Publishing Waypoint Files

[anovalogic]

I'd like to be able to create a route (either by actually walking it, or on a map) and "Save" this as a file of some sort, then either e-mail it or publish it on my private website. Can this be done, and if so how easy is it?

 

I suspect this has been done by others, but I'm new to all this, and I haven't SEEN posts that refer to this....Thanks!

[IceKnight (aka VectorJoe)]

It really depends on what you want to do with the route.

 

If you want others to be able to upload it to their GPS, then you will need to save or convert it to the format for their particular machine. If you just want it to display for other people of different map software, then you may have to convert it to that software format, but many will read multiple formats.

 

GPS Babel is good for converting.

 

If you are just using it for personal use, then just save it to whatever format works for you/ your gps and then store it on the website.

 

It shouldn't be that hard. If you can give more specifics, we could probably be more specific on what to do.

 

Hope that helped.

 

Joe

[peter]

Here's an example of a site that shares tracklog and waypoint files for hiking trails:

http://www.trailregistry.com/trailregistry/index.jsp

 

Usually .gpx format is used since it is human-readable, can be converted fairly easily into other formats, and can store comments and other data.

[anovalogic]

OK. That sounds good, and the site www.trailregistry.com convinces me it can be done.

 

Now, how do I actually DO it? Is there a manual, tutorial, etc. How do I learn how to make it happen, i.e., set up the "software app" so that I can archive these tracklogs & waypoints so that my freinds can get to them?

 

One of them has a Magellan SportTrak, and I have a Garmin 60CS, so they obviously don't "talk" to one another vis different Systems.

[+Prime Suspect]

For this cache, I created a LOC file that could be downloaded, which contains all the locations that have to be visited to find the cache.

 

To create it, I just download the waypoints using G7ToWin, and just saved it as a LOC file.

[+Dan_Edwards]

OK. That sounds good, and the site www.trailregistry.com convinces me it can be done.

 

Now, how do I actually DO it? Is there a manual, tutorial, etc. How do I learn how to make it happen, i.e., set up the "software app" so that I can archive these tracklogs & waypoints so that my freinds can get to them?

 

One of them has a Magellan SportTrak, and I have a Garmin 60CS, so they obviously don't "talk" to one another vis different Systems.

Well in order to give specific instructions we need specific details. What GPSr do you use (We now know Garmin 60 series)

 

What OS on the computer, Windows/Mac OSX/Linux/BSD/Amiga?

 

What do the computers you want to share with use? What GPSr's do they use (we know at least one Magellan)? What software do you have in common if any?

 

That said, the most powerful solution has been stated. GPSBabel. But what you want to do with the data depends on the software you use.

 

If you all use windows and a GPSr supported by it (so far yes), you could use EasyGPS to create the file. It's free so you both can download it.

[anovalogic]

For this cache, I created a LOC file that could be downloaded, which contains all the locations that have to be visited to find the cache.

 

To create it, I just download the waypoints using G7ToWin, and just saved it as a LOC file.

Prime Suspect: Your cache is cool! I'd wondered if this type cache would work, and to see it in reality is satisfying. Now, I've got to go do one...

 

Dan: OK, I run Windows XP, but I would like to be able to share tracklogs/waypoints with others via e-mail (as an attachment) or place on a website (like Trailregistry.com), so others in my outdoor club, bike club, etc., who may have ANY sort of OS, or GPSr, may conveniently access new "routes."

 

How do I get GPSBabel, if that is the generally recognized solution...

 

On another note: It seems I've got some backfill to do in my knowledge-base. I'm getting overwhelmed with the jargon (EasyGPS, GSAK, MapSource, .gpx, .loc, and etcetera). My learning curve is trending steeply, but I'm almost at impasse b/c I'm just getting the nomenclature and the way it all relates. It's one thing to know the "definition" of a term, and quite another entirely to know how it relates to other terms in a functional manner.

 

How can I get up to speed? I'm a newby to forums; do I just keep asking questions? ("There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.") Is there an online tutorial about how to understand all the in's-and-outs of this GPSr-firmware-software-reality interface?

[IceKnight (aka VectorJoe)]

My suggestion: both of you download GPS Babel.

 

Any routes/waypoints in almost any format can be saved as almost any other format.

 

So you can convert a Garmin pcx5 or a garmin Mapsource to a magellan format, or for more general use, convert to GPX format (which is just text in XML format).

 

Then you can post the GPX format to a website or attach to email. Then anyone can convert the GPX to whatever format they need.

 

GPS babel will convert most formats into most other formats.

 

Many of the other programs (GSAK, Easy GPS, ....) will usually only take the GPX or LOC format and convert to most other formats (as far as I can tell).

 

GPSBabel, GSAK, and Easy GPS are all available for free download.

 

If you get GPSBABEL, go to the website above, and download the ZIP file with the .exe for windows. Then you go to the folder where you saved the files and open the GPSBABELFRONT.EXE.

 

In GPSBABEL, you choose the file and format of the input file and the output file and it just converts them. Very simple interface.

 

Mapsource is the Garmin mapping software.

 

GPX is a standard XML format for waypoints

LOC is based on GPX, but has less information (I think).

[IceKnight (aka VectorJoe)]

Example of what a GPX file looks like, you can see the waypoints and route information below:

 

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<gpx

version="1.0"

creator="GPSBabel - http://www.gpsbabel.org"

xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"

xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0"'>http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0"

xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0/gpx.xsd">

<time>2005-03-04T18:05:44Z</time>

<bounds minlat="41.787422180" minlon ="-88.279968262" maxlat="41.790245056" maxlon="-88.273223877" />

<wpt lat="41.789840698" lon="-88.279968262">

<ele>0.000000</ele>

<name>WPT001</name>

<cmt>WPT001</cmt>

<desc>WPT001</desc>

<sym>crossed square</sym>

</wpt>

<wpt lat="41.790245056" lon="-88.275894165">

<ele>0.000000</ele>

<name>WPT002</name>

<cmt>WPT002</cmt>

<desc>WPT002</desc>

<sym>crossed square</sym>

</wpt>

<wpt lat="41.789302826" lon="-88.273223877">

<ele>0.000000</ele>

<name>WPT003</name>

<cmt>WPT003</cmt>

<desc>WPT003</desc>

<sym>crossed square</sym>

</wpt>

<wpt lat="41.787422180" lon="-88.278373718">

<ele>0.000000</ele>

<name>WPT004</name>

<cmt>WPT004</cmt>

<desc>WPT004</desc>

<sym>crossed square</sym>

</wpt>

<rte>

<name>Route 1</name>

<rtept lat="41.789841" lon="-88.279968">

<ele>0.000000</ele>

<name>WPT001</name>

<sym>crossed square</sym>

</rtept>

<rtept lat="41.790245" lon="-88.275894">

<ele>0.000000</ele>

<name>WPT002</name>

<sym>crossed square</sym>

</rtept>

<rtept lat="41.789303" lon="-88.273224">

<ele>0.000000</ele>

<name>WPT003</name>

<sym>crossed square</sym>

</rtept>

<rtept lat="41.787422" lon="-88.278374">

<ele>0.000000</ele>

<name>WPT004</name>

<sym>crossed square</sym>

</rtept>

</rte>

</gpx>

Edited March 4, 2005 by IceKnight (aka VectorJoe)

[+NightPilot]

If you want to show the track on a map, get USAPhotomaps. You can download the track from your GPS and display it on topo maps or aerial photos, or you can make a route on the map or photos and upload it to your GPS. After you get the track on the photo, you can save it as a .jpg and put it on your website easily. If you're near a major urban area, you can probably put the route on a high-resolution color photo. This is seriously cool software.

[peter]

If you want to show the track on a map, get USAPhotomaps. You can download the track from your GPS and display it on topo maps or aerial photos ...

I second the recommendation for USAPhotomaps. Here's an example of a hike shown on the USGS topo map:

http://home.comcast.net/~prathman/Screen10.jpg

and here's the aerial photo view of a section of the same hike:

http://home.comcast.net/~prathman/Screen09.jpg

[anovalogic]

That is seriously cool! Thanks, Peter, for the links. Nothing like being able to view it "real." now I'll need to try it out.

 

You know, they say "a pictures worth a thousand words. " But an experience is worth a million!!

[+larsl]

If you have map data already, or can get free data somewhere (probably depends on where you live - different countries have very different policies regarding land survey data), you can use the free and open source program Quantum GIS to create a new GPX file and draw routes, tracks, and waypoints in it. You can also download and upload to a GPS device.

 

http://qgis.org