Custom POIs sub categories on 60CSx ?

[eaparks]

I am loading multiple custom poi files to my 60CSx and would like to categorize some files into a subcategory. I have 13 categories of Custom POIs (13,150 POIs) such as Deer Stands, Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, Rest Areas, etc.; within these 13 I have 4 categories that all pertain to marinas on 4 different rivers. I am wanting to create 1 category called Marinas and have all 4 subcategories (the river names) appear in the Marinas category. Problem I am running into is that when I create the Marinas category with the 4 subcategories and I open the Marinas category on the GPS I get all marinas that are closet... so far everything is normal, but when I click on "Select Database" I takes me back to all 13 original categories and not the 4 marina's categories.

 

I have seen some of the Nuvi users doing what I am trying creating a sub-category, will this not work on a 60CSx?

 

I am using POI Loader 2.5.2.0, GPS v3.60, and GPS SW v3.00.

 

Also, the 13 custom POI categories are not listed in alphabetical order when Select Database is entered. I would appreciate any help as to what the problem may be, Thanks.

[+Timpat]

I have a 60Cx with the current firmware/software, and the same Loader, and use custom POIs a lot like you, having multiple databases. My POI databases are listed alphabetically when I go to Menu/Select Database. Not sure why you don't see this, hmmm. For your Marina files, a solution would be to name each four with a unique name, such as Marina Hudson, Marina Mississippi, etc. This way you can search one marina database per river at a time.

[eaparks]

I have a 60Cx with the current firmware/software, and the same Loader, and use custom POIs a lot like you, having multiple databases. My POI databases are listed alphabetically when I go to Menu/Select Database. Not sure why you don't see this, hmmm. For your Marina files, a solution would be to name each four with a unique name, such as Marina Hudson, Marina Mississippi, etc. This way you can search one marina database per river at a time.

 

As a work around I presently have the 4 marina databases each listed as the river they are on so I can search by river, just would like to be able to have fewer main categories to go through.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

You can't have more than one level of subfolders under your main POI folder.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Motorcycle_Mama

[eaparks]

You can't have more than one level of subfolders under your main POI folder.

 

If I understand correctly what you are saying... if I have it set up as below it won't work.

 

>My POIs

 

>>Walmarts

 

>>Rest Areas

 

>>Cracker Barrels

 

>>Marinas

 

>>>TN River Marinas

 

>>>Mississippi River Marinas

 

>>>St. Johns River Marinas

 

In the above format when I enter "Marinas" and "Select Database" it takes me back to the 4 database: W, R, C, and M.

 

 

Also, another issue I'm having is that the 4 categories are not in alphabetical order and in talking to Garmin Tech Support they can't explain why they are not. I actually have 12 categories but for simplicity here I just used 4 in my example. Thanks.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Where you have the different marinas listed, are those files or folders?

 

Here's an example of how I do it.

 

You can have subfolders under your main folder. The folders will create categories. You can't have more than one level of subfolder. The files themselves will create the subcategory.

 

For example, it might look like this.

 

> My POI (Main folder)

>> IHOP (subfolder)

... IHOP.csv

... IHOP.bmp

>> National Parks (subfolder)

... National Parks.gpx

... National Monuments.gpx

... National Recreation areas.gpx

... National Parks.bmp

... National Monuments.bmp

etc.

 

In this example, IHOP and National Parks show up as categories and then under National Parks, the subcategories of National Parks, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas show up.

 

Here are some screenshots of what it would look like.

 

This is a shot of the folder and files on my computer.

http://i18.tinypic.com/4q8bl8m.jpg

 

This is how the first level shows up on my GPS unit.

http://i9.tinypic.com/4t6c8ye.jpg

 

When I select the National Parks category, this is what I get.

http://i2.tinypic.com/62qyi4z.jpg

 

Then if I select National Monuments, I get this.

http://i8.tinypic.com/4kbd8jc.jpg

 

 

I'm not sure why you aren't getting them in alphabetical order. Maybe it's a firmware issue. It seems to me I recall people with some units (can't remember which ones) saying that there's were in reverse chronological order. But I've never had that issue.

[eaparks]

Where you have the different marinas listed, are those files or folders?

 

They are files.

 

My categories are not in any particular order at all. The actual order is Walmarts, Cruise Ship Ports, Holiday Inn, Regions, Rest Areas, IHOP, Cracker Barrels, TN River Marinas, Hiwassee River, St. Johns Rivers, Deer Stands. Some are .csv files and some are .gpx files but the order of them is random. Thanks for the help.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

If your Walmart, Rest Area, and Cracker Barrel POIs aren't in folders but are just under the My POI folder, try putting them each in their own separate folder.

[MtnHermit]

This is a shot of the folder and files on my computer.

http://i18.tinypic.com/4q8bl8m.jpg

In this folder I see several small BMP files. What is their purpose? Are they screen icons?

 

Thanks

[eaparks]

This is a shot of the folder and files on my computer.

http://i18.tinypic.com/4q8bl8m.jpg

In this folder I see several small BMP files. What is their purpose? Are they screen icons?

 

Yes, the .bmp files are custom icons that are automatically associated with their corresponding file if the file names are exactly the same except for the file extension.

[MtnHermit]

This is a shot of the folder and files on my computer.

http://i18.tinypic.com/4q8bl8m.jpg

In this folder I see several small BMP files. What is their purpose? Are they screen icons?

Yes, the .bmp files are custom icons that are automatically associated with their corresponding file if the file names are exactly the same except for the file extension.

Okay, that makes sense.

 

Looking at the folder again, National Monuments and National Recreation Areas have no corresponding bmp files. What screen icons appear for those?

 

Doing a little Googling, found this cool explanation comparing Waypoints and POIs. No doubt old hat to you, but all new to me.

 

Thanks

[Motorcycle_Mama]

The unit will display a default icon if there is no associated BMP file for that Custom POI file (on the auto units it is a gray dot).

 

I just didn't bother to load one at the time I did those screenshots.

[MtnHermit]

The unit will display a default icon if there is no associated BMP file for that Custom POI file (on the auto units it is a gray dot).

 

I just didn't bother to load one at the time I did those screenshots.

Better learning experience the way you did it. Covers both cases.

 

Thanks

[eaparks]

This is a shot of the folder and files on my computer.

http://i18.tinypic.com/4q8bl8m.jpg

In this folder I see several small BMP files. What is their purpose? Are they screen icons?

Yes, the .bmp files are custom icons that are automatically associated with their corresponding file if the file names are exactly the same except for the file extension.

Okay, that makes sense.

 

Looking at the folder again, National Monuments and National Recreation Areas have no corresponding bmp files. What screen icons appear for those?

 

Doing a little Googling, found this cool explanation comparing Waypoints and POIs. No doubt old hat to you, but all new to me.

 

If no custom icon is associated with the file it displays the generic symbol, for my 60CSx, that is a small dot. To me custom icons are great and very simple to intergrate once you do it once. For your hiking in the wilderness it would be a good safety backup of various locations. Could have a waypoint and POI for the same location and their is no way to loose the POI even accidentally out in the field since they are stored on the memory card and it can only be changed when connected to your computer.

 

edit: For instance if you ever had to do a hard reset in the field you are going to loose your waypoints, tracks, and routes (it might make you say some bad words... SOL), but you won't loose what is on the memory card.

Edited August 9, 2008 by eaparks

[MtnHermit]

BTW POI experts, what Tool(s) does one use to convert Waypoints to POIs? I've download, yet to install, Garmin's POI Loader.

[eaparks]

If your Walmart, Rest Area, and Cracker Barrel POIs aren't in folders but are just under the My POI folder, try putting them each in their own separate folder.

 

Tried this and still got the same results. I am beginning to wonder if the 60x and 76x series will even allow viewing the categories under a subfolder. If anyone using a 60 or 76 series GPS with custom sub-folders can display the categories in these sub-folders I would like to know. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[MtnHermit]

edit: For instance if you ever had to do a hard reset in the field you are going to loose your waypoints, tracks, and routes (it might make you say some bad words... SOL), but you won't loose what is on the memory card.

That memory card also contains the 24K Topos of the whole state. So I wouldn't lose much. Tracks and the waypoint of where the truck is parked would be most helpful. I do like to bushwhack.

 

Truth be known, I do not know how to do a hard reset even setting here talking to you. Never needed one in over a year. I'm trying to learn this because I have 18-months of waypoints on the unit, be nice to convert and flush.

[eaparks]

BTW POI experts, what Tool(s) does one use to convert Waypoints to POIs? I've download, yet to install, Garmin's POI Loader.

 

Use Mapsource, open your Mapsource .gdb file and resave it as a .gpx file load the .gpx file using Garmins free POI loader and that is all there is to it. You can have longer names and comments with the POIs.

[MtnHermit]

BTW POI experts, what Tool(s) does one use to convert Waypoints to POIs? I've download, yet to install, Garmin's POI Loader.

Use Mapsource, open your Mapsource .gdb file and resave it as a .gpx file load the .gpx file using Garmins free POI loader and that is all there is to it. You can have longer names and comments with the POIs.

Did that. I now have a poi folder on the card with a poi.gpi file.

 

In the morning I'll try the advanced instead of express.

 

Thanks

[MtnHermit]

Use Mapsource, open your Mapsource .gdb file and resave it as a .gpx file load the .gpx file using Garmins free POI loader and that is all there is to it. You can have longer names and comments with the POIs.

Using Mapsource, I uploaded all the Waypoints from my eTrex, saved waypoints as a gpx, used the POI loader to create a POI.gpi file.

 

I'm still missing the part where I can expand/modify the names and comments. Where does that happen?

 

Thanks

[eaparks]

Use Mapsource, open your Mapsource .gdb file and resave it as a .gpx file load the .gpx file using Garmins free POI loader and that is all there is to it. You can have longer names and comments with the POIs.

Using Mapsource, I uploaded all the Waypoints from my eTrex, saved waypoints as a gpx, used the POI loader to create a POI.gpi file.

 

I'm still missing the part where I can expand/modify the names and comments. Where does that happen?

 

Reopen your .gpx file in Mapsource make changes in the waypoint properties as you want and resave file, and reload .gpx file to GPS. For POIs I believe the name can be now be 44 characters in length and the comments can be up to 88 characters in length.

[+PastorDIC]

I am loading multiple custom poi files to my 60CSx and would like to categorize some files into a subcategory. I have 13 categories of Custom POIs (13,150 POIs)

 

Sorry I cannot help, but I have an even more basic question.

 

How do you create POI's on a Garmin (Cx)?

 

Thanks.