TheOfficeMaven

trippy1976, All of this stuff is brand new and so it hasn't been implemented into GSAK yet (or even Garmin's own MapSource for that mater). The first thing that would need to happen is for Robert Lipe (or another GPSBabel developer) to implement the new symbols into GPSBabel. From there, Clyde could implement it into GSAK (since is powered by GPSBabel behind the seens). I too would LOVE to see the custom symbols implemented into GSAK, but it might take some time for that to happen (and for me, they really don't do me much good until Garmin implements the use of multiple cache symbols into the Geocachine mode/page of their newer firmwares). I hope this helps explain things some...

Robert, I'm not an "experienced Babel-head" by any means, but I'd sure be more than willing to help if you need/want me too (as I'd really like to see this get implemented into GSAK which, as you know, is Babel-powered). -- TOM

All, I know that I've mentioned this one before (see above), but I'd really like to say it again in hopes that we can put a little pressure on Garmin on this one. If everyone who wants such a feature asks Garmin for it, maybe we'll see it implemented in a future version of the 60C(S), 76C(S), etc. firmware. Here's the problem... We need to get Garmin to allow us to assign multiple geocache (and geocache found) symbols via the 60CS's Geocache Setup page. Currently you can only assign one symbol for each (which is the treasure chest and the open treasure chest by default) and that doesn't do us much good if we want to assign the caches different symbols based upon their type and still have them show up (and function) in the 60CS's special Geocache mode/page (currently GC.com offers 8 different cache types). Thus, we'd need the ability to assign up to 8 different geocache symbols (and their associated "found-it" symbols). It would also be really helpful if there was a way to assign "DNF" or "Did Not Find" via the 60CS's special Geocaching mode/page as well (i.e. there'd be buttons for "Found", "DNF", and "Stop" - the "Note" button is nice, but I'd rather have the "DNF" button if space is a concern). Lastly, it would be really nice if Garmin allowed us to add more than 30 characters to a waypoint's description/note area as I really want to be able to add the cache's hint to the description/note (which you can do quite easily using the special tags feature in GSAK), but there's just not enough room with the way they currently have it setup! Garmin's done a absolutely spectacular job so far and so I'm really hoping that we can get them to listen to our requests on this one. Thanks!

Alone, You most likely need to update your unit's firmware to the latest beta version in order to use the customizable waypoint symbols feature in xImage (as Garmin didn't add this new feature until the later firmware versions). You can download the latest firmware version (i.e. version 3.43 beta) for your 60CS directly from Garmin's web site: http://www.garmin.com/support/download.jsp I hope this helps some...

Neo_Geo, I doubt that you'll really find it any different using the newer firmware version (i.e. you should be just fine).

Something like this: Note that for every cache type there is another symbol exactly the same but with a green check mark over the top to be used to indicate that the cache was found. I also did the same with a red x to indicate those caches that you "Did Not Find". EDIT (07/22/2004 8:41 AM PST): Okay folks, here's the download link for the GC symbols I've created... This one includes just the BMP files for use on your GPSr: GeocachingWaypointSymbols.zip This one includes the BMP files and I've also included ICO and GIF files just in case any developers or webmasters need/want them for their programs or websites: GeocachingWaypointSymbolsDev.zip Have fun with them!

Robert, No worries... I'll go ahead and pull the GC images from my web site. I don't have a clue. I just included them because I though people might want to use them. The problem I have with the whole thing is that my GPSmap 60CS unit's geocaching mode will only recognize the closed treasure chest symbols as valid geocache waypoint symbols. It will allow me to reassign the geocache symbol to any waypoint symbol I want, but it only allows the use of one and so using multiple geocach icons based upon the geocache type (e.g. traditional, multi, virtual, etc.) won't do me any good (although it would be really nice if Garmin did allow for the use of more than one geocache symbol - maybe we should suggest this to them - along with allowing longer than 30 character length descriptions too!). Also, it would be nice to have a way to indicate if the geocache was found or not via the symbol (just like the open treasure chest does for the standard Garmin geocache symbol). I guess that this could be as easy as including a red checkmark on top of each of the symbols though. Thanks for your comments...

robertlipe, I'm no artist, but here's my first stab at GC's waypoint symbols: EDIT: URL Removed (sorry guys) I'll try cleaning up the edges a bit more, but they look pretty cool as is. EDIT: Added following text. Okay, I've now cleaned them up a tad and added in a few more symbols. The NGS Benchmarks and the Project APE Cache symbols don't look too good in the screen shot, but they appear okay on the GPSr itself. If anyone else can do better, please feel free to give it a go.

Hmm... Maybe we can Jeppesen Aviation Database Update for Garmin Handheld GPS

Wow! GPSmap 96C It sure would be cool if we could use the 96C's basemap in our 60C(s) and/or 76C(S) units. I'd love to be able to look at the Jeppesen data/maps while flying in an airplane. Do you guys think it would be possible? Wishful thinking I suppose.

Nuwati, Yes, I'm using the 3.42 Beta firmware in my GPSmap 60CS. I think that Garmin added the new custom waypoint symbols starting in the 3.41 beta firmware. Thus, you'll probably have to upgrade to the latest 3.42 or 3.43 (or later) firmware in order to use the feature. Sorry, I forgot about that... I guess the best way to tell is to look at your waypoint symbols list on your GPSr. If you've got a "Custom" section (like I've shown in the screen shot I posted above), then you'll be able to customize them using Garmin's new xImage program. I'm not having any problems at all with the 3.42 beta firmware, so I don't see any reason why you shouldn't upgrade to it. The customizable waypoint symbols is definitely worth it IMHO.

Nuwati, You have to change the "Image Type" drop-down list to "Waypoint Symbol" on the fourth panel of xImage's wizard (it defaults to "Screen Shot" the first time you run the program). You then have to select all of the waypoints you want to import/export from the GPSr. I hope this helps some...

All, Just for kicks, I've created a set of 24 custom waypoint symbols (with transparent backgrounds) that you can use if you'd like. I've placed them up on my web site and you can download them from here (as a small 17 KB ZIP file): Custom Waypoint Symbols.zip Here's a screen shot of what they look like in my GPSmap 60CS (note that the screen shot was also taken with the xImage program): If anyone else wants to contribute a different set, please feel free.

Okay... The background color you need to use for your bitmap images in order to make them transparent is magenta (255, 0, 255). If you color in all of your custom waypoint symbols with a magenta (i.e. pink) background, then all of the magenta color will appear as transparent when you upload the symbols to your GPSr. Very cool!

Ha ha!! This is AWESOME! Garmin's new xImage tool allows you to customize the 24 "Custom" waypoint symbols that are listed in the waypoint symbols list on the newer firmware versions for the GPSmap 60C(S) (and I assume all of the other GPSr's that use Garmin's newer firmware like the 76C(S), etc.). you can upload any image you want as long as it's a 16x16 pixel bitmap in 256 color depth. I just tested it with a few images and it works great. I'm super stoked that I can now use my own custom waypoint symbols in my GPSmap 60CS. WAY TO GO GARMIN! You guy's are THE BOMB! Who woooooo!!! BTW, I set my image's background color to grey and the images shows up with a white background on the GPSr. I wonder if there's a specific background color we can use so that the waypoint symbols will show up with a transparent background like some of the built-in waypoint symbols do. Even if that's not possible, it's still okay with me.

Clyde, Wow! You've done an OUTSTANDING job with the newly released v4.00 of GSAK. As a fellow programmer myself, I think that you are selling yourself short with this one. GSAK is by far the best program out there for working with geocache info from GC.com IMHO. You should really think seriously about making the program shareware and upping the registration fee to something like $29.95. If you are worried about not having a "free" version available for competition with EasyGPS, etc., then you could always release a trimmed down version of GSAK for that purpose that is limited in its feature set. You've got a great piece of software on your hands and you should try to get back some of the hard work you've put into it. I myself will be registering GSAK twice as I feel that the $30 is worth every darn penny! Thanks again Clyde for such an AWESOME program and for all of the great support you provide for it!

I had City Select v5 installed and then I installed the v6 update from Garmin. I then went into the Windows Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs applet and uninstalled the old v5 and my v6 update still works just fine in MapSource (and on my GPS). Thus, there's no need to keep the old v5 installed once you've installed v6 (although you will indeed need v5 installed in you ever need to reinstall v6 at a later date). I hope this helps some...

SOLD!!

SOLD!

quest4cache, If you have City Select, then there's no need to keep the MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager installed as City Select has the Trip & Waypoint Manager functionality included. Garmin simply includes the MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager CD with your GPSr so that you can work with your routes and waypoints on the PC (but it's mostly because they're too cheep to include a real set of maps ). As far as I know, version 2.00 of the MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager is the latest. As for City Select v5... As soon as I installed the v6 update on my PC, I uninstalled the old v5 and v6 still works just fine (i.e. there's no need to keep v5 around once you have v6 installed). If your copy of v6 is an update, then you will need to install v5 prior to installing v6, but once v6 is installed, you can then go back and uninstall v5. v5 can be uninstalled via the Windows Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs applet. I hope this helps some...

FlashMaster, Thanks for the vote of confidence. For everyone else, please don't get me wrong here... The GPSmap 60C is an awesome machine. I purchased it before I really found out what geocaching was all about and so I felt that I didn't need the electronic compass or the altimeter (note that the 60C also has a compass and an altimeter built in, but they just aren't as accurate as the 60CS' when you are below 2 MPH is all). I had no problem at all finding my first cache with the 60C and so it is still a great unit for geocaching. I'm just a gadget guy by nature and so I've been kicking myself for not getting the fully loaded one in the first place (I do this with my cars too ). I was actually considering keeping the 60C for my wife. We'll just have to see how the auction on eBay goes. If nobody buys it (which I think is silly because it's brand spanking new and includes many hundreds of dollars of MapSource software with it), then I'll probably just keep it for her instead. She can really use the point-to-point auto-routing feature as she can't find her way out of a paper bag most days and she doesn't have a clue about telling North from South, etc. I still love her though.

All, I'm selling my copy of Garmin's MapSource U.S. Lakes + Fishing Hot Spots West v5. This is the newest 2004 version of the software. If you're interested, you can check out my auction on eBay at: Garmin MapSource U.S. Lakes + Fishing Hot Spots West v5 If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail or PM me. TheOfficeMaven

The MetroGuides won't auto-route on the GPS (unless you are using the older version 4.01 MetroGuide that is). More than likely, you were just auto-routing from the 60C's built-in basemaps and once you hit the smaller streets (that aren't covered by the built-in basemaps), the unit wan't able to continue auto-routing any more. If you want to auto-route everyware, then you need to pick up a copy of City Select. The latest version of City Select (i.e. version 6.00 - 2004) just came out and it should have coverage for all of the smaller streets you are driving on I would imagine (if you buy a copy of version 5 now, Garmin will upgrade you to version 6 for free). Note that you could also use City Navigator (and the older MetroGuide 4.01) for auto-routing on the 60C, but Garmin doesn't recommend it. I hope this helps some...

CoachNH, I'm selling the 60C because I just purchased a 60CS instead. I'm really enjoying geocaching and I felt that I could use the built-in compass on the 60CS in order to help me close in on the cache a bit better. The 60C and the 60CS are both awesome GPSr units! TheOfficeMaven

All, I'm selling my brand new GPSmap 60C along with the MapSource City Select North America version 6.00 CD-ROMs (i.e. the brand new 2004 version) plus a bunch of other great MapSource software is included as well. If you're interested, you can check out my auction on eBay at: Garmin GPSMAP 60C GPS w/ City Select NA v6 + EXTRAS!!! If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me. TheOfficeMaven