GPX Versions 1.1 vs 1.2 for Garmin Visually Explained

[John S Parry]

@Mzokk said:

I had a look at the setup of my XT as stated earlier I haven't used it for actual navigation for over a year now preferring instead to use my phone connected to my Africa Twin's built in screen.

First of all, I wish for your eye procedure to go well.

After completing the XT 1.2 off-route recalculation and being returned to the route, I decided to go off-route further ahead, but this time chose not to recalculate when prompted, which triggered the route to pause. After meandering around for a couple of miles, I manually re-entered the route line further ahead and my XT route came back to life. This is my normal method for handling off-route situations.

Then I hit the section of the route with the twisty section where HERE maps the road incorrectly. Because 1.2 is essentially following the Track of the MRA developed route, there was no alert for divergence. On the XT, it showed me riding the Track line where the road actually exists and then showed where the Track/Route converged up ahead. No drama, and no intervention. It's very slick.

Using 1.1 for this route in previous tests, this triggered an off-route alert that completely tripped up the MRA phone app running in parallel to my Garmin. The app tried to recalculate to the next waypoint but ended up in a loop where it was constantly trying to reroute me backwards. I had to stop and restart the app for it to continue.

When stuff like this happens, it just reinforces to me that the app is not yet ready for prime time. I admire the tenacity of the MRA Development team constantly chasing down errors and putting out fires, but it never seems to end. I'd like to feel that I have the option of using the phone app instead of my Garmin, but the confidence simply isn't there. I sincerely hope genuine app stability will somehow be achieved in the future.

[Steve Jarrell]

@John-S-Parry Thanks very much for the update. You clearly showed the HUGE advantage that 1.2 has over 1.1. Quite simply the route is forced to follow the track.

[John S Parry]

@Steve-Jarrell said:

Thanks very much for the update. You clearly showed the HUGE advantage that 1.2 has over 1.1. Quite simply the route is forced to follow the track.

It's been fun learning about 1.2, and understanding the pros/cons vs. 1.1

To your point, the advantages are many. Developing a route using MRA Routeplanner, and literally being guaranteed that it will import as designed into an XT device is gold. Much has been said about the Sync function in MRA providing WYSIWYG on the app. But that's not 100% true. Depending on off-line or on-line execution in the app, the route can recalculate differently. Ask me how I know.

If there is a notable downside to 1.2, it's that you no longer have shaping waypoints available for skipping during route execution. It seems many here are constantly skipping to change the original route during execution. And there are many posts about how users get in trouble using that function. It's not a downside for me personally, but for others.....

The other issue I've encountered is that 1.2 doesn't seem to be supported in Basecamp. Meaning, if I create a 1.2 GPX and import it into BC, it gets munched up. At least that was my early experience. I'll have to go back and try it again to be 100% sure.

Otherwise, 1.2 ahead....

[Mzokk]

It has been an interesting discussion, and thanks John for the good wishes.

Anyhow with regard to Garmin devices one thing I will say "and why I keep my XT mounted as a backup" is that the hardware itself is well made robust and reliable. These are all mine since 2004 and they are all in working order and all have been through some horrendously wet weather. Its unlikely that any of us will have a functional phone for that long.

The main reason I've ended up here is the disappointing software provided for the XT (Explore) by Garmin and the change to its routing algorithm which meant, that compared to the old devices, what you produced on Basecamp bears little relation to what you get on the XT unless you "pin" the route with lots of shaping points. I'm pretty happy with the MyRoute app routing program and navigation app with the exception of POI and track handling capabilities. But at least with phone based navigation you are not restricted to Garmin's poor software offering. A lesson I hope they learn before its too late.