City Navigator NT 2009 Questions

[golfgunny]

I have a Colorado 400t. I currently have maps of Japan loaded to it, and will be purchasing the City Navigator 2009 NT on DVD before traveling home to the states this summer.

 

When I go to load map sheets to the Colorado, will it overwrite my current Japan maps? Should I just load the mapsheets that I want for my vacation and reload the Japan maps when I get back, or can I put the NT maps on my SD card, in addition to my Japan maps?

 

I can't seem to get a clear picture on how this works, since some forum posts make it sound like loading more maps (like the new City Navigator) will overwrite any present maps...Is this true?

 

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[+Maingray]

I have a Colorado 400t. I currently have maps of Japan loaded to it, and will be purchasing the City Navigator 2009 NT on DVD before traveling home to the states this summer.

 

When I go to load map sheets to the Colorado, will it overwrite my current Japan maps? Should I just load the mapsheets that I want for my vacation and reload the Japan maps when I get back, or can I put the NT maps on my SD card, in addition to my Japan maps?

 

I can't seem to get a clear picture on how this works, since some forum posts make it sound like loading more maps (like the new City Navigator) will overwrite any present maps...Is this true?

 

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

You use mapsource to write maps the the unit. When you select a set of maps and write to the unit (either the internal memry or SD card) it will over write whats there. So, to keep what you have you either 1) select the new maps and the old maps on mapsource and upload all to the unit or 2) upload the new maps to a new location..internal or SD card... wherever the old maps aren't

[Ken in Regina]

Hey golfgunny,

 

The fact is that when you create a new mapset with MapSource it will always name that mapset "GMAPSUPP.IMG" and it will always write it to the same place (eg. the \Garmin folder on the memory card). If you try to create a North America mapset on the same SD card that contains your Japan maps, they will be overwritten because MapSource always uses the same filename and folder ... always.

 

OPTION 1:

You can avoid this by creating your new North America mapset on a different SD card. That way, when you want to use Japan maps you insert one SD card. When you want to use NA maps you insert the other SD card.

 

Or...

 

OPTION 2:

If you don't like the idea of having to switch cards and you might want to have the ability to work with both maps at the same time, you can combine the Japan and NA maps into the same mapset on the same card.

 

1. Install City Navigator NA 2009NT. (This is, of course, common to both Option 1 and Option 2.)

 

In MapSource you will now be able to see your Japan maps and your new City Navigator NA maps. You will see them in either the map product selector dropdown just under the FILE menu or by selecting VIEW > SWITCH TO PRODUCT > ... and selecting one or the other.

 

2. Select your Japan map product.

 

3. Use the map selection tool to select the map segments to send to the GPS.

 

4. Select your NA map product.

 

5. Use the map selection tool to select the map segments to send to the GPS.

 

6. Select TRANSFER > Send To Device.

 

7. Select your SD card.

 

Voila, you have a mapset on the SD card that contains your Japan and NA maps in a single mapset.

 

I hope that clarifies the issue of using multiple map products in MapSource and your GPS.

 

I could confuse the issue by mentioning that, depending on which model of GPS receiver you have, you might be able to use up to three mapset files with different names on the SD cards. But that would just be mean.

 

If you are interested in understanding a bit more about how Garmin MapSource and maps work, you can poke around in this FAQ. It's focused on Mobile PC but the items about MapSource and Garmin's maps are pretty much generic.

 

...ken...

[golfgunny]

Thanks for the help. It looks like my Japan maps are currently on the Colorado unit itself, since I just change out SD cards, and the map still loads (new SD card, right out of the package).

 

I think I will follow Ken's suggestion and put my NA maps on a separate card.

 

Thanks again!

[Ken in Regina]

If your Japan maps are installed in the Colorado unit's memory you will be safe installing the North America maps on an SD card. When you have the card in the unit you will be able to view both Japan and NA maps.

 

The fastest way to load the NA maps onto an SD card is to use the card reader on your PC. Make sure the card is in the reader before you do the TRANSFER > Send To Device and MapSource will offer it to you in the list of devices that it can transfer to. That's much faster than transfering to the card through the Colorado.

 

If you don't have a card reader and are forced to transfer through the Colorado:

 

DO make sure the card is installed in the CO before you connect it to the PC.

 

DO make sure you select the SD card from the list of devices that MapSource offers you.

 

Do NOT select the CO itself or you risk overwriting the Japan maps in the internal memory. (That's not a life/death deal because you can always put them back as long as you have them installed in MapSource. It's just annoying.)

 

...ken...