Viking does not write files readable by viking itself

[Thomas Schweikle]

Assume a track in gpx format.
Read it with viking.
Edit the track, by removing waypoints.
Save the track as gpx file.
Read it again with viking.
Result: no error, no track!

Assume a track in ovl format.
Read it with viking.
Result: no error, no track!

Assume a track in kml format.
Read it with viking.
Edit the track, by removing waypoints.
Save the track as kml file.
Read it again with viking.
Result: no error, no track!

Viking states to read all these formats and it states to write all these formats. As far as I could dig into it, this isn't true: viking only reads kml formats, all others are silently failing to load.
Written is, regardless of given extension, only something between kml and gpx. The gpx data is retained, but additional informations kml provides are removed.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: viking 1.2.1-3build1
Uname: Linux 3.4.24 x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.1
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Jan 6 00:12:12 2013
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=de_DE:en
 TERM=screen-bce
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: viking
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-07-16 (173 days ago)

[Thomas Schweikle (tps)]

Renaming the savend file to have kml as extension (mv 12_23_32-1.gpx 12_23_32-1.kml) viking will read the file!

[Rob Norris (rw-norris)]

Unfortunately in version Viking 1.3.* (and I think all the 1.* versions) if you load a GPX file or a KML file and then perform File->Save or use the toolbar Save button - Viking will save the current data in it's own internal format - overwriting whatever file the data was loaded from.

The work around is to avoid using 'Save' and use either the 'Save As' or use the TrackWayoint Export option to save as a GPX or KML.

Some fixes and improvements in this area have been made in the current master code baseline, to ensure that files are not overwritten this way without user confirmation (and the fact they would be of a different type).

In particular these commits (but there are more)
http://viking.git.sourceforge.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=viking/viking;a=commit;h=c38eb4511f6439744c5967c35bd328921fdea3bd
http://viking.git.sourceforge.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=viking/viking;a=commit;h=0a51445196a2f5c8869eda3b9e745538c1a76777

This will be included in the next Viking 1.4 release.
I hope the Viking 1.4 release will be made in time to make it into Ubuntu 13.04

==================

Many file types are not 'directly' supported via the file->open method. (Including the '.ovl' type).

These files have to be imported via GPSBabel and you must tell it what type of file it is (the file name extension is irrelevant in the import process).

Go to File->Acquire->Import file with GPSBabel.
In the new dialog select the file to open and then select the file type (for '.ovl' select "Geogrid-Viewer ascii overlay file").
Then select OK.

[Rob Norris (rw-norris)]

PS Where does is say that "Viking states to read all these formats and it states to write all these formats" ?

[Thomas Schweikle (tps)]

Fixed, but no new Viking for trusty available