BaseCamp Question

[+Cardinal Red]

I have never even considered using BaseCamp. Probably because I don't even know why I should have any interest in it. Any information welcome, but that really is not my question. When I got my Oregon 450t recently, it came with software version 5.2. I have done two updates since then and have been happily using version 6.2 for about two months now. I recently noticed a difference in functionality between my 450t and a seemingly identical unit a friend owns. I checked what software version they were on. It's on 4.2

 

That got me to thinking. I remembered something troubling, and looked it up again. Here it is below:

 

IMPORTANT: if upgrading from a software version less than 4.80 you must follow these steps for future BaseCamp Compatibility:

If you are a user of BaseCamp now, or plan to be in the future, you must follow these steps to ensure your data is protected during this software update:

1. Connect your handheld unit to a computer and launch BaseCamp. Transfer all tracks, routes and waypoints to BaseCamp.

2. Delete the /Garmin/GPX folder from the handheld's mass storage.

Update the handheld's software via WebUpdater and reboot the handheld.

3. Reconnect the handheld to a computer and transfer your data from BaseCamp back to the handheld.

 

I don't think my friend will ever have an interest in BaseCamp either, but I don't want to be the source of bad information. Are they only saying if you have any generated BaseCamp data, will now be incompatible going forward if you don't follow these instructions? Or are they saying that if you don't follow these instructions, your unit will never be BaseCamp compatible again? I would like to believe it means the former. I personally would be OK with the latter, but I need more info before advising my friend. It really does read to me like that you have to use BaseCamp now if you ever decide you really want to use BaseCamp later. Probably written by the same people that get paid to make the content of their manuals worthless. Hopefully it really means that if you have never used BaseCamp, never generated any data with it, there are no concerns for you. I hope so.

[MtnHermit]

I have never even considered using BaseCamp. Probably because I don't even know why I should have any interest in it.

If you ever want to Geotag photos then BaseCamp is/was a great solution. Had problems last time I tried. The photos show as icons on the BC map, touch one and photo viewer pops up. You can then use the Next/Previous arrows to cycle through the photos and the map stays in sync.

 

In addition, once geotagged, you can load those same photos onto your OR and use the photo viewer with icons on the map. Touch the icon and the photo opens on your OR. Very well done.

 

I too use MapSource most of the time, except for the above.

[+Cardinal Red]

Oregon update is Basecamp compatible ...

 

I appreciate that you offered a response. However, did you read the Garmin provided info that they had highlighted in RED, and I followed suit. And I have posted it below again. Simply saying the Oregon update is BaseCamp compatible is not the answer 100% of the time. Otherwise there is no reason for the warning. I had read that info and shrugged it off because I personally was upgrading from the 5.2 version. Now I am advising a friend to upgrade from 4.2 and that clearly falls within the uh oh zone. SOMETHING in the current Oregon update is not universally compatible with versions prior to 4.8, and I am just trying to get a clear understanding of what that something is.

 

I would like to think that RED text only applies to old BaseCamp data, and if you have never created any BaseCamp data, no worries. But I was hoping someone here has had recent dealings with an Oregon that still had an ancient software version on it. Did you just ignore it?

 

IMPORTANT: if upgrading from a software version less than 4.80 you must follow these steps for future BaseCamp Compatibility: If you are a user of BaseCamp now, or plan to be in the future, you must follow these steps to ensure your data is protected during this software update:

[+coggins]

Hi, let me see if I can explain this for you. With Oregon v4.8 and above, the data format on the Oregon is slightly different then with earlier versions. BaseCamp with read the device.xlm file from the Oregon to see what version firmware is installed, and the expect the data in the various format matching that firmware. So, if you friend has data on the device, he needs to transfer it to BaseCamp, then apply the update, then delete the old format data, then restore from BaseCamp what he saved (it will now be in the new format). If he skips backing his Oregon and applies the update, then BaseCamp will error when it tries to read his older formated data.

[+Cardinal Red]

Hi, let me see if I can explain this for you. With Oregon v4.8 and above, the data format on the Oregon is slightly different then with earlier versions. BaseCamp with read the device.xlm file from the Oregon to see what version firmware is installed, and the expect the data in the various format matching that firmware. So, if you friend has data on the device, he needs to transfer it to BaseCamp, then apply the update, then delete the old format data, then restore from BaseCamp what he saved (it will now be in the new format). If he skips backing his Oregon and applies the update, then BaseCamp will error when it tries to read his older formated data.

 

That sounds exactly like I had hypothesized above: I would like to think that if you have never created any BaseCamp data, no worries.

 

I might reword Garmins warning as:

If you have any BaseCamp data created pre software version 4.8, and plan to use it in the future, you must follow these steps to ensure your data is protected during this software update:

 

I have come to expect anything written by Garmin to be incomplete and confusing. Thanks for once again confirming that. I will now advise my friend to just follow through with the upgrade, and hopefully their missing routing functionality will show up.

[+coggins]

Hi, let me see if I can explain this for you. With Oregon v4.8 and above, the data format on the Oregon is slightly different then with earlier versions. BaseCamp with read the device.xlm file from the Oregon to see what version firmware is installed, and the expect the data in the various format matching that firmware. So, if you friend has data on the device, he needs to transfer it to BaseCamp, then apply the update, then delete the old format data, then restore from BaseCamp what he saved (it will now be in the new format). If he skips backing his Oregon and applies the update, then BaseCamp will error when it tries to read his older formated data.

 

That sounds exactly like I had hypothesized above: I would like to think that if you have never created any BaseCamp data, no worries.

 

I might reword Garmins warning as:

If you have any BaseCamp data created pre software version 4.8, and plan to use it in the future, you must follow these steps to ensure your data is protected during this software update:

 

I have come to expect anything written by Garmin to be incomplete and confusing. Thanks for once again confirming that. I will now advise my friend to just follow through with the upgrade, and hopefully their missing routing functionality will show up.

Well, except the data within the GPS need not be created with BaseCamp. Just Marking a waypoint or recording a track with the GPS & v4.5 would be enough to need this process. Yes, it is poorly written, I remember when this happened and they changed the format. There were several public betas between v4.5 & v4.8 and some head scratching at that time.

[Grasscatcher]

Here's another take......

 

MapSource or Basecamp.....Why care? I have both installed.

 

I have the old Mapsource 3.1 CD and have downloaded and have regularly updated each version all the way to ver 6.16.3,..... the last released.

 

Also I started with the initial beta ver of Basecamp and have kept it regularly updated except for a few non pertinent "betas". Do I get an "attaboy for the effort?.....Oh well, ......

 

I ONLY use either for selecting maps to install on GPS.

 

I have a few files downloaded into Basecamp and keep expecting to find something that it does better than or, at least as well as other applications. Have not found ANYTHING ....yet....But I'll admit that it's better than when it started. (but that's only comparing BC to BC)

 

They are free, and that's about what they are worth.