BirdsEye backup and storage for future use - HELP !!!

I'm backing up my birdseye images today, there's got to be an easier way to identify the saved system files... I'm fairly tech savvy (enough to figure my way around things typically), I'm hoping someone can shed light on a faster way to identify, backup and re-name the BaseCamp-created raw BirdsEye files. Okay that's the pitch, here's the exact scenario; Birdseye/BaseCamp stores downloaded Birdseye images and topo's as .JNX files that look like this "01d4a2f0-cf5a-4fed-8977-6d96e97208ef.jnx". Let's start there, no problem if you only have a few images, but extremely painful if you have alot, and you need to know the actual area names for the purpose of adding to a device later on. So first question; is there a way to view or identify the .jnx files other than adding to device to see which one displays? 2nd question; When I re-name the .jnx file to something appropriate (i.e. from "01d4a2f0-cf5a-4fed-8977-6d96e97208ef.jnx" to "Philadelphia.jnx") then it won't display on my eTrex 20x (this is after I copy directly to the device's 'Birdseye' folder with the other images and TOPO's) and I get a message during normal device bootup that there is a corrupted "Birdseye" file. Just to be clear, this is all done independently through the PC and Garmin filing system, not through BaseCamp. To summarize, everything works fine if I don't re-name the files (I can upload/download directly to my etrex 20x and epix watch, using the PC files alone, completely independant of BaseCamp. My main issue is how to identify the images if they all have names like "01d4a2f0-cf5a-4fed-8977-6d96e97208ef.jnx" ... and after I do identify them, how can I re-name them (for future reference), without the device calling it a corrupted file and deeming it unreadable/undisplayable? My only solution thus far is; first identifying the actual image/topo by placing one-by-one on device to see what map/image shows up (excruciatingly tedious), then put each JNX file into it's own individual separate labeled folder for storage and future reference (i.e. "01d4a2f0-cf5a-4fed-8977-6d96e97208ef.jnx" goes into a single "Philadelphia" folder.) This works but takes forever, hoping I'm missing something and there's a better way.

ANY and ALL input is greatly appreciated !!!

- Bill

0 SUSSAMB over 8 years ago

You can identify which is which via BaseCamp, rename them as necessary and then send them to your GPS. You can also allocate names when you download the Birdseye files, which is the best way to do it.

0 TwinHorse over 8 years ago

You can identify which is which via BaseCamp, rename them as necessary and then send them to your GPS. You can also allocate names when you download the Birdseye files, which is the best way to do it.

Thanks for responding! ... When "allocating names" to the newly downloaded Birdseye files, the new names will only show on BaseCamp and the device, but they are still written in the PC Garmin BaseCamp database [JnxFiles] as their original downloaded file names (i.e. '5fd5f0fa-7ff3-4342-a2c1-99e93e7f304d.jnx') There is nowhere else on the PC storage (that I can find), where they are labeled with the names allocated by you on BC. It's almost like they coded it that way on purpose so that it will be extremely difficult to use your downloaded images in the future without a subscrip to birdseye. (I hope I'm wrong about that, and I'm just missing something here, because Garmin does in-fact market BirdsEye as being usable after expiration).
I figured out a slightly faster way, but still troublesome. I can place the raw files onto the device's storage, then view and re-name through BaseCamp [device 'internal storage'] This is faster than powering on the device to see the images .. still in the process of converting, I haven't confirmed whether the device will read the newly re-named file on it's own yet (without basecamp). Hoping it works, and if it does this is still a very slow process. Will update later with results.. If you think of anything else let me know! Quick question: my BirdsEye subscription for the eTrex 20x is expired, but to my understanding, that shouldn't affect me being able to load new images that I recently downloaded via my new (active) subscription for my Epix watch.. is that correct? The downloaded images are filed the same regardless of device, so it shouldn't be an issue with transferring a simple file.... unless again, Garmin may have built in software to prevent this without an active subscription for each device.. ?? Any insight about that? Thanks again and I will also update with my progress..

0 SUSSAMB over 8 years ago

BirdsEye purchased for one device won't work on another, so you can't use the Epix files on your Etrex. Expired subscription data originally bought for your Etrex can be used still on your Etrex though.

Why you're having such an issue naming the files though I have no idea, as I've never had similar issues with my BirdsEye files.

0 TwinHorse over 8 years ago

Ok that makes sense now, so Garmin has indeed prevented this through their software. I appreciate BirdsEye and I totally agree with supporting the platform by subscribing. I can see purchasing the different BE products individually (they are worth it), but the purchased product should be good for all your devices that accept that product. Requiring multiple subscriptions from a single registered user for each individual device to download the same exact files is just plain greedy at best, dastardly at worst. It is what it is though, all good. I have found a way around it... I've already loaded and confirmed 3 newly downloaded BE images onto the expired eTrex 20x (complete images, not DEMOS), but that was out of 7 different images, the other 4 read "INVALID JNX" .... I haven't figured out why 3 worked and 4 didn't yet, but I suspect it had to do with my BaseCamp configuration at the time of downloading... I need to test more today to see what I did when the 3 worked, as I was exhausted yesterday while working on it so I didn't note the difference... but I will get it. Thanks for your input and clarification here! I will update more after some testing later.