Garmin - Install POI files on SD Card - 265WT Specific

Yes you can put custom pois on the sd card.

1.Connect your GPS to your computer using the usb cable.
2.Now run poi loader http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/ .
3.When you see screen find device make sure you select the proper one. If using sd card use the pull down window .The arrow located across from device and selects the sd card.
4.Click next and put mark in Install new custom Poi’s onto your device.

You need to mimic the Garmin structure on the SD card. Copy the /Garmin file structure from the unit to the SD card -not necessarily the files, but the folder names and POILoader will then run correctly and your unit will pick up the new location for the POI.GPI file.

Be certain to delete the GPI files from the base unit or you will have the old files continuing to be accessed and mingled with the new.

I asked garmin this very question. On July 27 a Kathleen S., who claims she is a software support specialist. She replied to my query about the nuvi255w.
I quote

I don't know what to make of this.

Kathleen S is correct IF if you are talking about favorites. You CAN group custom POI which is a totally different database than Favorites.

THanks for clearing that up.

A_User is correct on the folder structure. You can even go further and add separate folders under the POI folder for eash type of POI.

Be sure to select Custom Folder (Advanced) when running the POI Loader and browse for the folder you want to place the file in, on the SD card.

If you plan to use subfolders here is something I typed out.You can also use wav files for voice alerts since the 265 will not play mp3's.Other option for alerts is to use the built in bong alert.

How to make subfolders, download files and develop categories.

1.Go to my documents on your computer and make a folder and name it My poi’s.
2.Click on My poi’s folder. Now right click and make subfolders naming them based on type of files you plan to download. Example: Food, Alerts, Parks, Attractions and etc.
3.Go to POI Factory main page and click on poi files. Scroll down until you see View all poi files ( listed alphabetically) .Click on first file you want to download and save it in one of the subfolders you created. Repeat process until you have downloaded and placed all the csv or gpx files into the correct subfolders.
4.Now if you want to add bmp (icons), and wav (sounds) files select icons or sounds from the POI Factory main page. The process is the same for all to download. Click on the title and when you see attachment just right click on it and pick save target as. Save it in the correct subfolder you want the wav or icon for. The Nuvi 2x0 and 2x5 series can use wav files for the alerts but not mp3’s.
a.Download the latest PoiLoader file at http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/ .
b.Download Sox Exe at http://rapidshare.com:80/files/139638423/sox.zip .
c.After un-zipping Sox Exe file place it in your Garmin folder where the PoiLoader exe file is located on the computer.
d.The wav file for alerts will be named the same as the CSV or GPX file except for the extensions.
e.You can make your own wav files by going to http://www.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php and typing in what you want it to say or use a program to convert mp3 files to wav. When using the conversion it must be saved as PCM, 44.100 kHZ., 16 bit, Mono. Many wav files available on PoiFactory listed under sounds at top of page.

5.Now go to each subfolder and name the csv, bmp and wav file the same name except for the extensions. The biggest problems with the alerts and icons not working are the files not being named the same except for extensions and having double extensions. Double-check each of them. The best way to prevent double extensions is to go to your folder options in the control panel and click view then find hide extensions for known file types and remove the check mark. Click ok.

This is how it should look.

>My pois=main folder

>>Department stores=subfolder
>>>Pennys.csv
>>>Pennys.bmp
>>>Pennys.wav
>>>Sears.csv
>>>Sears.bmp
>>>Sears.wav

>>Restaurants=subfolder
>>>Cracker Barrel.csv
>>>Cracker Barrel.bmp
>>>Cracker Barrel.wav
>>>Sonny's.csv
>>>Sonny's.bmp
>>>Sonny's.wav

>>Alerts=subfolder
>>>Redlight cameras.csv
>>>Redlight cameras.bmp
>>>Redlight cameras.wav
>>>Speed cameras.csv
>>>Speed cameras.bmp
>>>Speed cameras.wav

6.Connect your GPS to your computer using the usb cable.
7.Now run poi loader http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/ .
8.When you see screen find device make sure you select the proper one. If using sd card use the pull down window .The arrow located across from device and selects the sd card.
9.Click next and put mark in Install new custom Poi’s onto your device.
10.Click next. Using Browse make sure to select the folder location for My poi’s not the subfolders. Looking below on same screen you will see selection for either express or manual mode. If you plan to set alerts for your custom poi’s select the manual mode . This will allow you to set alert by speed or distance. Click next.
11.Now you should get message so many points of interest has been installed to your device.
12.Based on model. Touch where to, extras and touch custom pois last and you will see the ones you downloaded.
13.Each time you run poiloader it will over write the existing files.

Your instructions are very thorough and detail. I will go purchase a SD card and follow your instructions. Thanks.

a_user: I'm new to this too and have never downloaded a POI (yet). I also am trying to get POIs installed on my SD card (I've a 1300LM).

The thing is, I don't see a POI folder in my Garmin folder. I'm not sure I understand what part of the directory I should mimic.

I see that charlesd45 has said that we could name the folder My poi's. Does that suffice?

charlesd45: About your 4.c. I followed instructions at another site for downloading SOX.exe, which was slightly different. My POI_Loader.exe is located at C:\Program Files\Garmin\POI Loader. Yet, the directions I followed, said to put the SOX.exe in C:\Program Files\Garmin. Is that wrong then? Or does it matter. My assumption is that it must matter.

Gee, I thought this was going to be easy but I keep running into issues.

I see you are new to the forums, so welcome. Some of the first things you should do are the beginner exercises and a complete backup of your GPS. This way you can recover to a known state should something go awry and the unit crash.

You state you are looking in the Garmin folder. Is this the folder on the unit or your computer? The POI folder we are referencing is the one on the unit.

OK, we are playing with a couple of different folders that are using POI in their name. The folder Charlie is speaking of is one you create on your computer. (Mine is on my desktop.)

Charlie's instructions were written before the latest releases of POI Loader and Windows 7. SOX has to go in the folder in your computer that has POI Loader.exe. It must be the correct version, which is an older version. POI Loader does a procedure call to SOX with certain command line options. The format of those options changed in later releases of SOX.

Actually, you are working through the hard part right now. Once you get the folders straight in your mind and understand the file structure that is in your unit and must be on your SD card, you are 3/4 the way there. Suffice it to say, at a minimum your SD card has to have two folders. \Garmin is in the root or top level and \POI is inside the \Garmin folder.

Once you have all the folders straight, you can now download POI files. Place the POI source files (the ones you download) into the folder you created (You suggested My POI). When you then execute POI Loader, it will ask you for the name and location of the folder holding your files. It will then ask you where you want to put the output from the POI Loader program. Here is where you tell it either into the unit's memory (default) or on the SD card. (The latest versions of POI Loader will create the correct folder structure if it doesn't exist on the SD.)

POI Loader will read the files in your source folder, compile them into a GPI file and write them to the specified location. The GPI file will default to the same name as the source folder.

Alert sounds and icons that are displayed are a little different. The sound file has to be a .WAV. The name of the sound file has to EXACTLY the name of the POI file with the exception of the 3 character extension. The same for the icon. If you use an icon from POI-Factory you don't have to worry about it being the correct size or any of the other technical details.

So, in your folder which POI Loader.exe is going to read are the POI source file (either CSV or GPX), the associated sound file ending in .WAV and the .BMP icon - all with the same exact name.

Rerun POI Loader, this time tell it you want the manual mode. This will allow you to set either a proximity (distance) alert or a speed alert. If you set one of these, you will always be alerted, but the alert will keep repeating if you are going faster than the alert speed. POI Loader will ask if you want to overwrite the existing file, so tell it yes and let it do its thing. When done, it will tell you it successfully loaded X number of POI.