How to combine data card track logs?
    14 years
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I plan to use my shiny new Etrek Vista HCx on a Cape cruise in a month. With the option to store track logs on the micro-SD data card, I'll easily have enough track log capacity for the whole trip. But I don't yet see a good way to combine the daily log files.
If I upload the individual daily .gpx files to the PC using a card reader, then Mapsource will open each one, but unlike uploading track directly from a GPS, it will not ADD the information to an existing file.
So the "ungood" way I think I see to get a combined file is to upload all the daily .gpx files first, then erase the "regular" track log on the Vista, then _download_ the second day .gpx file tracks to the Vista's non-card track log, then re-open the first day .gpx file and upload the Vista contents. Continuing on in this sequence could combine many day's logs, I think, but seems tedious, and may lose something.
Is there a better ways? I tried to search for discussion on this topic here, and failed to find it. A link to the right topic would be as welcome as a direct answer.
Joining Track Logs
You can use MapSource TOOLS to join and edit Track Logs.
You may have to load each one separately into separate MapSource instances then Copy and Paste it to the MapSource where you want to join then all.
You can have multiple MapSources open at once which makes it easy to combine a lot of different track logs into one MapSource. Once they are all loaded into one MapSource you can click on tools and use the track log tools to edit them.
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600
in your debt
Copy and paste from multiple open Mapsource windows would not have occurred to me. Thanks. I'll be back from a short trip within the week and report on how this worked for me.
Thanks
personal GPS user since 1992
S&T 2010 will combine GPX tracks
You could also use Streets & Trips 2010(free 60 day trial available) and import all your GPX files. Then export them all into 1 GPX file.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Joining track logs
I use Mapsource, as HHannah recommened, to edit track logs from all the hikes I record. I like to save the "raw" Active Log files from the gps as originally named by my GPSMap 60CSx in separate, dated files every few days or so. Then I have a "Tracks 2009" (2008, etc.) file that I copy them to and then edit the names to something meaningful regarding the location/area I hiked that day.
That way I have the original, unedited track logs saved and one big, go-to file to view all the tracks with easy-to-read names and edited waypoints, too!
Winston Churchill said, “Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing, after exhausting all other possibilities.”
Multiple instances of MapSource works
You can use MapSource TOOLS to join and edit Track Logs.
You may have to load each one separately into separate MapSource instances then Copy and Paste it to the MapSource where you want to join then all.
You can have multiple MapSources open at once which makes it easy to combine a lot of different track logs into one MapSource.
This works a treat, as the folks from the UK say.
Not remembering your exact words, I first tried drag and drop, which did not work for me. But I next tried copy and paste, which was fine. Unlike my old GPS V, the Etrex Vista HCx does not reproduce the same track log names on subsequent days--thus requiring you to hand edit those names before copying in new data to avoid overwrite. on the Vista HCx there are many extra characters--possibly derived from the date and time (?), in any case, I just copied.
I found the track joining tool clumsy and tedious, so I mostly skipped it. Instead I just deleted a few track logs with a negligible number of redundant points, or with obvious error (only one of those--don't know if it was multipath or something else).
personal GPS user since 1992
combining track logs with g7towin
I've found a free program called g7towin much easier to use than mapsource. I've combined more than 300 track files into 3 files with it. With g7towin, when you open a file, the tracks are added to what you've already loaded. An even faster way is to use the file open command and when asked for a file name, use the standard windows commands to mark multiple files. That is, select the first file to load then select the last file to load while holding down the shift key. Once selected, click open and you've loaded all the files at once. You can then make any changes desired and either save as a gpx file or click on the send tracks to mapsource function. I save the file then open it in Google Earth to see a satellite view of the tracks. Since it's a gpx file, I can open it in mapsource as well.