New Guy, Just trying to download a POI to upload to my Garmin 760

Have you downloaded the POI Loader?

The Pass Port file is a csv file .See this node for instructions on downloading files to your Garmin http://www.poi-factory.com/node/85 if you still have a problem let us know.

Terry, the downloaded file probably has this name: RestAreasCombined.csv.txt
Just remove the ".txt" suffix and it should work OK. At least it did in my Mac.

If you are just starting to download a lot of poi files.You may want to think about using subfolders to give you some type of order for your categories. See node http://www.poi-factory.com/node/8674

Terry,
If the file is greyed out, that is normal. You are not being asked to point out the file -- you are being asked to point out the folder in which all of your POI files reside. You can, as previously suggested, create a series of sub-folders (one level max) in order to categorize your POIs.

TDSD Says: HI, I'm new to this site. I downloaded the Pass Port America POI and it downloaded as a text file and the Garmin Uploader cannot see it. It shows up grayed out when I use the brouse feature. Any help out there. Terry

You have to have Microsoft Office With Excel for it to show up as an CSV File for it to work with the Garmin Poi Loader
Or you can download it as a GPX File also

The Passport file has a "V" before the csv and when I download it, it downloads as a text file and will not load with the Garmin Uploader program. I was able to successfully upload two other files so my problem seems to be with the Passport file only. I really need this file so any help would be most appreciated. Terry

Terry, if you would like to send me the file (via PM) I would be more than happy to take a look at it. I agree with others that making sure the file name extension is just ".csv" is probably the root issue, but sometimes that's not always the case.

Also, my friend just released a new program for Mac to manage POI's which I thought might interest you. Please see my other post for info.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/14792

I just downloaded it with no problems.It downloaded as a csv file. Did you click on the file Pass_Port_America_V.csv and save from there or did you click on file at top of page and try to save from there?

Chuck, Thanks for your offer of help. I downloaded the POI manager but when I tried to install it, I was told it would not work with my version of OS X. The files is listed like this Pass_Port_America_V.csv.txt
When I click on it, I get a text file downloaded and I can't change it after the fact. This is the only file I have seen that has the V and text in it. Someone else said they downloaded it OK so I am very confused. Thanks again for your help. Terry

Changed my mind!

Terry,

The V is simply part of the filename, the most important thing to do is edit the filename and get rid of the .txt at the end. You do this in the finder by just clicking on the filename itself twice slowly, once the select the file and 2nd to be able to edit the name. after the second click the text should be highlighted then you can use your arrow keys to move to the end of the filename and back space over .txt

The other way to edit the filename is to select the file by clicking once then select "Get Info" from the File Menu or command - i , then edit the name in that window.

Sorry the program didn't work, I forget that not everyone is using OS 10.5 yet.

Remember also that to load POI's with Garmin's POI Loader to put the csv file(s) into a folder and select that folder within POI Loader as the source.

Hope this helps

Tdsd,
I believe the "V" in the name is just an indicator that the file was put through a program called "POI-Verifier" and it should not cause any problem because it is to the left of the period. Those people reporting that the txt extension doesn't show up on the download, are probably not using a Mac. I have reported a similar problem with the RestAreasCombined file. I asked whether any expert could explain how an extra extension can be viewed only by those using a Mac and nobody responded. Something that these file maintainers are doing is causing this, but we aren't sure what it is. If we can get somebody to open the files on a PC and save as a CSV, the problem disappears.

Just change the name as previously suggested and it will work fine -- the reason it works is that a CSV is nothing more than a txt file that has been created with the intent to use commas as delimiters for fields within.

If you want to remove the txt portion of the name just highlight the file, then delete the txt portion (leaving the .csv suffix). When the dialog box asks if you want to change the file type, click "Use .csv"

You can change the file name to what ever you like, as long as it ends with a .csv suffix. This means you can remove the _V, the .txt,, or even rename the file. I often fix the capitalization. I group all my Pennsylvania travel locations but using PA before each file name.

I guess I am missing something. The file appears on the web sit as Pass_Port_America_V.csv.txt
I cannot change it at this point. I can only download it. When I download it, it downloads as a text file and removing the "txt" it is still a text file and it will not upload to the Garmin. I understand and agree that if i could remove the txt it would probably work but I don't see any way I can change this before I download the file. Terry

If you are talking about the file at this link:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/1499

then, I'm not seeing what you are seeing. When I look at the file name on that page, it says Pass_Port_America_V.csv

When I left-click it once, a download box opens with the exact same file name - there is no .txt at the end!?!

What OS and web browser are you using?

EDIT: looks like you have a Mac with OS X. My WinXP PC doesn't show the .txt extension.

Terry,
I'm more than willing to send you the renamed file, but that won't help you in the future -- renaming files is a basic operation that you need to master for many things. All renaming is done on the file in your computer -- not the file on the website. Have you read and tried to follow the renaming instructions detailed by chuck7904 above? Basically, you just keep slowly clicking on the name until the cursor is within the name and you can delete and type.

Edit: I have also requested by email for Miss POI to re-save the file which will solve the problem. She says she will take care of it.

Gary, You are correct. the file I see is Pass_Port_America_V.csv but when I click on it to download, it adds the .txt to my download and it comes out as t Text File. I understand how to change the name of a file but when I take off the .txt part, it is still a text file and looks nothing like the other download which show up in a folder. The text file prints out all the location and it stays that why after I remove the .txt I don't understand why this is the only file that i am having trouble with. I thought the V had something to do with it since the other files had no V. Thanks for all the help. Terry

I understand how to rename the files but renaming it as in removing the .txt does not change the type of file. It is still a text file. It shows the listing of all the locations. and when I put it in the POI folder, it look different than all the other folders. It is not in a folder. Maybe I should put it in a folder and then in the POI folder. The file looks OK on the download page but when I click on download the .txt is added to the file and it downloads as a txt file. If it is not too much trouble, could you email the file and see it that works. My email address is td123@comcast.net Thanks for all your help. Terry

I downloaded the file and looked at it. I picked a short entry to paste in this topic - this is the 12th entry, as I see it:

-87.658,30.4069,AL Bluegrass RV Park 21403 Hwy 98 Foley 251-971-1874

Field 1 - longitude
Field 2 - Latitude
Field 3 - Name address phone-number (without quotes)

Just below that is another version of the file (Pass_Port_America-linebreaks.csv) where the description has been broken up:

Field 3 - Name (without quotes)
Field 4 - Address & phone number (without quotes)

Would the 2nd file work better for you?

Any alpha/numeric characters to the left of the dot in the file name (like the V) should have no impact on using the file.

I clicked on the Pass_Port_America-linebreaks.csv and it showed all the locations. I saved the file to my desktop and took out the Linebreaks and put it in a folder and put the folder in the POI folder and used the Garmin POI Uploader. It worked. I do have another issue and probably should start a new Topic but you folks seem very knowledgeable about this stuff. When I click on the Garmin Uploader to upload the files, I get this message
"There is a data formate error on line 85 of file. The data earlier in the file will be written, but no more data can be read from this file."
All the POIs seem to work OK and they all downloaded. I guess I should just declare victory and stop but was wondering if this is a common message or do I have an error in one or more of my POIs. Thanks again for all your help. Terry

I re-named the files and uploaded them back up to the site, let me know if there is still an issue please.

Miss POI

Thanks, MaryAnn. Both the Pass Port and RestAreasCombined files are now downloadable by Mac users without getting the txt extension. Wish we knew what causes the problem, but I'm guessing that isn't going to happen.