BMP Icons to my Garmin a no go

Custom bmp icons and wav audio files (your devices require wav files, older devices could use mp3 files) are installed along with the POI files (csv or gpx). Each running of POI Loader will compile all POIs, icons and audio into a single gpi file installed on the GPS device. If you accept the default output file with POI Loader (POI.gpi), each time you run POI Loader, the file created will pop up a warning and if approved, will overwrite the old file; e.g., if you already have a custom Walmart POI file in your GPS, then install a Tim Hortons POI file using the same output name, the Walmart will be lost. The solution is to either offer a custom output file name each time you run POI Loader, or do as I do and keep all my active POI files (the csv file) in the computer folder so when running POI Loader a 2nd time to install Tim Hortons, Walmart will be included again. There are no duplicates if you accept the default POI.gpi output file since the older one will be overwritten with the newer larger one.

So to install a custom icon or audio alert, your computer folder that POI Loader uses must have a csv (or gpx) as well as the bmp or wav file; e.g. in your case,

TimHortons.csv
TimHortons.bmp

I think I'm reading that you may be trying to install a custom icon but not simultaneously the csv or gpx POI data file. I assume you already have the POI data file loaded to your GPS and just want to add the icon. But to do this, you will need to load the POI data file again with the bmp icon.

Another possible issue if using a Windows PC is that if your computer's file/folder options are set to hide extensions for known file types, you may not see that your TimHortons.bmp file already as a bmp extension. Adding a bmp extension to "correct" this problem results in a TimHortons.bmp.bmp which will fail to install as well.

One last thought since you mention drag and drop. Some browsers will, rather than drag and drop the bmp file to your computer folder, will instead drag and drop a http link to the bmp file rather than the actual bmp file. If that's the case, you can try a different browser, try right-clicking the bmp you're trying to download and look for a "Save link as..." option, etc.

Shout if you need more help. Since I think you're working with redlight and speed camera POI files, adding a custom audio alert is also handy.

PS: Should you try to also add a custom audio wav file, all the above applies again. If using a PC, you will also need to install sox.exe as described in our FAQs. sox.exe is not needed for Macs.

Yes,
"
I think I'm reading that you may be trying to install a custom icon but not simultaneously the csv or gpx POI data file. I assume you already have the POI data file loaded to your GPS and just want to add the icon. But to do this, you will need to load the POI data file again with the bmp icon."
This is what I'm doing incorrectly,I completely buggered it up...I think I'll forego the custom audio alert file for now but thanks for setting me straight and the offer of more help if needed! greatly appreciated.
Will do it properly tonight!

Thanks again CraigW!

More about icons for Garmin can be found in this topic:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4537

Especially how to size them so they will not get too big when show on screen