General Questions & Deleting Custom POIs from SD card on Nuvi 350

 

I am a new nuvi 350 owner and have been playing with the whole custom POI thing. I have POI LOader 2.4.2 loaded, and a 4GB SD card (which seems to work ok).

I have several questions:

1. I understand I can’t see the Garmin POIs on the map in nav/drive mode, but can I see Custom POIS in nav/drive mode? It looks like if I zoom all the way in and out once I see the custom icon. That is pretty tight zooming in. It doesn’t give me much chance to react to an upcoming POI. It would be nice to see that a Starbucks is coming up to tell me that instead of searching one out, or passing it by. Sometimes the thought alone triggers the need for high priced java.

2. I have created a structure on my PC for the SD card for the custom POIs. I have on my PC nuvifiles\SD_card\Garmin\POI\then subs for schools, rest_areas, etc. Inside each folder is a CSV, BMP for the map, and MP3 for the alert. I then use the POI loader to load single folders at a time, then rename the poi.gpl file to schools.gpl. Is this the correct procedure? I can’t seem to be alerted that I am in a school zone.

3. I am also having problems deleting custom POIs from the nuvi. I use the POI loader to remove all custom POIs from nuvi, and while it says they are gone, I go back into favorites/custom POIS and they are still listed there. I think I read that it only removes pol.gpl, but even so, they still show up in the list. I have gone in and deleted them through explorer off of the SD card, but they are still in the list when I unplug it. The only way to remove them for me is to delete ALL FAVORITES and start over. Is that the right process? If so, it is a pain resetting up my work and home, etc all the time.

Thanks for any feedback/answers you can help with. I am excited to use my nuvi on a trip to Yellowstone this weekend. I have some POIS downloaded already for the trip. Does anyone know of TourGuide files for the Yellowstone area? I can’t seem to find any.

OK....thanks again and sorry to be such a noob. smile

Yes for Favorites

That is correct for favorites. You have to erase user data (which isn't POI). For POI you can either erase the files or erase using POI loader. If that didn't work call Garmin. See also my other post for both POI and favorite procedures.

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1. One of the distinct advantages of Custom POIs is that most unit will display the Custom POIs much further zoomed out than the built in POIs. For example, on my Zumo, the Custom POIs show up when I am zoomed to 0.3mi or closer. The built in POIs don't show up until I am zoomed to 300 feet or closer which is almost unusable IMHO. I definitely agree that it would be nice to see them at least a little further out.

2. Are you setting an alert when you load the school file with POI Loader? You will have manually set an alert in order to be alerted. Also, be sure that you have alerts enabled on your unit.

3. My thought is that POI Loader will probably only delete the POI.GPI file. Any renamed files will likely have to be removed manually. Be carefully in the terms you are using because FAVORITES and Custom POIs are two different things.

Are you using a Mac? If you delete files with a Mac, they will end up in a trash folder and won't be deleted until you empty that.

sendicott

1. You can see custom poi, bmp's in nav mode. Some models differ as far as what zoom level they are seen at, most seem to be at 300ft and closer.
For your caffeine fix, you could set a proximity alert, that would give you an audible alert and you wouldn't have to worry about "looking" for the icon.
It could drive you crazy while driving though.

2. You could remove the "schools.gpi" and reload it in manual mode, checking the appropriate box for speed or proximity alert and setting the speed or distance. Then either test it via simulated drive, or real drive then rename back to "schools.gpi" if you wish.

3. If you have renamed a poi.gpi file to "something else.gpi" I don't believe Poi loader will remove that. As MM said, only the Poi.gpi may be removed.
The Mac trash is a possibility.

I have a question;

sendicott wrote:

I go back into favorites/custom POIS and they are still listed there.

Are custom poi's not found on the nuvi 350 by;

Where to? > My Locations > Custom POIs?

--
........Garmin StreetPilot c550 / Nüvi 765...........

EZ Clean-up: nuvi6xx Favorites

First back-up and clean-up:

1) Back up current.gpx

2) Start unit in maintainence mode (hold upper-left corner at start up)

3) Select Waypoints and confirm. User settings will be reset and your Favorites will be gone. Custom POI will still be there (but best to keep a back-up).

To "rebuild" your Favorites:

A) If desired, edit a copy of current.gpx from step 1 above. Save As myfile.gpx.

B) Copy myfile.gpx to the garmin/gpx directory.

C) Restart Unit. Your Favorites (with the addition of 3 Garmin locations) are now available (with any edits).

D) Reconfigure user settings including Bluetooth pairing/bonding.

CAUTION: It is possible to make your unit non-functional if you directly modify current.gpx on the unit. The above procedure safely avoids this pitfall.

--
- Keith

?

kgendler wrote:

CAUTION: It is possible to make your unit non-functional if you directly modify current.gpx on the unit.

Is it? ... in what way?

--
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ----------------------               http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy           »      

More on nuvi6xx boot freeze fix

Discussing what happens when a user hacks, badly, the current.gpx file:

Hornbyp wrote:
kgendler wrote:

CAUTION: It is possible to make your unit non-functional if you directly modify current.gpx on the unit.

Is it? ... in what way?

Modifications to the file header can cause the unit to freeze during boot-up. Connection to computer via USB will be impossible. Clearing user data does nothing. Clearing Waypoints (user data goes also) will restore normal operation.

--
- Keith