Garmin GPS - GPS/PC Synchronization

Author

GPS/PC Synchronization

giacomo.ciani@gmail.com

2006-12-27, 3:33 pm

Hi all!

I've been experimenting with GPS and PC communication for the first
time in the last few days. I tried several softwares (CompeGPS,
OziExplorer, GPSMap from garmin, sicne my units are both by Garmin...).
Obviously I succeeded in trasferring data to and from the PC and the
units; moreover, I experienced a loto a funny and useful function of
the software above.

The only thing that leaves me disappointed is that it seems that there
is no way of "synchronizing" the units with the PC. Let's make an (very
realistic) exapmple.

I'm out for a trip, and I mark a lot of waypoints without loosing too
much time in setting long descriptions, approriate symbols and so on.
The my "perfect picture" would be to came back home, download waypoints
on the pc and use it to refine the whole thing: select the interesting
ones, delete the uninteresting ones, editing notes and symbols, and so
on... Then I would like to "sync" back the data on the GPS unit, having
PC-deleted waypoints deleted also on it, notes and names updated,
ecc...

But if I understand well, none of the software above can do that: the
only thing you can do is updating waypoint info if you don't change its
name, becouse when you send it back from PC to GPS it will overwrite
the "GPS version" with the PC one. But deleting waypoints on the PC
will have no effect on the gps database, and changing waypoints name
will result in dupplicate waypoints on the GPS unit (same coordinates
but different names...).

Is it true? Am I missing some obviuos function or way of operating? Am
I simply using the wrong software?

Thank you

Giacomo

Steve Calvin

2006-12-27, 3:33 pm

giacomo.ciani@gmail.com wrote:
>
> Is it true? Am I missing some obviuos function or way of operating? Am
> I simply using the wrong software?
>
> Thank you
>
> Giacomo
>

Well, that's probably actually a "feature". They don't want
to "assume" you want something deleted from the GPS. You
need to do that.

You didn't say what unit you have, but on my 76CSx I can
easily clear what's on the handheld by going to the "Trip
Computer" display, press "Reset" then enter, select the
fields I want to erase from the handheld. Waypoints, tracks,
routes, etc. Then it's a simple matter of reloading the
desired data from Mapsource to the unit.

--
Steve

Leif Neland

2006-12-27, 3:33 pm

giacomo.ciani@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi all!
>
> much time in setting long descriptions, approriate symbols and so on.
> The my "perfect picture" would be to came back home, download
> waypoints on the pc and use it to refine the whole thing: select the
> interesting ones, delete the uninteresting ones, editing notes and
> symbols, and so on... Then I would like to "sync" back the data on
> the GPS unit, having PC-deleted waypoints deleted also on it, notes
> and names updated, ecc...
>
> But if I understand well, none of the software above can do that: the
> only thing you can do is updating waypoint info if you don't change
> its name, becouse when you send it back from PC to GPS it will
> overwrite the "GPS version" with the PC one. But deleting waypoints
> on the PC will have no effect on the gps database, and changing
> waypoints name will result in dupplicate waypoints on the GPS unit
> (same coordinates but different names...).
>
> Is it true? Am I missing some obviuos function or way of operating? Am
> I simply using the wrong software?
>

I usually make a new route with waypoints from scratch in mapsource, then I
download it to the gps.

Another day I do the same, and expect the old routes and waypoints to stay
in the gps.

I wouldn't want to lose several years of waypoints by mistake (I now have
all the riding stablishments I'm ever going to compete on stored as
waypoints...)

The only way to delete the old waypoints is on the gps at a fairly deep
level in the menus (at least on my faithful gps-V), so you can not easily
lose the waypoints by mistake.
Then you upload the waypoints to the pc, edit, erase the waypoints on the
gps, and then re-download the edited set.

I like it that way...

Leif

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