POI problem on Zumo 550

POI locations more than a few tens of feet off the roadway will not cause an along-the-route alert. This can be rectified by making the POI a TourGuide. This is a common problem. A search here for TourGuide in the forums and faqs plus the Learn tab and Tutorials will help. A similar situation occurs with using the schools POI file for School Zone alerts. More can be found at:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/42419

There is a paragraph in the link explaining why TourGuide is needed in situations like these.

This also could have been a problem with the Rest Areas Combined POI except that MrKenFL created the file with the Rest Areas locations set to the highways' exit ramps rather than the actual rest areas' buildings or parking areas, thereby eliminating the need for a TourGuide "cure."

Note that with a TourGuide, you can still use your 5-mile alert distance, which will now be a radius alert, but in addition to alerting you to upcoming dealers along your route, it'll also alert for any dealer within the 5-mile radius, even on adjacent roadways not part of your route.

Thanks,
were do I download the TourGuide app?

All you do is change the file name. All 3 have to be identical.

H_D Dealer TourGuide.xxx

Then use manual mode and set your distance as before.

It's not an app, it's just file renaming of the three files (csv or gpx, bmp, and mp3).

The procedure must be followed precisely and there are several ways to fail, but given your success already, you're set to try it.

Rememeber (from the faq) that a TourGuide POI REQUIRES a custom audio file which can be either a mp3 for those Garmin devices still able to play mp3 files--or a wav file in the appropriate format with the correct older version of sox.exe when used with a PC. Your zumo 550 can play mp3, so you don't have to worry today about wav files or sox.exe.

See http://www.poi-factory.com/node/6764 for TourGuide info.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/42425

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/13958

I don't know how many locations are in your HD POI file, but there is one other method you could use to get HD alerts along-the-route without going the TourGuide route. It is to manually edit each HD dealer location from their current location off the roadway to be the entrance to the driveway for each dealership (duplicating what MrKenFL has done with his RestAreasCombined POI file). This would be a very seriously challenging task

This info from POI Loader help.A good source for information.Most of us just use a short message for the alert.

Creating TourGuide Files

TourGuide is a feature available on compatible Garmin devices. TourGuide files include Custom POIs with descriptive .mp3 audio files. When you approach a TourGuide point, the .mp3 file plays and provides you with information about that point, much like a guided tour. TourGuide files must be saved as .gpx files.

NOTE: TourGuide files are usually created by third party developers.

To create TourGuide points, follow the steps for creating Creating Custom POIs in MapSource and use the File/URL field to attach the appropriate .mp3 files to the points. The .mp3s must contain the word “TourGuide” in the file name to activate the TourGuide feature. For example, “TourGuide.mp3”, “TourGuide USA.mp3”, or “TourGuide 12.mp3” are all valid TourGuide file names.

After you have created all your TourGuide points, save them as a .gpx file. See Creating Custom POIs in MapSource for more information.

After you have saved your TourGuide points in a .gpx file, you can save them on an SD card or load them on your compatible GPS unit using Express Mode or Manual Mode.

Adding Pictures to TourGuide Points

You can add .jpg images to your TourGuide points by following the steps for creating Creating Custom POIs in MapSource. Save the .jpg images and TourGuide .mp3 files in a directory, then use the File/URL field to link to that directory.

You can also include the path to the .jpg image in the ID3 data of your TourGuide .mp3 file. Search the internet for more information on ID3 tags for .mp3 files.

Edit.This was the post I was looking for http://www.poi-factory.com/node/13904 .Much information here.

I can't believe it was that simple. I would like to thank everyone for their advice. There were close to 900 POI so I knew I didn't want to have to code them all by hand.

One last question to make sure I am right. If I would be willing to travel 5 miles off the interstate to visit a dealer I need to set the distance to 10 miles since it is a radius, is that correct?

That should do it.Test a few of them out. See https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?....

A warning when you use TourGuide you may trigger other alerts in the process.I set up one for all Sams gas stations and it would set off a Cracker Barrel that was inside the same radius.

Are you making me return to geometry class again?

I think you've got it backwards. If you're willing to go as far as 5 miles from the interstate you're on, you want the 5-mile radius (a 10-mile diameter: 5 right and 5 left).

Issues to be a the lookout for:

It's been guessed that TourGuides take a bit more of the GPS's processing power than a standard POI file with an alert so it may be wise to limit their use. Besides, if you set a TourGuide alert for McDonald's and Starbuck's, I doubt that the alerts would pause enough in a city to offer directions.

I think there was a bit of data showing that mp3 alerts can cause some GPS freezes when trying to do two or more things at the same time. If you ever find your Zumo freezing around the time of an mp3 alert, you could switch to wav audio files. Don't worry about this unless you find this problem.

Well done, Jeff. In the past, it's taken some folks a few days of back and forth to get the kinks out of TourGuide alerts.

900 hand-coded locations, I love it And think if some dealerships were on a corner with two driveways...

Hey I don't mind an alert for Cracker Barrel, LOL. They say you can't simulate a route on the zumo 550, but all you have to do is turn off the GPS in setting and it will ask you if you want to simulate the route.
Heading for Maine and I don't want to mis and HD dealers along the way.

Have a nice trip.Report back on how the TourGuide works out for you. May benefit some others from what you experience on your trip.