Updating pre-loaded garmin POI's in Mapsource

If i load POI programs onto my gps that others have created, say from this site, do they over write the preloaded poi's that come standard? If they are of the same location of course.

the reason i ask is because on my 350 the pre-loaded poi's have phone numbers included and lots of the poi's i can load onto the gps dont include phone numbers

You're stuck with them as they are. There's no editing them.

Best you can do when things on your unit don't match reality is report the needed changes to Navteq (Garmin's map & poi data provider) via their web page at: NAVTEQ Map Reporter

No. The POI files you load from here or create yourself do not do anything to the preloaded ones. Those suckers are there to stay, and you can't do anything with them other than replace them with a new mapset from Garmin when they release the new version.

No, the Custom POIs and the built in POIs are completely different and separate from each other. Neither will overwrite or take the place of the other. You can have them in the same location without any problems.

Also, you can add phone numbers into the Custom POIs if you so desire. As you have observed, some come with phone numbers and some don't. It just depends upon the data that was available to the user who created the file.

So then if i add custom POI's and there is a factory POI for the same location does it just show up on my gps as a duplicate name? or does just the factory one show up?

If you have actual coordinates, and the internal one is address based, and the two don't jive, you'll see two...or you'll get one on top of the other.

They will both show up on the map (generally on top of each other as Keith has indicated) but they are contained in different lists so they won't show up together anywhere on a "list" on your GPSr.

The built in one will be under the Food, Lodging, etc and the Custom POI will be listed under the Custom POI list. Now, if you were to save both of the same location as a Favorite, you'd have a duplication in the list. (Presumably, though, you wouldn't do that.)

You would add the phone number and the physical address in column D in an excel spreadsheet, however unless you are using a program called GeePeeEx editor created by Phil, the phone number will display but not as a dialable icon. If you save it as a "Favorite", then the phone icon will be "dialable" Currently Garmin is working in fixing this problem with "Custom POI's"

Yes, you just add them to the last column in the CSV. Note that if you want the phone number to be dialable, the file will need to be made into a GPX. Search for the word "dialable" and you will find some instructions.

You should be able to add a phone number to a Favorite directly on your GPSr. Click Where to?, Favorites, select that Favorites, click Edit, click change Phone Number, and type in the phone number.

Thanks Keith! I was afraid of that!

Ralph