map display of custum poi files

You have to zoom in to a certain level before the custom POIs show up. Unfortunately, since Garmin removed the maps scale, I'm not sure telling you the zoom level will help. Just zoom in really close in the map screen without having one set as a destination. They should appear at a certain level.

This can't be that hard but.......it's not displaying any custom poi's unless a specific point is selected. For example: I have several points along a route. If I "Go" to the point, it is displayed, but none of the nearby points are visable regardless of the zoom.

Thanks,
-Leonard

Do you have any BMP icons for your Custom POI files installed ! I know the Icons show up on mine on the map even when I'm just cruising by !

Yes, on a couple of custom poi's I do have the associated .bmp files installed, and they still only show up one at a time......

I just checked on my 660 and POIs show up at the 200 ft and under scale, which is pretty useless to me because that's too zoomed in for normal driving. This zoom scale shows POIs in the North, Track up modes and on the drag 'n drop 2D map. At max zoom in 3D mode, I don't get any POIs (beyond favorites), which is strange because, although many don't like that view, 3D mode is a heavily mentioned feature by Garmin and other GPS manufacturers.

The icons associated with your "Favorites" ( as opposed to "Extras" -> "Custom POIs" ) will show on all maps regardless of zoom level. The nüvi 600 series has a limit of 500 Favorites but that might do in some situations.

2-cents
dd

That I already know about the favorites...

Hey there,
I was wondering the same thing. I loaded a bunch of gas stations, malls, and others etc., theoretically, if this is loaded into my 650, while i'm driving by, it should show the locations correct? Specifically, it should show the icons that were loaded. I don't necessarily have to select a particular location and "go". That was my initial impression. I cannot confirm, because my wife has the unit, and she only pays attention to her destination (no respect for the technology). Another question, if a particular icon shows up, can i just touch the icon and the gps will take me there, instead of selecting it manually?

If you are driving by the locations, they should show up on the map, however, you will need to be zoomed in far enough on the map. Each unit has a different threshold for how far you need to be zoomed. To find out what that is for your unit, just zoom all the way it at one of your POI locations and then zoom out until you don't see them.

Unfortunately, you can't just touch the icon and have the GPS take you there. However, if you are browsing the map (and I'm not sure if the 650 will allow you to "browse the map" by simply touching the scree, but some units will), anyway, if you are browsing the map, then you can select the POI location and hit "Go!" to navigate to the location.

Can someone confirm that POI's, including custom POI's do not appear in 3D mode at any zoom level.

They show up on the Zumo in 3D mode.

With or without alerts set?

I know my nuvi 200 will show POIs that I have alerts set for when in 3D mode. I am not sure about Custom POIs without an alert set though.

PT

I don't have alerts. They are just POI's I created. I will try adding alerts and see if they show up in 3D.

Is it difficult to add the icons?

Th e icons are easy to add. Just read the instructions on the icons page; they are easy to follow.

How Do I Load BMP Icons into my Garmin
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4359

I've created a custom POI using POI factory's POI creator and choosing "Garmin CSV - no line breaks (easier to import)" but I do not see the text I made for the POI's. Instead I see only a dot signifying the custom POI when I pass it. Everything else works fine (alerts) but I don't want to see a bmp just the text I put in the POI when I pass it on the map.

Any advice? (Nuvi 760)

I don't have your brand/model but this is pretty basic stuff. I think you are going to have to select (touch) the icon (dot) for the unit to display the description for that POI.

It can't display the text automatically 'cause if you were approaching a location with several POI's, the screen would be full OR the text would cover each other up.

Thanks for the response but in the locations for these POI's (friend's homes) that is the only POI in the area. Oh well, I guess I'll have to be satisfied with the default "dot" that shows up on the map or place another generic bmp icon there. It's too bad it doesn't work like when you create a favorite on the unit and the text displays there.

Yeah, the text name does not show for Custom POIs on Garmin units.

I believe that that's one reason why the Custom Icons are popular. The icons allow you to visually identify the locations instead of just having a dot.

Thanks, that makes sense why the icons are so popular. Maybe Garmin will implement this in a firmware upgrade. Sometimes an icon is too generic and I prefer to see text associated just like the favorites.

Like it was already stated, it would just get too cluttered and you wouldn't be able to see your route or any other information that is more important. It really is the best way. If you notice when there are alot of icons around, how congested it can get, imagine words all over the screen in addition to the street names and such.

Thank you for the feedback but I respectfully disagree with your viewpoint. The screen will of course be cluttered if I have too many poi's in a small area and have my map detail set too high, I do understand this. As I have already alluded, the favorites function when inputted directly onto the unit accomplishes what I am looking the custom poi's I've created to do. Instead of leaving them in favorites, I was hoping for a way to do this via custom poi creation. I am hoping Garmin adds this in a future upgrade with an option to either show text or not so the user can decide.

I’m not sure if this will help you but. I have the Kenwood G510 GPS made by Garmin. I to was having this problem of having to zoom in to a cretin zoom level. I found that I had my POI set to auto. I took it out of auto setting and set the unit to show POI’s at a 5 mile radius. Now my Icons show up before I can see them on the screen. Just a thought check your setting and see if you have POI’s set to auto. I’m not sure if the other Garmin GPS units have this in the GPS setup but they may.

Thank you Dynarider but Motorcycle Mama is correct, showing the text description of a poi on my Nuvi is not currently a function. My only option is to show an icon for the poi's in that file. I am able to see the dot representing a poi at a location just not the text description on the map. I only see text when I am in the range of the alert I set shown on a line on the top of the display, not on the map itself.

Oh well, I'll just send Garmin the suggestion and hope they incorporate it in a future update.

And for locations where you might want the functionality of both POIs and Favorites, you could have the location loaded in both places.

if you tap the Icon, it will show the name of the POI.

Essentially I am hoping for the same functionality for my poi's as I have with favorites and keep my favorites clear so I can use them for temporary locations I want to input on the fly and have my poi's for permanent locations. I'd rather be able to see their text descriptions on the map while drive by or in the vicinity without having to tap the screen as it is with locations in the favorites. A generic icon isn't descriptive enough to me for some poi's.