Nuvi 2589 LMT Track Storage

I've called myself searching for anything and everything in this forum that would lead me to a configuration setting that would let me redirect or archive all my tracks to the SD card, but still find myself banging my head against the wall.

Any suggestions/tips on getting the Nuvi to archive it's tracks to the SD card? Easy enough to do with the 60CSx, but can't find a setting to do that with on the subject model. The Garmin Owner's Manual for the Nuvi is pitiful at best. Love their devices, hate their documentation.

 

Unfortunately, that isn't always convenient. Each time I power it off, it creates a new log file, meaning at least twice a day, so I get to keep about 10 days worth of tracks, assuming I don't turn it off every time I get in and out of the truck. I'm sometimes on the road for many days, away from my home PC. This is why I was hoping there was a way to redirect the track files to the SD Card. Not that they'd even consider it, but perhaps a software update from Garmin could help. I'm almost positive that this thing did have an option to record to the SD at one time. But, many software updates later ……. Even if I could manually save the tracks to the SD card (without connecting to an external smarter device), as I can with the 60CSx I would be much happier. The 60CSx can either transfer the tracks to the SD card, OR, it can be configured to keep the tracks straight on the external memory. If the SD card is removed, the 60CSx will automatically revert to writing to internal memory. The caching app in it leaves a little to be desired as far as different cache types are concerned (only one type can be selected as geocaches), but it's a lot better than nothing.

Guess I'll keep scratching to see what I can do beyond getting a small laptop to put all my GPS activities on. I was pretty disappointed in this Nuvi firmware version. It's not nearly as flexible as was the 255W that I had before. Unfortunately, the sun gods got that one.

 

Here's an idea:

The SD card can have map files and POIs on it, so why not have the Archive on it too? WHAT IF, I make a small change in the GarminDevice.xml file to tell the Nuvi to use the SD card for archiving as well? Will that make it keep more than 20 track files, or will it simply ignore the availability of the SD card? For example, if I add the <Extensions> text below in the same part of the file, will it work? There is no archive function on the Nuvi, so I'd have to wait until it was archive time again. The new Nuvi's can be a bit challenging. I wonder more and more what the general purpose was of putting all the track data in the same file with the Saved waypoints. I liked it better when they were separate files.

Code:

        <DataType>
            <Name>GPSData</Name>
            <File>
                <Specification>
                    <Identifier>http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1</Identifier>
                    <Documentation>http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd</Documentation>
                </Specification>
                <Location>
                    <Path>GPX</Path>
                    <FileExtension>gpx</FileExtension>
                </Location>
                <TransferDirection>InputToUnit</TransferDirection>
            </File>
            <File>
                <Specification>
                    <Identifier>http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1</Identifier>
                    <Documentation>http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd</Documentation>
                </Specification>
                <Location>
                    <Path>GPX</Path>
                    <BaseName>Current</BaseName>
                    <FileExtension>gpx</FileExtension>
                </Location>
                <TransferDirection>OutputFromUnit</TransferDirection>
            </File>
            <File>
                <Specification>
                    <Identifier>http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1</Identifier>
                    <Documentation>http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd</Documentation>
                </Specification>
                <Location>
                    <Path>GPX/Archive</Path>
                    <FileExtension>gpx</FileExtension>
                </Location>
                <Extensions>
                    <dtlx:DataTypeLocationExtension>
                        <dtlx:ExternalPath>GPX/Archive/</dtlx:ExternalPath>
                    </dtlx:DataTypeLocationExtension>
                </Extensions>
                <TransferDirection>OutputFromUnit</TransferDirection>
            </File>
        </DataType>

 

Pretty much exactly what I was describing, however, I have 20 of the GPX files in the Archive, numbered 142-161, meaning the at least some of the first 141 have all gone to binary heaven, and a great deal of tracks (within each archive file) gone. I've captured some of them, some I haven't. I'm quite familiar with the structure of the Nuvi, old and new, because I've had one of some flavor since 2008. The 255W that I had would create a new tracksxxx.GPX file as it filled up the one it had open (roughly 10000 points). Current.gpx had very little info in it other than current position, elevation, time, and heading. With a little diddling, I even got it to report current county with 3rd party maps. The 255W did not record tracks in the Current.gpx file. That was a new thing starting in about 2012, and frankly, I can't really understand WHY there was a need to change the method of saving and archiving the tracks. That's one of the things that actually delayed my 'upgrade' to the 2589 LMT that I now have. But Garmin didn't ask my opinion (nor that of any other semi-advanced user). Other tidbits disappeared in the firmware 'upgrade', too, some of which were cute, some not so much or of much value. My drive designations are K:, M:, and N:. That's strictly a Windows thing, and I've actually had them change a few times when I add a new device. IIRC, the original drive ID's were E, F, and G, because the reassignment hosed up a few scripts I had hard-coded addresses in. Scripts fixed, but still, that's all tangential. Configuring the device as an MTP device makes very little difference in Windows 10, either, except that it's harder to refer to it in scripting.

Garmin protected the nuts and bolts of the GPS OS a little too tightly. There are enough warnings and documents about those warnings as well as an end user license agreement and a dozen other bits and bobs to guarantee that Garmin is not responsible for me bricking my GPS. So why lock it down so tight? One would think that at least SOME of us would realize "I shouldn't have done that!" and can go buy another unit if we brick one. Garmin can only make money if I do. Why not provide decent documentation for those of us that ARE capable of understanding it and changing the performance and purpose of our GPS in ways that do not affect Garmin's intent or copyrights? It isn't like I'm going to find out some kind of top secret information that makes me a Double-Naught Spy. I just want to redirect where the unit keeps it's archives. That is an option in the 60CSX and other units in the GPSMAP line, so I fail to understand why it isn't an option in the Nuvi line.

I guess it's the engineering blood that flows through my body that makes me always want to 'fix' something and make it better. (for me)

 

Now you're asking some of the same questions I've already asked when I first started exploring the internals of this critter, and find myself still asking. Why 20? No, not quite out of room, but there's not much left either. The NA maps plus FourSquare maps take up a LOT of room. Perhaps it has a minimum space limit, dunno. But, yes, 20 does seem like a rather convenient number. As for putting anything on my phone, it's a company phone, and big brother is watching. I give them NOTHING I don't have to. No Android, its an iPhone. The last sentence in #6 is exactly what I have been doing, but as I also said, it isn't always convenient. I have a laptop I carry for work, but just like the phone, it's company issued, and just like the phone, I'll give them nothing I don't have to about my whereabouts.

Finally, as for re-directing the archive to the SD card, that is EXACTLY what I want to do, and why I posted that snippet of the GarminDevice.xml file. I was soliciting knowledge of what the file actually does and how controllable this device was through that file. I wanted to see if it still insists on having only 20 archive files with a whole lot more memory than I can fill up, and also to see if it will continue numbering the files sequentially. Just copied the data yesterday and purged the Archive folder. Considering purging all the language and help files I don't (can't) use as well, which would free up a significant amount of space to see if it will hold more than 20 archive files.