Garmin Zumo 450. (discontinued model)
Most of this is applicable to Garmin Models: Nuvi and Zumo.
Once you have created a route using mapsource (or google maps converted to gpx, saved as a txt file then renamed with a gpx file extension), AND imported them using the Garmin import feature, you may well want to have a backup that can be re-imported at will. Place the gpx route file on the SD Card. When saving the Mapsource file ensure that you have named the route within the mapsource file SOMETHING (usually the route gpx file name without the extension. Why? Route0 is a beech. Tells you nothing descriptive of the route and can be avoided by naming the route itself.
Background:
Routes are stored on your GPS unit and cannot be seen using a puter. And cannot be found on the optional SD card.
Mapsource is the software that allows one to send routes to the Garmin GPS unit.
The directory structure of the Zumo where you can archive routes is I:\Garmin\GPX where 'I' is whatever your puter assigns to the unit after you hook up the usb cable.
The directory structure of the optional installed SD card where the archive routes are stored is J:\Garmin\GPX, again, 'J' is whatever your puter assigns to the SD card after you hook the usb cable up.
gpx file extensions are what most users use to convert google maps to garmin recognizable files.
GMapToGPX. Click on the link and read it.
Now that you have routes converted to gpx format you can perform at least two functions with them.
1. Open them with Mapsource. Then after tweaking the route(s), use mapsource to send the route to the Garmin Unit. You will not be able to find this tweaked gpx file on your Garmin Unit. (well sort of as TEMP.gpx exist – see links below) Mapsource defaults its file save function with a file extension of 'gdp'. And not to the Garmin Unit but to your harddrive or other media. Thus if you want to save the gpx file as a route archive, use Mapsource to ‘Save as’ a gpx file and save it to the SD card’s proper directory. (see above). If your route is available on the garmin unit via the ‘Where_to’ button then the ‘Route’ button, you do not and should not import this route again, should your garmin unit ask you (redundant duplicate memory intensive ).
2. Save the gpx file directly to either your Garmin Unit or the SD card. Then the unit will either prompt you that new items are available for import or you can walk the menu choices on your unit to manually import the routes.
Routes:
However you do it, once your routes are loaded onto Garmin using either the import function or the send function (from Mapsource), then import, they are available for use. The gpx files ARE NOT ROUTES that you will find on the 'Route Button'. The gpx files are, in essence, archived routes that need the Garmin unit to transcribe them for use via the import function.
Archived/saving gpx files to the Garmin unit directory (see above) and to the SD card can cause confusion. Doing so shows at least two of each gpx route available for import. (one on the unit, one on the card).
Links:
Download Garmin MapSource for Free and Install Without Media Garmin's Zumo - FAQ Mapsource Tips.
When you do a google maps gpx export lots of way points are created that are unnecessary. Delete as many as you can without altering the route. Tweak it so to say. If your google map has ‘stop here’ points then the gpx export will have a route for every tangit set of way points. Three way points in google maps? Then two routes. Likewise four way points then three routes. Grrr. Use Mapsource to place ‘stop here’ points, i,e, way points other wise you will get multiple routes that are a PITA.
Deleting way points? Well place the pointer over the way point and if you don’t see Remove waypoint from route, select ‘cut†This deletes the whole route. Then immediately click the undo button. Now go back to the waypoint you want to delete. Right click and now you will see the choice you want! What’s up with that? Thanks Garmin. Great feature. (sarcasm)
In summary.
Create a route using google maps.
Do a gpx conversion.
Save the gibberish generated as a txt file.
Rename the txt file to have a gpx extension.
Open file with Mapsource.
Tweak the route.
Save it as a gpx file to your SD card.
Import it from within the Garmin GPS realm.
You will have a route available for selection and also have the raw gpx route on your SD card.
Should the garmin unit burp and loose the internal route(s) you have your SD gpx to re-import all over again.
More Notes: August 10th 2010Routes. The Zumo 450 has a tendency to lose and/or merge routes with similar names. Having routes loaded into the Zumo memory requires long backup times when going into Mass storage mood. To work around these issues, keep the gmx files on your SD card. Keep 'loaded' routes, i.e., those routes that are available from the 'route' button, to a minimum. This yields lower backup times and thwarts route loss or merges.
Similiar route names are touchy. For example having two routes named
1. Lake Marion loop
2. Lake Marion loop North of I95
caused the first route to be lost. Not really lost as the route is available from the 'where to', 'route' buttons, but the route loaded was the 'north of I95 route. grrr
Simply deleting both routes from the GPS unit memory then reloading (re-importing) the gpx file from the SD card will reload the route again, keeping the name and waypoints true to your intentions.
When traveling long routes (1000 miles+) it is best to break up the routes into lengths that are ride'able in one day. Benefits include lower load times and quicker 'detour' recalculations.
Keeping backup copies of the routes in gpx format on an SD card is priceless. You will never lose a route as you can re-import the route using the gpx backups.
Circular routesDepending on which side you are on the GPS will calculate the route. Thus if you have a clockwise route that starts and ends at the 6 o'clock position, and you are at the 3 o'clock side, the GPS will calculate the route from that point to the end. To work around this, navigate to a point on the route that is on the other side, meaning past 6 o'clock, then reselect the route. Circular routes that overlap for periods of time are a toss up.
Adding waypoints to active routesThe parameters of navigation allow you select items to avoid. Having set the unit to avoid dirt roads, the unit will not avoid dirt roads if you touch the screen, then select a point on a road along your current route, and add it as a waypoint instead of a destination. Why would one do this? To fine tune a route for more exotic roads. Just because your route takes you along a predetermined road doesn't mean you can't look at the route in detail as you travel and seeing a parallel road dropping a waypoint along it. The caveat is the road may be dirt. If it is, either ignore the altered route or cancel the route then call it up again.
