Uploading GPX file to Garmin – idiots guide please

I’m sure this is really simple……. I did manage it last night but it took a lot of pr*tting about

Plugged Garmin (800)into laptop
Copied files into “New” folder
These didn’t show in “Courses” either in Garmin Connect or on Garmin itself, even though I uploaded all new activities

As I say I did get file onto Connect, then onto Garmin, but can’t quite remember how! What’s the easy way?

thanks

On my 605, there’s a standard folder (it may be “courses” come to think of it) to upload GPX files to – if you don’t put it there, it won’t see them.

do you get GArmin Mapsource software with your unit? If so, open the GPX using this package and load it onto the unit via that.

Two methods that I use

1) Using Base Camp, right click on the track I’ve created and select SendTo, then click in the drive for the device
2) The other way I create courses is using http://www.bikehike.co.uk, and from there you clicj the Download option, and select to send it to a GPS device. I think you need to have loaded some Garmin software first – communicator ? – but that may already be installed if you have Base Camp

The problem I have is that it only seems to do one course. I seem to have to disconnect the device between each transfer. Anyone else have this problem ?

Assuming the 800 works the same as my 500, it won’t read GPX files.

I create a route in MapMyRide and save the GPX file. Annoyingly when I started to use MapMyRide they had an option of saving as a CRS file, but they no longer do.

I now convert the GPX file into a CRS file using GPSies which works great, select Garmin Course CRS as your output option, and save. You will notice that the GPX file generally bloats somewhat during conversion.

Drag and drop this CRS file into your Course folder on your Garmin and it should show up. What is a little annoying is there doesn’t seem to be a way of setting a course speed this way, unless it’s an option I’ve just overlooked, so your virtual partner isn’t of any use.

Strangely, Garmin doesn’t even use a CRS file natively, when you select the CRS file for first use it converts it to a FIT file IIRC.

There are probably numerous other ways of doing this, quite probably more efficiently, but it works for me 95% of the time.

Just make sure you check the file on your Garmin before you need it, occasionally I’ve found that the device doesn’t manage to convert the CRS file, or sometimes if it does, it doesn’t work afterwards. Might be a glitch in MapMyRide or GPSies, who knows. You wouldn’t want to find that your course is corrupted when you get on your bike having driven to the start!

Cheers, Rich

You can copy files into the ‘new’ folder, it should then convert these next time you turn the unit on.

If you have a memory card in e.g. one with maps on it, there there will a ‘new’ folder on it as well as on the unit itself. IIRC you need to copy the file to the one on the unit.

The 800 DOES read gpx files – I do as the OP suggests, but I usually drop them into the SD card ‘New Files’ rather than on the units ‘New Files’. EDIT – though ultimately it doesn’t matter, they both work.

Sooo, armed with the GPX, navigate to the SD card on the device, then find ‘New Files’ and drop it in there.

UNPLUG the unit, then switch on. Under ‘courses’ it should appear as whatever file name you called it.

Just to confirm OP – you are definitely using a GPX file (not one that has been manually renamed to GPX) and that there is a .gpx file extension on it?

What system are you using to produce the gpx file?
We normally use memory map because thats what we have got.
Once route or track has been created, ‘save as’ file type ‘gpx’ i put it straight on to desktop of pc.
Plug in garmin if not already connected. It normally opens as two drives, the gps and the sd card. Open either, and there should be files named as courses or gpx. Click and drag the file from the desktop into the sd card or gps.
I know this may be a long winded way of doing it but it works for me. It also means that I have a file to transfer to another gps or pc easy located.
Paul.

thanks all

I think cp may have it right – I didn’t unplug, thought they’d appear automatically

cheers

charlie

Yeah, it needs the re-boot I assume for it to re-sort its filing system/import the file properly. Make sure once you’ve unplugged from the PC that it has shut down completely (the screen goes blank/off) before attempting to switch on again.