Problem uploading a specific route to Zumo XT

[Thornton]

First post...

I've been using Basecamp for a few years, and successfully using my saved routes on both Garmin Zumo XT and BMW Nav VI devices.

My preferred method of transporting the routes to the XT is to export the route GPX from Basecamp and then using Onedrive to access the stored GPX from my phone, send the file to Garmin Drive. This has worked literally hundreds of times.

However, there's been a couple of routes that did not work. They appeared to transfer but never actually arrived in the Trip Planner on the XT. I have always found a workaround but I wondered what the real issue is... hence this post.

The particular route I'm struggling with this time is 157 miles long, with 17 via points and 120 "points" (whatever they really are?), so not complicated.

If I split the route into two, it loads on the XT without any problem, so it seems like it could be a size issue - although I have used many more complex and longer routes in the past?

The route also loads on to my BMW Nav VI without any issues.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[danham]

Can you share the route with us? I'm assuming "points" means shaping points and 120 is a LOT for a 157-mile route. By way of comparison I just looked at a fairly complex 240-mile route in my collection with lots of twists and turns in the WV mountains and it has about 13 shaping points.

Have a look in Basecamp and see if you really need all those shaping points to stay on-route. Also check in BC to see if any of those points are slightly off the road or causing "spaghetti loops" (the route doubles back on itself).

-dan

[Thornton]

Can you share the route with us? I'm assuming "points" means shaping points and 120 is a LOT for a 157-mile route. By way of comparison I just looked at a fairly complex 240-mile route in my collection with lots of twists and turns in the WV mountains and it has about 13 shaping points.

Have a look in Basecamp and see if you really need all those shaping points to stay on-route. Also check in BC to see if any of those points are slightly off the road or causing "spaghetti loops" (the route doubles back on itself).

-dan

Thanks for the response. I don't think "points" (a reference to one of the measures shown in BC) is shaping points. In fact, all I've done is add my via points and created a route between them. I let BC calculate the route, apart from one deviation which I wanted. For this I just moved the route in BC, which of course, creates a shaping point. So, the total waypoints (via points + shaping points) is only 17.

Best I can, I've checked the route in BC to ensure all waypoints are on the road and there are no strange loops etc.

I don't particularly want to attach the file on the open forum, but if that's "normal" I can do that?

[Peobody]

I know what "Points" he is referring to.

clipimage.jpg (23.61 KiB) Viewed 1125 times

Regarding the problem, it has been awhile since I have transferred a route to my XT using the Drive app but, IIRC, it still goes through the XT's import process before it shows up in Trip Planner. Is the import process completing normally? If the route never seems to arrive in the XT will a re-transfer work?

[Thornton]

^^^ Yes, that's the "points" I was referring to. Don't know what it really means, but I guess it's some sort of measure of complexity...

Anyway, yes the XT appears to be importing the route, calculating etc. But following that, looking at the trip planner, there's no sign of the route at all.

I've tried several times, with the same outcome. As mentioned before, I split the route into two halves and did it all again, and of course, it worked...

Edit to add: I've also tried connecting the XT directly to the laptop and moving the file via BC. Same outcome.

[Peobody]

Since this is a repeat occurrence it assume that the XT has been rebooted between occurrences but has it been rebooted after a failure to perhaps resolve a glitch in the updating of the Trip Planner list.

Have you tried renaming the route? I don't know how that could solve the issue but it is something I would try in the event that something in the name is causing it to not display in Trip Planner.

These are two other tests I would try if in your shoes.
1) If you have an SD card in your XT, see whether a transfer from BC to the card, and then an import from the card works.
2) Export the route to a file, copy that file to Internal Storage (\GPX directory), and then import it.

BTW, there was a discussion in Jun '22 about this exact same issue but it ended without any indication of it being resolved.
viewtopic.php?t=1848&start=10

[Thornton]

Thanks again for your suggestions.

I can confirm I have rebooted the XT between the failed uploads.
I have renamed the route. It made no difference.

Splitting the route into two routes was successful. Having split the route, I did exactly the same export from BC/transfer to XT process and the two routes appeared correctly.

On the unsuccessful transfers, I see the following stages:

Garmin Drive says "Sending to XT". When that is complete...
XT Says "New Trip - saving to Trip Planner", followed by "Calculating", Followed by "New Trips received and added", Followed by "New Locations added to Saved Locations". All good, except the new trip is not visible in the Trip Planner...

I have directly copied the exported BC file to the GPX folder on the XT, and having done that, when the XT restarts it shows the "New Routes Found. Import to trip planner?" message. I say yes to that, but again, nothing appears to be imported.

In order to test whether or not it was actually adding new locations, I decided to clear out the "favourites" on the XT, such that the only favourite showing is "Home". I also cleared out all saved trips from the trip planner.

Having done that, I connected the XT to my laptop and looked in BC. I was surprised to see the waypoints from my failed upload are still on the Garmin, along with the failed route!

I suspect something went wrong with the original transfer and left files in a bit of a mess...so I decided to take the nuclear option and reset my XT.

As expected, this cleared out the residual waypoints and route. I then tried to bring in the route again, using BC "Send to device" while the XT was connected to BC. After disconnect and restart, I went through the "new trips found" process - with the same result. The process looks ok, but the route does not appear in the trip planner. Interestingly though, all the waypoints from my route are now in my favourites...

I must admit I'm getting nowhere with this, and will probably just resort to splitting the route into two. Frustrating.

[Peobody]

I have directly copied the exported BC file to the GPX folder on the XT, and having done that, when the XT restarts it shows the "New Routes Found. Import to trip planner?" message. I say yes to that, but again, nothing appears to be imported.

In order to test whether or not it was actually adding new locations, I decided to clear out the "favourites" on the XT, such that the only favourite showing is "Home". I also cleared out all saved trips from the trip planner.

Having done that, I connected the XT to my laptop and looked in BC. I was surprised to see the waypoints from my failed upload are still on the Garmin, along with the failed route!

I think this could be explained by the existence of the .gpx file in the GPX folder on the XT.

You know that the recording of waypoints during the import process is working so what about the route file. Once a route is imported it should create a .trip file in Internal storage\.System\Trips. Is that file being created?

[Thornton]

I do not see a \system folder on my XT...

This is what I see:

Screenshot 2024-01-15 193431.jpg (49.63 KiB) Viewed 1087 times

Do I need to do something in Windows to see more? I already checked I have the "hidden items" checked.

[Peobody]

Do I need to do something in Windows to see more? I already checked I have the "hidden items" checked.

No. You need to enable it in the XT.

1. Start the XT
2. Open its volume screen.
3. Press and hold the upper right corner until a Diagnostics screen opens, about 10 seconds.
4. Tap "Configuration and Settings"
5. Tap "MTP Settings"
6. Tick the box next to "Show .System"
7. Long hold the return button to return to the main screen

That will do it.