Tread app "Enabling Storage" automatically

[jfheath]

I keep saying it and I'm not sure if many believe me but I seem to get my XT2 to do what I need and with Tread fully fired up and syncing. The first few days (ok, weeks) after owning it, it was very frustrating trying to build routes that stayed in the XT2 as planned. I was ready to return it as defective. But, many hours of playing around with MRA, Tread and the XT2, listening to the likes of @jfheath and others has given me an understanding of how to make it work without routes being destroyed.

I'd still be interested to know if Bluetooth sycnc (without cloud) is a possibility from a new or reset user. Just to rule it out you know

We can get the XT2 to do what we want, but it is fighting against the software that Garmin have provided. I have not achieved the same success with Tread being allowed to synch. It appears to work, but then something happens to make it synch form the XT2 and back again. And that screws it up. You can force the issue by forcing synch, or by sticking a full stop after the name. But I have seen it happen without my pressing any buttons - but I have not tried to hard to find out what causes that. The problem is, I have yet to stumble across a set of circumstances when it always does it.

I thought I had hit gold when I imported a gpx file created by BC into the tread app. It accepted it as it was and transferred it as it was. No change. I was having a conversation with @Oop North John about it. I tried it again a few days later and it didn’t work - the route changed after it had appeared to have accepted it. Maybe UNJ has more accurate info on that - I gave up on the idea.

That last sentence. Having BT set up without transferring routes, tracks and waypoints is perfectly possible and is the way that I use it. But unlike Drive and the XT1 - where you could send a gpx file to your phone and transfer it by BT to reside in the Internal Storage/Garmin/Gpx folder, without the app messing with it - which I think is what you are after ? No, not that I have been able to achieve. The XT2 has a no way of sharing routes one Xt2 to the other either, other than by the Tread app or by memory card.

You can use an SD card to avoid plugging in USB cables.

[smfollen]

OK. I decide to be brave, "take one for the team" here and do some retesting.

I updated to the latest firmware / software and maps, then deleted and reset everything on both my XT2 and phone.
On re-establishing, the option to "Enable Storage" was available.
With storage not enabled, I was not able to do any sort of sync at all. When I tried to create a route in Tread on the phone, it pushed me to enable storage - it did not seem to even allow me to build a route, but I did not try very hard.

I then enabled storage, a sync occurred automatically an an existing route on my XT2 was mangled.

See viewtopic.php?p=28817#p28817 for details if interested.

My personal conclusion - same as before - remove Tread from my setup entirely, use Trip Manager to install routes onto my XT2, and continue my year and a half long dialog with Garmin on this issue, among others.

[Regain]

@smfollen thanks for taking the bullet and providing a good answer. I'm loathe to mess up what I've got as it seems to work for me.

@jfheath, well sort of, I was wondering if the updated Tread would send a route to the XT2 without cloud storage being enabled. So no data, just Bluetooth. Just a thought that would have worked well for those who wish to plan on the go. I have had all the issues of my routes being messed up, you helped me with my routes jumping to faster roads and other stuff. At the moment, it seems to be playing nicely. Damn, I've said it!

[Oop North John]

Well Tread wasn't working well, previously calculated routes show only the spinning wheel of doom with "calculating". Even a route on points in Tread gave the same.

So uninstalled the app on my phone and download it. And one of the options on the install was to enable storage. No BT links broken, nothing changed on the XT2.

[jfheath]

I found from the get-go that in order to prevent the Tread App from Synching, you have to remove the Tread App from your phone AND reset the XT2 using the optinon in Settings -> Device -> Reset -> Delete Data and Reset Settings

Then you pair your phone and enter your Explore.garmin account details and you get the option to enable storage. It appears a few times in different guises. Read everything carefully. Anything to do with 'cloud', 'storage', 'synch' - don't accept it.

[LQQK_OUT]

-Smartphones & carplay/androidauto mirrors are somewhat workable.

What is the issue with the SmartPhone/Mirror solution? The way I see it, using MRA Routeplanner & MRA Navigation, that seems like an excellent solution. Plus, I never need another Gamin device again.

[jfheath]

I didn’t answer @Regain ’s other question about sending routes to the XT2 via BT without having synching enabled.

This is possible with the Drive App and the XT1. You could have the Drive app installed on the phone but not allow it to synch. That way you get the smartphone data coming through - traffic, weather, up ahead etc, but the XT1 does not synch with the Explore database.
On the XT1, this prevents collections from being used.
But you can then select a gpx file on your phone and open it using the drive app. That sends the gpx file to the XT1 to import in the usual way.

The XT2 uses the Tread app to access the same Explore database. With a freshly factory reset XT2 and with the Tread app not installed on the phone - (and XT2 to phone BT link forgotten at each end - although I have never had to do this, but respect @Oop North John ’s observation) - you can install Tread on the phone, you can make the BT link between the two and opt NOT to allow synch or storage.
In this state the Tread App gives all of the smartphone data - traffic, weather etc. Collections work perfectly (unlike the XT1), but the XT2 does not synch and routes and shaping points are not altered significantly.

But I have not found a way to use Tread to send a gpx file to the XT2. For that synch needs to be enabled. I think that is because Tread sends it to the Explore cloud, the cloud sends it to the XT2 - via the phone and BT link - but it seems you cannot intercept that process part way through.

In another thread we are looking at the possibility of sending data to Internal storage from the phone via a usb c to usb c cable - as if the XT2 is connected to a computer. That thread is here - I've added my latest attempt 0n 22 April 2026

[Regain]

Thanks @jfheath, I just happened to be browsing when you posted.

Much as I suspected but worth a thought and a try I suppose. I had the 346 which worked much the same way with routes sent via the Smartlink app and no Explore etc.

I’ve also bought, tried and returned cables attempting to connect my iPhone and XT2 with no joy. I know I could probably get a card reader and import routes with an SD card but really don’t want to be removing my existing SD card, possibly dropping it (which I do even over my stable dining table) or confusing the two.

On the other hand, Tread has not updated for over a month. In that time, I’ve built a few routes both home and abroad and seen them calculate by both the app and my XT2 with little or no drama. I’ll still copy routes to the SD card as a backstop when I do work this way. My preference will be to use a route imported into Tread. As you’re probably aware, I plan with MRA.

[proofresistant]

An idea for those who want to experiment a bit and aren’t afraid of manually updating database content

As many of you already know, the new devices store a lot of data in an internal SQLite database.
The [settings.db] file is also one.

Here, you can "set" (modify) whether Explore Sync should be enabled or disabled.
[settings.db].[data_bool] Explore Sync Enabled = 0 (original Value = 1)

PNG-Bild (neu) (11).png (79.61 KiB) Viewed 832 times

Changing the value of Explore Storage Enabled is not recommended, as this will make it impossible to access routes, etc.
So it’s best to leave this as is!
[settings.db].[data_bool] Explore Storage Enabled = 1

I’ve been experimenting with this for quite a while now
I can keep the Tread app installed, avoid any exchange of routes, tracks, and waypoints, and use the Tread app for traffic, weather, and music, etc.
When there’s a new Tread app or device update, I can test the synchronization again and reset it without having to completely reset the entire device.

[jfheath]

Thanks for that @proofresistant .

I keep meaning to get my SQL database tools out and look at what is in there. As I get more mobile and can do more walking and exercise I find that my capacity for 'thinking' and 'concentrating' is improving - not back to where it used to be, but definitely improving.

So by resetting that value - you don't have to delete Tread from your phone, or reset your zumo to factory condition ? You can just turn it off and back on again ?

I assume that you have to edit a copy of the database file and save it back - or can it be edited in place ?