icons

Maybe you didn't quite understand "what the same" name meant. You need to have the csv and bmp file be the same, so they could be mcd.csv or mcd.bmp. See if that is where you went wrong. Don't worry, as I did it a couple times as well...the other thing is that the nuvi 200 does not play mp3 files, so they are only taking up wasted space. You could play wav files though if you want to covert them.

Daniel

This is where you went wrong.

Take a look at the instructions for loading Custom Icons with your Custom POIs.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4359

You must RENAME the files to match each other.

I think i got it. The Mcdonalds file here is called Mcdonalds_USA. The bmp file was called McDonalds.bmp
I'll rename the bmp to Mcdonalds_USA.bmp and try it again.
thanks for the help.

that should be it!

ok.. i got one thing fixed. I converted the mp3 to a .wav. Got a sox.exe error. Searched here and found the site that have sox.exe. That part worked. BUT.. I still only see a dot.
This is what I loaded from this site: (example)
I copied them to the same directory.
Mcdonalds_USA.wav
Mcdonalds_USA.csv
Mcdonalds_USA.bpm

I go to extras
I go to my custom poi
Mcdonalds_USA
pick from the list. (which all say McDonalds)
then click on map (center button at bottom of screen)
I zoom all the way in and see other icons for gas..ect.. but McDonalds is a grey dot.
My map detail is set for more. Does that matter?
btw.. Does it matter to set it to normal,more or most?

In your post above, is 'Mcdonalds_USA.bpm' a typo? Because it should be 'Mcdonalds_USA.bmp'

If not a typo, then that is your problem.

Yes, it was a typo. I do have the file correct as a .bmp
(I also have a nuvi 200)

OK, that was a typo in your post so that's not the problem. On my 660, when I go through the steps as you listed which look correct, it brings up the map at the 0.5mi range and I can see the custom icon (I'm testing with the Shane's Rib Shack file). My map detail level is set to Normal and I've never really played around with other settings.

Are you sure the bmp file is valid? If you go to your PC and double click on the bmp file to open it in your default graphics program, does it display correctly there?

You also should DOUBLE (and TRIPLE) check that you didn't accidentally create a double file extension
(ie McDonalds_USA.bmp.bmp) when you renamed them which will cause them not to be loaded.

Be sure that the file browser on your computer is set to NOT HIDE file extensions)

Hallo,
Same thing happened to me regarding the icons. I think I made the mistake of opening it up and saving it first before copying it to my .gpx file.

Second time around I tried again this way and it worked perfectly giving me bright large icons exactly where I want them (i.e. in the 'road' on my Garmin).

Try it this way:
Go to the POI Factory Home Page - click on 'icons'
Right click on (for example) Farmers Market USA.bmp
'save target as' this will show up as HTML Document - with the icon number already in place. Click on 'Save' in your chosen folder (In my case I saved it in c:\ Garmin). Now go to your folder and you will see your newly downloaded file. Double click to open it up and you will see a few things there including your little icon including it's name : Farmers Market USA.bmp. Right click on this and again 'save as' and put it directly into your .gpx file.

Open up your .gpx file and you will see your new Farmers Market USA.bmp file. RENAME this file to exactly the same as your .gpx file without the extension .gpx !!!!

This time around I never even typed .bmp on the end.

I then uploaded via POI Loader and it worked perfectly.

Hope this helps and hope it works for you.

I think you lost me. What do you mean by saving it to my .gpx file? I downloaded the .csv, .bmp and .wav file. (three different files, all the same name)
Do I have to copy them to a different file?

Just be sure that the names are EXACTLY THE SAME, and then you don't have to worry about any of that.

As to the sound files, a few things are important. First, for units without an MP3 player, you must use WAV files instead of MP3 files. You will have to convert them if they are in the MP3 format. Second, you must have the PROPER VERSION of SOX.EXE and it must be stored in the correct location on your computer.

If you search the forums, you will find the discussion of how to do it.

My recommendation, though, is to keep it simple and concentrate on getting one thing working first (the icons) and then work on the sounds.

Could it be the software version? I read other posts about people getting 2009 maps and using 4.0 or 4.1 software on the gps. I just registered the nuvi 200 a few days ago. It upgraded the software on it to 5.0. Does anybody else have 5.0? (maybe that is my problem)
I have -
Nuvi 200
Software version 5.00
Audio version 2.20
GPS SW version 2.60m
POI loader 2.5.3 (aug 2008)
It came loaded with 2009 US maps.

Well, the gps updated itself to SW version 2.80m. (good thing I guess)
But.. the icons and wavs still do not work. I used the poi loader in manual mode and set a distance alert on Zaxby's. I then got in my car and followed the directions. No bong, no sound, no red color change. Are there any other Nuvi 200 people out there who have a problem? (or who got it to work?) uugggg
All of the files have the same names, the GPS has the proximity alert set to custom poi. When I view the details of Zaxby's it shows the distance alert.

Ok, you have several things going on.

1. For Custom Alerts to work on that unit, they must be WAV files (MP3 files won't work) and you must put the correct version of SOX.EXE in the correct folder on your computer.

2. In order to see the icons, you must be zoomed in to 200 feet or closer and you must be browsing the map in a 2D map mode.

3. You aren't even getting the default sounds, so you need to check to ensure that several things are in place.

It's important to understand how the proximity alerts work on Garmin auto units.

The alerts do NOT function as a radius, but rather they function as an "along the road/route" alert.

In order to get an alert several things must be true.

1. You must set an alert either through information in the file or via POI Loader being run in Manual Mode and an alert being manually entered. (It seems that you did this okay.)

2. Alerts must be enabled on your unit.

3. You must be traveling on the road on which the POI is located and traveling in the direction of the POI. (This is perhaps the MOST important thing.)

4. The POI must be sufficiently close to the road (typically 50 feet or less). (Many POIs have their coordinates somewhat off the road.)

Chuck E Cheese's works. McDonald's does not. I found that if I look for Mcdonald's with the built in poi, it has a food icon. But, if I look for Mcdonald's with the custom poi, it shows up as a grey dot. Is there a setting or something I need to do with a Nuvi 200? (saving to the unit and not a SD card, btw)

All of the files have the same name. I even copied the Chuck E Cheese's bmp file to Mcdonald's thinking that the icon was bad and it still shows as a grey dot.

Did you DOUBLE (and TRIPLE) check that you didn't accidentally create a double file extension
(ie McDonalds_USA.bmp.bmp) when you renamed them which will cause them not to be loaded.

Be sure that the file browser on your computer is set to NOT HIDE file extensions)

All the files check out fine.