A gpx export as presented is perfect for both Locus and Cruiser.

cycle.travel/forum/thread/4613

Brouter web will also offer this gpx export mode after update.

brouter.de/brouter-web/#map=5/50.990/9.860/standard

github.com/nrenner/brouter-web/issues/750#issuecomment-1629382325

Whether cycle travel will ever want to offer this gpx mode this way is not known.

Hi Willy,
That is a nice summary of how to format a GPX to get proper turn-by-turn navigation in Locus.  But I don't see how that applies to cycle.travel.  There is no way to export a GPX from cycle.travel that includes the navigation info, as far as I can see.  Is this incorrect?
Mark

You are correct. A 100% faithfull TBT navigation transfer can't be realised with a classic simple gpx (trk)track or gpx (rte) route.

For the wiggly line and the turn-by-turn directions in one file, cycle.travel generates TCX files. Garmin GPS units have been using these since 2007 and Wahoo and Hammerhead units can understand them too.

GPX files are really confusing and can be written in many different ways. cycle.travel can create the two most common: GPX tracks (wiggly line only) and GPX routes (turn-by-turn directions only).

It sounds like Locus doesn’t understand TCX files, but (from Willy’s links) that it does understand a GPX track but with the instructions included in the trackpoints, and the instruction types taken from TCX. Which is a bit weird! I’ve seen plenty of GPX files with instructions included in waypoints or routepoints, but never in trackpoints.

It would be nice if Locus could understand TCX files like GPS units do. 😁 Failing that, I could look at adding support for this in cycle.travel. I can’t promise it’ll be immediate because I’m concentrating on the Android app at the moment and it’s a bit of a niche feature! But it should be possible.

You are right Richard. Sure Locus does support tcx courses ! I even did ask this tcx course feature support in the Locus forum several years ago. 

But because my current interest in the gpx navtrack implementation and the recenct development in apps like Cruiser I did even forget to tell.and inform Mark  ;-)

Find Locus and tcx here:  forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=4178.msg50723#msg50723

0709,  that's me there.

@ Richard some more info.

The gpx idea trigger was indeed by Garmin tcx courses.

The gpx [EN]sym is used similar as in tcx [EN]PointType.

The gpx alternative offers the following extras:

No abbreviated expressions in gpx name and cmt.

Extra turn directions, not limited to L/R/S only.

Evolution & info. (Web planner export support)

A. A tcx track, instructions in wpt PointType (RWGPS, Plotaroute, Cycle Travel, +).

forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?msg=32083

B. A gpx track, instructions in wpt sym. (Plotaroute)

forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=4178.msg50723#msg50723

C. A gpx track, instructions in trkpt sym. (RouteYou & BRouter by update)

forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=5953.msg49519#msg49519

D. A gpz navtrack. (gpx zip) also offers transport of images. (Compare kml to kmz)

Example result. 

youtu.be/Uh54xvCL4g8

So if I’m reading you right, Mark can export a TCX course from cycle.travel, and Locus will understand that?

Correct Richard.

Brilliant - thank you!

Thanks Willy!  I have been on the road visiting family so haven't had time to try this until now.

There are two version of TCX export in CT ("course" or "activity") and I forgot which one I used, but at least one of them gives me a list of waypoints like your picture above.  Yes!!  Now I just need to try this out "live" on a local route.  Are you able to get voice prompts with the screen off?  Even morse code would be fine with me.

I should mention that I'm using Locus Classic (3.x), not the new subscription versions...

Since you have experimented with the improved nav support using GPX, I'm wondering if there is external PC software to make this conversion.  I'm willing to spend some time optimizing the navigation if it results in a better on-bike experience, although this seems to be usable already.

Mark

Ok Mark some Locus talk for now here in this cycle travel forum ;-)

Eventually for extra info contact me (0709) by the Locus forum messenger.

I also exclusively use the Locus Classic version without "cloud" support.

Locus can navigate with display off which then turns "on" before turns and via's.

With a swing above the proximity sensor you can also activate the display continuously.

This is very interesting feature when approaching a very "complex" street pattern.

This works perfectly also with the Morse voice for L/R/S instructions by the way.

I fitted this Morse voice in Locus because I don't like too much TTS talk.

In Locus you can "customise" so much that it is also a bit confusing at times.

Offer very many options and thereby keep a simple operation is quite difficult.

The new gpx navtrack format is generated with Cruiser, RouteYou, and soon BRouter

Do know this.

The Cycle Travel result clearly distinguishes itself from other routing engines.

So if you're going to travel anytime soon than use the tcx course format now.

For cycle navigation, the tcx course format is definitely sufficient for this.

But motorcyclists, for example, also expect roundabout instructions and more.

So the new gpx navtrack format may well support the extra instruction set.

However, the number of web sources that export this export format is still limited.

Experimenting with the many settings in Locus is best to be done after your trip.

Willy.

Tried out a route imported from a TCX course and it seems to work well, thanks.  The main annoyance (which is not a big deal) is that there are a lot of points in the file marked with the "Generic" point type when a "Straight" type might be more appropriate.  These are usually route instructions like "Continue on..." when a street changes names, or something like that.  In Locus they show up as red flags on the route.  I used a text editor to change some of them to Straight types to fix this.

I found it was also good to export elevation (by showing the elevation graph in CT before exporting).  CT knows about tunnels so it does not show huge climbs and descents when you go through one, but if Locus tries to use its own elevation data, it is not aware of the tunnels and the elevation changes become dramatic indeed :)

In the entire 1300 km route I think there were only three roundabout instructions, so, the lack of symbols for those is not too bad.

Mark

A bit more about those "Generic" points.  The ones I don't like all seem to have the title "BackOnBike" which implies [to me] that the cyclist was dismounted, and now should get back on the bicycle.  I don't think this is generally true, so, perhaps something to look at in the CT exporter code.

I've been pretty happy with the CT routes overall.  The only real issue I have is that (in Norway, at least), the CT map is almost completely devoid of place names.  It is very very difficult to find out where you are, when zooming around the route, because there is no text to speak of.  So, the CT router plus the statkart.no topo maps (displayed on Locus) has been a very nice combination to find out where the CT route actually goes!

Ah – good spot on the ‘BackOnBike’. I think I’ve fixed that now.

Norway has (unsurprisingly!) a lower density of town and city nodes than elsewhere so it can look a bit sparse. Fixing that is on the to-do list somewhere…

@ Mark.

Know, I mostly do trust the design from the first source.

Anyway I had a fast test. "Wie die Lottoziehung ohne gewähr" ;-)

Whether that result is flawless I have so not checked.

Download the cycle travel gpx track.

Upload it into the RouteYou web planner.

RouteYou automatically adds turn instructions.

To know, it's been a while since I've used this router though.

How exactly that conversion went I have not checked in detail.

You then choose export as Locus gpx (navigation track) file.

Routeyou sets the profile "shortest osm" and a mass of shaping points.

I noticed on quick inspection that there are many Straight commands generated too.

Without straight instruction I just follow the road and when in doubt I look at the map.

Without you have less auto display on triggers which is beneficial for the phone battery.

So by Notepad++ I quickly removed all Straight commands and the many Shaping points.

Anyway I do not use that not optimal implemented autorecalculation Locus feature.

The link for RouteYou download find here.

www.routeyou.com/nl-no/route/view/13091257/fietsroute/noorwegen-mark

The quickly post-processed navtrack as compressed gpz file is here temporarily.

www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wz899w6tmdwklbyzftf9c/routeyou-noorwegen-mark-locusmap.gpz?rlkey=htdrrudwzbqmibrcobjxf8udy&dl=0

The compression to gzp also provides small savings in my free dropbox space.

You can import this gpz file directly into Locus map

You don't have to unzip it first, Locus does this for you.

I have the gpz extension associated with Locus map.

I open this with a simple tap in the Android Cx file exlorer.