Merging Garmin GPS tracks, waypoints, routes into 1 Master gdb file

I found a way to use Garmin's MapSource to merge waypoints, tracks, and routes into one master gdb file. I did not want to take the time to use third party applications to merge all the data.

The problem was that I had many different gdb files defining kayaking routes, hiking routes, and waypoints. I also had a different .gpx files containing track information for every bike, hike or paddle with my Colorado or Forerunner 301.

Basically, you open two instances of Map Source. The first instance will become the master file containing all routes, waypoints, and tracks. You will be pasting data into the first instance. The second instance will be a temporary place you can cut or copy data from.

So the procedure is:
1) Open first instance of map source. (Start mapsource as usual)
2) Open second instance of map source. (Just start another copy of mapsource exactly as above).
3) Use the second instance to open an existing .gdb file or .gpx file. Both kinds of files can contain routes, tracks, or waypoints.
4) Cut or copy the data from the second instance.
5) Paste the data into first instance of MapSource.
6) Go back to step 3 and repeat as necessary.
7) When finished, save the first instance as a garmin gdb file. I have not tried saving all the merged data as a gpx file, but it is supposed to work.

Notes-
If your device has enough memory, you can upload all the merged information into it.
I am not sure what happens if you paste a duplicate route, track, or waypoint into first instance of mapsource.

I've used that technique and found that it works as well. One tip I learned when I asked a Garmin question recently is to rename the combined track to "ACTIVE LOG" so that the GPS won't truncate it when you download it.

Also - you can save the combined track as a gpx file. I sometimes do this when I want to import the track into the NG Topo series as a route.

I use another technique to combine or extract tracks. First take a look at a .gpx file downloaded from the active tracklog to learn the format--it consists of a number of tracks.
eg:
<gpx (some preamble stuff) >
<trk>
<name>ACTIVE LOG #1</name>
<trkseg>
<trkpt lat="42.722942429" lon="-71.797170080">
<ele>281.803589</ele>
<time>2010-01-09T13:32:59Z</time>
</trkpt>
</trkseg>
</trk>
</gpx>

(Each gpx can contain multiple trks , each trk can contain multiple trksegs and each trkseg can contain multiple trkpts. The above is an excerpt of a .gpx file downloaded from the GPS by GPSBabel--there may be minor differences from different downloading programs.)

All you have to is edit the desired trks into a single file. Just give each trk a different ACTIVE LOG #. You can also extract parts of a track by the same technique.

To locate the corresponding tracks and trackpoints between the .gpx file and the MapSource display, just use the ACTIVE LOG # and trackpoint timestamps.

I haven't tried this with waypoints and routes, but it is probably pretty similar.

This technique isn't necessarily any better or worse than using MapSource, just different.

Doug

A useful shortcut: Rather than launching the second instance of MapSource manually and then opening the GPX file, you can right-click the GPX and select "open with/Mapsource". This will launch a new instance of MapSource so you can copy the track.