Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Having Garmin zumo XT problems? there is loads of help and advice in this forum
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BradB.
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by BradB. »

jfheath wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2023 5:23 am Ah yes, the date for the first point - only works with routes, not tracks.

Tracks do not contain any information other than a list of coordinates and a name, so the date sorting cannot be used with tracks. This wasn't an error on my part - in your first post you had said:
BradB. wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2023 9:56 pm I don't have any collections or anything. Just a straight list of routes I have created in Rever and imported through Garmin Drive.
So I was answering that particular comment - but I didn't make that clear. Sorry, I should have quoted your separate paragrahs.

I am not sure how you are navigating a track. Are you just showing it in the map, or loading it and selecting Go! ?
No worries, I misled you with my terminology goof.

As far as navigating, I import the gpx from Rever using Drive and it magically shows up in my Track list on the XT. From there I just follow the line (start to finish)
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by BradB. »

FrankB wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2023 12:45 pm
Tracks are indeed ordered by closest distance to your current location. Another questionable decision made by Garmin is to show the distance to the track, and not the track length.

The workaround I use is to only load the trips/tracks on the XT that I need that day. I like to keep my data in the cloud (Google Drive/OneDrive etc) and load the trip/tracks that I need with the Garmin Drive App. (You don't have to enable Garmin Explore to use Garmin Drive!) But you could also store your trips/tracks on the SD card and import from there, if Internet availability is a concern.
Questionable decision by Garmin, indeed! Aargh! I'm leaning toward just what you say, loading fewer tracks to make it easier to sift through.

I'm curious how you keep the data in the cloud waiting until you upload it to your device with Drive. Or do you just use Drive as you need the tracks, uploading a few at a time?

The mechanics of my process is this:
1. Create a track gpx in Rever and download it onto my laptop.
2. Attach the track gpx file to an email and send it to my iPhone.
3. On my iPhone, open up the email and click on the track gpx file.
4. At this point the Drive App becomes viewable as a file transfer choice. I click on the app and it automatically uploads the track gpx to the Cloud (I assume) where it says it is waiting for a connection with my XT device.
5. I go to my motorcycle and turn on the XT. After a few moments I get an on-screen notification that New Tracks were received.
6. From there I can see the tracks in my listing.

It's a VERY cumbersome process. But it has worked for several years. If there is a more streamlined work path I'm certainly willing to try.
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by BradB. »

Peobody wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2023 2:42 pm This is a tough one. Some folks keep the number of routes stored on their device very lean while others don't. I do as @FrankB except I use the SD card instead of the cloud. I keep the number of routes stored on my XT very lean, clearing it before a trip and loading just the routes for the trip. Those routes contain departure date/time set in Basecamp so that they are listed chronologically. When I get home I clear it it again and add back my favorite local routes. OTOH, one of my riding buddies has a large number of routes on his Nav VI. It is comical to me to watch him scrolling to find one. Garmin fell short by not building in any organizational or sorting capabilities to accomodate the folks who prefer storing lots of routes on the device.
Based on what I am learning here...You mentioned "routes" so I assume that when you get a chronological listing in your device it's because set a departure time in Basecamp AND that it's a "route". Correct. This wouldn't work if it was a track, I'm learning.

I'm like your buddy...endlessly sifting through my list of tracks. Ugh!
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by Peobody »

BradB. wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2023 3:22 pm Based on what I am learning here...You mentioned "routes" so I assume that when you get a chronological listing in your device it's because set a departure time in Basecamp AND that it's a "route". Correct. This wouldn't work if it was a track, I'm learning.
That is correct. There is no way to add a departure date/time to a track.
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by FrankB »

BradB. wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2023 3:16 pm I'm curious how you keep the data in the cloud waiting until you upload it to your device with Drive. Or do you just use Drive as you need the tracks, uploading a few at a time?
"You've opened a can of FrankB" Let me rephrase, I have a lot to say about this topic.

First of all read this PDF file: download/file.php?id=1644
It explains how I do it. In a nutshell: I create my routes/tracks with Basecamp and then export a GPX to a folder on my harddrive. (You can use any other program that can export to GPX) I have Google Drive installed on my PC (Running Windows 10), and I configured it to automatically synchronize a designated folder to Google Drive. Then I grab my phone, open Google Drive on the phone, locate the GPX. When I open it, Garmin Drive kicks in and sends it to my XT.

There are other options:

- You could probably use OneDrive (Microsoft), or DropBox to replace Google Drive.
- If you dont want automatic sync, you can drag 'n drop the GPX files from explorer to https://drive.google.com.
- You could have a look at MyRouteApp. You can import GPX files into MRA, and use the App on the phone to send it to Garmin Drive.
- You could email GPX files to yourself, and or your friends. Open Email on your phone, Garmin Drive should pick it up.
- You can even use WhatsApp. Install the WhatsApp App on your PC, or use WhatsApp web https://web.whatsapp.com/ Create a WhatsApp group with your fellow riders. Send the GPX file(s) on your PC to that group. On your phone open WhatsApp and tap on the GPX file. Garmin Drive should pick it up.

Enough to discover.
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by BradB. »

FrankB wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2023 5:53 pm
BradB. wrote: Sun Nov 19, 2023 3:16 pm I'm curious how you keep the data in the cloud waiting until you upload it to your device with Drive. Or do you just use Drive as you need the tracks, uploading a few at a time?
"You've opened a can of FrankB" Let me rephrase, I have a lot to say about this topic.

First of all read this PDF file: download/file.php?id=1644
It explains how I do it. In a nutshell: I create my routes/tracks with Basecamp and then export a GPX to a folder on my harddrive. (You can use any other program that can export to GPX) I have Google Drive installed on my PC (Running Windows 10), and I configured it to automatically synchronize a designated folder to Google Drive. Then I grab my phone, open Google Drive on the phone, locate the GPX. When I open it, Garmin Drive kicks in and sends it to my XT.

There are other options:

- You could probably use OneDrive (Microsoft), or DropBox to replace Google Drive.
- If you dont want automatic sync, you can drag 'n drop the GPX files from explorer to https://drive.google.com.
- You could have a look at MyRouteApp. You can import GPX files into MRA, and use the App on the phone to send it to Garmin Drive.
- You could email GPX files to yourself, and or your friends. Open Email on your phone, Garmin Drive should pick it up.
- You can even use WhatsApp. Install the WhatsApp App on your PC, or use WhatsApp web https://web.whatsapp.com/ Create a WhatsApp group with your fellow riders. Send the GPX file(s) on your PC to that group. On your phone open WhatsApp and tap on the GPX file. Garmin Drive should pick it up.

Enough to discover.
Wow, I have some homework here! Currently I email them to myself and use Garmin Drive. I should mention that I am 100% MAC. Not sure how that affects some of the suggested options. But I will look into it.

Thanks so much!
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by Peobody »

@FrankB lists a lot of options but they are all dependent on the internet. If you can connect your XT to your MAC, other options include
- connecting the device to the PC and then transferring routes and tracks directly to it from Basecamp.
- exporting route and track files from Basecamp and then getting them onto the SD card. This can be done with the device connected to the computer, or with the card removed from the device and in a card reader. The location on the card must be a \Garmin\GPX folder.
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by FrankB »

@Peobody Internet availability is a good point! In my area Netherlands, Germany usually Ok.

Some of the options I mentioned, like Google Drive, allow files to be available 'offline'. (Stored on your phone)
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by BradB »

FrankB wrote: Mon Nov 20, 2023 5:25 am @Peobody Internet availability is a good point! In my area Netherlands, Germany usually Ok.

Some of the options I mentioned, like Google Drive, allow files to be available 'offline'. (Stored on your phone)
Now that’s interesting. Storing on the phone could be useful. I’ve never used Google Drive.
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Re: Zumo XT Route Organization Question...

Post by FrankB »

I dont have a Mac, nor used it, but it seems to be available:
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/12178485?hl=en

I forgot to mention. If I have a multi-day trip, I will transfer all files needed at home for that trip. So internet while being on the road is not needed per se.
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