MacSailing.net

So I know there has been a lot of b!tching about not being able to import files (GRIBs, routes, waypoints) via cable from a Mac/PC but with the inclusion of e-mail as an option, that for me has become moot. However I still found it cumbersome to download GRIBs and email them to myself for import. It worked, so I accepted it. However I just stumbled across something new to me. Direct import of GRIBs from Safari into iNavX!! I just happened to see what would happen if I clicked on a link to a GRIB. Then the most amazing thing happened (again at least to me), the GRIB "opened" in a new Safari page and then instead of gibberish, it changed to the "Open in iNavX" icon!! I clicked it and it imported! No more e-mailing GRIBs to myself, no more dealing with X-Traverse, I am self reliant again. THANK YOU for this "undocumented" feature. Please never fix it :-)

I tested directly on my iPhone4 and my iPad2 tethered to my iPhone, both were flawless!

Sites I tested
www.sailwx.com go to their "SmartGRIBs"
another site that will email directly which I like
www.sailflow.com (there is a get GRIB option)

Fair winds. Joel

Apple has done a nice job with handling attachments and file links. Any app can add this same functionality to allow other apps to support different file types. Currently iNavX supports GPX, KML and GRIB files.

I also tried this function with routes/tracks/waypoints hosted by a ftp server on a notebook pc. My iPad2 is linked to the NB via WiFi. Unfortunately .gpx and .kml files accessed through Safari would not open in iNavX while .grb files do! Anyone who tried this and has made the same experience??

Regards
Luis

It appears Safari in iOS will display any XML files as basic text, but will pass binary files such as GRIB and KMZ onto apps. So suggestion is to use KMZ files to store routes, waypoints and tracks if you want to access them from a website.

I do note that linked (download button) KML and GPX files on X-Traverse.com can be opened in iNavX. Must be some backend server processing that makes it work.

Here is how you make a web page force a download versus just viewing a link ..

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001113.htm

I would think any respectable file server would automatically do this just as x-traverse.com does.