Help please on making tracks and saving etc.

Should I uninstall and re install Base Camp? if I do will I lose all my tracks in the library? not sure what I am doing to be honest.
Thanks again.

Uninstalling and reinstalling BaseCamp should not cause you to loose you tracks but I don't think it will help your problem. Your track, waypoints, and routes are stored in your home directory/Library/Application Support/ in the BaseCamp folder. Just option drag the BaseCamp to a different location for a backup.

My best guess it restarting or resetting your Dakota 20 might fix the problem. Your manual describes several different levels of reseting. If all resets fail the last of which will erase the Dakota's data. I am pretty sure opening the Dakota on your mac and deleting the Track.gp file will fix the problem. You may want to delete the file before you do a complete reset depending on how much you have customized your Dakota

Hi Thanks Peasbolt
I did the factory reset but that's just basic I suppose to be honest I just wish I knew a tiny bit of what you guys know ~ the thing is I understand roughly what you are saying but not sure of where or how to do it. I have looked at the manual and can't see anything about resetting the gps. I don't know how this has happened as it was perfectly ok before.
I only bought it 15th December 2010 so it's quite new and I have only used it about half a dozen times. When something happens like this would I be able to change it do you think or am I being picky? I don't quite understand about making a back up even so all in all still a newbee in learning mode.
Thanks

I am just guessing but the problem could be the file Garmin/gpx/Track.gp is corrupted because the Dakota is telling you it can't read the file. If the file is corrupted, deleting file should fix the problem. If you plug your Dakota into your ma usb port, it should mount on the desktop. From the finder Double click the volume and you should see a Garmin folder. Inside the garmin folder you should see a gpx folder. In the folder should be the track.gp file. Just drag it to the trash and empty the trash.

Files get corrupted just like things happen. If the ups get unplugged when the computer it writing to the file is one way.

If you have the data in BaseCamp, you can Reset to factory defaults. I have included instructions below.

To clear your current track, Touch Setup > Reset > Clear Current Track > Yes.

To delete all waypoints, touch Setup > Reset > Delete All Waypoints > Yes.

To reset trip data, touch Setup > Reset > Reset Trip Data > Yes.

To restore factory settings, touch Setup > Reset > Restore Defaults to Factory Settings > Yes.

Thanks again for your advice and have found the GPX folder in the Garmin folder and have worked out how to do that and I thought I had worked out the problem but what seems to have been happening is that after creating a map which automatically goes straight into the Dakota it comes up on the Dakota light blue which is hard to see so on the Dakota I go to 'set color' and change it to eg. Red then when I connect again to Base Camp the track won't show as it says it 'cannot read the file etc ... so is that because I changed the color? I thought you could do that ~ but if I change the track color in properties in Base Camp when creating the track there is no problem and it shows up on the list but it stays light blue in the Dakota which means if I change it for an easier color to follow on route when I come back and connect to Basecamp again the original track I created is not there but only the track which I recorded and saved under a name is there ~ so confusing!!
Do you mind me picking your brains as I need a bit more help please:

Does the GPS have to be switched on or off when connecting to pc?

Do you have to ask pc to 'remove hardware' before pulling USB out of Pc?

When making other tracks I can still see all my other tracks on the map which I have drawn so what do you do?

Should I click on 'send to' My Collection and delete them from my Garmin or just put them in the Archive? and also when in Base Camp are you supposed to see any tracks you have Archived? will it tell you in Base Camp which ones are Archived? only I am afraid to rename any of them now incase it 'cannot read file'.

I am really for sorry for all these questions but it's great when people take the time to help and advise which is much appreciated.
Thanks again.

If you give Garmin support a call, I think they will get your issue solved. Garmin support can take control of your computer if you allow.

Does the GPS have to be switched on or off when connecting to pc?:
This being the garmin mac forum, I assume you have an intel mac. Your Dakota does not have to be on when you plug it into your computer. If it is on, it will change from user mode to computer mode. The Dakota will mount one or two volumes on the desktop, depending on weather or not you have added a sd card. The behavior of other garmin devices will be different in many cases.

Do you have to ask pc to 'remove hardware' before pulling USB out of Pc?:
Depending on how many volumes you have mounted, if you drag all volumes to the trash or right (control) click and eject all volumes or open a finder winder and hit the eject buttons under devices, your dakota will shut off. Ejecting all volumes is the only safe way to unplug your dakota. Because if your computer is writing information to your Dakota, and you unplug while writing, you will get corrupted files. Most of us have unplugged memory cards by mistake without problems but the mac with fuss at you every time you don't dismount a volume properly.

When making other tracks I can still see all my other tracks on the map which I have drawn so what do you do?:
In BaseCamp, under the FIle menu, select new list. The new list will appear under My Collection. Name the list something that makes sense to you and drag the tracks to the list you want to view. When you click the newly created list you will only see tracks you have moved to the list.

Should I click on 'send to' My Collection and delete them from my Garmin or just put them in the Archive? and also when in Base Camp are you supposed to see any tracks you have Archived? will it tell you in Base Camp which ones are Archived? only I am afraid to rename any of them now incase it 'cannot read file'.:

You have many options and it is really your call as to how you manage your GeoData. Here is what I do:

I have a nuvi for the car, my wife has an Oregon and I have a Dakota 20 for geocaching. I have a Forerunner I use mostly for geotagging photos. I only store maps, POIs and my next trip geodata on my garmins. I use the Dakota mainly for geocaching and occasionally recording a track. The Dakota is special in that it will allow you to totally manage your data from BaseCamp. When I plug my Dakota into the USB plug on the mac and Base Camp is running, the Dakota SD cards mount under My Garmin Devices in the upper left corner of the BaseCamp window. Clicking your Dakota 20 (Unit id .....) will show all the geodata on your dakota. You can right click GeoData (tracks, routes, waypoints or geocaches) and delete from your dakota. Most Garmin Devices will only allow deleting geodata objects you have added in the current session.

I drag any data I want to save from the Dakota to a List (folder) in BaseCamp. Once I have any geodata I want to keep on my computer I delete it from my Dakota. I drag the GeoData for my next trip to the Dakota.