Grasscatcher Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Why is there an input limit (length varies by unit model) on the number of characters that can be entered on the unit into the note field? Unit: Montana,Oregon, whatever.. Quote Link to comment
+Red90 Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) Because that is how they have designed their software.... What are you expecting to accomplish with the question? If you want a solution.... Use custom POIs. They have a very high character limit. This is what everyone has been doing for the last 10 years to get around the waypoint character restriction. Edited September 10, 2016 by Red90 Quote Link to comment
+Viajero Perdido Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 It's a more primitive generation of software. I'm not aware of any phone caching apps with limits like this. Quote Link to comment
Grasscatcher Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Because that is how they have designed their software.... What are you expecting to accomplish with the question? If you want a solution.... Use custom POIs. They have a very high character limit. This is what everyone has been doing for the last 10 years to get around the waypoint character restriction. It is a serious question.... R90....what's with the DUH "attitude" and condescending sarcasm" answer? Maybe it's because you don't understand your own GPS, or know how to use it's full capabilities....10 yrs...really? Try this.....create a waypoint in BaseCamp or other software...I used EGPS. In the Note field type an excessively long description. Use multiple characters and spaces totaling, let's say, over 200-250+ characters /spaces. Now send that waypoint to yoour GPS. (I used Montana 650-input characters limited to approx 50) Now, on your GPS. go to Where To, Waypoints, choose the waypoint you created. When that waypoint is displayed, touch the waypoint name balloon at the top. What do you see below?......the entire 200-250-?? total character note is displayed. UNRESTRICTED ...really? doing it that way for 10 yrs? Now, back to the original legitimate question... "Why is there an input limit (length varies by unit model) on the number of characters that can be entered on the unit into the note field?" As demonstrated by the example above,it is apparently only a limit on "Direct input" on the unit itself. The unit is fully capable of receiving and displaying much longer descriptions than a user can directly input. If the user attempts to edit a "Long" note on the unit with Waypoint Manager, the unit automatically/immediately truncates the note back to the "Restricted Input" length. It does this by discarding/deleting the excess data. ....that note only. Data on other long notes is unaffected. In other words, you can get the data there and display it, but not change it (on the unit). Why would there be an "artificial" limit, and only on direct input data? Quote Link to comment
+Red90 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 (edited) I understand there is a character limit, what it is and how it works. I'm not being condescending. Asking here, in this forum, "why" is of no use. We are not the programmers at Garmin that set the limits. There are none of those programmers on these forums. That is why I'm asking what you are expecting to achieve with the question. If you could find a forum where the device programmers frequent, then asking there might have a purpose. If you would like a guess....it is a hangover from the code that they used when the internal memory was very limited. Just use custom POI and you will not have issues. Edited September 11, 2016 by Red90 Quote Link to comment
Grasscatcher Posted September 11, 2016 Author Share Posted September 11, 2016 Red, you seem to be trying to answer a non technical question with a technical answer. I and probably most other people understand that the reason why "any and everything is the way it is" is because "that" is the way it was done by whomever created it. I don't have "issues" with character limitation if there is valid reason. If no one ever asks "Why" then nothing ever gets changed. Another valid question would be "Why would anyone resort (for 10 Yrs) to using POIs when long descriptions work with waypoints also. (but users can't directly input them) Don't get technical again......, I understand the difference between POIs, Waypoints, different limits and display characteristics. I also understand that the user cannot edit individual POI attributes on the unit. What I was asking was "Can anyone think of a logical reason why there would only be a(n) artificial limit on the direct input and not an actual hard limit on retaining and display ?" If it is important enough, before having to use a workaround for 10 years, why wouldn't someone question a seemingly arbitrary limit . Two possible answers, either they didn't know that the limit was arbitrary, or that waypoints could actually have longer descriptions in their unit. A third possibility...maybe I answered the question myself....It's not important enough. Quote Link to comment
+Red90 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 But asking the question to a group that does not have the answer or any way to change it is fruitless. At least do it on Garmin's forums and you might have a slight chance the developers will see it. Quote Link to comment
Grasscatcher Posted September 11, 2016 Author Share Posted September 11, 2016 I respectfully disagree. The experts are HERE, so, ask here to see if anyone knows of a valid reason "why not", then go there and ask for a change with the backing of additional voices that apparently didn't know it was possible in the first place. Again, it apparently isn't important. Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 I respectfully disagree. The experts are HERE, so, ask here to see if anyone knows of a valid reason "why not", then go there and ask for a change with the backing of additional voices that apparently didn't know it was possible in the first place. Again, it apparently isn't important. Garmin problems cannot be solved here. Go to Garmin discussion boards. I agree with Red. Use the program that suits you best. Don't expect a non-Garmin discussion thread to resolve your problems. I've used Garmin POI Loader with GSAK for many years. It gives me everything I want. Why expect other programs to change, when you can use one that works? Quote Link to comment
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