Extra_POI_Editor - A tool to View/Edit/Convert POI/TourGuides (Part 1)

So what is the use of selecting a symbol in the GPX file? If it does not work when converted as a GPI file, does it work if we copy the GPX file on the unit?

Turbo, yes the symbol shows when the gpx file is used on the unit, but not when used as a compiled .gpi. It's really a POI Loader issue (I think). But it could also be in the device's software I suppose.

The difference is that the POI's then show up under Favorites, rather than Extras>Custom POI's when you use the .gpx file vs. .gpi.

Just an f.y.i.- gpsbabel will embed the symbol into each poi if you have the symbol bmp as an existing file and point to it. The only issue there might be size if each poi (waypoint) has it's own bmp embedded.

Lately I'm thinking that it's probably best to use the gpx filename & bmp in the same folder method since that "attaches" the symbol to all of the poi's in the same file but only embeds one bmp.

..Although a case could be made for having software that shells out to gpsbabel to create the .gpi file directly, rather than using POI Loader as a second step. If I have time I might play with that in my Excel add-in.

Then my question - why is it available in Extra POI Editor, but it will not load with POIloader? It is a useless and non-functional function added to this program?

Can it be a renaming issue of the BMP files in later Garmin units that do not allow to the use of internal, system provided icons to be used with externally loaded GPX files via POIloader?

I, too, appreciate all the hard work that went into this superb piece of software. I retired after 35 years of writing computer programs. You probably have a long list of suggested improvements, but one I
would like to see, would be when you open a POI file, maybe show a map with every POI pinpointed. I don't know what zoom level of map would work, but something to think about. Again, thanks.

Put all POIs on the map... How many is "all"?

Yes, I thought of that, but when I went to GoogleMap and tried one of their map examples with many POIs (maybe 50), it was kind of long to redraw. Can you imagine with 1000 or 10000 POIs? I have not thrown the towel yet, but it went low priority for now.

The alternative is to use the GoogleEarth feature in the Tools menu. You will see everything. It is not as integrated, but it works well.

Maybe I could only put on the map POIs within a certain distance of the selected POI...

What he said.

Besides, who knows if/when Garmin (or someone else) might actually make it more functional in a future release.

The selected icons will show when you load the POI file in Mapsource, so it is not a non-functional feature added to Extra POI Editor as it is an optional field of the Garmin GPX extended properties. So it is not supported by the current version of POI loader, but it could be in a future release.

If you want custom icons, you should try the link field, pointing it to a bmp file. I have not tested it, but you should be able to link a different one per POI.

There's a good reference on Garmin GPX extensions here http://www.hearsay.demon.co.uk/mac/MacGarminTools/gpx2gpi.ht...

In there, the author mentions that you can have multiple link entries for a POI, but only one of each type. That should be tested, as it goes against what the GeePeeEx manual pages state here http://geepeeex.googlepages.com/geepeeex_2

Regards

Simon

Mmm. Maybe this depends on the GPS model. On my 760, I can specify a directory for the Link field. If there are both an MP3 and BMP (or JPG) file in that directory, both will be loaded in the TourGuide. I programmed the waypoint for the zoo. When I arrived, it played the sound of a lion and I went in the More page to see the picture and it worked fine.

In Asia, the 760 can also display more than one image if there is more than one image in the specified directory. I wonder why our version is limited...

My 265WT is locked down on this feature. I tried the link path and the picture replacement in a separate POI file - no success.

I can only do separate icons in Favorites.

Maybe an upgraded unit or a Garmin allowance change is necessary.

Thanks for the advise. Keep up the great work Turbo!

On the 765T you can link to a folder containing both a BMP file and an MP3 file. For instance, Walgreen.GPX can be linked to a folder called Pharmacy. In the Pharmacy folder you could have an MP3 that says "Pharmacy ahead" and a BMP of a pharmacy symbol.

The advantage is, you can now link to that same Pharmacy folder for other pharmacies. There are many other possibilities.
One other one - if you need, say, a different MP3 for each or some of the locations in that Walgreen.GPX file this will accomplish that while still keeping all the Walgreen files together. I had assumed any model could do this. I have not tried two of a same file.

Ok, so I tried a BMP and a JPG link entry for a waypoint like this.

<wpt lat="38.897646" lon="-77.036605">
<time>2009-04-21T00:45:45Z</time>
<name>The White House</name>
<cmt> </cmt>
<link href="C:/POIs/Test%20EPE/white-house.bmp"/>
<link href="C:/POIs/Test%20EPE/Whitehouse.JPG"/>
<extensions>
<gpxx:WaypointExtension>
<gpxx:Address>
<gpxx:City>Washington</gpxx:City>
<gpxx:State>DC</gpxx:State>
</gpxx:Address>
</gpxx:WaypointExtension>
</extensions>
</wpt>


What I got is which ever one was at the top got used in the gpi file: if the BMP is first, I get a special icon on the map, but no link for the picture.

If I put the JPG first, then I have a simple dot on the map, but I have a [more] button on the entry that leads to a screen with a [picture] button to display the Jpeg.

In my test file, I had three waypoint with each a different BMP+JPG. The distinctive icons where properly displayed for each.

I did not try linking a wav file (the 260 does not support mp3, you have to trick it to play wavs)

Simon

It should be one link to one folder that contains both the BMP and the JPG. It most definately works I use this style often for my 765T.

And to be clear you do not have to name those files anything special I.E. they do not have to match the name of the GPX file.

Apologies for the slow reply, I've had a busy couple of weeks...

This is my self-created TomTom 920T OV2 POI file, which will not open with POI Factory:

http://www.mediafire.com/?v4wemvhljz0

It's a list of all branches for a local bank, ORNL Federal Credit Union. If we can get it working, I'd like to upload it to POI Factory for others to use as well...

Edit: Incidentally, I should add that I've tested this POI file with the current version of POI Factory (3.25) and it still won't load...

It seems that there is a new first record in the file, type 64 instead of the regular type 1 record for discribing the GPS bounds. I think Poi-factory ignores the type 1 record, and should probably also ignore the type64.
I changed the record type to 1 and it loaded into poi-factory just fine.

Thanks for the info, Zierk. I've not the foggiest how to edit the file by hand, so I'll await turboccc taking a look at this and hopefully making it so Extra POI Editor can handle the file...

Preference settings will be set for Imperial and on Add a New POI screen it will show Imperial but when Saved, the gpx file is converted to metric. If I set the Preferences to Metric, the Add Screen shows Metric but the gpx reads Imperial. Note: this only happens when changing an existing setting or added a new POI. Current version 325 but did notice the problem in v321. Just thought it was me and manually converted the 2 new POIs that I added.

I downloaded this a while back and since I didn't see anything that much different in it than the other editors I hadn't been using it.
But this is a great feature.

gweilo8888,

Looks like zierk0310 is right. Weird it went from type 3 to type 64, but could be a type 4 with additional extensions (20+40 hex). We'll see.

No problem for a fix. I have been traveling lately. I'll do that soon. Just a number to change. I will have a look at the metric/imperial issue too. I corrected something lately, but I may have introduced a bug...

Great, thanks! I'll look forward to trying it...

Turbo.. you still active. I hadnt seen many posts on this forum lately and i got a couple of questions on the editor, Hope your still around.

Sounds good, will try this out thank you

You can send him a PM. Go to his profile and click on the Contact tab.

I was kinda hoping he was still active, went to his wiki site and dont look like he is active on there either. kinda miss all his posts. wonder where he is at, ANYONE know. I was thinking of shooting him a pm and see if he is around. may just do that.

really gary, i had not thought of the pm. after someone got informed that that wasnt fair to use the pm.. LOL. that i really care..

I know he's alive because he posted on a different site yesterday.

Hi Turbo:

If you're back this way, I was wondering when you will be writing the Voice Doctor so that the user can change/repair mispronunciations themselves for all words not just the ones you now have patched. Reason I ask is, where I live, there's a street named "Cartier" and right now it's being pronounced "Cart_ee_er" vs "Cart_y_ay" and I'm sure there are many others.

I think he left as there were to many people wanting addidional thing added everyday and he needed a break.

that sounds like a really great tool. I'll try it out.

I will be downloading this tonight and try it out ASAP.

Thanks!!

I'm new to the GPS world – Had my Nuvi 760 for nearly a year – developed a poor battery - Garmin just replaced the unit with a reconditioned one (new serial #) and I am at POI factory after searching on how to 'backup and restore Favorites' (yes - I made a backup of my original Nuvi thinking I might get a fresh OS load).

I found this post and am really excited to read all about your program. What a project!

If I might ask (know it is off topic) could someone point me to a tutorial on the basics of the Nuvi architecture? I do not know which files are for what . . . Which ones contain my 'Favorites', and the proper way to move them between the PC and Garmin (I read earlier in this post that the file names do not have dates? And I attempted to copy a file from the PC to the Nuvi and got a 'not enough memory' error. That's when I started looking for some instructions.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated :~)

I love this editor. Favorite part is ability to update the Lat/Long with just a click. I also use it to convert to KML files for my Magellan 4370.

I did this test
Opened with Extra_POI_editor the Florida State parks CSV.
Saved it as KML. Size increased from 5 KB to 14KB.

Opened the same origional CSV file with POIEdit.
Saved it as KML Size increased from 5KB to 7KB. Notice this is half the size of the file saved by Extra_POI_editor.

I then opened the KML output from the Extra_POI_editor with POIEdit and saved it. Size changed from 14 KB to 7 KB.

So the question always gets back to "Does size matter?"

Since I do not have infinite space and the KML files will always be larger, I may need both editors to manage my POI files

I did notice that Extra outputs a multiline file starting with:
xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?
kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.1"

While POIedit puts out a two line file starting with
xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?
kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.0"

Some identical tags removed from each so that data would show

Turboccc,

Thank You for such a great program! – And, I'm sure as soon as I read through all the help files it will all come together for me as to how to use it.
With that said I have discovered some bugs – or at least things that did not work well for me – and some that cost a lot of time.

Perhaps I have a bad install? Anyone with suggestions is appreciated.

I'm running Windows Vista Home Premium, SP-1 w/ 2GB mem, 32 bit OS

File / Open the File/Open command in ver. 3.25 did not hold the file path in memory. After testing how the POI could be edited I got and forgot to complete my testing, i.e, I did not continue through a File/Save function to verify the file saved with changes. Instead I edited 66 POI's and then did the File/Save, which failed with an error 'Path could not be found', and then upon exiting the notification, the program closed and I lost all my edits . . .

I should know better – beta tested many times.

File/Save As

I reopened the file as before, made one POI edit, immediately did a 'Save As' with a new file name, and that seems to have worked.

I then reinstalled ver 3.25, rebooted, and reopened the program.

When I just retested the Display Points – Symbol List – I was typing 'residence', and got a blow out notification; 'Run-Time error '381: Invalid Property Array Index' - and the program was gone again. Upon restarting the program it came up as version 2.50! (remember, I had just installed ver. 3.25)

At this point I found the ''User Guide' at rufree4t's wiki site - I looked and did not see the help additions in ver 3.25. I downloaded ver 3.23 and they are there, they need to be added to latest version.

Help File install – the Help install files did not work straight up with Vista – needed to download and install a Microsoft Compatibility Help file to install and run.
Overview
Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) is a Help program that has been included with Microsoft Windows versions starting with the Microsoft Windows 3.1 operating system. However, the Windows Help program has not had a major update for many releases and no longer meets Microsoft's standards. Therefore, starting with the release of Windows Vista, the Windows Help program will not ship as a feature of Windows. If you want to view 32-bit .hlp files, you must download and install the program (WinHlp32.exe) from the Microsoft Download Center.

Microsoft directed me to: Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) for Windows Vista.
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6eb...)

And for my operating system the file I used is: Windows6.0-KB917607-x86.msu

This appears to be necessary at time and instructions need to be noted with the install package, or the Help Install package either needs to be part of the POI editor install program or linked to the install file location.

Once the help files were installed I still needed to indicate where the poi.hlp file was located. This indicates that the install files are not copied to a specific directory. I pointed to the download location in order to read them. Again, the program just needs to be tied together (file directory structure for both program and help files) or instructions to the end user provided.

ALSO - Help / POI Editor reads: ' Any changes made in the Display Preferences area do not become part of the POI data which is uploaded to the GPS unit by POI Loader'. If the 'Loader' is a separate program it would be good to include links to download and use it (I have not found that as yet).

So, I would suggest providing the help file as a downloadable PDF so one could print it out and read it / mark it up, as a book as they are going through the program. I read earlier on that screen shots were being used – but did not see any in the help file (apologies if I missed them).

So, after reading the User Guide, I again attempted to uninstall ver 3.25. Again it is not listed in the Add/remove programs, yet Extra_POI_Editor_Installer is listed.

I again reinstalled ver 3.23, opened the file "C:\Program Files\Extra_POI_Editor\Extra_POI_Editor.exe", and it is ver 2.50 (I noticed that every time I open the program I need to accept the EULA). I notice the file; Extra_POI_Editor_Installer v250.zip refers to version 2.50. Perhaps I should uninstall the Installer and then install 3.23? I'll try that.

Did that – uninstalled the 'installer' and kept shared files.

Created a shortcut from Extra_POI_Editor.exe to my quick launch, and started the program. Opened 'current gpx', modified the name field in a poi record, saved as 'test.gpx', closed the editor, reopened the editor with 'test.gpx' and the field is changed. Next I looked at changing the 'Symbol'. When attempting to change it by typing in the field I again get 'Run-time error '75': Path/File access error' When using the drop down the symbol is accepted. However, upon a 'Save' it blew out as before. Upon doing a 'Save As' that worked to save it to the 'text.gpx, but did not work saving 'test.gpx' to ''current.gpx'.

I think I'll wait for clarification before proceeding further.

Thanks,

Its amazing how critical folks can be of freeware.

No wonder turboccc hasn't popped up in a while.

Do you think it might be Vista?? I've been using Extra-POI-Editor for all my POI's and have never had any problems but then, I'm using XP Pro SP2 with MS Framework DotNet 3.5 .

Has anyone else running Vista had any of these heartaches? Maybe someone can help here.

It could be an attempt to provide some 'constructive' suggestions with sufficient detail to further improve the freeware....

Move the new executable file (3.25) to the C:\programs\... and replace the old version (2.50)

edit
In fact, copy all files from the new zipped file (3.25) into the C:\programs\... folder

I have been using the program in Vista SP1 and now Vista SP2 and have had no problems.

Odd issue and I do not know if it is Extra_POI_Editor or GPX Vis.

I got a spreadsheet with Names,Addys,Phone numbers and ran them thru GPX Visualizer. I then opened the GPX file in EPOIE and had to C&P the address, city, zip, and phone number from the description box to their respecitve fields.

After doing a save as and installing them on my 760 I noticed that on the information screen that "alerts, distance, speed info" shows up on the screen and the dialable phone number then covers the standard address information.

Any clues as to why this might be happening?

A small file to look at is the CB Shop file in the Ham Radio POIs.

Thanks for your input.

I downloaded Extra_POI_Editor from TurboCCC's Web site. As soon as I opened a POI Factory .cvs POI file, the program attemted to connect to a Google page on the Internet - Why? I blocked Internet access for the program, and every attempt to navigate in the program generated multiple script errors. What's the program trying to do?

The program displays a map (and satellite photo if requested) of each POI. To do that, it must access Google on the internet. This is normal, no malware there. You need to allow that access.

Don't worry. No virus there. I tried to disable that feature when internet was not available, but it did not really work.

Turbo

Sorry. I did not answer any questions lately. For those of you who followed all my updates for the past 9 months, you know I have been very responsive. Lately, I got a bit exhausted with all my work at the office and at home.

I do not mind questions or requests of any sort. Do not feel responsible for what I am doing today. I am just a bit victim of my own success. With at least 3 programs on the loose, I am getting so many requests that I cannot keep up.

I apologize for all pending requests. It may take some time before I make an update. Maybe some minor fixes. I do not know. It has been very fun, but maintaining something is not as fun as developping new stuff. I will let pass the summer. Maybe I will be full of energy later this fall.

Feel free to continue posting. I may not respond to all requests, but I will continue to read them.

Best regards,

Turbo

I know what it's like to take on a project and it takes on a life of it's own. Take care and just 'chill', the world will not end if we don't hear from you. I for one am appreciate of your time and effort.

Paul

Nice to read from you. Take care of yourself and enjoy the summer. Thank you again for all you've done for us.

we were worried corrupted GPS data had lead you to drive off the edge of the Internet and you were stranded in /dev/null with no satellite reception to find your way back.

(Damn, what was in that coffee?)

Thanks for the great work and enjoy the summer.

Simon

I am so relieved to hear you are still with us. Hope you enjoy your summer and will look forward to seeing more posts later this Fall. We sure appreciate all that you have contributed to the community and you deserve a break from all our constant questions.

One more set of thanks. I think you've gone above and beyond already!

are well

You have added a great deal of value to Garmin's products. Garmin should be paying you royalties. Thanks for all your work.

Thank you very much for the Link. It helps me a lots.

Thanks