Multiple POI files? - Nuvi 680

You need to load all of them each time you run POI Loader. Each time POI Loader runs, it creates a file named POI.GPI containing all the POIs that you are loading.

Create a folder for POIs on your computer and put all your POI files in that folder.

You can have subfolders under your main folder, if you want. The folders will create categories. You can't have more than one level of subfolder. The files themselves will create the subcategory.

For example, it might look like this.

> My POI (Main folder)
>> IHOP (subfolder)
... IHOP.csv
... IHOP.bmp
>> National Parks (subfolder)
... National Parks.gpx
... National Monuments.gpx
... National Recreation areas.gpx
... National Parks.bmp
... National Monuments.bmp
etc.

In this example, IHOP and National Parks show up as categories and then under National Parks, the subcategories of National Parks, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas show up.

Here are some screenshots of what it would look like.

This is a shot of the folder and files on my computer.
http://i18.tinypic.com/4q8bl8m.jpg

This is how the first level shows up on my GPS unit.
http://i9.tinypic.com/4t6c8ye.jpg

When I select the National Parks category, this is what I get.
http://i2.tinypic.com/62qyi4z.jpg

Then if I select National Monuments, I get this.
http://i8.tinypic.com/4kbd8jc.jpg

Place all of your poi files in one folder each as a .cvs file. place the Garmin POI Loader in that folder and run it. It will combine all of these files into the on .GPX fils, when you go to extras you will see a catigory for each poi file.

If you want to have multiple POI files you can create different ones using different CSV files and then save them on your computer rather than your GPS. I have SEVERAL that I have created and store in different directories on my computer which were created using different CSV files because, sometimes I only want a few POI's and not the full shebang. Is this making any sense to you?

You can only store 1 POI file on your GPS at a time.

Should you uninstall your custom POI's before installing updated files? Or will the POI Loader just overwrite what already exists?

The GPS unit will read multiple .gpi files at the same time. For units that support TourGuide files, this is the format that they come in.

Many users have had success in renaming the POI.GPI files so that they are not overwritten on the GPS unit.

For example, load the Starbucks file and rename the POI.GPI file to Starbucks.gpi.

Then load the Dunkin Donuts file and rename the POI.GPI file to Dunkin Donuts.gpi.

Both files will be read by the GPS unit.

I don't use this method because it doesn't work properly on the Zumo (and it seems like more work to me), but many people use this method.

There's no need to delete the POI files from the unit before loading new ones.

I didn't know that they zumo couldn't do the method where you rename the gpi file. Is that because it doesn't have tourguide? So any unit that doesn't have tourguide, can't do this method, right?

It may be slightly more work ONCE; after that, it's less work.

If I rename the files, I can have all my permanent POIs (rest areas, Flying J, etc) always on the GPS and only have to redo the red light POI every week. In addition, when I'm checking a file for someone, I load it onto my GPS to test it. This method keeps all of my POIs intact while helping someone out.

Another possibility is you may traveling and are away from your main computer where you store your POI folders for the 'one-time' upload. Now you see POI Factory has just posted a new POI you need. Unless you use the 'file rename' method, you can't use the new file ... all of the other POIs will go bye-bye.

One method isn't always the best for everyone. I find a combination of the two works best for me ... it's invaluable. See FAQ:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/8779

RT

Incidentally, you don't have to 'load and rename' each POI file. You can load many POI files with the folder method; then rename that poi.gpi file. This allows you to add another POI file without overwriting any of the previous POIs.

MM, what problems does this 'rename' method cause with the Zumo? Does it affect all Zumos? Is there a way we can correct or 'work around' the problem? Does this same problem affect other GPS units?

The Zumo supports TourGuides.

Renaming the GPI files results in the categories being lost on the Zumo.

I haven't heard of any other units having this issue.

The Zumo also doesn't support the "Skip this File" function in the POI import from the SD card.

With my Zumo 550 I have the ability to look at it as a mass storage device via 'explore' my PC. If you go to your Garmin's POI file, Garmin.POI, you will see your downloaded POI file named "poi.gpi". With the 550 you can change the file name from "poi.gpi" to "yournewname.gpi" under Windows on your PC. This name change will keep you from overlaying the POI files you down load and give you multiple POI files on your Garmin (Zumo 550). I can then see the multiple POI files listed under "Custom POIs". Garmin tech support helped me figure this one out.

MM, trying to find a work around. If you use the 'folder method' to upload multiple folders with multiple POIs to the GPS, then rename that poi.gpi file, will you still lose the folders?

RT

Yep, I still lose them.

I have all my POI files in folders because the categories are important to me. If I rename the POI.GPI to Starbucks.gpi, for example, and then load another POI file, the categories go away.

Seems like the C530 must work the same way. I lost the categories. So MM, am I correct in assuming by the above series of posts that if I can create folders on my SD card which look as follows then I will have the categories you show in your above post?

MY POI
--- Restaurants
------ poi.gpi
--- Hotels
------ poi.gpi
--- Rest Areas
------ poi.gpi
--- ..next category
------ poi.gpi

etc.

If not correct, then what? (Also, do I need the "My POI" directory shown above or can I leave that out?)

By the way, I see the utility of setting up csv file folders with the individual or groups of like csv files, and then using POI LOader to only update the csv groupings when necessary. But it sure would be nice to have the additional feature of folder categories showing on the C530..

PS: I do plan on trying this later this evening if by then someone else hasn't responded.

MM is suggesting that the folders be created on your computer before pointing to the parent folder and running POI Loader. The categories show up under Custom POI's based on first folder names and then csv filenames.

Edit: Just realized you may have understood her perfectly and are just looking for another solution. I'm not sure whether creating the subfolders on the card shows up the same way or not. Doubt the GPS will like multiple POI.gpi files even in different folders, but I'm not sure, and you could certainly rename them. If it works, it would mean you wouldn't have to reload everything to just update one file, but since POI Loader is so fast, I suspect some would say why worry about it.

Correct. I understood. The front-end part about setting up the csv folders is clear. The missing piece is in having my own personally designed FOLDERS show on the C530 - can this be done on the C530?

If, to feel organized, you just need to see the SD card set up with folders when viewed on the PC that is one thing, but you won't see folders as folders when viewing the GPS screen via either method. And MM's way does result in the appearance of folders on the card (categories under categories) even though everything is in one file. Did you look at her screenshots showing how clicking on National Parks brings up four sub-categories and clicking on them brings up the individual POI filenames, and under that are the individual POI listings within the file? I think this is the best you could achieve with separate folders on the SD, and she doesn't have to deal with moving newly created POI.gpi's to their proper subfolders every time a file needs to be reloaded. She doesn't have to do anything with the data on the card -- no moving or renaming of anything. She has won me over with the simplicity of her design. If POI Loader was a slow process, it would be different, but reloading all the POI's every time is a matter of seconds.

Yes, I'm specifically looking at MM's second screen shot showing categories. I am unable to achieve this result. In fact, this is the objective and the source of my question above. In short, having these same categories show on my C530. My question, which I will answer this evening, is will the folder organization of the gpi files files on my SD card (as shown above) accomplish this. Or instead, is my C530 not able to show the categories. The dialogue which triggered this question was the one between MM and RT wherein MM indicates that naming the poi.gpi file to a new name (e.g. Restaurants.gpi) causes the categories to disappear -- see above posting on 02/25/08 at 4:49PM. What isn't clear to me is if then the solution is NOT renaming the gpi files but simply having multiple poi.gpi files each in a separate directory as I had shown above. Again, I will find out this evening (By the way, without the result of having the folders showing on the C530, I'm still, like you wondering of the degree of benefit in segregating csv files into folders and making separate gpi files...)

MM was referring to the Zümo specifically. The C5xx doesn't have this particular bug.

Shucks...So am I to assume that it is not possible to for me to setup and have categories on the C530?

PS: Just to be summarize what I have thus far found per my above comments.. I can have one goi.gpi file or I can have several .gpi files (a.gpi, b.gpi, c.gpi, etc.). I can put the a.gpi, b.gpi, c.gpi, etc gpi files in one folder or I can put the gpi files in multiple folders. It doesn't matter, the results of the above options are all the same - no categories, just a selection choice which is one-for-one with the same named csv files. The ONLY thing that I have not yet tried is creating individual folders on the SD card and then but putting different poi.gpi files in each folder (i.e. not renaming after each POI Loader run). I was hoping this would work, i.e. that my C530 was "Zümo like", but I'm begginning to get a bit less optimistic..

I'll never go back to using only the 'Multiple Folder' method when loading Custom POIs on my nuvi 350.

I did some 'real time' testing. On the computer I have:

POI (Folder)
--Folder One
----File One.csv
----File Two.csv
----File Three.csv
----File Four.csv
--Folder Two
----File Five.csv
----File Six.csv
----File Seven.csv

I loaded this to the GPS using POI Loader. Total time to load 176,252 POIs - One and a half minutes.. I renamed it 'TestOne.gpi' on the GPS. All folders 'present and accounted for'. Additional time to rename file - 5 seconds.

I then loaded the 'Redlight-Cameras.csv' file. Renamed it to 'TestTwo.gpi'. Again, all folders 'present and accounted for'. Additional time to rename file - 5 seconds.

Now when I'm ready for a new file to add, I simply add it. This time is measured in seconds, not minutes it takes to re-load all the POI files every time any ONE file is modified. I'll aways trade 10 additional seconds on the front end to save 'many minutes' reload-time on the back end.

As I've posted previously, additional benefits are you can add files at will without losing any loaded POIs; and you can add POIs even if you don't have all of your POI folders on your laptop while traveling, as is the case here.

Like I've always said, one method isn't the best for everyone. For me, it's a no-brainer!

RT

If the Folders do not show up ON THE C530 in my evening try tonight, then I too am very likely going to bag the "folders game". And, even if it DOES work and the folders DO show up on the C530, I may still decide to bag the game for the forementioned reasons...more time to do and little or no benefit.

No wonder you are trying the exotic folders-on-SD-card route. I am surprised you have had no success with MM's approach with the C530, and I'm surprised we haven't heard from other C530 owners who have tried this and had good or bad results (hint, hint).

Just to make sure this old brain has understood everything, when you tried MM's approach, you did a single loading with POI Loader and pointed to the "My POI" folder as the source of the csv files. This resulted in the loss of categories. Were there no categories named according to your folders, no categories named after the csv filenames, or neither one? I was under the impression that this was supposed to work on all models.

No ... it's the BUG that's not present on the C5xx ... the categories work FINE.

The folder structure refers to the .gpx/.csv files you feed into POI Loader, not where you put the resulting .GPI files. i.e. Poi Loader uses the folder structure as a poor-man's means of defining the categories. (The gpx vocabulary includes a 'category' statement, but POI Loader ignores it).

Where you place the resulting .gpi files is academic - the unit itself makes no reference to where it found them - just what's in them.

Yikes, this whole thread has confused me.

Let me clarify a couple of points.

The folders that I create for my POI files are on my computer not on my Zumo. The CSV, GPX, BMP, and MP3 files reside in these folders on my computer.

The folders create categories in my Custom POIs on my Zumo when I load them with POI Loader.

As far as I know, this method works on all Garmin units and is listed as such in the POI Loader help file.

On the Zumo (and as far as I have been able to determine, ONLY ON THE ZUMO), when you rename the POI.GPI file, you lose the categories in the Custom POIs on the Zumo.

Creating folders on the GPS unit itself would not seem to serve any purpose.

For other units, renaming the POI.GPI files appears to work to the satisfaction of the users.

All we really need is one person who actually owns a C530 to step forward and say I use a single POI file generated from a multi-level directory structure on my PC and I get the category structure presented in detail by MM. So far, the only person with a C530 who has tried it, says it doesn't work.

Yes, this thread is confusing. I own a C530 and I can get a single level category structure by doing what MM said. For example, under MyPOI folder I have Food, Lodging, Travel, etc. Each of those folders contains a number of files (ie, Fast Food, Restaurants, Pizza, etc.). So when I hit food, I see the all files in that folder. I can then access each file individually or all files simultaneously.

I would call your result a multi-level categorization:
Food >> Restaurants >> Olive Garden

I wonder why Grandad can't make it work. Not sure until he responds to my question whether he gets one level of categories (either folder names or filenames) and then locations, or just a jumble of locations under Custom POI's with no categories at all. Oh well, sounds like the system does work on the C530.

No, I have only one folder level below the main folder (Restaurants, Fast food, Pizza, etc.) are all files in the "Food" folder. I really never tried using two folder levels below the main, b/c I don't want & don't need them.

Hope this helps.

I had planned on responding to my above question with a "not possible" response. I then see a flurry of comments on how to do this. Phil, I believe you've nailed my problem. Specifically, I need to point to the TOTAL csv file directory above the sub-folder level when running POI Loader instead of pointing to each individual sub-directory. This appears to be my problem.

For those who might have been confused as to "what this thread is all about" it was simply (but apparently not for me) getting a multi-level directory to show on my C530. I was unable to get the level 1 that MM showed above on my C530. Now that others have come forth and said that they have succeeded on their C530's, I know that it can be done. Hopefully, I can report back this evening that I've FINALLY succeeded!

Thanks everyone attempting to get me on track..

Exactly!

... and for whatever it's worth, what had gotten me off track on this was the assumed need to rename the ".gpi" files created by POI Loader as being part of the solution. (MM makes a side comment above about this practice, but somewhere in a previous forum posting there is more extensive commentary.) So based on this incorrect assumption of renaming gpi files as being part of the solution, I decided (wrongly) that had to process each subdirectory containing it's corresponding csv files with POI Loader and then rename the resulting gpi file. Obviously (now) this is incorect. POI loader will take care of everything. POI Loader will create ONE poi.gpi file and in this poi.gpi file will be all of the heirarchy that was read from and within the csv file directory structure... No renaming of the gpi filess are required.

In any case, just wanted to explain how I got off track...

I read the first post on this thread as:

The simple solution to this is "Don't overwrite the poi.gpi file, rename it".

RT

RT, The original starting post of the thread was redirected by the responses into something different. The re-direction was based with reference to directory level setup. So the flow evolved into a different theme from the original question. I just kept the redirection going... Is this not allowed?

-- My comments -- I don't think that you can have two folders deep (maybe I should say three). The csv file name will show as the heading, and then the stores once you select it. That was one of my major mistakes. I figured it out by loading 1 csv file, then 2 and so on until the files I had the headings like I wanted. Don't try and load 20,000 files on your first go round....daniel --End My Comments--

You need to load all of them at the same time. Create a folder on your computer for your POI files and put all of them there.

You can have subfolders under your main folder, if you want. The folders will create categories. You can't have more than one level of subfolder. The files themselves will create the subcategory.

For example, it might look like this.

> My POI (Main folder)
>> IHOP (subfolder)
... IHOP.csv
... IHOP.bmp
>> National Parks (subfolder)
... National Parks.gpx
... National Monuments.gpx
... National Recreation areas.gpx
... National Parks.bmp
... National Monuments.bmp
etc.

In this example, IHOP and National Parks show up as categories and then under National Parks, the subcategories of National Parks, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas show up.

Here are some screenshots of what it would look like.

This is a shot of the folder and files on my computer.
http://i18.tinypic.com/4q8bl8m.jpg

This is how the first level shows up on my GPS unit.
http://i9.tinypic.com/4t6c8ye.jpg

When I select the National Parks category, this is what I get.
http://i2.tinypic.com/62qyi4z.jpg

Then if I select National Monuments, I get this.
http://i8.tinypic.com/4kbd8jc.jpg

Sure; but bear in mind:
1. that the next person can also redirect the thread before you receive the response you desire.
2. there is almost always more than one way 'to skin a cat'.
3. what works for one doesn't always work for all.
4. what the original posting was. You can always create another thread if you feel the original posting isn't related close enough to your question.
5. there was prior reference made to the 'renaming' procedure before I decided its merits needed defending.
6. the 'multiple folder' procedure described in this thread has been explained previously, as far back Feb 2007 when k4vw and I discovered this technique was feasible. See:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/1297
We also discovered the maximum number of workable POI folders, explained at:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/1335

RT