Garmin MapSource - gdb (gdb)
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## Garmin MapSource - gdb (gdb)

This format can...

- read and write waypoints

- read and write tracks

- read and write routes

This format has the following options: cat, bitscategory, ver, via, roadbook .

Support for the "Garmin GPS Database" format used by default in MapSource™ versions since release 6.0 of that product. By default GPSBabel creates gdb files of version 2. Version 2 is used in Mapsource 6.3 and 6.5. This format is also used by Garmin BaseCamp™ for Mac and Windows.

Garmin GPS database is an undocumented file format. The basic info for this module came from the existing MapSource conversion code.

### `cat` option

Default category on output (1..16).

This option specifies the default category for gdb output. It should be a number from 1 to 16.

### `bitscategory` option

Bitmap of categories.

This option is closely related to the 'category' option. While category allows you to choose a single category that waypoints should appear in, this options allows you to specify a bitmask to be used for the category. Options may be specified in either decimal or hex.

Example 3.6. Example for gdb bitcategory option to put all waypoints in categories 1 and 16.

The following two commands are equivalent. They place a the point in both the first and last of the sixteen available categories. `gpsbabel -i gpx -f PocketQuery.gpx -o gdb,bitscategory=32769 -F foo.gdb` `gpsbabel -i gpx -f PocketQuery.gpx -o gdb,bitscategory=0x8001 -F foo.gdb`

### `ver` option

Version of gdb file to generate (1..3).

This option specifies the data format version for the output file. Version 2 is the default. Currently, the only other valid values for this option are 1 and 3.

### `via` option

Drop route points that do not have an equivalent waypoint (hidden points).

This option instructs GPSBabel to drop hidden (calculated) points from routes.

### `roadbook` option

Include major turn points (with description) from calculated route.

If this option is specified, GPSBabel drops all calculated route points, with exception of points with a description (i.e. "Make U-turns until you know where you are."). The priority of this option is higher than of the `via` option. A value of 1 or y overwrites the `via` settings.

Example 3.7. Using gdb option `roadbook` to create simple html roadbook

`gpsbabel -i gdb,roadbook -f sample.gdb -x nuketypes,waypoints,tracks -x transform,wpt=rte -o html -F roadbook.html`

Because gdb internally creates a route AND a waypoint list, you have to drop all waypoints and transform the route into waypoints in order to get a well ordered html output. We suggest these steps for all waypoint-only formats as html.

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