Are All POI Files In Excel Format Now?

CSV or GPX are the two formats used. CSV is a spreadsheet (like Excel) format.

GPX, I believe, is done using a POI Editor file. It allows adding in some extra info, like phone numbers that the GPS can then use to dial a phone number for Bluetooth capable units.

CSV is simpler to edit than GPX. It can be loaded into any spreadsheet or even open end edit in simple text editor. For GPX you need editor that can understand this format and you can edit only one record at the time. So CSV is more accessible for anybody, who wants to work on file. That's probably reason to keep this format as basic.

Thank you for the replies. I could have sworn that I created mine in something super simple, like Word or Word Pad, but it has been so longer ago that I really don't remember for sure.

Create the POI files in Notepad, which saves to a .txt file. When you are finished, just rename the file to a .csv file.

If I ever want to open a .csv POI file for editing, I right-click it and choose "open with" and then "Notepad." Later I save it as a .csv file.

dobs108

Dobs108,

Thank you so much. That must of been how I did it years ago. While I do have other projects, I just might get motivated and create some new POI files!

Jim1348

Extra POI Editor can edit all files at once. If you want to give all files a proximity alert of 2 miles, for example, you can go in and change all proximity alerts very quickly.

I meant editing record's content. For example you need to change all record that have word "teksas" in them to "Texas". Or select only record that are around some specific point. It's quite simpler in spreadsheet. In addition you can view, filter and sort them according to needs quite easily. Or find duplicates. True, it's matters only when you are doing some serious overhaul of this file, but still useful.

CSV and GPX are two common GPS "file formats" - which identify the way data in a file is arranged and stored. Excel is one of a number of spreadsheet "programs" that will read/write files in quite a variety of formats - including some usable by GPS units.