Getting Started With tcx2nikexml

WARNING: This document is currently unfinished and being actively worked on!

This document is to help you get up and running with tcx2nikexml.

Required Software

perl: tcx2nikexml.pl is a perl script, and you need perl installed on your system. If you're running Windows, a good version to use, is Activestate Perl.
tcx2nikexml: You need to get the tcx2nikexml.pl script. You can <Alt>-LeftClick this link to get the latest version.

Setting Up

To keep things easy, I'd suggest you create a directory where you'll keep the program and any data files. For the rest of this guide, we'll call that directory "C:\tcxdir". On your machine, create the directory "C:\tcxdir", and in that directory, create a subdirectory "tcxdata" (leaving you with a directory "C:\tcxdir\tcxdata").
Copy the tcx2nikexml.pl script you obtained above, and put it in the TCXDIR.
Start up the Garmin Training Center application. Make sure you are in the "History" view, and then click on an individual workout in the left hand pane (a line having only a date and a time). Note that Clicking on anything else won't generate the correct data we need. With the date still highlghted, left-click your mouse, and select the 'Export "?????"...' option. You will be prompted as to where to save the file. In this example, we would place it in "C:\tcxdir\tcxdata". You now have the data in the correct directory to be converted.
Now, you need to run the converter script. Open up a command prompt (start->All Programs->Accessories->Command Prompt), and type "cd \tcxdir" to get to the correct directory. If you don't remember the filename you exprted, you can see the files by typing "dir tcxdata". Now, run the tcx2nikexml.pl script by typing "tcx2nikexml.pl". A couple of title lines will display, followed by a "Converting files ..." line. Then, for each valid filename it finds in the tcxdata dir, it will dispay the filename, some general info about the run, and prompt you to enter your weight for that run. This will continue until all valid files in tcxdata have been gone through.
The generated Nike+ xml files will end up in the directory "C:\iPod_Control\Device\Trainer\Workouts\Empeds\Gnnnnnnnnnn\latest", where nnnnnnnnnn is the Garmin ID number for your device.

Getting Your Data Loaded to Runner+ This final part only applies to those of you trying to upload your workouts to the Runner+ website.

First, you obviously must register an account with Runner+. If you are not already a member, feel free to accept my invitation, and click here
Next, logon to Runner+ with your id, and click on "CONTROL PANEL", located in the top right corner. From that web page, click on "Synchronize Your Data", and in the "Synchronize from your Desktop" section, click on the "Download now!" link to obtain the Runner+ Widget. Install the widget as directed, and if everything goes right, you'll see a "Runner+" Widget on your Desktop.
To synchronize your data to the Runner+ website, all you need to do (after properly configuring the widget) is click on the widget. All the converted files in the C:\iPod_Control\Device\Trainer\Workouts\Empeds\Gnnnnnnnnnn\latest" directory will get sent.
Please note, that once a data file is sent, it cannot be resent. It seems that the Runner+ website and/or widget tracks the files sent/received, probably to reduce duplicate data.

The above may seem like a lot, but it really isn't that much, after you do the initial setup, and get it working the first time. If people show enough interest, and I have the time, we could probably turn this into a full standalone application, and most of the above would become redundant. However, for now, at least you'll be able to start converting a few of those runs, and possibly post them on Runner+.

Have fun!
Scott

The following people helped with this document:

Mattyg

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