All course points are 0m

Thanks, it seems this is it, indeed.

However, it is unbelievable that garmin is not willing to fix it.

There are many other route planning sites that will create perfectly usable course points as long as you export them as a TCX or FIT file for direct (ie via usb & Newfiles) import to the Garmin. The issue is that Garmin Connect strips out any course points during the import to connect even if it is a transitory stage from an external site to the device. Some sites seem to be allowed (by Garmin) to retain non turn type course points. Just use another planning / course creation site and import directly to the device and avoid Garmin Connect.

ps1 it’s not a perfect world and the problem with the above is that while most sites will create turn type course points with “free” accounts they will only create “custom”, ie non-turn types, course points for paid / premium memberships 

ps2 there are several excellent CIQ apps that will import courses to the edge device from other planning sites via wireless means without connect in the middle.

Thanks for the background!

I use Garmin Connect as an archive of my courses, as a collection of gpx routes that I can reuse anytime. I try to avoid applications that lock my data/archive behind a paywall, so when I cancel the subscription, I can lose access to my routes.

Can you suggest any 3rd party app that able to this job? (I am happy to pay subscription or buy the app for extra features, if my data can be accessed later without payment). 

One option is to use Garmin Basecamp to create courses, can also be used to export gpx files so you can create a backup outside of the Garmin ecosystem.

The downside of basecamp is that the software is not super user friendly, for me it works perfectly as I am a long term user, including its predecessor Mapsource. I use OpenStreetMap as the map, because this works best for me and allows to create routes without the need to connect my Garmin to the PC while creating routes 

I would recommend you look at Ride with GPS (RWGPS) https://ridewithgps.com/ , many others are also good.but I have become habituated to RWGPS.

I have used many sites over the years but not all and other than RWGPS I haven't used most recently so they might have improved (or not). Most have a "free" option and "paid" option. Some like RWGPS have extra features for paid members and some place various limits on free members.

I have no problem doing all I want via a free RWGPS account although I have access to the paid features for my club's ride repository.

The biggest limit for a free RWGPS is that you can't add "custom" course points but only automatically generated turn course points. The susscription for a paid account can be paid monthly and can be turned off and on. TCX route/course files are just text XML files so can be edited with a text editor (like notes++) to add/edit course points.

 dpawlyk  has a very good CIQ app GRouteLoader  that can be installed on the 1040 and connects to RWGPS to download routes https://apps.garmin.com/apps/f03dbbbc-c4b8-4da8-af9c-f262af8c2d0e

You just have to play a bit to see if it does what you want, like most things (eg Garmin!) RWGPS has a bit of a learning curve.

ps You can keeps your routes externally as TCX files and most planning sites have backup options to externally store your activities. There is a linking option in RWGPS that connects to Garmin Connect to share activities (and routes but this has the point stripping problem)

Course points are a feature of FIT or TCX files. 

GPX files have waypoints, which are similar but not the same.

I’m not familiar with gpx.studio but if you are getting GPX files from it, getting course points isn’t going to work. 

Note that GPX and TCX files are text files. You’d be able to see if the course points in a TCX file have distances. 

thanks, RWGPS looks promising!

I've tried basecamp, however, I gave up when importing maps take 2 hours and even then it was so slow that I cannot do anything with it.

BaseCamp doesn’t create course points. 

It’s easier to create courses in software like Ridewithgps (RWGPS) than in BaseCamp. 

The free RWGPS account is really all you need. 

The online planners work similarly but RWGPS is a good one. It’s also fairly open. (I don’t care what people prefer but I’m a fan of RWGPS.)

I like BaseCamp but it’s really more of an “advanced user” thing. (I don’t use BaseCamp to plan courses.)

I like BaseCamp well enough to have written a program to enhance it.

sites.google.com/.../bc2ge