How does one get MapSource in the first place?

[aregister]

The situation is that a friend of mine has the Garmin Edge 705 but has no PC (or mac) and would like to have routes loaded on to the Garmin.
So he has loaned it to me and I am trying to load for example Martin's MSHillier.gdb file into the device.
From what I've googled, it seems that I need the MapSource software installed on the PC. But when I download the latest version of MapSource from Garmin it refuses to install because "Previous MapSource not found!" (exclamation point not mine). This sounds like he should have had a MapSource CD along with his Edge, but he says he only got the CD with the documentation.
Sorry if this has been explained a 1000 times before - I did look!
Thanks.

[andrew_s]

Mapsource generally comes with the Garmin maps.
With the GPS you get Training Centre or Trip & Wappoint Manager (or nothing), depending on model. I've heard that installing T&WM is enough to the downloaded Mapsource to install, so Training Centre is worth trying. T&WM is basically a cut down version of Mapsource, but I think TC isn't so it may not work.

[Greenbank]

Download and install Garmin Training Center for free from here: Garmin Training Center Software
Then you can try installing MapSource - Training Center will be detected, so the MapSource install should work.

Note that this won't include any maps, and MapSource isn't very useful without them. You can download OpenStreetMaps in MapSource format for free. I think the easiest option for that is from here: Worldwide routable Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap

That's pretty much what I did. Haven't bought any maps but I tricked Mapsource into installing by installing Training Centre first.

I also downloaded and installed the OSM maps but this was a year or so ago and I don't have the routeable ones. I might redo this when I get a moment.

Don't use it for planning/plotting routes as I haven't got a mapping GPS.

[aregister]

Thanks, guys. So far I've installed GPSBabel and converted the .gdb to .gpx and copied the file into the Garmin/GPX directory on the device and The Edge seems happy with it. (By the way, I love how the GUI of GPSBabel spits out the command-line syntax in the window underneath).
Next I'll give TC and/or T&WM a try.

[frankly frankie]

The current version of Mapsource (6.15.7 I think) has a bug which results in it throwing an error message when you try to Save As GPX.

There is a simple workaround, or
if you can find an installer for an earlier version (only very recent versions have this bug), you can use that to 'downgrade' from the current version.
Downgrade your Mapsource includes more on this, and a link to an older good installer.

[PloddinPedro]

The current version of Mapsource (6.15.7 I think) has a bug which results in it throwing an error message when you try to Save As GPX.

Crikey! That's a major gaff by Garmin? Not being able to export as a .gpx format file may not inconvenience someone just using Mapsource with a Garmin GPS unit but it's real nuisance if you want to share the file. Surely Garmin must fix this a.s.a.p.? Or am I being naive?

[frankly frankie]

Well you'd think so.  They do know about it.
But I suspect Garmin are losing interest in Mapsource - it's not great software and the obvious gaps in its capabilities haven't been addressed at all in the newer versions.  They no longer ship Trip & Waypoint Manager (the cut-down version of Mapsource) with their newer GPS models even though I struggle to see how a new adopter would manage without it.

I got hold of a Dakota yesterday - no software at all in the packaging, not even a USB driver - my copy of Mapsource recognised it and worked with it straight away.

There's a workaround for the GPX problem.
If you start your Mapsource session by opening an existing GPX file - then you can go on and do whatever else you want, File New, etc etc, and then any Save As GPX will work OK.
Easy when you know about it.

[andrew_s]

They no longer ship Trip & Waypoint Manager (the cut-down version of Mapsource) with their newer GPS models even though I struggle to see how a new adopter would manage without it.

Guess:
The split between internal memory and the memory card has been dispensed with, so internal memory shows as a removable drive when plugged in, and the unit will work with gpx files from either location.
Then they expect everyone to use websites like bikely or whatever for planning and review

[Maverick]

The current version of Mapsource (6.15.7 I think) has a bug which results in it throwing an error message when you try to Save As GPX.

I have the latest version - 6.15.6 - and the error on save as gpx seems to be fixed. Running on WinXP x64 with CN Europe 2010 maps. I did have the issue on the previous version using Euro Metroguide 6 maps.