Help a starter out. What is the difference in CSV and GPX format?

Basically a csv file has 4 fields: Longitude, Latitude, Name, Address or other info.

A gpx file has many more fields to include proximity settings, detailed description, ability to dial a phone# in the POI if the GPSr is Blue Tooth capable, just to name a few.

Either will provide a list of points that can be used as a destination or a via in a route. The CSV just doesn't have all the whistles and bells, but many POI files don't need the extras.

A csv file can be easily created or edited with Notepad or a spread sheet like Excel. A gpx file needs a more sophisticated editor; Extra_POI_Editor is one that I like, but there are others also.

And - Welcome to the family!

TXRVer provided a good explanation of the differences between the two files. POILoader handles either with no difference.

EPE will also take a CSV file and create a GPX extracting things like phone numbers so you can dial them. I happen to use Excel to create GPX files, at least the data elements that EPE converts to XML.

courtesy!

So why use CSV files if GPX is so much more robust? Is it just the ease of creating them? I saw that EPE only recently added conversion capabilities making it easier.

Kevin

You are using a streetpilot rather than an inexpensive NUVI. Features.

EPE has always had the ability to read CSV files and outut GPX files. It is only recently that Turbo has started parsing the file to pull out certain elements automatically. I'm handy with Excel, so I could pull a lot of the items into separate fields and then reassemble those into a full-featured GPX file. What EPE does is convert those fields in the order I specify them into the GPX format adding the XML tags.