HumminbirdPC version compatible with Solix?

[mdwhitten]

I've downloaded version 4.6.1 which works fine with Helix units, but the instructions indicate it is not for use with Solix files.

Is there a version that is compatible with Solix waypoint files?

[Wayne P.]

I've downloaded version 4.6.1 which works fine with Helix units, but the instructions indicate it is not for use with Solix files.

Is there a version that is compatible with Solix waypoint files?

No not anything Humminbird has, to use the data from a Helix, load them to HBPC which creates a file with SD and the date.
Click on the file name to turn it blue, then go to the top left to Files, then Save As GPX to a memory card.
Some of the icons symbols won't be the same since the operating software is different between SOLIX and Helix.
SOLIX waypoints are small icons in boxes, Helix waypoints are just icons.

To load SOLIX waypoints to HBPC, after exporting, you do File Open and select the memory card as the source. Then you can do the card symbol with arrows to load the new file with MATRIX folder so you can upload to a Helix. Still some of the waypoint icons will not carry over.

[SLYDoggie]

No not anything Humminbird has, to use the data from a Helix, load them to HBPC which creates a file with SD and the date.
Click on the file name to turn it blue, then go to the top left to Files, then Save As GPX to a memory card.
Some of the icons symbols won't be the same since the operating software is different between SOLIX and Helix.
SOLIX waypoints are small icons in boxes, Helix waypoints are just icons.

To load SOLIX waypoints to HBPC, after exporting, you do File Open and select the memory card as the source. Then you can do the card symbol with arrows to load the new file with MATRIX folder so you can upload to a Helix. Still some of the waypoint icons will not carry over.

Wayne, I may have some corrupt NAV data on my Solix and just used Humminbird PC version 4.6.1 this morning (before I saw this post) to look at the exported Solix NAV Data file. Humminbird PC opened the file just fine and I went through my 467 waypoints and did see one waypoint with all zeros in the Latitude and Longitude information. I just deleted the waypoint in Humminbird PC, and saved the edited file as a replacement on the SD card. The Solix did read this file and I had 466 Waypoints after the Waypoint Import process so the edit apparently did work. I still get a message when I do the Nave Data Import that not everything could be loaded. I was getting this message before and that is what prompted me to go through this process.

Is there a good tutorial for using Humminbird PC with the Solix? I just want to clean up the Waypoints and Tracks... I don't have any saved Routes. Humminbird sent me an email with instructions but it is extremely high level and doesn't even cover how to get the updated information back onto the Solix.

FYI, I'm on the latest V4.020 on the Solix.

[Mike2718]

Wayne, I may have some corrupt NAV data on my Solix and just used Humminbird PC version 4.6.1 this morning (before I saw this post) to look at the exported Solix NAV Data file. Humminbird PC opened the file just fine and I went through my 467 waypoints and did see one waypoint with all zeros in the Latitude and Longitude information. I just deleted the waypoint in Humminbird PC, and saved the edited file as a replacement on the SD card. The Solix did read this file and I had 466 Waypoints after the Waypoint Import process so the edit apparently did work. I still get a message when I do the Nave Data Import that not everything could be loaded. I was getting this message before and that is what prompted me to go through this process.

Is there a good tutorial for using Humminbird PC with the Solix? I just want to clean up the Waypoints and Tracks... I don't have any saved Routes. Humminbird sent me an email with instructions but it is extremely high level and doesn't even cover how to get the updated information back onto the Solix.

FYI, I'm on the latest V4.020 on the Solix.

Did you delete your NAV data from your unit after you exported it from your unit? If you didn't delete your data, when you "re-imported" the data back to your unit, it really didn't "re-import" anything since the data was still on the unit. Your Solix will not load duplicate data so will get that message. It "sees" all the waypoints on the card but is telling you it didn't re-import everything. Other times I have seen that message is when you load a Solix file to HumminbirdPC then load it back to your Solix. Even though Solix and Helix use gpx, they have a slightly different format and contain a slightly different file structure. When you open a file in HumminbirdPC, it will add Helix extensions and nodes to the file and when you load it back to a Solix, the Solix will only load the nodes and extensions that are native to a Solix gpx and will not load nodes and extensions that it does not have in common with a Helix. A waypoint that contains all zeros in the Latitude and Longitude is not a corrupt waypoint. It represents the dividing line of East and West Longitudes and it also represents the dividing line between North and South Latitudes which is also the Equator. It is the beginning of all Latitudes and Longitudes. That has happened to me before when I saved a waypoint but didn't have a GPS satellite lock, it defaults to the "Zero Latitude & Longitude". It has never caused an issue to my unit but I do delete that waypoint when it does occur.

[Wayne P.]

Wayne, I may have some corrupt NAV data on my Solix and just used Humminbird PC version 4.6.1 this morning (before I saw this post) to look at the exported Solix NAV Data file. Humminbird PC opened the file just fine and I went through my 467 waypoints and did see one waypoint with all zeros in the Latitude and Longitude information. I just deleted the waypoint in Humminbird PC, and saved the edited file as a replacement on the SD card. The Solix did read this file and I had 466 Waypoints after the Waypoint Import process so the edit apparently did work. I still get a message when I do the Nave Data Import that not everything could be loaded. I was getting this message before and that is what prompted me to go through this process.

Is there a good tutorial for using Humminbird PC with the Solix? I just want to clean up the Waypoints and Tracks... I don't have any saved Routes. Humminbird sent me an email with instructions but it is extremely high level and doesn't even cover how to get the updated information back onto the Solix.

FYI, I'm on the latest V4.020 on the Solix.

Have not seen any tutorials with SOLIX/ONIX/ION and HumminbirdPC. It's not compatible so I guess no one has bothered.

You click on the new file to highlight it blue then do File/Save As GPX to a memory card to put the data in a SOLIX.

[SLYDoggie]

Did you delete your NAV data from your unit after you exported it from your unit? If you didn't delete your data, when you "re-imported" the data back to your unit, it really didn't "re-import" anything since the data was still on the unit. Your Solix will not load duplicate data so will get that message. It "sees" all the waypoints on the card but is telling you it didn't re-import everything. Other times I have seen that message is when you load a Solix file to HumminbirdPC then load it back to your Solix. Even though Solix and Helix use gpx, they have a slightly different format and contain a slightly different file structure. When you open a file in HumminbirdPC, it will add Helix extensions and nodes to the file and when you load it back to a Solix, the Solix will only load the nodes and extensions that are native to a Solix gpx and will not load nodes and extensions that it does not have in common with a Helix. A waypoint that contains all zeros in the Latitude and Longitude is not a corrupt waypoint. It represents the dividing line of East and West Longitudes and it also represents the dividing line between North and South Latitudes which is also the Equator. It is the beginning of all Latitudes and Longitudes. That has happened to me before when I saved a waypoint but didn't have a GPS satellite lock, it defaults to the "Zero Latitude & Longitude". It has never caused an issue to my unit but I do delete that waypoint when it does occur.

Yes, I saved the Nav data in the "Files" utility on the Solix then did a NAV data reset to defaults and the Waypoints, Tracks, Groups, and Routes were all it was all empty at that point. If I then import the data (which was saved in the "Files" utility) using the "Files" utility, I get the message that not all data was saved... This is before any use of Humminbird PC. It just seems strange that the "Files" Utility would export something it can't import.

I started looking at this because I have several strange issues with the Solix which lingered from 3.980 into the 4.020 update and I knew that Humminbird Tech Support would recommend this as one of the first diagnosis steps... Which they did.

[SLYDoggie]

Have not seen any tutorials with SOLIX/ONIX/ION and HumminbirdPC. It's not compatible so I guess no one has bothered.

You click on the new file to highlight it blue then do File/Save As GPX to a memory card to put the data in a SOLIX.

Thanks for verifying Wayne. I looked everywhere I knew to look and didn't find anything.

[Mike2718]

Yes, I saved the Nav data in the "Files" utility on the Solix then did a NAV data reset to defaults and the Waypoints, Tracks, Groups, and Routes were all it was all empty at that point. If I then import the data (which was saved in the "Files" utility) using the "Files" utility, I get the message that not all data was saved... This is before any use of Humminbird PC. It just seems strange that the "Files" Utility would export something it can't import.

I started looking at this because I have several strange issues with the Solix which lingered from 3.980 into the 4.020 update and I knew that Humminbird Tech Support would recommend this as one of the first diagnosis steps... Which they did.

You can try to see if it is a corrupt waypoint or maybe a corrupt track. Instead of exporting using the "Files" menu, export your waypoints using the "Waypoints" menu. This will export only waypoints. Do the same thing for your tracks. You will now have 2 different files. One file will contain only waypoints and the other file will contain only tracks. Reset your "Nav Data" and reload your waypoint file and see if you still get the message you were getting previously. Reset your "Nav Data" then load the track file and see if you are getting the message your were getting previously. If something is corrupt, this may narrow it down to either a corrupt waypoint or corrupt track or maybe both.

P.M. Sent

[SLYDoggie]

You can try to see if it is a corrupt waypoint or maybe a corrupt track. Instead of exporting using the "Files" menu, export your waypoints using the "Waypoints" menu. This will export only waypoints. Do the same thing for your tracks. You will now have 2 different files. One file will contain only waypoints and the other file will contain only tracks. Reset your "Nav Data" and reload your waypoint file and see if you still get the message you were getting previously. Reset your "Nav Data" then load the track file and see if you are getting the message your were getting previously. If something is corrupt, this may narrow it down to either a corrupt waypoint or corrupt track or maybe both.

P.M. Sent

Excellent idea. Hadn't thought of using the separate export function in the Nav section. Will give that a try.

[Hollada]

Solix are prone to nav data corruptions - and it’s nothing you will see in the nav data you export. It’s a fault of some kind in the software. I believe it’s a memory leak, but that’s neither here nor there. When your units start acting funky you need to erase the nav data (nav reset) on any connected unit with the other units turned off and then do a factory restore. Do this on each unit on the network with the other units turned off.

Save your nav data first.

[SLYDoggie]

Solix are prone to nav data corruptions - and it’s nothing you will see in the nav data you export. It’s a fault of some kind in the software. I believe it’s a memory leak, but that’s neither here nor there. When your units start acting funky you need to erase the nav data on any connected unit with the other units turned off and then do a factory restore. Do this on each unit on the network with the other units turned off.

I don't think a Factory Restore touches the NAV Data. I've always been under the impression that you do a NAV Data Export in the Files utility, followed by a NAV Data Restore in the Recovery Settings, then followed by a NAV Data Import in the Files Utility.

That basically clears and reloads the NAV Data. I guess you could also do a Factory Restore after doing the NAV Data Restore and before the NAV Data Import for good measure.

Is this not the correct procedure?

[Hollada]

I don't think a Factory Restore touches the NAV Data. I've always been under the impression that you do a NAV Data Export in the Files utility, followed by a NAV Data Restore in the Recovery Settings, then followed by a NAV Data Import in the Files Utility.

That basically clears and reloads the NAV Data. I guess you could also do a Factory Restore after doing the NAV Data Restore and before the NAV Data Import for good measure.

Is this not the correct procedure?

To clean the unit, save your nav data then do a nav reset followed by a factory restore with all other units turned off. Then Reload your data. That’s the procedure I follow when my units start acting strange which happens 3-4 times a season.