Author Topic: Waypoints on an eTrex 20 for Dummies  (Read 1668 times)

mattc

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Waypoints on an eTrex 20 for Dummies
« on: 26 July, 2017, 05:04:57 pm »
Can someone spoon-feed me the basics of how this works?

My current understanding is basically;
- creating tracks (using mapping sites)
- loading them to the GPS
- following them (using "Where To" or just displaying them on the map)

- saving my ridden tracklog, and exporting it to a PC afterward

- some familiarity with the world of XML
- basic hand-editing of GPX files (both track to be ridden and tracklog) to truncate noise and/or private travels.

I'm pretty sure I understand what a waypoint is - I just don't know how my eTrex displays them or how I get them into the eTrex.

[Do I create a separate file and copy that onto the device? Do I include them in my track GPX? Are these even sensible questions?? Could I just copy-n-paste something like the following into a track file:
<wpt lat="52.332110" lon="-0.085010"><ele>22.000</ele><name>ST IVES</name><sym>Waypoint</sym></wpt>
]

Oh - and my first goal is just to display Waypoints on the map display. Preferably at the same time as the track I'm following. (I might also get the unit to choose a route to a Waypoint, but that will be rare).

Thanks  :-*
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
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frankly frankie

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Re: Waypoints on an eTrex 20 for Dummies
« Reply #1 on: 26 July, 2017, 05:21:58 pm »
You can either combine Waypoint(s) with Track(s) and/or Route(s) in a single GPX file or you can have lots of separate files, or any halfway house between the two.
eg, 1 file with 20 Tracks, 20 Routes and 200 Waypoints
or,
1 file with 5 Tracks + 5 files with 1 Track each + 1 file with 150 Waypoints + 1 file with 1 Track and 50 Waypoints + 1 file with a single Waypoint
etc etc

If you don't have access to Garmin's software for managing Tracks, Routes and Waypoints (why not?), you can use BikeHike to create Waypoints.  They are called 'Coursepoints' there but if you export as 'GPX track' they will appear in that file tagged as Waypoints, with or without any Track information you have also planned.  But they are not 'part of' the Track, they exist completely independently.  Using the BikeHike method you do have to be a bit careful with naming the points, otherwise it will get very chaotic very quickly.

Although you can store the files either on the GPS memory or on the mSD card, I have found it is preferable to use the GPS memory.  But then you do have to remember to 'unmount' or 'eject' before disconnecting from the PC.

As to display, the default is a rather big blue flag 'pin' as I recall. Hard to alter globally without hacking the text of the GPX.  In Gps->Menu->Setup->Map you can adjust the map zoom threshold at which your waypoints become visible, to avoid clutter at wider zoom levels.  For User waypoints I think a high threshold such as 2km is reasonable - but I would use much lower thresholds for Map Points and Street labels - about 300m for these.  You can also set whther to show the waypoint name as a label on the map, or not.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

mattc

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Re: Waypoints on an eTrex 20 for Dummies
« Reply #2 on: 26 July, 2017, 05:34:00 pm »
Thanks Francis - that is a very useful step forward  :thumbsup:
(and 10/10 for clarity)

So does any Waypoint in any GPX file on the GPS display on the Map at all times?
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

frankly frankie

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Re: Waypoints on an eTrex 20 for Dummies
« Reply #3 on: 26 July, 2017, 05:37:06 pm »
No I've edited my post above.  But they all either show or not, you can't set the visibility of individual waypoints (well I've never tried it).
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αdαmsκι

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Re: Waypoints on an eTrex 20 for Dummies
« Reply #4 on: 26 July, 2017, 05:39:12 pm »
I add the waypoints at the start of my gpx file, see below (the original file is here for you to view)

Code: [Select]
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no" ?>
 
<gpx xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1" creator="bikehike.co.uk" version="1.1" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd">


<wpt lat="53.685650" lon="-1.723870">
       <name>Checkpoint left</name>
    <sym>generic</sym>
    <type>Generic</type>
  </wpt>

<wpt lat="53.726200" lon="-1.363980">
       <name>Ctrl Busy Lizzies</name>
    <sym>generic</sym>
    <type>Generic</type>
  </wpt>


<trk>
    <name>Three Coasts 1</name>
    <trkseg>
     

<trkpt lat="53.730280" lon="-1.984570">
       <ele>96.16</ele>
       <time>2017-06-13T19:05:48Z</time>
      </trkpt>
      <trkpt lat="53.730810" lon="-1.984230">
       <ele>95.1</ele>
       <time>2017-06-13T19:06:03Z</time>
      </trkpt>
      <trkpt lat="53.730770" lon="-1.983990">
       <ele>94.85</ele>
       <time>2017-06-13T19:06:07Z</time>
      </trkpt>
      <trkpt lat="53.730790" lon="-1.983890">
       <ele>94.7</ele>
       <time>2017-06-13T19:06:08Z</time>
      </trkpt>
      <trkpt lat="53.730940" lon="-1.983630">
       <ele>94.44</ele>
       <time>2017-06-13T19:06:14Z</time>
      </trkpt>
      <trkpt lat="53.730760" lon="-1.983040">
       <ele>94</ele>
       <time>2017-06-13T19:06:24Z</time>
      </trkpt>
      </trkseg>
  </trk>
</gpx>

It's also possible to add waypoints to the original track using www.gpxeditor.co.uk
Click on the "pin" symbol on the left hand side and a purple pin appears on the map, which you can move to the correct location and set as a name.
When you export the gpx track the ewaypoints should appear in the file as well.

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frankly frankie

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Re: Waypoints on an eTrex 20 for Dummies
« Reply #5 on: 26 July, 2017, 06:01:54 pm »
If you want to have some Waypoints more visible than others, then the symbol you choose is the key.
In the code above
<sym>generic</sym>
(or no <sym> tag at all)
will give you the big blue pin.

On the GPS in Waypoint Manager you can assign different markers to Waypoints individually, from a choice of dozens.  Most markers are designed to be highly visible of course, but there are a couple which are just tiny dots.  If you assign one of these and if you have the labelling turned off (global setting) then these waypoints are essentially invisible.  But still show up in 'distance to next' fields etc.  This is how I use them.

If text editing the GPX, then
<sym>City (Small)</sym>
will give the 'invisible' marker.
and
<sym>Bike Trail</sym>
will give a nice highly-visible red square marker.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll