Track Management

Learn how to upload, organize, and manage GPS tracks in GPS Tools.

Accessing Track Management

Navigate to track management via:

• Components → GPS Tools → Tracks

The React-powered admin interface provides a modern dashboard with real-time filtering, sorting, and batch operations.

Creating Tracks

GPS Tools supports two methods for creating tracks:

Method 1: Upload GPS File

Upload GPX, KML, or TCX files from GPS devices or apps.

Method 2: Draw on Map

Create routes by drawing directly on the interactive map.

Uploading Tracks

Supported File Formats

Format	Extension	Best For
GPX	.gpx	Most GPS devices and apps, full sensor data
KML	.kml	Google Earth exports
TCX	.tcx	Garmin devices, fitness apps with workout data

Upload Process

1. Go to Components → GPS Tools → Tracks
2. Click New in the toolbar
3. Fill in the track details:

Basic Information:

• Title - Descriptive name for the track
• Alias - URL slug (auto-generated from title)
• Category - Select a category
• Status - Published, Unpublished, Archived, or Trashed

Track File:

• Drag and drop your GPX/KML/TCX file, or click to browse
• File is automatically parsed with live preview

4. Click Save or Save & Close

What Happens During Upload

When you upload a track file, GPS Tools automatically:

1. Parses coordinates - Extracts all GPS points with elevation
2. Calculates statistics - Distance, elevation gain/loss, duration, speed
3. Identifies bounds - Geographic boundaries for map centering
4. Extracts waypoints - Points of interest from the file
5. Maps waypoint symbols - Converts GPX/KML symbols to waypoint types
6. Generates thumbnail - Static map preview (if configured)
7. Detects file hash - For duplicate detection

Drawing Tracks on the Map

Create routes without uploading files:

1. Click New to create a new track
2. Select the Draw Route tab
3. Click on the map to add points
4. Double-click to finish the route
5. Fill in track details and save

The system calculates statistics based on the drawn route and optional elevation data.

Track Details

Basic Tab

Field	Description	Required
Title	Track name displayed to users	Yes
Alias	URL-friendly slug	Auto-generated
Category	Organizational category	Yes
Description	Detailed description (HTML supported)	No
Status	Publishing state	Yes

Track Info Tab

Field	Options	Description
Activity Type	Hiking, Running, Cycling, etc.	Type of activity
Difficulty	Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Expert	Skill level required
Featured	Yes/No	Show in featured listings
Access	Public, Registered, etc.	Who can view

Activity Types

Type	Icon	Description
Hiking	🥾	Walking trails and hikes
Running	🏃	Running and jogging routes
Trail Running	🏃‍♂️	Off-road running
Cycling	🚴	Road cycling
Mountain Biking	🚵	Off-road cycling
Skiing	⛷️	Ski runs and tours
Swimming	🏊	Open water routes
Kayaking	🛶	Paddle routes
Driving	🚗	Road trips
Other	📍	Any other activity

Difficulty Levels

Level	Description	Suitable For
Easy	Flat terrain, well-marked paths	Beginners, families
Moderate	Some elevation, minor obstacles	Casual enthusiasts
Difficult	Significant elevation, challenging terrain	Experienced users
Expert	Extreme conditions, technical skills required	Professionals

Automatic Statistics

GPS Tools calculates these statistics automatically:

Distance & Time

Statistic	Description
Total Distance	Full track length (with elevation correction)
Duration	Total time from start to end
Moving Time	Time actually moving
Stopped Time	Time at rest

Elevation

Statistic	Description
Elevation Gain	Total meters climbed
Elevation Loss	Total meters descended
Max Elevation	Highest point
Min Elevation	Lowest point

Speed

Statistic	Description
Average Speed	Overall average
Moving Average	Average while moving
Max Speed	Peak speed recorded

Fitness (if available in file)

Statistic	Description
Average Heart Rate	Mean heart rate during activity
Max Heart Rate	Peak heart rate recorded
Calories	Estimated energy burned
Cadence	Steps/revolutions per minute
Power	Watts output (cycling)

Track Images & Gallery

Add photos to your tracks for a richer experience.

Uploading Images

1. Edit the track
2. Go to the Gallery tab
3. Drag and drop images or click to browse
4. Add titles and descriptions (optional)
5. Reorder by dragging

Image Features

Feature	Description
Automatic Thumbnails	Generated on upload
Geotagging	Location from EXIF data (optional)
Lightbox Viewer	Full-size viewing on frontend
S3 Storage	Optional cloud storage support
Ordering	Drag to reorder in gallery

Supported Image Formats

• JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg)
• PNG (.png)
• WebP (.webp)

Managing Waypoints

Waypoints are points of interest along your track.

Viewing Waypoints

1. Open a track for editing
2. Go to the Waypoints tab
3. View all waypoints extracted from the file

Waypoint Fields

Field	Description
Name	Waypoint name
Description	Detailed information
Type	Category (summit, rest area, viewpoint, etc.)
Coordinates	Latitude and longitude
Elevation	Height above sea level
Icon	Display icon on map

Waypoint Types

GPS Tools includes a waypoint type system with customizable types managed in the admin panel.

Default Waypoint Types:

Type	Icon	Color	Usage
Summit	Mountain	Red	Mountain peaks, high points
Viewpoint	Eye	Blue	Scenic overlooks
Rest Area	Bench	Gray	Benches, shelters, rest stops
Parking	Car	Blue	Trailhead parking
Water	Droplet	Cyan	Water sources, streams, lakes
Campground	Tent	Green	Camping locations
Warning	Alert	Orange	Hazards, dangerous areas
Information	Info	Blue	Information points, signs
Food	Utensils	Green	Restaurants, cafes, snack points
Photo	Camera	Purple	Great photo opportunities
Trailhead	Flag	Green	Trail starting points

Managing Waypoint Types

1. Go to Components → GPS Tools → Waypoint Types
2. Create, edit, or reorder waypoint types
3. Customize icon, color, and description

Automatic Symbol Mapping

GPS Tools automatically maps GPX/KML symbols to waypoint types:

GPX Symbol	Maps To
summit, peak, mountain	Summit
viewpoint, overlook, scenic area	Viewpoint
parking, parking area, car	Parking
water, drinking water, stream, lake	Water
campground, camp, camping	Campground
danger, caution, danger area	Warning
food, restaurant, fast food	Food
photo, camera	Photo

Adding Manual Waypoints

1. Edit the track
2. Go to Waypoints tab
3. Click Add Waypoint
4. Enter coordinates and details
5. Save

Track List Management

Filtering Tracks

Use the filter bar to narrow down tracks:

Filter	Options
Search	Text search in title/description
Category	Filter by category
Activity Type	Filter by activity
Difficulty	Filter by difficulty level
Status	Published, Unpublished, etc.
Featured	Featured only

Sorting Tracks

Click column headers to sort:

Column	Sort Order
Title	Alphabetical
Category	By category name
Hits	By view count
Created	By creation date
Status	By publishing state

Batch Operations

Select multiple tracks and use batch actions:

Action	Description
Publish	Set selected to published
Unpublish	Set selected to unpublished
Archive	Move to archive
Trash	Move to trash
Category	Change category
Access	Change access level

Categories

Managing Categories

1. Go to Components → GPS Tools → Categories
2. Create, edit, or organize categories

Category Features

Feature	Description
Nested Categories	Create subcategories
Category Image	Optional header image
Description	Category description
Default Icon	Default waypoint icon for tracks
Access Level	Control visibility

Category Structure Example

Hiking Trails/
├── Mountain Trails/
│   ├── Easy Hikes
│   └── Challenging Peaks
├── Forest Walks/
└── Coastal Paths/

Cycling Routes/
├── Road Cycling/
├── Mountain Biking/
└── City Tours/

Comments & Ratings

Managing Comments

1. Go to Components → GPS Tools → Comments
2. View and moderate all comments

Comment Moderation

Action	Description
Approve	Make comment visible
Unpublish	Hide comment
Delete	Remove permanently
Mark as Spam	Flag as spam content
Ban User	Prevent future comments

Banning System

GPS Tools includes a comprehensive ban system:

1. Go to Components → GPS Tools → Comments
2. Select a comment from a user to ban
3. Ban options:
   • Ban by User ID (registered users)
   • Ban by Email (guests)
   • Ban by IP Address
   • Set expiration (temporary or permanent)

Rating System

• Users can like/dislike tracks
• Like and dislike counts display on tracks
• Ratings visible in track list and detail views

Publishing Workflow

Track States

State	Description	Visibility
Published	Live on site	Visible to allowed users
Unpublished	Draft state	Hidden from site
Archived	Historical	Searchable but not listed
Trashed	Deleted	Not visible, can restore

Scheduled Publishing

Set publish dates to control when tracks appear:

1. Edit the track
2. Set Publish Start date
3. Set Publish End date (optional)
4. Save

Track will automatically publish/unpublish on schedule.

Importing Multiple Tracks

Batch Import Tips

For importing many tracks:

1. Organize files - Name files descriptively
2. Upload one at a time - Prevents timeout issues
3. Set category first - Use batch operations after
4. Review statistics - Verify data extracted correctly

Large File Handling

For very large track files (10MB+):

1. Check PHP upload limits in your hosting
2. Consider splitting long tracks
3. Enable track simplification for display
4. Monitor server memory

Exporting Tracks

Download Track Files

Users can download tracks in multiple formats:

Format	Description
GPX	Standard GPS Exchange Format
KML	Google Earth format
TCX	Garmin Training Center format

Download permissions can be configured per access level in component settings.

Export Track Data

Track data can be accessed via:

• REST API - JSON format for integrations
• Print View - Print-friendly layout
• Embed Code - Embed in external sites

Email Notifications

GPS Tools includes an email notification system with customizable templates.

Managing Email Templates

1. Go to Components → GPS Tools → Email Templates
2. Edit templates for different events:

Template	Trigger
Track Created	When a new track is published
Comment Created	When someone comments on a track
Track Approval Required	When a track needs moderation
Comment Approval Required	When a comment needs moderation
Track Liked	When someone likes a track
Comment Liked	When someone likes a comment

Template Placeholders

Templates support dynamic placeholders:

{site_name}, {track_title}, {track_url}, {author_name}, 
{comment_content}, {approval_url}, {created_date}

Static Map Thumbnails

GPS Tools can generate static map thumbnails for track previews.

Configuration

Enable in Options → Static Maps:

• Provider - OpenStreetMap or Mapbox
• Width/Height - Thumbnail dimensions
• Auto-generate - Create on track save

Regenerating Thumbnails

1. Go to Tracks list
2. Select tracks
3. Use Regenerate Thumbnails batch action

Best Practices

Track Titles

• Use descriptive, searchable names
• Include location or route name
• Keep concise but informative

Good Examples:

• "Mount Baker Summit Trail"
• "Central Park Running Loop"
• "Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip"

Descriptions

• Include route highlights
• Mention difficulty and conditions
• Add practical information (parking, permits)
• Use formatting for readability

Categories

• Keep hierarchy shallow (2-3 levels)
• Use consistent naming
• Consider user search patterns
• Balance specificity and usability

SEO

• Write unique descriptions
• Use relevant keywords naturally
• Configure meta descriptions
• Enable structured data

Related Documentation

• Configuration - Settings reference
• Maps & Charts - Display options
• Modules - Display tracks in modules
• Content Plugin - Embed in articles