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Garmin Nuvi - True Paperless Geocaching


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This thread is to be used for all help/support/bug fixes for the tutorial at the website above.

 

So, for all help/queries/support/requests, please post away here.

 

All I ask is a few simple requests

 

* Be polite.

* Don't demand anything, I do this in my spare time and will help when I can.

* If you discover something good or find a better way to do things, please share it with us!

 

Enjoy the hunt.

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This thread is to be used for all help/support/bug fixes for the tutorial at the website above.

 

So, for all help/queries/support/requests, please post away here.

 

All I ask is a few simple requests

 

* Be polite.

* Don't demand anything, I do this in my spare time and will help when I can.

* If you discover something good or find a better way to do things, please share it with us!

 

Enjoy the hunt.

 

PilotSnipes,

 

Thanks for all your hard work. I am looking forward to trying this out.

I am trying out a Garmin 360 I got off Amazon for $ 240 +/- to compare with the Nuvi 260 ( one will be going back ).

 

The older Macros worked GREAT for the 300 series. The amount of information transferred over made for completely paperless geocaching. Interested to see the improvements.

 

Thanks Again!!

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Edits made per request to the two old threads. Old threads locked as you made references to them being locked soon.

 

The new pages look great. I think you'll be happier with the better ease of editing them and the readers will find it less of a forced fit into the forum s/w. Thanx for putting it together.

 

I also just added these to the pinned FAQs at the top of the group.

Edited by robertlipe
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This works GREAT! I have the Garmin 660 and everything worked perfectly, first time. I installed version 1.0 of the macro but have noted references to an updated version. Where is that located? I tried the Macro Library with no luck.

 

As for the Nuvi - it hasn't crashed on any cache so far. I have five surrounding areas that I download frequently (plus some others for infrequent visits - like vacation spots) and now have them in GSAK in multiple files, plus one for the Nuvi. The separate databases are to support the handheld (as it only holds 500 caches) and the Nuvi database holds all five files (with duplicates deleted!) plus the infrequent ones.

The only drawback so far is the time it takes to generate the "Geocaches.gsk" and the POILoader's time to upload but with 4000 caches listed, I understand - I just get a new cup of coffee!

 

Can't wait to try it on the road!!!

 

Question: I'm not very literate on Macro construction so please bear with me.... Can I revise the string for the title to put the GC# first (like GC #/ Type/Found/Name)? We are used to using the GC number as our handheld displays that in the next cache....

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This works GREAT! I have the Garmin 660 and everything worked perfectly, first time. I installed version 1.0 of the macro but have noted references to an updated version. Where is that located? I tried the Macro Library with no luck.

 

If you went to http://pilotsnipes.googlepages.com and downloaded the garmin-nuvi-geocache.gsk file from there, you WILL have the most uptodate one. (Could you point out where I've left references to newer versions as I'd like to remove them, but i can't find them in the code!)

 

The only drawback so far is the time it takes to generate the "Geocaches.gsk" and the POILoader's time to upload but with 4000 caches listed, I understand - I just get a new cup of coffee!

 

Yes, I have 3800 and it can take about 4 mins or more on my PC. If/When someone looks at my code and comes up with some optimisation (I'm not a programmer!) hopefully we'll be able to speed it up.

 

Question: I'm not very literate on Macro construction so please bear with me.... Can I revise the string for the title to put the GC# first (like GC #/ Type/Found/Name)? We are used to using the GC number as our handheld displays that in the next cache....

 

That shouldn't be a problem!

 

Goto the GSAK EXPORT screen, and change the WAYPOINT NAME box from:

 

%smart=10/%typ=3/%found/%code%bug=*

 

to

 

%code/%typ=3/%found/%smart=10%bug=*

Edited by pilotsnipes
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Great macro! I was hoping someone would come out with a way to do exactly this! I was previously copying & pasting descriptions by hand. Slow and tedious to say the least.

 

FYI - Your macro also works perfectly for the Garmin zumo 550! I just set the macro file up for a nuvi 6XX and it worked like a charm! (BTW - The zumo also has the bonus of having a 'compass rose'!)

 

Thanks again!

 

-Paul

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Excellent work! I noticed on your new google page on the bottom of the first page, you have "Your own choice of metres/miles, but make sure that express is selected. Then press Next." listed.

 

I have changed to custom instead of express and set it up to notify me when I am within 1500 feet of a cache. This way, as I'm driving I receive an alert as to the fact I'm within 1500 feet of a cache, regardless of speed. If I have time, I can hunt it down. I am curious as to what the "express mode" values are - since they aren't spelled out anywhere that I've seen.

 

Secondly, I have run the macro to create 2 sets of POI's. The first has pocket queries of caches I HAVE NOT found, and the other has POI's of those that I HAVE found. I can assign different icons for each type, and choose different values of alerts (if any). Works out nicely!

Edited by MassCache
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I'll have to give this a shot. I've always cached with my 76CSx (love it!) but I just got a Nuvi 760 for work. I'll have to tweak the suggested settings a bit though. I have no need for the GC# but I do want the size of the cache listed.

 

I have a question regarding your other suggested settings as well. You are using a smart name length of 10. Is this constrained by the macro or by the unit or is it just your preference? With my 76CSx I can use a smart name length of 14. Are any of your suggested settings constrained by the unit or the macro or are they merely examples in order to make things easy for most folks to copy and paste?

 

This looks like a GREAT utility and your tutorial is nicely done.

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I've got to add my kudos and congratulations on your new macro and the great new web tutorial you set up! I've yet to find a cache so far that crashes my Nuvi 200w with the new macro. I now get the max # of logs even when there is a hint (a problem I hadn't mentioned before), and you taught me a couple of new tricks:

 

Saving the POI as a favorite (an option to load all POIs also as favorites is an interesting thought) and pressing the satellite bars for several seconds on some models in order to see the satellite screen. I had assumed that screen was disabled on the 200, but it isn't!!

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Just got back from field testing this macro and found many, many positives. Having all my primary caching areas available will be a real benefit if/when I find myself in an area that I hadn't loaded into the handheld and PDA. And having all that detail info available a touch of a button (well, a couple of touches!) is a real boon.

 

Although a few drawbacks are inevitable, most of them are because I was used to loading my target cache area into "Favorites" so they would show up on-screen as I was driving. POIs don't do that - bummer. Hard to give up the "old ways"! And favorites are limited to 500 on my nuvi (as well as my handheld). Hope to up the count on the handheld when that Economic Stimulus Payment shows up.

 

All in all, this rates a full 9.5 out of 10!! An "A" in any book! Good job.

Edited by Cache O'Plenty
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I have been trying the various macro iterations on both a Nuvi260 and a Nuvi 360.

 

This latest version works very well on both units. I have elected to keep the Nuvi 360 on the basis of how much information you can get on the unit.

 

EVERYTHING is available in one place with NO loss of information.

 

This provides for completely Paperless geocaching and allows my wife and I to load and go. No more time spent printing out a stack of paper. More hours in the field a few less trees used.

 

I use this for auto routing to the caches but still use my VistaHCX once on site. Will have to try using the 360 alone.....

 

Can't thank PilotSnipes and Clyde ( as well as everyone who tried it out and made suggestions for improvement) enough. I'm sure some tweaks may be in order but pretty darn close to perfect!

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Thank you so much folks for the compliments, I have spend many an hour on this and that's all the encouragement I need to keep going.....(and I'm not done yet!).

 

So as this post doesn't get too long and boring for you here's the important stuff. After the summary I have replies to most of you below...

 

1 - I think we can get automatic alerts on the screen for nearby caches pretty soon. (Masscache see my reply to you below as this is different to your suggestion)

2 - I hope to have the 3xx using POILoader just like the other series when GSAK gets updated.

3 - I think we can also get colours on the Nuvi 3xx series some time in the future when GSAK gets updated.

4 - I think we can get rid of the "weird screen" on the 2xx/7xx (6xx too?) when you first select a cache when GSAK gets updated.

5 - Showing an advance section on the website for some more nice tips to help your caching experience.

 

Personal replies below:

 

Excellent work! I noticed on your new google page on the bottom of the first page, you have "Your own choice of metres/miles, but make sure that express is selected. Then press Next." listed.

 

I have changed to custom instead of express and set it up to notify me when I am within 1500 feet of a cache. This way, as I'm driving I receive an alert as to the fact I'm within 1500 feet of a cache, regardless of speed. If I have time, I can hunt it down. I am curious as to what the "express mode" values are - since they aren't spelled out anywhere that I've seen.

 

Ok I need you to be quiet about this at the moment as we will probably confuse people with this feature!!!!

What you are suggesting is almost the same as what I have been testing for a few weeks. By using the custom feature during the POIloader process, you are indeed setting up alerts for caches nearby, but ONLY if those caches are on the road you are travelling/being routed by the Nuvi.

 

eg. If you asked to travel down a road by the Nuvi (i.e. being routed) and you have set the custom feature in POILoader to 1km, then if there is a cache on that road (or within a few feet of it) you will get an alert as you travel inside 1km towards it.

 

If that same cache is on a side road to the one you are being routed on, even it it's only say 200metres away from the road you're on, the Nuvi will stay silent. This is not what we want.

 

I am currently using the Tourguide feature of the Nuvi to use a circle completely around your present point, if that circle is set to say 1km, then ANY cache no matter what road/location/area it is in, will be shown as an alert on your screen if it is within 1km of your current position. I hope you can see the subtle difference here.

 

Why haven't I launched this feature? Because it crashes the Nuvi 7xx series!! I have reported the entire process to Garmin, who have emailed me back and confirmed this bug exists with the 7xx series. They have promised to release a firmware update to fix it. As soon as that is released I'll be showing you all how to do this.

 

As I do not have a 2xx or 6xx series I don't know if the bug exists in these models.

 

There is documentation on the internet that gives the exact value for the express values, from memory they are approximately 36 secs to a waypoint, or 1/4 of a mile.

 

Secondly, I have run the macro to create 2 sets of POI's. The first has pocket queries of caches I HAVE NOT found, and the other has POI's of those that I HAVE found. I can assign different icons for each type, and choose different values of alerts (if any). Works out nicely!

 

Yes I do something similar too and this is a very good example of using multiple POI categories on the Nuvi for different purposes. I think I will go ahead and add an "advanced" page to the website and include this type of activity. I didn;t want to overwhelm people at the beginning but it seems like everyone is more than capable of doing this stuff so I might as well expand!

 

Do you think your "Baby" would work on my iMac G5 with Virtual PC? I have a Nuvi 260W and would like to give it a go.

 

I know for fact that I have had at least 1 report of a mac user using parallels to run GSAK/POIloader and he had no problems whatsoever. I think the same will be true of Virtual PC, GSAK and POIloader are not "crazy" windows programs and should work just fine.

 

I'll have to give this a shot. I've always cached with my 76CSx (love it!) but I just got a Nuvi 760 for work. I'll have to tweak the suggested settings a bit though. I have no need for the GC# but I do want the size of the cache listed.

 

Just play with the Waypoint name box in the export menu in GSAK. You'll find all the codes in the help menu if you need to find your particular combination. It's very easy.

 

I have a question regarding your other suggested settings as well. You are using a smart name length of 10. Is this constrained by the macro or by the unit or is it just your preference? With my 76CSx I can use a smart name length of 14. Are any of your suggested settings constrained by the unit or the macro or are they merely examples in order to make things easy for most folks to copy and paste?

 

For MY tutorial, if I make the smart name any bigger than 10, then on the widescreen nuvis some of the information gets cut off the end when I browse through the POI list. For the small screen the same is true when the Smart name is bigger than 7.

 

If you find you can add more or less characters to the combination of codes you want to display please go ahead, there is NO restriction on this by the macro, only what you would like it to show you.

 

What IS constrained by the macro is the number of characters available when showing all the cache details (description/hint/logs) so far I think I've been pretty accurate in getting the correct numbers, so unless you've done some intensive testing, please don't change those.

 

And yes of course most of the settings are set for ease of folks to get this to work, you can always find small tweaks to suit your own setup....but post those here if you find good ones!!

 

Although a few drawbacks are inevitable, most of them are because I was used to loading my target cache area into "Favorites" so they would show up on-screen as I was driving. POIs don't do that - bummer. Hard to give up the "old ways"! And favorites are limited to 500 on my nuvi (as well as my handheld). Hope to up the count on the handheld when that Economic Stimulus Payment shows up.

 

All in all, this rates a full 9.5 out of 10!! An "A" in any book! Good job.

 

Thank you!

 

I know a lot of people would like to have the POIs loaded as favourites, so that they appear on the map, but it just doesn't give enough flexibility.

 

You can't add the cache details

You can't store more than 500 waypoints

You can only delete them one by one - painful.

How do you mark that you've found a cache (without resorting to paper) if they are already in the favourites area? When they are POI's you can always save them to favourites when you find the cache making it easy to log when you get home because the only ones you have to log are the ones in the "favourites" folder.

 

My advice - pester Garmin to come up with a firmware fix to show POIs on the map like favourites!

 

I use this for auto routing to the caches but still use my VistaHCX once on site. Will have to try using the 360 alone.....

 

Thanks Largenoggin, if you get a chance, could you try a few caches using only the Nuvi and then report back your experiences? I'm sure the Vista will be better, I don't doubt that, but it would be nice to see how good a job the Nuvi does from someone who has both.

 

I don't, but I have to say, I've never found getting to ground zero difficult with the Nuvi, finding the cache of course is a different story, sometimes the owner is just too clever with their disguises!!

Edited by pilotsnipes
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Great.. and yes, I do see the difference of Tour Guide and the way the Prox Alerts are set up. I don't do a great deal of routing, but I can see how this could be a major issue for those that do and wish to see what's along the way.

 

As I have admitted weeks ago, I'm not very savvy with macro interpretation. With this in mind, I'm interested in dealing with the hints a little differently than you have the macro set up to do. Many times, while looking for a cache, I will read the cache description or might want to see a few of the log entries - but can't get to the bottom the description text without seeing the decrypted hint on the screen. :huh:

 

Ideally, I'd like to do one of several things with it, 1) leave it encrypted, 2) move it in it's decrypted form to a point say, after "X" number of logs - or as the very last text entry for the cache, 3) provide an advance notice of the "hint coming on the next page" (this would be nice regardless of where the hint text goes really) or a last resort, 4) no hints at all. The last is offered only as an escape for not being able to do any of the previous 3 options, as leaving them encrypted would be better than omitting them.

 

Again, you've done a great job with this macro and I know I'm not alone in my appreciation of the many hours of effort that you have put into this work.

 

Thanks!

 

Steve

Edited by MassCache
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Ideally, I'd like to do one of several things with it, 1) leave it encrypted, 2) move it in it's decrypted form to a point say, after "X" number of logs - or as a last text entry on the page, 3) provide an advance notice of the "hint coming on the next page" (this would be nice regardless of where the hint text goes really) or a last resort, 4) no hints at all. The last is offered only as an escape for not being able to do any of the previous 3 options, as leaving them encrypted would be better than omitting them.

 

Try this. Open the Macro and scroll to the very bottom. I am assuming you are using a 2xx/6xx/7xx

 

Find (from line 275) this code:

 

# If the description and hint AND logs is too large, chop the end of the logs off just exactly enough to make it the maximum characters available.
 if len($combdesc) + $HintLen + $LogsLen > $GPSr
 $_special = $combdesc + $hints + $logs
 $_special = left($_special, $GPSr)
 else
# All is well, you can see everything, no chopping for you!!
 $_special = $combdesc + $hints + $logs
 endif
 endif

 

replace with this code

 

# If the description and hint AND logs is too large, chop the end of the logs off just exactly enough to make it the maximum characters available.
 if len($combdesc) + $HintLen + $LogsLen > $GPSr
 $_special = $combdesc + $logs
 $_special = left($_special, ($GPSr - $Hintlen)) + $hints 
 else
# All is well, you can see everything, no chopping for you!!
 $_special = $combdesc + $hints + $logs
 endif
 endif

 

This means the hint will always be the last line on your Screen

 

Untested but should work.

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Nope.. the green hint is still in the same spot. Nothing changed on it.

 

On line 192, you reference hint. It looks like it just continues from the *long* line above it - after "new line". Maybe this part needs to be moved / edited / etc?

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

Edited by MassCache
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I am using a laptop with Vista if that makes any difference.

Everything was going good untill I got to page 9, and hit the generate button. At this point I got the following error message; "You can not create a file here, that folder does not exist"

I have gone back over all previous instructions several times with the same results.

I am quite computer illiterate so really need some help as I would really like to use my nuvi 260W ASAP and then my EploristXL can become retired.

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..... hit the generate button. At this point I got the following error message; "You can not create a file here, that folder does not exist"

 

 

You missed the instruction at the very top of the graphic that states:

(Create the poiloader sub folder under GSAK as it does NOT exist by default when you install GSAK)".

 

This simply means that you do not have a valid path to the "geocaches.gpx" file, which would result if you did not create the new sub folder or directory first. To resolve this, you must LOCATE the GSAK directory (many times it can be found here c:\program files\gsak or here c:\gsak) and CREATE a NEW directory in it. (RE)NAME the new directory "poiloader" and you should be good to go.

 

'hope this helps!

 

Steve

Edited by MassCache
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Nope.. the green hint is still in the same spot. Nothing changed on it.

 

On line 192, you reference hint. It looks like it just continues from the *long* line above it - after "new line". Maybe this part needs to be moved / edited / etc?

 

Oops, just saw the error and I have tested this time. Find the same piece of code as my previous post and replace it with this:

# If the description and hint AND logs is too large, chop the end of the logs off just exactly enough to make it the maximum characters available.
 if len($combdesc) + $HintLen + $LogsLen > $GPSr
 $_special = $combdesc + $logs
 $_special = left($_special, ($GPSr - $Hintlen)) + $hints
 else
# All is well, you can see everything, no chopping for you!!
 $_special = $combdesc + $logs + $hints
 endif
 endif

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Although a few drawbacks are inevitable, most of them are because I was used to loading my target cache area into "Favorites" so they would show up on-screen as I was driving. POIs don't do that - bummer. Hard to give up the "old ways"! And favorites are limited to 500 on my nuvi (as well as my handheld). Hope to up the count on the handheld when that Economic Stimulus Payment shows up.

 

All in all, this rates a full 9.5 out of 10!! An "A" in any book! Good job.

 

Thank you!

 

I know a lot of people would like to have the POIs loaded as favourites, so that they appear on the map, but it just doesn't give enough flexibility.

 

You can't add the cache details

You can't store more than 500 waypoints

You can only delete them one by one - painful.

How do you mark that you've found a cache (without resorting to paper) if they are already in the favourites area? When they are POI's you can always save them to favourites when you find the cache making it easy to log when you get home because the only ones you have to log are the ones in the "favourites" folder.

 

My advice - pester Garmin to come up with a firmware fix to show POIs on the map like favourites!

 

 

Answering your last note first: I've cached paperless since Jan 2006 using a Garmin handheld plus a Palm Tungsten E2 (using GSAK and Cachemate as the key software managers). I added the Garmin Nuvi660 to the collection in May 2007 for the Auto Nav capabilities. Cachemate is the "paperwork" and I mark the finds there. Yes, that means two pieces of electronic hardware in the field to update (the GPS and the Palm Tungsten). This method of saving a POI to the Favorites results in the same "one by one" issue as you have to delete them (from the Favorites list) for your subsequent cache runs after you've logged those from the first cache run.

 

The "delete one by one" problem is actually a slight benefit as I delete a cache as I find it so it no longer clutters the screen and I no longer have to remember "Did I find that one?". I do use the undocumented "delete all" to delete all of the "unfound" caches from the 660 before reloading it with the new set.

 

I really like your macro because it provides a library of the details of many, many caches that can be loaded periodically and it resolves the issue of "no, we can't cache here - I didn't load this area!!"

Edited by Cache O'Plenty
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Pilotsnipes:

 

The modified macro you provided is 100% functional and is perfect for my (and others, too I suspect) needs. No more ::spoilers:: of decrypted hints between the description & log entries.

 

Thanks tons!

 

Steve

Edited by MassCache
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What a great guide, I was so so bummed that my Nuvi 200 (not the wide one) doesn't have the satellite screen. What is frustrating is that I am on the cusp of buying a gps for geocaching and it I could use the nuvi it would have been nice. oh well.

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..... hit the generate button. At this point I got the following error message; "You can not create a file here, that folder does not exist"

 

 

You missed the instruction at the very top of the graphic that states:

(Create the poiloader sub folder under GSAK as it does NOT exist by default when you install GSAK)".

 

This simply means that you do not have a valid path to the "geocaches.gpx" file, which would result if you did not create the new sub folder or directory first. To resolve this, you must LOCATE the GSAK directory (many times it can be found here c:\program files\gsak or here c:\gsak) and CREATE a NEW directory in it. (RE)NAME the new directory "poiloader" and you should be good to go.

 

'hope this helps!

 

Steve

 

Thank you so very much for your help. Loaded some caches on my nuvi and now just have to find some time to go cach'n.

Ron

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What a great guide, I was so so bummed that my Nuvi 200 (not the wide one) doesn't have the satellite screen. What is frustrating is that I am on the cusp of buying a gps for geocaching and it I could use the nuvi it would have been nice. oh well.

 

???

 

Your nuvi does have a satellite screen, press AND HOLD the green signal bars for 2-5 secs then release to get the screen to appear. This is the guide!

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What a great guide, I was so so bummed that my Nuvi 200 (not the wide one) doesn't have the satellite screen. What is frustrating is that I am on the cusp of buying a gps for geocaching and it I could use the nuvi it would have been nice. oh well.

 

That's what I thought, too, until I read pilotsnipe's guide. On the 200, you must touch and hold for several seconds (for some odd reason). If, like me, you have fat fingers, you may, during those several seconds, accidentally let your finger slide off of the green bars. If that happens, you'll get the screen that you normally do when you touch the main part of the screen. But the satellite view IS there.

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Pilotsnipes, I hate to be a pest, but I've tried in vain to load caches to a newly purchased 350. Everything seems fine until I get the caches loaded to the device, then three problems arise: (1) only the cache name and sometimes the coordinates appear when a cache is selected from the Custom POI list, (2) there is no "more" button on my particular model, only scroll arrows with no additional info to scroll to, and (3) it appears that only 50 of 500 caches actually make the trip to the Nuvi.

 

I have updated to the latest software and re-tried with the same results. It is as if all the descriptions and logs do not exist, and a limit is set at 50 caches. I've gotta be doing something wrong, but I'm lost as to what.

 

It sure is a winner if I ever get it right! Thanks for all the work you've done and for any help you can offer.

Edited by jws2go
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..... hit the generate button. At this point I got the following error message; "You can not create a file here, that folder does not exist"

 

 

You missed the instruction at the very top of the graphic that states:

(Create the poiloader sub folder under GSAK as it does NOT exist by default when you install GSAK)".

 

This simply means that you do not have a valid path to the "geocaches.gpx" file, which would result if you did not create the new sub folder or directory first. To resolve this, you must LOCATE the GSAK directory (many times it can be found here c:\program files\gsak or here c:\gsak) and CREATE a NEW directory in it. (RE)NAME the new directory "poiloader" and you should be good to go.

 

'hope this helps!

 

Steve

 

Thank you so very much for your help. Loaded some caches on my nuvi and now just have to find some time to go cach'n.

Ron

 

No problem at all! I can get around PC / Windows problems w/o too much difficulty - it's the macros and other work Pilotsnipes does that leaves me clueless.. I figure if I can help answer the PC / Windows questions, he can spend time on problems that are specific to the work he's doing. :)

 

Have fun!

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What a great guide, I was so so bummed that my Nuvi 200 (not the wide one) doesn't have the satellite screen. What is frustrating is that I am on the cusp of buying a gps for geocaching and it I could use the nuvi it would have been nice. oh well.

 

???

 

Your nuvi does have a satellite screen, press AND HOLD the green signal bars for 2-5 secs then release to get the screen to appear. This is the guide!

 

I have read the guide and understand the need to hold. However, all of your screenshots point to the test being done on the 200W unit (wide) the aspect ration is that of a wide screen. I have the older non-wide nuvi 200.

 

Some other notable differences, your screenshots stop and detour options along with round volume and tools buttons, my nuvi 200 has a different square button display. Believe me, I wish to god I could get the satellite view, I have held that area just can't seem to get it. Not trying to be argumentative. Do I need to be at an older firmware possibly?

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What a great guide, I was so so bummed that my Nuvi 200 (not the wide one) doesn't have the satellite screen. What is frustrating is that I am on the cusp of buying a gps for geocaching and it I could use the nuvi it would have been nice. oh well.

 

???

 

Your nuvi does have a satellite screen, press AND HOLD the green signal bars for 2-5 secs then release to get the screen to appear. This is the guide!

 

I have read the guide and understand the need to hold. However, all of your screenshots point to the test being done on the 200W unit (wide) the aspect ration is that of a wide screen. I have the older non-wide nuvi 200.

 

Some other notable differences, your screenshots stop and detour options along with round volume and tools buttons, my nuvi 200 has a different square button display. Believe me, I wish to god I could get the satellite view, I have held that area just can't seem to get it. Not trying to be argumentative. Do I need to be at an older firmware possibly?

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garmin nuvi 650.....

followed all the steps and all works well up to attempting to use the poiloader,..

it goes through the process and then error 50 please send this to garmin...

 

where am I going wrong here ??

the whole macro is really sweet,.. and as soon as I can use it in a POI mode I thnk it will be fabulous...

 

any input ??

 

Thanks in advance

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Can anyone tell me the typical size of a *.gpi file containing 500 caches with descriptions? I'm trying to determine if I'm losing the data during conversion to gpi, during the transfer to the Nuvi, or if the Nuvi 350 I have just refuses to read it. I suspect it is the first. the gpx file is several times larger than my resulting gpi file, which ends up about 68 KB. Thanks!

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Are you trying to use POILoader to send caches to your Nuvi?

 

If so, go back and read the tutorial again, NUVI 3XX users cannot do this at the moment, perhaps sometime in the future we will be able too...

 

There is a special section in the tutorial for 3xx users.

Edited by pilotsnipes
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I just found a great macro for creating a "merged database" for use on the nuvi. It's "MergedDBs.gsk" and it will gather 6 separate databases into just one for your export to the nuvi as a POI file.

 

Reason for use:

1. Due to my cache environment (read that as "cache density") I maintain nine databases for areas within 25 miles of home. Reason: My handheld only holds 500 caches at a time. It's easier to generate a merged database for the nuvi than to try to segregate just 500 for my target area.

 

2. I then merge all of them (well, 6 since the macro is limited to six to merge) into one, called "nuvi" and then load them to the nuvi.

 

Now, I can update my separate files once (and load the GPS for my cache run), run the merge macro and then generate the nuvi file.

 

This way I have my cache run set up and, if I end up just outside the target area, I also have the nuvi inventory to cache onward!

 

(Now, if only "MergedDBs.gsk" would be expanded to 10 databases to merge, I'd be complete!!).

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Some other notable differences, your screenshots stop and detour options along with round volume and tools buttons, my nuvi 200 has a different square button display. Believe me, I wish to god I could get the satellite view, I have held that area just can't seem to get it. Not trying to be argumentative. Do I need to be at an older firmware possibly?

 

Don't worry about the buttons looking different, that's purely cosmetic. I honestly think that your GPS should have the satellite screen.

 

Have you tried using the end of a pencil to press the green bars on the top left? (Even better the rubber/eraser at the top of a pencil) at least then you could rule out "fat fingers" !!

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Are you trying to use POILoader to send caches to your Nuvi?

 

If so, go back and read the tutorial again, NUVI 3XX users cannot do this at the moment, perhaps sometime in the future we will be able too...

 

There is a special section in the tutorial for 3xx users.

 

No, I'm following the tutorial link to the 3XX section and copying the .gpi file from gsak\poiloader to the POI folder in the Nuvi. The gpi file (in C:\gsak\poiloader on my computor) is only 68KB after the conversion. That's why I suspect I'm losing data during the conversion process. The zipped pocket query is 382KB before dragging to gsak. All the files show up on gsak at 3.18 MB as a gpx file. I had to edit out "program files" from the custom export command since since my gsak files are directly under C:\ but that is the only change made in your string as copied from the tutorial--which, by the way, is well written and very clear. I'm just encountering a problem that's probably self created.-- This is the custom export string after editing:

GPSBabel.exe -N -i gpx -f "C:\gsak\poiloader\Geocaches.gpx" -o garmin_gpi,descr,category="Geocaches",bitmap="Geocaches.bmp",alerts=1,units=m, -F "C:\gsak\poiloader\Geocaches.gpi"

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I'm going to send you a gpi file I created using the script with 10 caches in the washington area and we'll be able to see if it works on your machine.

 

If it does then we rule out the script and work out where in your system there is a problem.

 

Check your email.

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I'm going to send you a gpi file I created using the script with 10 caches in the washington area and we'll be able to see if it works on your machine.

 

If it does then we rule out the script and work out where in your system there is a problem.

 

Check your email.

 

Pilotsnipes, your test file with 15 caches worked perfectly in my Nuvi. It shows the full description complete with hint and logs--clean pages with no unwanted garble. I'm very impressed...and releived its in something I'm doing wrong and not my unit. Now I'll have to sort thru what I'm doing wrong in the conversion to gpi.

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I can't give you any guidance as I can't see your PC setup, all i can suggest is to go through the steps very carefully and redo everything!

 

Wait! As I type I have had a thought. Make sure in the export screen of GSAK that the "Also apply to cache name" is TICKED.

 

exportfinal.gif

 

Just to the right of the number 3 circle here.

Edited by pilotsnipes
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Don't worry about the buttons looking different, that's purely cosmetic. I honestly think that your GPS should have the satellite screen.

 

Have you tried using the end of a pencil to press the green bars on the top left? (Even better the rubber/eraser at the top of a pencil) at least then you could rule out "fat fingers" !!

Thanks for this guide. i have a 200 and can get the the sattelite screen also.

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Don't worry about the buttons looking different, that's purely cosmetic. I honestly think that your GPS should have the satellite screen.

 

Have you tried using the end of a pencil to press the green bars on the top left? (Even better the rubber/eraser at the top of a pencil) at least then you could rule out "fat fingers" !!

 

Hey pilot - no dice with the pencil end, I'm going to keep trying odd areas, who knows maybe I have some oddball early model or something.

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I took the Nuvi for a few quick caches this evening. It actually worked as good as or better than my Colorado 400t for caches that aren't too far off the beaten path. I was amazed at how easy it was to zero in on a cache using the satellite page. Thanks again, Pilotsnipes!

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Why haven't I launched this feature? Because it crashes the Nuvi 7xx series!! I have reported the entire process to Garmin, who have emailed me back and confirmed this bug exists with the 7xx series. They have promised to release a firmware update to fix it. As soon as that is released I'll be showing you all how to do this.

 

As I do not have a 2xx or 6xx series I don't know if the bug exists in these models.

 

I just wanted to let you know that I have a nuvi 660 and have been using TourGuide alerts along with your paperless method without any problems. It works great!

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