Geocache POI's for TomTom

[+Simon Stapley]

Does anyone have a website link for Geocache POI's for a TomTom sat nav unit?

Thanks in advance.

[+The Bolas Heathens]

Yes - go to http://stats.geocacheuk.com and then do a search for the caches you want to include (we do whole of UK) and then click the download link and select the TomTom option

[+stevo185]

Ditto what the Heathens said. I put a bigger card - 1Gig - into my Go300 to accomodate all the UK caches as well as the speed cameras. Then you can turn on the proximity warnings and it will tell you when you are within a distance of a cache - found or unfound.

Steve.

[+wigglesworth]

Alternatively you can use GSAK.

Select the caches you wish to be able to navigate to - go to the export menu and select tomtom.

Having said that they do not take up very much space so I download a couple of thousand at a time.

Peter

[+tteggod trackers]

sorted it!!!

Edited October 25, 2006 by tteggod trackers

[+Bear and Ragged]

256mb card.

contains

TomTom data (of course!)

 

Caches -found/not found

Trigs -found/not found

Speed cameras.

 

G

[+The Other Stu]

256mb card.

contains

TomTom data (of course!)

 

Caches -found/not found

Trigs -found/not found

Speed cameras.

 

G

 

In addition, those of you who (like me) seem to spend their summer at camping events, the following site is very useful:

 

http://www.tomtomfree.com/

 

It has all sorts of POIs on there, the ones in particular I've been using are:

 

Supermarkets

Camp sites and suppliers

Banks (rather than just cash points)

 

Stu

[+studlyone]

I never knew that you could set up a TomTom to use geocaching data - you learn something new everyday. I'm off now to play at setting mine up. Thanks for a very usefull thread.

 

ian

[+Birdman-of-liskatraz]

is there a current alternative - for the whole of the UK as a TomTom POI?

[+the_dog]

Yes - go to http://stats.geocacheuk.com and then do a search for the caches you want to include (we do whole of UK) and then click the download link and select the TomTom option

 

I'd love that link, but the site's been down for weeks now.

 

I've been downloading a large number of PQ's, then using GSAK to merge the DB's, then using the TT macro to export the data.

 

If you travel a lot for work it can be useful for cache and daches if you put the following codes in the export options.

 

%Name - %Hint - %con1 - (D%dif-T%ter)

 

Should result in something like "Boyz Toyz #1 - Under a rock - R - 1-2"

 

So name of cache (use %code if you want the GC number), un-encrypted hint, one letter for size L/R/S, and difficulty/terrain. My Tomtom appears to have a maximum number of characters that display, so it might truncate the text. Choose wisely.

 

Regards.

[+The Blorenges]

Alternatively you can use GSAK.

Select the caches you wish to be able to navigate to - go to the export menu and select tomtom.

Having said that they do not take up very much space so I download a couple of thousand at a time.

Peter

 

If you do use GSAK to export a customised (list of caches you want) then Big Wolf has written an excellent macro for GSAK which displays the cache type icons on the TT screen. You can get the macro (and others) here.

 

Chris (MrB)

[+the_dog]

Alternatively you can use GSAK.

Select the caches you wish to be able to navigate to - go to the export menu and select tomtom.

Having said that they do not take up very much space so I download a couple of thousand at a time.

Peter

 

If you do use GSAK to export a customised (list of caches you want) then Big Wolf has written an excellent macro for GSAK which displays the cache type icons on the TT screen. You can get the macro (and others) here.

 

Chris (MrB)

 

Not sure if you've quite got the link correct....

 

bigwolf tomtom export

[+The Blorenges]

I linked to the main TT forum in GSAK where there are other macros - just in case anyone got excited and wanted more!

 

Chris

[+wigglesworth]

Yrt more wonderful goodies to use with GSAK. Have downloaded the macro and seems to work fine after updating GSAK. But there is a but

 

Currently we download all caches to a single POI category tomtomall. We then look in tomtomall for the cache of interest, select it and off wego. Using this new macro it seems that we will have to look in the sub category cache type and then selectthe cache. I tried leaving tomtomall loaded but iy obliterated all the new icons.

How are people using the macro?

Peter

[+the_dog]

Yrt more wonderful goodies to use with GSAK. Have downloaded the macro and seems to work fine after updating GSAK. But there is a but

 

Currently we download all caches to a single POI category tomtomall. We then look in tomtomall for the cache of interest, select it and off wego. Using this new macro it seems that we will have to look in the sub category cache type and then selectthe cache. I tried leaving tomtomall loaded but iy obliterated all the new icons.

How are people using the macro?

Peter

 

I don't entirely understand your post I'm afraid. On the picture below, #1 shows how to export with different icons, specifically showing micros, and #2 shows one of the options for text to show on tomtom. This text will only show if you go to "browse map".

 

[+maxkim]

Hi, using Big Wolf's export macro to get the icons. Is it possible to then get these to link to html files as they do with MM? Cheers MaxKim.

[+The Blorenges]

I did see a post from someone in the US forums saying they had but his webpage was a bit vague in describing how. Suggest you do a search for TomTom in those forums and see.

 

Chris (MrB)

[+wigglesworth]

It is surprising how difficult it is to explain yourself on the forum when you cannot wave your hands and check for understanding.

1. We now have the cache type icons on tomtom which we can see when we browse the map. So far so good and it is a great step forward.

2. However when you want to enter the navigate to as a POI you have to select the POI category. With the additional icons thereis a POI category for each type of cache. This means that when you want to navigate to you have to first select the POI category - eg traditional cache; enter the cache name and then navigate to.

3. At the moment we have a single category for all caches and types so only have to select the 'tomtomall' POI category and then we can enter the cache name for the navigate to.

 

We wondered if anyione has a way to select the "navigate to" the cache without defining the cache type.

 

I hope that I have explained myself better ths time!

Peter

[+the_dog]

3. At the moment we have a single category for all caches and types so only have to select the 'tomtomall' POI category and then we can enter the cache name for the navigate to.

 

We wondered if anyione has a way to select the "navigate to" the cache without defining the cache type.

 

I hope that I have explained myself better ths time!

Peter

 

Doesn't #3 do that?

 

In reference to the TOMTOM html, I did see a vague reference to this on a US forum. However it involves changing your menu setup, and wasn't particularly great at explaining the procedure.

 

I only use my TOMTOM for drive by caches when I'm out for work, so the GSAK set up is fine for me, just need the hint really, not the cache page.

[+Pengy&Tigger]

1. We now have the cache type icons on tomtom which we can see when we browse the map.

2. However when you want to enter the navigate to as a POI you have to select the POI category. With the additional icons thereis a POI category for each type of cache. This means that when you want to navigate to you have to first select the POI category - eg traditional cache; enter the cache name and then navigate to.

 

 

They can only have a separate icon because they are a different category. It's not possible to have different icons yet have them all in the same POI category.

I guess you have to decide what's more important to you - having different icons or not having that extra step of selecting the category when navigating. If you want to go back to one category you can always select 'Single icon for all waypoints'.

 

For me personally, I'd rather have the icons. When driving past an unplanned cache, we know not to bother stopping if it's a multi or puzzle on the screen.

 

Edit - when you navigate you could always select 'Any POI category' rather than selecting the cache type, and searching that way. However, it doesn't bring up a list of nearest POIs like selecting a category does.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Pengy&Tigger

[+wigglesworth]

Pengy and Tigger

Thanks for your input. There have been many times when we have stopped the car. Clicked through tomtom to find the map, identify the cache. Then spend ages inding the cache details just to find thatit is a puzzle or multi for which we have no time.

 

Edit - Just done a quick check and cannot see how to select 'any POI category'perhaps this is a newer version!

Edited August 25, 2008 by wigglesworth

[+the_dog]

Pengy and Tigger

Thanks for your input. There have been many times when we have stopped the car. Clicked through tomtom to find the map, identify the cache. Then spend ages inding the cache details just to find thatit is a puzzle or multi for which we have no time.

 

OK, I give in.

[littleclaude]

Hello

 

How do I get my TomTom to find the caches I am downloading? I have no idea how to work it?

[+Bear and Ragged]

Hello

 

How do I get my TomTom to find the caches I am downloading? I have no idea how to work it?

 

GSAK.

Nice little macro by Big Wolf.

 

Oh, and Premium membership to get Pocket Queries.

 

It might work with non-GPX files, but I've not tried it that way.

 

OR.

Without fancy icons, GSAK and File> export> TomTom POI File

[+Bear and Ragged]

You need to generate/get generated two files.

 

An OV2 file called something like Caches.ov2

and a BMP Bit Map Image called Caches.bmp

 

both are put into your Map folder on the TomTom.

 

Some of the newer TomTom's won't give you a proximity warning when you are near a cache (recent change by TomTom, to get you to buy their Speed Camera warnings) but will at least get you as close as it can- on the road- to the cache.

[+The Blorenges]

For some 'illustrated' instructions, have a look here:

 

"Follow the arrow" - Putting caches and waypoints into a TomTom.

 

MrsB

[+Graculus]

If you become a premium member you can download up to 1000 caches in a Pocket Query, then using GSAK export them directly to your TomTom. They'll show up with various cache type icons. I've written a simple 'How to guide' on my resource site here (scroll to the bottom of the page).

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk

Geocaching.com Knowledge Books

[littleclaude]

I have no idea what is going on, I just need to know how to get my TomTom to show me the location is once I have downloaded it from the website?

 

I think I might have to get and iphone as it all seems to work on that device

Edited August 11, 2010 by littleclaude

[+teamhillside]

I have no idea what is going on, I just need to know how to get my TomTom to show me the location is once I have downloaded it from the website?

 

I think I might have to get and iphone as it all seems to work on that device

 

Its really easy, but I can see that some of the suggestions made so far might make no sense if you don't understand the terminology.

 

To get lots of geocaches loaded onto any device, you most likely need to use "Pocket queries" from the geocaching.com website. Pocket queries allow you to download up to 1000 geocaches at the same time, based on criteria that you define - e.g. within 10 miles of X, placed since xx/xx/xxxx, traditional caches only etc etc.

 

These come in the format of a zip file (to save space) which then contains 1 or 2 files which are "GPX" files. GPX files are in a predefined format for containing all the useful information you'd want to know about geocaches.

 

Unfortunately, TomTom's can't "read" that file. They need geocaches (which they'd call "points of interest") in a TomTom specific format - ov2 files and bmp files (as mentioned by Bear and Ragged).

 

To convert GPX files into OV2 and BMP files, you need a tool. The most popular tool to do this is GSAK. You'd import the GPX files into GSAK and then export them in the TomTom format. To help automate this process, and add some advantages (such as having nice cache pictures) you could use the BigWolf macro, or just export the file.

 

Once you have created the OV2 & BMP files on your PC, you then need to copy them over to your TomTom and put them in the same folder that the maps are in.

 

Once you have done this, the TomTom should automatically add them (based on the file name) to the list of POIs that it knows about. Then you could set up warnings so that it beeps when you are 300yds from a cache, or you could select a cache and get driving directions to it.

 

It all sounds complicated - in fact, it takes me about 2 minutes to achieve this for about 6,000 geocaches in my GSAK database.

 

Hope this helps explain things. I would recommend following the excellent guides and instructions on the follow the arrow website, as quoted by graculus and the blorenges.

 

Cheers!

 

Matt

[Cache you nuts]

Just a quick one, I have downloaded all the software I need to exposrt to tomtom, but it only lets me import 3 caches onto GSAK. Says "cache download limit has been exceeded" Do I have to be a premium member to get more caches into the database??

[+Bear and Ragged]

Just a quick one, I have downloaded all the software I need to export to tomtom, but it only lets me import 3 caches onto GSAK. Says "cache download limit has been exceeded" Do I have to be a premium member to get more caches into the database??

 

Depends on how much information you want.

LOC files will give the lat and long of caches, and you can get 20 per page...

 

If you want to get all the relevant information GPX files are the way to go, and yes, Premium Membership is the way.

 

Edit to add.

As you are a Premium Member, log out of the FORUM, then log back in.

 

Look at using PQ's (Pocket Queries) for the files, 1,000 at a time, 5-a-day.

 

Also other ways to get more with GSAK. version 8

Edited January 7, 2012 by Bear and Ragged

[+Just Roger]

Just a quick one, I have downloaded all the software I need to exposrt to tomtom, but it only lets me import 3 caches onto GSAK. Says "cache download limit has been exceeded" Do I have to be a premium member to get more caches into the database??

 

I think you have 2 problems here. The fact that it says Database limit exceeded suggests that you have not registered your copy of GSAK as if I remember correctly there is a limit on numbers with an unregistered copy.

 

The other problem is the actual downloading which Bear and Raged has answered.

[+Amberel]

I have no idea what is going on, I just need to know how to get my TomTom to show me the location is once I have downloaded it from the website?

 

I think I might have to get and iphone as it all seems to work on that device

I think the iPhone is the only device on which it DOESN'T work. I just bought TomTom for my iPhone and I can't see how to download POIs at all.

 

If it is possible I'd love to know how .

 

Rgds, Andy

[+dartymoor]

Ditto what the Heathens said. I put a bigger card - 1Gig - into my Go300 to accomodate all the UK caches as well as the speed cameras. Then you can turn on the proximity warnings and it will tell you when you are within a distance of a cache - found or unfound.

Steve.

 

How did you get a list of all the uk caches?

 

I'm using pocket queries, but they only allow 1,000 per query and are in diameters of coords so I end up with a lot of duplicates. Not a problem as the software sorts them out, but wasteful and I end up with half a dozen queries for one county.

[+Bear and Ragged]

How did you get a list of all the uk caches?

 

I'm using pocket queries, but they only allow 1,000 per query and are in diameters of coords so I end up with a lot of duplicates. Not a problem as the software sorts them out, but wasteful and I end up with half a dozen queries for one county.

 

Pay for more than one account...

 

If you use Date Placed for PQ's it reduces duplicates.

[+Amberel]

If you use Date Placed for PQ's it reduces duplicates.

Date placed, whole UK, takes a month. A bit time consuming 'cos you can't automate it, but the new GSAK helps a lot.

 

Actually, I would trade 4 of my 5 PQs for a weekly whole UK download, if several people did this GS could prebuild a single whole UK download file once a week and save a vast amount of processing at their end.

 

Rgds, Andy

Edited January 7, 2012 by Amberel

[+Graculus]

If you're note sure how to transfer a PQ to a TomTom using GSAK and the excellent macro written by Big Wolf then I've written simple guide.

http://www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk/resources/paperless.html#showmehow

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

UK Geocaching Information & Resources website www.follow-the-arrow.co.uk

Geocaching.com Knowledge Books