Am I the only person on earth with a Garmin Zumo XT and a Mac computer?

[Phmode]

OK, I know it's my fault entirely but I can't be the only one who is trying to use a Mac to do stuff on a Zumo XT.

Firstly, the XT will not talk to any Mac. Garmin say you have to use a 3rd party piece of shite software called Android File Transfer (but we don't support it cos it isn't ours...)

This worked at first although it was very clunky but then I just tried to update my POI's using the ubiquitous POI Loader. Well, it was all going so well until POI loader asked me where I wanted the chosen file put. And the only option was 'computer'. No way to put it on the Garmin. So I tried that and it went ahead  said 'Congratulations, you have successfully installed 17,893 POI's on your COMPUTER!!!'

Well, perhaps I have to put it in the AFT thingy which is a bit like File Manager or Finder. Open it and it just says it has to close. OK. Reopen it and it says no Android devices found, please connect ... etc. etc.

Garmin Express can see the XT and is happy to update it so it is connected and is not a cable issue.

Of course, being a weekend when all the sat nag users want to be out and about, Garmin are closed.

Anyone else daft enough to have gone the Mac and XT Route?

[TomL]

I found this here https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/garmin-zumo-xt.1431553/page-24

The Zumo XT is apparently an Android device. It cannot be mounted as a drive in the Mac Finder. But a USB connection can be recognized by certain apps -- BUT only one at a time. So plug in the XT via USB, and Garmin Express will recognize it without issue (and automatically, if you have its icon up in your menu bar). But no other app can see it at the same time.

If you quit out of Express (not just the app, also the Garmin Express Service -- click on the triangle icon in your menu bar and select Quit), you can then open Basecamp and it will see the XT and make it available (see screenshot below). You can use Basecamp as normal and transfer data in the usual way.


Another option is to use the Android File Transfer app on macOS to access the XT's filesystem (again, you have to quit out of Express, Basecamp, etc first). Then you can drop a GPX file directly onto the XT, or retrieve screenshots or whatever from the XT.

As I've mentioned before, going through the Garmin Drive iOS app also works well. This will let you share a GPX file to the XT, and you can also share a recorded track from the XT back to the Drive app (from which you can subsequently Airdrop it to your Mac). The one drawback here is that there's no way of retrieving any screen shots you've saved -- only way I've found to do that is through Android File Transfer.

[Phmode]

Thanks Tom.

However, although the Android File Transfer worked for routes it was clunky to say the least and now every time it opens it says it has to close, which is as much use as a chocolate teapot.

It is way easier, for me, to use MyRoute App and just port routes over using Garmin Drive from my phone or my iPad. Simples!

The problem is that the only way to get POI's, like speed cameras, into a Garmin is via POI Loader as far as I know. And POI Loader now does NOT give the option of putting the database files on the Garmin, only onto the computer which is where they are to start with, so again, chocolate teapot. I 'miht' make it work via Android FT if it would stay open long enough to be of any use to me.

Nothing on God's little green earth will ever get me to use BaseCrap. I used to use MapSource which was clunky and long-winded but at least it was stable and understandable.

The world has moved on and MyRoute App is the way forward for me with a big-screen iPhone as a navigator using the upcoming MRA Navigator Next.

In the meantime, I just need Garmin to admit they were wrong and make the thing talk to a Mac with something that they DO support and which gives useful error messages rather than just saying it needs to close.

[andym2]

I've got a Zumo XT and a Mac. I think it works with Basecamp... I'll have to go and check now though.

[andym2]

It does work with Basecamp, but I was actually thinking of Explore. Explore.garmin.com lets you import waypoints and change the icon, then you can choose which collections display on the map. Explore syncs directly to the Zumo XT, if you've configured wifi on it, though it can take a while.

[Phmode]

Thanks for that.

Unfortunately, BaseCrap is a none starter for me. Totally incomprehensible and way old fashioned.

So, is Explore something additional to Garmin Drive?

[black-k1]

A PC is the easiest solution.