+fegan]

Tried the pocket queries to the gpx file, does not load to colorado _ step 3 on link - any suggestions?

 

How far from your current location are the geocaches in that PQ?

 

Have you tried searching by Name, rather than the default Distance?

 

Less than 10 miles from home - when search by name not found

 

You did get the PQ via e-mail and unzip the two GPX files, right? Sometimes folks think they can download it directly from the website by previewing the results and all you get are LOC files.

 

When you connect your Colorado to your computer via USB, what files are currently in your d:\Garmin\GPX folder?

[+seekerfamily]

Tried the pocket queries to the gpx file, does not load to colorado _ step 3 on link - any suggestions?

 

How far from your current location are the geocaches in that PQ?

 

Have you tried searching by Name, rather than the default Distance?

 

Less than 10 miles from home - when search by name not found

 

You did get the PQ via e-mail and unzip the two GPX files, right? Sometimes folks think they can download it directly from the website by previewing the results and all you get are LOC files.

 

When you connect your Colorado to your computer via USB, what files are currently in your d:\Garmin\GPX folder?

 

They are unzipped GPX files, and when the colorado folder comes up - the gpx files are dragged in the GPX folder - show up as in the GPX folder. Did this with a local Wherigo cartridge and it loaded onto the colorado but the caches do not.

 

We are on our way to a local event and hope to get some help there. Thanks for your suggestions here and any new ones would be appreciated. Is there a folder or shortcut you can put on the desktop to see the garmin colorado and files associated with it?

[+davesterx]

Tried the pocket queries to the gpx file, does not load to colorado _ step 3 on link - any suggestions?

 

How far from your current location are the geocaches in that PQ?

 

Have you tried searching by Name, rather than the default Distance?

 

Less than 10 miles from home - when search by name not found

 

You did get the PQ via e-mail and unzip the two GPX files, right? Sometimes folks think they can download it directly from the website by previewing the results and all you get are LOC files.

 

When you connect your Colorado to your computer via USB, what files are currently in your d:\Garmin\GPX folder?

 

They are unzipped GPX files, and when the colorado folder comes up - the gpx files are dragged in the GPX folder - show up as in the GPX folder. Did this with a local Wherigo cartridge and it loaded onto the colorado but the caches do not.

 

We are on our way to a local event and hope to get some help there. Thanks for your suggestions here and any new ones would be appreciated. Is there a folder or shortcut you can put on the desktop to see the garmin colorado and files associated with it?

 

I use a program called GSAK to manage and upload all my caches but I've seen a similar situation happen before. Delete the GPX file in this directory (don't delete anything else!), disconnect the GPS from your computer, remove the GPS batteries, wait 10 seconds and then put the batteries in and reconnect everything. Re-install the GPX file. I have found that sometimes when I load a GPX files it "doesn't take" even when it appears to be there. Deleting and re-installing the file as described seems to fix the problem.

[+fegan]

They are unzipped GPX files, and when the colorado folder comes up - the gpx files are dragged in the GPX folder - show up as in the GPX folder. Did this with a local Wherigo cartridge and it loaded onto the colorado but the caches do not.

 

We are on our way to a local event and hope to get some help there. Thanks for your suggestions here and any new ones would be appreciated. Is there a folder or shortcut you can put on the desktop to see the garmin colorado and files associated with it?

 

Something doesn't sound quite right here if you got a Wherigo to load.

 

Wherigo cartridges (GWC) go in d:\Wherigo

 

Geocaches (GPX) go in d:\Garmin\GPX

 

As I asked previously, so I can better understand what you've done with your GPS, what is currently in your d:\Garmin\GPX folder?

 

I wouldn't recommend creating a shortcut to the Colorado as the drive letter can change depending on what other USB mass storage devices you connect. Just go to My Computer and there should be two drive letters, one for the GPS internal memory and another for the SD card.

[+seekerfamily]

They are unzipped GPX files, and when the colorado folder comes up - the gpx files are dragged in the GPX folder - show up as in the GPX folder. Did this with a local Wherigo cartridge and it loaded onto the colorado but the caches do not.

 

We are on our way to a local event and hope to get some help there. Thanks for your suggestions here and any new ones would be appreciated. Is there a folder or shortcut you can put on the desktop to see the garmin colorado and files associated with it?

 

Something doesn't sound quite right here if you got a Wherigo to load.

 

Wherigo cartridges (GWC) go in d:\Wherigo

 

Geocaches (GPX) go in d:\Garmin\GPX

 

As I asked previously, so I can better understand what you've done with your GPS, what is currently in your d:\Garmin\GPX folder?

 

I wouldn't recommend creating a shortcut to the Colorado as the drive letter can change depending on what other USB mass storage devices you connect. Just go to My Computer and there should be two drive letters, one for the GPS internal memory and another for the SD card.

Currently have placed 3 gpx files in the gpx folder - all downloaded from PQ and all unzipped - do not show up on GPS after plug into USB slot. Did another Wherigo cartridge and it is now on the GPS. Did work with gsak but have not paid for GSAK - can do that but the whole idea with this gps was that you would not have to use gsak -should download straight from saved pq to gps. can download each cache individually from geocaching page but would take forever as usually download hundreds at a time (even though the best we ever found was about 50 in 1 day). Will try to contact garmin tomorrow thanks for everyones help and will post solution if every get one.

[+fegan]

They are unzipped GPX files, and when the colorado folder comes up - the gpx files are dragged in the GPX folder - show up as in the GPX folder. Did this with a local Wherigo cartridge and it loaded onto the colorado but the caches do not.

 

We are on our way to a local event and hope to get some help there. Thanks for your suggestions here and any new ones would be appreciated. Is there a folder or shortcut you can put on the desktop to see the garmin colorado and files associated with it?

 

Something doesn't sound quite right here if you got a Wherigo to load.

 

Wherigo cartridges (GWC) go in d:\Wherigo

 

Geocaches (GPX) go in d:\Garmin\GPX

 

As I asked previously, so I can better understand what you've done with your GPS, what is currently in your d:\Garmin\GPX folder?

 

I wouldn't recommend creating a shortcut to the Colorado as the drive letter can change depending on what other USB mass storage devices you connect. Just go to My Computer and there should be two drive letters, one for the GPS internal memory and another for the SD card.

Currently have placed 3 gpx files in the gpx folder - all downloaded from PQ and all unzipped - do not show up on GPS after plug into USB slot. Did another Wherigo cartridge and it is now on the GPS. Did work with gsak but have not paid for GSAK - can do that but the whole idea with this gps was that you would not have to use gsak -should download straight from saved pq to gps. can download each cache individually from geocaching page but would take forever as usually download hundreds at a time (even though the best we ever found was about 50 in 1 day). Will try to contact garmin tomorrow thanks for everyones help and will post solution if every get one.

 

I'm confused by your statement "do not show up on GPS after plug into USB slot." Perhaps you could elaborate? This may be the key to your issue.

 

You also say it works with GSAK...is that right? If so, there's no reason a PQ shouldn't work...you should simply place your PQ GPX files in the same folder that GSAK wrote to (which should be d:\Garmin\GPX).

 

Do you have an SD card in the GPS? If so, perhaps something on the SD card is corrupt...have you tried removing it?

 

If you have 3 GPX files in the GPX folder (I'm assuming you mean d:\Garmin\GPX) what is contained in those files? Are they individual geocaches, or Pocket Queries? Were they generated with GSAK or from geocaching.com? If they were generated using GSAK did you use 1.0 or 1.1 file format? IIRC, the Colorado and Oregon only understand 1.0 format.

 

Have you tried removing those files (so the d:\Garmin\GPX folder is empty), cycle the power of your unit, then reconnect to your computer and put the GPX files back? I have seen two Colorado units which would ocassionaly go brain dead and not see any geocaches even though files were there. Following the steps of removing them, cycling the power, then replacing the files would reload the caches.

 

I use GSAK...and it does offer many advantages over just loading PQs from geocaching.com; however, it's definitely NOT required. You can take a PQ, recieved via e-mail, unZIP it and place it in the d:\Garmin\GPX folder.

[+seekerfamily]

[

 

I'm confused by your statement "do not show up on GPS after plug into USB slot." Perhaps you could elaborate? This may be the key to your issue.

 

 

You also say it works with GSAK...is that right? If so, there's no reason a PQ shouldn't work...you should simply place your PQ GPX files in the same folder that GSAK wrote to (which should be d:\Garmin\GPX).

 

Does work through GSAK

 

Do you have an SD card in the GPS? If so, perhaps something on the SD card is corrupt...have you tried removing it?

 

No SD card in GPS

 

If you have 3 GPX files in the GPX folder (I'm assuming you mean d:\Garmin\GPX) what is contained in those files? Are they individual geocaches, or Pocket Queries? Were they generated with GSAK or from geocaching.com? If they were generated using GSAK did you use 1.0 or 1.1 file format? IIRC, the Colorado and Oregon only understand 1.0 format.

 

They are PQ with 100 caches in two files and 50 in the last file

They were generated from geocaching.com as PQ saved into my documents and then opened onto desktop.

Dragged from desktop into j:\Garmin\GPX

do not show up on gps

3 files then dragged into GSAK

downloaded from GSAK through GPS tab - send to GPS and show up on GPS

total caches downloaded from gsak = 220 (some caches repeated in the 3 files)

 

Have you tried removing those files (so the d:\Garmin\GPX folder is empty), cycle the power of your unit, then reconnect to your computer and put the GPX files back? I have seen two Colorado units which would ocassionaly go brain dead and not see any geocaches even though files were there. Following the steps of removing them, cycling the power, then replacing the files would reload the caches.

 

emptied the gpx folder, turned off the gps - took out the batteries, reconnected to computer and put the files back into gpx still did not show up on gps - this one may be permanently brain dead

 

I use GSAK...and it does offer many advantages over just loading PQs from geocaching.com; however, it's definitely NOT required. You can take a PQ, recieved via e-mail, unZIP it and place it in the d:\Garmin\GPX folder.

[+fegan]

emptied the gpx folder, turned off the gps - took out the batteries, reconnected to computer and put the files back into gpx still did not show up on gps - this one may be permanently brain dead

 

You didn't complete one very important step there. After you emptied the GPX folder and turned off the GPS you hooked it back up to the computer without turning the GPS back on to clear its memory and then put the GPX files back on it.

 

You need to cycle the power. That means turning it off, on (letting it boot up completely), then back off again.

 

The Colorado/Oregon/Dakota series have an internal database that we can't see when we hook it up to the computer. In order to remove all geocache information from the internal database, to give it a fresh start, you must empty the d:\Garmin\GPX folder and cycle the power.

 

I would try this experiment just one more time before giving up. If you can load geocaches via GSAK there is NO reason you shouldn't be able to put a GPX file from a Pocket Query directly on the GPS.

[+semessen]

This worked for me! I had several PQs that I tried to load onto my Colorado but only 35-40 cache's would show up. I tried deleting everything, cycling the GPS, then loading the the GPX files again and now they are all showing up. Thank you for your step-by-step instructions! Worked for me!

[+seekerfamily]

emptied the gpx folder, turned off the gps - took out the batteries, reconnected to computer and put the files back into gpx still did not show up on gps - this one may be permanently brain dead

 

You didn't complete one very important step there. After you emptied the GPX folder and turned off the GPS you hooked it back up to the computer without turning the GPS back on to clear its memory and then put the GPX files back on it.

 

You need to cycle the power. That means turning it off, on (letting it boot up completely), then back off again.

 

The Colorado/Oregon/Dakota series have an internal database that we can't see when we hook it up to the computer. In order to remove all geocache information from the internal database, to give it a fresh start, you must empty the d:\Garmin\GPX folder and cycle the power.

 

I would try this experiment just one more time before giving up. If you can load geocaches via GSAK there is NO reason you shouldn't be able to put a GPX file from a Pocket Query directly on the GPS.

 

OK, now have deleted all previous gpx files in folder - unplugged from computer (GPS is then off when unplugged), turned on then off then on again - all not hooked up to computer. Downloaded new gpx file from PQ, dragged into gpx folder when hooked gps back up to computer - it is only file listed in gpx folder. again unplugged from usb booted through on off on - still has old geocaches downloaded from gsak no new caches.

[+seekerfamily]

What should the gps screen look like when hooked up to computer. My screen shows note saying saving all waypoints, routes and trip information in gpx format 1% ... Then it goes to a garmin black screen with pic of gps hooked to computer and the drive comes up on computer screen. The drive contains folders for current, gpx, Wherigo, and garmin. Drag a saved unzipped file to gpx - note comes up - copying file.gpx from desktop to gpx. If GPX folder is clicked file is in folder and current folder in GPX folder. After that will disconnect GPS which then shuts off. (Am I missing some step from when the file is dragged into gpx folder to get it from folder to gps?) When gps turns on says in small print at bottom loading waypoints, tracks, and routes - then loading maps then map screen comes up. Turned back off. Turned back on, same startup - click on shortcuts, scroll to geocaches, same geocaches downloaded 2 days ago from gsak no new caches.(this was the 3 files tried to download a few days ago)

[+bittsen]

What should the gps screen look like when hooked up to computer. My screen shows note saying saving all waypoints, routes and trip information in gpx format 1% ... Then it goes to a garmin black screen with pic of gps hooked to computer and the drive comes up on computer screen. The drive contains folders for current, gpx, Wherigo, and garmin. Drag a saved unzipped file to gpx - note comes up - copying file.gpx from desktop to gpx. If GPX folder is clicked file is in folder and current folder in GPX folder. After that will disconnect GPS which then shuts off. (Am I missing some step from when the file is dragged into gpx folder to get it from folder to gps?) When gps turns on says in small print at bottom loading waypoints, tracks, and routes - then loading maps then map screen comes up. Turned back off. Turned back on, same startup - click on shortcuts, scroll to geocaches, same geocaches downloaded 2 days ago from gsak no new caches.(this was the 3 files tried to download a few days ago)

 

Go into your GPS and put it in Spanner Mode. - - Setup - System - Interface - Garmin Spanner

 

Then when you hook it up to your computer it will ask if you want to put it in Mass Storage. Select yes, and then try uploading the gpx file.

[+fegan]

What should the gps screen look like when hooked up to computer. My screen shows note saying saving all waypoints, routes and trip information in gpx format 1% ... Then it goes to a garmin black screen with pic of gps hooked to computer and the drive comes up on computer screen. The drive contains folders for current, gpx, Wherigo, and garmin.

 

That's correct, you should see a black screen with pic of GPX hooked to computer...you're in Mass Storage mode so you can see the GPS memory as a drive on your computer. As pointed out, you can change the interface to Garmin Spanner so you are prompted to go to Mass Storage mode.

 

What doesn't sound right is you say you see the drive contains folders for Current, GPX, Wherigo and Garmin.

 

You should only see Garmin and Wherigo folders on the drive.

d:\Garmin

d:\Wherigo

 

If you open the Garmin folder, then you should see GPX, Profiles, RemoteSW, Text.

d:\Garmin\GPX

d:\Garmin\Profiles

d:\Garmin\RemoteSW

d:\Garmin\Text

 

Eventually a few new folders may show up (e.g. Scrn) as you use the GPS...but these are the folders on a brand new GPS.

 

If you open \Garmin\GPX folder you should see Current

d:\Garmin\GPX\Current

 

Again, you may see a new folder (Archive) after you've been using your GPS...but the only default folder here is Current.

 

Is sounds like you may have dragged a copy of your GPX and Current folder to the root of the drive. If you're copying your GPX files into d:\GPX then they will NOT load...and since that's the problem you're having, after numerous attempts to resolve this, I'm fearing this to be your problem.

 

Again, GPX files need to be placed in d:\Garmin\GPX in order to load. Since loading from GSAK works, that folder should exist on your GPS.

[+seekerfamily]

Is sounds like you may have dragged a copy of your GPX and Current folder to the root of the drive. If you're copying your GPX files into d:\GPX then they will NOT load...and since that's the problem you're having, after numerous attempts to resolve this, I'm fearing this to be your problem.

 

Again, GPX files need to be placed in d:\Garmin\GPX in order to load. Since loading from GSAK works, that folder should exist on your GPS.

 

Tried to drag into garmin - folder then into gpx folder and it seems to have worked. The older caches are still loaded on the gps and new caches there.

 

Looks like there is a copy of the GPX folder on the root drive and have been dragging all the files into this copy which did not download to the GPS.

 

Thanks fegan.

[+fegan]

I'm glad you finally got it working.

 

This should have been working after my initial reply as those instructions I linked to on the Colorado Wiki clearly say [drive]:\Garmin\GPX is the folder to copy the GPX file(s) to. It's all in the details...if the files aren't in the correct folder they will NOT load.

[+seekerfamily]

I'm glad you finally got it working.

 

This should have been working after my initial reply as those instructions I linked to on the Colorado Wiki clearly say [drive]:\Garmin\GPX is the folder to copy the GPX file(s) to. It's all in the details...if the files aren't in the correct folder they will NOT load.

But sometimes you get a new toy and don't COMPLETELY read the instructions. Downloaded to GPX folder - just wasn't the right GPX folder.

 

Thanks for all the help.

[+fegan]

I'm glad you finally got it working.

 

This should have been working after my initial reply as those instructions I linked to on the Colorado Wiki clearly say [drive]:\Garmin\GPX is the folder to copy the GPX file(s) to. It's all in the details...if the files aren't in the correct folder they will NOT load.

But sometimes you get a new toy and don't COMPLETELY read the instructions. Downloaded to GPX folder - just wasn't the right GPX folder.

 

Thanks for all the help.

 

Now that you know where the GPX folder should be, I would highly recommend deleting that d:\GPX folder since it doesn't belong there. The only folders that should be in the root of your Colorado are Garmin and Wherigo, nothing else.

 

Good luck!

[+seekerfamily]

I'm glad you finally got it working.

 

This should have been working after my initial reply as those instructions I linked to on the Colorado Wiki clearly say [drive]:\Garmin\GPX is the folder to copy the GPX file(s) to. It's all in the details...if the files aren't in the correct folder they will NOT load.

But sometimes you get a new toy and don't COMPLETELY read the instructions. Downloaded to GPX folder - just wasn't the right GPX folder.

 

Thanks for all the help.

 

Now that you know where the GPX folder should be, I would highly recommend deleting that d:\GPX folder since it doesn't belong there. The only folders that should be in the root of your Colorado are Garmin and Wherigo, nothing else.

 

Good luck!

 

Done as soon as I was able to download a few more GPX files into the correct drive.

Seekerfamily