Tracks on Colorado 300

Sjlw · 01-26-2010, 9:34 AM

I am still having problems with my Colorado 300; I've had it 6 months and do not want to put people off it as it's a great unit, but there are one or two things I still don't seem to have got to grips with, can anybody help?

1. When I record a track on the unit, and then archive it I usually allow the default date/track no/time be the name for saving it, this being quickest in the field. However, I seem unable to edit the names later to make the tracks more identifiable. Moreover, I have some on the unit, with date names, which do not appear when I connect it to the computer and go into 'My Computer' to edit/delete them. So I am unable to edit them, or delete them.

2. I also have an SD card fitted in the unit, which so far I do not seem to have been able to use. When I plug the unit into the computer it appears, as a separate item from the Garmin Colorado, and I have been able to store some tracks on it. However, when I go into the Garmin in the field, I cannot find these tracks in order to use them! What could I be doing wrong?

I'm sure there must be very simple remedies to these problems - if only I knew them!
sjlw

HumVee · 01-26-2010, 12:13 PM

Sjlw, I do not own a Garmin Colorado 300. However, it's my understanding that while an essentially unlimited (subject to the size of your memory card) amount of track data can be saved by your Colorodo to the microSD card, it can't be accessed by the unit in the field. You must pull the data off the card - either by attaching your GPS unit to your computer and copying or moving the files off, or using MapSource or BaseCamp to edit, rename & manage the track files. Those programs should also be able to help you do the same thing with the tracks stored in your Colorado's internal memory.

The storage capacity (384 MB) of your Colorado is HUGE compared to prior generations of Garmin handhelds. If you need to be able to access all of your track data while out in the field, I recommend that you set your device to store the track data only to your internal memory. Load additional maps and media content onto the external memory. As to finding the files, since it sounds like you're saving your track data to both internal and external memory, you would have to look in both locations in "My Computer" to find them - they show up as two separate drive sources. Be very cautious when deleting files and folders from your internal memory, so you don't end up bricking your device!

01-26-2010, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HumVee

Be very cautious when deleting files and folders from your internal memory, so you don't end up bricking your device!

Does the internal memory/file structure on the Colorado show up in "My Computer?" like it does on a Nuvi? I'm interest to know. Only the SD card shows up when I put my 60CSx into USB mode.

Sjlw · 01-26-2010, 12:36 PM

Yes you get a file structure and I go to 'Garmin' and 'GPX' , and in there there is 'Archive', 'Temp' and 'Current' and I have had tracks just in the 'GPX' folder. At present I have deleted all tracks except the 'current' in the unit according to how it shows up in 'My Computer', but when I go to 'Where to-tracks' on the unit I still have about ten dated tracks showing.

In the SD drive the only tracks I have showing are some I put onto it from the computer, but which I cannot see, or apparently use, on the unit.

I do have a map on the unit, but am not sure where I have stored it, on the internal memory or the SD card. How do I find out? It does not show where I have been looking.

g.o.cashers · 01-26-2010, 2:29 PM

Which version of software are you using? Version 3.2 is current.

If you are using a Mac to delete tracks (or you have deleted files using a Mac) you need to empty your trash. The GPX files get put in .Trashes and are sometimes still visible to the unit.

Files used by the Colorado are in X:/Garmin/GPX in internal memory and SD card. Saved tracks are always saved to internal memory. Tracks can be imported from either internal memory or the SD card, but they must be in the /Garmin/GPX directory.

If you have a new SD card you'll need to manually add the /Garmin/GPX directory and place your tracks there.

Sjlw · 01-26-2010, 3:14 PM

Thanks for that tip. I set up the Garmin/GPX directory on the SD card, and another folder within it. I can now see some of the tracks that were there, but not all. I have checked whether it was just the GPX files, or the .gdb files, but there seemed little rhyme or reason about it.
I put the folder within the GPX file, hoping to be able to display only the tracks of the area I wanted to look at, but it shows them all, unsorted, so you have to scroll through them. I had hoped to limit this.

Sjlw · 01-26-2010, 3:43 PM

I have now eliminated the GPS (.GDB) files and find that it is the GPX files I can see on the unit. However, whereas when I look at the SD card via USB on the computer, there are 12 files, when I look in the unit, I can only see 11 of them. Can't understand it.

Do you know which folder, and what format, the maps are stored in. I have a map of Spain and the islands and only imported some of it. I now want to import more, and cannot remember how to do it. Also wondered whether I could put on the SD card and if so what folder I need to set up to do so.

g.o.cashers · 01-26-2010, 4:17 PM

Only .gpx files are displayed on the unit.

.img (map) files need to be in Garmin -- either internal memory or SD card.

HumVee · 01-26-2010, 4:56 PM

Sjlw, do you actually see 12 GPX files in Windows? Or are you looking at folder or file properties and seeing 12 files listed? Windows has a 'thumbs.db' file that is typically hidden, but is counted when looking at properties (like when doing file transfers). It just stores the thumbnail pictures for the icons within that folder & is nothing important.

I think maps need to be in the Garmin folder on the external storage card, just like it needs to be there in the internal file structure. If you have a Spain map you've purchased, you should be able to use MapSource or MapInstall to compile a mapset and load it to your Garmin GPS.

Sjlw · 01-27-2010, 4:00 PM

I am seeing 12 actual GPX files in Windows 'My Computer', but only 11 are showing on the unit.

HumVee · 01-27-2010, 4:27 PM

Wow! That doesn't make any sense at all! Can you identify the one that doesn't show up? Maybe upload it here so we can take a look at it?

Sjlw · 01-27-2010, 4:55 PM

Problem solved! When I looked again, 1 file was a waypoint file, not GPX. So that aspect seems to be working now. Thanks for your help.

HumVee · 01-27-2010, 6:15 PM

Whew! Glad that little mystery was cleared up!

01-26-2010, 9:34 AM	#1
Sjlw Join Date: Jul 11 2009 Location: Tenerife Posts: 18	Tracks on Colorado 300 I am still having problems with my Colorado 300; I've had it 6 months and do not want to put people off it as it's a great unit, but there are one or two things I still don't seem to have got to grips with, can anybody help? 1. When I record a track on the unit, and then archive it I usually allow the default date/track no/time be the name for saving it, this being quickest in the field. However, I seem unable to edit the names later to make the tracks more identifiable. Moreover, I have some on the unit, with date names, which do not appear when I connect it to the computer and go into 'My Computer' to edit/delete them. So I am unable to edit them, or delete them. 2. I also have an SD card fitted in the unit, which so far I do not seem to have been able to use. When I plug the unit into the computer it appears, as a separate item from the Garmin Colorado, and I have been able to store some tracks on it. However, when I go into the Garmin in the field, I cannot find these tracks in order to use them! What could I be doing wrong? I'm sure there must be very simple remedies to these problems - if only I knew them! sjlw

01-26-2010, 12:13 PM	#2
HumVee Join Date: May 11 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1,254	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Sjlw, I do not own a Garmin Colorado 300. However, it's my understanding that while an essentially unlimited (subject to the size of your memory card) amount of track data can be saved by your Colorodo to the microSD card, it can't be accessed by the unit in the field. You must pull the data off the card - either by attaching your GPS unit to your computer and copying or moving the files off, or using MapSource or BaseCamp to edit, rename & manage the track files. Those programs should also be able to help you do the same thing with the tracks stored in your Colorado's internal memory. The storage capacity (384 MB) of your Colorado is HUGE compared to prior generations of Garmin handhelds. If you need to be able to access all of your track data while out in the field, I recommend that you set your device to store the track data only to your internal memory. Load additional maps and media content onto the external memory. As to finding the files, since it sounds like you're saving your track data to both internal and external memory, you would have to look in both locations in "My Computer" to find them - they show up as two separate drive sources. Be very cautious when deleting files and folders from your internal memory, so you don't end up bricking your device!

01-26-2010, 12:36 PM	#4
Sjlw Join Date: Jul 11 2009 Location: Tenerife Posts: 18	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Yes you get a file structure and I go to 'Garmin' and 'GPX' , and in there there is 'Archive', 'Temp' and 'Current' and I have had tracks just in the 'GPX' folder. At present I have deleted all tracks except the 'current' in the unit according to how it shows up in 'My Computer', but when I go to 'Where to-tracks' on the unit I still have about ten dated tracks showing. In the SD drive the only tracks I have showing are some I put onto it from the computer, but which I cannot see, or apparently use, on the unit. I do have a map on the unit, but am not sure where I have stored it, on the internal memory or the SD card. How do I find out? It does not show where I have been looking.

01-26-2010, 2:29 PM	#5
g.o.cashers http://www.gpsfix.com Join Date: Apr 22 2008 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 22	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Which version of software are you using? Version 3.2 is current. If you are using a Mac to delete tracks (or you have deleted files using a Mac) you need to empty your trash. The GPX files get put in .Trashes and are sometimes still visible to the unit. Files used by the Colorado are in X:/Garmin/GPX in internal memory and SD card. Saved tracks are always saved to internal memory. Tracks can be imported from either internal memory or the SD card, but they must be in the /Garmin/GPX directory. If you have a new SD card you'll need to manually add the /Garmin/GPX directory and place your tracks there.

01-26-2010, 3:14 PM	#6
Sjlw Join Date: Jul 11 2009 Location: Tenerife Posts: 18	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Thanks for that tip. I set up the Garmin/GPX directory on the SD card, and another folder within it. I can now see some of the tracks that were there, but not all. I have checked whether it was just the GPX files, or the .gdb files, but there seemed little rhyme or reason about it. I put the folder within the GPX file, hoping to be able to display only the tracks of the area I wanted to look at, but it shows them all, unsorted, so you have to scroll through them. I had hoped to limit this.

01-26-2010, 3:43 PM	#7
Sjlw Join Date: Jul 11 2009 Location: Tenerife Posts: 18	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 I have now eliminated the GPS (.GDB) files and find that it is the GPX files I can see on the unit. However, whereas when I look at the SD card via USB on the computer, there are 12 files, when I look in the unit, I can only see 11 of them. Can't understand it. Do you know which folder, and what format, the maps are stored in. I have a map of Spain and the islands and only imported some of it. I now want to import more, and cannot remember how to do it. Also wondered whether I could put on the SD card and if so what folder I need to set up to do so.

01-26-2010, 4:17 PM	#8
g.o.cashers http://www.gpsfix.com Join Date: Apr 22 2008 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 22	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Only .gpx files are displayed on the unit. .img (map) files need to be in Garmin -- either internal memory or SD card.

01-26-2010, 4:56 PM	#9
HumVee Join Date: May 11 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1,254	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Sjlw, do you actually see 12 GPX files in Windows? Or are you looking at folder or file properties and seeing 12 files listed? Windows has a 'thumbs.db' file that is typically hidden, but is counted when looking at properties (like when doing file transfers). It just stores the thumbnail pictures for the icons within that folder & is nothing important. I think maps need to be in the Garmin folder on the external storage card, just like it needs to be there in the internal file structure. If you have a Spain map you've purchased, you should be able to use MapSource or MapInstall to compile a mapset and load it to your Garmin GPS.

01-27-2010, 4:00 PM	#10
Sjlw Join Date: Jul 11 2009 Location: Tenerife Posts: 18	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 I am seeing 12 actual GPX files in Windows 'My Computer', but only 11 are showing on the unit.

01-27-2010, 4:27 PM	#11
HumVee Join Date: May 11 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1,254	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Wow! That doesn't make any sense at all! Can you identify the one that doesn't show up? Maybe upload it here so we can take a look at it?

01-27-2010, 4:55 PM	#12
Sjlw Join Date: Jul 11 2009 Location: Tenerife Posts: 18	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Problem solved! When I looked again, 1 file was a waypoint file, not GPX. So that aspect seems to be working now. Thanks for your help.

01-27-2010, 6:15 PM	#13
HumVee Join Date: May 11 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1,254	Re: Tracks on Colorado 300 Whew! Glad that little mystery was cleared up!

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