ALERTS (without a route?)

If you haven’t already you will need to go to the Garmin page and download the POI Loader to your computer. Next on the right hand Column of this page near the bottom you will find a heading called “Popular content”. Under that will be POI Files for United States & Elsewhere and also Alert Sounds Library, download the stuff you need, put it all in a folder, connect your c550 via USB to your computer and install it using the POI Loader.

Let me know if this woks for you!

You didn't answer my question...

Will this give me an alert that I am within that zone, without being on a calculated route, or do you have to be on a calculated route?

See... I want these warning to go off when I am not using my device to tell me where to go. You see?

Thanks again!!

If you load the POI file using Manual Mode in POI Loader, you can see a proximity alert at whatever distance you wish.

You won't have to be on a route to be alerted.

Thank you Mama!!

Just the answer I was looking for.

Which school Zone POI would you say is the best to download, from here?

Thanks

Yes, this is the best one.

http://www.poi-factory.com/poifiles/us/schools

I have not looked at it lately - last time I downloaded it, there were lot's of references to 'historical' locations that I sorted out and eliminated from the file before loading to my GPSr...found I got way too many alerts for schools that are not there when using the original file.

What did you sort... see what I want is just the Government (public) schools.

And I don't have the software to edit, I don't think.

I opened the file in Excel, applied a conditional format to the name cell, giving all the ones with 'historical' in the name a different background, then sorted the file on the name column for conditional formating, then simply deleted the 'historical' records, saved the resulting csv file, and uploaded the cleansed file to my GPSr.

You may want to look at these threads ... they seem to disagree with MM:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4613

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4591

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4948

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4610

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/496

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/894

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/625

The 'on the route' alert problem is one reason MrKenFL is redoing the Rest Area POI file at:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/5001

Some more information in
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/2983

I'll probably regret posting this, but RT, I'm not sure what I've done to offend you, but you sure seem to keep taking shots at me.

I stand by my statement that you don't have to be "on a route" in order for the alerts to sound.

You do have to be on the ROAD on which the POI in located, but (at least for most units) you don't have to be "routing".

I took the OP stating "without following a route" to mean "routing". Perhaps I misunderstood the meaning.

I concur with you. I have heard many audio files ( and TourGuide waypoints ) play even though I do not have a specific route active on the GPSr.

BUT, there is always the issue of when a proximity alert will trigger. The ROAD location of a given POI is critical. I have some POIs in shopping malls and the alert won't trigger because I'm "too far away" from it.

There are times I'm on the "wrong" side of a highway and the alert is silent.

HTH
dd

I'm not taking shots at anyone, just posted links to pertinent information relating to this subject. I believe it's important to provide the questioner with all information required to solve his/her problem. Isn't a forum a place to post more than one opinion? If yours disagrees with mine, or mine disagrees with yours, so be it.

I'd expect he would set up his 'school zone' poi expecting an alert at every school. After reading the above links hornbyp and I provided, he will be aware that this will not happen.

RT

At least I think...

One is the location (as in physical coordinates)of the POI itself in relation to a road to have an alert activate - there has been ample discussion on this.

The other, is "does one have to be following a a route, as in setting a destination, and hitting "go" in order for alerts to activate?" -- I believe the answer to that is "No." - One just needs to have their GPSr set up to alert for custom POIs, and they should get an alert for said POI depending on the user settings when using POI Loader to place the file on their GPSr.

Sorry I got involved but I was the one who gave an incorrect answer to the original question posted in the first place.

Let's just all get along here... We are all just learning here. It's all trial and error!!

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the file have to include words like "safety", "speed", "GATSO" or "Cameras" to get a proximity alert? Also my Garmin 2720 gives me alerts if I'm on a route or not.

Roy

If you run POI Loader in Manual Mode instead of Express Mode, you can set alerts on any Custom POI file.

Having those key words in the file will automatically set alerts depending on the word selected.

If you're using the Windows version of POI Loader, you may want to check out its 'Help' section:
1. Start POI Loader and click the Help button.
2. Click on the Index tab.
3. Double click 'Alert Speed' in the left window.

The right window contains the info and several links to setting POI alerts.

RT

the school zone file here has some schools that are too far off the road that it doesn't alert. Just be aware of that.

As long as we are on the subject of the Windows POI Loader, I was told by somone on this site that I could download custom icons for my custom POI's,like an "R" for Radio Shack ect. However on the POI Loader for my Garmin 2720 I can't find the tab to do that. Could it be that mine being an older model I won't be able to do that like somone with, say,a Nuvi? just as my friend with a 2610 can't load POI's without making them a Waypoint.

I keep on top of things by checking for new firmware and have the most recent version of everything including City Navigator 2008.
if I'm missing something, whip out the Crayolas and explain it to me please.

Roy

I am not sure about the model, but I know that the POI Loader works fine on the Nuvi 350, C530, C550, etc.

Just make sure that the poi file (the csv one) and the icon are in the same folder and named EXACTLY alike, save the extention.

wildwest, if you click on the icons link at the top of the page, you will find lots of Custom Icons that you can download. If you scroll to the bottom of that page, you will find the instructions on how to properly name and locate them (as asianfire says) so that they will be loaded with your Custom POI files when you run POI Loader.

I'm pretty sure that as long as the unit supports Custom POIs the icons will work.

This is the second time I tried it folowing the directions on the icon page and it doesn't work for my 2720.
Thanks for the help,
Roy

The short answer is yes...

The long answer is set up your POI file like this:

-97.04112 32.87356 "Speed Trap DFW Airport@35"
-97.03977 32.86288 "Speed Trap DFW Airport@35"
-97.04119 32.86201 "Speed Trap DFW Airport@35"
-97.04035 32.84882 "Speed Trap DFW Airport@50"
-97.041 32.84886 "Speed Trap DFW Airport@50"

The key is the @ symbol as that tells the garmin to check your speed and alert if you are going faster than that.

You could download a POI file of schools and set markers at the .5 mile mark with descriptions such as "School Zone@20" this will make the Garmin alert you when you are 1000' from the point if you are going faster than 20 MPH

wildwest, you might want to double check to make sure that you don't have double file extensions. It happens sometimes when the file extensions are hidden on your computer.

Look for something like Starbucks.bmp.bmp instead of Starbucks.bmp. Also, be doubly sure that your filenames are case sensitive. And that you don't have any underlines where you meant to have spaces or vice versa.

Hope you can get it to work.

I couldn't find a list of supported file types in the online pdf manual.
It is possible that the 2720 does not support bmp's
It doesn't support mp3, I just couldn't find where it says it does or does not support bmp's. Perhaps another 2720 owner will report in, or call Garmin Tech Support and ask if the 2720 will support bmp's.

That may be your problem, if all the other suggestions as per the file name etc are in order.

Can I just copy a .gpx onto a SD Card and insert it into my Garmin, or do i need to use the POI Loader?
I don't like the fact that the Loader requires me to attach my Garmin...I like leaving it in the car.

Thanks,
~n

I am not 100% sure, but almost sure that if you put it on the SD card, the garmin will find it and then create the current.gpx file that includes all the gpx files that it finds.

Won't work that way. You load the csv or gpx file using poi loader...it is then changed to a gpi file.

you will end up with a poi.gpi file regardless if you initially loaded a csv or gpx.

Your "Favorites" will maintain the gpx extension but is called Current.Gpx

Explore your "Garmin" folders and you shall see.

You can however load your csv or gpx files, by utilizing Poi Loader, and directing the files to be loaded to your SD card. You still end up with a poi.gpi file on the sd card. So, yes you need to use poi loader.

I just got back from my car, and the Garmin DID pick up the .gpxs that were on the SD card.
I think that the difference is whether the locations will go into the favorites folder or they will also contain additional information (such as warnings).
The way I did it, it got the locations into my favorites folder, but I don't think it'll do anymore than this.

I guess that when you get a POI of the traffic lights and speed zones, you DON'T what these locations in your favorite folder and you DO need additional info.

My conclusion for now is that if you want addresses for directions its okay and easier to copy the .gpx to an SD and have the Garmin get it from the SD (the Garmin even stored the locations after removing the SD!)
If however you want more flexibility and uses, I guess you need to go with the POI loader.

Please correct me if I am wrong

Thanks,
~n

I didn't clarify as well as I could have.

While technically possible as you have found, your file will end up in the favorites. I was assuming (shouldn't do that) that you were looking for a short cut to get your poi files to your gpsr, and look like they do in the custom poi arena. That is the no.

The "Favorites" use the gpx extension. If you just copy a gpx file from your computer to your gpsr, as you found out it will be in your favorites.

If however, you want the flexibility of utilizing sub folders and neatly grouping your custom poi, you will need to load them using poi loader. Which will support csv and gpx files.

Sorry for any confusion.