ZUMO XT2 CONCLUSIONS

[frenzo]

@gwilki so kind of you to build this walkthrough for me!! Yesterday I followed the exact steps you recommended in this last message, and unfortunately (for some reason I don't understand) the "install to computer" option isn't visible for me (Mac laptop).

Happy to add screenshots, if helpful.

[gwilki]

@gwilki so kind of you to build this walkthrough for me!! Yesterday I followed the exact steps you recommended in this last message, and unfortunately (for some reason I don't understand) the "install to computer" option isn't visible for me (Mac laptop).

Happy to add screenshots, if helpful.

Maybe it is some limitation in Mac?? I have no Mac devices, so I can't try to duplicate your results. Maybe someone here does and can. Failing that, I would contact Garmin.

[Peobody]

A plea for help in the 'Garmin Express for Mac' category may be worthwhile.

[frenzo]

UPDATE (and this is really weird)

If I open Garmin Express WITHOUT plugging in my Zumo XT2, the Map Details view DOES show the Install Map to Computer option. It then asks me to plug in my device in order to progress the installation.

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[i]And at that point the "Applying changes" progress bar starts - victory? Not quite - it never moves off 0%. 

Will keep tinkering and keep you guys updated - I am hugely grateful for your patience and support![/i]

UPDATE: After about 5min at 0%, the bar started moving and I think I may have finally been able to install maps on my laptop - VICTORY. Next up: disconnect device, open basecamp, and see what happens

UPDATE: Oddly, one map package "City Navigator North America 2024.20" has the "Install To Computer" option. The other two packages "Adventure Roads & Trails North America 2024.20" and "TopoActive PowerSports Lite North America 2022.30" do not have it. I shall update to click the only option on these two packages "Reinstall map", and see if that THEN enables me to "Install to Computer"

UPDATE: no dice. For the two map packages mentioned above, the "Install to computer" option is unavailable, even after "Reinstall map". Tried with XT2 plugged and unplugged.

UPDATE: Basecamp now loads with no Zumo XT2 connected and enables me to plan routes. I assume I won't see trails, since those maps haven't been installed to computer. Will keep tinkering!

I hope these updates do not violate some forum etiquette I'm not aware of. Just tracing my steps in case it helps others in a similar situation

[jfheath]

I hope these updates do not violate some forum etiquette I'm not aware of. Just tracing my steps in case it helps others in a similar situation

Not at all. I've been following it closely, unable to be of much help. But the activity attracts others who can help. The quality of your feedback gives people something to latch on to. It has been a good exchange which will help others with a similar issue in the future.


I may shift this to a new thread of its own - once contributions have finished. It will make it easier to find.

[Javelin16]

I don't think it is fair to describe it as rubbish when you are trying to make it do something that it was never designed to do. It is just not what you expected. If you want your XT to use Basecamp routes, create a gpx file and put it directly onto the Zumo.

New to the forum and joining this topic containing invaluable infos for a new owner of a Zumo XT2 (Thanks to all).

I made also some testing to understand the satnav logic with and without Tread. The problem I had was mainly related to the Tread app also.
I planned a new route in MRA with just a few POIs, shaping points and via points. I saved it as a gpx1.1 file to keep the shaping points in the gpx file. Corresponding file was copied to the XT2 GPX folder with windows explorer. Road imported on the zumo and everything fine and nice :shaping points remain shaping points at the right place, same for the viapoints and the road is quite similar to the planned road in MRA. Idyllic but.... after a short time, the XT2 explore db synchronized with the Tread app explore db. The Tread app modified the route in a totally inappropriate manner (shaping points omitted or moved to another place on the map, erratic corresponding route calculated, ...) and then after a few seconds, synchronize again with the XT2 and modify everything in the explore db of the XT2 (which I think reflect the content of the "current.gpx" of the Zumo XT2). A mess...So, it's not only a question of Tread doing things we are not interested in but the question of Tread not allowing to use without troubles classical gpx transfer from BC or another route planner, when calculating its routes after synchonization with the XT2! Why not simply duplicate the content of the XT2 db on Tread explore db and change the route and its content only if the route is used in Tread for some reason remains a mystery for me.
As stated by other above, the only way I found to avoid this is to delete the Tread app on the phone. (Question to Garmin for other means to avoid the synchro not answered yet by Garmin). Then everything remain fine but a severe wayback from the Garmin promises for their new device!

[Javelin16]

But whether Express will work with the XT2 - I don't know. Maps will install to the PC with any recognised Zumo plugged in - if you happen to have an older one lying around.


Maybe @technoguppy can add any more info about how to get the XT2 to work with Basecamp ?

When I updated the maps on the XT2 with Garmin express, the option to download the maps also on the PC (for basecamp) was no more available in express as for previous satnavs. May be I missed something.
Usually to adress the problem of long waiting times to upload the maps of the connected satnav not available on the PC when opening BC (it could be for specific maps only available on the memory card of the satnav or for maps not available for transfer on the PC in express), I create a virtual gps on a harddrive of the PC with the desired maps in the adequate folder of the .system folder and mount the corresponding virtual gps on the PC. The virtual GPS appears as a connected satnav in BC and the maps are there in a few seconds...

[jfheath]

Welcome @Javelin16

I create a virtual gps on a harddrive of the PC with the desired maps in the adequate folder of the .system folder and mount the corresponding virtual gps on the PC. The virtual GPS appears as a connected satnav in BC and the maps are there in a few seconds...

Thanks for your posts - 3 of them have just been approved - you will not have to wait for that in future.

I understand the concept of a virtual GPS, but don't understand exactly what you put on your PC.

Are you saying that you copied the .system folder from the Zumo into a folder on the hard drive ?

If so, was this placed on the root of the hard drive ?

And then Basecamp recognised it as a Zumo, and it can then read the maps as if it was connected to the Zumo ?

[jfheath]

Re first post above - with the explore utility and the XT, you have to reset the explore database on the XT AND IMMEDIATELEY turn the XT completely off. long press the power button.

Then you have to completely remove the Drive app from the phone.
The reinstall the drive app and do not allow it to set up explore.

You may have to do a similar thing with Tread on the XT2 and the app that you use on the phone. I dont have the XT2 and cannot use tread without an XT2. So I am making a lot of assumptions here.

It would be useful to have the details of how to disable Tread when you finally manage to do it.

Unfortunately the tread/explore database ignores some of the detail in the original route, so when it synchronises, you get its version of it, calculated without the shaping points.

I can't believe that they didn't think this through carefully, and have decided to abandon Basecamp as a result of this behaviour. No, really, I couldn't possibly imagine that would be the case.

[Javelin16]

I agree that it is not a "decision" of Garmin to abandon Basecamp but that is the result of the way they programmed the Tread app. When thread synchronises a road from the XT2 in explore, it obviously prepares the road to be ready to be used by Tread instead of duplicating the content of the road in explore. That would be fine without all the bugs and strange things Tread do to the road when it uses it (or prepares the road to be used in the sync process...). Why not change the road only when it is used by Tread? At least it would protect the content of the explore db, which would be useful since each mod initiate a new sync with the XT2 explore db to transfer the change to the XT2. That would be nice: until the bugs of Tread are sorted out, at least it would not corrupt the infos on the XT2. Now, if you would like that the XT2 remains the master for your roads info in explore, it is not possible anymore without deleting the Tread app on the phone! If the XT2 could have an option to synchronize or not with explore would also save the problem.
I found other minor problems when Tread remains active. The content of the explore db on the XT2 and on Tread even if synchronized is far from being the same on both (items could be in different collections, items could remain on the XT2 even if deleted in the explore db with Tread, ...) So, one advantage of using Tread that could be a much more user friendly tool to structure the content of the explore db is not usable anyway since it is not reliable to monitor the content of the db on the X2. So no great loss to delete completely the Tread app from the phone, except for Traffic infos and weather infos availability on the XT2; using Tread as a Route planner is anyway still not acceptable for what I request from a reliable route planner.

I have tried the procedure you applied to stop the sync with explore on the XT but without success on the XT2. I deleted the Tread app on the phone, Reset the explore data base, immediately shut down the XT2. After restart, the link to "an explore data base" structure is still there (linked to the content of current.gpx in fact) with an invitation at the top of the screen to enable Tread to be able to synchronize. So it seems that the Reset of the explore db does not break the link on the XT2 . Of course, as soon as Tread is reinstalled on the phone, the sync proceeds automatically. So the only way up to now that I have found to avoid it is to delete the Tread app on the phone.