POI files - .gpi vs .gpx

You are trying to create custom POI files for your Nuvi? The Nuvi can take custom POIs in the csv or gpx format. I prefer the GPX format - more information and formatting options can be added.

When you create a custom POI file, and use the Garmin POI Loader, it takes all the custom POI files you want, and builds a GPI file in the "Garmin\Poi" folder on your Nuvi. The "current.gpx" file you find in the "Garmin\gpx" folder is all you "Favorites" you have saved.

It will not overlay your current.gpx. I am not aware of character limitations for gpx files, but then again,I've never had more than a few dozen characters needed for my POI entries (name, address, phone).

OK, I am not using .csv files at all. I am creating files directly to .gpi. I prefer the .gpi because you do not need the POI loader which creates one big .gpi file. For me, having several gpi files makes it easier to edit, delete and organize the files you want. Since I can have one that says museums, one that says starbucks etc...If I want to update or delete starbucks I have the one file rather than the whole thing to reload.

The files I have created, resemble the travel guide but are located in the custom poi folder.

example: I have a museum as a POI. It pops up with a tour guide alert when I get near the location and contains a picture of the museum, a sound file plays and viewable text is displayed but only shows the first 250 characters of the text. I was wondering if the .gpx file allows more text characters like in the pre loaded travel guide. Does that make sense to you?

... found at

http://www.topografix.com/gpx_resources.asp

they specifically mention that the "name" field does not have a limitation, but no mention of length limitations for any other gpx field ("desc" being one I looked up).

I hope this helps. This web site is full of information about the gpx standard.

S4TP!

Maybe I will just stick with the current gpi files then. I think the gpx requires the use the POI loader and can't be seperated. I like having the option of seperate .gpi POI files rather than one file.

For starters, what program are you using to create the GPI files, if not POI Loader? GPSBabel?

The basic answer to your question is that TravelGuide GPI files use slightly different flags and format tags that don't have the limits of the ones available via POI Loader. The TravelGuide files are created by Garmin's Content Toolkit, which costs $500/year and requires signing a contract.

The idea is that POI Loader is fine for creating basic POI files, but they want to reserve the "TravelGuide" features for the paid licensees. Or at least that's my interpretation; I have no special inside information.

The frustrating part is that via POI Loader you can create files that have almost all of the features of a TravelGuide. There are only one or two things that don't work quite right.

GPX files copied directly to the unit will not help you; they have, if anything, even more restrictions.

Don

Paul, are you aware that you can use POI Loader to create a single category file (e.g. bike shops) and rename the POI.gpi that it creates to BikeShops.gpi? Then you can repeat the process with a different csv/gpx file and create a new POI.gpi and rename it -- ad infinitum.

No, I was not aware you could change the file name after each time you load it. I think I will use that feature for adding POI's from this website but will continue to use my current method for self created files.

I did, however, just find what I was looking for. The tour guide files will only display ~250 characters and does not matter if it is gpx or gpi. I was hoping to be able to add more than a 250 character description of the POI. I guess I will just have to make up for missing info in a audio file.

See FAQ at:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/8779

RT

TourGuides are actually a form of Audio, associated with a (circular) alert.

Not so hasty

5000 character descriptions are easily possible on the Nüvi 3xx series.

see:
http://GeePeeEx.googlepages.com

Is there anyway that the Garmin (I am using the 760) will automatically "pop-up" the contents of a GPX file (picture, text, etc) when near the location vs having to view it manually when I see/hear the alert?

5000 character descriptions are easily possible on the Nüvi 3xx series.

see:
http://GeePeeEx.googlepages.com

[/quote]

Thanks for the GeePeeEx site but I am all about free. I have been using a free program now that allows me to create files with audio, pictures, location and text but the text was limited to 250 characters.

Did you notice Phil offers a free trial version?

I have a Nuvi 750 - I have been building TourGuides for myself for a few weeks now and they work fine.

I used the MapSource program to build one for Fort Knox and was very limited to what it shows.

But I found that GEOVATIVE SOLUTIONS has a online TourGuide Creator that allows you to add as much text as you might want (there maybe a top limit).

It also allows you to load them directly into your 750 using Garmin Communicator as "GPI" files. I also found out that these GPI files will not be replaced when you upload your other POI files using POI Loader. Can be deleted by going to the internal drive while docked with the PC.

the site is HTTP://www.geovative.com

PS there is a limit as to the text that shows on the Individual POI page but on the 750 you have the "MORE" Button(ICON) at the bottom of the page. There you can scroll through the whole text.

HDHannah

As Scott states on his web site:-

Some devices (nuvi 350 and possibly others) only support displaying 9 lines (or roughly 250 characters) of text for each location description.

That was the OP's Problem Statement!

The point is, that each device in Garmin's product lineup, reacts in a different way.

But you don't on a 3xx.

Also, while that technique does work on a 7xx, it is somewhat limiting - if you try to use Garmin's gml markup language, you'll find it displays twice - once on Page 1 unrendered and again on Page 2 rendered...a less than professional result

The geovative.com site is what I have been using for several weeks now. It makes it easy to create your own tourguide with pictures, mp3 and text but as you guys point out, only 250 characters are displayable in the nuvi 350. I have just been writing highlights for the text. The mp3 files seem to add too many KB to the file to make it worth while. I have been downloading the gpi file there and just transfer them all to a SD card. I am building up on making my own walking tours of European cities.

By the way, can you change the nuvi prox tone in the unit itself to a different tone instead of changing it in the tourguide file?

Oh, the .gpi file is better because the pictures and audio are merged in the single file. The .gpx requires the poi loader and you have to load the images and content of several files.

There are some ready-made TourGuides, for European cities here:
http://www.waygate-audio.com/

that you might be interested in.

No.

Im still confused on which is which

Could you tell me where to find the format and any related software needed?
Thanks

http://www.geovative.com

POI Loader is all you need to create gpi files from csv or gpx. If you meant to ask about gpx, there are a number of ways to create them -- Mapsource, GeePeeEx Editor to name two.

By direct files; my guess is he is trying to not use POI Loader?

Did you find out how to display the contents of gpx file on alert?

You would have to navigate to the Custom POI via the menus. There's no way to do it directly from the alert.

I'm going through it that way and it alerts me 300 metres from one of the points but it never displays any info about the point on screen?

No, it won't show you any information. All it will do is show the alert with the name of the POI.

The alert won't show any information about the POI. You have to manually navigate the menus to get the information.