Dealing with duplicate waypoint names when receiving from device

Former Member over 10 years ago

To any who might be able to help me:

Here's my issue: waypoints made in the field with generic names used to later link them with photographs (e.g., "flower03") are not downloaded if a waypoint of the same name exists in the 'My Collection' (only one of those allowed). No renaming, or even a warning on download; instead, adding insult to injury, the old waypoint is plopped in the newly created "Data received from [. . .]" 'list!'

Unfortunately I discovered and confirmed this discrepancy between Mapsource & BaseCamp after I had lost a number of important waypoints. I don't want to have to look through all of my waypoints and try to identify duplicates in my 'My Collection,' which contains every waypoint I've ever taken!! What's the solution here? Any work-a-rounds?

I have the most recent BaseCamp version (4.3.5) for Windows. I just uploaded a test waypoint (one sharing the name of an existing, differently located waypoint and can relate that this problem still exists (as it did with previous BC versions). I am using a Garmin 64s (because that's what REI has as a replacement for my beloved Garmin Etrex Vista) with current updates.

The first two paragraphs are paraphrased from a post I made in an existing thread (with a few logical fixes). Since the last post from a developer was from way back in 2013, I was encouraged to start a new thread. I hope that I'm missing something obvious; if so, give me the scorn I deserve, just give me the solution!!

Thanks (if only for listening),

Ben

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

Hello Ben,

I make maps for horse endurance races. There are waypoints for water and checkpoints and vet checks. I gps the trails and mark the waypoints and load everything into MapSource. Each file is separate so there is no problem with duplicate numbers. Then I go thru and start all the waypoint numbers with a letter. A race in Malibu might have all C's like C-01, C-02, etc. The next race in Descanso will have all D's. Then I add the descriptions like water, vet, etc into the Notes for each waypoint.

Then I can import those tracks into BaseCamp knowing that there will be no duplicate problems. BaseCamp makes much better maps than MapSource but like you found....waypoints from a gps are a bitch.

When I get to a race with Z's then I will just go to AA-01 or maybe A-001, whatever.

Trying to number every thing in the field on the gps is too crazy-making.
Using a different software to massage the data on a big screen with a keyboard is much easier.
Thats my solution and Im stickin to it...:)

Don Huston

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

I never use the device transfer, it's to messy for me, always do it manually.

A workaround is to keep your device as clean as possible and after the trip, read the device and select and drag the waypoints to BaseCamp yourself in a separate list. After that, rename your waypoints with probably a date in the name. If waypoint names are too generic and already exist the waypoints will be added a number behind it.

Everything you don't need in BC you can export to separate files and delete them from BaseCamp. Import and Export can be used as Open and Save. To avoid renaming, keep BC as clean as possible

The last workaround is to "create" a marking naming methode which is always unique, like date-01 and so on, then every marked point is always unique then you will alway find the right waypoint. (only a problem if you do 2 trips on a day and start over again with the numbers, well then it could be date-2-01 (2014084-01)

If you still want the already collected waypoints with names and symbols in your device, look at JaVaWa's program GPXfromIMG you can uses tracks and waypoints to make your own easy map, and never have conflicts between already existing waypoints in the device during the collection.

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

Just in case it helps anyone trying to deal with gpx files with the same waypoint numbers here's a NZ forum with a simple GPX Prefixer to prefix waypoints with whatever text you want.

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

...

If you still want the already collected waypoints with names and symbols in your device, look at JaVaWa's program GPXfromIMG you can uses tracks and waypoints to make your own easy map, and never have conflicts between already existing waypoints in the device during the collection.

Link is good but I think the name is backwards...IMGfromGPX :o