Making POIs that are direction-sensitive

 

I want to create a POI that alerts to a speed zone on I-20 East, which I have managed to do. However, when I travel through the same area on I-20 WEST, the proximity alarm goes off.

Is there a way to make the POI recognize East vs. West on the interstate?

Good Question

I've found that the same thing happens with some, but not all, of the POIs in the Rest Areas Combined file. I'll be interested to see what folks here say.

--
Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

Speed zones

I believe it can be tweaked through detection angles. I've played with some angles for speed traps/ red light cams and 90 degrees is to high and the alarm goes off in both directions. 30-50 degrees seems to be correct, but you'll have to play with it to get your best results.

--
"Delete nothing, back up everything"

detection angles?

CGY Guy wrote:

I believe it can be tweaked through detection angles.

Maybe I'm showing my newby status here, but I have no idea what detection angles are or how to work with them. Help?!

Making Directional POIs

I can make directional POIs on divided highways, such as Interstates and any other 4 lane or larger divided road that shows a 2 separate roads on your Nuvi.

I make them using the TourGuide method and put the POI marker right on the road where you want the alert. I then assign 0.010 mile or 53 feet to the proximity measurement.

This method works great, when traveling I only get the alert for the rest area on my side of the Interstate. I also used it to notify me as I pass the Fort Knox Gold Depository northbound on 31w in Ky that the Depository in on my Right and southbound that the depository is on my Left.

I played aroung with the proximity and determined the 0.010 mile or 53 feet works just fine in both directions.

--
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600

Re: detection angles?

sps.dls wrote:

Maybe I'm showing my newby status here, but I have no idea what detection angles are or how to work with them. Help?!

You should be able to change parameters including detection angles on POI's. You have to open the POI list, choose the category, and then change what you want to change. Save and done.

What make and model do you have?

--
"Delete nothing, back up everything"

who knew?

I'll have to play with my 2720 to see if I can do detection angles on it.

--
___________________ Garmin 2455, 855, Oregon 550t

Direction Angles? For a NUVI??

CGY Guy wrote:

I believe it can be tweaked through detection angles. I've played with some angles for speed traps/ red light cams and 90 degrees is to high and the alarm goes off in both directions. 30-50 degrees seems to be correct, but you'll have to play with it to get your best results.

I don't think DIRECTION ANGLES are any thing that can be used with NUVI proxzimity alerts. There are no parameters of this kind in the NUVI!!!

It may work with the Magellan Units but not Garmin Nuvi's

--
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600

Making POIs that are direction-sensitive

If you want to be alerted only while travelling eastbound, try moving the coordinates of the alert point to your right (south) until they stop triggering the alert while you're travelling westbound. A tool such as Google Earth lets you pick your alert point with great precision. Just keep moving it away from the westbound lanes until the alert only triggers eastbound.

--
"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse."

Sounds Logical

plunder wrote:

If you want to be alerted only while travelling eastbound, try moving the coordinates of the alert point to your right (south) until they stop triggering the alert while you're travelling westbound. A tool such as Google Earth lets you pick your alert point with great precision. Just keep moving it away from the westbound lanes until the alert only triggers eastbound.

Your explanation sounds reasonable. So that means, based on my recent trip from Tampa, FL, to Indianapolis, IN, a number of coordinates in the Rest Area Combined file need to be tweaked. I got several alerts from SB/EB rest areas along I-75, I-24 & I-65.

--
Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

Directional POIs

plunder wrote:

If you want to be alerted only while traveling eastbound, try moving the coordinates of the alert point to your right (south) until they stop triggering the alert while you're traveling westbound. A tool such as Google Earth lets you pick your alert point with great precision. Just keep moving it away from the westbound lanes until the alert only triggers eastbound.

Plunder,
Using the method you propose will work but entails a lot of testing and redoes to get it to work correctly. I know because I've used that method to start with.

Directional POIs can only be made on DIVIDED ROADS. Roads that show up on MapSource or your individual Nuvi unit when zoomed in all the way, such as Interstates and major highways.

The method I propose is much easier to use there is no guessing at all.

Use MapSource and place the Waypoint mark directly on the road itself. Exactly where you want the alert to occur. One for each direction.

The reason I use TourGuide in the waypoint name is to eliminate any "speed vs distance" conflicts.
As you will notice that the name of the POI doesn't have to have the word TourGuide in it. I used 1 with and 1 without but the waypoints internal to the POI have to have TourGuide in the name. Also the mp3 files have the word TourGiude in their name.

In the Waypoint property box put 0.006 in the proximity box(about 32 ft).

You then can also add a mp3 voice alert such as "REST AREA 1 MILE AHEAD ON RIGHT" in the Links box at the bottom.

I am providing 2 simple examples of this method in the links below.
When you go to the links it will ask you if you want to run or save the zip file. Just say save to disk.
In the zip file is a simple text instruction file.

If you want after you download and un-zip the file you can open the GPX file in MapSource and view the waypoint properties and see just what I am talking about.
If you want you can place the files into your POI folder you use to upload POIs into you Nuvi and load them. Then when you access the Custom POIs and open the individual poi look at the map and see the POI itself.
You can then pot the Nuvi in SIMULATION mode and run a test route through the pois and test them out.

The 1st Directional POI is for the Fort Knox Gold Depository. You will get a voice alert northbound on 31w and a different voice alert southbound.

The 2nd directional POI id for a Norm's Hot Dog shop in Elizabethtown Ky on Highway 31w. It demonstrates same as the 1st directional poi.

In fact I'll help those with 7xx's and any other Nuvi's that you can import routes with links to the test routes in GPX format, Then you can load them into MapSource and upload into your Nuvi.

Fort Knox Directional POI:
http://home.comcast.net/~hannah.burns/ScreenShots/FortKnoxGo...

Norm's Chicago Style Hot Dogs Directional POI:
http://home.comcast.net/~hannah.burns/ScreenShots/NormsChica...

Test Routes for the 2 above POIs:
http://home.comcast.net/~hannah.burns/ScreenShots/TestRoutes...

--
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600

Directional POIs

I'm not disagreeing with your opinions and conclusions in the least; but I have a C530, and that model doesn't support MapSource and TourGuide so your technique won't work for me or anyone with an older GPSr.
At least we've provided a couple of solutions.

--
"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse."

Re: detection angles?

CGY Guy wrote:

You should be able to change parameters including detection angles on POI's. You have to open the POI list, choose the category, and then change what you want to change. Save and done.

What make and model do you have?

I have a Garmin c330. In the POI list I haven't seen a field for detection angles. Do I have to creat this manually?

Precise POIs

plunder wrote:

If you want to be alerted only while travelling eastbound, try moving the coordinates of the alert point to your right (south) until they stop triggering the alert while you're travelling westbound. A tool such as Google Earth lets you pick your alert point with great precision. Just keep moving it away from the westbound lanes until the alert only triggers eastbound.

I did try tweaking the problematic POI by making it more precise using Google Earth, and this seems to have worked in this instance.

No Detection Angles for the NUVI !!!!!!!!

sps.dls wrote:
CGY Guy wrote:

You should be able to change parameters including detection angles on POI's. You have to open the POI list, choose the category, and then change what you want to change. Save and done.

What make and model do you have?

I have a Garmin c330. In the POI list I haven't seen a field for detection angles. Do I have to creat this manually?

"DETECTIONS ANGLES" ARE MEGELLAN PARAMETERS ONLY!!

THEY DON"T RELATE AT ALL TO THE NUVIs

--
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600

Directional POIs

H Hannah,

This looks like it will be very helpful info. I'll check this out this weekend as time allows. Thanks...

sps.dls

TourGuide or not to TourGuide

You don't have to make the POIs TourGuides to make them directional. Just use the same method of placing the waypoint on the road itself and assigning 0.006 to the proximity box. Also add the MP3 file if voice is wanted for the alert without the word TourGuide also.

I just got used to making TourGuides when I was assigning waypoints to my REST AREA POIs. the waypoint names have numbers in them (MM65, I65 etc.) and the use of TourGuides solves the problem of Speed and Distance from becoming a factor causing problems with the alerts.

From the PoiLoader Help Files:
"Speed information included in the file name. POI Loader interprets any numbers in the file name as speed information." This holds true not only for the POI name but also for the waypoint names within the POI.

On my Rest Area alerts I located my waypoint in the road 1 mile ahead of the Off Ramp of the rest area. And put 0.006 into the Proximity Box. And assigned my MP3 voice prompt "Rest Area 1 Mile Ahead On Right" into the Links box at the bottom.

Like is said above if you put the Mile Marker or Interstate numbers in the waypoint name and if you don't use TourGuide the alert will not work properly for a lot of the alerts. This is due to your travel speed when approaching the waypoint location.

Hopes this helps

--
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600

Very Nice

H Hannah wrote:

I am providing 2 simple examples of this method in the links below.

H,

Thanks for going to all the trouble to set this up. I probably wouldn't have taken the time to test it fully if you hadn't done the majority of the work for me. rolleyes Since I grew up on 31W a bit closer to Louisville, it was quite interesting for me and worked beautifully.

I opened the POI file in GeePeeEx Editor and it warned me by flashing that the links for the mp3 files needed to be updated (obviously your file structure was different than mine). I looked at how you named the points separately from the waypoint name within the file (simply "Northbound" and "Southbound"). I viewed it via the satellite view but couldn't pick out the depository even though I've seen it numerous times. I saved the changes (after answering GeePeeEx Editor's challenge questioning whether I had lost my mind with the short alert distance), loaded the file in Express mode with POI Loader, and it alerted once each way.

However, because of the short alert, I didn't have time to touch the screen to read the detailed text message. So, I added some dead air to the end of the mp3 file just to verify that that would keep the window open longer for me, and that too worked well. I can see why you say this is a very nice way to handle rest area POI's -- or for that matter, any POI's, especially directional speed cameras.

Thanks again -- this was quite educational for me.

--
Nuvi 660 -- and not upgrading it or maps until Garmin fixes long-standing bugs/problems, and get maps to where they are much more current, AND corrected on a more timely basis when advised of mistakes.

Directional CSV POIs

I was playing around with the KY Rest Area CSV POI.

I found that I could Change the 3rd column from
"I-65 MM 82 Southbound"
to
"I SixtyFive MM EightyTwo S" and put the coordinates in the road 1 mile ahead of the rest area entrance ramp. And when I use PoiLoader in the manual mode I specify Proximity 50 Feet. I then have a MP3 voice file the same name as the CSV file and it work great.

I have a test version at the link below. The Zip File contains 3 files. One file Kentucky Interstate RA.CSV contains the I65 and MM 81 and 82 data POI. File 2 is the MP3 Voice alert "Rest Area Approximately one mile ahead on right". And file 3 is a route to test the POI, it is for those that have a Nuvi that supports route downloads.

It works GREAT!!

http://home.comcast.net/~hannah.burns/ScreenShots/KY-i65-MM8...

--
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600

CSV and GPX directional POIs

bentbiker wrote:

H,

I opened the POI file in GeePeeEx Editor and it warned me by flashing that the links for the mp3 files needed to be updated (obviously your file structure was different than mine). I looked at how you named the points separately from the waypoint name within the file (simply "Northbound" and "Southbound"). I viewed it via the satellite view but couldn't pick out the depository even though I've seen it numerous times. I saved the changes (after answering GeePeeEx Editor's challenge questioning whether I had lost my mind with the short alert distance), loaded the file in Express mode with POI Loader, and it alerted once each way.

For those that have a NUVI that supports TourGuide and use MapSource you can use PoiLoader to directly upload the GPX file created by MapSource.You don't have to use GeePeeEx or any other program to modify the GPX file.

As for the naming of the MP3 voice alert files, if you use MapSource and add the MP# file to the bottom of the Waypoint Property Screen it does not have to be the same name as the POI file. It just has to have the word TourGuide in the name.
Example:
TourGuide California Wineries.GPX
TourGuide Voice Introduction.MP3

The PoiLoader does not have to associate the MP3 file with the GPX file. The GPX file does it's own association.

If you were to make this POI using a CSV file then you would have to make the MP3 file name be the same as the CSV file.
Example:
TourGuide California Wineries.CSV
TourGuide California Wineries.MP3

Hope this clears up any questions.

As you see in one of the above replys:
"Directional CSV POIs"
this TourGuide could also be made using CSV POIs

This should help those that do not have TourGuide as a feature on you Garmin.

--
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600

MP3's have full drive location in the filename.

H Hannah wrote:

As for the naming of the MP3 voice alert files, if you use MapSource and add the MP3 file to the bottom of the Waypoint Property Screen it does not have to be the same name as the POI file. It just has to have the word TourGuide in the name.
Example:
TourGuide California Wineries.GPX
TourGuide Voice Introduction.MP3

The PoiLoader does not have to associate the MP3 file with the GPX file. The GPX file does it's own association.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears your gpx file includes the entire drive location of the linked mp3 files (e.g. C:\Garmin 750\POI%27s Loaded in 750\TourGuide Fort Knox-Ra.mp3). Therefore, POI Loader won't add the audio alert unless the user has the same drive structure as you -- just putting them in the same folder won't work. That's why the link had to be adjusted.

As for MapSource, I know you like the program, but I think unless you have a unit that supports routes, it is . . . uhh . . . less than worthy of the Garmin name. I seems to me to have been built by a programmer (not a developer) who had no concept of the word "intuitive", and didn't care what the user wanted (e.g. optimization), or what it looked like. It obviously works well for you, but I hate it.

--
Nuvi 660 -- and not upgrading it or maps until Garmin fixes long-standing bugs/problems, and get maps to where they are much more current, AND corrected on a more timely basis when advised of mistakes.

Adjusting the test POI file

Bentbiker,
You are right. I forgot about the Path specified in the Waypoint Properties Screen would be different per PC (personal way of storing files etc).

If you wanted to run these you would have to put your path into it. And the path being where ever you keep your MP3 voice files.

If any one wants to adjust the GPX POI file using MapSource. Just open the GPX file and delete the path there and put your path in. (Where ever you save the MP3 voice file to.

--
"Those that stop and smell the roses, must realize that once in awhile you may get a whiff of fertilizer."..copyright:HDHannah1986 -Mercedes GPS - UCONNECT 430N Chrysler T&C - Nuvi 2598- Nuni2555 - Nuvi855 - Nuvi295W - Nuvi 750 - Ique 3600