PROBLEM: most externally generated GPX files aren't compatible with Up Ahead feature when they contain waypoints
Many online course editor tools are capable of adding waypoints on the map along with a course. The problem is that those waypoints are often encoded in the GPX file as waypoints rather than course points.
For example here is the top of GPX file generated in CALTOPO for Speedgoat 50K race.
<gpx xmlns="">www.topografix.com/.../1" xmlns:gpxx="">www.garmin.com/.../v3" creator="CALTOPO" version="1.1">
<wpt lat="40.57504555896849" lon="-111.65842186537243"><name>Water Only - Hydration Station # 1 & # 3</name></wpt>
<wpt lat="40.580870995978074" lon="-111.65660952869904"><name>Finish</name></wpt>
<wpt lat="40.560835449855304" lon="-111.64532158497404"><name>Hidden Peak - Aid Station # 1 & # 4</name></wpt>
<wpt lat="40.55718997587293" lon="-111.63431559347698"><name>Mineral Basin - Aid Station # 2</name></wpt>
<wpt lat="40.56298425139307" lon="-111.64287138918026"><name>Tunnel - Aid Station # 3</name></wpt>
<wpt lat="40.58080036841037" lon="-111.6554237969284"><name>Start</name></wpt>
The full file is here: https://caltopo.com/m/89N7V
It seems the intention was to add aid stations on the course, which should be course points, but most likely CALTOPO doesn't support that so it generates all aid stations as waypoints. I doubt that any tools (except maybe PlotARoute.com) can generate course points on a GPX course.
When such GPX file is imported into Garmin Connect, it seems to import all the waypoints and correctly display them with all names and everything. However when such course is later synced to a watch (such as Garmin Fenix 7), these waypoints end up not being recognized and don't work with the Up Ahead feature. The watch seems to initially recognize them but then during course navigation they never show up on the Up Ahead screen. I think the main reason for that is that these waypoints don't have distances on the course. Also, another possible reason is that the wrong tags are used to store them in the GPX file.
PROPOSED SOLUTION: since Garmin Connect doesn't support waypoints it makes no sense to keep them in the file. Waypoints should be automatically converted to course points on import. It should find out where each waypoint is on the course and calculate distance for it, making it a fully correct course point that Garmin watches will understand and that will be fully compatible with the Up Ahead feature.
Also, if there is a waypoint that appears more than once on the course, like "Hidden Peak - Aid Station # 1 & # 4" in the example above, that should produce two course points at different distances.
Please, this should be a fairly straightforward server only feature that wouldn't require any changes in firmwares of devices and that would make the Up Ahead feature way more useful for most users.
