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I *like* Express!

Former Member
Former Member over 12 years ago
Yes, I really do. I installed it today and immediately found it to be useful.

For those who have had their introduction to Express as a map update tool, I can understand why a negative view. But it's so much more than that.

I have three Nuvis and an eTrex to manage. Express helps me do that rather nicely.

I have a mish-mash of waypoints and favorites scattered around on the four devices. I had planned to spend a big chunk of the day cleaning up the mess and getting it all into one consolidated list. When it came time to get the list onto the various devices, Express came in really handy.

After transferring the list from Mapsource onto one of the Nuvis I used Express to backup that Nuvi. Then I used Express to transfer from that backup onto the other two Nuvis. Then I backed them up, too.

For anyone who has multiple Garmin devices to manage, Express is really a slick tool.

Falagar, I didn't know where else to put this because there isn't a section for Express and it's way more than just a map installation tool. I have a couple of suggestions for improvements and I hope you will pass them along to the appropriate people.

1. As many people have already noted, it really needs two additions to control map installation:

a. Option to install to PC and device, device only, PC only, just like MapUpdater.
b. Option to install to SD card rather than main memory.

2. In Restore function, allow option to select only those elements you want to restore, eg. give us a list of restorable items (Favorites, Routes, Tracks, Voices, Vehicles, etc.) and let us check off just the ones we want to restore.

Let me be really clear here; I don't want the ability to restore individual waypoints or individual routes or individual tracks. I do want the ability to restore waypoints/Favorites without also restoring a bunch of old tracks or routes or Etc.

3. In Transfer function, allow the same option as Restore, eg. list Favorites, Routes, Tracks, Voices, Vehicles, etc. and let us check off only those we want to transfer.

It would be nice if we could find out what's in each backup, at least at the time the backup is made, eg. Favorites were backed up successfully, no Routes, Tracks backed up successfully, Voices backed up.... , Etc. Right now I have no idea exactly what gets backed up.

Do the files in the various folders in main memory get backed up, too? Eg. DeviceInfo.xml, GPX files, POI files, Voice files, Vehicle files, Track files? It would be really helpful to know what information is in a backup.

Those enhancements would make a good tool great.

...ken...
  • 0 over 12 years ago
    I do agree that the idea of Express is a good one, software and map updates in one place, tools to back up etc but early versions struggled which put many folks off. Additionally some of us like to have more visibilty/control over exactly what is happening. If they implement your suggestions I'd be tempted to give it another go, until then I'll stick to MapUpdater, WebUpdater and manually copying/pasting files :)
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    I have to say the only time I tried Express it did not work for me. I tried to use it to update my nuvi 2475 and repeatedly it told me my device was up to date when it was actually two generations of map out of date - so not a lot of good in my mind.

    I've not used it since updating via GarminMapUpdater so it might now be worth taking another look.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    Additionally some of us like to have more visibilty/control over exactly what is happening.

    Yup :) I drive a (turbo) stick-shift/manual/4-on-the-floor and hate automatics (90% of vehicles in the US). Of course that doesn't work if you're eating a burger, drinking a 32oz soda, and operating your GPS while driving :D
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    I hate it! It replaced my lifetime map updater and since then I can no longer download the map onto my PC. So anybody any suggestion how to download a new map, which I'm intittled to, onto my PC??

    OK? I found how to re-install it, it downloads the map (no idea where he stores it on my disk ??) and when he wants to install it, each time I'm getting "an unknown transfer error occurred. Please try again"
    When I do, it just hits the same problem.

    It's each time the same with garmin, the software sucks, if I will not be able to download this map, I'm kicking everything out and I will buy me a MIO 305 !! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
  • 0 over 12 years ago
    +1 on manuals (stick shift), drove an automatic for the 2 years I lived in the US and hated it (automatics, not the US :))

    Now here's a weird one. Just thought I'd reinstall Express and have another look at it. Told me I had 352 Gb free out of 450 Gb ... reading my hard drive as my nuvi!! Not seen that before.

    Plugged in my 1490, Express identified it, listed the correct (and up to date) software version then wanted to update my software. Seems it's still not quite there :(

    On the plus side everything else seems to be working better than it was, although I didn't go as far as asking it to install any maps.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    +1 on manuals (stick shift), drove an automatic for the 2 years I lived in the US and hated it (automatics, not the US :))

    It's an age thing. :rolleyes: I've driven an automatic for the past few years and would not go back to a manual - too much like hard work! :D

    Plugged in my 1490, Express identified it, listed the correct (and up to date) software version then wanted to update my software. Seems it's still not quite there :(

    On the plus side everything else seems to be working better than it was, although I didn't go as far as asking it to install any maps.

    At least it wanted to update yours - I did not get that option even when I wanted to. I think we need to classify Express as 'work in progress'.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    It's an age thing. :rolleyes:

    Nope :) I've always driven a manual and always will.

    Once rode in a Lincoln Towncar. Floated on the road and you couldn't hear a thing. I like to hear my turbo :D
  • 0 over 12 years ago
    With you there, would never get an auto. Before I retired I drove emergency vehicles on blue lights. Give me a manual anyday, far more responsive and with more control than an auto. And I'm a tad over 60 :)

    Getting back on topic ... yep, I'd also classify Express as a 'work in progress'.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    Yes, a work in progress, for sure. But work worth doing, in my view.

    I ride a motorcycle. 'Nuff said.

    But I like the auto in my CR/V in stop&go city traffic. Even when I'm not munching on burger and playing with GPS.

    When I was younger I wouldn't have anything but a stick. But as I grew older I learned that there are some things that I really don't need to do over and over and over and over and over manually. Sometimes there really is a better way. Put me on a nice twisty road in the mountains somewhere and it's a different story. But that's what the motorcycle is for. :)

    That applies to managing my GPS data on my navigation devices. Yes, I can still do it manually. But there's some of it I would cheerfully accept some help with. If Garmin developers can make the improvements I suggested I would welcome them.

    I would happily dump the GarminMapUpdater if Express provided all the same options. And I would cheerfully stop manually copying files around if Express would provide control over Restore and Transfer functions.

    I just want some manual shifter flippers on the spiffy new automatic transmission so I can retain some manual control in those situations that need it. A lot like the ability to override (turn off) the ABS on my motorcycle when I'm riding it in gnarly offroad conditions instead of cruising the asphalt.

    By the way, I answered my own question from the original post about what gets backed up. I took a look in the backup folders Express creates on the PC. The answer is just the GPX and POI folders, eg. only the user data. None of the Garmin data gets backed up so you still have to make a copy of the Garmin stuff if you want to be safe.

    ...ken...
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 12 years ago
    Put me on a nice twisty road in the mountains somewhere and it's a different story.

    Yup. I live on a "twisty road in the mountains somewhere" :D This town is a Harley mecca in summer. Now if they'd just realize that not everyone enjoys a noisy exhaust ;) Especially at 6am or 11pm.