POI line breaks for formatting display
 |
 17 years
|
I'm creating a custom POI file that I intend to upload when I get enough data into it. I want to format the comment display (for address and phone number) like this:
123 Main St
Anytown, ST 01234
123-555-1234
The problem is, when I followed the directions here (http://www.poi-factory.com/garmin-csv-file-format) I kept getting an error from POI Loader that there was a data error on line 13, and nothing further would be read in from the file. Line 13 was the last line of an entry formatted like this:
-73.123456,40.123456,"Name of place","123 Main St
Anytown, ST 01234
123-555-1234"
and the formatting looked identical to the ones above it that passed with no problem. I even manually re-typed it to make sure that copy/paste didn't input an invisible formatting code.
The only thing that worked was to collapse all the entries back into single lines and hope the natural wrapping for space in the GPS display wouldn't screw up the formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Line Breaks
Might want to try running 'POI File Verifier' on it. If the file has an error, it may find the problem for you.
Have several questions:
Is the quoted example copied from Excel or Notepad?
Which POI Loader are you using, Mac or PC?
Which version Loader?
Which GPS do you have?
RT
ADDED LATER:
I copied your sample data and created a two-line POI by pasting it twice into Notepad, ran POI File Verifier with no problems found (except duplicate entires, of course), loaded it into the nuvi 350 with Garmin's (PC) POI Loader v2.4.0.0 with no errors displayed, and the POI displayed correctly.
Keep in mind if you have a nuvi 350/360, modification of the linebreak is required in order for the POI to display correctly.
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
I have run into the same
I have run into the same problem and it has always been that the last line wasn't the last line, meaning that there was a carriage return and the last line was blank. Take out the last line (ususally just a blank line) and that will work. Do it in notepad.
Charley - Nuvi 350 - Bel STI Driver - Cobra 29 w/ wilson 1000 - AIM: asianfire -
POI File Verifier
Take out the last line (ususally just a blank line) and that will work.
That is one of the problems POI File Verifier should find and clean up. I'd be interesting in knowing if it does.
RT
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
Oh ok, that is great. I
Oh ok, that is great. I have never used the verifier, can't upgrade to dotnet 2 (which is what you need, right?) on my laptop and haven't gotten around to it on my personal computer.
Charley - Nuvi 350 - Bel STI Driver - Cobra 29 w/ wilson 1000 - AIM: asianfire -
Requirement
Oh ok, that is great. I have never used the verifier, can't upgrade to dotnet 2 (which is what you need, right?) on my laptop and haven't gotten around to it on my personal computer.
POI File Verifier requires 'Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0' or Higher.
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
Garmin c330, using the
Garmin c330, using the Garmin POI Loader on WinXP Pro, just downloaded a couple days ago. It claims to be version 2.3.2.0. The example given is a made-up example using the exact same format I was using in a plain text editor (TextPad).
I also tried this format that I saw somewhere:
-12.3456789,12.3456789,"Name","123 Main St""Anytown"
and that didn't work either. I got quotes embedded in the comment field instead of the line breaks.
Garmin c330, WinXP Pro
retiredtechnician
POI File Verifier requires 'Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0' or Higher.
That's why I haven't installed it.
Garmin c330, WinXP Pro
Use the Beta 2.4.0.1 Version
Garmin c330, using the Garmin POI Loader on WinXP Pro, just downloaded a couple days ago. It claims to be version 2.3.2.0. The example given is a made-up example using the exact same format I was using in a plain text editor (TextPad).
I also tried this format that I saw somewhere:
-12.3456789,12.3456789,"Name","123 Main St""Anytown"
and that didn't work either. I got quotes embedded in the comment field instead of the line breaks.
Use the Beta v2.4.0.1 Loader.
If you want to send a portion of your file I'll take a look at it. Just send me an email and I'll give you an address to send an attachment.
RT
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
Response to your example
I also tried this format that I saw somewhere:
-12.3456789,12.3456789,"Name","123 Main St""Anytown"
and that didn't work either. I got quotes embedded in the comment field instead of the line breaks.
This is a commas delimited file. You have quotes in the middle of a field, so they would show within the field. Instead of the double quotes after Main St, you should have a return. Try opening the file in Excel and see how the columns are broken up. Within Excel you should not have any quotes as it will automatically insert them when saved as a .csv file. The forced return that you are looking for would be entered as an ALT Return within Excel.
Garmin StreetPilot c530, Mapsource
POI Line Breaks
Keep in mind if you have a nuvi 350/360, modification of the linebreak is required in order for the POI to display correctly.
I just ran across this thread. I am highly interested because I have been trying unsucessfully to get line breaks to show in my files.
What is the modification of the linebreak that you speak of?
I have a Nuvi 350 and am on a Mac running OS X.
POI File Verifier
Keep in mind if you have a nuvi 350/360, modification of the linebreak is required in order for the POI to display correctly.
I just ran across this thread. I am highly interested because I have been trying unsucessfully to get line breaks to show in my files.
What is the modification of the linebreak that you speak of?
I have a Nuvi 350 and am on a Mac running OS X.
POI File Verifier will automatically convert a file with CR/LF linebreaks for you. Get it here.
It removes the CR/LF in the Name field (3rd) and replaces the CR/LF in the Comment field (4th) with:
<br>
If you prefer, you can do it manually; but it's a job with large POI files.
RT
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
POI Line Breaks
[
POI File Verifier will automatically convert a file with CR/LF linebreaks for you.
POi Converter is a Windows file. I am on a Mac. How do I do it manually?
open up the file in text
open up the file in text edit and you should be able to find any characters that don't look right and delete them
Garmin C330 TomTom One Nuvi 250
With Excel
[
POI File Verifier will automatically convert a file with CR/LF linebreaks for you.
POi Converter is a Windows file. I am on a Mac. How do I do it manually?
I'm not familar with Mac's OS. If it has Excel you can try the thread here.
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
Instead of deleting
open up the file in text edit and you should be able to find any characters that don't look right and delete them
Replace the 'unusual' character with the - the character for CR/LF in something like notepad will look like a square.
*Keith* MacBook Pro *wifi iPad(2012) w/BadElf GPS & iPhone6 + Navigon*
Lot of work
open up the file in text edit and you should be able to find any characters that don't look right and delete them
Replace the 'unusual' character with the - the character for CR/LF in something like notepad will look like a square.
The reason I wrote the macro in the above link and 'POI File Verifier' was so it could be done automatically. Granted, you can manually replace each one with <br>; but if your POI file has 64000+ lines, you'll be at it for quite some time. POI File Verifier does it in about a second.
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
Verifier is great, but
The reason I wrote the macro in the above link and 'POI File Verifier' was so it could be done automatically. Granted, you can manually replace each one with <br>; but if your POI file has 64000+ lines, you'll be at it for quite some time. POI File Verifier does it in about a second.
Your program is great...but davegoss47 is on a Mac...
*Keith* MacBook Pro *wifi iPad(2012) w/BadElf GPS & iPhone6 + Navigon*
It Worked
Your program is great...but davegoss47 is on a Mac...
Macs run Excel too, you know. I was able to manually find line feeds and replace them with the html break on a test file and it worked. Now to figure out how to write a macro ...
Thanks for your help everyone.
Yeah, I know
Macs run Excel too, you know. I was able to manually find line feeds and replace them with the html break on a test file and it worked. Now to figure out how to write a macro ...
Thanks for your help everyone.
macs do excel too.
Is there a Mac program that will do hex editing of large files? I've used EditPad Pro on my PC, opened a CSV file, then put it in hex mode, and done search & replace of things like the CR/LF ascii character with something else in other situations - and it would work just dandy here too. I'm just not an Excel wizard...there's a way to do a macro - I just don't know how.
*Keith* MacBook Pro *wifi iPad(2012) w/BadElf GPS & iPhone6 + Navigon*
retiredtechnician
Use the Beta v2.4.0.1 Loader.
If you want to send a portion of your file I'll take a look at it. Just send me an email and I'll give you an address to send an attachment.
Eh, after writing that I went ahead and installed it. There was no technical reason why I hesitated so long before installing dot-net 2 for so long. (The app needs a program icon, though...)
I re-formated the csv, and this time it found no errors.
Does the 2.4 beta POI Loader do anything different?
Garmin c330, WinXP Pro
See my thread-starter
This is a commas delimited file. You have quotes in the middle of a field, so they would show within the field. Instead of the double quotes after Main St, you should have a return. Try opening the file in Excel and see how the columns are broken up. Within Excel you should not have any quotes as it will automatically insert them when saved as a .csv file. The forced return that you are looking for would be entered as an ALT Return within Excel.
I tried hard returns initially, and had problems. I then found a reference to using a double-quote within a field to cause the Garmin to break the line in the display.
Garmin c330, WinXP Pro
Macro
Your program is great...but davegoss47 is on a Mac...
Macs run Excel too, you know. I was able to manually find line feeds and replace them with the html break on a test file and it worked. Now to figure out how to write a macro ...
Thanks for your help everyone.
I posted my macro on this thread.
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
Did you try alt return?
I tried hard returns initially, and had problems. I then found a reference to using a double-quote within a field to cause the Garmin to break the line in the display.
Did you try the "alt return" within excel? I have never heard of the double quote working.
Garmin StreetPilot c530, Mapsource
mkahn wrote: gordol
I tried hard returns initially, and had problems. I then found a reference to using a double-quote within a field to cause the Garmin to break the line in the display.
Did you try the "alt return" within excel? I have never heard of the double quote working.
I hardly ever use Excel at all. I'm using TextPad.
Garmin c330, WinXP Pro
Sure-fire breaks
Gordol--I have a sure-fire way to get line breaks for my nuvi350. See below my example and note that I am using html line breaks <br> in the fourth column.
Each column is separated by a comma (therefore, I don't use comma's within the text of columns.) Here is a sample record:
-109.496783,38.524150,"CG UT-Moab KOA (4 star)","UT Moab KOA <br>3225 S Hwy 191<br>Moab UT<br>435-259-6682<br>ID1731"
col 1: -109.496783,38.524150
col 2: 38.524150
col 3: CG UT-Moab KOA (4 star)
col 4: UT Moab KOA <br>3225 S Hwy 191<br>Moab UT<br>435-259-6682<br>ID1731
The fourth column appears on my nuvi350 like this:
UT Moab KOA
3225 S Hwy 191
Moab UT
435-259-6682
ID1731
I use an Excel workbook to manage my POI's and have a combination of formulas and macros that create a csv file ready for verification and uploading with the click of a button.
You are welcome to download it from my website:
http://home.comcast.net/~91winnie/POI.htm
Happy Trails!
Garmin nuvi350
Not a Nuvi
Gordol--I have a sure-fire way to get line breaks for my nuvi350.
Except that I'm using a c330. From what others have said in this thread, the Nuvi has a unique requirement here, one that is not shared by the other model lines.
Garmin c330, WinXP Pro
Line Breaks
If I create a file using the html line breaks will it load and display correctly on Garmins that do NOT have the Nuvi 350 quirk? I would like to share files but don't want to mess anybody up.
Will Load but Not Display Correctly
Presently, we only know of the nuvi 350 and nuvi 360 that have the linebreak display issue requireing <br>. If these character are entered in other models, it will display as <br>.
RT
"Internet: As Yogi Berra would say, "Don't believe 90% of what you read, and verify the other half."
suggestion
A suggestion would be to just create a "normal" file if it's one you'd like to share.
Use RT's program to "fix" the nuvi line break problem. Everyone else should be ok.
I think that's what everyones been doing
........Garmin StreetPilot c550 / Nüvi 765...........