Track vs Route vs ITN?

Stevedunco

Hi all, I am a newbie to this whole Gps thing so please bear with me. :-).
i just bought a rider 450 and am totally confused on how to use the device.
I just want to plan a ride to a destination with some particular roads and maybe even some stops, and importantly, if I take a wrong turn, miss a turn, take a different turn on purpose, I want the gps to guide me back on course to the destination. I tried using a track from the TomTom software, and when I missed a turn, the rider kept sending me backwards? Is this normal that a track won’t recalculate the route if a wrong turn is made? Import as a track is the only automatic option to pick? If I send the same course to my rider with myroute app as an ITN file ( I’m calling it a course to avoid saying track or route), it seems to work like I want? What am I doing wrong with the tracks? Surely it’s meant to be easy to just plan a course and import it to the rider? I use a Mac.

Ste7ios

Take a look here: https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/rider-51/itn-versus-gpx-files-1021734/index1.html#post1160995

The short answer: Track (== GPX) is like a record of a route that you'll blindly follow / play at a later time, routes (== ITN) is a list of waypoints you want to visit and a route is calculated every time you use the route taking into account your route preferences and traffic data.

Take a look at MyRoute-App. It's much better than MyDrive...

Stevedunco

Thanks Ste7ios. I’ve got myroute app. I have been researching this for 2 weeks now, and I’ve read a few of your posts thanks, but I’m still confused. Should I export an ITN or route or track to my rider is my question. It’s very confusing trying to understand the differences to suit my needs?

Stevedunco

I see in the link you sent that tracks will not let me miss a point in my course?

Stevedunco

So, if I understand correctly?
Track import = NO re-routing to final destination if point missed
or Route import = Will re-route to final destination if point missed

ITN import = Will re-route to final destination if point missed

So when would someone ever use a track on a GPS?

YamFazMan

Hi
@Stevedunco

That's the nature of a .ITN Route... The route is planned from Start --> Stop to Stop --> End, the device will doggedly follow the stops

The next time wander off the planned route and then when you wanted to resume...
Try... Tap the Direction of Travel Icon (Above the + and - signs)


The view will switch to the the North-up overview Planning Map

Pinch zoom the map... Tap on one of the Blue Stop Icons (The next one that you
want to travel to) a quick menu opens, tap the 3Dot Menu Icon... Start Route from here

OR....
If the device is trying to return you to a previous Stop
As Above switch to the the North-up overview Planning Map
Pinch zoom the map... Tap on one of the Blue Stop Icons (The previous Stop that you
want to avoid) a quick menu opens, tap the 3Dot Menu Icon... Delete this Stop

Also....
If you are using a .ITN Route... tap the 4Dot (.... Menu) --> Current
Route... There are several menu choices to edit the live route

If you are using a .GPX Track... tap the 4Dot (.... Menu) --> Current
Track... There are less menu choices to edit the live route

ATB YFM

YamFazMan

Hi
@Stevedunco

Stevedunco wrote: So when would someone ever use a track on a GPS?

I guess because they have sat down and planned they want to use and don't want wander off the planned route

ATB YFM

Stevedunco

When I was using a track and missed a turn, I didn’t see any options in current track to say delete next stop?

Stevedunco

I just want to plan a ride to a destination with some particular roads and maybe even some stops, and importantly, if I take a wrong turn, miss a turn, take a different turn on purpose, I want the gps to guide me back on course to the destination.

Stevedunco

YamFazMan wrote:

Hi
@Stevedunco

Stevedunco wrote:

So when would someone ever use a track on a GPS?

I guess because they have sat down and planned they want to use and don't want wander off the planned route

ATB YFM

But what happens when you are on the “planned route” (track) and you have to wander off due to roadworks or whatever?

YamFazMan

Stevedunco wrote:

When I was using a track and missed a turn, I didn’t see any options in current track to say delete next stop?

From my previous post...
If you are using a .GPX Track... tap the 4Dot (.... Menu) --> Current
Track... There are less menu choices to edit the live route
__________________________

Note also on the the North-up overview Planning Map... There are also different/less options when tapping directly on a .GPX Track

ATB YFM

Ste7ios

Stevedunco wrote:

When I was using a track and missed a turn, I didn’t see any options in current track to say delete next stop?

There are no stops in a track.

Ste7ios

Stevedunco wrote:

I just want to plan a ride to a destination with some particular roads and maybe even some stops, and importantly, if I take a wrong turn, miss a turn, take a different turn on purpose, I want the gps to guide me back on course to the destination.

The solution is to use a route (ITN file), and add some intermediate waypoints to guide it to your particular roads.

Ste7ios

Stevedunco wrote:

YamFazMan wrote:

Hi
@Stevedunco

Stevedunco wrote:

So when would someone ever use a track on a GPS?

I guess because they have sat down and planned they want to use and don't want wander off the planned route

ATB YFM

But what happens when you are on the “planned route” (track) and you have to wander off due to roadworks or whatever?

As said before, only a route can do that. Tracks are dummy. They ignore any of your settings and traffic / road condition data. You have to figure it on your own... With a route you can tell it to calculate an alternate route or to avoid part of the road.

See the user manual... http://download.tomtom.com/open/manuals/rider_400_40/html/en-gb/index.htm#WelcometonavigationwithTomTom-RIDER.htm

Ste7ios

Stevedunco wrote:

So, if I understand correctly?
Track import = NO re-routing to final destination if point missed
or Route import = Will re-route to final destination if point missed

ITN import = Will re-route to final destination if point missed

So when would someone ever use a track on a GPS?

Not only that, it will re-route to your next waypoint. You've to reach it or tell it to avoid it...

Route and ITN is the same thing.

To be precise, ITN is the file format of a route on TomTom devices.
GPX is a standard file format for both routes and tracks, etc. but TomTom use it only for tracks (I wonder why... It's much better than ITN).

Stevedunco

Thanks for all your help guys. I guess I’ll just just stick with ITN files made in myroute app for my rider. Shame the TomTom software sucks. Cheers.

Stevedunco

Can someone please explain and give me an example (for a newbie with no experience) of when I would need to use a "track" on my rider 450 instead of a route or itn file? I don't understand why the tomtom My Drive route planner only offers to import tracks automatically??

Ste7ios

Don’t try to understand TomTom’s decisions, design choices... Most of us don’t, and doesn’t mean that they are right...

IMHO their products are immature, not ready especially for a niche market like ours...

Personally I use tracks when I want to share a trip to other fellows with every detail (and geotag my photos), or use them to create a route.

When I design my trips I always use routes. In the case that sharing with others is needed, I check them with other maps to be compatible with Garmins, etc...

MrM

Stevedunco wrote:

Can someone please explain and give me an example (for a newbie with no experience) of when I would need to use a "track" on my rider 450 instead of a route or itn file? I don't understand why the tomtom My Drive route planner only offers to import tracks automatically??

Not true. If you create a route (incl Stops) and use the "Send to Device" button MyDrive exports via the cloud the route to your device.
If you save the route first in MyDrive, the route will be synchronise as TRACK.

Ste7ios

Judging from the questions and the problems here the GUI, the software, the user manual are confusing when not malfunctioning...

The top 10 posts should be how to change color or the icon of the nav arrow, the map colors, the sounds, etc...

Stevedunco

Thanks MrM. Tried that, but couldn't get the send to device button to "stay as an option" once i dragged the route to where i wanted to go. The option was there only if i planned a route to a destination without making any changes to the route? What am i doing wrong?

YamFazMan

Hi
@Stevedunco

Try...
Where you have dragged the route there will be a White Dot
Zoom in close and Right Click on the route near to the white dot Click 'Add Stop'
Left click on the white dot Click 'Remove from Route'
Repeat for any other white Dots

'Send to Device' should now be available again

ATB YFM

MrM

I just opened a route here and if are in the Edit mode, the Send to Device button is there again. Please check. You need to connect the device by cable.
Marten

Stevedunco

Thanks YamFazMan. Did the white dot thing and got the "Send To Device" button to appear, but when i click it, nothing happens? Is it meant to sync automatically? What am i meant to do after clicking the green button? So frustrating to say the least.

YamFazMan

Hi
@Stevedunco

Are you logged into MyDrive on the device
Or
Have You got more than 20 Stops on your planned Route

ATB YFM

Stevedunco

Yes, logged into MyDrive on device.
Yes, logged into MyDrive on computer (mac).
Only 10 stops on route.
Tried "Send To Device" while connected with cable to Mydrive on computer, nothing happens.
Tried "Send To Device" while not connected to Mydrive on computer, but am connected to network with bluetooth, nothing happens.