Garmin GPSMAP 60 CSx - How to organize waypoints

[outdoors4me]

Hey guys,

 

I had more fun than should be allowed in the Smokies this weekend. I explored places that I've never been before and did it with confidence.

 

So here is today's question.

 

I've got a bunch of waypoints already. Is there a way to at least categorize them. Something like...

 

Smokies - Yada yada

 

Beach - Yada yada

 

Yellowstone - Yada yada.

 

I'm just looking to keep from having to scroll thru all of these things.

 

Thanks, Beck

[+JSWilson64]

I think I understand what you're asking...

 

When we go on vacation and I save a bunch of waypoints and tracks of places we went, so I can put 'em on Google Maps to scoreboard my friends and family about where I've been. I use EasyGPS to pull my waypoints and tracks off my 60CSx to my computer, then organize them into separate files. You can select, cut, copy, paste, delete, etc. waypoints between files. I tend to save 'em by state and date, such as 2006 Hawaii trip, 2003 New Mexico trip, etc. I also save sets for Boy Scout campouts, bike rides, hikes, etc., for posting to the Troop web site.

 

Once you get 'em organized on the computer, you can delete them off your handheld until you're heading back to that area and want them again. That's what I do, at least.

[outdoors4me]

I think I understand what you're asking...

 

When we go on vacation and I save a bunch of waypoints and tracks of places we went, so I can put 'em on Google Maps to scoreboard my friends and family about where I've been. I use EasyGPS to pull my waypoints and tracks off my 60CSx to my computer, then organize them into separate files. You can select, cut, copy, paste, delete, etc. waypoints between files. I tend to save 'em by state and date, such as 2006 Hawaii trip, 2003 New Mexico trip, etc. I also save sets for Boy Scout campouts, bike rides, hikes, etc., for posting to the Troop web site.

 

Once you get 'em organized on the computer, you can delete them off your handheld until you're heading back to that area and want them again. That's what I do, at least.

 

Yep, that sounds like a dandy of a solution. So did EasyGPS com with my Garmin or do you have to buy it?

 

Thanks, Beck

[+JSWilson64]

Yep, that sounds like a dandy of a solution. So did EasyGPS com with my Garmin or do you have to buy it?

EasyGPS is a free download from www.easygps.com. They have a pay product called ExpertGPS, too, but I'm not sure what the difference is. If you bought your 60CSx recently (new, retail), it came with a CD with Garmin's Trip & Waypoint Manager -- that will do what you want, too (I think), as will Garmin's Mapsource program.

[+team5150]

You might also check out Munins POI Loader Tricks' in the FAQ's.

[+Miragee]

After every "caching adventure" I download all the Tracks and Waypoints to Mapsource on my computer. I "Save" that file under a "Geocaching/Tracks" folder with both the Date and Location, like '041608_CanyonHike.gdb'.

 

From that file I can create a Profile of the hike.

 

 

If I mark a Waypoint while on a hike or trip, I make sure I use a different icon from the Geocache Treasure chest, if I want to keep that Waypoint on the GPSr for the future -- like the endpoint of a Multi I haven't had a chance to finish yet -- because I Delete all the Geocaches and Geocaches Found prior to loading a fresh set from GSAK.

 

Garmin's free POI Loader works very well for putting "Custom POIs" on your GPS unit. I have bunches of those, separated by type, on my Vista HCx.

[outdoors4me]

Very cool so far guys.

 

I'm still having a problem though.

 

Using both EasyGPS and Garmin Mapsource, I can save all of my waypoints from the GPS to my local drive on the laptop. No problem. I can even segregate them by category and save them out.

 

But, when it comes time to send back to my GPS, all waypoints in all categories get dumped onto the SD card with no consideration for the category name on the laptop.

 

Can you actually have multiple waypoint folders on the GPS SD?

 

Thanks, Beck

[outdoors4me]

Bump

[+Red90]

Ummm, waypoint don't go on the SD card, they only go to internal memory. The only sorting available on the unit is by icon.

 

If you make them custom POIs, you can separate them by "category" which is basically the filename. Separate filenames, get separate categories.

[+Miragee]

Very cool so far guys.

 

I'm still having a problem though.

 

Using both EasyGPS and Garmin Mapsource, I can save all of my waypoints from the GPS to my local drive on the laptop. No problem. I can even segregate them by category and save them out.

 

But, when it comes time to send back to my GPS, all waypoints in all categories get dumped onto the SD card with no consideration for the category name on the laptop.

 

Can you actually have multiple waypoint folders on the GPS SD?

 

Thanks, Beck

Generally, you don't need to categorize the Waypoints because the usual way to look for them is "By Nearest." Only the 50 closest Waypoints will show up in that list. If you are in Yellowstone, your Beach waypoints aren't going to show up in the list.

 

If you are looking for the Waypoints by Name, if you use a real name, instead of the GC #, you can find them alphabetically. I use GSAK's "Smart Name" codes to get a unique name on the GPSr for each cache. The code I use for my Vista HCx is %smart=9 %con1%typ1%dif1%ter1

 

The information included is part of the Name, the Size of the container, the Type of cache (Traditional, Multi, Virtual, Puzzle), the Difficulty and Terrain (based on a 10-point scale). You can use whichever codes you prefer if you decide to use GSAK's "Smart Name" feature.

[outdoors4me]

Very cool so far guys.

 

I'm still having a problem though.

 

Using both EasyGPS and Garmin Mapsource, I can save all of my waypoints from the GPS to my local drive on the laptop. No problem. I can even segregate them by category and save them out.

 

But, when it comes time to send back to my GPS, all waypoints in all categories get dumped onto the SD card with no consideration for the category name on the laptop.

 

Can you actually have multiple waypoint folders on the GPS SD?

 

Thanks, Beck

Generally, you don't need to categorize the Waypoints because the usual way to look for them is "By Nearest." Only the 50 closest Waypoints will show up in that list. If you are in Yellowstone, your Beach waypoints aren't going to show up in the list.

 

If you are looking for the Waypoints by Name, if you use a real name, instead of the GC #, you can find them alphabetically. I use GSAK's "Smart Name" codes to get a unique name on the GPSr for each cache. The code I use for my Vista HCx is %smart=9 %con1%typ1%dif1%ter1

 

The information included is part of the Name, the Size of the container, the Type of cache (Traditional, Multi, Virtual, Puzzle), the Difficulty and Terrain (based on a 10-point scale). You can use whichever codes you prefer if you decide to use GSAK's "Smart Name" feature.

 

OK....50 closest makes sense.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Beck

[gps_dr]

Hey guys,

 

I had more fun than should be allowed in the Smokies this weekend. I explored places that I've never been before and did it with confidence.

 

So here is today's question.

 

I've got a bunch of waypoints already. Is there a way to at least categorize them. Something like...

 

Smokies - Yada yada

 

Beach - Yada yada

 

Yellowstone - Yada yada.

 

I'm just looking to keep from having to scroll thru all of these things.

 

Thanks, Beck

I use a categorization method that allows me to still use appropriate waypoint symbols:

• When I'm mapping bike trails, I prefix the waypoint name with a three letter key.
  
• When I'm mapping in the forest, I prefix the waypoints with the forest road number.
  

This allows me to easily group them and delete them in software.

The key is also used as the track and route names.

[outdoors4me]

Ummm, waypoint don't go on the SD card, they only go to internal memory. The only sorting available on the unit is by icon.

 

If you make them custom POIs, you can separate them by "category" which is basically the filename. Separate filenames, get separate categories.

 

Thanks Red,

 

I didn't realize that. So I guess that the SD card is just for maps.

 

Beck

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Or Custom POIs.

[Grasscatcher]

Experts(ex-spirts)="Has Been" Drips Under Presure

 

Notice that this is Post #15 in this thread......has no one thought of the obvious?

 

Really now, this is not a difficult problem....ever hear of using the alphabet for sorting things in alphabetical order? Rename the waypoints starting with an initial B for Beach, S for Smokies, Y for Jellystone........or whatever.

 

And choose"List By Name" for waypoints so that all will show instead of just the nearest 50.....because, If the waypoint you are interested in is NOT one of the nearest 50 it won't be shown.

 

I would also use different symbols for each (group) so that a whole group can be deleted "by symbol" if desired.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Grasscatcher