Topic: Can we merge all track *.ht files into a single one?

[Beaulieu80]

AutoChart change my way of fishing and I love it!

But I do have alot of track files since the lake is very large. Is there a way to merge all track file into a single one?

so I can have one file per lake.

thank you

[Beaulieu80]

Ok, I found a turn arround but it require to buy another produdct 'ReefMaster'.

I have merge all my 76 HT files to 2 big files.

HT file have a maximum of 20 000 tracks points. So what I do is import all HT to ReefMaster, Export them into a single CSV file, split the file manually to two CSV which the first has 19999 tracks.

Convert CSV to HT by using ReefMaster.

[LittleGazoo]

20,000 maximum track-points per track and a maximum of 50 saved tracks. 

I once had ~45 individual tracks for boat-runs(green for running), boat-paths(red for idling), roadbeds(black) and creeks(blue).  I was forced to re-edit track characteristics after every system reset.  I used ReefMaster to merge the ~45 to the 4.

ReefMaster has a Region-Select Tool for editing tracks to copy, delete or create new tracks from selection.  This tool could have been used to split a track.  I have used it to remove sections of unneeded tracks.

By merging tracks into a single track, what you have done is to create a track containing track-segments.  Humminbird HT, Lowrance USRv2/v3/v4/v5 and GPX formats support track-segments.  But program support for track-segments is spotty at best.
Example: Your new tracks are supported on your HB unit, ReefMaster and in HumminbirdPC.  But HBPC will NOT display them correctly with Google Earth.  The GE will have end-points connected and display a spaghetti-bowl of tracks.

HBPC-to-GE should display this:


But HBPC-to-GE will incorrectly display this:
 

ReefMaster and Google Earth are two good programs to work with track-segmented tracks.  They handle these tracks well.

Using ReefMaster, I now mostly work with my tracks as User Maps with the Custom Path definition to directly import track additions/corrections directly with GE .KMZ files.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Beaulieu80,
Why do you need to merge the track files at all?  Once you use them in AutoChart to make the map with you can delete them or at least store them on your computer.

[Beaulieu80]

I do save them to my local computer to free the space of my unit.

To learn how autochart works I need to keep my HT files of all my previous fishing trips so I can edit them and recreate my maps as good as it should look like.

See my image. My chart index keep the reference of all my trips but I would like to keep on BIG ht file so I can at the end have one green box instead of 70+ box to edit.

[LittleGazoo]

What kind of tracks are you merging?

[Beaulieu80]

The Humminbird track HT files. the same as the unit create.

AutoChart allows me to use as many as I want to import them but if you see my image on previous post that I'm starting to have many of them from trip to trip.

I will have same issue when going to other lakes eventually.

I want to merge them by lake if we can so if I need to generate a new version or add new data. it will be easier to manage instead of hundrends of them.

[LittleGazoo]

I meant by what type of track, creek, roadbed, boat-track, etc.

Your image shows alot of overlayed squares?  Some track parts transverse over land?

[Beaulieu80]

Nothing goes over the land no. Just in the water. Basic map track, default map from Zeroline card.

[foxtrotuniform]

Ok, I found a turn arround but it require to buy another produdct 'ReefMaster'.

I have merge all my 76 HT files to 2 big files.

HT file have a maximum of 20 000 tracks points. So what I do is import all HT to ReefMaster, Export them into a single CSV file, split the file manually to two CSV which the first has 19999 tracks.

Convert CSV to HT by using ReefMaster.

Just a heads up, Reefmaster will split the HT files for you if they go over the 21K point limit. It will output 000.HT, 001.HT, 002.HT... as many times as needed to contain all the track points.

Just a heads up that could save you a manual step.

[Beaulieu80]

I manage to fix this by creating a tool that merge them into groups of 21k each.

I have attach a ZIP with my tool inside.

-First go grab the ReefMaster tool
-Import all your HT file into the ReefMaster
-Export all you HT files into a single GPX file by Reefmaster
-Open my tool, select the GPX and click on Generate (this will split into groups of...)

-Remove all your tracks from ReefMaster tool
-Import back the new GPX created by my tool into ReefMaster
-Export back the GPX into Humminbird HT files

this way you can maximize each HT files to handle your AutoChart maps with fewer files for each lakes