Well, I downloaded the GeoBuddy software to convert file formats from the easyGPS .loc files to a .csv extention and don't seem to be able to make it work. Supposedly that is the main use for GeoBuddy, and there aren't any tutorials or help that come with it. Anyone using this program? If so, what for, and can you steer me in the right direction? TIA-JB

I fooled with GeoBuddy awhile back but didn't use it to convert to csv. I have also used GPSBabel http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/ which converts to and from many formats and has documentation.

ExpertGPS seems to work just fine. I've used GeoBuddy, but just for combining multiple loc files together as one. My copy of GeoBuddy seems to support it too, however. Just gotta remember to make the right selections after clicking on "save as" and one has to type in the extension.

See ya on the hunt!

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Originally posted by AllenLacy:
I fooled with GeoBuddy awhile back but didn't use it to convert to csv. I have also used GPSBabel http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/ which converts to and from many formats and has documentation.

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GPSBabel works great for me.
Never tried GeoBuddy.
If you want to stick with it instead of trying GPSBabel, let me know and I can install it and see if I have any luck.

Kenneth

--- He's so skinny, he has to run around in the shower to get wet.

Ok..I gave up on the GeoBuddy, and now am trying to get GPSBabel to work. Downloaded the zip file, but can't get it to run, something about a missing libexpat.dll file that's right below the exe in my zip program. Found this, but me no understand;

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GPSBabel is written in ISO C and accordingly requires standard tools to build C programs. In most
cases, simply typing 'make' will give you a gpsbabel binary that can then be copied to a location of your choosing. If you get errors about expat.h not being found during the compilation, you must either modify the Makefile to tell your compilation system where to find expat or install expat in a standard place.

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Do you have to be a hacker to use this program? I'm not familiar with this makefile manuver and it seems critical. Any insights?? Thanks for the help so far! -JB

You can ignore the makefile stuff. The GPSBabel is availabe in two forms, a ready to run version and the actual program source. Most people will want the ready to run version. But people that 1) want to see how it works 2) change it to do what they want will get the source and that note about Make is telling them how.

But I went to http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/
Clicked on "Souceforge Project Page" under "Download"

That put me at http://sourceforge.net/projects/gpsbabel

I then clicked on "Download" beside "gpsbabel-beta"

I then clicked "gpsbabel-1.1.1_beta00521003.zip" to get a version that runs on windows.

I clicked one of the download location in US.

Once it downloaded I unzipped all three files into a directory/folder.

I then used windows explorer and clicked on "gpsbabelfront.exe"

It run with no problem, now "gpsbabel.exe" can do more, but you have start a DOS window and give it parameters.

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Originally posted by jbzhow:
Well, I downloaded the GeoBuddy software to convert file formats from the easyGPS .loc files to a .csv extention and don't seem to be able to make it work.

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OK... here are the steps, tell me where it messes up for you.

Open Geobuddy
On main tool bar, click File and then Open
Select your .loc file and open it
On main tool bar, click file and then save-as
Name the new file and select the type "Streets & Trips .csv"
Close the file

Open MicroSoft Streets & Trips
On main tool bar, click Data and then Import Data Wizard
Select the new .csv file you just made (you may have to use the dropdown menu for types of files)
Choose "comma" as the character that separates the fields & click next
Check "first row contains column headings" and click finish
Click on one of the pushpins and then (on the main tool bar) click "data" and "data set properties"
Click the tab for "balloon" and check "information"

That should do it:-)
Good Luck

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The GPSBabel is availabe in two forms, a ready to run version and the actual program source. Most people will want the ready to run version.

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And where do we most people download the ready to run version, as I obviously have the program source version and no clue how to manipulate it properly? Thanks for your replies so far, guys! I'm gonna lick this thing before it licks me!-JB

On the Geobuddy thing, when I try to open a .loc file in GB I get a error message- Unknown tag:9 Maybe my version is corrupt in some way?

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Originally posted by jbzhow:
And where do we most people download the ready to run version, as I obviously have the program source version

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The steps I gave in my previous message is where I downloaded and used the ready to run version for windows.

Thanks for the clarification Allen...Running the gpsbabelfront I get a input-output screen that looks like a converter, but when I try change a .loc file to any other file type I'm getting this error message;
geo:Parse error at 1: syntax error
....??

Worked on my problems some more and was able to convert thru ExpertGPS. By choosing a quick map option, then exporting the resulting file as .csv. Easy enough to open up as pushpins on my Streets and Trips maps, which was my objective. Thanks for the help! -JB

I had found that when I got that error message, I had usually tried to open the file first with easygps and then geobuddy. If I just downloaded the waypoint file and then open it directly with geobuddy, that seemed to solve my error issues.

I have been converting the waypoint files to .csv files for about 2 years now to make my maps. The biggest problem I have is downloading the coords that I have in my GPS to easygps then try to convert them to a .csv file so I can map my waypoints. I fiddled with it for a little while then moved on to other stuff.