6

I want to read GPX track points with their time stamps into QGIS. I try GPS Tools, GPX Conversions, Waypoints from a track.

This fails on my PC at office (QGIS code revision d94c044). Sometimes QGIS stalls with high CPU usage, but most times I get an error "The layer C:/Daten/CurrT.gpx?type=waypoint is not a valid layer and can not be added to the map".

It works on my Laptop at home (QGIS code revision ebebdf3), but the created features don't contain timestamps. Fields are name, elevation, comment, description, source, url, url name.

How should I proceed?

BTW both versions of QGIS insist "You are running the current version of QGIS" and don't offer updates. Is it reasonable to re-install the (apparently) same version of QGIS from time to time?

Improve this question
3
  • 1
    Check in gpsvisualizer.com/convert_input +advanced select Duplicate as waypoints:with timestamps output as plain text and load in QGIS>Layer >Add Delimited Text Layer
    – Mapperz ♦
    Commented Nov 27, 2013 at 20:53
  • 3
    Would opening the GPX file as an input vector solve the problem?
    – Ryan Garnett
    Commented Nov 27, 2013 at 21:29
  • Mapperz: Thanks for the pointer. I want to process the data local, so probably will end writing a python script for this.
    – Redoute
    Commented Nov 28, 2013 at 7:48

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
13

Ryan Garnett gave the simple solution as comment: Layer, Add Vector Layer, MyGPX.gpx, then select "track_points" works perfect.

Improve this answer
1
  • indeed -- for those with newer Garmin GPSs which allow one to access the internal storage as a USB drive this is a much better way of loading the data.
    – Russell Fulton
    Commented May 12, 2014 at 6:26
1

I had something similar a while back.

Have a look at the GPX file (in a plain text editor) to make sure wpt all have <time></time> tags. It can happen that some don't. My case was GPX originating from a small Garmin where a single "saved track" amidst the active log resulted in the problem.

Removing the records which have no time (such as in the first 6 lines below) did the trick for me. Perhaps it is just that. Good luck! ...

<wpt lat="-33.800293012" lon="151.283615911">
  <ele>16.479736</ele>
  <name>WPT2995</name>                 # ooops no time!
  <cmt>WPT2995</cmt>
  <desc>WPT2995</desc>
</wpt>
<wpt lat="49.256153500" lon="-78.116246384">
  <ele>396.200562</ele>
  <time>2013-05-11T15:33:39Z</time>    # good !
  <name>WPT2996</name>
  <cmt>WPT2996</cmt>
  <desc>WPT2996</desc>
</wpt>
...
Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    Also, check that the timezone shown is Z. From the GPX schema: "Creation/modification timestamp for element. Date and time in are in Univeral Coordinated Time (UTC), not local time! Conforms to ISO 8601 specification for date/time representation."
    – BradHards
    Commented Nov 27, 2013 at 22:32
  • I double checked one GPX result, that is after using GPX Conversions. All wpt elements contain a time element in the range "2013-11-26T06:06:52Z" - "2013-11-26T07:37:30Z". Only the subsequent import as QGIS layer seems to fail.
    – Redoute
    Commented Nov 28, 2013 at 8:03

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.