GPX Help

What is GPX?

GPS eXchange Format or GPX, is a light-weight XML data format for the interchange of GPS data (waypoints, routes, and tracks) between applications and Web services on the Internet. Whas dat? Yeah, I know. Basically, it's like this: Since no one can agree on a single data storage format for gps data - someone created this GPX format. It stores the data in an XML format, which makes it portable, standard and self descripting. It's a good thing.

Typically, these GPX files can store any combination of GPS Routes, Tracks and Waypoints - or even all three.

More information can be found here.

What can I do with these GPX files?

To start you can plot these routes, tracks and waypoints onto maps. There are several freely available softwares out there that will not only allow you to see this data on maps, but also analyze it in 100 different ways 'till tuesday.

You can also create you own GPX files. For example, you can plot some waypoints you want to visit, or use the GPX trail data we host here on Crankfire and create your own GPS routes to upload onto your GPS.

And I shouldn't have to say it, but using the GPX format allows you to easily store, transport and share this data.

What softwares are available?

To be frank, I am a Windows PC user - so that is really the only arena for this software that I am familiar with. Granted there are solutions for Mac and Linux users, I just don't know much about them.

So to keep this simple, I want to suggest 2 different programs that I use:

1) ExpertGPS - Made by the people that pioneered the GPX format, ExpertGPS is the easiest to use and it has extensive support for uploading and downloading data to and from most GPS brands. It also has a nice map interface and GPX editting abilities. It's a solid piece of software. ExpertGPS is not free though, you can demo it for 30 days. If you don't care for the mapping part of it and are a cheapo, give its little brother EasyGPS a look.

2) Topofusion - This is probably the coolest software out there. It has the basic features like mapping and editting, and they support Garmin and Magellan GPS data transfer. But what makes Topofusion so cool is all the funky stuff you can do with. For example: With a little tech savy, you can import USGS Digital Elevation data and create 3d maps, or lets say you have 3 different tracks and want to combine them into on clean map - you can perform a splining operation to do just that. Overall, it is pretty intuative to use, but some of the fancier features require some getting used to. Though they have a great website that explains things very well. You can demo Topofusion as well, but it costs a couple bucks if you want the 'demo' branded map tiles to go away.