XT2 - Importing GPX from from Internal Storage vs SD Card.

[jfheath]

I've just been completing a section on Collections for the XT2 and one way of organising data. I've come across a few things - most of which I thought that I knew, but a couple of things that I didn't.

First some definitions that I will use on this page.

• Internal Storage is an area where the Zumo keeps the files that it needs to work properly.
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• Memory Card or SD Card is a place where you can choose to place MP3 files (music), GPX files, extra maps. The XT2 does not need this area, and does not need to access it in order to operate. However, storing maps, music and GPX files there offer some advantages to the user, and the XT2 will read files from there if that option is used.
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• Transfer Data Traditionally for Garmin, this is a term that is used when placing data into Internal Storage or onto the SD card. 'Transfer' can mean other things - but in the context of this page - you transfer data to the XT2 so that it is stored in Internal Storage or onto the SD card. For routes, tracks & waypoints this will be in the form of a GPX file.
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• Import Data - When you transfer routes, tracks and waypoints to the XT2, it cannot do anything with the data until it is imported into something that I will call 'Active Memory'. Once imported, the XT2 navigation software can access it and items will appear in the Collections menus to be displayed on the screen. Garmin do not use the term 'Active Memory'. I use it to distinguish between data that has been placed on the XT2 in the GPX folder, and data which has been brought into use by using Import command which appears on various menus.
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• Synch / Synchronising - If your XT2 is synched to the Tread / Explore database via the Tread app on your smartphone, then GPX files are not transferred or imported in the way that I describe here. The data is synched and stored by the XT2 in places to which it has ready access. The term 'Synch' removes the need for the terms 'Transfer and Import'. Do something on the Tread app, it ends up on the XT2 in what I have called Active Memory. The items just show up in the menus. Magic.
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  Such a pity that at the time of writing (Sept 2025) this process often changes the planned route - typically moving shaping points onto different roads.

This Page is to do with the Transfer and Import fo data that has been prepared as a GPX file and saved on the XT2 in the appropriate GPX folder, and then subsequently imported for the XT2 to use.

This behaviour is different depending upon whether you save data in Intenal Storage or on the SD Card.



When Placing GPX files into the Internal Storage / GPX folder

1. Waypoints from all new GPX files are imported during start-up. This happens automatically during start-up from an XT2 that is re-booting eg after disconnecting the USB cable from the computer. You have no control over the Collections to which they are allocated: they are all imported assigned to 'Unorganised'. By the time the XT2 reports that new data is availble to import, and invites you to import or not, the new Waypoints have already been imported !
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2. The XT2 will not create you two copies of Waypoints - so if you use the menus to select and delete waypoints, you can then re-import them, and you have the option of linking to the collection(s) of your choice.
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3. Tracks are not imported automatically during start-up.
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4. But - when you select any track from any gpx file in Internal Storage, ALL tracks from ANY new gpx file are imported - whether the file/track was selected or not.
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5. The track data in the gpx file is then removed. None of the tracks can be imported a second time - the data in the Gpx file has been removed.
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6. Just to emphasise: If you delete a track that was imported from Internal Storage, then it has gone forever. The first import removed the tracks from the Gpx file, so it cannot be imported again.
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7. New Routes are not imported automatically after a reboot.
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8. Routes and Waypoints can be selected from selected gpx files and can then be selected from a list of routes or waypoints. Only the selected items are imported.
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9. This means that you can select all GPX files, then select waypoints and routes - and then select only the waypoints or routes that you want to import. It will import only the selected items.
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10. Routes and Waypoints can be selected for import more than once. For Routes this result in multiple (numbered) copies being saved - the duplicate will have a number appended. Waypoints are stored, but duplicates will not be created.

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When Placing GPX files on the SD Card

• No data items - routes, tracks or waypoints - are imported automatically after a reboot. They have to be imported manually.
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• You can select which gpx file(s) from which to select data, also whether you want to import tracks / routes and/or waypoints. This restricts the list of items from which you make the final selection.
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• Only the selected items will be imported to Active Memory.
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• The XT2 will allow you to import the same route or track twice. Subsequent imports will have a number appended.
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• You cannot import Waypoints more than once. You can try but it doesn't do anything.
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• Track data is not deleted from the GPX file after it has been imported.
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• Any Item can be selected and deleted from the XT2 and re-imported from the original gpx file. So on a tour, if you want, you can clear your Active Memory of Routes Tracks and Waypoints, and import just the ones that you want for a particular day. (That is not necessary - since using collections will allow you to see on the map just the items in one collection.)
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• The XT1 is unable to find waypoints on the SD Card if it doesn't have one already in memory.
  The XT2 does not have this problem.

You may notice in older posts about other Zumos that I have recommended using Internal Storage for GPX files. Not any more.
For the XT2 I always transfer my GPX files to the SD card. The files cannot get altered and nothing gets deleted.
More than anything - the behaviour is predictable. And if you Zumo Collections get messed up, you can delete the lot and import them again.

It is traditional to place GPX files in the Memory Card\Garmin\GPX folder - You have to create the GPX folder yourself.

But the XT2 will also read GPX files from the Memory Card\Garmin folder.
Also from the Garmin\GPX folder - if you care to create the GPX folder there.

Subfolders with any name can also be used. eg Memory Card/2025 Routes/Spain. It seems to just traverse the directory folder tree and locate any gpx files no matter where they are. The XT2 reports the full path of the folder name, but it has only so many characters before they fall off the edge of the screen.

I would imagine that many files stored in a complex directory tree would result in an extended time in processing/importing. But in tests, it seems to be plenty fast enough.

[proofresistant]

Hi @jfheath,

... Placing ... GPX files ...

cool that you have summarised this here.

I don't remember 100% about the internal memory, but I definitely agree with you in principle. Exactly for the reasons that with internally stored gpx files the XT2 has a certain strange way of using them, especially that after deleting them it no longer has a copy, has caused me not to store gpx files internally since a long time.

I now only import via the SD card!
I can then agree 100% with the points you described.
And yes, the folders don't seem to matter at all, gpx files are searched for everywhere.
Because you can import multiple times with incrementing numbers, you always have the option of having copies of routes available.

The search for GPX files always seems to be the same speed, whether there are many or few doesn't really matter.
After selecting the quickly found gpx files, it unfortunately takes me far too long to search for routes, tracks or waypoints.

A tip:
With the magnifying glass, you can quickly find the right gpx files even if there are many files (if good terms are given in the name). It is logical that the search with magnifying glass is there for this, but I overlooked it myself for a long time.

[proofresistant]

I would imagine that many files stored in a complex directory tree would result in an extended time in processing/importing. But that is mere speculation on my part.

The search for GPX files always seems to be the same speed, whether there are many or few doesn't really matter.
After selecting the quickly found gpx files, it unfortunately takes me far too long to search for routes, tracks or waypoints.

I didn't interpret John's comment clearly at first, sorry about that.
But now I have some additional information, although I don't understand the background as to why the Garmin device does what it does.
No matter how many GPX files there are, searching for and selecting the GPX file always works quickly.
But from then on, there are definitely differences.
a) If there are many GPX files exits, it takes a very long time to display the contents of the selected GPX file(s), even if only one has been selected.
b) If there are many GPX files exits, importing the selected content takes a long time also, even if only a small amount of content is to be imported.

I have no idea why, because the device should only look at the selected GPX, but apparently it then also looks at all GPX content, even from the GPX files that were not selected.

A tip:
With the magnifying glass, you can quickly find the right gpx files even if there are many files (if good terms are given in the name). It is logical that the search with magnifying glass is there for this, but I overlooked it myself for a long time.

The magnifying glass is available in Tread 2 but not yet in zumo XT2.
That's why I hadn't noticed it before.

[jfheath]

I have no idea why, because the device should only look at the selected GPX, but apparently it then also looks at all GPX content, even from the GPX files that were not selected.

I've not come across the delay before, my XT2 is frequently reset, but I don't keep routes on it anyway.

Does the delay happen if the if the data is stored on the SD card, or just internal storage ?

I can understand if it is just internal storage, because all tracks from all files are imported (conclusion drawn from a small test), and then all of the track commands are stripped out of every gpx file.

Access to SD card memory is generally slower than internal storage, but I have no info that suggests that also applies to the XT2

[proofresistant]

I now only import via the SD card!

My last statement 19:19 based on SD card import also.

And yes, SD cards are measurably slower.
But subjectively, it doesn't really matter anymore, because SD cards have become much faster over the years.
The data volumes of GPX files are not that large.
The situation is different for maps with x GB, where I prefer to use the internal memory, but even those are not that slow, as my OSM maps are on the SD card and that works quite smoothly.

[jfheath]

I have included these notes in post#1 in the latest pages of Zumo XT - Making it Work for You - broken down into separate pages along with some screen shot illustrations.