# Exporting .GPX/.KML to Garmin Etrex



## PaintPeelinPbody (Feb 3, 2004)

For this trail project I'm doing I've got a trail design made up in ArcGIS. 

I'd like to take this and put on a slew of older Etrex GPS units I've got access to. 

I've already converted the layer files to .GPX, but I can't seem to find any info on how to load these files onto the GPS unit without MapSource. 

Also, I tested one of the .GPX files in MapMyRide.com, but it added all of these crosses that are not on my layer, what gives?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

If you make stuff in Arc as a shapefile, there's some conversion stuff that gets a little wonky if you make it a .gpx.

The best free tool for you would be MN DNR Garmin that can convert the shapefile and send it to your GPS in a single operation. GPS Babel would probably work, too.

Topfusion is also compatible with shapefiles, though I haven't really used it with them yet to see how it might handle sending one to a GPS.


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## PaintPeelinPbody (Feb 3, 2004)

Ok I've got GPS Babel. Do I just make the output destination the GPS unit? Which file do you think I save it within the GPS?

MN DNR Garmin: Pay Product or free?

Topofusion: Freeware?


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## PaintPeelinPbody (Feb 3, 2004)

Ok the MN DNR Garmin program worked pretty well at getting basic info on and off the GPS, but it doesn't appear to allow me to make polygons. I'll have to mess with it a bit more.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Topofusion has a free version so you can try it out.

Yeah, polygons really aren't going to be supported very well. That's less an issue with MN DNR Garmin and more an issue with the GPS. Your best bet if you want polygon data would be to go the custom map route. You can make your own vector maps for your Garmin with whatever data you want. I think gpsfiledepot has a tutorial on how to pull that off.


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