Problems putting gps track from Ride With GPS onto Etrex 20

[PeterB]

Can anyone advise me about this?  I am trying to put a route (which I did not create) onto my Etrex 20 from Ride With GPS.  This route
works fine on my Wahoo but I would like it on the Etrex as well as it is my back up device.

The route is more than a 1000km long and I have tried putting on as one file as well as splitting it into either 200km or 300km
pieces.

However, when I open it on the Etrex it is shorter either by 20 or so km for the 200km versions and for the 1000 plus km version it
is down to just 100km.

I have tried putting 200km routes which both I and others had previously created onto the Etrex and this seems to work fine and they
are the same length as they show in RWGPS.  I tried creating a new route and this seems to download fine.  So maybe the problem is
somehow with the Ride With GPS track.  Does anyone have any idea what is happening and how I might rectify it?

[Ian H]

Is it just a gpx file, unadorned?  There are various options for downloading from RWGPS.

You could try running it through GPS Visualiser - Set the advanced options to minimal - see if that gets you a usable file.

[Lightning Phil]

Too many track points.   The tracks must not contain more than 9,999 points else they will be truncated on Etrex 20.

[PeterB]

Thanks.  So is it possible to reduce the track points some how do you know?

[PeterB]

Is it just a gpx file, unadorned?  There are various options for downloading from RWGPS.

You could try running it through GPS Visualiser - Set the advanced options to minimal - see if that gets you a usable file.

It did have some POIs which I removed but it made no difference.

I uploaded it to GPS visualiser and it looks fine.  Now I will just have to try to fiddle about with it using GPS visualiser to try to reduce it.

This may take some time!  Thank you.

[Lightning Phil]

Thanks.  So is it possible to reduce the track points some how do you know?

I’m the author of https://simple-gpx.herokuapp.com/ which does exactly that

[IanDG]

When you export GPX file from Ride with GPS it gives the option to reduce to 500 points. Does that work?

[PeterB]

When you export GPX file from Ride with GPS it gives the option to reduce to 500 points. Does that work?

Nope.  Track is 300km, reduces it to 273km? any ideas?

[PeterB]

Is it just a gpx file, unadorned?  There are various options for downloading from RWGPS.

You could try running it through GPS Visualiser - Set the advanced options to minimal - see if that gets you a usable file.

I have tried this.  However, I cannot see where the advanced options are.  Don't suppose you might point me in the right direction?  Many thanks.

[frankly frankie]

GPS Visualizer.
Convert a File.
Output format: GPX.
Browse to select your file.
'Show advanced options' is a green bar at the bottom of the grey options panel.
3rd row down in Track Options - Max Points per Track - set to 9900.
Run the converter and download the resultant file (you'll want to rename it as you download).

But for this particular job I recommend using Phil's utility that he linked above - it Just Works.

[neilrj]

Import it into gpsprune and strip out duplicate points, then nearby points (adjustable) and see what that does to file, if it makes little or no difference then you can shrink it.
If all else fails pull up the original in a map and in another window replot it in cycle.travel/whatever and adjust to get it to follow the route, save and try that (don't use RwGPS since it seems verbose).

[hatler]

When you export GPX file from Ride with GPS it gives the option to reduce to 500 points. Does that work?

Only if you have upgraded to a paid for option.

I used BikeHike to do exactly this the other day (following advice from frankly frankie in another thread). Worked a treat.

[PeterB]

Thanks.  So is it possible to reduce the track points some how do you know?

I’m the author of https://simple-gpx.herokuapp.com/ which does exactly that

Thanks for this.  I am probably being dense but I cannot seem to get it to work.  I click on choose a gpx file
and it allows me to select the one I want and then nothing happens.  I think I must be missing something.

I am using a laptop.

[Lightning Phil]

Sounds like something wrong with GPX. You can’t be doing anything wrong with Simple GPX as that’s all you do with a GPX containing a track. Unless the GPX doesn’t contain a track or it does but the track has a ridiculous number of points that leads to timeouts at server end.

Probably best to share GPX.

[PeterB]

Sounds like something wrong with GPX. You can’t be doing anything wrong with Simple GPX as that’s all you do with a GPX containing a track. Unless the GPX doesn’t contain a track or it does but the track has a ridiculous number of points that leads to timeouts at server end.

Probably best to share GPX.

Thanks.

I have got it to work now but it has still truncated the routes by about 5 to 8km on each 300km section!

[Feanor]

When you say 'truncated', do you actually mean the track stops short 8k short of the destination?
That is not normal behaviour.

Or just that the total length reported is 8k shorter?
That might just be down to the simplified track 'short-cutting' twists and turns with straight-line segments and is normal behaviour.

[PeterB]

When you say 'truncated', do you actually mean the track stops short 8k short of the destination?
That is not normal behaviour.

Or just that the total length reported is 8k shorter?
That might just be down to the simplified track 'short-cutting' twists and turns with straight-line segments and is normal behaviour.

I think you are correct it is shorter co it has short cut the twists and turns.  Sorry, I have never had this problem with the Etrex with routes I plotted myself before and it has taken ages of fiddling to get it to work!

When you say 'truncated', do you actually mean the track stops short 8k short of the destination?
That is not normal behaviour.

Or just that the total length reported is 8k shorter?
That might just be down to the simplified track 'short-cutting' twists and turns with straight-line segments and is normal behaviour.

[Lightning Phil]

Sounds like something wrong with GPX. You can’t be doing anything wrong with Simple GPX as that’s all you do with a GPX containing a track. Unless the GPX doesn’t contain a track or it does but the track has a ridiculous number of points that leads to timeouts at server end.

Probably best to share GPX.

Thanks.

I have got it to work now but it has still truncated the routes by about 5 to 8km on each 300km section!

That works out about 1.6% to 2.6% of the distance.  Assuming the tracks start and end where you expect. That’s all good.   When you go from a track with excessive points to a leaner version.  The calculated distance is always shorter.  In reality when navigating you really won’t notice at the resolution an etrex can show you.  The map display will also update far quicker with a lean track.

Did you leave Simple-GPX at the defaults?

[PeterB]

Sounds like something wrong with GPX. You can’t be doing anything wrong with Simple GPX as that’s all you do with a GPX containing a track. Unless the GPX doesn’t contain a track or it does but the track has a ridiculous number of points that leads to timeouts at server end.

Probably best to share GPX.

Thanks.

I have got it to work now but it has still truncated the routes by about 5 to 8km on each 300km section!

That works out about 1.6% to 2.6% of the distance.  Assuming the tracks start and end where you expect. That’s all good.   When you go from a track with excessive points to a leaner version.  The calculated distance is always shorter.  In reality when navigating you really won’t notice at the resolution an etrex can show you.  The map display will also update far quicker with a lean track.

Did you leave Simple-GPX at the defaults?


Yes.  I did.  Thanks for your help with this.  Looks like I have a workable track now.