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GPX vs GDB

BobHy
over 9 years ago
OK, after all these years of hating Basecamp, I've learned to like it in preference to Mapsource (after many, many updates). My primary objection to Basecamp has been the single database for everything. Now that I've learned to export something that I wished to archive, then to delete it from the "Default" database, it works for me.

Now my question relative to exporting is about whether to choose gpx or gdb format. The gdb file is about half the size of the equivalent gpx file. Does the gdb file loose any data?
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    GDB is lossless...


    But if you want to send it to anyone without BC or MS, GPX is more universal. I don't think either one loses any data.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 9 years ago
    Anyone else remember the old .mps files? I still have a bunch of those which I think can only be read by MapSource.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    GDB is lossless...


    No, it's not... GDB doesn't support unannounced via points, active routing info , trip data, transportation and calulation modes in routes, heartrate, cadence, notes, acceleration data (created by the VIRB camera) and track summaries in tracks and creation date/time, category names and geocaching data of waypoints (and some other items I missed). All that stuff will be lost when you save to a GDB file. The GDB v3 format is old, while the GPX format (or more specifically the Garmin extensions of it) has evolved to support new capabilities of devices.
    Internally BaseCamp still uses a GDB format (which has evolved too), but when you export data GDB v3 is still used.

    There is one thing though that GDB stores and GPX not, and that is turn information in routes.

    So both aren't completely lossless, but nowadays GPX is by far the best choice.

    As for the difference in size: this is mainly caused by the fact that GDB is a binary format, and very compact compared to the XML data that is used in GPX. The advantage of GDB is that you can store way more data in it before BaseCamp or MapSource chokes on the amount of it. Just try to load a file with 10 000 tracks in it; doesn't work when it's a GPX file, but it's no problem with GDB.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    GDB doesn't support...


    Also, although the OP's question was about exporting (from BC) the same applies to importing data (to BC). You're better off importing device GPX files into BC rather than having MapSource read from your device, saving to a GDB file, and importing that into BC. If you do the latter you can lose data (temp, heartrate, etc). I actually save device GPX files (BC has been known to lose/corrupt data).
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Even when you use MapSource to read from the device and save it to GPX instead of GDB all that extra info will be lost, simply because MapSource doesn't understand it.
    (however, temperature is supported by MapSource and GDB, but not in MPS)
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Agreed. I didn't say use MapSource to read GPX files. I said use BaseCamp for the reasons you've already discussed.

    I do import device GPX files into MapSouce knowing that data can be lost that way. However as I said I keep the original GPX.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Wow! I was not only wrong, I was REALLY WRONG!

    Thanks for setting me and the op straight :)
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Wow, how thorough an explanation!

    No, it's not... GDB doesn't support unannounced via points, active routing info , trip data, transportation and calulation modes in routes, heartrate, cadence, notes, acceleration data (created by the VIRB camera) and track summaries in tracks and creation date/time, category names and geocaching data of waypoints (and some other items I missed). All that stuff will be lost when you save to a GDB file. The GDB v3 format is old, while the GPX format (or more specifically the Garmin extensions of it) has evolved to support new capabilities of devices.
    Internally BaseCamp still uses a GDB format (which has evolved too), but when you export data GDB v3 is still used.

    There is one thing though that GDB stores and GPX not, and that is turn information in routes.

    So both aren't completely lossless, but nowadays GPX is by far the best choice.

    As for the difference in size: this is mainly caused by the fact that GDB is a binary format, and very compact compared to the XML data that is used in GPX. The advantage of GDB is that you can store way more data in it before BaseCamp or MapSource chokes on the amount of it. Just try to load a file with 10 000 tracks in it; doesn't work when it's a GPX file, but it's no problem with GDB.


    Well, Javawa, thank you very much for the explanation. And, also, thank you for writing some very useful Garmin utilities.