View Full Version : A GPS program I'd love to see. I'd pay $$$ for one...
One of these days some bright programmer is going to make a GPS program that will.
1. Import a KML or GPX file.
2. Break a track with >500 trackpoints into multiple segments, each with 500 or fewer trackpoints.
3. Send it to the GPS
or...
Some smart GPS company is going to make a GPS that will import tracks of at least 100k trackpoints.
Good lord... I've had to download 3 programs to do the above and it's still a nightmare.
Sailing_Faith
02-18-2012, 14:04
I am not an expert on this, but there is an open source program that has been in development for some time... it has user configurable features that pretty much do what you want.
Take a look at this link, 'OpenCPN' (http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f134/).
Wise Old Owl
02-18-2012, 14:45
I feel you pain 10-k I tried that two years ago.... very frustrating...
One other requirement - you should not need a Ph.D. to figure out how to use it....
I would like to see these 2 options exactly like this...
Option 1:
1. Open file
2. Report number of trackpoints in said file.
3. Ask how many tracktpoints to reduce said file to.
4. Click "Reduce"
5. Send to GPS
This would allow 1 track with more than 500 trackpoints to be reduced to 1 track with 500 or fewer trackpoints. Good for shorter tracks with less than 1000 or so trackpoints.
Option 2:
1. Open file
2. Report number of trackpoints in said file.
3. Ask how many tracks with how many trackpoints to reduce said file to
4. Click "Reduce"
5. Send to GPS
This would allow large tracks (for example, the Benton McKaye trail, with >10,000 trackpoints) to be chopped up into multiple tracks with 500 or fewer trackpoints.
I *think* I've found a few programs that *might* do the above but the interface looks like the programmers stood about 5' away from their compiler and just threw every control and option in the kitchen sink at it. With help files written by someone who thinks everyone is as familiar with the programmer as they are.
I cannot believe that there is a 500 trackpoint limit in 2012. That's like the old 640k memory limit.....
More accurately, it's like having blank DVD media that will only hold 10 minutes of video.
Sounds like a great social media "GPS Revolt" idea to me.
Heck, if Twitter can topple Middle East governments you'd figure it could get us a workable GPS program in 2012....
BTW, how did the Art Loeb data work out?
O-H-10 Lil Ohio
02-18-2012, 16:05
Bless you for trying, I gave up!!
Sounds like a great social media "GPS Revolt" idea to me.
Heck, if Twitter can topple Middle East governments you'd figure it could get us a workable GPS program in 2012....
BTW, how did the Art Loeb data work out?
Art Loeb data blew chunks because 2 of the tracks were >500 trackpoints. I figured out how to address that today after a few hours of googling and downloading a bunch of useless junk.
Very fortunately for me, the ALT in the Shining Rock Wilderness was on the "My Trails" and where it was missing from "My Trails" the trail was blazed.
I could have figured it out with just a map but with the GPS I zipped through all the trail intersections in the wilderness area without breaking stride.
I cannot believe that there is a 500 trackpoint limit in 2012. That's like the old 640k memory limit.....
More accurately, it's like having blank DVD media that will only hold 10 minutes of video.
Isn't it 500 waypoints per track, with most GPS holding 20 tracks and 10,000 waypoints?
And can't EasyGPS do what you're asking?
No, it's not waypoints - it's trackpoints that have a limit. 20 tracks with max of 10,000 trackpoints. Haven't checked out EasyGPS yet....
Art Loeb data blew chunks because 2 of the tracks were >500 trackpoints. I figured out how to address that today after a few hours of googling and downloading a bunch of useless junk.
We have to get together and compare notes. I'll PM you next week if you have time.
Cheers!
Art Loeb data blew chunks because 2 of the tracks were >500 trackpoints. I figured out how to address that today after a few hours of googling and downloading a bunch of useless junk.
I guess I'm track point illiterate. The Art Loeb Trail is only 30 miles long, with 500 reference points that's something like one every 100 yards. That's not enough?
It's too many if you ask me. The track I found had more than 1500!