60CSx and where does it store maps?

[scotthsi]

I noticed something weird with my 60CSx, but maybe it's not. Does the 60CSx store maps in internal memory? I ask because I was just switching between my City Navigator NA SD card and the card I have my east coast Topo 2008 map on, which I created in Mapsource. When I switch from the east coast card to the other west coast one, I get the long percentage "loading" bar when powering it up for the first time with a new card. Ok, that's to be expected. When I switch to the other topo coast map, same thing for the long initial load time. But, I can load the east coast topo (didn't try it with the west coast SD card because I'm sure it's the same way) then switch to the City Navigator card. There is no loading time at all, just a few second delay when drawing the screen for the first time. If I switch back to the east coast topo card, the entire map is there immediately on start-up. No "percentage to 100% bar" loading of any kind. Switch back to the City Navigator card and same thing. I even tried powering it up and down with no card inserted before putting another one in. It seems that the topo map is retained in internal memory because it comes up so fast after switching to City Nav and back after it fully loads once. Is it residing in internal memory?

[+user13371]

... Does the 60CSx store maps in internal memory?...

Well, Garmin's spec page says the 60csx has no internal memory for storing maps. There has to be some internal memory though, and from your description it does sound like some info is being cached after initial load.

 

It's probably not storing the whole map internally - more likely just an index of the maps files to speed loading from card to internal memory when they're needed. The progress bar you get the first time you load a map is probably the progress at reading/parsing the index. As long as it fits in the limited internal memory, there'd be no reason to purge it when switching cards.

 

Does that seem reasonable?

Edited September 19, 2009 by lee_rimar

[scotthsi]

Yes, that sounds perfectly reasonable. It just weird that after power cycling it with no card inserted and then powering up with a completely different card, then going back to the topo... It pops up so quickly without "loading". But, if it's like you say and the index stays in internal memory, then that would make sense.

[+Red90]

It seems that all Garmin units index IMG and GPX files for ease of access. When it boots, it checks to see if the files have changed from the last time they were present. If they have not chnaged, they do not re-index, thus saving boot time.