Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

For help and advice on the Garmin Zumo XT2.
proofresistant
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Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by proofresistant »

Where does the XT2 store its tracks and waypoints internally?

The title of the thread already describes my question: where does the XT2 store its tracks and waypoints internally?

I now know that routes are stored as .trip files in the .System\Trips folder.

But I can't find the tracks and waypoints.
I always thought I had seen them before, but when I imported ‘gas_stations.gpx’, to test something, via only the Tread app, I realised that I couldn't find the imported tracks or waypoints in the device folders.
My guess is that they are also stored in a local database, but that's just a guess.
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by FrankB »

For the XT2 I cant be sure, but for the XT1 this is my answer.

- WayPoints are stored in a hidden part of Internal Storage. Even with .System enabled you will not see them.
- Tracks are stored in the GPX folder of internal storage. The Tracks app of the XT read and writes directly the GPX files directly. Note that a GPX file can contain more tracks, and even Routes/Waypoints. When you delete a Track in the Track app, the track is removed from the GPX. When the GPX becomes empty the GPX is deleted.
This is fundamentally different from Routes/Trips. The .System\trips folder has 'copies' of the route that you import. Tracks dont need to be imported, if you place something in the GPX folder the Track is rightaway available.
A special case is when you place a GPX file with one or more tracks on an SD card. That has to be imported, but it is only a copy to Internal Storage\GPX

Of course when you restart the XT(2) in file transfer mode you will see them in Current.GPX, but that is only a copy to help BaseCamp show the data.
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by proofresistant »

FrankB wrote: Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:49 pm
@FrankB, thanks for the explanation :!:
Now everyone has an idea of how it works with the old zumo XT (1) ;)

But what about the zumo XT2 :?:
Who knows exactly? :ugeek:
And when answering, please keep your knowledge of the old XT (1) strictly separate, because I don't think it's the same as it was before. :o
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by FrankB »

proofresistant wrote: Mon Sep 08, 2025 4:08 pm And when answering, please keep your knowledge of the old XT (1) strictly separate, because I don't think it's the same as it was before. :o
When transferring Tracks & Waypoints, TripManager does not do anything different for the XT2, or the Tread 2, than it does for the XT1.
So I think it is not very different. But of course checking is better.
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by proofresistant »

OK, side note for old zumo XT (1) ;-)
If they are Tracks and WPs transferred there (e.g. with TripManager), then they are also in the device available.
Well, do they still need to be imported manually?
John wrote recently that tracks normally are not imported automatically, but if one is imported manually, then all the others are other existing automatically imported as well.
And then, what happens if the gpx files are deleted, are the tracks and WPs still in the device?
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by FrankB »

proofresistant wrote: Mon Sep 08, 2025 4:31 pm Well, do they still need to be imported manually?
If they are stored on Internal Storage: NO, If they are stored on SD Card: YES
proofresistant wrote: Mon Sep 08, 2025 4:31 pm And then, what happens if the gpx files are deleted, are the tracks and WPs still in the device?
For Waypoints: no matter if they were imported from SD card or not, They are still available
For Tracks: If you delete them from Internal storage they are gone in the Tracks app. If you delete them from teh SD card, they are not available for import.

But for the original question:

Waypoints are stored in a hidden part of Internal Storage.
Tracks are stored in Internal Storage\GPX

I dont think that that is very different for the XT2. But running a few tests on your XT2 could confirm that. Or prove wrong.
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by proofresistant »

Before asking here, I already searched thoroughly ;-)
Device GPX Folder.png
Device GPX Folder.png (112.71 KiB) Viewed 480 times
FrankB
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by FrankB »

Tracks are not in

Code: Select all

Internal Storage\.System\GPX
but one level higher

Code: Select all

Internal Storage\GPX
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by proofresistant »

You can see in the pictures,
that both folders are empty, yet I have countless tracks in the device ;-)
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Re: Where are tracks and waypoints stored in XT2 internally?

Post by FrankB »

Didn't notice the right window. Sorry.

Put 1 track in Internal Storage\GPX, restart the Zumo. Do you have 662 tracks then?
How many tracks are there in Explore.garmin.com? Maybe an error syncing?

If that fails copy the entire Internal Storage to your hard drive. Searching works better on a hard drive.

EG

Code: Select all

Dir *.gpx /s
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