GPS Device Offline Synchronization

Overview

This guide explains how to exchange data between a GPS device and FancyRoute without having Internet connectivity.

The chapters below describe several methods and give some examples of devices supporting the particular method. A selection of devices and their access methods can be found in chapter Device Table. In case of doubt the device manual should state the right access method.

Most ways suggested here require a cable connection. The particular cable type depends on the device type. In some cases the cable is part of the shipping package in others it must be purchased from the supplier or as 3rd party component.

Device Table

The table below shows what method is suitable for what device.

Model MSM MTP ANT USB COM
Garmin Edge 830 ■
Garmin eTrex 10 ■
Garmin eTrex 20 ■
Garmin eTrex 30 ■
Garmin eTrex 32x ■
Garmin eTrex Legend HCx ■
Garmin eTrex Summit ■
Garmin eTrex Summit HC ■
Garmin eTrex Venture HC ■
Garmin eTrex Vista HCx ■
Garmin Forerunner 310XT ■
Garmin Forerunner 910XT ■
Garmin Forerunner 920XT ■
Garmin Forerunner 935 ■
Garmin Forerunner 945 ■
Garmin Geko 201 ■
Garmin Geko 301 ■
Garmin GPSIIIplus ■

Mass Storage Mode

In mass storage mode the device is connected to a computer by a USB cable. On the computer the device appears as logical drive, e.g. F:. The device content is organized in files and folders. Waypoints/routes/tracks can be exchanged using a GPX-file or FIT-file. If both, GPX and FIT is supported depends on the actual device. Even not all Garmin devices support FIT-files.

Tested devices

  • Garmin Forerunner 920XT (GPX/FIT)
  • Garmin eTrex 32x (GPX only)
  • Garmin Edge 830 (GPX/FIT)

Preconditions

  • Enable USB mass storage mode in the device settings

Get data from device

  • Connect the device, wait until the device appears in Windows Explorer
  • Open FancyRoute
  • Select ‘Menu-File-Open…’, navigate to your device, e.g. F:\Garmin\GPX or F:\Garmin\Activities
  • Select the GPX-file or FIT-file and open it
  • Alternative: Drag and drop the GPX/FIT-file from Windows Explorer into FancyRoute

Put data on device

  • Connect the device, wait until the device appears in Windows Explorer
  • Open FancyRoute
  • Design your waypoints/tracks/routes
  • Use Course Wizard to export a track as FIT or GPX to F:\Garmin\NewFiles
  • Disconnect the device

Have a look at Course Wizard in order to learn how to deal with the idiosyncrasies of sports watches.

Media Transfer Protocol

Garmin recently migrated from USB mass storage mode described above to a new technology called Media Transfer Protocol (MTP). MTP is more modern and more fail safe but is less handy for the user.

Waypoints/routes/tracks can be exchanged using a GPX-file or FIT-file. Because FancyRoute cannot directly access the device’s memory the files have to be modified locally and then transferred to the device using Windows Explorer.

Tested devices

  • Garmin Forerunner 945

Preconditions

  • Enable USB mode in the device settings

Get data from device

  • Open Windows Explorer
  • Connect the device, wait until it appears under ‘Computer’
  • Navigate to the folder containing the recorded tracks or activities, on Garmin devices it can be found in Computer\Forerunner 945\Primary\GARMIN\Activity
  • Copy the wanted file (GPX or FIT or TCX) to a local folder.
  • In FancyRoute: Open the file just copied from the local path.

Put data on device

  • Connect the device, wait until the device appears in Windows Explorer
  • Open FancyRoute
  • Design your waypoints/tracks/routes
  • Save your changes as local GPX file
  • In Windows Explorer: Copy the local GPX-file just created to the device memory, on Garmin devices to Computer\Forerunner 945\Primary\GARMIN\NewFiles
  • Disconnect the device

Have a look at Course Wizard in order to learn how to deal with the idiosyncrasies of sports watches.

Garmin ANT agent

Early Garmin sports watches support a wireless transfer technology called Adaptive Network Topology (ANT). It allows to connect watches and sensors and is used here to wirelessly access track data. The user has to read/write the files from/to a certain local folder whereas a Garmin software module synchronizes this folder with the device in background.

Tested devices

  • Garmin Forerunner 910XT
  • Garmin Forerunner 310XT

Preconditions

  • ANT stick (shipped with watch)
  • Garmin ANT agent installed on the computer

Get data from device

  • Plug-in the ANT stick
  • Switch on the device
  • If installed properly the Garmin ANT agent software is supposed to synchronize all data with a local folder of your computer, e.g. c:\Users\<your account>\AppData\Roaming\Garmin\Devices\<your device ID>\Activities
  • In FancyRoute open the local folder and access the wanted file

Put data on device

  • In order to create courses accepted by the device you have to export data in FIT-file or TCX-file format.
  • Use the Course Wizard in order to convert routes/tracks.
  • Copy the resulting FIT/TCX to c:\Users\<your account>\AppData\Roaming\Garmin\Devices\<your device ID>\NewFiles
  • Plug-in the ANT stick
  • Switch on the device
  • Wait until the Garmin ANT agent has synchronized the file in background
  • Disconnect the ANT stick

Garmin USB Protocol

Some Garmin devices support a legacy protocol called Garmin Device Interface. The device is connected by USB but can only be accessed by a specific driver software. Nowadays this connection type is no longer supported even though this is the most comfortable way for the user to access the device data offline.

Tested devices

  • Garmin eTrex Venture HC
  • Garmin eTrex Summit HC
  • Garmin eTrex Legend HCx
  • Garmin eTrex Vista HCx

Preconditions

  • Garmin USB device driver installed (from Garmin web pages)

Get data from device

  • Connect the device using the USB cable and switch-on the device
  • Open FancyRoute
  • Tick ‘Menu-Device-USB’
  • Use one of the ‘Receive’ commands in ‘Menu-Device’ to transfer data from device

Put data on device

  • Connect the device using the USB cable and switch-on the device
  • Open FancyRoute and create waypoints/routes/tracks
  • Tick ‘Menu-Device-USB’
  • Use one of the ‘Send’ commands in ‘Menu-Device’ to transfer data to the device
  • WARNING: Older Garmin devices support only 500 or less trackpoints in a track. If necessary reduce the number of trackpoints using ‘Menu-Project-Simplify’.

Garmin Serial Protocol

Some Garmin devices support a legacy protocol called Garmin Device Interface. The device is connected by the serial COM interface but can only be accessed by a specific driver software. This connection type can be found on older devices.

Tested devices

  • Garmin Geko 201
  • Garmin Geko 301
  • Garmin eTrex Summit
  • Garmin GPSIIIplus

Preconditions

  • Computer must be equipped with a serial interface (RS232)
  • Serial Garmin cable available (not shipped with the device)

Get data from device

  • Connect the device using the serial cable and switch-on the device
  • Open FancyRoute
  • Tick ‘Menu-Device-COM’
  • Verify the device connection (only first time)
    • Go to ‘Menu-Option-Preferences-Data Transfer’
    • Press ‘Data Transfer - Search’.
  • Use one of the ‘Receive’ commands in ‘Menu-Device’ to transfer data from device

Put data on device

  • Connect the device using the USB cable and switch-on the device
  • Open FancyRoute and create waypoints/routes/tracks
  • Tick ‘Menu-Device-COM’
  • Verify the device connection (only first time)
    • Go to ‘Menu-Option-Preferences-Data Transfer’
    • Press ‘Data Transfer - Search’.
  • Use one of the ‘Send’ commands in ‘Menu-Device’ to transfer data to the device
  • WARNING: Older Garmin devices support only 500 or less trackpoints in a track. If necessary reduce the number of trackpoints using ‘Menu-Project-Simplify’.