Setting specific proximity alerts

If you run POI loader in manual mode, you can set either a speed or proximity alert for individual files. Proximity (distance) is entered using feet or meters. So, for 5 miles its a little over 26,000 feet. I find 5300 feet is adequate for my driving.

set --- the more alarms that you get before arriving at the red light. I find this annoying if distance is too great.

For a RedLight Alert, I use 600' for the distance...that is sufficient for me.

If you want to create an alert for a group of pois at 5 miles, what would you set the whole group for so you dont have to change it on every line? What do the other alert names mean(specs, etc..)

Here are the terminology definitions from the POI Loader Help file:

POI Loader determines whether or not a file contains speed and proximity alert points based on specific criteria. Use the following information to help you create Custom POI files:

If a file name contains a valid speed number or if all records in a file have speed encoded in the name, then all records in the file will include speed and proximity alerts. For example, a data file with the file name "Speed_30" generates speed alerts of 30 mph (or kph, depending on the type of units selected in POI Loader) for each POI in the file.

If the file name contains "redlight", POI Loader assumes all records in the file have proximity alerts with a distance of 400m/0.25 miles.

If a file contains "GATSO," "mobile," "SPECS," "safety," "speed," or "camera," but does not have a speed, POI Loader uses a default alert speed of 0, which means you will always be alerted. You can override this default value by entering the speed in Manual mode.

You can also enter speeds for each POI individually by adding the @ symbol and a number after the name of the POI. For example, a Custom POI named "Ridgeview@25" would create a POI named "Ridgeview" with a 25 mph speed alert.

POI Loader calculates proximity alert distance based on speed. You can enter proximity alert distance for individual Custom POIs in a .gpx file. You can also enter proximity alert distance for all Custom POIs in a data file using Manual mode.

I take several long trips a year and I like to stop in reas areas for a break.
I set my reas area alert for 2000ft. No matter what lane I am in, I can still get over in enough time to pull in.
You can set it for whatever distance you whant with POI loader.

I prefer about one mile or 1600 meters. This allows me time to check how close the next rest area is. (might be able to wait 40 miles for the next pee break).

It also allows time in case I'm in the left lane next to an 18 wheeler, etc.

This does occasionally results in an alert for the opposite direction, but I consider this to be a minor annoyance.

I have been tring to use EPE to make POIs but am having trouble seting distance. I set in EPE a distance of 4000 Feet and save it as gpx and then use POI Loader to load it into my 1450. After it has finshed my 1450 says;
Alert Information:
Distance: 3.1 mi.

What am I doing wrong?
EPE Preferances:
Editor: Imperial/US
File Read: Imperial/US
File Save: Imperial/US

Set the file read and save to metric. GPX format (or at least EPE's) is metric so it is taking your 4000 and seeing it as meters rather than feet.

Box Car wrote:

Set the file read and save to metric. GPX format (or at least EPE's) is metric so it is taking your 4000 and seeing it as meters rather than feet.

I set EPE Preferances:
Editor: Imperial/US
File Read: metric
File Save: metric

My Rest Stop file came out perfect!
My School Zone file was set to give alert at 26 MPH.
After the preferance change it said it would alert at 43 MPH.

Opened the School Zone .gpx file with Notepad++ and did a Find @43, Replace @26. Now every thing in the Nuvi 1450 is working like I wanted. But I'm still confused.

Thanks Box Car I belive you put me on the right path I'm just new at this.

Yes, it seems I tried to be too clever with EPE. Since many of you are from the US and use the Imperial/US system, I thought you would like to have Imperial/US speed in some of your files (like CSV). This is the reason why I added the preferences of File Read/Save units.

It seems this was a mistake. For best operation, just do as stated above:

Editor: Imperial/US
File Read: metric
File Save: metric

Of course, it you want to use Metric units all the way, use:

Editor: metric.
File Read: metric
File Save: metric

As noted above, setting a distance usually requires running POI Loader in "manual" mode. Usually there are other files that you want to load using POI Loader in express mode.

A technique many of us use is to run POI Loader in "manual" mode with any files on which we want a distance alert. We then immediately go into the (GPS drive letter):\Garmin\POI\ folder and rename the poi.gpi file to something that describes the file or files loaded (of course, the extension must still be 'gpi').

Having renamed poi.gpi, we can now run POI Loader in express mode with the rest of our POI files. Of course, you can rename this file also.

Doing it this way means that the files that require "manual" mode can stay until new versions come out.

I like to use Poi Loader in Express mode and stay away from the manual option.You can just load your files csv or gpx to Extra Poi Editor and build the alerts in. See http://www.poi-factory.com/node/28521 .It also covers the setting to use ft instaed of metric.

What Boxcar said works for me....

My specifics when it comes to POI Distances......

I've found the best way to do Cracker Barrel POI's is to do them as a TourGuide (Radius rather than on existing road as POI's work). I do this because most Cracker Barrel's are not on the road you are traveling, but offset away from intersections, well away from the road you are traveling on... By setting TourGuide, it gives you anything in the Radius of where you are now, rather than just on the road or route you are traveling on... I set my Cracker Barrel TourGuide for 12000 feet. Yes, it does trip more often, but it's not that bad...

Rest Areas..... I set them for 12000 feet too.. This way, I get prompted shortly before the 2 mile sign. This helps in case I miss the sign.... as an 'advance' notice....

Others set at 2000 feet.