Embed track color in GPX file?

[Yogi the Barry]

Does anyone know if you can embed the track color a the GPX file? Issue I'm having with my eTrex 30 is uploading a track to the GPX, having is show up as [usually] purple/magenta, changing the color of the track on the GPS to something like green and then have it turn back to purple a few minutes later. I use Topofusion and have tried to save the GPX file with different color there, but eTrex GPS just changes it back to its favorite and different color. Seems like there should be a way to hack the GPX file with a text editor and embed something in the header...

[ocary]

Tried just now using a Garmin 60Csx and Garmin Basecamp v4.2.5.   Changing the color in Basecamp (double click track -> in the properties window there is a dropdown in the upper right for color) of the track, and then saving the track to a .gpx file has in the XML a gpxx:DisplayColor tag.   Sending the track to the 60Csx via Basecamp seems to apply the color on the track as expected.

XML snippet
    <extensions>
      <gpxx:TrackExtension>
        <gpxx:DisplayColor>Magenta</gpxx:DisplayColor>
      </gpxx:TrackExtension>
    </extensions>

I've never actually done this other than playing around the past couple minutes.  Magenta was the color I picked; basecamp defaults to 'transparent'.    You can get basecamp free from Garmin here:  http://www.garmin.com/en-US/shop/downloads/basecamp

[Yogi the Barry]

Thanks. I was doing a bit of searching on the web and looking at an example GPX file in Notepad. I'll have to experiment with specifying the track color in the tag. Don't know if my GPS will accept the color as text, hex or either. I'm pretty sure that if the color is accepted as text, it has to be in all caps.

Tried just now using a Garmin 60Csx and Garmin Basecamp v4.2.5.   Changing the color in Basecamp (double click track -> in the properties window there is a dropdown in the upper right for color) of the track, and then saving the track to a .gpx file has in the XML a gpxx:DisplayColor tag.   Sending the track to the 60Csx via Basecamp seems to apply the color on the track as expected.

XML snippet
    <extensions>
      <gpxx:TrackExtension>
        <gpxx:DisplayColor>Magenta</gpxx:DisplayColor>
      </gpxx:TrackExtension>
    </extensions>

I've never actually done this other than playing around the past couple minutes.  Magenta was the color I picked; basecamp defaults to 'transparent'.    You can get basecamp free from Garmin here:  http://www.garmin.com/en-US/shop/downloads/basecamp

[rick miller]

Barry, did you ever find a way to change the track color in your etrex?

[Yogi the Barry]

Re: GPX track color
Rick,
I can change the color of the GPX file in TopoFusion, in a text editor and even on my eTrex 30, but it will always revert back to purple on my eTrex 30 after a restart/reboot. Even with Toby's new CTR GPX file, it did the same thing this past weekend during the Colorado Trail Classic. Although I prefer to follow a green track, I'm just learning to like purple more and more. Don't know if it's a bug in my particular 30 or some other issue. I always update the firmware, when new ones become available, hoping that might fix the problem [but it doesn't]. My eT 30 also has the habit of just shutting down 1-3 times a day. Freaks me out, but it always seems to come back to life with a reboot. I keep my tracks under 10K points, delete any extra tracks from the GPS and even turn off any other state maps I don't need. None of that seems to fix the problem.
-Barry

Edit to clarify: The color change is retained in the track when using software to view, like TopoFusion. However, the eTrex 30 will always display the track as purple/magenta.

Barry, did you ever find a way to change the track color in your etrex?

[rick miller]

Re: GPX track color
the eTrex 30 will always display the track as purple/magenta.[/i]

That was my impression from google searches.  My issue is seeing the track against a similar color basemap background (particularly after backlight timeout).  My workaround is to install a custom map with a lighter map background color.  I'll see how it works on the next ride.

You seem to be kind of an etrex guru, so I'll throw another one your way.  My 'distance to next [waypoint] ' field seems to show direct distance.  Is there any way to get the distance along the track?

Thanks for your help.

[Yogi the Barry]

Rick,
Wish I was an eTrex guru. Most of what I've learned comes from GPSFileDepot's web site [link below]...
Re: Waypoint navigation - I don't use the navigation to waypoints feature. Wish I could help you there. As a knee-jerk reaction to having the GPS shut down and/or lock up, about the only GPS features I use are the trip computer dashboard [moving time, elevation gained, etc.] and the map to follow a GPX track. For long and multi-day bikepacking rides, guess I'm a bit paranoid about losing GPS functionality. I will sometimes log a track, for backcountry skiing and/or biking, but more often than not, I'm followng a track I've already drawn-in/uploaded from TopoFusion.
Re: Maps - I installed maps from http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/, instead of purchasing any Garmn products - yes, I'm cheap. From gpsfiledepot, I have maps for the the Four Corners states installed - AZ, UT, NM and CO. I choose to display only the maps I'll need, thinking this helps to speed up the power-on boot.
Re: Screen visibility - I'm going to be able to cheat for this year's CTR at night. I run a little LED light off the back of my dynamo light [intended for the LED tailight I don't use] which I aim onto the GPS' screen. Took me three versions of LEDs to find something that provides enough light, but it works pretty good... as long as I'm able to bike faster than about 5-6 mph. During granny grinds and HAB, when the dynamo light fades down pretty dim, I'll still have to either momentarily turn on the backlight or use my helmet light. Picture here:
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5938.0;attach=4768;image
-Barry

That was my impression from google searches.  My issue is seeing the track against a similar color basemap background (particularly after backlight timeout).  My workaround is to install a custom map with a lighter map background color.  I'll see how it works on the next ride.

You seem to be kind of an etrex guru, so I'll throw another one your way.  My 'distance to next [waypoint] ' field seems to show direct distance.  Is there any way to get the distance along the track?

Thanks for your help.

[djlassmann]

The colour (color) in a gpx track is defined by what is known as an extension.
The script used by Garmin looks like this:

<extensions>
<gpxx:TrackExtension>
<gpxx:DisplayColor>Cyan</gpxx:DisplayColor>
</gpxx:TrackExtension>
</extensions>

(Note that there will likely be other extensions as well as the one for DisplayColor,  I have edited for clarity.)

Some other colours (colors) are Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, White, Black, Grey, DarkRed, DarkGreen, and so on. You can change this with a Garmin Etrex 20 with the Track Manager,  I don't know about other Garmin models.  You can also open the gpx file with a text editor and change it that way.

[Yogi the Barry]

I've tried two different ways to define the GPX track color on my e30.
1) Change the color in Track Manager - the color is changed and then reverts back to purple after the next reboot.
2) Embedding the color of the track using either TopoFusion or a text editor. Using the latter to define the color as a RGB value [red-green-blue]. Seems like I remember values of 0 to 100 for each channel.
However, none of the above techniques worked to permanently change the track color. It seems after a reboot of the e30, the displayed track will always revert to purple. I've finally come to accept it...
-Barry

The colour (color) in a gpx track is defined by what is known as an extension.
The script used by Garmin looks like this:

<extensions>
<gpxx:TrackExtension>
<gpxx:DisplayColor>Cyan</gpxx:DisplayColor>
</gpxx:TrackExtension>
</extensions>

(Note that there will likely be other extensions as well as the one for DisplayColor,  I have edited for clarity.)

Some other colours (colors) are Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, White, Black, Grey, DarkRed, DarkGreen, and so on. You can change this with a Garmin Etrex 20 with the Track Manager,  I don't know about other Garmin models.  You can also open the gpx file with a text editor and change it that way.