When plotting out routes I'm never sure whether to save it out as a Route or a Track.
I'll be transferring them to a Garmin Edge 530 if that makes a difference?
Sorry, know it been covered on here before btI can't find it and my Google-Fu is lacking today.
GPX Route v Track
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
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ScotRoutes
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Re: GPX Route v Track
A Route will only work if you have the same map/routing on your GPS as the program/site you used to create the GPX. It will only consist of a few Waypoints, relying on the map/routing to determine the actual line you will follow.
A Track is a much more detailed line, with every twist and turn in the file. It is more consistent across devices and programs.
Garmin GPS devices have a (quite) small number of Waypoints in each Route - maximum number dependent upon device. Tracks can be much, much bigger,with thousands of interim Trackpoints.
A Track is a much more detailed line, with every twist and turn in the file. It is more consistent across devices and programs.
Garmin GPS devices have a (quite) small number of Waypoints in each Route - maximum number dependent upon device. Tracks can be much, much bigger,with thousands of interim Trackpoints.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: GPX Route v Track
Perfect, thanks.
Re: GPX Route v Track
I think of it as
A ROUTE is something you follow. A TRACK is something you leave behind
A ROUTE is something you follow. A TRACK is something you leave behind
2924 miles per Gallon
Re: GPX Route v Track
Track.
Bread crumbs.
Depending on device (I use the 820 and can only guess that the 530 has these same functions) you can go with 'always display' and everytime you go on the map page of your device, you see the track (or not if you missed a turn...).
Easy and often the best way for travel. Will work even if you don't have a map (or blank area) on your device. Doesn't use as much battery as following a routed course.
Just follow the bread crumbs. If I recall correctly the data size is much larger than the same course would be if saved as a route.
Route.
The smart little box will give you turn-by-turn directions on your course.
Once you start following a course, the device will lay the sketched course (saved as route) onto the map and try to make it fit. If it's a routable map, you'll be guided like when driving a car.
Even in sleep mode, the screen jumps to life and prompts you to change direction when your sketched route rsp. the calculated route does so.
If you don't use the same map on the device as you do on the software (pc), you may risk to be guided down say, a road if a small track doesn't exist on the devices map. If you don't want this to happen, choose 'lock on road' -> no in the settings.
But mostly it's not a problem to upload maps from the software to the device. I've only had little issues with OSM Argentina, as I was in a hurry sorting my gps stuff. Like 30 min before I left...
You also get prompted as soon as you leave the route. In some places this can be annoying, because the lack of precise maps can lead to a route sketch that's often a bit off the actual route on the ground. The device will constantly remind you being "off route".
In some cases on the other hand, it's really helpful.
When I get to a unknown town in the dark after a tiring trip and need to catch a train, routing is really helpful. For fast paced off road riding in places with many different tracks it's does all the navigation for you.
Also very handy if you deliberately go wrong, it calculates a new route.
Routing drains the battery more than tracking.
What you can also do and can be quite handy, is let the device guide you. Say you don't have a course saved but want to ride from a to b and have no clue of tracks and terrain. Just choose the points you'd like connected and it will draw you a route and give turn-by-turn directions. Was fun in the Puna de Atacama when I rode a bit without a created course and just blindly followed what the device suggested. It was quite adventurous and took me through some very colourful mountains over a small pass while cyclists and other traffic would otherwise follow the road lower down.
Then there's also the TCX course.
Upload an old ride as .tcx, follow it and see how you fare against yourself. It's basically your recorded (tracked) course with the time stamp of in.
Can be quite fun when you ride the same route (like a commute) regularly. Also helpful when you want to see progression in your endurance.
Sorry if I made an easy explanation complicated. I think I'm quite good at doing that.
Bread crumbs.
Depending on device (I use the 820 and can only guess that the 530 has these same functions) you can go with 'always display' and everytime you go on the map page of your device, you see the track (or not if you missed a turn...).
Easy and often the best way for travel. Will work even if you don't have a map (or blank area) on your device. Doesn't use as much battery as following a routed course.
Just follow the bread crumbs. If I recall correctly the data size is much larger than the same course would be if saved as a route.
Route.
The smart little box will give you turn-by-turn directions on your course.
Once you start following a course, the device will lay the sketched course (saved as route) onto the map and try to make it fit. If it's a routable map, you'll be guided like when driving a car.
Even in sleep mode, the screen jumps to life and prompts you to change direction when your sketched route rsp. the calculated route does so.
If you don't use the same map on the device as you do on the software (pc), you may risk to be guided down say, a road if a small track doesn't exist on the devices map. If you don't want this to happen, choose 'lock on road' -> no in the settings.
But mostly it's not a problem to upload maps from the software to the device. I've only had little issues with OSM Argentina, as I was in a hurry sorting my gps stuff. Like 30 min before I left...
You also get prompted as soon as you leave the route. In some places this can be annoying, because the lack of precise maps can lead to a route sketch that's often a bit off the actual route on the ground. The device will constantly remind you being "off route".
In some cases on the other hand, it's really helpful.
When I get to a unknown town in the dark after a tiring trip and need to catch a train, routing is really helpful. For fast paced off road riding in places with many different tracks it's does all the navigation for you.
Also very handy if you deliberately go wrong, it calculates a new route.
Routing drains the battery more than tracking.
What you can also do and can be quite handy, is let the device guide you. Say you don't have a course saved but want to ride from a to b and have no clue of tracks and terrain. Just choose the points you'd like connected and it will draw you a route and give turn-by-turn directions. Was fun in the Puna de Atacama when I rode a bit without a created course and just blindly followed what the device suggested. It was quite adventurous and took me through some very colourful mountains over a small pass while cyclists and other traffic would otherwise follow the road lower down.
Then there's also the TCX course.
Upload an old ride as .tcx, follow it and see how you fare against yourself. It's basically your recorded (tracked) course with the time stamp of in.
Can be quite fun when you ride the same route (like a commute) regularly. Also helpful when you want to see progression in your endurance.
Sorry if I made an easy explanation complicated. I think I'm quite good at doing that.