Track route what does it mean

[roland reay]

Hello everyone when I design a route and transfer it to my Tom Tom 550 through tomtomgpx1.1,the route always arrives twice one being the titled route the other as a track titled route, my question is what is the difference between a track and standard route thankyou

[Albert Renting]

I found below description on a TomTom forum and I think this is quite accurate:

"A track is an highly detailed description of the path to follow. This uses a "breadcrumbs" like path with many trackpoints.

A route only uses a few Routepoints so there is more room for different interpretations of the path to take based in maps used, route preferences and GPS brand.

A GPX file can both contain Routes and Track. When you import a GPX file with both a Route and a Track both will de visible on the Rider. Also both will be used as a track. For a route this means an extra conversion so never use the Route version this will have a less accurate description of the intended path."

[Martin Filtenborg]

@albert-renting that sounds about right.
My own interpretation is that routes are map-item-based (roads, junctions, roundabouts etc) entities describing the path. These items are highly accurate. The route thos describes an ideal path.
Tracks are basically breadcrumbs on a wiggling line. You can fabricate a track yourself by storing your GPS-location at regular (short) intervals as you go along, or a track can be made synthetically by calculating breadcrumb locations from map data. The former track-making method shows your GPS's idea of where it is - usually with an ccuracy of a few meters, meaning it appears to be all over the place. The calculated track is bang-on.
Your satnav knows how to get from location A to B using its internal mapdata. When you tell it to guide you to B, it calculates a route. It then shows you the road (its GPS is not that accurate, so it synthesizes your location to be bang-on on the blacktop) you need to go. Routes are map-based.
Tracks are more like dots on white paper. Location yes, but map items no.
Try generate a track from A to B.
Then drive from A to B while recording a track.
Compare the two. They differ quite a lot.
Synthesized vs recorded. Ideal vs actual.
GPS inaccuracy revealed.

[Herko ter Horst]

@roland-reay The way I look at it, is that a route is just a (relatively small) set of waypoints and each navigation device/app will calculate the "best" way to go from one to the other (in order), based on its own map material, software and settings. Therefore, you are likely to get differences between separate devices/apps.

A track is either the representation of a pre-calculated route (based on the planner's map and settings) or a representation of a recorded route. On devices/apps that can handle tracks, this should lead to the track being the same across all of them.

The GPX 1.1 format as stored by MRA, contains both a track and a route (unless you select the option without the route). TomTom can handle both, so it shows both. I also use MRA with TomTom and I personally always use the track.

[roland reay]

Thankyou very much everyone ,from that I take it that the track is a more detailed method of calculating a route,that is if I understand the conversations correctly.I will use the track mapping from this moment onwards just to see the differences,I’me taking 14 of my friends over to luxemberg and Germany in may and have planned a few routes so fingers crossed thanks once again

[Guzzist]

Difference between Route and Track are explained good enough by others.
But one more point ist important:
By a Route, your Nav-Device can calculate a way towards next waypoint and will guide you by Icons at Screen, and by speech (sound).
But this can happen only at bigger (paved) roads. At offroads, usually Nav-Device can't calculate. In some rare cases - if you use an additional installed Topographic Map - calculation and guidance can happen too.

Vice versa a Route-Track ist similar to a Track (= drawn dots, where you have been on road), but is line/path of pre calculated dots. Usually your Nav-Device isn't able to calculate and guide you by this.
But the advantage ist at offroads: you can use additional installed Topographic Maps with small unpaved pathes. At screen of your Nav-Device, the Route-Track ist presented as coloured overlay.
If you are driving at the small road/path, you can observe the screen and can see, if you are still driving on the right road.

[Steve Lynch]

For anyone that is only interested in using Tracks on a TomTom Rider you can use the functionality provided by MRA in the “Save As” Menu, the very last option “TomTom MyDrive”, will only transfer the Track to TomTom MyDrive and the TomTom Rider it will not transfer the Route.
You will see a pop up that requires you to enter your TomTom MyDrive email and Password.