Topo USA 5.0 export to Garmin eTrex Vista

[RonMetcalfe]

Can the maps in Topo USA 5.0 be exported to a Garmin eTrex Vista?

[Sanaghan]

Maps are proprietary to the GPS maker.
This holds for every GPS maker I know.
Now you know why their maps are expensive.
And maps with routing ability on the unit are even more expensive.

[RonMetcalfe]

Thanks Sanaghan.

Any good suggestions on drawing a trail with waypoints and exporting it to the Garmin eTrex Vista? Do some hiking on the AT and other trails in the area and would like to draw them up in Topo 5.0 and send to the Garmin. Is it best to use "routes" or "tracks" with or without waypoints or vias or something else? What I've gotten so far marks the trail with little cars.

Thanks again.

Ron P. Metcalfe

[Sanaghan]

You can use the exchange wizard to exchange tracks (send them from topo to your Garmin).

I believe you can also send draw objects and waypoints; they clarified that better in Topo 6 to where you could only send waypoints.

If you want to send routes to your GPS (Point to point routes as most back-country backpacking trails aren't on roads) you can make a point-to-point route and use the exchange wizard.
Start >> Will transfer to GPS
Finish >> Will transfer to GPS
Stop >> Will transfer to GPS
Vias >> Will not transfer to GPS.

Do note that the program will have to create default waypoints (WPT001, WPT002, etc) for the starts, stops, and finish points if you didn't define them).

See also the tips and tricks thread on GPS's that have problems with Topo. I think your is in there. I have a bad connection and it takes too long to look it up.

[Kent Drummond]

I'm new to the forum, so the subject has probably been handled. The way I break connecting lines between two downloaded tracks is to expand to level 16, higlight a connecting point and do a Ctl-B, then go to the other end of the connecting line, highlight a connecting point and do another Ctl-B. Then that segment can be removed with the delete key.

I have a problem, which is the reason for joining the forum. I've seen some answers which are close, but not specific, and it relates to downloading an existing track to my basic e-Trex. I get the file transfered message, but there's nothing there. I can successfully transfer a track from the e-Trex into a draw or track file, but I'd like to know how to get that track back into the e-Trex at a future date so I can have it in the GPS to follow.