curious about POI file likes or pet peeves

...like everything about them.

If I download a CSV file called "StoresAreUs" for example, what I don't like is that StoresAreUs is the lead on every location in the file. After you POI load it and then want to find a particular store, the address is hidden because of the StoresAreUS taking up the display bar.

I end up having to delete that extra info. I already know it is a StoresAreUs because that was the POI file I selected in order to see the address. It's frustrating, but I guess that's the way it is.

KenSny, if you opened the file in a spreadsheet, would you not be able to remove the name you do not want?

I would try that. But make copy of the file first.
Then say for example if all the names are in column "B" then just delete the complete column.
I may be wrong and it mightn't work.

Like it all, there's not much there to dislike. It's what I want or not.

Most of the times it is not a seperate column, so I just open the CSV in a text editor and do a find and replace. SpeedWay file is a good example of that problem for me.

If you don't like the way someone else did all the work and laid it out.. make your own.. Or...build on the work, edit it and share. Nothing, ever.. is perfect in every way.

I should do a find and replace on that one.

have no use for many locations in certain files west of Wichita, Ks. Including Edmonton, AB, So I went through the process of eliminating them.

It's not that I don't appreciate all the work that it takes to maintain these large files, because I do. I maintain 3 small ones and know what it takes.

I just was providing what I hope is some constructive criticism, but it will probably be taken the wrong way as usual.

has to do with everything that some stuff in the NAME field. The maximum number of characters that display is limited to 20.

I Don't see the point in this. Not much space is saved, a lot of time to sort and delete. Why? It will show locations near your current location first anyhow.

Column C in the Speedway file looks like this:

Speedway 2814 - 506 DuPont Hwy, New Castle

You can load the file in Excel then search and replace all for “Speedway” in column C, and all “Speedway” words will be eliminated.

Not much to dislike I know a lot of effort goes into keeping the POI's current.

I did have a problem sorting and deleting locations in states I don't visit. I found no easy way to accomplish this task I was using Excel.

I believe there was a way to save as separate states. Then you could simply merge the states you still want to use.

their is an easy was, seperate the address in to street, city, and state. then use a simple macros to select then write the state/s you want to the new file.

In the files that I maintain, the listing is in alphabetical order. Just decide on which state/states you want and just copy and paste the specific state/states to a new excel spread sheet. (Columns A thru D) Name it as a specific state or name it anything you want and make sure that this new file is saved in the csv format. Just remember that periodically when I update the total file,you will have to repeat the above to ensure that you have the latest data. If you have any questions, let me know.

I was referencing the Walmart file and KenSny was referencing the Speedway file. I actually know how to do it but it's not a major enough of a problem to make the change.

Open the file in Basecamp. Use the "select" option under the tools menu. Draw a box around the locations (state) you want to keep and save the file.

See this FAQ: http://www.poi-factory.com/node/45881

The only real complaint I have with the POI files we create here is the POI position accuracy. With some files, the POI coordinates are obtained from unverified sources leading to inaccurate routing.

An example would be a retail store located in a large mall. If the coordinates for the store itself are used, the GPS has no way of knowing where the mall entrance is located. This can lead to some interesting routing directions like the dreaded "Travel Off Road" message.

This can happen with any POI not located on or near a road which isn't in the map database. It is usually best to use coordinates for the location of where the POI driveway or private road intersects with a known road or highway. Unfortunately, this can be only be done manually using imaging programs like EPE or Google Earth.

As a maintainer myself, I understand that this is not practical for large files like Walmart or McDonalds due to their many thousand locations. Fortunately, in these cases, the POI file needs only to get you in the right ballpark. Local signage can usually get you the rest of the way.

Thankfully, this is not a common problem. All of us do the best we can in verifying our POI locations.

Please understand this is not meant to be a criticism but simply to point out a necessary "evil".

I need to make the volume 100% in order to hear Driver Alert "ding" noises.

In the volume mixer I can lower the volume of navigation, but there is noway to lower the volume of POI announcements.

I even used Audacity to lower the volume of the WAV and MP3 files which are fed into POI Loader, but the GPS still makes POI announcements 100% volume.

That would be a device restriction/problem and not a POI file problem.

If you are trying to eliminate the "Speedway" in the Name column (C), be careful because there are numerous entries that have "Super America" instead of "Speedway". You would also need to replace all of the entries of "Super America".
Hope this helps clean up your file.
Not trying to be critical here.
This is one of the best sites in the World with a lot of really great contributors - best of everything to each and every one of you.

One uses what one wants.

I rarely travel to those couple of states that still have SuperAmerica, and since Speedway bought SuperAmerica they have been slowly changing the names.

MY #1 peeve also, thanks
you are encouraging me to upload my "fixed" files

Yes, that is the way I fix my files. Actually, I do a lot more as most creators don't seem to like to fix problems that mess up readability.

NOT so much. Most devices are similar. Most POI files are messed up.

I have not noticed that. Could be my hearing aids.

How would you designate, Sam's, Neighborhood Markets, Walmart's or Murphy's so that you would know which location that you are going to?

i separated them out so I have individual files
Murphy's which I place in my GAS folder
Sam's in my DISCOUNT STORES folder
Walmart in my DISCOUNT STORES folder

Walmart file is massaged so that it has 4 columns in Excel (actually, all files only have 4)
lat, long, main display, extra info
These are lines from the 3rd column
WM, Rg, 615 Meadow St I-93 Exit 42, Littleton, NH, 03561
WM, Su, 300 Wootton St I-287 Exit 44 Boonton, NJ, 07005
WM, Nb, 10303 Metcalf Ave I-435 Exit 79, Overland Park, KS, 66212

Rg, Su, & Nb are obvious, right?
What I see when I pull it up is about 20 characters.
I think I will delete the "WM, " since the WALMART file selection is controlled by the file, I already know I am looking at WALMART.

If I am local I know where the streets are and that is all the info I need. If I am not local I don't care what street or town it is in just how far away and what direction it is and the GPS tells me that.

I have done similar things with Costco so I know if they have gas, propane, pharmacy, etc. Though the only data I have on propane is local stores.

The extra info is displayed on a different page when you ask for it. Since that info is either irrelevant (store #) or something you can't use while driving (phone number).

I guess I need to update them and post them.
My biggest problem is cleaning up the file as there are a lot of things Excel doesn't know how to deal with like extra commas, colons, misspelling, etc. Once there Excel does most of the work.

I have a macro for excel that separates the Walmart file in to Walmart, Neighbor market, sams, and murphys

I do the same for the KrogermKTS, that separates into krogers, smiths, and loaf and jug(no longer part of Kroger)

then each file is sent through EPE to crate gpx files

also do the same for marriot properties

I just uploaded my Walmart file == Walmart ONLY Created From Current Walmart_United States & Canada File ==.
I had to fix a lot in the original file to get it organized. If there are errors (which I am sure there are) it is probably that way in the original file, (for example a Canadian zip code with only 3 characters), but I may have deleted/added something I should not have.
Check it out and give me some feedback.

If I get positive feedback on it I will upload Sam's and Murphy - BUT I still need to do a compare on the Murphy's file vs the combined one in Walmart file. I don't know why there is 2 versions.

I have a good one for Costco also, and target, Burger King, McDonalds, Starbucks, and more.

For it to work as designed you need to set your poi loader up like mine. The explanation is in the upload, but I haven't seen it yet so I may need to edit it. Basically, each CSV file and support files are in a separate folder.

thanks