Creating GPX Files in Xcell?

 

Am I correct in thinking that I will have to create the file as a cvs in excell and then use a converter to end up with a gpx file?

In excell I know what goes in column A & B, what additional info goes in the following columns and in what order so that the converter will produce a dialable gpx file?

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Firemen Like It Hot, Wet, and Nasty !

FAQs

I don't mean to be a pain in the a$$ but the FAQs are REALLY helpful. That's where I've started creating my POIs.

Been There

Thanks for the advice, been there and several other places trying to figure things out and understand. After many hours of looking, I thought I would ask, otherwise why have a forum?

--
Firemen Like It Hot, Wet, and Nasty !

.

Ok, you can't create a GPX file with Microsoft Excel if that's what you are asking.

If you look on this page from the FAQs, you will see the proper format for a CSV for Garmin GPS units.

http://www.poi-factory.com/garmin-csv-file-format

Values in each row are arranged as follows: longitude, latitude, name, comment

-110.12345,44.98765,"ACME Shoe Store","Phone: 555-829-8293"

In order for the phone numbers to be dialable, the file must be a GPX. And just converting a CSV won't do it.

Probably the most simple way to do it is to use GeePeeEx.

http://geepeeex.googlepages.com/

Here's another way.
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/6202

Converting CVS to GPX

Thanks Mama,

What I was trying to do is create a CVS file in Excell and then using POI edit to convert the resulting cvs to a gpx. From what you are saying, that will not give me a gpx file with dialable numbers, correct?

--
Firemen Like It Hot, Wet, and Nasty !

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Where's Phil when we need him??

I believe that if you use GeePeeEx to convert the file, then the numbers will become dialable.

Here's a quote.

Convert CSV files to GPX. Optionally and uniquely, GeePeeEx Editor will search for valid telephone numbers in CSV files(column 4 data) and will place these in the correct GPX field to allow auto-dialling!! Multi-column csv files are now supported, with pre-defined field mapping for Outlook and Outlook Express.

I know from Brian's extensive testing that MapSource will not produce properly formatted GPX files for dialable phone numbers.

But Phil's the expert and I'm sure he will be along.

What time is it in the UK?

:-)

Motorcycle Mama wrote:

Where's Phil when we need him?? What time is it in the UK?

I was busy making a map smile ... but you're doing a fine job!

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

.

And you appeared right on cue!!

: )

Maps? Who needs maps? We need POIs!

: )

So, aquafire, I do not believe that POI Edit will properly convert the CSV to a GPX with dialable phone numbers.

My caveat is that I don't mess the the whole dialable GPX thing too much with my Custom POIs because there aren't many of them that I need to dial directly from the unit.

Just trying to learn

I don't have any plans or need to dial from the unit either, I just was trying to learn as much as I could. For that matter, I don't as a rule have much need for POI's but it's kinda fun learning and seeing what I can do.

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Firemen Like It Hot, Wet, and Nasty !

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I absolutely agree that it's fun to learn.

I was only saying that I didn't have 100% confidence in my advice regarding the "GPX and dialable thing" because I hadn't messed with it much.

GeePeeEx Editor

Motorcycle Mama wrote:

So, aquafire, I do not believe that POI Edit will properly convert the CSV to a GPX with dialable phone numbers.

My caveat is that I don't mess the the whole dialable GPX thing too much with my Custom POIs because there aren't many of them that I need to dial directly from the unit.

POI Edit is a different program and I'm not familiar with that one. GeePeeEx Editor does a real good job of finding phone numbers embedded in a CSV file and plugging them into the "Phone" field when importing the CSV file. This would make the phone number "dialable" from those units with bluetooth support.

Actually Excel can create a GPX file

I have an Excel VBA script which does convert a CSV file to a GPX file. John Brannigan created it on 4/6/2007 and posted it here, which is where I got it. Works very nice.

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___________________ Garmin 2455, 855, Oregon 550t

Here's the link

Here's the link to the posting with the Excel sheet that has the GPX generation code.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/2810

Don