Bringing Garmin GPS Data Into ArcView 3.2 with DNRGarmin

1
Bringing Garmin GPS Data Into ArcView 3.2 with
DNRGarmin

• John Q. Murray
• Murray Information Services, Inc.

2
Download the software

• Available from http//www.dnr.state.mn.us/ mis/
  gis/ tools/ arcview/ extensions/ DNRGarmin/
  DNRGarmin.html 
• A copy is also available on http//www.murrayinfo.
  com/ gis-course

3
Install the DNRGarmin extension

• Unzip the file DNRGarmin_Setup
• Run the Setup program
• Copy the .exe file to the directory
  esri/av_gis30/arcview/bin32
• Copy the .avx file to the directory
  esri/av_gis30/arcview/ext32

4
Start ArcView 3.2, and select the DNRGarmin
extension

• Make the extension available to your ArcView
  project
• A new menu for DNRGarmin is created

5
Set the default projection

• From the DNR Garmin menu, select the Set
  Projection command
• Set the default projection to State Plane 1983
• Select Montana

6
Open the Garmin GPS

• From the DNR Garmin menu, select Open Garmin
  GPS
• The following dialog is displayed

7
Connect the GPS unit

• Verify the data cable is connected to the
  computer
• You may need to change the settings at Assign
  Port
• Status changes from Not connected to Connected

8
Download waypoints

• From the Waypoint menu, select the command
  Download
• A small dialog displays when it is complete
• Click the Advanced button to see more

9
You can edit the points

• Delete points that you do not want in your
  shapefile
• Select the points, then click on the X button

10
Save the points as a shapefile

• From the File menu, select Save As and select
  ArcView Shapefile
• Specify a file name

11
ArcView adds the waypoints

• The shapefile appears in the views table of
  contents click to make it visible

12
The GPS points are projected

• The theme uses the default projection that we set
  to Montana State Plane (meters)
• You can also use the Projection Utility if needed

13
Download the track data

• From the Track menu, click Download
• A message displays the number of records
  successfully transferred from GPS to PC

14
Save the track as a line theme

• From the File menu, select Save As and ArcView
  Shapefile
• In the Output Shape dialog, select Line and
  click OK

15
Create a new shapefile

• Add the tracks as a New Shapefile
• Click OK

• Specify the shapefile name
• Click OK

16
Add the shapefile as a new theme

• From the View menu, select Add theme
• From the Add Theme dialog, select the
  newly-created file, click OK to add the track
  theme to the view

17
The new shapefile is displayed

• (my route this morning along I-90 to the
  Sidetrack Café in Alberton for breakfast)

18
Close the DNRGarmin extension

• All data is present in shapefile format
• From the File menu, select Exit