Export of Gaia GPS created Route - GPX file not valid

[Mike R]

Has anyone experienced a problem with the GPX file created when a Gaia created route is exported? I am trying to open in Basecamp on a Mac and it says it isn't a valid GPX file.

[Mike R]

Forgot to mention that the GPX file opens perfectly on another iOS device running Gaia GPS.

[Morrie]

I haven't noticed the problem with Gaia, but I do know BaseCamp is kind of picky when it comes to reading GPX files.  I've had to go in with an editor and remove stuff from the files that BaseCamp didn't like (determined by trial and error).  One thing you can try to do is see if it opens in GPSBabel or Google Earth, which should tell you if the file is OK.

[Andrew Johnson]

Hmmm, the only difference I can think of is that routes always have waypoints, while tracks only sometimes do. Otherwise, they should be the same data.

Can you also add this bug as an "idea" on our uservoice page: http://gaiagps.uservoice.com/

I'd be curious to know if there are a lot of basecamp users out there.

Regards,

Andrew

Andrew Johnson

Co-founder

www.GaiaGPS.com

415 335 7447

On Tue, Oct 16, 2012 at 10:21 AM, Mike R <fmpla...@gmail.com> wrote:

I tried opening in Google Earth and it worked perfectly.  Tried Basecamp on another computer (but same version) and it gave same error.  Tracks from Gaia export good. It seems to be something specific to the Route.

[Mike R]

From Google Earth I saved as a kml file. Opening the new kml file in Basecampe worked! All the waypoints were present. It creates a track instead of the Route but that is no problem as track can easily be converted to route if needed. In my case I can just leave as a track. 

I then tried the kml file from Gaia. Basecamp let me select the file for import but it literally doesn't do anything. Nothing happens after you select the file.

Basecamp is a little buggy. Has always been. So it could be a Basecamp issue.  Its what Garmin gives you to work with though and there are a lot of excellent and free topo maps available for it. Great for planning and talks nice to their devices.  I'll pop on to the uservoice site and note my issue.

Thx
Mike

[Jesse Crocker]

Hi Mike,

You right, certain GPX files from GaiaGPS won't import into BaseCamp.  I've found the problem, and it will be fixed soon.  In the meantime if you have a file that you urgently need to import let me know, and I can send you instructions for modifying the file so that it will import.

-

Jesse Crocker

Je...@Gaiagps.com

[Morrie]

I would also like to know how to modify the file when this happens, as I also find the BaseCamp problem with GPX files created by other apps.  Perhaps it's the same bug in those cases.

[Jesse Crocker]

In the case of importing a route the problem is that there are not times for the points like there are with a track.

To modify the file so that it can be opened in BaseCamp open the GPX file in a text editor, Text Edit will work on a mac.  In the text editor you need to remove all instances of "<time>(null)</time>", if there are more than a few points in the route the easiest way to do that is to choose "Find and Replace" from the edit menu, enter <time>(null)</time> in the find field, leave the replace field blank, and click replace all.  Save the file, and then it should open in BaseCamp.

Be careful not to change anything else in the GPX file, BaseCamp is very sensitive to any formatting errors.

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Jesse Crocker

[Mike R]

Perfect. Good to know its an identified problem with several workarounds.  Thank you.