XT2: Section 3 - Collections

3.04 - Assign Routes, Tracks, Waypoints to Collections
1. Dealing with GPX files

I am assuming that your gpx files have been placed in either of the folders:
  • Internal Storage / GPX
  • Memory Card / Garmin / GPX
My preference is to use the Memory Card (SD Card), but for these notes, I am showing Internal Storage - because this method raises more issues and answers more questions. I will add notes where the differences arise.

Note in the picture that there are two more gpx files. These are not part of this little exercise, but they will make guest appearances in some of the steps below.
1. Internal Storage / GPX Folder
2. Create all of your Collections
  • MainPage->Explore Icon->Green Bar->'Collections'->Select the + button.
  • Enter the name for your Collection->Done
  • Ignore the import button, Return to the collections screen.
Repeat until you have created as many collections as you need. Pic 2 shows the four collections that I needed for my 3 day tour.
If you do not have the '+' button

Then you don't have any waypoints in your data. Go back to the main screen. Select View Map. Tap anywhere on the map - a blue flag box will be planted. Tap the flag in the white box at the bottom. Name it 'DummyWP'. Save. You now have a waypoint. You can delete it later. Go back to the top of this page and try again !!

Explanation of Pic 2

I created 4 Collections using the XT2 screen, but it is showing 6 items in the list. 'Unorganised' and 'Last Import' have been created by the system and both contain 9 items. These are the 3 Waypoints from each route which has imported at start-up and placed in the 'Unorganised' Collection. It does this automatically and it originally included two waypoints from my other two routes.

This doesn't happen if gpx files are placed in the Garmin/GPX folder on the SD Card.

Ignore it - it doesn't matter. I'm going to delete the imported waypoints anyway. In fact the image shows the screen AFTER I had deleted the two waypoints that were included in the two gpx files that I are not part of this 3 day tour.

2. Creating Four Collections
3. Delete the imported Waypoints
  • Explore -> Collections - Unorganised
  • 3 button menu (top right)
  • Select and Edit -> Select the tick box icon (blue) to select all items. (See Picture 3).
    Note that the icon may or may not have a tick depending on what is ticked already!
  • Pic 3 shows the screen as it will appear now with all Waypoints in the Unorganised Collection selected.
  • Tap the delete icon (red)
After confirmation - the display will show 'Collection: Unorganised' and 'All'. Click on the cross in the bottom left and return to the main screen.

Note that the screen will scroll to show all 9 waypoints 3 for each route - start, lunch and end. These will be used as Via Points in the route. There may be other via points, but only these route points have been created as Waypoints.

Also - I forgot to follow my own format of having a 3 digit mileage number for the start point for day 2 and day 3. If I had put 000 in after the dat they would be listed in the correct order.
3. Delete Data in Unorganised Collections (Scroll Image)
4. Import Data - Step 1 - Select the GPX files

Pic 4 shows that 5 files that have been located - scroll down the image to see the others. You select what to import from the files that you select in the next step. Sensible choice of file name and length is important here.
Issues to Consider when using Internal Storage
  • At start-up, the XT2 locates any Waypoints that are located in any GPX file in Internal Storage and imports them into the Unorganised Collection.
  • The XT2 will not allow a duplicate waypoint to stored - you can import them but they will be ignored if the same Waypoint is already stored.
  • Waypoints may be imported and stored a second time if the first has already been deleted from the XT2 Waypoint list.
  • When any track is selected for import from any file, ALL tracks from all GPX files in Internal Storage are imported into the same collection.
  • Once imported, the Tracks are removed from the GPX file - they cannot be imported again.
Memory Card

None of the above happens if using the memory card.
  • At start up, the XT2 will recognise that new gpx files are available on the SD card and invite you to import the data.
  • Otherwise Routes, Waypoints and tracks have to be manually imported.
  • Duplicate routes and tracks are possible. Duplicate waypoints are not possible.
  • Tracks are not removed from the gpx file affter import from an SD card.
4. Example of Import from GPX files - (Scroll Image)

The screen shows the names and locations of 5 gpx files that have been found to contain routes, tracks and/or waypoints. Any or all of these can be selected for import.
5. Import Data - Step 2 - Select the Data

Quite straight forward. Select what you want to import. I have selected everything.

If you click the black triangle you can pick and choose which routes and waypoints you want to select.

Some Points to note:
  • Waypoints are imported automatically if you store them in gpx files in Internal Storage.
  • If you sselect one track to be imported, ALL tracks are imported.
  • Tracks stored in gpxx files in Internal memory are removed from the gpx file after import. Not so if they are on the SD card.
  • If you import tracks and routes a second time, there will be duplicates in your lists.
  • If you want to put (say) a route in two or more colelctions - you only need to import it once
  • You can import waypoints repeatedly, but no duplicates are every created.
5. Select from available tracks, routes and Waypoints.

The image shows that I have ticked the 'Select All' option. If I click on the black triangles, I can select individual waypoints, tracks and routes.
6. Assign your Imported data to your Categories

I am going to assigne ALL of my routes, tracks and Waypoints to ALL of my categories. Pic 6 shows this happening. You don't have to do this, but I find it easier. I'll explain why later.

Some observations about this next screen (Pic 6)

The screen shown in Pic 6 is inviting you to choose the collections that you want to be associated with your data. I have 3 days and four collections. I want all of my data - 3 routes, 3 tracks, 9 waypoints (3 on each day) to be associated with '3 Day Tour'. This means I can view everything on the same map by making 3 Day Tour Visible. I alwso want all of the Day 1 data to be associated with Day 01. All of Day 2 data linked to Day 02 collection. etc. This means that I can turn on the visibility of each day. But more importantly, I can turn off visibility of all of the other days.

If no collections have been created, then you can create them from the screen that pops up here. It will just show 'New Collection' .
  • Click that, you can add 'Day 01'.
  • You will return to this screen with 'New Collection' and 'Day 01' in the list.
  • You can repeat the process for any number of other collections that you want to add.
You have to remember that you are in the middle of importing the data, so when you have finished adding collections, you need to tick the collections that you want to be associated with ALL of the data that you are about to import. That's right - we haven't imported it yet - thats what we are in the middle of doing.
6. Example -
7. Setting Visibility of a Collection


Pic 7 shows the next screen to be displayed. All of your Collections and an indication of how many data items are in each category.

The eye icon indicates whether the collection is visible or not. Click to change its status - or use the eye icon on the green banner to set the status of all collections at the same time.

It is often easier to turn all collections off and then turn just one back on again. And that brings me to the reason for associating all of the waypoints, tracks and routes for all 3 days to all of my four collections.

7. Example - Setting Visibility of a Collection
8. Ensure Day 02 Collection Contains the Correct Data.


I have made a big thing about making sure that every collection has every piece of data associated with it. This is because I find it easy to manage this way.

Every Collection now contains every route track and waypoint. It's time to get rid of the ones that do not belong.

This is made much easier by careful naming of route, tracks and waypoint. In my case - I always number the items with a 2 digit number to represent either a sequence number or the date. I use 2 digits so that they get sorted into order - so 02 rather than 2. I often use a three digit number for waypoints - that is the mileage from the start of the route.

Take a look at Pic 7. Note the position of the 3 dot menu in the top right hand corner.
  • Tap the Day 02 Collection in Pic 7.
  • The screen changes to show all 15 items that are assigned to 'Day 02'.
  • Tap the three dot icon in the top right corner
  • Click 'Select and Edit' from the menu that appears.
  • The screen changes to show Pic 8.
The process is to delete the items that do not belong in this collection.
  • Start by clicking the 'Select' button, outlined in Yellow in Pic 8. It may or may not have a tick in it.
  • All of the check boxes should have a tick in them. If not, click the select button again.
  • Now Untick all of the items that we want to remain associated with the Day 02 collection.
  • The result should look like Pic 8.
  • All of the ones with a tick are about to be removed from Day 02. Check.
  • Tap the delete icon (red outline in Pic 8
  • When prompted, select Remove from Collection - (Not Delete).

    That last comment is important - Remove from Collection. Example: Route 01 Peebles from Skipton: Although we have the route appearing in 4 collections, there is only one route. If you delete the route itself, it removes it's association with all 4 collections, and the route is no longer stored in the Zumo. So we don't delete it, we just remove it from the collections that we don't want it to be associated with.
8. Example - Keep only Day 2 Items in Collection Day 02
9. Viewing the Collections Page


Repeat the same process for the other Collections. In my example, '3 Day Tour' all 15 items of data and each day has just 5 items of data each. Having all 15 items belonging to one collection ia an easy way to get all the routes tracks and waypoints diaplayed on the screen at the same time. You might want all tracks on the screen - perhaps assign each track its own colour ?

The Unorganised collection should now be empty.

Remember this is just a method that I use for long tours. It requires a bit of organisation but I have found it by far the easiest and quickest method in that situation. But use the tools in whatever way you wish. This method has proved to be quick and error free in situations like this multi-day route.

It relies heavily on knowing which route point belongs with which collection(s). I get round that my using numbers in the names to remind me.

If you have explore synching with your XT2 then each operation will cause the XT2 to start synching with the Explore database. The orange upload symbol is often added to the list displays. I prefer not to have this feature enabled.
9. Example - Collections after Organisations
3.04 - Assign Routes, Tracks, Waypoints to Collections
The information on these pages has been acquired from personal experience of using and testing the behaviour of Basecamp and my Zumos XT and XT2. I have no links with Garmin except that I raise issues about my Zumos' behaviours from time to time. These pages are presented for interest only rather than instructions. The contents of these pages must not be shared, copied, transmitted, redistributed or re-published in any form without my permission. (C) JHeath 2025.