Help needed with POI icon problem

The .bmp icon has to be the identical name as the .ov2 and they have to both be in your North America folder.

The .csv is the raw file. TomTom can't read them.

Any .csv file needs to changed to .ov2 in order for it to work on a TomTom.

Save yourself some aggravation and only download the .ov2 file until you get the swing of things.

When you want to change a .csv file to .ov2 ... register on this site... they make it easy to convert you .csv files.

http://www.poieditor.com/

when i download the icon, it is only a .bmp (picture file) there is nothing else attached to it. (i downloaded them from the "Popular Content" today's area where it says "POI Icon Library", from there i chose the icon i wanted it opened up to another page that let me download the icon but just the icon. so when you say they both (.bmp & .ov2) have to be in the same folder, thats where i think my problem lies. any ideas where to find this elusive .ov2 file? thanks again

You can't just use the icon .bmp a (an) .ov2 file has to go along with it.

If you want ... just down load any of the TomTom ov2 files that have an attachment with it on the bottom of the page. (There are many posted files with bmp images in the "POI Factory")

The .bmp matches the .ov2 file and move them into the North America folder together or change the .bmp icon name to match up the .ov2 file name.

Go to this link and it will explain it better.
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/9488

I am not a Tom Tom user but I do recall that the ov2 file and the bmp file need to be named the same.

They would look like this:

Kmart.ov2
Kmart.bmp

You can also use Extra_POI_Editor (EPE) to make the conversion from .csv to .ov2. In fact, EPE will convert both ways including many other formats.

You can find it here:

http://turboccc.wikispaces.com/Extra_POI_Editor

i think i actually might have been able to follow all of your helpful hints to actually get it to work. as you can tell from only dealing with me this short amount of time, i couldn't have done it without you all. thanks!

We are here to help. We have many knowledge
able members. Glad you got it fixed.

It may be obvious, but I have not seen it explicitly stated above, so I'll chime in that the .OV2 file contains the actual listing of data for the POI locations. The .BMP file is the specific image that you are telling your TomTom to associate with that category of POI locations. (If you do not load a unique image to associate with those POI, a generic image will be used.)

As has been mentioned above, your .OV2 file and your .BMP file must have exactly the same name, and the names are case sensitive, so Xyz.OV2 is not the same name as xyz.ov2, and that data file would not be connected with xyz.BMP by your TomTom.

If you decide to create your own .BMP images, be aware that there are size limits on the images. I have seen a couple of different values for those size limits, and have not tested to confirm which is correct, but the smallest value I have seen is 22 pixels by 22 pixels, so you should be safe using those values.

I too have this same question. I understand when I uploaded the POI file for the redbox locations I also uploaded the bmp file and named them the same. My question is with the preloaded POI. The listing for burgerking does not show the icon. I uploaded one from POI factory. How do I (or can I) get it to match the factory listing? I don't know how they named it.

you can not associate a bmb from here (or anywhere) with the preloaded poi. At least you can not do it with a garmin. The built in pois are part of the mapset.

FYI, my red light camera bmp is named:
Red Light Camera.bmp (Upper case L in Light)
The ov2 is named:
Red light Camera.ov2 (Lower case l in light)
They work fine together.

I have a via 1535 and have uploaded/created a few POI's (Costco.ov2 for example). I have also uploades an associated .BMP icon from this site, I made sure both the .ov2 and .bmp files were the same name and used TomTom's online `Add community content' app to upload them to the 1535. All I get is a solid red icon and not the uploaded .bmp. I have done this for a half dozen different POI's w/ a half dozen different .BMP's and they all just display a solid red icon not the .BMP as uploaded. Any suggestions?

What is the URL of the online app you are using? I just did a test using the "Add to TomTom wizard" at

http://www.tomtom.com/addto/

and it worked - I got a custom icon - although it wanted me to upload a JPG, GIF or PNG instead of a BMP.

It's the `add community content' page that is only available through the `MyTomTom support application' software downloaded from TomTom and resident on your system. It is only accessible when your TomTom GPS is connected to your computer.

Hello,

I have read all of the FAQs on this site related to loading POIs, as well as tried extensive Bing searches, yet I cannot find an answer to my issue. I'm hoping that someone here can be of assistance:

I've downloaded several POI sets (OV2, BMP, and MP3) to my MacBrook Pro. I have made sure that the filenames/case of the OV2 and BMP files match as much as Lion (OS 10.7) will let me do (I didn't use Terminal for changing the filenames).

The information I've read from other GPS users has stipulated that the OV2/BMP files must reside in the same folder on the GPS device. My situation is that my TomTom software (MyTomTom) does not allow me to access the folders on my GPS (GoLive 2535M), instead I have a web interface called "Add Community Content" which I've uploaded my various files to.

While the OV2s and Sound files (I needed to convert the MP3s to OGGs) work perfectly the BMP files are only displaying as giant red dots. I have tried multiple times to erase and re-upload both my OV2 and BMP files, making absolutely sure the filenames are the same (unfortunately, some of my file extensions are a mix of upper and lower case, which Lion (my Operating System) does not allow me to change).

At this point, I am out of ideas as to what to try next - I've read that a Factory Restore might work, yet there is no guarantee. As I paid ~$270 for the GoLive 2535M and I have a limited time to return it to Best Buy, were I bought it, I'm hoping that someone here can advise me as to if my "giant red dot" issue is fixable or not. I will greatly appreciate any help offered.

Thank you,
Matthew

I just tested with my GO 720 and the file extensions didn't seem to be case-sensitive, so

Canadian_Tire.ov2
Canadian_Tire.BMP

worked just as well as

Canadian_Tire.ov2
Canadian_Tire.bmp

However, a trailing space in one of the file names, e.g.,

Canadian_Tire.ov2
Canadian_Tire .bmp

_did_ cause the icon to appear as a big red square.

I just finished checking all of my OV2 and BMP files, and there are no leading or trailing spaces in any of the names.

I do not have a Mac, so I can offer only a brute force approach to this problem if you have confirmed that the spelling is absolutely the same except for the case of the letters. (Triple check that, as I have often been burned when a "1" looked like an "l" or an "I", or a "0" looked like an "O". This kind of issue is actually the first place I would look for the problem. I've also seen the problem turn out to be the space that VersatileGuy mentioned.)

I would also suggest that you open the BMP with a Paint program and confirm that the file format is correct - 22 x 22 pixels and 8-bit color. There are a couple of Windows file managers that will give you that from the File Properties without actually opening the file, but I don't know if the Mac's Finder will do so.

Finally, if all else has failed, if you have a friend with a PC, e-mail the file to them as an attachment. Have them change the name to the correct case and e-mail it back to you.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

I triple-checked the filenames and I am positive they are all correct. I opened up the bitmap files and the dimensions are 24x24 with 8-bit color. I noticed, in my "Preview" program, than I can manually change the dimensions and re-save the bitmaps - since I'm needing to leave for work now and won't get back home until 9:30 tonight, I'll work on this after I get home.

Thank you for your assistance with this.

Matthew

Apparently, I mis-spoke earlier regarding the "8-bit" status of the BMP files:

I currently cannot tell either in Preview (photo viewing app), iPhoto, or Aperture (comparable to Adobe Lightroom) whether or not these BMP files are in 8-bit or not - I am not even given an option, from what I can see, for changing bit-depth at all. Last night, I tried changing the BMP size from 24x24 to 22x22 and, unfortunately, the BMP files are still showing up as giant red dots.

Since I have invested so much time and effort into getting these BMP files to work correctly, the fact that they still don't work is starting to make me wonder whether I should continue trying or just simply give up at this point?

Matthew

Since I just found out, from TomTom Support, that my GPS unit apparently has a "leap year" bug in the firmware (I have been having difficulty acquiring a GPS signal since yesterday morning) I may end up returning it to Best Buy and getting a Garmin device that has comparable features.

I know this is off topic, yet do you have any recommendations for a good Garmin unit? I would be using it primarily for business purposes.

You should start a new thread in the "Garmin talk" forum. I suspect that a lot of the Garmin users don't read "TomTom talk" threads.

read the T-T forum, but unless we know what the OP wants in a unit and how it would be used making a recommendation would be akin to attempting to push a chain across a parking lot.

For what it's worth, that bug has been fixed:

http://www.tomtom.com/6964

I hope you find it useful.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/32613

From what I can tell we are not alone on the `red dot' POI icon. I have a thread on the TomTom forum...

http://discussions.tomtom.com/t5/TomTom-GO-800-1000-2000-Via...

and the TechArena Forum...

http://forums.techarena.in/portable-devices/1435960.htm

No solutions offered as of yet. If anyone has one, please post it here and on either or both of the above threads. (You too, TomTom Support)

Did you see the (possibly) related thread here:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/36187.

I checked it out and though he has a different model, the issue sounds similar. I had quite a bit of trouble locating the OV2TOOLS.zip file (most links took me to the tomotm.com main page) I finally found a post w/ a more current link (see below). I'll install it and report back...

OV2TOOLS.zip:
http://www.oldboy.me.uk/TomTomUpdates/ov2tools.zip

OK I think it's solved... The POI image thing, anyway. You need the two files from OV2Tools.zip (DUMPPOV2.exe & MAKEPOV2.exe) and then follow the instructions as per the below link...

http://discussions.tomtom.com/t5/TomTom-GO-800-1000-2000-Via...

MAKE SURE you DO NOT upload your image file into the MyTomTom 'Community images on device' area. Upload it to the 'Community POI on device' area, using the same 'Browse' prompt that you used to upload your OV2 POI file!

Now for some reason only some of my third party POI's are 'editable' using the 'Edit POI' selection under 'Manage POIs' in the 'Settings' area of my VIA 1535. Others show as 'No POI found'. Even though they show when I select 'Drive To' destinations by 'POI near you' or 'POI in city', but that is a topic for another thread...

Thanks for taking the time to post your findings. From now on I guess we'll have to be more specific with our TomTom POI advice, i.e.:

1. The .ov2 (POI) and .bmp (icon) files must have exactly the same name, and
2. they both have to be uploaded to the same place (the "POI" area/folder).
   

It might have been just me... I kept u/l'ing my image files via the image u/l section in MyTomTom. But I did try an image u/l to the POI area without converting the POI via the DUMPPOV2.exe & MAKEPOV2.exe process and it did not display, so at least for me the OV2Tools.zip conversion was needed.

Thanks for all of your help!