How to Verify Course Points pre Ride?

So waypoints are not course points. The problem is that waypoints do not contain all the information need to turn them into correctly formed course points. They lack distance into the course and other information. 

I will contact Garmin, but my feeling is that the import process should either just drop the waypoints or needs to workout the missing data. Currently it creates course points from waypoints. These have the correct location information, so they show on the map, but are missing other data needed to make them correctly show up when running a course.

As mentioned above the FIT and TCX file formats do correctly support course points so if the course authoring tool does support those formats that is the way to go.

So "waypoints are not course points" ... but GPX has a defined schema and GC imports <wpt> as Course Points.  And of course GC exports Course Points as <wpt>... so GC really treats them as the same in import/export.

I'd agree that if they are not then handled as internally-created Course Points then, yes, they should be dropped for clarity or, better, simply handled in the same way.

In terms of choice of planning solution, IMHO GPX.studio outshines everything else, including RWPS for finding routes, it seems to know where missing OSM data segments are to join off-road paths and tracks without lengthy diversions and creates routes that are better balanced between on-roads and off-road. Mapping is just excellent and includes various OSM styles and, for the UK, Ordnance Survey mapping down to MasterMap level.  As well as imagery layers and a choice of mapping agencies, such as IGN Spain when I was planning there. But I might have to edit my Course Points in another solution if the GPX confusion continues.

Thanks for all the replies -- I have a better understanding of why the problem occurs now, even if I dislike the reason!

Its probably not material now as there is a good work around (.FIT/.TCX) but just to confirm my recollection of a previous discussion around the same issue (WPT elements in GPX) I tested one of my own.

1. Added a course point to one of my courses in GC
2. Exported as GPX (confirmed with editor that a wpt element was created for the added "course point")
3. Imported into 1040 via NewFiles
4. No "Course Point" created BUT a Location of the same name was created.

And

1. Exported as FIT ,confirmed with FIT editor that the correct (Course) data including "distance" is there
2. Imported into 1040 via NewFiles
3. "Course Point"  was created.

So using a FIT (or TCX?) makes it work?

I raised a support ticket with Garmin. I will let you know what I hear back.

crispgarmin said:

So "waypoints are not course points" ... but GPX has a defined schema and GC imports <wpt> as Course Points.  And of course GC exports Course Points as <wpt>... so GC really treats them as the same in import/export.

Course points are a Garmin thing and are really only supported in TCX or FIT files.

If you have the course in Connect with course points, export the file as TCX or FIT. Don’t use GPX (there’s no reason to and GPX files don’t have course points).

Connect may write the course points as waypoints in GPX file because the alternative would be to just not write them. 

Waypoints in GPX files get loaded as “locations” (they aren’t course points).

Course points are special points on the track. Waypoints are just points included in the file (they aren’t restricted to being on the track).

my personal experience is that edge devices can't handle gpx waypoints (<wpt>) that are NOT also a trackpoint (<trkpt>). They do apear in the list but are all at the start of the course.
It seems that the edge software can't match them onto the course and calculate the distance from the start.
For me verification works when I load the course in the edge device and look at the waypoint list. If the waypoints have distance from start other than zero, they loaded correctly. I don't need to be at the start location for this to work.

crispgarmin said:

So I am (remain) confused as to how importing a file with <wpt> / Course Points did not include them once they got to the device.

Export the course from Connect as TCX or FIT. 

Do not export as GPX. 

MakroneKubus said:

my personal experience is that edge devices can't handle gpx waypoints (<wpt>) that are NOT also a trackpoint (<trkpt>). They do apear in the list but are all at the start of the course.

I’ve imported waypoints without issues to 800 and 1030+.

Waypoints are separate data. You don’t need any track points to import them. 

The zero thing seems like a bug.

It’s possible the newer Edge devices try to import way points in files with a track as course points. The older units (1030+ and older don’t work that way).

If you have course points in Connect there is no reason to use GPX.

Use TCX or FIT if you want course points.