Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Having Garmin zumo XT problems? there is loads of help and advice in this forum
Stu
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by Stu »

Does this help at all?

viewtopic.php?t=1692
owl*
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by owl* »

Hi Stu, and thanks for that. There are a couple of things I haven't tried there, but in particular using Android File Transfer. I will download that and give it a try.
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by fatfeet »

It does seem strange, that your Mac won’t connect, when mine and undoubtedly others do. Computers are brilliant 🤣 sorry my info didn’t help
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casbar
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by casbar »

Guess it depends on what you are trying to do. My Mac will not see the XT as a volume because Mac doesn't recognise the Android XT software. Now whether it will allow Basecamp to interact with it, I don't know as I don't use Basecamp.
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by fatfeet »

please excuse my ignorance on this, but why does one need to see it as a volume, is GE just for updating etc. as I've written before, mine shows up on my Mac quicker than the dreaded NAV Vi ever did. ✌️
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by casbar »

If you want to transfer a gpx file into the gpx directory on the device or if you have an issue such as I had, where the device wouldn't recalculate, the fix from Garmin was to go into the device via the file finder and delete all the files from the archive folder. This was achieved via a laptop as the Mac wouldn't see the drive. If you wanted to transfer music files to the sd card in the device, you would need to be able to see the XT as a drive on the mac
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by fatfeet »

Kinda makes sense,
f you want to transfer a gpx file into the gpx directory on the device
not sure what a volume has to do with gpx file isn’t that what is transfered via BC, ie route or track etc.
If you wanted to transfer music files to the sd card
why would you need a volume to put music onto an Sd card.
I’m not questioning you, just trying to get my head round it. I am just wondering if I am doing something wrong, and I need to change the uploading of routes etc. by now doing it the way you guys are writing about
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casbar
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by casbar »

Ok, to explain. When I talk about volume, I am simply talking about being able to see the physical drive of the XT. If you go into file explorer or on a Mac File Finder, you can browse other external drives. If on a Mac you plug in say a Nav VI you can see the device as an external drive, so it will show as Garmin. You can then browse that drive. On a Mac you can't see the XT internal drive or the sd card, because the Mac will not mount the drive. You can see it on a PC. So if you wanted to move music (mp3) files to the sd card, you would normally just drag and drop the files. But you can't on a Mac, you would have to take the card out of the XT and connect the card to the Mac to transfer files. Similarly if you wanted to physically move a gpx file or do some cleaning or as I had to do, delete the files in the archive folder, the only way is to connect to a pc or use a file transfer programme on the Mac, such as CommanderOne.

For transferring routes you can do it wirelessly or maybe through Basecamp (like I said, I don't use Basecamp preferring My Route App)

Also any route transferred by wi fi, will stay on the internal drive and can't be removed unless you physically do it by accessing the internal drive. Again no issue if using a PC, but not easy from a Mac - as a Mac can't see the drive.
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by fatfeet »

Ah thanks for clearing that up, I don’t seem to have the problems you are having sorry

I just delete my routes on the actual XT, usually do this after I have finished my tour.

I also use MRA as well as BC and again don’t seem to have the same problems. Maybe the garmin gods are on my side.
Sorry not been much help ✌️
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Re: Is there a magic way of connecting the XT to my laptop?

Post by casbar »

the thing is, if you have transferred your routes by wireless to the internal memory on the XT, deleting the routes on the device after your trip, doesn't actually delete the route from the device internal memory. They stay there. Now there is a lot of internal memory so probably not an issue and you will have to have a lot of routes to fill the memory up. But if you like to free up the internal memory, then you need to go onto the device itself and delete them.

If you are using MRA and a Mac, there is no way you can directly transfer routes via copy and paste. The only way is via saving to Garmin Drive or similar and using wireless.

By the way, I am not having any issues because I know the work arounds and also have the use of a Windows Laptop as well as my Mac :)