How to export GPX files to Zumo XT without recalculation
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These topics bashing the Garmin XT series devices will never stop. The units take some dedicated effort to understand, and frankly most riders don’t want to put in the effort. If it doesn’t work like Google right out of the box, there must be something wrong with it. In a world of simple phone app alternatives the motivation simply isn’t there to dig in. And that’s OK because phone apps are all that most riders need,
Regardless, MRA Routeplanner is the best available routing SW on the market. Garmin GPS devices have the most total core capabilities of any navigation options on the market. If you truly know how to use each, they 100% work well together. It’s not debatable.
I wish more who come on here would approach this from the standpoint of “what am I doing wrong?”. It would be a much more productive exchange.
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Even those of us who have used Garmin devices for years and understand the associated software (up to the Garmin XT1) Will bash Garmin for good reason.
Good
The Hardware.....robust water dust and heat proof. My Oldest Garmin device is 22 and still works.
The Desktop software Mapsource and later Basecamp are fine pieces of software and I still use Basecamp for handling tracks and POI's as this is an area in MRA that still needs work.Bad
The XT1 and I believe the 2 and 3 have a bug with "imported" routes which causes repeated U turns if a via point is missed (even if skipped). This can be mitigated by making all routes "Saved" but its something to be aware of.
Somewhere after the Zumo 390 and 590 GPS units Garmin changed the Routing algorithm of the devices so that with the devices set using the same parameters "Faster Time" no longer meant the fastest time between two way points irrespective of road type but meant "Faster Roads" creating additional complication when designing routes for a Garmin XT1 for example as Basecamp routes were not longer WYSIWYG with the GPS unit.
For the XT1 "explore" does not add value to the experience of using the unit if you connect it. Its a poor piece of software IMO. In many ways MRA is what explore should have been.
Garmin's recent software has in general been buggy. The otherwise excellent "Drive" app was broken for Android users recently when they added functionality unrelated to the Zumo XT
If you are using the unit outside its area for example using a Europe unit in the US or visa versa you can load Garmin's expensive "Here" maps or you have to Garminise Open Street Maps to get coverage.
I've moved to navigation using the MRA navigation app. Mainly because my Africa twin has built in AA/CP and I can manipulate the software using my bar buttons which is safer and more convenient than prodding the XT screen (I now I should stop!)
What I have found is that working this way via android auto is more flexible. I use My Route app navigation for routes. OSMand for tracks and Google maps for fast A-B navigation and using voice commands to find coffee and lunch stops. I still have my XT mounted as a backup with my routes and tracks "Saved" on it. I have the Track displayed on it and any Custom or proximity alerted POI's I might want to use loaded.
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@HABVEN-aka-MrMRA not 50 viapoints?
@Travellexxie 50 points is not applied to XT!
Garmin zūmo XT (Original) Limits
• Via Points Limit: 29 intermediate via points max (31 total via points including Start and End). Going over this forces an automatic route split.
• Shaping Points Limit: Up to 125 unannounced shaping points allowed between each via point.
• Total Combined Capacity: Because of the 125-shaping-point gap allowance between each of the 31 total via points, a single intact route file can mathematically hold up to ~3,750 points total, successfully ignoring the confusing "50-point cap" written in some of Garmin's general documentation.
BUT
DO NOT use a total if too many points in total as this slows down the XT‘s calculation.Garmin zūmo XT2 & XT3 Limits
The newer generations completely dropped the restriction of a "points between vias" architecture in favor of a massive flat pool:
• Via Points Limit: A flat maximum of 100 via points total per route.
• Shaping Points Limit: A flat maximum of 1,000 shaping points total per route.
• Total Combined Capacity: The routing engine allows up to 1,100 total combined routing points on a single calculated trip.Why did Garmin reduce the total capacity of points from XT to XT 2 and XT3?
While it looks like a downgrade on paper, Garmin changed this to fix a massive performance flaw.
On the original zūmo XT, if you actually tried to load a complex route containing thousands of points, the device's processor would choke. It would take several minutes to calculate, lag heavily when you went off-route, or completely crash mid-ride. The "125 points between vias" rule was a legacy structural setting in Garmin's code, but the hardware couldn't smoothly run a single route packed to that limit.
By switching the XT2 and XT3 to a strict 1,100 total point ceiling, Garmin ensured the routing engine always has enough computational headroom to calculate instantly, render complex maps smoothly, and recalculate on the fly without lagging. -
@Travellexxie 50 points is not applied to XT!
Garmin zūmo XT (Original) Limits
• Via Points Limit: 29 intermediate via points max (31 total via points including Start and End). Going over this forces an automatic route split.
• Shaping Points Limit: Up to 125 unannounced shaping points allowed between each via point.
• Total Combined Capacity: Because of the 125-shaping-point gap allowance between each of the 31 total via points, a single intact route file can mathematically hold up to ~3,750 points total, successfully ignoring the confusing "50-point cap" written in some of Garmin's general documentation.
BUT
DO NOT use a total if too many points in total as this slows down the XT‘s calculation.Garmin zūmo XT2 & XT3 Limits
The newer generations completely dropped the restriction of a "points between vias" architecture in favor of a massive flat pool:
• Via Points Limit: A flat maximum of 100 via points total per route.
• Shaping Points Limit: A flat maximum of 1,000 shaping points total per route.
• Total Combined Capacity: The routing engine allows up to 1,100 total combined routing points on a single calculated trip.Why did Garmin reduce the total capacity of points from XT to XT 2 and XT3?
While it looks like a downgrade on paper, Garmin changed this to fix a massive performance flaw.
On the original zūmo XT, if you actually tried to load a complex route containing thousands of points, the device's processor would choke. It would take several minutes to calculate, lag heavily when you went off-route, or completely crash mid-ride. The "125 points between vias" rule was a legacy structural setting in Garmin's code, but the hardware couldn't smoothly run a single route packed to that limit.
By switching the XT2 and XT3 to a strict 1,100 total point ceiling, Garmin ensured the routing engine always has enough computational headroom to calculate instantly, render complex maps smoothly, and recalculate on the fly without lagging.
@Olivier-Weinand you missed the smileys?! I know the features of the XT, it was a joke between @habven-aka-mrmra and me.
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I use the HERE map set with vehicle on car. All stops are waypoints. I optimize my routes using the toolkit switching from faster time to shorter distance and drag the route to either the reference route or the track. Once done, I export the route gpx 1.1 (route, track, poi) and either import it using the Drive app or put it directly in the gpx folder in the XT. Recalculation is always set on yes. The route will be for 99.9% correct. The track is always set to visible as reference.
SP2820, 550, 660, 590, XT, MRA Next. Mapsource, Tyre (met de nodige conversaties tot hierboven), Kurviger, Routeyou, MRA Gold sinds het begin, MRA Next app, App68studio,.. en BC natuurlijk
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I use the HERE map set with vehicle on car. All stops are waypoints. I optimize my routes using the toolkit switching from faster time to shorter distance and drag the route to either the reference route or the track. Once done, I export the route gpx 1.1 (route, track, poi) and either import it using the Drive app or put it directly in the gpx folder in the XT. Recalculation is always set on yes. The route will be for 99.9% correct. The track is always set to visible as reference.
@Guzt Are you still able to export using the Garmin Drive app? There are many reports that it is not working again after another update from Garmin.
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@nick-carthew I didn't update the Drive app. Still running v4.23.32 on my old SE10 iPhone
SP2820, 550, 660, 590, XT, MRA Next. Mapsource, Tyre (met de nodige conversaties tot hierboven), Kurviger, Routeyou, MRA Gold sinds het begin, MRA Next app, App68studio,.. en BC natuurlijk
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@nick-carthew I didn't update the Drive app. Still running v4.23.32 on my old SE10 iPhone
@Guzt I think that was a wise move. Thanks for your reply.
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@nick-carthew iOS of my old SE10 mini is 15.8.8. Drive app requires 16.5 or later. But one can still install it using an old version of iTunes where the apps tab is still available
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@Olivier-Weinand you missed the smileys?! I know the features of the XT, it was a joke between @habven-aka-mrmra and me.
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