proper Logbook to Garmin Connect integration

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oleksiy.yergiyev
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proper Logbook to Garmin Connect integration

Post by oleksiy.yergiyev » January 13th, 2018, 3:51 pm

The relatively new capability to download workouts as .fit (or tcx) files provided by the Logbook won't work with Garmin Connect yet, I have elaborated on this in this thread viewtopic.php?f=7&t=165887, probably placing it in a wrong section.

It would be great if the created .fit files have a correct structure, so that they could be imported by Garmin Connect, and not only to the likes of Strava and Training Peaks. I managed to get some help on Garmin forum, and had my recent workout processed by this tool http://fitfilerepairtool.info/, both the original and fixed .fit files could be downloaded here if needed for reference https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing. I don't know what exactly was changed by the app, but the repaired file is accepted by Garmin Connect now, and shows more data than I've previously seen in workouts transferred to GC from Strava online (currently this feature is now working for me). Thanks

oleksiy.yergiyev
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Re: proper Logbook to Garmin Connect integration

Post by oleksiy.yergiyev » January 19th, 2018, 7:23 am

By way of an update, in case someone needs this functionality:

(1) C2 Logbook has started producing FIT files that could be imported in Garmin Connect (or, alternatively, GC has corrected something in their import algorithm). The imported workouts contain all data and some additional unnecessary fields such as temperature (set at 0 Celsius), elevation (constant at minus 500 m), and GPS (ground zero location). These could be removed using online fitfiletools field stripper. There's no split section / intervals data in the imports. Both FIT files created by ErgData IOS and Android are imported this way now, historical workouts as well.

(2) I seem to have located the issue with TCX files output by the Logbook. The exported files include randomly introduced "dummy" lap data strings (or at least I think they are redundant - I'm not a programmer) that look like this:
<Lap StartTime="2018-01-17T18:51:00Z ">
<TotalTimeSeconds>0</TotalTimeSeconds>
<DistanceMeters>2</DistanceMeters>
<MaximumSpeed>0</MaximumSpeed>
<Calories></Calories>
<Intensity>Resting</Intensity>
<TriggerMethod>Manual</TriggerMethod>
<Track>
</Track>
</Lap>


Deleting these blocks in a text editor repairs the file, it's imported by Garmin Connect in full, shows all info you would expect except the number of strokes, and even provides complete details on the intervals in the split section. Hope C2 correct their export mechanics shortly, I don't think it's difficult to do.

svf
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Re: proper Logbook to Garmin Connect integration

Post by svf » June 25th, 2018, 6:22 am

Hello everyone,

does this work for anyone as expected? I have multiple issues with both file types:

- I don't get any split informations (fit and tcx).

Rower:
- TCX does not get classified correctly
- TCX shows only average values for cadence (no graph) - setting things manually to type "rower" does not change anything - I guess there is "cadence" data in the file and no "stroke" counts so there is some kind of hickup
- Fit works fine except I'm missing the split/lap informations

Skierg:

-. Fit has no stroke information displayed (no graph or average) - Data is in file as I can try to load in within any other information but does not get recognized correctly
- TCX is also missing the strokes/pulls. Data is in the file. Setting the WO-Type to running in GC displays the information as graph

I guess that most of the issues are "naming" conventions in the file, what GC is expecting for a specific WO type and what's deliviered.
I don't mind the issues with the TCX in case the fit files will work for rower and skierg. I also paired my account with training peaks and downloaded the .fit from there (as it there gets displayed correctly) but this doesn't work either.

Would be great if somebody can confirm this, comes up with a workaround or if this get fixed soon.

Cheers,
Nico

Allan Olesen
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Re: proper Logbook to Garmin Connect integration

Post by Allan Olesen » June 25th, 2018, 7:11 am

I have some possible explanations, but no solutions, for what you are seeing.

Your first two issues, I think are limitations in the TCX file format. I have written my own monitoring software which exports a TCX file, and I have run into the same two problems.

Activity labeling:
It seems that TCX can only discern between running, biking and other activities - with rowing being "other". There are some additional labeling fields, but I have not had any luck getting those recognized by Garmin Connect.

Cadence:
The cadence field appears to be only compatible with biking activities. According to other posts in this forum, you can create a biking TCX and get the cadence included in Garmin Connect. But as soon as you change the activity type in Garmin Connect, the data disappears. There is another field which looks like it could be usable for stroke rate - I don't remember its name right now - but I have not been able to get that accepted by Garmin Connect either.

I guess it is quite telling that if you do an Indoor Rowing activity on a Garmin watch so it gets properly registered in Garmin Connect, and you then export that activity to a TCX file, delete it from Garmin Connect and then reimport it from the TCX file, the activity labeling and cadence data is lost. So probably not much hope of resolving this anyway.

Your third problem, splits, is probably a "solution" to a bug in the C2 logbook or some of the software which is filling data into that logbook. When the export option first appeared, people had problems importing workouts with splits into Garmin Connect. It turned out that the workouts sometimes had additional splits with zero distance, which could be seen by opening the TCX file in an editor. If these additional splits were removed, the workout could be imported. Unfortunately, it seems that C2 has solved the issue by always throwing the full workout into one big split, at least in the TCX file, instead of weeding out the additional splits. I assume that this is what is also affecting the FIT files.

My self-written software includes splits in the TCX file, and it works with Garmin Connect. So the problem could be solved if C2 wanted to.

svf
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Re: proper Logbook to Garmin Connect integration

Post by svf » June 25th, 2018, 8:51 am

Thanks for the detailed reply. Just a short update:

I (briefly) dug into the SkiErg fit files and at least all the data (except splits) is there including the activity type was set to "indoor skiing". So I guess I'll bother garmin to add an Indoor_Skiiing view in GC...

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