MS Excell for File

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/25743

Deleted.Duplicate post.

For me it's just as easy to use a simple word processor and save it as a csv file, then when I'm done I load it in Excel to check and make sure I have all of the commas in the right place. Excel is also handy if you want to move fields around.

I discourage editing csv files in a text editor or word processor. It seems like a lot of members on here do it and/or advise it.. It also seems like a lot of of .csv files are "corrupt" due to improperly escaped commas, double-quotes, and line-feeds

The casual user shouldn't need to deal with the nuances of the .csv format
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma-separated_values#Basic_ru...

We should drop the practice of telling novices and casual computer users to edit POI lists in notepad/wordpad, etc.. Its simply overwhelming to most.

Most users have Excel (or some spreadsheet that came with their PC or MAC).. or, they can use
CSVed: http://csved.sjfrancke.nl/
Or any of the numerous POI specific utilities mentioned on these forums

I disagree. A “casual user” is going to encounter plenty of nuances in Excel if they are not familiar with it. And casual users are just as likely to be as unfamiliar with Excel as they are with the full definition of csv files that you gave a link to.

The definition of a Garmin csv record (line) is quite simple in the form commonly used for Poi Factory files:
Longitude,Latitude,"poi name”,"additional information”

Where Longitude and Latitude are numbers indicating decimal degrees, and the additional information is optional i.e. can be left off.

All they have to do is to always enclose the two text fields in double quotes as indicated above.

I build my files in EPE (extra poi editor) and then save as csv for use on the site. I will open them in excel to get a better look at them, manipulate their order, etc. I will not create a file in excel or notepad. I can copy and paste (or type in) the info a lot easier in EPE. It also gives the location and geocodes it for you.

I will not use "CSved". I looked at it and it was way to confusing for me to use. I consider myself pretty adept in use of most programs so I would consider it above the "casual user".

Even Garmin screwed up the CSV parser in the POI loader util (version before last)

"All they have to do is always enclose the two text fields in double quotes..." (unless what they're enclosing also contains double quotes.

Couldn't get it to accomplish any task correctly - except load a file into the toy.

I'm running XP Media Edition with the current FireFox. Tried loading the Costco GPX from POI-Factory after saving it to my HD. Result was a hang.

Loaded the Boston Market CSV from my HD, you handled it so-so but I was unable to send it to my Garmin as a GPX. Communicator barfed on your metadata tag. Tried saving it (EPE v5.08) and having EPE open what you sent. No joy in Muddville here either. No data displayed in EPE and I have no idea where your toy was at.

When creating a POI file, I start by using notepad. This is regardless of the final format the file will be in. If it's a basic POI file, such as Rest Areas Canada, then I save the file in notepad as a .csv. If the file is going to have extended information not covered by the .csv specification, I'll open the .csv file I created in notepad in Extra POI Editor, add the information I want to add, then save as a .gpx.

The only time I use Excel is with the combined rest area file to change words that are in all capital letters to something that doesn't resemble the text equivalent of shouting. For that, I use the ASAP Utilities add-in for Excel. Quite a time saver that one.