taoshum
Well-known member
A while back there was some discussion about GPS and gpx files on a Garmin Nuvi... the solution was to use the POI system...
I stumbled across another solution...tried it and it works...
How to install tracks into Garmin Nuvis
If you own a Garmin Nuvi you might already know that you cannot import tracks with it. The Nuvi is a very good GPS receiver that can be viewed inside a vehicle quite clearly but it has this major drawback.
There is a cure for this using the program GPX2IMG that can use a .gpx file, convert it into a map in the form of a .img file and install that map into the Mapsource program. You can then run Mapsource and install the map into the Nuvi which shows up as a transparent track overlaying whichever map you have installed into the unit. This works really well and you can have multiple tracks in the .gpx file and this program will allow you to change the color of the individual tracks and will make a map with the tracks showing in the colors you have selected. We use this system as our only navigating device.
If you already have Mapsource installed on your PC then you can go on the internet and search for gpx2img, download this program and install it. If you don't want to pay for its use right away (about $20) you can use it with just a short wait screen during the map creation.
The first time you run the GPX2IMG program click on Edit, Preferences and clear the check marks from Blank Overview Map and Clear Mapsource tile cache when generating maps? Check Install generated maps into Mapsource? and Enable TYP files to create custom color maps? Select a Target Directory. I suggest creating a Map folder in your Mapsource folder that you created in the My Documents folder (you did do that, right?) You will use this menu (Edit, Preferences) each time you make a map to create a name for the map. Click OK.
To use gpx2img you have to have a .gpx file saved to some folder on your hard drive. You can download some .gpx files from the FMCA website or make your own and save them as .gpx files. Launch the gpx2img program and click on Add GPX File in the upper right window, find your .gpx file and click Open.
With the selected .gpx file showing in the right side window you can click on the Tracks tab in the lower left window. Click on a track and its properties will appear in the lower right window. The track name will appear there and you can drop down the Path Type menu and select a color for the individual track. After selecting the colors you like click on Edit, Preferences and create a name for the track map you are creating. Click on Convert (_) Checked File and the tracks will be converted into a map and installed into Mapsource.
Launch Mapsource and plug the Nuvi into the PC with the USB cable. In Mapsource find the Select a Product menu that lists the current map that is displayed in the right window and drop it down, find the map you just created and select it. The tracks in the map will be displayed in the right window. In the tool bar click on the Map Select tool (it looks like an outline of the state of Minnesota) and then click in the area of the tracks. The map should turn pink and its name will appear in the left hand window under the Maps tab. That will mean it has been selected.
Click on the Send to Device icon. The menu should tell you if the Nuvi has been recognized and select it, click on Maps and then Send. After the transfer is completed you can disconnect the Nuvi.
Allow the Nuvi to power up after disconnecting from the PC. Select the View Map screen and if you are in the area of the tracks in the .gpx file you will see them on the screen.
If you don't want the tracks showing just select Menu, Tools, Settings, Map and then Map Info. The listing of the installed maps will appear and the map you created and installed will be there. Touch the box to turn off the check mark then press and hold on Back until the View Map window appears then touch View Map and the tracks will not be showing.
I hope this will make the Nuvi a lot more friendly to use for a guidance system.
Article by Rick Clark FMCA 4WHEELERS
I stumbled across another solution...tried it and it works...
How to install tracks into Garmin Nuvis
If you own a Garmin Nuvi you might already know that you cannot import tracks with it. The Nuvi is a very good GPS receiver that can be viewed inside a vehicle quite clearly but it has this major drawback.
There is a cure for this using the program GPX2IMG that can use a .gpx file, convert it into a map in the form of a .img file and install that map into the Mapsource program. You can then run Mapsource and install the map into the Nuvi which shows up as a transparent track overlaying whichever map you have installed into the unit. This works really well and you can have multiple tracks in the .gpx file and this program will allow you to change the color of the individual tracks and will make a map with the tracks showing in the colors you have selected. We use this system as our only navigating device.
If you already have Mapsource installed on your PC then you can go on the internet and search for gpx2img, download this program and install it. If you don't want to pay for its use right away (about $20) you can use it with just a short wait screen during the map creation.
The first time you run the GPX2IMG program click on Edit, Preferences and clear the check marks from Blank Overview Map and Clear Mapsource tile cache when generating maps? Check Install generated maps into Mapsource? and Enable TYP files to create custom color maps? Select a Target Directory. I suggest creating a Map folder in your Mapsource folder that you created in the My Documents folder (you did do that, right?) You will use this menu (Edit, Preferences) each time you make a map to create a name for the map. Click OK.
To use gpx2img you have to have a .gpx file saved to some folder on your hard drive. You can download some .gpx files from the FMCA website or make your own and save them as .gpx files. Launch the gpx2img program and click on Add GPX File in the upper right window, find your .gpx file and click Open.
With the selected .gpx file showing in the right side window you can click on the Tracks tab in the lower left window. Click on a track and its properties will appear in the lower right window. The track name will appear there and you can drop down the Path Type menu and select a color for the individual track. After selecting the colors you like click on Edit, Preferences and create a name for the track map you are creating. Click on Convert (_) Checked File and the tracks will be converted into a map and installed into Mapsource.
Launch Mapsource and plug the Nuvi into the PC with the USB cable. In Mapsource find the Select a Product menu that lists the current map that is displayed in the right window and drop it down, find the map you just created and select it. The tracks in the map will be displayed in the right window. In the tool bar click on the Map Select tool (it looks like an outline of the state of Minnesota) and then click in the area of the tracks. The map should turn pink and its name will appear in the left hand window under the Maps tab. That will mean it has been selected.
Click on the Send to Device icon. The menu should tell you if the Nuvi has been recognized and select it, click on Maps and then Send. After the transfer is completed you can disconnect the Nuvi.
Allow the Nuvi to power up after disconnecting from the PC. Select the View Map screen and if you are in the area of the tracks in the .gpx file you will see them on the screen.
If you don't want the tracks showing just select Menu, Tools, Settings, Map and then Map Info. The listing of the installed maps will appear and the map you created and installed will be there. Touch the box to turn off the check mark then press and hold on Back until the View Map window appears then touch View Map and the tracks will not be showing.
I hope this will make the Nuvi a lot more friendly to use for a guidance system.
Article by Rick Clark FMCA 4WHEELERS
