Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
I've done a bunch of rides from routes I built on RwGPS, you get a "left on Main" just before the turn, and again at the turn as a confirmation that you went the right way.
On the 800 (and other units), with the ridewithgps "tcx course" files, the units display big white arrows starting at ~0.1 miles before the turn and a little pop-ups with a tiny arrow and label "at"* the turn.
The big white arrows are from "Turn Guidance" and the little icons are from "course points". The 800 (and others) let you use either or both. One also gets "off course warnings" (based on being too far from the track). The big white arrows work, more or less, like the turn guidance on navigation units for cars.
(* I usually get the course points pop-ups after the turn.)
Gpx track files will only provide "turn guidance", the big white arrows, (if "turn guidance" is enabled on the unit) and "off course warnings" (gpx track files don't have "course points").
Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
You should export TCX not GPX files from Ride With GPS ("RwGPS").
GPX files don't support course points, so RwGPS uses waypoints to mark where you need to turn. Waypoints exist outside of the course or route you're doing. Using a GPX file will clutter your map with a bunch of "left" and "right" markers, they stick around after you finish that particular ride, they're there until you delete them.
"Course points" are, basically, waypoints associated with a track. Typically, these are turn instructions but they can be used for other information.
The Garmins deal with these in a special way as part of using a course.
"Turn guidance" are turn instructions calculated by the Garmin based just on the track (and the map installed on the device).
These are two separate things.
===============
Exporting files from ridewithgps).
1)
Tcx course files (
first export option) contain track information and "course points" (from the cue sheet items).
The "course points" are the only way non-mapping units (like the 500) can provide turn instructions. "Course points" aren't necessary for units that have maps (and can calculate routes).
The "Turn Guidance" feature (big white arrows) of the Edges with maps requires track information (The fancier "turn guidance" is separate-from/additional-to the "course points"). You can use either or both "turn guidance" and "course points" on units with maps (
most of them).
2)
Gpx track files (
second export option). These don't have waypoints (
unless you click the "include cues as waypoints",
which is not useful on the Edges).
Gpx track files work fine on the Edges (
but don't include the waypoints).
3)
Gpx route files (
third export option) contain waypoints but no track information. These files don't work for the Edges (don't use this).
Plain-old "waypoints" are loaded as "locations" (it appears).