ManInBlue

Hello - newbie -so please forgive me if this is redundant information. I've searched the site and haven't seen it (exactly), so...

I have a Legend HCx. I bought a blank MicroSD card to download a topo map. With the unit plugged in, I get an error that the unit is not meant to transfer data (OK, my mistake, change the interface mode on the unit). Now...transfer the map, right? No. The PC has recognized a new drive (the SD card). Mapsource picks up "drive F" to communicate with. Hit the transfer button and there's an error reading the disk, insert disk and try again, make sure teh connection is good etc.

The PC simply won't ID the card as a valid storage. What's up? Am I doing something wrong on the unit? Do I need something else (software etc) to download to the unit? From what I see, I think it would transfer IF the card were recognized by the PC.

I've downloaded the drivers, downloaded them again from Garmin to make sure.

earlthepearl

Hmmmm. More info needed.....
What are you using for a program to transfer the topo map?
Mapsource is what I use.
You can format the MicroSD card threw the legend HCx.....
"recognized a new drive (the SD card)"...
Format Micro SD card to FAT32.

ManInBlue

When I try to format the card I get the message "insert disk and retry"

ManInBlue

More info - looking at properties, device manager, etc the PC shows a drive that it has named "Garmin eTrex Legend HCx MicroSD USB device." I think it knows what's hooked up!? But it still thinks "there is no disk in the drive."

earlthepearl

I am starting up the PC, and connecting my Legend HCx right now to check into it.

Ok to format that disk in the legend.....
Connect the GPS Then... Main Menu... Setup...Interface...
When your at the Interface setup, and the USB Mass storage at bottom is Yellowed clik down on the scrolling button on the from of the gps.
It will then show a gps connected to computer on the gps screen.
The in computer you clik...
My computer, and see that card. Mine is Untitled someshit.
Right clik it, and you see format

earlthepearl

Hope you got it working??

ManInBlue

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt to prove it. That's what I've been trying to do. It tells me to insert a disk.

I think I have a bad disk. A new one is on the way.

earlthepearl

Did you try the format it?
One of the micro sd disk i bought wouldn't work till i did that to it.
Worked fine after.
Sometimes you do get a bad thing at times.
I had to return my first legend HCx to garmin.
It hiccuped, and that was it.
New one worked fine.
I am now installing the Maine topo map from GPSFile Depot.
It looks like a better detail map for topo.
I need a few more chips...
Hahahahahahaha....

ManInBlue

Yep tried to format it. Told me to insert a disk.

earlthepearl

That sucks......
hope a new one works better

ManInBlue

Say, earl, while I've got your attention...what's the difference in a gdp and a gpx file? Which one is the gps reading?

earlthepearl

.gdb

HumVee

ManInBlue, your Garmin GPS unit should be capable of reading either GDB or GPX format files. GDB is Garmin's proprietary file format (Garmin DataBase), and can store a lot more kinds of data (I think). GPX (GPS eXchange Format) is an open format (useable without having to pay license fees) and is utilized by many different brands of GPS devices and software applications. GPX files can contain Route, Waypoint and Track data (as can GDB) as well as other data. I think you'd find the Wikipedia article informative, if you're more curious about it. The advantage of GPX is that you should be able to share such files with friends - even if they don't have a Garmin GPS unit. I've heard that GDB has a much smaller file size for the same data set, and therefore takes up less room in your GPS storage and is faster to load. I'm not certain of its other advantages. I'm also not certain that all GPX files are readable by all devices...I tried to create a GPX file from MapQuest a while back, it and it wasn't readable by my Garmin GPS units....

earlthepearl

My GPS's wasn't able to read that format (.gpx) either.......

HumVee

Okay! So maybe MapQuest needs to look at their method they're using to generate the GPX file...I'll look into opening a trouble ticket with them.... Of course, it could be a Garmin problem, if the Garmin devices are expecting formating that doesn't actually meet the GPX standards.

ManInBlue

My files (both of them) are gdp so that shouldn't be a problem. Well, not after I get it to read the card anyway...

ManInBlue

Hey, if you have a good card things work!!! I have transfered a map to the GPS!! With the card in, I changed the interface and transfered the map, waypoints etc. Only the map transfered. I hooked it back up, and just transfered the waypoints to the unit (didn't change the interface) and BAM there they are. I don't know why it worked the second time, but hey, I've got a map and waypoints on my GPS. Now to see if I can find them...It gives me a straight shot when I go to "find" - it doesn't follow the roads (probably not supposed to).

Max

Sounds like you have "lock to roads" off in the navigation settings

Glad to hear it's working better/well though

__________________
Nothing free is good, nothing good is free.

ManInBlue

Nope - I checked. Lock to roads is on.

HumVee

Way back at the beginning of this post, ManInBlue, you mention that you're trying to save a topographical map to the flash memory card? Or maybe it's just that you have the Americas Recreational basemap on your Garmin eTrex Legend HCx. In any case, I believe that turn by turn directions are a function of the City Navigator street maps, not the topographical maps...can anyone confirm or correct me?

ManInBlue

HumVee, I kinda assumed that was the case. I figured "lock on roads" would at least tell me to use a road to get where I'm going. Next question...w/o City Navigator, what's the difference in "lock on roads" and having that option turned off?

HumVee

ManInBlue, the way I understand it, topo maps only have the data for drawing the vectors for the various map details, and maybe some points of interest data. They don't have the database information that a road map would rely on to actually plot a path on a road. Again, I may be wrong on that, and will try to play with my 76CSx when I get home to see if I can verify. I'll turn off my City Nav road map and see what happens with my routes. It's my belief that the "lock on roads" setting will simply be ignored, and your routes will be directly point to point. So you could use MapSource (or MapQuest) to create a route that has a waypoint at every intersection and curve (if you were patient), but that would be the only way to make the GPS in topo mode follow a road. I'll try it out and let you know what I find.