Dear jaapm,
The difference between Tracks and Routes for navigation has been discussed a few times here, but I don’t know how to find the threads!
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Basically, a Track is a file that draws a line over the map. The line drawing instructions contain only one type of information: Latitude/Longitude points/places. So when Pocket Earth reads a Track file, it draws a line from place 1 to Place 2 to Place 3, etc.
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A Route file is much more complicated. I don’t know what-all a Route includes, but basically, it says “Start at the intersection of Something Road and Something Road, go along Something Road until you come to Another Road; turn left on Another Road and continue to Highway 123; take the entrance to High 123 south…” and on and on.
The instructions for a Route allow a mapping engine to give directions. The instructions for displaying a Track have none of that information; the navigating information doesn’t exist in a Track file.