Editing GPX Track Files from OsmAnd in a Text Editor (Shallow Thoughts)

Editing GPX Track Files from OsmAnd in a Text Editor

I record track files in OsmAnd for most of my hikes. But about a quarter of the time, when I get back to the car, I forget to turn tracking off. So I end up with a track file that shows the hike plus at least part of the car trip afterward. Not very useful for purposes like calculating mileage.

My PyTopo can do simple track edits, like splitting the track into two or deleting from some point to the end. But most of the time it's easier just to edit the GPX file with a text editor.

Eesh, edit GPX directly?? Sounds like something you oughtn't do, doesn't it? But actually, GPX (a form of XML) is human readable and editable. And this specific case, separating the walking from the car trip in an OsmAnd track file, is particularly easy, because OsmAnd helpfully adds a speed to every point it saves.

These instructions seem long, but really, once you've done it once, you'll realize that it's all very straightforward; explaining the steps is harder than doing them.

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