GPX to TCS: speed lost

[sebspi]

Hello,

I'm trying to build a TCX file (for Garmin Connect upload and to be able to use the Virtual Partner...) with speed information. Refering to the v2 TCX spec I was expecting something like this:


<Trackpoint>
<Time>2012-08-01T16:15:07.000Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>45.3647109400481</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>5.9478251449763775</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<AltitudeMeters>329.0</AltitudeMeters>
<DistanceMeters>46.060001373291016</DistanceMeters>
<HeartRateBpm>
<Value>118</Value>
</HeartRateBpm>
<Extensions>
<TPX xmlns="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/ActivityExtension/v2">
<Speed>2.4830000400543213</Speed>
</TPX>
</Extensions>
</Trackpoint>

(speed is in meter/second!)

Unfortunately the tcx file produce does not contain any speed data; whereas saving as GPX I get some speed tags:


<extensions>
<nmea:speed>7.6</nmea:speed>
</extensions>


Is this a bug or a functionality of the TCX format that is not supported? Are there any plans to support this?

Thks,
Best regards,
Sebastien Spieser

[routeconverter]

Is this a bug or a functionality of the TCX format that is not supported? Are there any plans to support this?

This is not a bug. You're referring to something that is explicitely called extension and expect it to work out of the box

Are there any plans to support this?

I guess its as easy to support Garmins ActivityExtension as it is for all the other GPX extensions. Please provide the following information:

• Which application is using the extension?
  
• Do you have an XML Schema for http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/ActivityExtension/v2 ?
  
• Can you provide me with complete example files?
  
• Did you experience problems with corrupted files like described here?
  

[sebspi]

Hello Christian,
Thanks for your answer ; I'll check and reply this evening I guess!
Regards,
Sebastien

[sebspi]

Hello Christian,
Finally I'm not sure this will address my need; anyway here are some explanations:

• Which application is using the extension?
  

This extension is generated when exporting stored activities from Garmin Connect http://connect.garmin.com/. Those files can then be uploaded back to my GPS device (Garmin Forerunner 310XT) and allow me to "compete" against/with a virtual partner (when redoing the same course)... When using other TCX files (generated from non-Garmin tools) the virtual partner does not start to run: I was assuming the position information itself was not enough, and some other information were missing; the speed...

• Do you have an XML Schema for http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/ActivityExtension/v2 ?
  

Here is the specification guide: http://developer.garmin.com/schemas/tcx/v2/

• Can you provide me with complete example files?
  

The attached file "activity_205457812.tcx" is an actual file from GarminConnect. Unfortunately I do not have on the PC here the files I tried to convert last Week end...

• Did you experience problems with corrupted files like described here?
  

No, it's not the point here.

Finally the speed extension tag does not seem to allow my Virtual Partner to be effective; some heading data seem to be more usefull... more informations later this week may be if I have the time to do some other testing...
I'll let you know which data definitely is required for my Garmin device (I have the feeling the heading tags TotalTimeSeconds / DistanceMeters / MaximumSpeed are required... TBC...)

Best regards,
S

[sebspi]

Hello Christian,
Finally I am not sure those extensions would cover my need... Anyway here are some explanations.

• Which application is using the extension?
  

Garmin Connect http://connect.garmin.com produces TCX files with this extensions when downloading stored activities.

• Do you have an XML Schema for http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/ActivityExtension/v2 ?
  

Here is the specification quide: [url][/url]

[*]Can you provide me with complete example files?
[*]Did you experience problems with corrupted files like described here?
[/list]
[/quote]

• Which application is using the extension?
  
• Do you have an XML Schema for http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/ActivityExtension/v2 ?
  
• Can you provide me with complete example files?
  
• Did you experience problems with corrupted files like described here?
  

[/quote]

[sebspi]

Is this a bug or a functionality of the TCX format that is not supported? Are there any plans to support this?

This is not a bug. You're referring to something that is explicitely called extension and expect it to work out of the box

Are there any plans to support this?

I guess its as easy to support Garmins ActivityExtension as it is for all the other GPX extensions. Please provide the following information:

• Which application is using the extension?
  
• Do you have an XML Schema for http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/ActivityExtension/v2 ?
  
• Can you provide me with complete example files?
  
• Did you experience problems with corrupted files like described here?
  

[sebspi]

Hello,

Finally I think this change would not cover my need... but let me answer anyway and provide some explanations.

• Which application is using the extension?

The TCX files exported from Garmin Connect http://connect.garmin.com contain those extensions, when exporting stored activities.

• Do you have an XML Schema for http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/ActivityExtension/v2 ?

Here is the specification guide: http://developer.garmin.com/schemas/tcx/v2/

• Can you provide me with complete example files?

The attached file is an export from Garmin Connect.

• Did you experience problems with corrupted files like described here?

No, that's not the point here.

[routeconverter]

Finally I think this change would not cover my need...

Now I'm confused. What exactly is your need then?

[sebspi]

Hello again Christian,
Let me explain a bit what I'm trying to do, and why I was disurbing you...

I'm using a Garmin Forerunner 310XT; to prepare and plan more precisely my trainings, I use an external tool (Course Generator) to define precisely a course and the speed of sub parts of the course to be more realistic (ie, do not use an average speed but instead define a speed for each specific path, depending on the terrain or steep or...). Then I upload the course (as a TCX) into Garmin Connect, which is the tool to use to upload data to my device... And then I can play de course on my device: no problem...

Except that the Virtual Partner (a small guy picture displayed on the screen to monitor where I am: ahead, behind, the plan) does not start!!
So I was assuming it was because of the speed data, not present in my TCX (and I was trying to use RouteConverter to compute and add the speed into the TCX file...). I assume it is required, but it is not sufficient: some heading tags (ie TotalTimeSeconds / DistanceMeters / MaximumSpeed) may also be effective (whereas initially I had non sense values) to let my Virtual Partner function...

In short, yes it would be nice if the speed extension could be added to the TCX export; but I'm afraid on my side I then will have to do some other investigations...

Hope this clarifies a bit,
Best regards,
Seb

[routeconverter]

In short, yes it would be nice if the speed extension could be added to the TCX export; but I'm afraid on my side I then will have to do some other investigations...

Hi sebspi,

I'd like to spend time to let RouteConverter read and write the speed extension. But since you've said

I was assuming it was because of the speed data, not present in my TCX (and I was trying to use RouteConverter to compute and add the speed into the TCX file...). I assume it is required, but it is not sufficient: some heading tags (ie TotalTimeSeconds / DistanceMeters / MaximumSpeed) may also be effective (whereas initially I had non sense values) to let my Virtual Partner function...

please do some tests first to verify that we - you and I - understand which data is required for Virtual Partner to function properly. The best way is to use a text editor, take a very simple TCX file, that works in Virtual Partner and then step by step remove parts of it such that it finally matches the output that RouteConverter currently produces. Alternatively you could add data to a file that RouteConverter produces until it's working in Virtual Partner.

In the end, we need to know which data is currently missing for Virtual Partner and what should be written by RouteConverter.

Hope this clarifies a bit,

Yes, that helps.