Rest Area Alert too late :(

 

Needed a pit stop today, missed the sign and the POI alert was too late. As I understand it (right or wrong), I have two choices. I can create a TourGuide, or I can load the POIs with a distance like 5280ft which will alert at the one mile mark. If I use TourGuide it will alert at 2 miles if 10560 feet is entered. Is all this correct, or part of?

For some reason I thought there was already a set distance set prior to the cords used for the exit.

--
Garmin nuvi 2460LMT (2)
Page 1>>

Rest Areas.

For the Rest Area file, you would normally not want to use a Tour Guide alert as there is no reason to announce the alert unless you are traveling on the interstate that the rest area is on. So you would instead want to set a proximity alert. I use 2 miles (10560 ft) because that gives plenty of time to discuss with passengers whether anyone needs to stop. Also, sometimes I will check the GPS to see how far ahead the next rest stop is. If it is too far, I still have time to make the stop at the current one.

--
Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Rest area alerts

dferron wrote:

Needed a pit stop toady, missed the sign and the POI alert was too late. As I understand it (right or wrong), I have two choices. I can create a TourGuide, or I can load the POIs with a distance like 5280ft which will alert at the one mile mark. If I use TourGuide it will alert at 2 miles if 10560 feet is entered. Is all this correct, or part of?

For some reason I thought there was already a set distance set prior to the cords used for the exit.

Your post seemed to indicate an "alert" sounded by not in enough time. Is that so?

The Rest Areas Combined file from http://www.poi-factory.com/node/6643 is a .csv file.

To make a .csv file "alert" (either a "ding" or playing a sound file), you have to use POI Loader in "manual" mode and set a "Proximity" distance;

except that you can add the character string "TourGuide" (without the quotes) to the name of the .csv file as detailed in the FAQs
TourGuide alerts using csv files {G}
Making CSV Files into TourGuides – And Their Many Different Uses

You could use EPE to change the .csv file to a .gpx file and also imbed the proximity distance within the file. Having done such, the file can be loaded in Express mode of POI Loader.

Thinking large

alandb wrote:

For the Rest Area file, you would normally not want to use a Tour Guide alert as there is no reason to announce the alert unless you are traveling on the interstate that the rest area is on. So you would instead want to set a proximity alert. I use 2 miles (10560 ft) because that gives plenty of time to discuss with passengers whether anyone needs to stop. Also, sometimes I will check the GPS to see how far ahead the next rest stop is. If it is too far, I still have time to make the stop at the current one.

As already advised, RestAreasCombined is a POI file that will alert without the need for TourGuides--and probably better meets drivers/riders needs as a regular POI file.

Yes indeed, rest areas, expecially in posted 75mph areas, can benefit from large alert distances. I use 16,000...because it's an even number twisted

GPX vs CSV

jgermann wrote:

You could use EPE to change the .csv file to a .gpx file and also imbed the proximity distance within the file. Having done such, the file can be loaded in Express mode of POI Loader.

I think I have the handle on TourGuide, but now you have brought a couple of other questions.

What happens if you load a GPX POI in manual mode? Example Motel 6 and Perkins are both gpx, but I loaded them manually. Any advantage of a gpx over a csv?

Is this concept correct? TourGuide will alert regardless of the road the point is referenced to based upon the distance you set, the other is based upon a the road you are on and whatever distance you set. Yes/No

Thanks for your patience wink:

--
Garmin nuvi 2460LMT (2)

What programs are you using

What programs are you using to make these changes and save the files?

CSV is Excel, right? How about EPE?

Thanks!

CSV and GPX

dferron wrote:
jgermann wrote:

You could use EPE to change the .csv file to a .gpx file and also imbed the proximity distance within the file. Having done such, the file can be loaded in Express mode of POI Loader.

I think I have the handle on TourGuide, but now you have brought a couple of other questions.

What happens if you load a GPX POI in manual mode? Example Motel 6 and Perkins are both gpx, but I loaded them manually. Any advantage of a gpx over a csv?

Is this concept correct? TourGuide will alert regardless of the road the point is referenced to based upon the distance you set, the other is based upon a the road you are on and whatever distance you set. Yes/No

Thanks for your patience wink:

There are a couple of things in your question. The default distance for a TourGuide alert is 1/4 mile or 400 meters. There are two ways to set a different distance alert. You can set a distance using POI Loader in manual mode or, in the case of a GPX file, build it into the file itself. The GPX file will use an XML statement (Proximity) giving the distance in meters.

As TourGuide alerts are a radius around a point, then the answer is YES, no matter what road you are on if you enter the radius of the point an alert will sound. But TourGuides REQUIRE an audio file before they function.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

the preference

riveroaks wrote:

What programs are you using to make these changes and save the files?

CSV is Excel, right? How about EPE?

Thanks!

The overwhelming preference for working with GPX files is Extra_POI_Editor or EPE for short. There are tutorials available on EPE in the Learn and FAQ sections of this board.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

EasyGPS

@BoxCar

I have EasyGPS installed and looked at the Perkins.gpx file and didn't see anything related to "proximity". So, does that mean that it is set for the default?

How does one go about adding the statement?

EDIT: Just opened the Perkins.gpx in MS Word 2007 and was alerted that it is contains custom XML elements no longer supported by Word. I could read it, but saving would remove some of the custom info.

--
Garmin nuvi 2460LMT (2)

Build alertin.

dferron wrote:

Needed a pit stop toady, missed the sign and the POI alert was too late. As I understand it (right or wrong), I have two choices. I can create a TourGuide, or I can load the POIs with a distance like 5280ft which will alert at the one mile mark. If I use TourGuide it will alert at 2 miles if 10560 feet is entered. Is all this correct, or part of?

For some reason I thought there was already a set distance set prior to the cords used for the exit.

As others have repeated. TourGuide is not needed since the author of the file placed the coordinates right near the entrance.Everyone has their own method.I build my alerts into the file using a GPX file and Extra Poi Editor see http://www.poi-factory.com/node/28521 .This way I can run Garmin Poi Loader in the express mode.

--
Charlie. Nuvi 265 WT and Nuvi 2597 LMT. MapFactor Navigator - Offline Maps & GPS.

EPE Installed

I installed EPE. What a process to get the help files to work. Anyway, reading the tutorials I didn't find a way to edit the Perkins.gpx so that I could change the proximity distance.

Did I miss something?

--
Garmin nuvi 2460LMT (2)

settings

On the Perkins GPX file once loaded to EPE just click edit then replace field.In field name using down arrow select proximity.In new field value put in ft the distance you want.Then click replace all.To check your work double click on one of the pois.You should see the distance you set poi for. That's it, distance set for each poi. Make sure to save file as gpx.

Set EPE in accordance with http://www.poi-factory.com/node/28521

You may want to use the replace all feature for the name too.So it will show correctly on gps.Looking at the file in EPE the name of the city shows in the name category.

--
Charlie. Nuvi 265 WT and Nuvi 2597 LMT. MapFactor Navigator - Offline Maps & GPS.

do it the simple way

Why complicate the process when there is no advantage to it? For Rest Areas, there is no need to use a TourGuide or to add custom alert distances by converting to gpx.

Using the file as-is, run POI Loader in manual and enter the distance you want.

Remember that all these POI files are constantly being updated, so whatever process you are using will be repeated in the future.

dobs108 smile

Agree

I agree with alandb, I set rest areas for two miles. If we have been driving for more then a couple of hours we stop whether nature calls or not just to stretch our legs.

--
Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.

pros and cons

dobs108 wrote:

Why complicate the process when there is no advantage to it? For Rest Areas, there is no need to use a TourGuide or to add custom alert distances by converting to gpx.

Using the file as-is, run POI Loader in manual and enter the distance you want.

Remember that all these POI files are constantly being updated, so whatever process you are using will be repeated in the future.

dobs108 smile

Setting a proximity distance in a GPX file means you can run POI Loader in the default auto mode which reduces the time spent actually reloading POI. Using the manual mode would require you to step through your entire catalog of files and determine if you wanted a proximity alert or not for that particular file at the reload.

But then that also opens the other can of worms regarding separate folders or subfolders.

As an example, I can invoke EPE using the default 4 column CSV profile, load the Rest Area CSV file, press CTL-R, press 'P' 5 times and key in a distance. Tell EPE to replace all and then save the file as a GPX in the proper folder. I can then work on other update files, placing them in their proper folders and when finished, run POI Loader in auto mode a single time to load all my files using the subfolder method.

While there are proponents of both separate files and subfolders, I will state the largest amount of time is spent invoking and running POI Loader. Using subfolders I can update individual files at my leisure and then run POI Loader when ready. If it were individual files, I would have to run POI Loader for each changed/updated file remembering to add a proximity for specific files. For the way I use the files, conversion and auto mode with subfolders takes less effort than individual files and manual mode.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

I like this ...

Thanks all for the options ... and the reminders to keep it as simple as possible. The funny thing is that "simple" seems to have different meanings for different people. The good news is that there is enough knowledge here that we get a bucket of options and we can decide what works for us. I love options!

CC

GPX

CookieCutter wrote:

Thanks all for the options ... and the reminders to keep it as simple as possible. The funny thing is that "simple" seems to have different meanings for different people. The good news is that there is enough knowledge here that we get a bucket of options and we can decide what works for us. I love options!

CC

Right about that. To me a lot easier to convert what few files I have with alerts to GPX using EPE.Then I can use Express mode for Poi Loader instead of going through each file using manual mode.Plus added option of dialable phone numbers.

--
Charlie. Nuvi 265 WT and Nuvi 2597 LMT. MapFactor Navigator - Offline Maps & GPS.

About the Motel 6 file

Do not use the "6" in the file name. It will give you alerts based on the "6". You need to change it to "sis".

--
Nuvi 2460LMT.

Important Point

Box Car wrote:

...Setting a proximity distance in a GPX file means you can run POI Loader in the default auto mode which reduces the time spent actually reloading POI. Using the manual mode would require you to step through your entire catalog of files and determine if you wanted a proximity alert or not for that particular file at the reload.

But then that also opens the other can of worms regarding separate folders or subfolders...

When running POI Loader in the manual mode, the folders in the PC become categories in the nuvi exactly the same as when running POI Loader in the auto mode.

dobs108 smile

i'm sure i read that before

i'm sure i read that before but since u brought it up, if a number is included in the filename at the end, like "rest_area_5200" what does it represent, alert feet?

Gary Hayman

ruggb wrote:

i'm sure i read that before but since u brought it up, if a number is included in the filename at the end, like "rest_area_5200" what does it represent, alert feet?

you probably remember this

Quote:

The revelation of what happens with the larger numbers is what allows me, as in my file name 'School Alert Zone.D4300.csv', mentioned above, to insert numbers that aren't interpreted as 'speed' numbers by POI Loader and use them as distance setting 'reminders' when I 'load' using the Manual mode of POI Loader.

With the above file name I am easily reminded to set the distance alert for this particular school or group of schools in the .csv file to 4300 feet. You might want to do something similar. Some people, for example, desire to be notified of a park entrance a mile or two (5280 and 10560 ft.) before they reach the entrance.

HIghway speeds

dferron wrote:

Needed a pit stop toady, missed the sign and the POI alert was too late. As I understand it (right or wrong), I have two choices. I can create a TourGuide, or I can load the POIs with a distance like 5280ft which will alert at the one mile mark. If I use TourGuide it will alert at 2 miles if 10560 feet is entered. Is all this correct, or part of?

For some reason I thought there was already a set distance set prior to the cords used for the exit.

At highway speeds, one mile is only 60 seconds away. A 5280 foot alert is not at all unrealistic, especially if there is other traffic around you. I usually set mine to 10,000 feet. As another poster mentioned, that gives time to ask my companion if we need to stop, and gracefully move over to the exit lane if we do.

Some alerts don't get your

Some alerts don't get your attention.

often

UnNamed wrote:

Some alerts don't get your attention.

a case of too many alerts. If you have several POI alerting all the time like Starbucks and Wi-Fi locations then it is our nature to "tune out" the announcements.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

I use a 3-mile alert,(15,840

I use a 3-mile alert,(15,840 ft.). I made a .wav. file that announces "Coming upon a rest stop three miles ahead."

K.I.S.S.

I've used 5500- 6000 feet since I started the file and have a .wav file that says "Rest Area ahead - any need ??

--
MrKenFL- "Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." NUVI 260, Nuvi 1490LMT & Nuvi 2595LMT all with 2014.4 maps !

i use

MrKenFL wrote:

I've used 5500- 6000 feet since I started the file and have a .wav file that says "Rest Area ahead - any need ??

5300 feet and we have plenty of time to decide if we'll stop. But then, probably like Mr. Ken, we don't camp out in the left lane and try to do 80+ either.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

Tour Guide and 2 Miles

I agree, if I were you, I would set it to a 2 mile alert and tour guide so that it only alerts if you are traveling on the route that passes by the rest area as opposed to a different road that is near the rest area.

No to TourGuide

DiQuest wrote:

I agree, if I were you, I would set it to a 2 mile alert and tour guide so that it only alerts if you are traveling on the route that passes by the rest area as opposed to a different road that is near the rest area.

As described earlier, the Rest Areas Combined file was created to be used without the need for it being a TourGuide. Making it a TourGuide not only adds unneeded complexity but actually makes the POI alerts less effective due to adding false positive results.

Do not think you meant this

DiQuest wrote:

I agree, if I were you, I would set it to a 2 mile alert and tour guide so that it only alerts if you are traveling on the route that passes by the rest area as opposed to a different road that is near the rest area.

If one has the rest areas set up as a TourGuide (eg. Rest Areas Combined TourGuide.csv with required Rest Areas Combined TourGuide.wav **) then the alert (from the .wav file) will play whenever you come within a circle with a 2 mile radius having the rest area as the center point.

This will certainly get alerts on rest areas on the other side of divided highways for many rest areas that you have no way of easily exiting to. That is not what you want.

You mentioned "on the route" which is the correct terminology. An "along the route" alert is sounded (either a "dong" or the playing of a .mp3/.wav file) whenever the device enters a rectangular box whose height is the proximity distance set in POI Loader "manual" mode *** and whose width is 196 feet with the assumption that the road is in the center of this rectangular box and the POI is at the top of the box - either on the left or the right - BUT nevertheless within the box.

Garmin's native unit of measurement is the metric system and 30 meters is the alert side to side requirement. Inside 30 meters, an alert will sound. Outside 30 meters and the alert will not sound. 30 meters is equivalent to 98 feet.

MrKenFL goes to great pains in making sure that the coordinates of the rest areas is somewhere on the exit ramp to the rest area - NOT the building with the rest rooms way back off the road somewhere.

** Note that some units that have MP3 players can use a .mp3 file for alerts

*** assuming a .csv file. One can create a .gpx file with internal proximity distances that can be loading using POI Loader's "express" mode.

Here's what I do....Rest

Here's what I do....

Rest Areas.... I have alert set for 12,000 feet, not 2000 feet. This trips Just Prior to the 2 mile sign.

I have two TourGuides... Cracker Barrel (which are occasionally far enough off the main road to need TourGuide) set for 12,000 feet as well....

And HOME TourGuide, which I have set for 800 feet.

--
A 2689LMT in both our cars that we love... and a Nuvi 660 with Lifetime Maps that we have had literally forever.... And a 2011 Ford Escape with Nav System that is totally ignored!

My Setup

1 mile (5,280ft.) for Rest Areas Combined, 1 kilometer (3,280ft.) for Rest Areas Canada. Neither file should be using TourGuide for the reasons jgermann mentioned.

I don't use the TourGuide feature at all, though Historic Vessels of the US and Canada could conceivably benefit from it.

--
"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." --Douglas Adams

Is it still necessary to download rest area POIs?

My 4590 has the rest areas already in them. I just do a search for 'rest area' and they pop up.

.

donbadabon wrote:

My 4590 has the rest areas already in them. I just do a search for 'rest area' and they pop up.

You can't get alerts with the built in points of interest like you can with Custom POIs

It all depends what you want in functionality.

I guess I'm different

When I start feeling tired I'll look at my Marriott POI file and then choose a location to go to. I certainly don't need to know nor hear at 09.00 am that there's a Marriott 10,000 feet away.

The exact same goes for restaurants, rest areas, gas stations etc. As far as I'm concerned, I'm able to foresee and plan accordingly if and when I'll need one of the above services. smile

--
Nüvi 255WT with nüMaps Lifetime North America born on 602117815 / Nüvi 3597LMTHD born on 805972514 / I love Friday’s except when I’m on holidays ~ canuk

actually

canuk wrote:

When I start feeling tired I'll look at my Marriott POI file and then choose a location to go to. I certainly don't need to know nor hear at 09.00 am that there's a Marriott 10,000 feet away.

The exact same goes for restaurants, rest areas, gas stations etc. As far as I'm concerned, I'm able to foresee and plan accordingly if and when I'll need one of the above services. smile

You are not different than a lot of the experienced users here. Most of us have minimal alerts (if any) as we have reached the same conclusions.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

To

To the maintainer(s) of the Rest Area file please don't take offense but is it just me or does anyone else wonder why we put so much effort into having a Rest Area POI file with alerts on our GPS.

Granted I have the Rest Area file loaded on all my Nuvi's and a 44x44 icon and a proximaty alert on my 3597, but I can't remember the last time we travelled where I missed a Rest Area whether I had the Nuvi turned on or not.

We travel many thousands of miles a year between our homes in Canada and Arizona as well as other vacation trips. There seems to always be a big blue highway sign announcing a rest area ahead, at least a mile before the exit and often 2 miles out. Many of those signs also display how far ahead the "next" rest area will be.

I'm not saying that the POI file isn't or couldn't be useful but personally I find the sign on the highway more useful as they are always there and I can keep my eyes on the road and not the GPS.

--
Nuvi 350, 760, 1695LM, 3790LMT, 2460LMT, 3597LMTHD, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, DriveSmart 61, Garmin Drive 52, Garmin Backup Camera 40 and TomTom XXL540s.

Through all of your kind

Through all of your kind comments I feel I now have the POIs and TourGuide features under control.

Perkins, Cracker Barrel, and Triple D are all on TG, the rest are set to my preferences.

I did find a bit of an issue with a TG and a standard POI being located near each other. Having Triple D set with TG and 15840 feet, and Subway at 1000 feet, you get a strange alert if both triggered. Triple D alerted me that Bruno' European Restaurant was close by and then as I approached Subway it alerted me but the info in the alert box still showed TG Bruno's but added the .2 miles. Subway never showed in the alert box. Once past Subway the box returned to the TG Bruno's ... Restaurant (without distance). I am guessing that a TG alert takes priority or that it remained just because it was the first in the box. Not a problem, just an observation.

Again, thank you all for your assistance. I did find out another thing ... EPE is not for me now that I understand how to use alerts and wanting to keep it simple.

--
Garmin nuvi 2460LMT (2)

Offended? Hardly.

t923347 wrote:

To the maintainer(s) of the Rest Area file please don't take offense but is it just me or does anyone else wonder why we put so much effort into having a Rest Area POI file with alerts on our GPS.

Granted I have the Rest Area file loaded on all my Nuvi's and a 44x44 icon and a proximaty alert on my 3597, but I can't remember the last time we travelled where I missed a Rest Area whether I had the Nuvi turned on or not.

We travel many thousands of miles a year between our homes in Canada and Arizona as well as other vacation trips. There seems to always be a big blue highway sign announcing a rest area ahead, at least a mile before the exit and often 2 miles out. Many of those signs also display how far ahead the "next" rest area will be.

I'm not saying that the POI file isn't or couldn't be useful but personally I find the sign on the highway more useful as they are always there and I can keep my eyes on the road and not the GPS.

I'm not offended. smile

As with every built in POI on a Garmin map, rest areas are inevitably out of date compared to Rest Areas Combined. However, in the US all rest areas are clearly marked and the only reason to use it is because of the alerts.

Canada, at least from what I've seen, is not marked nearly as well, and a big reason is the decentralized nature of the highway system. Each province does things differently. In general, again based upon what I've seen, visitor information centers and parks are labeled, but there is no labeling for most turnouts and scenic overlooks. In addition, the labeling isn't consistent from province to province. Naturally, I consider Rest Areas Canada to be useful on that basis.

--
"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." --Douglas Adams

Nor am I offended

And since the Rest Areas Combined file has been downloaded over 175,000 times a number of users seem to find the file useful.
I guess the whole discussion boils down to "if you don't feel the file is useful - don't download it"

Being in my late 70's, I personally find it very useful for pit stops, and for scheduling lunch breaks with our picnic basket and for my power naps.

--
MrKenFL- "Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." NUVI 260, Nuvi 1490LMT & Nuvi 2595LMT all with 2014.4 maps !

Trip Planning

t923347 wrote:

...I'm not saying that the POI file isn't or couldn't be useful but personally I find the sign on the highway more useful as they are always there and I can keep my eyes on the road and not the GPS.

Quite true - you can't miss the signs and they are always 2 miles away, but where the Rest Areas file really shines is for trip planning.

In the area surrounding New York City, there is a dearth of rest areas, and a lack of other facilities usually seen close to the interstate. Those few existing rest areas are used as via points in planning a route. If all goes well, we may not stop, but what if there is a traffic jam all the way?

Many areas in or near large cities could be similar to New York.

Thanks to MrKenFL! smile

dobs108

Should NOT Post At 2:44am!

After rereading my comment made at nearly 3am this morning, I shouldn't have said that alerts are the only reason to use Rest Areas Combined. Especially as in the rest of the paragraph I mention a good reason to use it, which is because the rest area POIs on the Garmin maps are out of date. In addition, I'm not even sure they are searchable and I don't think they have any added information to them like Rest Areas Combined.

--
"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." --Douglas Adams

Easy to miss.

t923347 wrote:

To the maintainer(s) of the Rest Area file please don't take offense but is it just me or does anyone else wonder why we put so much effort into having a Rest Area POI file with alerts on our GPS.

Granted I have the Rest Area file loaded on all my Nuvi's and a 44x44 icon and a proximaty alert on my 3597, but I can't remember the last time we travelled where I missed a Rest Area whether I had the Nuvi turned on or not.

We travel many thousands of miles a year between our homes in Canada and Arizona as well as other vacation trips. There seems to always be a big blue highway sign announcing a rest area ahead, at least a mile before the exit and often 2 miles out. Many of those signs also display how far ahead the "next" rest area will be.

I'm not saying that the POI file isn't or couldn't be useful but personally I find the sign on the highway more useful as they are always there and I can keep my eyes on the road and not the GPS.

I agree with you in general, and I usually see the Rest Area sign before I get the alert. However, as driver, I am watching signage more carefully than my passengers, so the alert gives them a chance to speak up if they need to stop without me having to ask every time I see a sign. Also, it is not uncommon to be passing a long string of semi's. RV's and other high profile vehicles right as I come to the sign. Sitting in my little low profile Elantra, it is easy to miss the sign.

--
Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

I resemble that remark!!

MrKenFL wrote:

...
Being in my late 70's, I personally find it very useful for pit stops, and for scheduling lunch breaks with our picnic basket and for my power naps.

I have a different view of one's ability to see the blue rest area signs.

While I consider myself a driver who tries to take in everything that is on the road, there are times when my view of signs is blocked or missed.

If I am in the left hand lane and there are lots of semis in the right lane, I could very well miss a sign. Or, maybe I am in the right lane and I come upon a semi, I might just be in the act of passing when the sign comes up. Or, maybe I am in the right lane and trying to determine why the person behind me is tailgating me rather than going around me (usually it is someone who wants me to go faster so they can get off at the next exit) wherein I have been looking at my rearview mirror when the blue sign went by.

Maybe I am listening to a Garrison Keilor "News from Lake Wobegon" and Garrison has just said something hilarious so that I missed the signwhile laughing.

Anyway, you get the jist that I do not think we see every sign on the side of the road.

So, I'll stick with alerts and, once again, note how appreciative I am of the work that MrKenFL puts into the file.

thank you for what you do!

I have sent you submissions for several rest areas previously, and I update and use your file full-time in all my GPS devices. I appreciate the work you put into maintaining the rest area file and wanted to thank you publicly.

--

it's the dog's fault

--
Garmin DriveSmart 5 My other toys: IMac quad-core i3, Mac Mini M1. MacOS: Ventura 13.3.1 The dog's name is Ginger.

I normally..

...set my Rest Area alert at 2600 feet. I can usually make up my mind whether or not to stop before I pass the rest area. 2600 works for me.

--
With God, all things are possible. ——State motto of the Great State of Ohio

Rest areas

I have mine set for 2000ft, enough time to get over if I am in the left lane

--
Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things!

Renaming CSV files with global proximity alerts

Sorry for a newbie question...

Just to make sure I'm clear on renaming files to set one distance across the entire file for a proximity alert, does all it take is to put a large number at the end of the file name...or anywhere in the file name?

In this thread, I found these 2 examples:
rest_area_5200
School Alert Zone.D4300.csv

Do the underscores or the periods matter?

If I wanted to be informed of a rest area 15,000 feet away, would the following 3 examples accomplish the same things?
RestAreas_15000.csv
or
RestAreas.D15000.csv?
or
RestAreas15000.csv?

Will this work on GPX files or only CSV?

Are there other "switches" you can add to a file name for things besides distance?

Thanks.

Do Not put numbers in the filename

When you put any number in the filename, you are creating a speed alert, which does not act as a proximity alert in the way you want. A number in a filename just causes trouble.

The way to enter proximity alert distances globally is by running POI Loader in auto if the default distance is all right for you, or by running POI Loader in manual and specifying the alert distance you want for each POI file. For a simple discussion of alert distances and running POI Loader both ways, see my FAQ -

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30728

There are several more complicated ways of doing the same thing, but running POI Loader in manual is the simplest.

dobs108 smile

Questions

WeekendTraveler wrote:

Do the underscores or the periods matter?

Will this work on GPX files or only CSV?

Are there other "switches" you can add to a file name for things besides distance?

Thanks.

For a filename, the underscores are permitted to be used if you want, and they mean nothing to how a POI is treated when it loads.

When running POI Loader, everything you can do with .csv files can also be done with .gpx files without modifying them.

The only switch that I ever use is "redlight" for a red light camera file. See POI Loader help for the answer to all these questions -

http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/creating_custom_po...

dobs108 smile

Icon Size

t923347 wrote:

Granted I have the Rest Area file loaded on all my Nuvi's and a 44x44 icon and a proximaty alert on my 3597, but

I had an icon that was over 24x24 pixels and the icon was cropped. How do you get the large icon to show 44x44?

--
Garmin nuvi 2460LMT (2)
Page 1>>