Garmin POI loader does not see files

Your question on how to load POI is one that is asked frequently. Review the FAQ for some basic instructions on loading POI.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/85

POILoader looks for folders, not files so you have to put the files into a folder that POILoader will recognize. Also, everytime you run POILoader, it will overwrite the existing file on your unit so all the files need to be loaded at the same time.

Deleted duplicate post.A user beat me to it.

Thanks, that worked! So should I create separate folders for every file I want to load? In other words, if I save one file to folder "A", then another file to folder "B" and load folder "A" to my device then folder "B" to my device, each will load without deleting the other, is this correct....or will loading folder "B" after loading folder "A" delete folder "A"? Sorry for my ignorance, first time I have tried this, thanks.

CharlesD45 has a written procedure that covers some of the ins and outs of POI loading and organizing them through the use of folders within the main folder POILoader sees.

Glad we could be of help and we always available to answer questions. Your next questions will be about custom icons and alert sounds, Charles covers them as well.

Thanks again...one other question...when I loaded the Walmart/Sams Club file into the GPS, it shows up twice, although it is only one file...any idea why it would do this?

Look in the Garmin/POI folder on your device for files ending in .GPI. POILoader creates these files from the input GPX or CSV files. If you have an SD card in your unit, you can have two copies of the POI.GPI file, one in the unit and one on the card. The GPS will see them both and that can cause the duplicate lists. Delete one.

One of the other common questions is "How do I stop the unit from nagging me about loading new POI?" The answer is counter-intuitive. You answer YES to load new POI to the internal memory and then tell it to either skip or ignore and don't ask again. It will not ask about loading new POI until you load new files. This normally comes up only when you use an external SD card to hold the compiled POI file.

great information, really appreciate it, thanks

Every time you run POI Loader it compiles all the source files into a single file, POI.gpi, that it places on the unit/card in the \Garmin\POI folder. If a previously loaded POI.gpi file exists in that folder, it will be overwritten. That is why most people just reload all their files every time they make any changes.

There are a couple ways around this, but probably not the best way to go when you are getting started. You must either rename the first gpi file before loading the second, or place the multiple POI.gpi files into subfolders under \Garmin\POI.

Oh thanks for that....every day it nags me about this. It is quite counterintuitive to answer yes then skip.

So this means you can have multiple poi.gpi files in subfolders?

Garmin\POI\Fun\POI.gpi
Garmin\POI\REDLight\POI.gpi
etc

And then when you want to update the REDlight POI, for instance, you could just use poiloader to make the one file rather than recompile the total list?

No, I think it should be as follows:
\Garmin\POI\redlight.gpi
\Garmin\POI\other1.gpi
\Garmin\POI\other2.gpi
\Garmin\POI\etc.gpi

When you load new POI file/files, POI loader erases the current POI.GPI and populates it with whatever you tell it to load. The result is a new POI.GPI in \Garmin\POI\ folder.

It looks like other members covered all steps but here is a outline I use for custom pois with categories that also may help.

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) or mp3 (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 mp3 or icon for. Make sure gps has the capability for mp3 before downloading. .

5.Now go to each subfolder and name the csv, bmp, and mp3 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.mp3
>>>Sears.csv
>>>Sears.bmp
>>>Sears.mp3
>>>Targets.gpx
>>>Targets.bmp
>>>Targets.mp3

>>Restaurants=subfolder
>>>Cracker Barrel.csv
>>>Cracker Barrel.bmp
>>>Cracker Barrel.mp3
>>>Sonny's.csv
>>>Sonny's.bmp
>>>Sonny's.mp3

>>Alerts=subfolder
>>>Redlight cameras.csv
>>>Redlight cameras.bmp
>>>Redlight cameras.mp3
>>>Speed cameras.csv
>>>Speed cameras.bmp
>>>Speed cameras.mp3

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 select 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 or my locations if you don’t see 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.
14. On the Nuvi 8x5 series. After you load the pois to your Garmin you will need to remove the battery or hold the off switch in the off position for 10 seconds to clear the memory before your new pois will take effect.

I keep my custom POI's on the SD card.

I renamed my existing Poi.gpi to something else so it would not be overwritten.

Then I created a second POI.gpi file.

On the SD card I created two folders...

Garmin\POI\POI ONE
Garmin\POI\POI TWO

I put my original POI.gpi file in POI ONE named Poi.gpi

and I put my second Poi.gpi in POI TWO also named Poi.gpi

Each of these Poi.gpi files contain a UNIQUE folder set with my points in them. Now both sets of folders show up....to scan.

My original Poi.gpi has 87621 points in it...the second 38150.

So nesting folders seems to work fine....as long as all the files are called Poi.gpi.

You seem to have grasped the concept quickly, but you need not do any renaming. If you choose the custom destination (I forget what it is called in POI Loader), you can choose to put the new POI.gpi in the folder you want. Although the files CAN all be named POI.gpi (and that saves extra work), they can have any name you want as long as the extension is gpi and you only go one level deep.

If you really want the ultimate in ease of updating, no renaming, AND categories, see the technique of ScrugneysGundogs here (quoting him):

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.

Yeah the reason I wanted to split mine up is for the more frequently modified redlight pois and maybe the offbeat attractions.

I have not arranged mine to follow that logic but on my next collection of updates will reconfigure everything.

This seems logical for anyone who does the manual poiloader too....keep only the files that need manual intervention in their own subfolder and make things easy.

For some reason I could not see my subfolder poi file when I named it xtra.gpi...but I will try that again.

There are simply tons of non-Garmin revealed tricks to be found here eh?

If you are thinking that the name of the gpi file somehow shows on the gps, that is not the case. Categories are created and exist within the gpi file based on the file structure on your computer. If you have
My POIs (main folder)
>Stores (level one subfolder)
>>Stores (level two subfolder)
>>>Sears.csv
>>>Target.csv
>Food
>>Food
>>>Burger King.csv
>>>Outback.csv
and, when using POI Loader, you point to the level one subfolder named "Stores" as the source, it sees a subfolder named "Stores" (level two subfolder) and creates a category named "Stores" -- that is why you must duplicate the duplicate the subfolders on the computer.

I believe you also need to have at least two gpi files on the GPS or the GPS decides categories are not necessary.

I did not mean that the "xtra folder" did not show up but that its contents did not.

However this seems to have just been a bit of a glitch or something.

Today I reorganized all my POI files to make maintaining them easier. I created 4 subfolders on my SD card:

Manual
RedLight
POI
Xtra

I reorganized all my POI files into folders with the same name on my computer and ran POILoader for each one.

In the Manual folder I put the RestStops POI file and set 8000 feet for the alert distance installing in manual mode of course.

The other three folders I ran in Express mode...with a (in my mind anyway some reasonable organization method).

They appear in my Custom POI area in the order I installed them....so my seldom used Xtra POI's are all at the end of the list.

I left them all named POI.gpi in their appropriate subfolder.

I can more easily update the Redlight folder with this system me thinks...

This has been a super thread.

Yesterday in my xtra folder I had subfolders named like this...

--Eats2
--Shopping2

Last night I got Speed Alert 2mph warnings for no apparent reason....can it be that the subfolder names are like having the poi file names containing a "2" be interepreted as Speed Alerts for all POIs in the folder? My McDonalds POI was in my Eats2 folder and I did get a warning near there. The others I have not yet figured out what initiated the alert.

I renamed these for todays trial.... --Eats B.

I'm sure that is the case.