Putting Caches on Garmin Nuvi

[+Mr&MrsWunderbear]

I have a Garmin Nuvi in my car and want to put caches onto it!.

 

I have generated a pocket query but when I send it to my GPS all that shows is the GC code and I can't search by name.

 

I transfer to my handheld GPS with everything. Name, GC code, Description, hints etc.

 

How do I do this on my Garmin Nuvi!

 

Please help!

[+Harry Dolphin]

Curious. I use GSAK, Nuvi_GPX_by_CT macro, and Garmin POI Loader. I get the same info on the GPSr as I do on the nüvi. The nüvi is easier to read, but stays in the cache mobile.

[+Mr&MrsWunderbear]

Curious. I use GSAK, Nuvi_GPX_by_CT macro, and Garmin POI Loader. I get the same info on the GPSr as I do on the nüvi. The nüvi is easier to read, but stays in the cache mobile.

 

You lost me at Curious. Is there anywhere I can get a guide for this! I've downloaded GSAK but am not familiar with it!Where do I even start?

[+Lieblweb]

I can't speak for specifics, but my husband has been using GSAK ...EXPORT...GARMIN POI. He saves the file to the desktop.

 

Then, hooks up the Nuvi....drills into the file structure and deletes certain files that already exist and drags the new file directly onto the NUVI file structure.

 

We used to use a macro, and POI LOADER, but something happened to POI Loader that it wasn't working - so he found a different way of doing it and ridding the usage of the macro & POI Loader.

 

Sorry I don't have detailed specifics. We don't run it very often, but the next time...I should write down the details.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Lieblweb

[+Mr&MrsWunderbear]

I can't speak for specifics, but my husband has been using GSAK ...EXPORT...GARMIN POI. He saves the file to the desktop.

 

Then, hooks up the Nuvi....drills into the file structure and deletes certain files that already exist and drags the new file directly onto the NUVI file structure.

 

We used to use a macro, and POI LOADER, but something happened to POI Loader that it wasn't working - so he found a different way of doing it and ridding the usage of the macro & POI Loader.

 

Sorry I don't have detailed specifics. We don't run it very often, but the next time...I should write down the details.

That would be a big help. I still can't get to grips with it!

[+Harry Dolphin]

Oh. GSAK is very techie. Fortunately, I have a techie brother who helps me with it, or I'd be completely lost.

I have s series of PQs set up. NJ01 asks for all caches in New Jersey hidden between January 01 2000 and April 04 2007. Based on my home zip code. Under Sate/Provinces I checked New Jersey. That's 995 caches (of the 100 permitted.) That I have not found, and are not on my ignore list. You have to work with it to keep it under 1000. I update my lists every so often. NJ02 asks for all caches in NJ hidden between April 05 2007 and August 10 2008. That's 981 caches. Keep them under 1000. Yes. There's a lot of work to get this to work! But after the original set up, it's minor work get them near but below 1000. Continues up to NJ13.

I have a second set for any caches within 65 miles but not in New Jersey. (Parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.) Eleven of those. Plus New Caches in the Past Week within 65 miles. Hey. It works for me!

I use GSAK to into my major Data Base (Dolphin 65 Miles). Well, that is over 20000 caches. But it will give you a data base to work with. In GSAK, you can sort by name. (You probably do not need that large a data base...)

Nearest 0 cache is 14 miles away. Nearest 1 is 14 miles. Nearest 2 is 10 miles away. Nearest 3 is 6 miles off. &c.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I can't speak for specifics, but my husband has been using GSAK ...EXPORT...GARMIN POI. He saves the file to the desktop.

 

Then, hooks up the Nuvi....drills into the file structure and deletes certain files that already exist and drags the new file directly onto the NUVI file structure.

 

We used to use a macro, and POI LOADER, but something happened to POI Loader that it wasn't working - so he found a different way of doing it and ridding the usage of the macro & POI Loader.

 

Sorry I don't have detailed specifics. We don't run it very often, but the next time...I should write down the details.

 

I love learning things on this forum. I did the above with my HUNT database...it created a waypoints.gpi file on my desktop which was 78 kb. If I use poi loader and put a file on my desktop it shows as poi.gpi and is 1.04 MB. Both files can be dragged/dropped in to the Nuvi POI folder but as expected the poi.gpi file shows ALL the data ( description, Hint, logs, etc ) while the waypoints.gpi file has VERY limited info.

As with all poi's you have to be zoomed in so far to see the icons that its a near useless feature....the poi file shows the caches as boxes while the waypoint icon is shown also but I can't quite make out what it depicts.

 

Ask your husband if he gets ALL the info. using the EXPORT POI feature....I don't.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Curious. I use GSAK, Nuvi_GPX_by_CT macro, and Garmin POI Loader. I get the same info on the GPSr as I do on the nüvi. The nüvi is easier to read, but stays in the cache mobile.

 

You lost me at Curious. Is there anywhere I can get a guide for this! I've downloaded GSAK but am not familiar with it!Where do I even start?

 

If you have all the info. on your handheld you really don't need it on the Nuvi.....what you want is the caches to show on your Nuvi so you can auto-route to them if you want.In GSAK, create a database using your PQ from GC.COM.

Start your Nuvi and manually delete all waypoints. Connect the Nuvi to the computer.....Using MyComputer/Windows Explorer go to the Nuvi and delete all GPX files in the /Garmin/GPX folder.

In GSAK click on GPS then SETUP and select your Nuvi model.

Then using GSAK load your new database to the Nuvi by clicking on GPS then SEND Waypoints. This will load the caches as Favorites and you will see the cache icons easily even when zoomed way out.

Edited November 2, 2013 by BAMBOOZLE

[+Mr&MrsWunderbear]

Curious. I use GSAK, Nuvi_GPX_by_CT macro, and Garmin POI Loader. I get the same info on the GPSr as I do on the nüvi. The nüvi is easier to read, but stays in the cache mobile.

 

You lost me at Curious. Is there anywhere I can get a guide for this! I've downloaded GSAK but am not familiar with it!Where do I even start?

 

If you have all the info. on your handheld you really don't need it on the Nuvi.....what you want is the caches to show on your Nuvi so you can auto-route to them if you want.In GSAK, create a database using your PQ from GC.COM.

Start your Nuvi and manually delete all waypoints. Connect the Nuvi to the computer.....Using MyComputer/Windows Explorer go to the Nuvi and delete all GPX files in the /Garmin/GPX folder.

In GSAK click on GPS then SETUP and select your Nuvi model.

Then using GSAK load your new database to the Nuvi by clicking on GPS then SEND Waypoints. This will load the caches as Favorites and you will see the cache icons easily even when zoomed way out.

Maybe I'm not making myself clear! Yes I can put caches on my Nuvi, but then the only way of finding them is to scroll round the map until I find the right one. It would be great to be able to use a search function on the name!

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Curious. I use GSAK, Nuvi_GPX_by_CT macro, and Garmin POI Loader. I get the same info on the GPSr as I do on the nüvi. The nüvi is easier to read, but stays in the cache mobile.

 

You lost me at Curious. Is there anywhere I can get a guide for this! I've downloaded GSAK but am not familiar with it!Where do I even start?

 

If you have all the info. on your handheld you really don't need it on the Nuvi.....what you want is the caches to show on your Nuvi so you can auto-route to them if you want.In GSAK, create a database using your PQ from GC.COM.

Start your Nuvi and manually delete all waypoints. Connect the Nuvi to the computer.....Using MyComputer/Windows Explorer go to the Nuvi and delete all GPX files in the /Garmin/GPX folder.

In GSAK click on GPS then SETUP and select your Nuvi model.

Then using GSAK load your new database to the Nuvi by clicking on GPS then SEND Waypoints. This will load the caches as Favorites and you will see the cache icons easily even when zoomed way out.

Maybe I'm not making myself clear! Yes I can put caches on my Nuvi, but then the only way of finding them is to scroll round the map until I find the right one. It would be great to be able to use a search function on the name!

 

Follow my instructions to put the caches on your Nuvi using GSAK.

They will be stored as favorites on your Nuvi.

To find a cache touch WHERE TO on the NUVI.

Then touch FAVORITES.

You will see all the caches listed starting with the closest.......chose one and the Nuvi will lay out your route.

Also....go to the map screen and you will see your caches......touch the cache and it will put the arrow head on it and show the cache name...press go and the Nuvi will take you there.

[+DonB]

I can't speak for specifics, but my husband has been using GSAK ...EXPORT...GARMIN POI. He saves the file to the desktop.

 

Then, hooks up the Nuvi....drills into the file structure and deletes certain files that already exist and drags the new file directly onto the NUVI file structure.

 

We used to use a macro, and POI LOADER, but something happened to POI Loader that it wasn't working - so he found a different way of doing it and ridding the usage of the macro & POI Loader.

 

Sorry I don't have detailed specifics. We don't run it very often, but the next time...I should write down the details.

Sounds like you are doing it the hard way. Install EasyGPS load the GPX file into it, do any deleting you want to do and send it to the GPS.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I can't speak for specifics, but my husband has been using GSAK ...EXPORT...GARMIN POI. He saves the file to the desktop.

 

Then, hooks up the Nuvi....drills into the file structure and deletes certain files that already exist and drags the new file directly onto the NUVI file structure.

 

We used to use a macro, and POI LOADER, but something happened to POI Loader that it wasn't working - so he found a different way of doing it and ridding the usage of the macro & POI Loader.

 

Sorry I don't have detailed specifics. We don't run it very often, but the next time...I should write down the details.

Sounds like you are doing it the hard way. Install EasyGPS load the GPX file into it, do any deleting you want to do and send it to the GPS.

 

She's referring to putting poi's on a Nuvi......on a " non-paperless " Nuvi ( all except 500 and 550 ) you have to put your database on the NUVI as points of interest ( .gpi file )in order to read ALL the cache page information ( hints, logs, etc ).

 

RE EasyGPS , I used it for years but it began leaving off caches which affected my hides....I'd hide a cache only to find out I was too close to one EasyGPS didn't load. For some years now I've used GSAK for everything and love it, its capabilities are amazing.

[+Lieblweb]

 

Follow my instructions to put the caches on your Nuvi using GSAK.

They will be stored as favorites on your Nuvi.

To find a cache touch WHERE TO on the NUVI.

Then touch FAVORITES.

You will see all the caches listed starting with the closest.......chose one and the Nuvi will lay out your route.

Also....go to the map screen and you will see your caches......touch the cache and it will put the arrow head on it and show the cache name...press go and the Nuvi will take you there.

 

You can only hold like 1000 favorites in the Nuvi.

 

When you load them as POI's, you can have thousands and thousands and thousands.

 

Not to forget...If you have 'favorites' (destinations) already in your nuvi and you put geocaches in as Favorites, you are deleting everything that you previously had in your favorites.

 

Loading caches as POI's will allow you to keep everything in as favorites/destinations.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

 

Follow my instructions to put the caches on your Nuvi using GSAK.

They will be stored as favorites on your Nuvi.

To find a cache touch WHERE TO on the NUVI.

Then touch FAVORITES.

You will see all the caches listed starting with the closest.......chose one and the Nuvi will lay out your route.

Also....go to the map screen and you will see your caches......touch the cache and it will put the arrow head on it and show the cache name...press go and the Nuvi will take you there.

 

You can only hold like 1000 favorites in the Nuvi.

 

When you load them as POI's, you can have thousands and thousands and thousands.

 

When you load caches to a Nuvi using poi you have to zoom in so close to see the icons that its useless. Here's what I do on my long trips.

 

Not to forget...If you have 'favorites' (destinations) already in your nuvi and you put geocaches in as Favorites, you are deleting everything that you previously had in your favorites.

 

Loading caches as POI's will allow you to keep everything in as favorites/destinations.

 

When you load caches to a Nuvi using poi you have to zoom in so close to see the icons that its useless. Here's what I do on my long trips.

1. I load the entire trip of caches ( about 30,000 ) to the Nuvi as a poi....I now have ALL the info on ALL the caches on the NUVI ( I already have them on my handhelds but this is a backup )

 

2. Every day or two I load a fresh GPX file to the NUVI....these show as FAVORITES and the icons are there even when you are zoomed way out....this is a far better way to auto route to a cache . I pretty much drive to caches using the Nuvi and only pick up my handheld when I'm about .4 miles away.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Curious. I use GSAK, Nuvi_GPX_by_CT macro, and Garmin POI Loader. I get the same info on the GPSr as I do on the nüvi. The nüvi is easier to read, but stays in the cache mobile.

 

You lost me at Curious. Is there anywhere I can get a guide for this! I've downloaded GSAK but am not familiar with it!Where do I even start?

 

If you have all the info. on your handheld you really don't need it on the Nuvi.....what you want is the caches to show on your Nuvi so you can auto-route to them if you want.In GSAK, create a database using your PQ from GC.COM.

Start your Nuvi and manually delete all waypoints. Connect the Nuvi to the computer.....Using MyComputer/Windows Explorer go to the Nuvi and delete all GPX files in the /Garmin/GPX folder.

In GSAK click on GPS then SETUP and select your Nuvi model.

Then using GSAK load your new database to the Nuvi by clicking on GPS then SEND Waypoints. This will load the caches as Favorites and you will see the cache icons easily even when zoomed way out.

Maybe I'm not making myself clear! Yes I can put caches on my Nuvi, but then the only way of finding them is to scroll round the map until I find the right one. It would be great to be able to use a search function on the name!

 

Umm... We use the nüvi 450 (or some such). We use the 'spell' function. (Don't have it in front of me...) Search for all nearby caches. Hit the 'spell' function. We wanted to search for What Am I Supposed to be Looking for? About six miles off so it didn't show in the 'nearby' caches. Hit the spell function. Typed in 'What', and it popped up.

[+Lieblweb]

 

That's not true, any geocaches you add will be in addition to any favourites ... the only way to delete favourites on a nuvi is through the menus on the nuvi itself.

 

I don't know what or how I've done in the past, but during a lengthy period of 'experimenting' with putting caches on the Nuvi, all my favorites had disappeared. ????

 

You still can't hold anymore than 1000 caches in as favorites.

[+Lieblweb]

Umm... We use the nüvi 450 (or some such). We use the 'spell' function. (Don't have it in front of me...) Search for all nearby caches. Hit the 'spell' function. We wanted to search for What Am I Supposed to be Looking for? About six miles off so it didn't show in the 'nearby' caches. Hit the spell function. Typed in 'What', and it popped up.

 

For us, with geocaches in as POI's.... We click in EXTRAS and click on the 'search' button. Type in the GC code minus the GC. Example: GC12345. I will type 12345 in the search box. That has worked better for us VS trying to use words/titles.

[John E Cache]

I installed a Kenwood DNX570HD car radio that has a built-in Nuvi. I installed Garmin Smartphone Link on my Android phone and I can send one coordinate or street address at a time to the "Nuvi". Any Android app that asks if you want navigation directions pops up a list of the nav apps on my phone, including Smartphone Link. For a test, I found a cache with a geocaching app and sent the parking coordinates to the "Nuvi". It worked great. This way I can search on my phone and not the Nuvi.

 

https://buy.garmin.c...prod111441.html

[+Lieblweb]

So nothing can disappear from the inaccessible memory except when a user deletes it, or you carry out a master reset.

It must have been from a few master resets. I had a lot of problems with the one unit after I updated the firmware. It would get stuck in boot loop. After countless efforts to fix it, I had to ship it back to Garmin. It was only 2 years old.

[+fishgeek]

 

That's not true, any geocaches you add will be in addition to any favourites ... the only way to delete favourites on a nuvi is through the menus on the nuvi itself.

 

I don't know what or how I've done in the past, but during a lengthy period of 'experimenting' with putting caches on the Nuvi, all my favorites had disappeared. ????

 

 

Then you must have done a 'Delete all' on the nuvi. All nuvis work the same. In the GPX folder you would normally just find current.gpx. This is a one way copy of what the nuvi holds in memory that we (the user) can't access. If you delete current.gpx your nuvi will rewrite it next time you boot your nuvi. If you want to add any waypoints, caches, routes etc you place (or a program like Basecamp does it) a .gpx file in the GPX folder. On boot a nuvi looks for any .gpx file other than current.gpx, merges that with what it already holds and then rewrites a new current.gpx

 

So nothing can disappear from the inaccessible memory except when a user deletes it, or you carry out a master reset.

 

And I believe that the unit will add caches into the Current.GPX until it gets to 1000. At that point, I'm not sure if it quits or crashes.

 

I started using GSAK to load caches to my Nuvi (a 1450). I connect the unit and use EXPORT/GARMIN POI and point GSAK to the GPX directory on the unit. It copies the file there, but not on the computer. The only drawbacks are that there are a few steps to get to the cache, and they do not show up on the driving screen. Before GSAK, I was just copying the GPX files from the PQ into the GPX directory. Caches showed on the screen but were only identified by their GC code, and they were in Favorites, which was easier to get to. The 1000 Favorite limit has not been a problem yet, but would be on a long trip.

[+Chrysalides]

This guide is 5 years old. It was what I used when I started caching. Some specific steps may have changed since then. It is a little fragile and requires a bit of tweaking and troubleshooting now and then :

 

http://geocaching.williamsonnetwork.com/

 

Since then I've switched to the newer jjred macro that separates them by cache type. I can't find a good write-up on it though.

[jholly]

This guide is 5 years old. It was what I used when I started caching. Some specific steps may have changed since then. It is a little fragile and requires a bit of tweaking and troubleshooting now and then :

 

http://geocaching.williamsonnetwork.com/

 

Since then I've switched to the newer jjred macro that separates them by cache type. I can't find a good write-up on it though.

Probably because jjred referred you to pilotsnipes write up. But then jjred's macro has become pretty much decaying and fetid bits. There is a newer one listed on the GSAK site, but it has problems dealing with filters.

[+Lieblweb]

 

And I believe that the unit will add caches into the Current.GPX until it gets to 1000. At that point, I'm not sure if it quits or crashes.

 

I started using GSAK to load caches to my Nuvi (a 1450). I connect the unit and use EXPORT/GARMIN POI and point GSAK to the GPX directory on the unit. It copies the file there, but not on the computer. The only drawbacks are that there are a few steps to get to the cache, and they do not show up on the driving screen. Before GSAK, I was just copying the GPX files from the PQ into the GPX directory. Caches showed on the screen but were only identified by their GC code, and they were in Favorites, which was easier to get to. The 1000 Favorite limit has not been a problem yet, but would be on a long trip.

 

Do they show up when you zoom in entirely?

 

I don't think it matters what process you use to put the geocaches in the Nuvi...they don't show up until you zoom in entirely (of all the processes we've used to put them on the Nuvi). We used to use GSAK, POI Loader, and the macro and they didn't show up until you zoomed in the whole way either.

 

The whole process of putting the caches on the Nuvi is 'quarky' at best. And I mean, you can take the same PQ's with the same information but utilize different processes and get different results on the Nuvi. At some point (when using the export function) - the alerts actually did work better, but that didn't last long. And you can press your finger on the cache (on the screen) and a mini window pops up with various information. That doesn't always work either.... It's just weird sometimes. But I honestly can't complain - as its much easier using the Nuvi to navigate to parking GZ.

[+fishgeek]

 

And I believe that the unit will add caches into the Current.GPX until it gets to 1000. At that point, I'm not sure if it quits or crashes.

 

I started using GSAK to load caches to my Nuvi (a 1450). I connect the unit and use EXPORT/GARMIN POI and point GSAK to the GPX directory on the unit. It copies the file there, but not on the computer. The only drawbacks are that there are a few steps to get to the cache, and they do not show up on the driving screen. Before GSAK, I was just copying the GPX files from the PQ into the GPX directory. Caches showed on the screen but were only identified by their GC code, and they were in Favorites, which was easier to get to. The 1000 Favorite limit has not been a problem yet, but would be on a long trip.

 

Do they show up when you zoom in entirely?

 

I don't think it matters what process you use to put the geocaches in the Nuvi...they don't show up until you zoom in entirely (of all the processes we've used to put them on the Nuvi). We used to use GSAK, POI Loader, and the macro and they didn't show up until you zoomed in the whole way either.

 

The whole process of putting the caches on the Nuvi is 'quarky' at best. And I mean, you can take the same PQ's with the same information but utilize different processes and get different results on the Nuvi. At some point (when using the export function) - the alerts actually did work better, but that didn't last long. And you can press your finger on the cache (on the screen) and a mini window pops up with various information. That doesn't always work either.... It's just weird sometimes. But I honestly can't complain - as its much easier using the Nuvi to navigate to parking GZ.

 

I got the same basic picture as sussamb's screenshot. The only drawback to that system is having to know the GC code to goto a cache. I would write them down beside the cache name on my todo list.