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Garmin Poi Loader


GeoBobC

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Can anyone please describe the format for poi's to be loaded using Garmin's POI loader? I see that the file must be in CSV format, but what fields are required? I assume that a name and coordinates must be specified: what else? I've looked on the Garmin website and cannot locate any documenation describing the specific format of an input line. I'm looking for semething like: "name,lat degrees,lat minutes.ss,...."

 

One more question: if I use a 1GB micro SD card with a 60cx and I load what Mapsource indicates are 800MB of maps, how much useable space is left remaining/how many poi's could be loaded?

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GPSBabel writes these files. The POI style that GPSBabel uses can be seen at http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/gpsb...v=1.2&view=auto

 

Note that the coords are in a different order than you might expect.

 

I got froggy stuffing geocaching information in there, so the output looks like:

gpsbabel -i gpx -f GCGCA8.gpx -o garmin_poi -F -

-86.86167,35.92167,GCGCA8 Unkn(3.0/2.0),Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo

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When Garmin's POI Loader first came out, it was necessary to create cvs files. Each line in the file was latitude,longitude,description. Initially, the ability to create a fourth column was not indicated, but a fourth column is accepted(comment). New users are often confused because they reverse the latitude with longitude (like in Mapsource), also, the latitude is east nomenclature so that in the US, the proper format is

-XX.XXXXX,YY.YYYYY (degrees, not DD MM.MMM or DD MM SS.SS).

Most people find it easier to use a spreedsheet like Excel or Quatro Pro and when finished, save as a cvs file. Now Garmin has added the ability to create all the points in Mapsource, saving as a gpx file. The advantage obviously that you can see and store the exact location of all of the POIs.

You can create individual speed gpx files, or lump all the speed in one file by giving the speed as part of the name, leaving the proximity box unchecked, the default distance will be created unless using the manual mode. If you check the proximity box the distance will override either the speed in the name, or the speed in the file name, irrigardless of using the manual mode.

I'm not sure how it works now. It used to be that the proximity alarm along with the location of the POI was displayed (custom created bmp waypoint symbol), now the streetpilots only show the alarm. I don't have the newer x series handheld, so this might work differently with the x units.

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You should re-read this thread that you started back in Februrary. It's got a whole bunch of great info.

 

I use .gpx files with my CSx. They are bigger, but IMO easier. I use GSAK to export .gpx files with these settings:

 

GSAK_ScreenShot.gif

 

On the CSx, they show up like this:

 

POI_image.gif

 

It's great because I've got the full cache name, size, difficulty, terrain, last 4 logs (N=DNF, F=Find), date last found and the owner name all in the GPSr. Even better, I create a second database of just the hints using only the %hint tag and then I have a hint database of POIs that look like this:

 

POI_image02.gif

 

A .GPX file of 500 caches with hints is about 2.5MB. You should be aware that custom POI icons do not work with the 'X' series. You should write Garmin if you want this changed!

Edited by Cache Heads
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"Now Garmin has added the ability to create all the points in Mapsource, saving as a gpx file. "

 

Does that mean that a user could load (previously saved) waypoints into Mapsource, save them as a .gpx file, and then use the POI loader program to load them to a 60x as points-of-interest?

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"Now Garmin has added the ability to create all the points in Mapsource, saving as a gpx file. "

 

Does that mean that a user could load (previously saved) waypoints into Mapsource, save them as a .gpx file, and then use the POI loader program to load them to a 60x as points-of-interest?

Yep.

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Speaking of creating .gpx files with Mapsource.... here's a question. When I create a .gpx file of 500 caches using GSAK with the above method (%con1/%Dif/%Ter/%last4 (%datelf) - %by), I end up with a .gpx file that is about 1.5mb. If I do the exact same thing using Mapsource, my .gpx file is only 380k! I can even take the 1.5mb .gpx file that GSAK creates, open it up in Mapsource and then re-save it and it still gets shrunk to 380k.

 

Why the huge difference in file size?

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Speaking of creating .gpx files with Mapsource.... here's a question. When I create a .gpx file of 500 caches using GSAK with the above method (%con1/%Dif/%Ter/%last4 (%datelf) - %by), I end up with a .gpx file that is about 1.5mb. If I do the exact same thing using Mapsource, my .gpx file is only 380k! I can even take the 1.5mb .gpx file that GSAK creates, open it up in Mapsource and then re-save it and it still gets shrunk to 380k.

 

Why the huge difference in file size?

Does the MapSource version contain the entire comment field?

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Does the MapSource version contain the entire comment field?

 

Yeah, it does. It shows up exactly the same on the CSx, too. I even tried unchecking the options to include GSAK extra fields and user notes and I chose to export zero logs but the GSAK created file is still over a megabyte bigger than the one created by Mapsource....

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I have the feeling that the POI loader is compressing the .gpx file. I have approximately 3200 caches downloaded via the loader each using around 50 to 60 text spaces and the resulting file on the card shows as less than 1 meg. My adaptor is at home so I cannot give exact figures but when I first saw it I was sure I had gotten only a partial download. A random search by name of a few caches confirmed that all loaded to my 60cx.

 

Olar

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