FIT File Course Points

[Phil1007]

Is there anyway to incorporate route points or as Garmin call them course points into FIT files. Several of Garmins devices allow course points to indicate points along the track with notes, descriptions, and directional information.

[routeconverter]

Is there anyway to incorporate route points or as Garmin call them course points into FIT files. Several of Garmins devices allow course points to indicate points along the track with notes, descriptions, and directional information.

Hi Phil1007,

RouteConverter creates CoursePointMesg from routes when writing FIT files. Is that what you're searching? If not, then please send a short example how the file should look like that you want to produce.

[Phil1007]

Is there anyway to incorporate route points or as Garmin call them course points into FIT files. Several of Garmins devices allow course points to indicate points along the track with notes, descriptions, and directional information.

Hi Phil1007,

RouteConverter creates CoursePointMesg from routes when writing FIT files. Is that what you're searching? If not, then please send a short example how the file should look like that you want to produce.

I use routeconverter to create my track. Garmin devices allow course points which provide instructions along a route. I have been using either garmin connect or another tool to create these course points from routeconverters uploaded track files. Garmin devices uses these points to identify up ahead points with an option for instructions. They are different than track and waypoints and I believe they must be on the track. Attached is an example of these points extracted using a tool that extracts them from a FIT file created from garmin connect. If coursepointmesg is equivalent can you provide instructions for how to define or create these points along the track. I tried to drop a FIT file with these course points in the attached files but I get an error message saying the type of attached file is not owed. The photo shows the course points that was extracted in the FIT file. I would be happy to send you a FIT file.

[routeconverter]

I use routeconverter to create my track. Garmin devices allow course points which provide instructions along a route.

RouteConverter produces course points when you save a route as FIT. Did you try that?

Attached is an example of these points extracted using a tool that extracts them from a FIT file created from garmin connect. 

So you need Waypoints and Course Points inbetween?

If coursepointmesg is equivalent can you provide instructions for how to define or create these points along the track.

A track is the recording of positions - what you're talking about is a route!?

I tried to drop a FIT file with these course points in the attached files but I get an error message saying the type of attached file is not owed. The photo shows the course points that was extracted in the FIT file. I would be happy to send you a FIT file.

Please send me the file. You might want to use Help/Send Error Report...

[Phil1007]

I use routeconverter to create my track. Garmin devices allow course points which provide instructions along a route.

RouteConverter produces course points when you save a route as FIT. Did you try that?

Attached is an example of these points extracted using a tool that extracts them from a FIT file created from garmin connect. 

So you need Waypoints and Course Points inbetween?

If coursepointmesg is equivalent can you provide instructions for how to define or create these points along the track.

A track is the recording of positions - what you're talking about is a route!?

I tried to drop a FIT file with these course points in the attached files but I get an error message saying the type of attached file is not owed. The photo shows the course points that was extracted in the FIT file. I would be happy to send you a FIT file.

Please send me the file. You might want to use Help/Send Error Report...

Uploaded using the error report. Thanks.

[routeconverter]

Ok, the file you've sent me contains a lot of Records (named record 34) and a few Course Points (like Hallow Falls 66). To me this looks like a track. And when you filter only the Course Points, it's a route? Sorry I'm confused how Garmin handles this.

[Phil1007]

Ok, the file you've sent me contains a lot of Records (named record 34) and a few Course Points (like Hallow Falls 66). To me this looks like a track. And when you filter only the Course Points, it's a route? Sorry I'm confused how Garmin handles this.

Thank so much for continuing to look at this. Garmin uses these additional points to prompt the user with turning instructions or to identify points of interest along a track. If you open the file I sent you with https://www.fitfileviewer.com/ and scroll down to the track records and course points you will see that they are differently treated. I can also add these course points with 'plotaroute' instead of with garmin. Course points must include the distance from the begining of the track and includes options for naming and instructions such as 'turn left' or 'here is th sign'. Let me know how else I can help.

Here is a screen shot of the file using fitfileviewer. You can see that the track records and the course points are treated differently.    

[routeconverter]

It seems the Course Points match what the rest of the world calls a route – a number of waypoints that a routing engine typically connects by using the road network. And the Record points is called track – a recording of previous locations on the planet Earth.

But nobody mixes both – and so RouteConverter treats tracks and routes as different concepts.

I have no idea what could help Garmin users since it depends on the use case. Is it planning routes? Can't be since you alreafy have that Record points so you have been out there and know the route. Is it reviewing tracks? Not likely either, because then you don't need Course Points.

I'm confused.

[Phil1007]

It seems the Course Points match what the rest of the world calls a route – a number of waypoints that a routing engine typically connects by using the road network. And the Record points is called track – a recording of previous locations on the planet Earth.

But nobody mixes both – and so RouteConverter treats tracks and routes as different concepts.

I have no idea what could help Garmin users since it depends on the use case. Is it planning routes? Can't be since you alreafy have that Record points so you have been out there and know the route. Is it reviewing tracks? Not likely either, because then you don't need Course Points.

I'm confused.

Garmin users use these course points to mark specific points of interest (POI) along a route or track so when so when a user is following the route or track and reaches one of these course points the Garmin device pops a message on the screen notifying the user you have reached a point and provides the name and any instructions belonging to that point. It is simiar to turn instructions.  

Below are 2 Garmin links which describe the course fit file detail which includes information about the course point message types. They include examples of course points inserted into a fit file.  These course points are points of interest POI which garmin devices can be enabled to prompt during a course (track). Garmin refers to these as Course Points or Course Point Messages. What would be helpful to the user is to mark points along the track as POI and include them in the fit file as course points. The option of including a name and messge would be great such as 'Trail Head' and 'Take the left fork'.

https://developer.garmin.com/fit/file-types/course/

https://developer.garmin.com/fit/cookboo...rse-files/

Hope this helps.