Routes and course, file formats used by different GPS units, operate differently.

GPS routing runs on waypoints; sets of points on the map that comprise a route or course. The route is simply the set of straight legs that run from one waypoint to the next.

There is a critical functional difference between a route and a course. Route files are sparse, with comparatively few waypoints. Course files are dense, with possibly hundreds of waypoints.

	Route	Course
as in unit	Magellan eXplorist	Garmin Edge
Normal number of waypopints	sparse - only at the turns	dense - every few meters
Pointer points to...
	next route waypoint	nearest course point
For navigation use...	route pointer or map	map