Adding POi

You purchased a complete bundle from where?

What is the name of the file? (full file name plus extension)

How did you load it to your GPS unit?

I am sure others will help you here but waqnt to try..

What i have to do is alsay load All the files that i want each and everytime. however other here rename a file and can not think of the name of that file at this time since I am at work and dont have the info in front of me.

You can do a search on adding poi files and you will find the info you need.

again, what i find is that everytime you upload files to your gaqrmin, you will overwrite any existing custom files so those should also be added to your "New" bundle.

hope this helps..

we purchased it from garmin in 2006 and we downloaded it through the computer and the extension is gpx.
is there some way we can just add new POI without losing the ones we purchased

Ok. Never heard of that before.

Create a folder for your Custom POI files and put ALL of them in the folder. (Your "bundle" file and any "new" files.) Then load ALL of them at the same time with POI Loader.

If you want to delve more deeply into it, you can create categories for your Custom POIs by creating subfolders under your main POI folder.

Here's an example.

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

If your GPS is seen as a drive on your computer, you can use the 'rename' method of loading POIs and they won't overwrite the ones you have loaded. For more info, see:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/16639
and
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/8779

RT

Motorcycle Mama has a good format for the "source" files, now I'll take it one step farther.

First, the "source" files are on your p.c. and the "compiled" files are on your Garmin unit, o.k.?

"Source" goes like this:

> My POI (Main folder)
>> IHOP.bmp
>> IHOP (subfolder)
... IHOP_USA.csv
... IHOP_USA.bmp
... IHOP_USA.wav (or .mp3)
... IHOP_Canada.csv
>> National Parks.bmp
>> National Parks (subfolder)
... National Parks.gpx
... National Monuments.gpx
... National Recreation areas.gpx
... National Parks.bmp
... National Monuments.bmp
etc.

Notice that I added a .bmp file with the same name as the subdirectory. What this does is define a default .bmp for every .csv or .gpx file in that subdirectory. For instance, I added IHOP_Canada.csv to the IHOP subdirectory. That file has no matching .bmp or .mp3 file; therefore it will use the IHOP.bmp file in the parent directory (IHOP). Got that?

Next, the "Compiled" directory. I use an SD card for all my added POI. You can do it directly on your Garmin, but this way leaves more room for maps on the unit itself. The main directory is called "Garmin". If you use the PoiLoader program to upload directly to the "Garmin Device", it will go to that directory on the Nuvi. I create a directory structure like this on my SD card.

> Garmin (Main folder)
>> poi
>>> IHOP (subfolder)
>>> National Parks (subfolder)

Now, when you run PoiLoader, you have two options: 1). load the whole "source" folder structure into the "compiled" folder structure. or 2). load a "source" subdirectory into a "compiled" subdirectory.

To do option 1). just run PoiLoader and save the Points Of Interest to the Custom Folder on the SD Card which would be "SD Card device:\Garmin". Your "source" folder is "> My POI".

To do option 2). there is one more step to set up. Change the "source" folder structure from this...

> My POI (Main folder)
>> IHOP.bmp
>> IHOP (subfolder)
... IHOP_USA.csv
... IHOP_USA.bmp
... IHOP_USA.wav (or .mp3)
... IHOP_Canada.csv

...to this...

> My POI (Main folder)
>> IHOP (subfolder)
>>> IHOP.bmp
>>> IHOP (subfolder)
.... IHOP_USA.csv
.... IHOP_USA.bmp
.... IHOP_USA.wav (or .mp3)
.... IHOP_Canada.csv

Now, when you run PoiLoader, save the Points Of Interest to the Custom Folder on the SD Card which would be "SD card device:\Garmin\poi\IHOP". The "source" directory is "> My POI\IHOP".

What's the difference, you ask? I'll tell you. You can add/delete/modify each subdirectory on the SD card independently when you use option 2. So if your IHOP file changes, you only have to update the IHOP directories. Why would you do this, you ask? I'll tell you. Because if you have tens of thousands of POIs, and you like to set manual alerts, it takes a LONG time if you have to re-do each and every one of them when only one file changed. This way, if IHOP changed, you only have to update IHOP.

Are you creating another subfolder in :\Garmin\poi\IHOP or is this the poi file it's self on the device? (Renaming?)

He is creating a multiple POI.gpi files which go into their own subfolders. That eliminates the need to rename them.

As I mentioned in another thread, this is a novel approach and I, for one, am quite surprised to hear that the POI.gpi files don't have to be within the Garmin/POI folder.

Has anyone else tried this?

That's why I was asking... suprised it works, but gotta try it.

Has anyone tried this?

RT

I verified that gpi files in folders and subfolders under Garmin/POI are indeed recognized by the unit. However, the downside for me vs one large poi.gpi with categories is that it produces a flat-file database on the unit; the titles of the folders and subfolders on the unit may help you organize (and update), but they don't show up under use -- all POI files are immediately under Extras/Custom-POIs.

Interesting. My machine has categories. It may have to do with this...

> My POI (Main folder)
>> My Addresses (subfolder)
>>> Addresses.bmp
>>> Addresses (subfolder)
.... Addresses.GPX
.... Addresses.bmp

shows up as a category called "Addresses" and when you select it, it goes immediately to a list of POIs.

> My POI (Main folder)
>> Crafts (subfolder)
>>> Crafts.bmp
>>> Crafts (subfolder)
.... Yarn Shops.GPX
.... Craft_Stores_USA.BMP
.... Craft_Stores_USA.CSV

shows up as a category called "Crafts" and when you select it, it lists two sub-categories, "Craft_Stores_USA" and "Yarn Shops". Then, when you select either sub-category, it shows a list of POIs.

Did the "compiled" directory structure look like this -

>Garmin
>>Poi
>>>Addresses
>>>Crafts

or this -

>Garmin
>>Poi
>>Addresses
>>Crafts

It's your source folders. You need one extra level of subfolders, like this:

My_POI_Source (folder)
...Clay Targets (level 1 subfolder)
......Clay Targets.bmp
......Clay Targets (level2 subfolder)
.........FL Shooting Ranges.csv
.........FL Shooting Ranges.wav (or .mp3)
.........Shotgun Sports.gpx
.........Shotgun Sports.wav (or .mp3)

(This is part of my actual file structure).

Then, when POI Loader asks for the input or "source", point it to Clay Targets (level 1 subfolder).

Thank you for the detailed explanations. Your addition here of the "level 1 subfolder" and "level 2 subfolder" forced me to see what you are doing. I will probably adopt this technique as it accomplishes the same thing as renaming without the extra work of renaming.

Ok... I've been trying to do this, but I seem to be missing something. How can I point POI loader to the desired folder on the SD card? All I seem to be able to do is to get the .poi into the poi folder, then have to move it to the correct subfolder as opposed to pointing it directly to the desidred location.

Am I doing something wrong with this??

You need to put the source POI data files (the CSV and GPX files) and create the folders on your computer not on your SD card.

When you run POI Loader and point it to the Main POI folder on your computer that you created, it will do the rest and will "compile" all the Custom POIs into a single file name POI.GPI and the categories will be created on your GPS unit.

You can select the destination for the POI.GPI file (and it can be your SD card if desired) by selecting it when the screen in POI Loader comes up asking for the DESTINATION. Don't assume that the default that comes up is what you want.

You can't select FOLDER on the SD card for the destination within POI Loader. POI Loader will automatically place it in the POI folder.

Got all that... the question was wether or not the FOLDER could be selected when loading the POI's (I think I'm good with the fact that source and destination cannot be the same).

So the Folders on the SD card have to be created and the .gpi has to be dropped there (from the root folder) manually.

Yeah, but why would you want to do that? What am I missing? There's no advantage to putting the .GPI files in different folders on the SD card.

If you don't you are continually overwritting the gpi file everytime you load new poi's. When you put the gpi file in a different (sub) folder you no longer overwrite but create a different .gpi for each set of poi's you want to load. If you have to update one file (source) then you don't have to update All (which is cumbersome if you have custom settings). That was the original idea as posted above.

It sounds like you are looking for the "renaming" method described here:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/16639

Yes/no?

Same thing, just using a folder that's created / named once and dragging and dropping the "new" .gpi file into the correct folder as opposed to renaming it.

I'm trying to figure out the benefit as I had been just renaming. Seems like they're really about the same, no???

It sounds to me that the results would be about the same. I can't think of any advantage of one method over the other.

I think I'm going back to renaming. It's actually easier to see which files you have on the GPS at one time, as opposed to looking at each folder for the .gpi file.

It seems to me that these are two methods that basically accomplish the same thing. The only difference may be the ease or complexity, the number of keystrokes and the number of mouse clicks to each method.

That's exactly right, but there is a big difference in the ease of use. Scrugney's method allows you to achieve all the advantages of the renaming method without having to rename the files every time you update them. It took me awhile to see the duplicate named subfolders that allow you to gain categories when loading single POI files, but it is really quite clever. With POI Loader 2.5.3 allowing you to choose a precise subfolder on the unit or card, you don't have to move files either. Somebody above missed the point of having subfolders on the card/unit, but that allows you to know what the specific poi.gpi is that resides in that subfolder (since they are all the same name). It takes a couple extra minutes setting things up the first time (creating the folders on the unit/card) but after that, it is much easier.

bentbiker, does the folder structure on the SD card the same as on your computer, then you just drop the loaded poi file (.gpi file) from the root folder to the correct folder??

The trick to the whole thing (that I didn't see at first) is the duplication of subfolders on the computer but not on the card/unit. You'll see it if you scroll up 13 posts. You can't point to a folder as a source that has the POI file in it, or you will not get a category on the GPS. You must point to a folder that has a subfolder to get the subfolder's name as a category on the GPS.

This structure that is on the sd card. with all the poi.gpi files. Do these include all the icons, sounds, speed alerts and etc?

If they include all if this info - that is my solution to packaging all this for easy reuse.

I have 3 salesmen that travel and they tell me where they are going - with these premade files I'll just copy them ones they want and then export their customer lists and convert them with geepeeex editor and keep those on hand for copying and it will save me a ton of time.

Any poi.gpi file contains whatever was included in the source folder when POI Loader compiled the file -- custom audio alerts, bmp icons. Beyond that, I am confused as to how you plan to implement your procedure. Are you planning on creating a separate POI.gpi file for each client?

Where do we upload a new turn or speed camera to be confirmed?

[quote=juststarting]Where do we upload a new turn or speed camera to be confirmed?[/quote]

You can send the info to Miss Poi

Separate poi.gpi files for about 6 sections of the country.
Here is what I plan to try

First I'll export the customer list of the people he is stopping at in the area to a csv and import with poi loader. Then I'll copy the poi.gpi files in the directory structure for the area he is going to to his sd card.

My guys like bells and whistles - and I've been making gpx files - but sometime things get moved around and I miss the sound or icon files so having the poi.gpi with everything included with it will save errors like this for me.

When someone is in the office getting ready to leave on the next sales trip it is usually a rush trying to get everything ready. By having these files prepared before hand I can help with other needed preparations at departure time.

Maybe I baby my sales guys to much. But hey - where is a small company without sales? In this economy they are gone!

Why don't you load all in one poi.gpi file and place on all GPSrs?

You can store thousands of POIs on internal memory (I have over 100,000).

I emailed you some information.See if that will help.

Charlie,
I am sure that you are just trying to provide people with the best info that is available, but when you do it by sending out private emails to every new member, it defeats the purpose of a discussion board. True, this pretty well locks them into a private one-on-one relationship with yourself, but other people have insights/opinions as well, and shouldn't be locked out of the discussion. Please reserve private emails for situations that really require it -- private matters, files, etc.

I, too, fail to see why this needs to be so complicated. Is there some reason why one rep can't see the customers of another?

I really don't agree with that since you have no idea on what information I send.Most times I just send a outline of a process I have posted before.You don't need to review me on the purpose of the discussion board.I only send the emails when I feel it would help someone out.

I agree with Charlie, what he sends to anyone through an e-mail is not concern of our. Also it doesn't stop others from providing additional info or instructions on how to do something. Just my thought not to start anything.