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GPX to Mapsource

RocketMan

By RocketMan
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alexm

+alexm

Posted
Posted

quote:

What is the best way to transfer waypoints from GPX files into MapSource?

 

With LOC files, I was able to use GeoBuddy to convert to a format that I could import into MapSource, but GeoBuddy won't open GPX files.

 

GPSBabel. I've never used it for mapsource (I'm a maggie dude), but it is one of the two-dozen or so supported waypoint formats.

 

...

alex

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Team GeoDillo

+Team GeoDillo

Posted
Posted

Here are the steps that I use to convert my GPX file to a MapSource document. The problem is that when I import, I get boat anchors for the icons.

In GPSBabel, I open the GPX file (format GPXXML)

I name the output file Austin Caches.wpt (note the .wpt file extension)

I choose the Garmin PCX5 file format and process the GPX file

I open Mapsource (v4.11) and choose FILE>IMPORT

I select the Austin Caches.wpt file that GPSBabel created

MapSource asks me what type of symbols I want to import, so I choose the last option "symbols from a GPS that offers more than 16 symbols"

Everything imports fine except all my icons are boat anchors

 

If I choose NOT to import symbol info then I just get the black dots. What I really want is the Garmin Geocache symbol.

 

Will someone please explain how to import a GPX file so that all the icons show up as geocaches?

 

Thanks...

 

Scott of Team GeoDillo

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BrownMule & Jackrabbit

+BrownMule & Jackrabbit

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Team GeoDillo:

Here are the steps that I use to convert my GPX file to a MapSource document. The problem is that when I import, I get boat anchors for the icons.

 

Thanks...

 

Scott of Team GeoDillo

 

I just downloaded the new Beta ExpertGPS and it converts GPX and LOC to Mapsource. Guess what I got the same Boat Anchors. Don't know what that's all about either.

 

_________________________________________________________

On the other hand, you have different fingers.

15777_2200.gif

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topografix

topografix

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by BrownMule:

I just downloaded the new Beta ExpertGPS and it converts GPX and LOC to Mapsource. Guess what I got the same Boat Anchors. Don't know what that's all about either.

 

You need to have the latest version of MapSource, which was released a few weeks ago.

The boat anchor is symbol #0 in Garmin's world, so it sounds like your version of MapSource is out of date and using the default waypoint symbol.

 

--

Dan Foster

TopoGrafix: GPS Software, Waypoints, and Maps

http://www.topografix.com/

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BrownMule & Jackrabbit

+BrownMule & Jackrabbit

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by TopoGrafix:

quote:
Originally posted by BrownMule:

I just downloaded the new Beta ExpertGPS and it converts GPX and LOC to Mapsource. Guess what I got the same Boat Anchors. Don't know what that's all about either.

 

You need to have the latest version of MapSource, which was released a few weeks ago.

The boat anchor is symbol #0 in Garmin's world, so it sounds like your version of MapSource is out of date and using the default waypoint symbol.

 

--

Dan Foster

TopoGrafix: GPS Software, Waypoints, and Maps

http://www.topografix.com/

 

Using Mapsource 4.11 upgrade dated Jan.8th. Mapsource preferences set for all waypoints to be dots. I just converted another file with ExpertGPS and I got all anchors when viewed in Mapsource. Garsh darn it.

 

_________________________________________________________

On the other hand, you have different fingers.

15777_2200.gif

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kleidner

+kleidner

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Team GeoDillo:

Here are the steps that I use to convert my GPX file to a MapSource document. The problem is that when I import, I get boat anchors for the icons.

 

+ In GPSBabel, I open the GPX file (format GPXXML)

+ I name the output file Austin Caches.wpt (note the .wpt file extension)

+ I choose the Garmin PCX5 file format and process the GPX file

+ I open Mapsource (v4.11) and choose FILE>IMPORT

+ I select the Austin Caches.wpt file that GPSBabel created

+ MapSource asks me what type of symbols I want to import, so I choose the last option "symbols from a GPS that offers more than 16 symbols"

+ Everything imports fine except all my icons are boat anchors

 

If I choose NOT to import symbol info then I just get the black dots. What I really want is the Garmin Geocache symbol.

Scott of Team GeoDillo

 

I can tell you that the problem is that the corrent value is not set in the .WPT file. I have not used GEOBABEL yet but if you view the .WPT file after the description I expect there is nothing. If you add to each waypoint line 0.0 8255 then you will get the GEOCACHE symbol in mapsourse. The 0.0 is the Pronmity value (o.o is unknown) and the 8255 is the Geocache symbol value.

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robertlipe

robertlipe

Posted
Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Team GeoDillo:

Here are the steps that I use to convert my GPX file to a MapSource document. The problem is that when I import, I get boat anchors for the icons.

 

+ In GPSBabel, I open the GPX file (format GPXXML)

+ I name the output file Austin Caches.wpt (note the .wpt file extension)

+ I choose the Garmin PCX5 file format and process the GPX file

 

The doc I had when I wrote the PCX5 file format didn't describe the icon field; thus all PCX5 icons written by GPSBabel are zero which is the anchor.

 

A tip from the gpsbabel-code list hints that if you replace the trailing zero with "8255" you'll get geocache icons. Offhand I can't confirm or deny that, but I just posted a patch on that list that'll do it.

 

I'd gladly add support for the Geocache icon to the Mapsource file format if someone will describe what Garmin changed between 4.07 and 4.11 to allow more than one byte in the icon field in enough detail to allow mapsource.c to process it.

 

(Mutter, mumble, undocumented binary file formats...)

 

As a sidebar, if we make this change in GPSBabel and it writes *only* 4.11 files in the .mps format, will there be much whining from the 4.07 crowd? I don't know the sizes of the respective installed bases.

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Team GeoDillo

+Team GeoDillo

Posted
Posted

I used Notepad to open up one of the .wpt files (PCX5 format) that was generated by GPSBabel. Each waypoint line ends with "0.000000e+000 0", not 0.0 specifically. Do I add the 8255 to the end like 0.000000e+000 0 8255 or what? By the way, I just tried to download (or look at) your patch but the sourceforge.net/ site is temporarily down for maintenance.

 

I appreciate your help in getting the correct icons (I keep looking for boat anchors in the woods and I end up having to log them as a "Not Found")!

 

Thanks...

 

Scott of Team GeoDillo

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robertlipe

robertlipe

Posted
Posted

To floating point geeks, 0.000000e+000 IS 0.0. The last field in the line is the icon. GPSBabel is currently always writing a "0" in that field. Replace that trailing zero with the icon number you want. I'll add a "deficon" option to pcx format before the next release.

 

Icon mapping is a fairly new trick in GPSBabel's bag. Trying to do something sensible mapping arbitrary icons is a lot harder than it sounds. Garmin decreeing that "37" means either "boat ramp" or "radio beacon" depending on the version of the reader (not the writer) makes this really icky in the general case.

 

Once Garmin picks an icon numbering scheme and/or documented file format that works for two versions in a row I'll get more motivated to add features to these formats...

 

Has anyone decoded the post 4.07 mapsource file format changes yet?

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