Waypoints: None vs POI vs Directions?FORUMS HOME SEARCH FORUMS

Ok John.

Are there any bikers in your group who navigate with Android smartphone ? 

I looked up a gpx track and converted it for the Cruiser beta app import.

You find the navigation track download temporarily here.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pkm7k57dxdar6tz/Woodside-Loop_82km_navtrkpt.gpx?dl=0

Should one want to test this I am curious about the experience.

Follow link with directions how to download the Android Cruiser beta app.

https://groups.google.com/g/cruiser-users/c/cY9uthCX0e0/m/KK9IaYSuAAAJ

There is no user manual available for this app.

Provided some experience with this kind of GPS apps will do.

In the menu map, find available offline vector map sources 

Like this one:

https://www.androidmaps.co.uk/maps/australia-oceania/australia.zip

Unzip and then in the Cruiser menu: Open folder, select and done.

In the menu: Routing > import > select Woodside Loop 82 km navtrkpt.gpx.

In the continued menu: Import route: Set Navigation and Overlay: Automatic.

Arrived ! at the start position tap the menu (right arrow Icon) Navigation > Go. 

Garmin Montanas can operate like a standard automotive GPS, with turn-by-turn instructions.

Both the Montana and Zumos handle Tracks perfectly, and do not need conversion to routes first. 

Useful to know that "Directions" is primarily aimed at watches etc and not at GPSs like the Montana and Zumos.  We never use routes due to the mixed nature of roads and cross country, and tracks without any form of directions works very well.

Thanks for you hep!

The instructions in waypoints together with the gpx track are not intended for Garmin devices.

Before I had a Garmin Edge with which you could follow a course inc instructions by tcx files.

The Garmin hardware is sure good but I am slightly less enthusiastic about the general usage.

The Montana is for hiking, whether the desired turn-by-turn track navigation is possible with it ??

Zumos are robust motorbike GPS devices but you have to convert a (trk) track to a (rte) route first.

With routes, you are are dependent on the the routable map data content in the gps device.

Whether this allows to  follow an import track (partly offroad) with instructions truthfully ?? 

Depends on whether you use offroad trajects or not, the experience probably will be better or worse. 

By smartphone navigation and Locus map with the Plotaroute file it can be done reliably.

Of course, an energy-guzzling less robust smartphone can probably be a problem for bikers..

Info: 100% true gpx (trk) track navigation inc. turn by turn instructions.

I do test another smartphone app that already works very performant in the beta version.

This app uses an even more simple discrete (trk) track file mode. (Locus import compatible)

Transfer of  prepared gpx navigation tracks is operational, after import press navigate and go.

If I can seek one last clarification:-
"Instructions are automatically applied to paths and streets drawn in the osm map."

Do I assume "Instructions" to mean that a Garmin GPS will interpret those automatically applied "Directions" as turn-by-turn?  ie it will say turn left in 400 metres etc?

I get that off road these may be optionally added, which I can't see us doing, but it is the automated version I'm particularly interested in.

I actually teach classes of motorcycle dirt bike riders on track creation using Plotaroute, and it is important for me to understand how this grey area for me works, where tracks are the norm, never routes, and various Garmin Zumos like the Zumo XT  are used.

Appreciate your help.

Instructions are automatically applied to paths and streets drawn in the osm map. Manually you can make additions if necessary.  Such as placing a warning on a route. On paths not present in osm, you have to add instructions manually, at least if you wish.

Okay from what I read following your links, "Directions" are not automatically generated by selecting it during the download process, which is how I interpreted it, but rather Directions have to be manually added to the track in the initial mapping process, and all that is happening during the download is that IF you select "Directions", it will include them.  If you dont, then it won't.  A whole lot different than some sort of auto-generation process.

Hi John.

- Turn instructions for Garmin devices suitable for navigation mode are in tcx or fit file export format.

- Turn instructions in Plotaroute gpx tracks and applied in gpx waypoints are usable for:

https://www.locusmap.app/

https://support.coros.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407033997588-Adding-Turn-by-Turn-Directions-on-GPX-File

For manually (non-mapped) added track sections, you can eventually add instructions, if you want to do so.

https://www.plotaroute.com/tip/16/how-to-add-additional-notes-or-directions-to-a-route

Being a motorcycle dirt rider, often riding through areas where roads may or may not exist, I always download my GPX files as Tracks.
The last option in the Download screen is:-
Waypoints: None vs POI vs Directions?

I always select "None" and the GPX does what I expect it to do.  But what I really don't understand is what the "Directions" option can do for me.

Is it some form of turn-by-turn instructions my Garmin Montana is going to interpret and start telling me to turn left in 200 metres?   Or start displaying left/right arrows?   How this could even work when a section of the track is not on any kind of road that either the Plotaroute maps or Garmin internal maps have, I just don't know, so if anyone can clarify it would be a big help.
Thanks!  :)