Jump to content

Can i share a GPX file between my Oregon 700 and my Android phone?


Recommended Posts

Hello Geocaching friends,

 

Normally my wife and I cache with the Oregon 700 and with a phone.
When we are at events, new geocaches are shared via a GPX file by putting them on the GPS.
But almost never on the phone!

Is it possible to share the GPX file from the Oregon 700 to the Android phone so that we both have the new caches on both devices?
And vice versa transfer a GPX from the phone to the GPS?

 

Geogreats,

DeRooijtjes

Link to comment
47 minutes ago, DeRooijtjes said:

Hello Geocaching friends,

 

Normally my wife and I cache with the Oregon 700 and with a phone.
When we are at events, new geocaches are shared via a GPX file by putting them on the GPS.
But almost never on the phone!

Is it possible to share the GPX file from the Oregon 700 to the Android phone so that we both have the new caches on both devices?
And vice versa transfer a GPX from the phone to the GPS?

 

Geogreats,

DeRooijtjes

 

Possibly. It depends on the model and software of the phone, and the availability of cables, peripherals and PCs. You of course need an App that loads “GPX” files, which is not the Official Geocaching App. Beware that you agreed to the TOU, that in order to use the site, that you won't be sharing Geocaching.com GPX files. https://www.geocaching.com/policies/en/terms-of-use

And “GPX” files may be user-specific, so your Garmin could be confused by caches that are set as “found” (for example).

 

But one way is to load your GPX file into the SD card of the Garmin, place that SD card into the phone and copy it to a folder, then load it into an App that supports the file. Or once it's in a directory on a phone, copy it to a “Garmin/GPX” folder on an SD card, and use that card in the Garmin.  I almost never touch that external SD card, because the latch is very cheap, but that's one way.

 

How did you get the GPX file onto the Garmin at Events previously? If you used a PC, you could send the file to the phone over USB just like you sent it to the Garmin.

 

If that PC is connected to the Internet, you could make a “List” from the caches, which can then be loaded into either device.  There are a few other ways to do what you're asking, but they all require doing some kind of fiddly work, or weird little gadgets.  It just depends on what you have available when you need to work with the files.

 

Edited by kunarion
Link to comment
53 minutes ago, kunarion said:

 

Possibly. It depends on the model and software of the phone, and the availability of cables, peripherals and PCs. You of course need an App that loads “GPX” files, which is not the Official Geocaching App. Beware that you agreed to the TOU, that in order to use the site, that you won't be sharing Geocaching.com GPX files. https://www.geocaching.com/policies/en/terms-of-use

And “GPX” files may be user-specific, so your Garmin could be confused by caches that are set as “found” (for example).

 

But one way is to load your GPX file into the SD card of the Garmin, place that SD card into the phone and copy it to a folder, then load it into an App that supports the file. Or once it's in a directory on a phone, copy it to a “Garmin/GPX” folder on an SD card, and use that card in the Garmin.  I almost never touch that external SD card, because the latch is very cheap, but that's one way.

 

How did you get the GPX file onto the Garmin at Events previously? If you used a PC, you could send the file to the phone over USB just like you sent it to the Garmin.

 

If that PC is connected to the Internet, you could make a “List” from the caches, which can then be loaded into either device.  There are a few other ways to do what you're asking, but they all require doing some kind of fiddly work, or weird little gadgets.  It just depends on what you have available when you need to work with the files.

 

kunarion, thanks for your answer.

 

your explanation in the first section does not apply. Everything about this has been well known for a long time. We have been playing the game for several years now.

 

When we are on a event and the organisation made new caches for the event (only for the cachers on the event. Publishing is later that day or the next day) the organisation have a computer and put the GPX file with the new caches on the devices of those present. On a big event there are many people so they don't have time to put the GPX on multiple devices.

I hope you understand what i mean?

 

My question is: when they put that file on the GPS, is it possible to share that file wireless (by bluetooth or NFC) between the two devices? So that i (or my wife) can load the caches in to C:Geo.

 

My old GPS device crashed last year and than we bought the Garmin Oregon 700. I am now trying to use this device and its wireless data exchange capabilities as much as possible!

Link to comment
20 minutes ago, DeRooijtjes said:

My question is: when they put that file on the GPS, is it possible to share that file wireless (by bluetooth or NFC) between the two devices? So that i (or my wife) can load the caches in to C:Geo.

 

The Garmin may move data wirelessly to/from another Garmin.  It doesn't do that with a phone.

 

Edited by kunarion
Link to comment
59 minutes ago, StefandD said:

Take a look at the Explore app from Garmin. This app can synchronise waypoints and tracks between your Garmin, the cloud and your phone.

 

The Explore app doesn't have a clue about what a geocache is.... Don't get me started on that dumpster fire. Stay away from Explore.

Link to comment
6 hours ago, Atlas Cached said:

 

The Explore app doesn't have a clue about what a geocache is.... Don't get me started on that dumpster fire. Stay away from Explore.

I successfully transferred a gpx file from an internet server to my Montana for a couple of times. Yes, the geocaches were converted to waypoints, but at least you have the coordinates.

Link to comment
6 hours ago, StefandD said:

I successfully transferred a gpx file from an internet server to my Montana for a couple of times. Yes, the geocaches were converted to waypoints, but at least you have the coordinates.

Okee, but when we are on a geocache event i don't have a computer with internet with me.

Link to comment

I haven't tried this, but can't you just attach a USB cable between them, treat the GPS like an external disk, and copy the GPX to ...whatever/Garmin/GPX/Geocaches or whatever that directory name is. You'll probably need some kind of file management app (not geocaching specific) since Android likes to pretend there aren't files and disks, but these are common. You'd handle it just like copying a folder of photos. (Not via a "share" menu, but copying files.)

We've come a long way since the days when mobile phones didn't have USB host mode and Garmins used dumb protocols instead of just acting like a disk drive.

 

Link to comment
3 hours ago, robertlipe said:

I haven't tried this, but can't you just attach a USB cable between them, treat the GPS like an external disk, and copy the GPX to ...whatever/Garmin/GPX/Geocaches or whatever that directory name is. You'll probably need some kind of file management app (not geocaching specific) since Android likes to pretend there aren't files and disks, but these are common. You'd handle it just like copying a folder of photos. (Not via a "share" menu, but copying files.)

We've come a long way since the days when mobile phones didn't have USB host mode and Garmins used dumb protocols instead of just acting like a disk drive.

 


Yes.  It depends on the phone, whether it can handle the USB connection of the Garmin.  Of course, it’s also a special cable with the specific ends.  I guess it must be “OTG”, too?  I’ve tried similar ideas previously, and sometimes the phone can only see the external SD card, sometimes it can’t find a drive at all.  And poking around on a phone App file manager is a chore.  But it might work.
 

But the OP has specified “wireless sharing”.  A cable’s not so wireless.

 

Edited by kunarion
Link to comment
9 hours ago, robertlipe said:

I haven't tried this, but can't you just attach a USB cable between them, treat the GPS like an external disk, and copy the GPX to ...whatever/Garmin/GPX/Geocaches or whatever that directory name is. You'll probably need some kind of file management app (not geocaching specific) since Android likes to pretend there aren't files and disks, but these are common. You'd handle it just like copying a folder of photos. (Not via a "share" menu, but copying files.)

We've come a long way since the days when mobile phones didn't have USB host mode and Garmins used dumb protocols instead of just acting like a disk drive.

 

I have tried this also. It works, but Android automagically copies system files onto the Garmin unit.

It doesn't matter for the Garmin itself - the files are ignored - but for me it's unwanted behaviour. I want to keep the Garmin file system clean.

Link to comment
On 7/9/2022 at 8:25 PM, kunarion said:


Yes.  It depends on the phone, whether it can handle the USB connection of the Garmin.  Of course, it’s also a special cable with the specific ends.  I guess it must be “OTG”, too?

 


Oh, yeah. This is Garmin that's still not USB-C, so yeah, you may need an USB-C->USB-MiniB or just move the card from the GPS to the phone if you're concerned phone cooties use a USB-C card reader and move the GPX file on the memory card. Or put the card in the phone on phones so equipped.

And don't be a crank. OP amended the request in a later post to include wireless.  The goal is to transfer caches. If it takes a wire, it takes a wire.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...