New to OSMAND, trying to import gpx

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Out Door

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May 29, 2024, 10:34:18 AMMay 29
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So i'm new to this app and trying to figure it out.  I've tried importing a gpx.  The ottawa ride for dad route.

It appears the waypoints or poker stops are not in file and the route does not follow exactly the roads intended.

Not sure what i'm doing wrong.  Do i have to add the waypoints/poker stops as intermediate and if so, how.  How do i make sure the route is exactly as intended?  Do i attach roads?  If so at 5m (the smallest).  Not exactly sure what this does.
Start_to_Alley.gpx

Wolfgang Studer

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Jul 4, 2024, 1:45:49 AM (13 days ago) Jul 4
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Most probably the reason why you got no answer is that you want to use a route, not tracks.

While using tracks in GPX files in OSMAND is easy and straight forward and well supported, using routes is, how to say, a kind of unloved child in OSMAND. It works but!
Note: To determinate if you have route or tracks, have a look into your GPX file. You will find a <rte> segment, which indicates a route.
Also note: The advantage of a route is that it works on various navigation devices/apps with different map versions. The disadvantage is that the route is calculated based on the device/app settings and maps, which may result into different ways to be driven.

So how to use routes in OSMAND?
1) Go to "Map markers", there to "Groups"
2) In case there is any group, disable the group by slide the right sided switch to the left. On the next OSMAND start, these disabled groups will be deleted.
3) Now go to "list" and make sure, there is no remaining item. In case there are any, go to "More" and select "Move all to history".
4) Finally go to "History" and use the "clear" link on the top right corner till all is gone and your history is empty.
5) Leave "Map markers"
6) Go to "My Places"
7) In case there is any entry except "Personal" or "Favorites", click on the 3 dots on each and click on "Delete".
8) Leave "My Places"
==> You have now a clean environment to start on. Sometimes it is also good to restart OSMAND at this point ...

9) Go to "My Places", click on the + sign and import your GPX file with the route
10) You may see now a new entry, e.g. named "user".
11) click on the 3 dots and choose "Add to map markers".
12) "My Places" are closed and you are back on the map.
13) Go to "Map markers", there to "More" and choose "Plan a route".
14) In the appearing popup, click to "Options", then "Select All".
15) make sure that your waypoints are in correct order.
==> Note: so called shaping points you have in your route, which does not exist as a waypoint are not loaded by OSMAND!
16) Click to "Options" again, then "Navigation".

Voila, your done. You have your route inside OSMAND which each individual waypoint in proper sequence.

After your route is completely driven, just follow step 1-8 as described above to make sure, you can start fresh on your next route.

Also a note in case of multi day routes: Do not export them all in one GPX. OSMAND makes a big mess when importing them and does not distinguish between the individual routes but just import the waypoints ....
A better choice is to export each day as an individual file and import the next only after you completed the previous (and clean up after prev route is completed).


SonWon

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Jul 4, 2024, 2:18:04 AM (13 days ago) Jul 4
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Thank you very much for posting this. I have been struggling with importing GPX files to create a navigation route. I will test this out, if it works for me it will be helpful!

Also, it appears the Attached to Road feature is now usable (it is no longer painfully slow on certain GPX track files). I had it work twice for me with positive results. I do need to test the feature out more thoroughly so...

I also have an open issue in github with the OsmAnd developers requesting a feature that allows the importing of waypoints from a GPX file into the Navigation List.


At any moment, you have a choice, that leads you closer to God or further from God.



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Wolfgang Studer

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Jul 4, 2024, 2:25:43 AM (13 days ago) Jul 4
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You're welcome.

Normally I plan my routes on my Mac with BaseCamp.
The issue there is (I do not know how it works with other apps), that all routes are imported into OSMAND group "User", due to this value in a tag in all waypoints.
Also as written above, shaping points (defined points in the route not declared as waypoints) are not imported into OSMAND.

Due to I'm currently writing a python app which solves me these two issues, plus a few goodies, by modifying  GPX route file (a step between export from BaseCamp and import into OSMAND).
SO far 90% works well but it's not available as an executable, just as source.
Let's see when I get time to complete it.

SonWon

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Jul 4, 2024, 3:15:37 AM (13 days ago) Jul 4
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I was using BaseCamp when I was using Garmin for a Navi. I find BaseCamp in serious need of an update. :) Anyway I wanted a web based solution since I prefer to use Linux. I suppose I could use BaseCamp in a virtual machine. I wonder how much trouble BaseCamp would be in a VM? And my Android tablet would have no access. I discovered Furkot however I am not completely pleased with Furkot and support is sometimes non existent. 

After importing from Furkot into OsmAnd I discovered there is not an actual GPX file format standard that everyone follows which is a headache. My last trip was a navigation nightmare when I discovered this. So I may replace Furkot although the only other routing service I found that has most of the features I want is Kurviger. I am hopeful that in the soon future importing waypoints into the OsmAnd Navigation List will work. That feature may even be in the OsmAnd beta 4.8 as I write this. I was looking for another Navi app however OsmAnd has most all of the bells and whistles I want so here I am.

I was just thinking a universal GPX file translator between all of the GPX file formats (KML too?) would be a good idea that people may even pay money for. I suppose the files usually work unless you want routing? Routing appears to be the weak spot. I wish you all of the best in your BaseCamp to OsmAnd translator!

Thank you again!


At any moment, you have a choice, that leads you closer to God or further from God.


Wolfgang Studer

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Jul 4, 2024, 7:59:48 AM (13 days ago) Jul 4
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Well, GPX is a standard.

My script also is no translator, it just fixes some strange behaviors in OSMAND when loading GPX Routes in order to make my life easier.

SonWon

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Jul 4, 2024, 2:46:44 PM (13 days ago) Jul 4
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Test import worked flawlessly! I will test ride this when the weather clears. If they implement my idea then this will no longer be necessary. However for now it looks like a great workaround. I wish I had known about this two months ago. Do I have your permission to share this at github? I will of course give you credit!


At any moment, you have a choice, that leads you closer to God or further from God.


On Thu, Jul 4, 2024 at 7:45 AM Wolfgang Studer <in...@wolfgangstuder.ch> wrote:
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Wolfgang Studer

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Jul 5, 2024, 6:35:33 AM (12 days ago) Jul 5
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Hi
Sure you can share this info.
There is no secret about that.
Note, there might be - especially in the clean up part - some shortcuts.
But doing it as described is the safe path ;-)

Would be nice if you post the link to GitHub here.

SonWon

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Jul 5, 2024, 8:57:01 AM (12 days ago) Jul 5
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I sent an email directly to you.


At any moment, you have a choice, that leads you closer to God or further from God.


Wolfgang Studer

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Jul 5, 2024, 9:49:51 AM (12 days ago) Jul 5
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Can you provide the title of your thread ?

SonWon

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Jul 5, 2024, 10:14:54 AM (12 days ago) Jul 5
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At any moment, you have a choice, that leads you closer to God or further from God.


Akkana Peck

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Jul 5, 2024, 8:32:48 PM (12 days ago) Jul 5
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SonWon writes:
> I was just thinking a universal GPX file translator between all of the GPX
> file formats (KML too?) would be a good idea that people may even pay money
> for. I suppose the files usually work unless you want routing? Routing
> appears to be the weak spot. I wish you all of the best in your BaseCamp to
> OsmAnd translator!

SonWon, you might want to look into gpsbabel and ogr2ogr (which is part of the larger GDAL mapping package). They're both command-line utilities and they're very good at at translating between many different GIS formats, though I haven't tried making routing GPX files.

...Akkana

SonWon

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Jul 6, 2024, 11:52:06 AM (11 days ago) Jul 6
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Thank you, these look interesting.

At any moment, you have a choice, that leads you closer to God or further from God.


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