Route (RXF) File Import/Export Format
Introduction
Terrain Navigator Pro allows the export of route layers to a text file. This enables you to share your routes with others, to create archive copies, or to transfer the layer information to and from similar programs. While the file extension of these route text files is .RXF, these are text files (sometimes referred to as ASCII files), and can be opened and edited with any text editor (including Windows Notepad.)Importing Routes
To import routes that were previously exported, or route text files that were created by hand or from another application, go to the File menu, choose Import, Routes and select the file where the routes are saved. Click Open. Terrain Navigator Pro imports your routes, and displays a message telling you how many routes were imported. The routes will automatically appear in their proper locations on the map, in their proper color.Creating a Route outside of Terrain Navigator Pro
If you have coordinate data that you would like to transfer to Terrain Navigator Pro for display as a route, you can create RXF files in Windows Notepad, Wordpad, or a word-processing program. Simply follow the format outlined below.Transferring a Route to Another Application
Use the Export Routes command to save the desired route(s) in the RXF format. Then, using the format outlined below, import this data into the desired application. This can include Microsoft Excel, or any application designed to read text files. However, the data may require some formatting or changes before obtaining the desired result.Once you have created your route, click File > Export > Routes, and highlight the route that you want to export. Set the location to where you want the file to be saved. If you choose to export several routes at once, the resulting file will contain data for all waypoints in all routes, grouped by route name.
When route layers are exported, the original route will still be retained on the map. All the geographic characteristics of the route will be preserved throughout the export process, so that when the route is imported into Terrain Navigator, the basic structure will appear as it did when it was exported. However, some route properties are not maintained by the .RXF format; these include route notes (comments), highlights, background colors, and other minor details. To share or archive the complete route layer, use a Terrain Project Archive.
The RXF File Format
Here is an example of Terrain Navigator's RXF route file format:43.7721633, -071.2655753, "Lodge", "Lodge", "Lock door", "Brook Trail", 800000, ff0000, 11
43.7711296, -071.2749506, "Pick up trail", "Pckptr", "", "Brook Trail", 800000, ff0000, 0
43.7685800, -071.2792148, "Water stop", "Wtrstp", "", "Brook Trail", 800000, ff00ff, 11
43.7669951, -071.2849459, "Lunch", "Lunch", "", "Brook Trail", 800000, ff0000, 11
43.7655480, -071.2871729, "Good view", "Gdvw", "", "Brook Trail", 800000, ff0000, 11
43.7638597, -071.2940883, "Switchback", "Swtchb", "", "Brook Trail", ffff, ff0000, 11
43.7577270, -071.2985914, "Cabin", "Cabin", "", "Brook Trail", 800000, ff0000, 11
This shows the route "Brook Trail" and contains seven waypoints. The first waypoint is named "Lodge" and is located at latitude 43.7721633 N, longitude 071.2655753 W. The first field is the latitude, then longitude, waypoint name, waypoint GPS name, waypoint notes, route name, waypoint color, leg color, and symbol identifier.
Latitude/Longitude
Coordinates are given in Latitude/Longitude in Decimal Degrees, WGS84 Datum. This format can not be changed. However, conversion to other formats (within Latitude/Longitude) is fairly straightforward.
Waypoint Name/GPS Name
This is the name of the waypoint which is commonly displayed next to the waypoint symbol. It is followed by the GPS Name which is often abbreviated to allow for compatibility with handheld GPS units.
Waypoint Notes
Any comments for that particular waypoint. In our example, the first waypoint "Lodge" has the note "Lock door". Notes for the entire route can not be stored in the .RXF file format.
Route Name
This is the name of the route that contains this waypoint. Since a RXF file can contain more than one route, the name must be specified for each waypoint within that route.
Waypoint Color/Leg Color
The colors of this waypoint, and of the route leg (line from this waypoint to the next) are specified here. Often, these colors remain consistent for the entire route. Colors are represented by their hexadecimal RGB value. The numeric codes for the available colors are listed below.
Waypoint Symbol Identifier
This refers to the symbol that is drawn on the map. Click here for a complete list of symbol descriptions and their representative numbers.
Notes
Be certain to press Return after the final line of your RXF file. And remember to save your text file with the extension .RXF.You must supply all latitude and longitude data in decimal degrees, and WGS84 datum. Terrain Navigator handles internal data conversions in WGS84 datum, and presents the coordinate information in whatever datum selected in the Preferences window. When you export route data from Terrain Navigator , the coordinate data in the resulting RXF file is given in WGS84 datum. Please bear this in mind when working with data from RXF files.
Do not include quotation marks (") within the name fields. Terrain Navigator will not be able to import this correctly.
When importing layers into Terrain Navigator, any parameters not specified within the RXF file will be taken from the Route Preferences. For example, to import a route with a yellow highlight, set the Route Preferences to have a yellow highlight, then import the route.
Not all route properties are supported by the import/export formats. For example, highlighting of routes, background colors, use within the Emergency Management SymbolPack, etc. For a complete backup of all route layers, use Terrain Project Archives.
Conversion Formula
You can convert from degrees/minutes/seconds to decimal degrees (used in the .RXF format) with the following formula:Degrees + (Minutes divided by 60) + (Seconds divided by 3600) = Decimal Degrees
As a formula, this is expressed as:
D + (M/60) + (S/3600) = decimal degrees
For example, a latitude of 43 degrees 30 minutes 50 seconds would translate to:
43 + (30/60) + (50/3600) = 43.5138888 decimal degrees
Waypoint Color Codes
light green ff00 forest green 808000 yellow ffff light gray c0c0c0 royal blue ff0000 purple 800080 light purple ff00ff navy blue 800000 aqua ffff00 light olive 8080 white ffffff green 8000 dark gray 808080 brown 80 black 0 red ff orange 80ff