Converting .USR data

[Guest 1]

Can anyone tell me how I can convert Lowrance .USR waypoint data to an Excel spreadsheet? I have my unit set up to report the lat/long in degrees then minutes it would look something like this

WP 001
42° 35.344’ 83° 16.934’

I would like the data to show in columns in excel with the WP#, Lat., and Long. each in it's own columns. I managed to get the data to excel from map create 6 but it outputs my data in deg-min-sec and it wasn't easy to do. I could convert the data but I would rather find a way to do it without the added steps. Anyone got any ideas??

[Dipstick]

Open up your MapCreate

1. Click on "View"

2. Click on "Map Display Options"

3. Click on "Position Format"

4. Select "Degree, Minute

Tight Lines

[Guest 1]

Thanks, I tried that last night but now when I load the .txt file into Excel it outputs the data like this.
WP 001
42.892384948 83.398928323
I need the data to end up in columns in Excel that have this format
WP 001
42° 35.344’ 83° 16.934’
Does anyone got any suggestions how I can do this?? I would prefer not to have to spend any cash to do this if there is some freeware around that will do this.
Thanks

[frozen fish]

Exel is not going to let you store anything unless it's stored in decimal format (or other format acceptable to Exel) but certainly not in the format you want. You'll have to store your waypoints in decimal format in Exel and then convert them to degrees, minutes, seconds.
There are formulae to do this (can be found on Google) or the GPS units will convert them from decimal format.

[Mile High Eyes]

I haven't tried exactly what you want to do, but I'd be willing to bet that Ozi Explorer would let you modify the .usr data anyway you want, then export it as a .txt or .xls file. Ozi Explorer is free for the demo software, and I found it so good, I forked over the money for the full software. Not only does it work great for editing and managing your .usr, but it easily loads .jpegs that you can use for basemaps. This allows me to scan in my paper maps, georeference it, then lay the trails, waypoints, and icons on top. IMO, its much better than Map Create, even the demo version.

No, I'm not a sales rep for Ozi Explorer. Maybe I should be.

[Crankbaiter]

Guest 1,
There is a way to do it but I am wondering why you want to? Are you trying to import your waypoints into another brand software that doesnt accept .usr files.
If so theres an easier way to do it if not send me a pm and I can help.

[Dipstick]

Oziexplorer stores your scanned charts as raster maps and these are not downloadable into your gps unit. Only the data such as wpts,icons,routes, trails are transferable. MapCreate allows you to download the map into the gps. I used both MarCreate and Oziexplorer. I have also bought digital hydrographic charts on a CD. These load directly into Oziexplorer and are extremely accurate in marking wpts, icons and routes. Oziexplorer is an awsome tool, but I find it even more valuable when used with Mapcreate to make maps that I can actually download into the gps. I prefer the OziExplorer maps for printing.

Tightlines

[Guest 1]

>Guest 1,
>There is a way to do it but I am wondering why you want to?
>Are you trying to import your waypoints into another brand
>software that doesnt accept .usr files.
>If so theres an easier way to do it if not send me a pm and I
>can help.

I want it in Excel so I can use the sort and filters of Excel to search through thousands of WP's.

I did find a solution last night. I downloaded a free software called GPSBable; it converts several different types of WP data and converts them to other types. I had to try a few different types but I found one that could be opened in excel and it would display correctly. If anyone else needs to know exactly how it’s done I can post the details tonight.

[Crankbaiter]

If your sorting thousands (or a few) waypoints so you can seperate them out by lake and organise, save and store them in seperate files then you are taking a lot of extra steps. That can be done in a few minutes within Mapcreate.
But maybe your trying to do somthing else?

[Guest 1]

>If your sorting thousands (or a few) waypoints so you can
>seperate them out by lake and organise, save and store them in
>seperate files then you are taking a lot of extra steps. That
>can be done in a few minutes within Mapcreate.
>But maybe your trying to do somthing else?
Just need the filter and sort ability of excel. Mapcreate does not have sort and filter ability