Rest areas

If you want to change the distance alarm you'll have to run POI Loader again on the file. The newer version of the file will overwrite the older version if installed to internal storage. If installed to the SD/MicroSD card, you'll be prompted to update the file in internal storage. You can say no, if you don't want to update.

You can also have the GPI files created on the computer and then transfer them manually.

To Strephon's reply, The individual state files often had the location set in the rest area itself so they wouldn't alert if they were too far from the road. The combined file has the location at the entrance ramp so it will always alert if enabled.

The combined file covers the Interstates so I don't think that all of a state's rest areas are in the file as some could and are on roads other than Interstates.

POI Loader will not override files on some older GPSr's, it will create duplicates. On my old 1490, I first have to remove the existing files and then run POI Loader again to add the new files. I'm not sure exactly why but it likely has something to do with file structure. The problem does not exist with my 3597.

The Rest Areas Combined file is the only up to date rest areas file. Nobody is updating the state rest area files. There is no point in downloading the state files because the combined file is so small it hardly takes up any space on the nuvi.

All New York rest areas are in the combined file. Several years ago I considered updating the New York file until I realized there was no point. The nature of rest areas is that many are located near the state line in different states for each direction. If you are in New York the nearest rest area may be in Pennsylvania.

In my travels through eight states between Vermont and Maryland, the Rest Areas Combined file has been 100% correct.

dobs108

I use the combined file for my nuvi but for my car I open the file in Basecamp and select only my states needed for my car because of space limitations in the Honda.
That way I can always use the updated combined file.

On the Nuvi 2450 if you use the same file name and structure with poi loader it will override but if you change the name it will add the new file

I make it a practice to always work with my poi files on my computer and keep them in a specific structure then I delete the poi file on my nuvi and reload the complete files from my computer. All my files are updated each time I work on anything.

Based on your comments, I would suggest that you start afresh with all of your POIs. This would mean clearing all of the .gpi files from your device and from your SD card if any .gpi files exist there.

Now, to clear .gpi files from the SD card, this must be done manually.

To clear .gpi files from your device, you can either do this manually or use POI Loader to do it for you.

Once you have a clean slate, I would suggest that you download the latest Rest Areas file from
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/6643
placing this file into a new Folder which you might name "MyPOIs" (without the quotes). I am suggesting this so that you can walk through the process of loading POI files anew and get comfortable with it again since it has been several years (if I read the post correctly) since you have done this.

Most of the experienced members on this site suggest that you not try to break out files into individual state files. First, there is the risk of error in doing so and second, you might want to venture just a few miles into another state that you had not considered and then you would not have the appropriate files. Further, your devices are not so memory constrained that it would make any difference.

When you do a fresh load of Rest Areas, you can choose a comfortable distance like 5280 feet. That is what I use as it gives my wife and me enough time to decide if we want a pit stop.

I have no idea what would happen if your device has a file called xyz.gpi in internal memory and a file called xyz.gpi on the SD card in a POI folder there. In any event, I would suggest keeping your POI files (and by this I mean specifically the .gpi files that are compiled by POI Loader) in internal memory. You will find them in the POI folder on your device.

Finally, I am going to make another post following this one and detail what you will see when you run POI Loader. I hope this will be helpful in answering some of the other questions in your post. You would point POI Loader at the new folder MyPOIs when that time comes.

POI Loader

When you run POI Loader, you will get the following screens.

1. Welcome Screen - if you left click on the "Icon" in the very top left corner, you can determine what version of POI Loader you are running by then clicking on the "About POI Loader" entry of the drop down dialog.

Click Next to continue

2. Custom POI Location destination - You are given the opportunity to save Custom POIs to your "Device" or to your "Computer". Usually you will choose Device and then click Next to continue. See 3b.

However, if you choose "Computer" then you will be given:
3a. Location Selection - You will be asked to specify a folder into which POI Loader will place the .gpi file(s) it is about to create from your Custom POI input files.

Why might you want to put the .gpi files on your computer. Let's say that you have several devices that you want to update and you want all of them to have exactly the same POI files. Rather than use POI Loader to go through the procedures of loading POIs onto several devices, you could load them to a folder on your computer and then "copy" the files later to the POI folder on each device.

Note also that you could load POIs to the SD card in your device (assuming it is attached to your computer). In this case, they would need to be loaded to a folder on the SD card named POI.

When you press Next, you will be taken to 5.

3b. Device Selection - If a device was attached to the computer before you started POI Loader, it should have already found the device. If not, then you can connect the device and wait for the computer to recognize it. Once the computer has recognized the device, you can click the "Find Device" button and allow POI Loader to locate it. then, click Next to continue

4. Override or Remove POIs - The screen gives you the opportunity to
a. Install new custom POIs onto your device, or
b. Remove all previously installed custom POIs from your device.

At the top of this screen is the message:
"Please choose whether you would like to override the custom POIs on your device with new ones or if you would like to remove all custom POIs from your device."

Why "Override"? Well, in the past, POI loader ALWAYS created a file named poi.gpi (giving you no options). When Garmin changed POI Loader to give us more options, they failed to make the above wording more understandable. Actually, what you can do is to install new POIs, override previously loaded POIs, or remove all existing POI from the device.

However, to override a file already on the device, you will have to know its name. This is usually no problem because you are going to point to a "Folder" which contains the actual .csv or .gpx file(s) you are about to load. POI Loader "defaults" to the name of the Folder but you still have the option of giving the POI file another name. So, If the last time you loaded the file you used a name other than the name of the folder, you must remember that name to do a successful override. If you previously used the Folder name, then you will be asked "The custom POI file names "...." exists. Would you like to overwrite the file?" Answer "Yes" to do so.

If you choose the option to Remove POIs and click Next, you will get the message "To reinstall your custom POIs you will need to run POI Loader again. Are you sure you want to proceed?". Clicking "Yes" will remove all POIs and give you a "Finish Screen" . When you press "Finish", POI Loader will close.

Typically, you would be adding new POIs to your device. Select the " Install new custom POIs onto your device" and press Next to get to screen 5.

5. Select POI Folder and other settings - At this screen you select
a. Folder where the POI files (.csv, .gpx. .bmp, etc)
b. A name for the .gpi file on the device (where POI Loader will default to the name of the folder selected in step a.
c. the units you desire to use (Feet and MPH or Meters and KPH)
d. Settings Mode - Express or Manual

Note: the Folder you select can contain both files and one more level of Folders containing files.
Note: if you accept the recommended Settings mode of "Express", then you will not be able to specify Alert proximity or speeds for individual files. But, note that there may be Alert information in the POI files themselves. For example, the "camera" files from poi-factory contain information in the file name or the individual entries themselves which POI Loader will use to set alerts.

POI Loader determines speed information in the following way, listed from highest to lowest priority:

Highest: If there is Speed information in the name of an individual Custom POI entry (eg., a POI named "SpeedZone@30"), then POI Loader will set an alert speed of 30 regardless of the speed information specified in Manual mode or in the file name.

Next: Speed information entered in Manual mode.

Speed information included in the file name. NOTE: POI Loader interprets ANY numbers in the file name as speed information.

POI Loader determines Proximity Alert Information based on the following criteria, listed from highest to lowest priority:

Highest: Proximity alert information listed for individual POIs in a .gpx file. This information overrides all other proximity alert information.

Next: Proximity alert information entered in Manual mode.

Next: Proximity alert distance will be calculated by POI Loader based on speed information in the file name or in individual POI names., using the following formula: Prompt Distance = 36 seconds * Speed (where Speed is the speed information determined by POI Loader - NOT the speed at which the device is later traveling.

A default proximity alert distance of 400 meters/0.25 miles will be used if the file name contains the word "redlight."

If the "Manual" settings mode is chosen, then you will be presented with a screen asking you to select
a. Ignore this file
b. This file contains proximity alerts

If you select This file contains proximity alerts", then you are then asked to select either:
i. Alert when speed is greater than the Alert Speed, or
ii. Alert whenever you get close to a point

If you select the speed alert, you will enter a speed which will generate an alert if the device is traveling above that speed when you approach the coordinates of the POI.

If you select the proximity alert, then whenever your device enters the bottom of an imaginary rectangle which is centered on the road on which the device is traveling and which rectangle's height is the proximity distance you entered and which rectangle's width is 60 meters (approximately 196 feet) AND the coordinates of the individual POI fall within the rectangle, THEN a proximity alert will occur.

After POI Loader has cycled through all the files in the Folder to which it was pointed, it will provide a message as to how many individual POIs it has loaded. Then, you can click Finish to close POI Loader.

Thanks to all who replied. It seems that over time I have 'forgot' how to do certain things. If one doesn't do it on a weekly basis, or so, it becomes lost. I think that a clean slate for the extras for me should be in order with all rest areas added. Thanks for the suggestions.

jgermann, I tried to delete the extras POI files using POI downloader. Each time it would state an error has occured. With unit hooked up to computer, I go into the SD card and click my way to 'my POIs' with a .GPI ending. Are the items ending in .GPI the ones in 'extras' on SD card and those are the ones that I can manually delete to start new?
The internal memory has a POI file but it is empty. Can I delete the POI file .GPI off the SD card then start anew and load new POI files into internal memory? With things backed up, I still have a fear I will click on wrong button. Thanks

You have a 1390 and a 1450 listed in your profile. The quick check would be when you turn on your units do they tell ask if you want to copy files from your card to internal memory? If not, then there are no POI files on the card.

The version of POI Loader that has been out for quite a while now does two things much earlier versions didn't do. The first thing is they will change your unit's directory structure to create a \POI folder if one is not there. The second thing is they then write a GPI file into that folder that has the same name as the folder on your computer holding the CSV and GPX files you want.

So, let's ask. Do you see a POI folder on your unit? If not, do you see any folders on the unit such as voice or GPX? If you don't see these folders, then the POI folder is inside a hidden folder, the dotsystem or .system folder. You need to set your computer so you see hidden system folders and check again. (POI Loader knows about this folder structure and will erase the POI files in them without you being able to see them.)

Sounds like you install poi's to an SD card. So, yes you can delete the.gpi from the card.

You also state that internal memory has poi file that is empty. I suspect you meant to say poi folder. If the folder is empty that also tells me you are installing to card.

However, every time you turn the unit on you should get a question asking if you want to install your poi's to internal memory. Depending on the unit you can say no (I cant recall the exact circumstances of this) but my 1350 asks every time because my poi's are on the SD card.

Voice, GPX also is there. When the 1450 is turned on, 'new extras found on card', shows up. It does ask if I want to install this data in case card is removed. I always say no.
I downloaded the POI loader from Garmin site but there is an error when I try to delete .GPI from GPS. Must be doing something wrong. Will delete them manually next time I hook up to computer so I can install fresh POIs. Thanks

The POI are not on the unit, they are on the card so when POI Loader shows your unit, you need to change that to the card. Then everything will work as it's supposed to.

Then there is a drop down menu. Pick Nuvi****memory card.

THAT is what I did wrong. I didn't select my memory card when it found my device. It worked. I will now start again to select new POIs to install.
Many suggestions earlier in this thread and on other threads will help me. Is this not seeing the forest for all the trees?? Hope others can learn from my simple, small mistake. OK, it was BIG.
Thanks again.

I had not thought about what POI Loader would do if there were not a POI folder on the device. Indeed, it will create one on the device.

But then I thought about the other option that POI Loader permits - which is to put the compiled .gpi file on the "Computer". Note that "Computer" can mean the SD card for your device. Now I knew that POI Loader did not create a \POI folder in the, say, Mygpis folder on the computer but I wan not sure about an SD card in the device so I decided to check that out. Here is what I found (and then some)

Where Can POI Loader put its files?

To Device (tested using a 2595)
1. No POI folder exists: A \POI folder will be created in root and .gpi file placed there..
2. POI Folder exists: used existing POI folder for .gpi file

To SD Card
1. SD card in device: When no Folder exists on the SD card, POI Loader will give the message "The folder you specified is invalid., please click 'Browse...' to choose a new folder to continue."
a. If a Folder of any name is created and pointed to, POI Loader will put the .gpi file in this folder. No \POI folder created.
b. If a \POI folder was created and pointed to, it would proceed. Put .gpi file in this \POI folder.
2. SD card as removable disk to computer: Same results.

So the upshot seems to be that POI Loader will use a Folder of any name on the SD card to use for creating a .gpi file and the device seems to look for .gpi files anywhere on the SD card, including in the root (even though POI Loader will not put one there).

Having placed .gpi files on an SD card, when device boots, user will be asked
"New Extras data found on card. Install this data to make it available if the card is removed?
| | Do not ask me again"

Various scenarios:
1 Answer "No" without check box checked: The .gpi files are available, but no files are transferred to the device AND you will be asked again every time you boot the device.
2. Answer "No" and checking the check box will make the files available, but no files are transferred to the device BUT you will not be asked again AND it will appear that the .gpi file is on your device until you delete the .gpi file from the SD card.
3 Answer "Yes" without check box checked gives you a Screen with .gpi files listed and choices to "Cancel" or "Install. Note: if there are more than one .gpi files, you will see "Select All" as a choice and the "Install" will be greyed out until you make a choice. .gpi files are listed as Custom POIs.
a. checking one or more files (but not all) and pressing "Install" transfers the .gpi file(s) to the device and you will not be asked about those files again. You will be asked again about any .gpi file not transferred.
b. checking "Select All" or checking all of the .gpi files listed will transfer all of the files to the device.

Now I will have to go get my 765 and check out if POI Loader is any different on that device.

If you search back on some old threads.You will find that running poiloader to the sd card would create the necessary file structure.I remember answering that question in the past.Quick search showed http://www.poi-factory.com/node/8369 back in 2007 mariner pointed that out.

At least on my 2595, pointing POI Loader at a SD card will not create ANY structure.

Would appreciate it if you would try it with the SD card in your device! Note that you do not have use any .gpi file you create as you can delete it or them after your trial.

On my 265 that I don't have with me.I loaded custom pois to the blank SD card some time ago.Didn't set up any folder structure prior to installation.Folders and gpi file was created by Poiloader.

Just put blank SD Card in Nuvi 2597.Ran Poiloader and selected SD Card.All cusom pois loaded to it with no problems. Went back to SD card and found the following structure installed by Poiloader.Garmin Folder,Poi Folder and inside that folder was my My Pois.gpi.

Charlie, you are indeed correct. Interestingly enough, I also am correct based on what I wrote.

If I click the "down arrow" beside my 2595, then I get a choice of the SD card. When I send a POI to this selection, then POI Loader will create a \Garmin folder and within that create a \POI folder into which it will put the .gpi file compiled from the POI to which it is pointed.

What I had not done was to assume that the card was a "Garmin Device"; I treated it as part of the "Computer" and used "browse" to get to the SD card.

POI Loader will create .gpi files (and no file structure) when the SD card is accessed through the "Computer" choice rather than the "Garmin Device". All it wants is a folder of any name.

Either technique will result in .gpi files on SD cards and both techniques will cause the device, when booted, to detect the .gpi files on the SD card.

Further, one can copy a .gpi file to the root of the SD card from anywhere it was compiled and the device will find it when it boots.

So, you may not always find a \POI folder on the SD card, but there may be .gpi files on the card somewhere which the device will access. This is different from the device itself where it will only "use" .gpi files from the \POI folder (even though other folders may contain .gpi files).

For the benefit of new members coming on board . It would be best to stick with selecting the pull down arrow and select the SD Card for the custom poi installation if the plan is to use the SD Card.Making them aware the file structure would be installed by Poiloader.

I went back to check to see what results I would get.

1.Put gpi file on SD card .No file structure.
2.Fired up GPS and all my custom pois showed up.So far so good.
3.Rand poiloader selected SD card and then remove all pois.
4.Rebooted GPS and the gpi file was still there.Several attempts and the gpi would not remove.
5.Manually deleted gpi file from GPS.
6.Ran poiloader,selected SD card to install custom poi files.
7.GPS showed Garmin Folder ,Poi folder and inside that was the gpi file.
8.Rebooted gps.
9.Selected SD card again then remove all pois.
10.Result all of the folder structure was removed.

In my case with the nuvi 2597 the stand alone gpi file could not be removed using poiloader.Potential problem if user does not manually remove the gpi file.

Only using the file structure could I use poiloader to remove the gpi file.

Charlie, you make a good point. The proper (and best) way is using the pull down arrow and selecting the SD card.

Part of my purpose in fooling around with the SD card directly was to check what happens in circumstances where someone has not followed proper procedures. Having spent much of my working career (and I am now retired) in Information Technology, I tend to think about what happens in the non-proper situations.

When solving POI type problems, we usually suggest that the person use POI Loader to "Remove all previously installed custom POIs from your device" because that cleans the device.

Looking back at one of my previous posts in this thread I made the statement that .gpi file needed to be removed manually from SD cards. That would not be true if all .gpi file(s) had been loaded to the card using the pull down arrow in POI Loader. However, I usually suggest for a SD card that the person do a Windows Explorer "Search" for .gpi files and manually delete all of them.

One other thing that intrigued me was that, for our 25xx models which come in MTP mode, POI Loader will create the separate \POI folder (on the same level as the \Garmin folder) on the device if that folder does not exist (perhaps having been deleted by mistake).

However, on a SD card in these same models, the file structure POI Loader creates is the \Garmin\POI folder combination - which combination was standard (I think) before MTP devices.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and guidance. Now that I have re-remembered certain things, there is another question. When loading the rest areas, I also added the icon and sound notification with the proximity alerts. I can check the junction views of a route while stationary at home. How do I check the rest areas for the icon and sound? I did get the distance correct as when I looked it did show an alert notification of 1 mile. Any ideas?

It depends a bit on what nuvi you're using. It looks like you have a nuvi 1390 and 1450 and I'll guess/hope it works like my older 855. If your devices work more along the lines of the newer nuvis, modify what I say below.

To test icons and sound (and alert distance) with my 855, I start by acting as though I want to route to it; i.e., Whereto, Extras, Custom POIs, RestAreasCombined, then tap one of the offered Rest Area locations. In addition to the big Green Go button, you should have a green button to tap that says Play Audio. If it's there and if tapping it gives you your Custom audio, it's set. If it's not there or if it only offers a default 'boing,' then you haven't loaded your custom audio as desired. And at the same page (with the green Go button), there should be a button to tap that says ShowMap. Tap it and you should see your custom icon at the POI location assuming the custom icon was loaded. If you only see a black dot, your custom icon did not load. My 855 is the closest to your 1390 and 1450 so I hope it works the same way. Garmin has changed the way to obtain these results many times over their various device offerings so my easy suggestion that works with an 855 may not work for your device.

A guaranteed way to test your Rest Area icon and custom sound (and alert) is to either drive or simulate a route to or past a Rest Area and see what you hear and see. If the nearest Rest Area is quite a ways off, you could speed your results by doing a Simulated Route after setting a location (Set Loc) near the rest area. At your alert distance, if all is loaded properly, you should get the custom audio alert at the alert distance, then as your Rest Area comes into view, you should see the icon.

Note, too, that some nuvis may only display your custom icon after zooming in to some level. Also, some of the newer nuvis require that the map layer that has your custom icons be enabled.

I pulled this from Garmin support and it applies to both of your units.

Most automotive devices will only display icons on the map for your saved Favorites or custom Points of Interest (POI) files that you may have installed. To view the custom POI icons, you will need to zoom in the map to 200 feet or closer. The preloaded points of interest (restaurants, hotels, attractions, etc.) will not display icons on the map if they are not also saved favorites.

The device will show the POI icons on the map when it has started moving or is in an active route.

POI icons will NOT display on the map if your map view is set to either North Up or Track Up.

Thanks to charles, craig and others. When I did my turn by turn on my 1450, I did have to zoom closer to see the icon. With the green GO button, I do not have a 'play audio' button. Viewing map in 3D. I then did a simulation of trip to nearest rest area and I did hear the announcement. Its location is less than 15 miles from my home. Will have to do a real trip soon. Which brings another subject. In a simulation trip, how do you get the vehicle to move faster?

Vehicle will proceed at the speeds at which you yourself typically drive on each type of road.

Yeah, there's no fast forward. I sure would add that to the wish list.

See https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?... for Route simulation. Since you can't speed up the vehicle.What you need to do is change the start point to something closer for your test.On the link I gave you read the part. "With the GPS Simulator on, you may now use the nuvi to simulate a route to a given destination. If you would like to simulate a route from a different starting point than your current location, follow the steps below after turning the simulator on".

As far as I'm concerned the speed factor is totally useless.

I can see an entire 500 + mile route and every road & turn it'll take under a minute by pressing the bar at the top of the screen.

If I want to simulate a sound or icon to see if they're working properly, just set your location 1/2 mile away and voila

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/31482