Tomtom GPS

[+jennydoug]

Reading through the forum everyone seems to talk about Garmin. Can I download caches into my Tomtom GPS. I have tried, but can't find how to do it.

Be kind to me as I am a new member and have just upgraded to Premium membership.

[+splashy]

Garmin and TomTom don't have the same format, besides that make sure you actually can navigate OFF ROAD with your model.

Geocaching.com has a 'how to' starters info page.

 

Here they show you what to do.

http://www.factsfacts.com/geocaching/using_your_tomtom.htm

Edited October 14, 2011 by splashy

[+Mongo1965]

I use my TomTom for driving to the cache. Once parked I pull out my DeLorme to get me to the cache

[+netuseraz]

Great topic

[+ecanderson]

Geocaching With Your TomTom

 

Navigating in-Vehicle With a TomTom

 

The key feature for geocaching with a TomTom remains – easy creation of custom POI files.

 

Custom TomTom POI files are in a special format, and always have a filename suffix of "*.ov2". A custom POI can also have an associated icon unique to that POI type, and it comes in the form of a *.bmp" image file. The root names of *.ov2 and *.bmp files must match. So if you want to create a custom icon as well, a file called geocaches.ov2 must be accompanied by a corresponding image file called geocaches.bmp. As a reminder, TomTom icon images must be 22x22 pixels in size, and saved as 24 bit color depth *.bmp files. There are tutorials on the web for creating your own icons. If you don't need or want a custom icon, your TomTom has a selection from which you may choose. You can create POI files from individual or Pocket Query *.gpx files acquired through the geocaching.com interface. My preferred tool for this purpose is GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) available here -> www.gsak.net. It handles not only this task, but many others as well. Using macros, I can even take my PQ of an area and that of a friend, and compare them to see which unfound caches we have in common – a function often requested at geocaching.com, but as yet not delivered.

 

Premium members at geocaching.com have access to the Pocket Query system. I won't try to detail the setup and execution of a Pocket Query, but it's well worth the annual membership at geocaching.com, and is worth the entire price of the membership. Suffice it to say that you can download the results as a ZIP file, and the contents of that file are used to build your TomTom POI.

 

While some may consider it a bit of overkill, I build four different POI files for my TomTom units each week with new Pocket Query data. The first and most important of those is the POI list of caches in my area that I have not found. I then build a second POI file of my own caches, a third consisting of the caches I have already found, and a fourth of caches that I have found but that have subsequently been archived. Each has its own little icon on the map display to keep them straight, and I can turn each category on and off like any other POI on a TomTom. I'll place my four hand-built icons here if you wish to steal any or all of them.

.........................

 

...Unfound.....Mine.....Found...Found/Archived

 

 

After loading your *.gpx file(s) into GSAK, it's a simple matter of using the GSAK "File / Export" function and selecting "TomTom POI file" as your output format type. GSAK will create the *.ov2 file with whatever root filename you specify, and the filenames can be in the 'long' format. For example, mine are geocaches.ov2, mycaches.ov2, foundcaches.ov2, archivefoundcaches.ov2. Each has one of the above *.bmp files associated with it. For basic use, all you really need is one file of your unfound caches, and calling that geocaches.ov2 keeps it easy to spot in your POI list.

 

The way cache information is displayed on your TomTom is in part governed by the information you supply in the "Name" field during the "File > Export > TomTom POI File ..." procedure. I recommend that you use the following string there: %drop2 %con1-%dif1a%ter1a-%last4 %name

 

The string above not only provides a lot of information in the cache name, it avoids certain problems that can occur in the way your TomTom interprets POI names that contain digits and special characters in various positions of the POI name. This string inserts dashes into the result to largely avoid these parsing errors. The meaning of the above are

 

• "%drop2" is the GC code for the cache, with the initial letters "GC" removed

• "%con1" is the container size, abbreviated as a single character. R=regular, L=large, M=micro, S=Small, V=Virtual, and U=unknown. If the cache type is not stated, the letter used is U.

• "-%dif1a%ter1a" are the difficulty and terrain ratings, specially abbreviated to fit into a single character. 1=1, 1.5 = A, 2=2, 2.5=B, 3=3, 3.5=C, 4=4, 4.5=D, 5=5

• "-%last4" are indicators of the type of the last four logs, found or not found. Found = F, Not Found = N, No log = 0. Since the field always contains four entries, the "0" indicates that there aren't that many logs available. The most recent log is always seen on the left. So "FNN0" would indicate that there are only three valid logs for this cache so far, that the first two logs are "Not Found", and the most recent is a "Found" log.

• %name is the name of the cache.

A typical cache listing would appear as follows using that string:

 

1WG29 R-A1-FFNF-Yet Another Cache

 

 

Another "TomTom-friendly" program that can handle conversion from *.gpx to *.ov2, but not as quickly, nor with the added features possible in GSAK, is Tyre, available here -> http://www.janboersma.nl/gett. After firing up Tyre, open your *.gpx file by selecting "File / Open" and from the "Files of type:" drop-down, select at the bottom, select "Garmin GPS Exchange Files". Once your *.gpx file is loaded, select "File / Save As" and in the "Save as type:" box, select "TomTom POI Files". Tyre will create your *.ov2 file using the name you supply. Sadly, I know of no equivalent tools for the Mac. The above are all Windows-based applications.

 

 

Once you have your *.ov2 POI file built (and any *.bmp file you may have borrowed or created), just slide them right over into your big map folder on your TomTom and they're ready to select and use from your TomTom. Mine are all located in the folder called North_America_2GB.

 

One nice feature of the TomTom is itinerary planning (although beware – this feature is NOT available on many of the dumbed-down EasyMenu TomTom models, all of which I'd avoid for their lack of front-panel functionality. Models employing this less desirable interface at the time of writing include all of the following: Ease (Start2 in Europe), XL335SE, XL335LE, XL335LM, XL350, XL350T, XL350M, XL350TM, (XL IQRoutes2 in Europe), XXL550, XXL550T, XXL550M and XXL550TM). In addition, I would note that the models specified above will NOT allow you to directly enter coordinate data for navigation purposes! NOT good for caching! Also note that at the time of writing, none of the newer models (Via and GO 1XXX, 2XXX or 8XX) models have more than 3 or 4 points of itinerary planning.

 

[Gotta rush out this a.m. May need to update that older list above. Will do so this evening. Just be sure you get the ability to navigate to coordinates on the unit you buy. Comes in handy.]

[+Bear and Ragged]

If you use TomTom there's a nice macro by Big Wolf which shows caches as what kind they are -Trads, Multis, Unknowns, and micros as film tubs.

 

As for actually using a TomTom to find the cache... It's not the easiest way to do it.

 

I've found a few, with the TomTom in the car, but they have been on a regular route, near the road with the cache page well-read, and checked on the map. TomTom will show the direction and distance, cacher's eye will help you know where the cache is.

[+*cat's meow*]

I used a TomTom for my first 40 or so caches. It works, but not all that well. TomToms aren't really designed for dealing with tree cover and such, which sometimes makes it all but impossible to find the cache.

[+ecanderson]

I used a TomTom for my first 40 or so caches. It works, but not all that well. TomToms aren't really designed for dealing with tree cover and such, which sometimes makes it all but impossible to find the cache.

Some also have no 'pedestrian mode', and will try to road snap you to the nearest street at 90 degrees to your current position until you're a good hundred yards off the nearest street. These things are great for getting to the general area, but not very practical for finding caches. Like a poster above, I used my old TomTom to find my first few caches, but saw the futility of that pretty quickly. My 740 Live and 1535 Live are now my automotive nav units, and it's always the handheld when I leave the car.

[+garcor]

Geocaching With Your TomTom

 

Navigating in-Vehicle With a TomTom

 

The key feature for geocaching with a TomTom remains – easy creation of custom POI files.

 

Custom TomTom POI files are in a special format, and always have a filename suffix of "*.ov2". A custom POI can also have an associated icon unique to that POI type, and it comes in the form of a *.bmp" image file. The root names of *.ov2 and *.bmp files must match. So if you want to create a custom icon as well, a file called geocaches.ov2 must be accompanied by a corresponding image file called geocaches.bmp. As a reminder, TomTom icon images must be 22x22 pixels in size, and saved as 24 bit color depth *.bmp files. There are tutorials on the web for creating your own icons. If you don't need or want a custom icon, your TomTom has a selection from which you may choose. You can create POI files from individual or Pocket Query *.gpx files acquired through the geocaching.com interface. My preferred tool for this purpose is GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) available here -> www.gsak.net. It handles not only this task, but many others as well. Using macros, I can even take my PQ of an area and that of a friend, and compare them to see which unfound caches we have in common – a function often requested at geocaching.com, but as yet not delivered.

 

Premium members at geocaching.com have access to the Pocket Query system. I won't try to detail the setup and execution of a Pocket Query, but it's well worth the annual membership at geocaching.com, and is worth the entire price of the membership. Suffice it to say that you can download the results as a ZIP file, and the contents of that file are used to build your TomTom POI.

 

While some may consider it a bit of overkill, I build four different POI files for my TomTom units each week with new Pocket Query data. The first and most important of those is the POI list of caches in my area that I have not found. I then build a second POI file of my own caches, a third consisting of the caches I have already found, and a fourth of caches that I have found but that have subsequently been archived. Each has its own little icon on the map display to keep them straight, and I can turn each category on and off like any other POI on a TomTom. I'll place my four hand-built icons here if you wish to steal any or all of them.

.........................

 

...Unfound.....Mine.....Found...Found/Archived

 

 

After loading your *.gpx file(s) into GSAK, it's a simple matter of using the GSAK "File / Export" function and selecting "TomTom POI file" as your output format type. GSAK will create the *.ov2 file with whatever root filename you specify, and the filenames can be in the 'long' format. For example, mine are geocaches.ov2, mycaches.ov2, foundcaches.ov2, archivefoundcaches.ov2. Each has one of the above *.bmp files associated with it. For basic use, all you really need is one file of your unfound caches, and calling that geocaches.ov2 keeps it easy to spot in your POI list.

 

The way cache information is displayed on your TomTom is in part governed by the information you supply in the "Name" field during the "File > Export > TomTom POI File ..." procedure. I recommend that you use the following string there: %drop2 %con1-%dif1a%ter1a-%last4 %name

 

The string above not only provides a lot of information in the cache name, it avoids certain problems that can occur in the way your TomTom interprets POI names that contain digits and special characters in various positions of the POI name. This string inserts dashes into the result to largely avoid these parsing errors. The meaning of the above are

 

• "%drop2" is the GC code for the cache, with the initial letters "GC" removed

• "%con1" is the container size, abbreviated as a single character. R=regular, L=large, M=micro, S=Small, V=Virtual, and U=unknown. If the cache type is not stated, the letter used is U.

• "-%dif1a%ter1a" are the difficulty and terrain ratings, specially abbreviated to fit into a single character. 1=1, 1.5 = A, 2=2, 2.5=B, 3=3, 3.5=C, 4=4, 4.5=D, 5=5

• "-%last4" are indicators of the type of the last four logs, found or not found. Found = F, Not Found = N, No log = 0. Since the field always contains four entries, the "0" indicates that there aren't that many logs available. The most recent log is always seen on the left. So "FNN0" would indicate that there are only three valid logs for this cache so far, that the first two logs are "Not Found", and the most recent is a "Found" log.

• %name is the name of the cache.

A typical cache listing would appear as follows using that string:

 

1WG29 R-A1-FFNF-Yet Another Cache

 

 

Another "TomTom-friendly" program that can handle conversion from *.gpx to *.ov2, but not as quickly, nor with the added features possible in GSAK, is Tyre, available here -> http://www.janboersma.nl/gett. After firing up Tyre, open your *.gpx file by selecting "File / Open" and from the "Files of type:" drop-down, select at the bottom, select "Garmin GPS Exchange Files". Once your *.gpx file is loaded, select "File / Save As" and in the "Save as type:" box, select "TomTom POI Files". Tyre will create your *.ov2 file using the name you supply. Sadly, I know of no equivalent tools for the Mac. The above are all Windows-based applications.

 

 

Once you have your *.ov2 POI file built (and any *.bmp file you may have borrowed or created), just slide them right over into your big map folder on your TomTom and they're ready to select and use from your TomTom. Mine are all located in the folder called North_America_2GB.

 

One nice feature of the TomTom is itinerary planning (although beware – this feature is NOT available on many of the dumbed-down EasyMenu TomTom models, all of which I'd avoid for their lack of front-panel functionality. Models employing this less desirable interface at the time of writing include all of the following: Ease (Start2 in Europe), XL335SE, XL335LE, XL335LM, XL350, XL350T, XL350M, XL350TM, (XL IQRoutes2 in Europe), XXL550, XXL550T, XXL550M and XXL550TM). In addition, I would note that the models specified above will NOT allow you to directly enter coordinate data for navigation purposes! NOT good for caching! Also note that at the time of writing, none of the newer models (Via and GO 1XXX, 2XXX or 8XX) models have more than 3 or 4 points of itinerary planning.

 

[Gotta rush out this a.m. May need to update that older list above. Will do so this evening. Just be sure you get the ability to navigate to coordinates on the unit you buy. Comes in handy.]

 

Thanks ! great post. I have used my TT 920 and GSAK to get to the trail head for few months now, however the extra tips you give will be handy.