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Upload to RA from Garmin FR620 (Read 186 times)

Radimek


    I need help please. While using my old Garmin FR60 upload to RA was always easy:

    Click on "Upload GPS Data", website searches and finds device FR60,

    Click Upload and all the latest (new) workouts show up ... Save All ... Done ...

    This all happened WITHOUT FR60 being connected in any way to my computer (no ANT+ stick). All I had to do to get the new workouts found by RA was to upload them to Garmin Connect first ...

     

    This is not true for FR620 - the only way to get the FR620 new workouts to RA is to physically connect the watch via USB cable ... Why?

    Am I doing something wrong? I have the latest plugin installed.

    Tim_Easterday


      No, you are not doing anything wrong. RA and other sites don't seem to work well with the 620. You just need to have the FIT file on your PC and you can use the upload from file function. I have to do the same thing with Strava but Endomondo works fine.


      delicate flower

        I've been using a 620 for a couple of weeks now.  I export each file from Garmin Connect (literally click a button), then I do what Tim_Easterday said and load them via file upload.  It's a pretty simple process.

        <3

        Radimek


          Thanks guys ... Yes, the file export/import is possible, I just wish it could be as convenient as it was with my old FR60 ...

           

          BTW who needs to fix this? Is it RA (or the other websites) problem? Garmin (the plugin)? ...

          gpb


            Thanks guys ... Yes, the file export/import is possible, I just wish it could be as convenient as it was with my old FR60 ...

             

            BTW who needs to fix this? Is it RA (or the other websites) problem? Garmin (the plugin)? ...

             

             

            No offense intended, but you have an ANT+ stick somewhere. There's no magic way for the FR60 to get the data to your computer without one.

             

            The "responsible party" for this change is Garmin.

             

            With your FR60 the watch uploaded to your computer, which then sent the file to Garmin Connect but also left it sitting on your computer. RA was able to pull this same file via the Garmin plugin in your browser. Now with the 620, the watch connects to your wifi and sends the data directly to Garmin Connect.


            The 620 completely bypasses your computer when using wifi, so there's nothing there for RA to grab.  To get the data into RA you either must use the USB cord to get the file onto your computer where RA can get to it, or you must export from Garmin Connect and import to RA.

             

            Long term fix to regain the convenience? Either (1) RA will need to be coded to login to your Garmin account and get the data automatically, (2) some third party site will need to develop a way to sync data between Garmin Connect and RA, or (3) Garmin will need to change the way the 620 sends the data such that a copy of the file is placed on your computer.

             

            I wouldn't expect to see any of the three anytime soon. Yet another reason I've stayed with my 610 instead of upgrading to the 620.

            eric :)


              gpb,

              I couldn't have wrote a better explanation.  I'm not sure why Garmin switched to a wireless method of syncing.  I suppose there's no on downside from their perspective.  If I remember correctly, you can also use the ANT stick to upload your data.  Garmin Connect has an API that allows downloading of workouts, so maybe that's what I would need to do.  Treat it as a "device" like any other, and download from it.

               

              eric Smile

              Radimek


                gpb, no stick anywhere ;-)   RA does gets the latest workout from my computer long after the ANT+ stick sits in my drawer (I have a laptop so the stick is not permanently connected) ...

                What it may be is "Garmin ANT Agent(tm)" that does keep running on my comp and most probably it somewhere cashes the latest workout files which then are grabbed by the plugin and uploaded to RA ...

                gpb


                  If I remember correctly, you can also use the ANT stick to upload your data.

                   

                  Unfortunately, they removed that functionality as best I can tell.  Just three paths: Wifi out to Garmin Connect, Bluetooth Smart to your phone and then to GC, or USB to your computer (as described above).  I'm basing this from DCRainmaker's review so I might be wrong.

                   

                  An API call to Garmin Connect would probably be the cleanest solution from an RA end-user perspective.  I know my work health plan leverages powerofvitality.com that pulls my workouts directly from GC.  I have no idea how amenable Garmin is to other organizations desiring API access however.

                  gpb


                    gpb, no stick anywhere ;-)   RA does gets the latest workout from my computer long after the ANT+ stick sits in my drawer (I have a laptop so the stick is not permanently connected) ...

                    What it may be is "Garmin ANT Agent(tm)" that does keep running on my comp and most probably it somewhere cashes the latest workout files which then are grabbed by the plugin and uploaded to RA ...

                     

                    Okay so you DO use the ANT+ stick at times?  I misunderstood your original post, it sounded like you never plugged in your ANT+ stick at all and the FR60 workouts just magically made their way to Garmin Connect.

                     

                    The ANT agent software caches the FIT files and the Garmin Connect plugin access these files. Thus the GC plugin is able to read the info long after you've disconnected the ANT+ stick and put it away.

                     

                    FYI: on a Windows PC the location is \users\<username>AppData\Roaming\Garmin\Devices\<deviceID>\Activities

                    Note that AppData is a hidden folder so you don't normally see it unless you turn on "Show hidden files, folders, and drives"

                    Radimek


                      Mystery solved, yup, the target folder contains all the fit files for each of my FR60 workout ... Thanks for pointing it out ...

                       

                      It sounds pretty straightforward that RA (and all the other activities tracking websites) should be tapping directly to Garmin Connect (user would only have to approve and provide login credentials), but I am not keeping my hopes high that it will happen anytime soon ...

                      eric :)


                        RA can and does pull from GC.  It is not published because it's technically still being tested, and it is only used migrate users over.  Their API ToS is extremely liberal.  It only contains one line and is something along the line of "go create stuff".  Modifying the server to pull individual workouts should not be hard.  The more complicated stuff is to update the webpage.  The log is quite old and I'm gradually shifting to a new look and design.  Garmin will probably continue to migrate their GPSes to the wireless route so I think RA needs to support this sooner rather than later.

                        stadjak


                        Interval Junkie --Nobby

                          Their API ToS is extremely liberal.  It only contains one line and is something along the line of "go create stuff".

                           

                          Wow, that's so wonderful to hear.  Makes me like Garmin even more, now.

                          2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

                          gpb


                            Wow, that's so wonderful to hear.  Makes me like Garmin even more, now.

                             

                             

                            Yes, I'm also pleased to hear Garmin being very open.

                             

                            Maybe they've changed, but Polar used to be very closed. When it was time to replace my RS200SD I specifically excluded Polar from consideration because of this.  One of the core reasons I use RA is that I feel comfortable that my data will not be locked away at the whim of some product manager.

                             

                            Eric - I do think you'll need to have RA directly poll GC. I'd wager that Garmin is moving away from involving a local PC in the mix in favor of data flow to mobile devices and to the cloud. As you'd no doubt aware the key RA's success is user-experience -- not only in the website itself but also in getting data to the site.

                             

                            Now if you were to also crack that Withings integration nut... *happydance*

                            eric :)


                              Eric - I do think you'll need to have RA directly poll GC. I'd wager that Garmin is moving away from involving a local PC in the mix in favor of data flow to mobile devices and to the cloud. As you'd no doubt aware the key RA's success is user-experience -- not only in the website itself but also in getting data to the site.

                               

                              Now if you were to also crack that Withings integration nut... *happydance*

                               

                              I am winding down on my latest project.  It'll probably be a couple of more months before I can make the announcement because I'm still working through the kinks.  In the mean time, I like to focus on bite sized projects for a bit before I head into the deep end again.  I got a couple of relatively large projects lined up.

                               

                              I got much of the Withings thing completed over a year ago.  There is one bit that I can't get working, which is have Withings notify RA when new data is available.  Either their documentation is wrong (most likely) or I'm missing something obvious.  I shelfed it because I was working on the big project.  Maybe I'll revisit that too.  We'll see.


                              Gang Name "Pound Cake"

                                I'm hoping for a direct connect to RA link too. I have a garmin 310xt and I have continuous irritating connection issues. Never had these problems with other models. The 310xt seems to always lose it's pairing. I have to close the ant program, reopen it, uncheck pair to new devices, then recheck it, then wait for it to pair, then it will upload to garmin. But then, 4 out 5 times, after the garmin upload, either it crashes the garmin program or un pairs again, and I have to do it all again to get the data to RA. I can expect a smooth upload 1 out of 5 times, and about 15 minutes each of the other times. While I like the 310xt, this is enough trouble that I want to give up on it and try something else.

                                 

                                I'm on a Mac with latest upgrades.

                                - Scott

                                2014 Goals: First Marathon - BQ2016 <3:40 (3:25:18) - 1/2M <1:45 - 5K <22:00

                                2014 Marathons: 05/04 Flying Pig (3:49:02) - 09/20 Air Force (BQ 3:25:18) - 11/01 Indianapolis Monumental

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