Silly Garmin POI Tricks, Multiple Custom POI Files on GPSr Options

[Munin]

I don't remember seeing this covered in previous threads for the Garmin Custom POI, and since there's going to be a number of pictures I thought it'd be best to start a fresh topic rather than dumping this beastie into the middle of an existing thread.

Okay, so we all know that POILoader sucks in one or more GPX/CSV files, munches and crunches the data, and spits out a file called poi.gpi into the \Garmin\Poi\ subdirectory on your microSD card, right?

...Ever wonder why they created a whole subdirectory to store one file...?
...Ever wonder if you could put more than one file in that folder...?
...Ever actually tried putting more than one file in that folder...?

For tonight's edition of "Silly Garmin POI Tricks", I'll use the POILoader program and the GPSr's USB Mass Storage interface to create multiple Custom POI files on a 76CSx, and along the way perhaps manage to justify this as something more than an effective treatment for chronic insomnia.

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I've got several sources of Custom POIs - benchmarks, places I want to find easily on business trips, well-reviewed restaurants I want to try .... oh yes, and caches - musn't forget those caches! Previously, I'd been tossing an assortment of GPX and CSV files into a folder, firing up POILoader, and letting it munch and crunch its way through all the files. It worked fine, but it was also kind of sad knowing that poor little POILoader was digesting 7000+ benchmarks - which I'll only update every month or two - just so I could get my much smaller geocaching POIs updated after the morning's PQ arrived.

If only there was some way to separate infrequently-changing POIs (like benchmarks) from frequently-changing POIs (like caches)...

For tonight's experiment, let's start by taking my benchmark file (since it's benchmarks for Massachusetts, I've been super-original and named it "MA Benchmarks.gpx"), tossing it into its own folder, and having POILoader chew it up and spit it out to the GPSr. Firing up the USB Mass Storage option afterwards, I see the expected file in the expected location on the microSD card (which shows up as Drive E on my Windows box):



So, I wonder what would happen if I simply renamed the 'poi.gpi' file that POILoader created, and called it something else...?



Well, let's tell Windows to unmount the drive, hop over to the GPSr, and see what's listed under Find -> Custom POI ... will the POIs still show up, or will they not show up at all, or will my GPSr perhaps explode into flames...?



Hey, those actually look like benchmark PIDs! (If you haven't benchmarked, just trust me on this - benchmark PIDs are kind of like the GCxxxx waypoint IDs for geocaches.) I guess I can put the fire extinguisher down now... With only one POI database loaded, there's no Select Database option available, so I can't yet tell what the GPSr thinks my database is named - I'll check this a few steps further down.

Okay, now let's fire POILoader up again, and this time point it to a small group of POIs that I use on trips to Virginia - this one called (with my usual originality) "VA Trips.gpx". Now when I use the GPSr's USB Mass Storage option, I see two files in the Garmin\Poi folder:



So let's once again try renaming the "poi.gpi" file that POILoader created - since it contains VA-related info, I'll keep it simple:



Unmounting the USB drive and heading to the GPSr's Find -> Custom POI section again, I find that I can now bring up the Select Database option, where I see both of my POI files listed:



Note that the filenames I used when renaming the "poi.gpi" file are irrelevant - Select Database names the entries the same as the source files, not the filenames on the actual microSD card. (Which is expected, since POILoader works that way even when it's combining everything into a single file.)

And let's do one more, just for good measure. I'll toss all my caching-related POI sources into another Windows directory, which will then contain the results of a "My Finds" PQ along with a bunch of other PQs that have been glued together by GPSBabel into a master "Unfound Caches" file. Fire up ye olde POILoader again, mount the GPSr as a USB drive again, and see what I've got:



Looks good - still have my previous renamed files, and the most recent 'poi.gpi' that POILoader created from my caching files. In this case I'm not going to bother renaming the 'poi.gpi' file, since this is the data that I'd expect to overwrite every few days anyways. Taking a quick peek over at the GPSr's Find -> Custom POIs section, I now see a mix of benchmarkd PIDs and cache waypoint IDs in the list, and Select Database shows the names of all the different source files I used:




In reality, this could all be done a lot quicker - either pop the microSD card into a USB drive, or hook up the GPSr with the USB cable and use the USB Mass Storage option, so that Windows and POILoader see the microSD card as a removable drive, run POILoader on the benchmark file, rename it, run POILoader on my VA business trip file, rename, run POILoader on the caching files, unmount drive, and voila. All the malarky with unmounting the drive between each transfer to check the GPSr was only done to see if each step was working like I'd expected. And now, as updated PQs arrive, I can just toss them into my caching POI directory, rerun POILoader (which only has to digest several hundred cache entries, instead of all that plus thousands of benchmarks and dozens of other non-caching points), and - voila - seconds later there's a new "poi.gpi" file with the latest/greates caching info inside, and I've still got the separate "*.gpi" files sitting on the card for those infrequently-changing databases.

So, as Joel and the 'bots would say to the mad scientists after an invention exchange: "What do you think, sirs?"

[team5150]

Very, VERY cool trick!!!!!!!! This will be useful in the future!

This post has been edited by team5150: Aug 10 2006, 07:11 AM

[Neo_Geo]

So, as Joel and the 'bots would say to the mad scientists after an invention exchange: "What do you think, sirs?"

I think "awesome experiment with excellent documentation with wonderful results!" Thanks for the willingness to try it and for sharing the information!

[Timpat]

Well done Munin! Excellent work on this and thanks so much for the clear and concise explanation on the steps. Will be playing with this later today!

[Cacheoholic]

BRAVO! BRAVO! I just have one question. Were you wearing your PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), i.e. safety glasses, hard hat, respirator etc. while performing this experiment? It’s always good for liability clauses to show that incase someone gets hurt trying to duplicate your experiment.

[Sputnik 57]

Anyone who can provide a great POI tip AND an obscure reference to the MST3K invention exchange in the same post HAS to be linked from the FAQ. I've marked it. I'm workin' on it.

[Man In The Wild]

I'll be trying this out later today. Just one question--how do I set the GPSr's USB Mass Storage option? I haven't seen this anywhere. I have the Legend Cx.

[Cacheoholic]

I'll be trying this out later today. Just one question--how do I set the GPSr's USB Mass Storage option? I haven't seen this anywhere. I have the Legend Cx.

Don't know if the Legend is the same as my 60CSx but should be close. Try menu>menu>setup>interface>USB Mass Storage (button down at the bottom).

[Munin]

I just have one question. Were you wearing your PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), i.e. safety glasses, hard hat, respirator etc. while performing this experiment?

Well, no respirator - have you ever tried to find one that'd fit a beak as big as mine?!?! But I try my best - here's a photo of me preparing to test my GPSr after renaming the first database:

[Cacheoholic]

Looks like a bases are covered!

[Thrak]

You have just made me a very happy man. THANK YOU!

[Munin]

Glad some of you can make use of this - I'd surely have beaten myself silly trying to figure out Custom POIs in the first place if it weren't for all the tips and workarounds that I got from the forums!

One other bit of trivia that I came across while playing with this: you can create subdirectories under the \Garmin\Poi\ directory and move various POI files into various subdirectories and everything continues to work fine. Looks like the firmware is loading all .gpi files that it finds anywhere under the \Garmin\Poi\ directory. Might come in handy if someone ends up creating scores of individual .gpi files and needs to add another layer of file organization. (And before anyone gets too excited, using subdirectories on the microSD card does not result in some sort of indented/hierarchical listing in the GPSr's Select Database menu - it's still just a simple list of whatever names it found in whatever .gpi files it found.)

[Man In The Wild]

I'll be trying this out later today. Just one question--how do I set the GPSr's USB Mass Storage option? I haven't seen this anywhere. I have the Legend Cx.

Don't know if the Legend is the same as my 60CSx but should be close. Try menu>menu>setup>interface>USB Mass Storage (button down at the bottom).

That's it... sort of.

It turns out my Legend Cx didn't have this feature. Version 2.40 was missing that option. So I checked the site and found the 2.50 update does two things--it adds the USB Mass Storage and improves the stability of the MicroSD (something like that.) Sounds like a must have upgrade. That's installed now and the menu options are just as you said.

Now to load some POI files!

[Thrak]

If only there was some way to make the geocaches in the custom POI show the cache name rather than the GC number. It's pretty hard for old folks like me to relate to the GC number.

[Timpat]

If only there was some way to make the geocaches in the custom POI show the cache name rather than the GC number. It's pretty hard for old folks like me to relate to the GC number.

There is. I use GSAK to export a Mapsource .gdb file and use "%smart" (without the quotes) in the Name box. I also use "%By (%Dif/%Ter) %hint" (without the quotes) in the "Cache description format" box so I have up to 88 characters for a comment. (Oh, type in 88 in the "Maximum characters" box.) Then I do a "save as" to create a .gpx file. POI Loader will upload this .gpx file.

[Thrak]

If only there was some way to make the geocaches in the custom POI show the cache name rather than the GC number. It's pretty hard for old folks like me to relate to the GC number.

There is. I use GSAK to export a Mapsource .gdb file and use "%smart" (without the quotes) in the Name box. I also use "%By (%Dif/%Ter) %hint" (without the quotes) in the "Cache description format" box so I have up to 88 characters for a comment. (Oh, type in 88 in the "Maximum characters" box.) Then I do a "save as" to create a .gpx file. POI Loader will upload this .gpx file.

D'oh! Why didn't I think of that? I've exported gpx files from GSAK before. THANKS!!!

[oldnavy59]

I use %smart/%con/%dif/%ter/%last4(%datelf) in the waypoint name box and then %hint in the cache description so that usually gives you all the hint

[Timpat]

I use %smart/%con/%dif/%ter/%last4(%datelf) in the waypoint name box and then %hint in the cache description so that usually gives you all the hint

Hey, thanks OldNavy, that is a better method than mine!

[Thrak]

Ok, I tried this and it works pretty well. However, I did it for a All-Finds set of POI and the %last4 is pointless for this. I need to fiddle with GSAK help files and see what I can put in that will be useful for this particular POI set.

I've only used GSAK for the most rudimentary things until now..... How do I get it to include the actual coordinates of the cache? I want this set of POI so that I can have info on caches I've found to help me with placement of NEW caches so I know what is too close, etc.

I'm also confused as to the result on my GPSr. When I look at a found cache I'm not getting the hint even though I put %hint in the cache description box. Instead I get:

Alarm Range: 1319ft
Alarm Speed Unknown

What's up with that?




This post has been edited by Thrak: Aug 15 2006, 07:31 PM

[Thrak]

Ok. I've edited the Waypoint Name field to be: %drop2/%con1/%dif/%ter/%lat=m/%lon=m

This gives me the GC number minus the letters GC (so GCVZJR would show as simply VZJR), the container type as a single letter (M,S,R,L,V,U), the difficulty rating, the terrain rating, and the latitude and longitude in decimal minutes as used on gc.com

I've changed the Cache Description Format field to be: %smart/%hint

This should as far as I can tell give me the Smart Name of the cache and the hint but it is STILL giving me proximity info:

Alarm Range: 1319ft
Alarm Speed Unknown

How do I get rid of that and make it show what I've entered in the Cache Description Format field? This is making me crazy.

[Munin]

How do I get rid of that and make it show what I've entered in the Cache Description Format field? This is making me crazy.

Sounds like POILoader is creating proximity alerts in your POI instead of plain old points, Thrak.

If you're running POILoader in express mode, try going to manual mode and unchecking the silly proximity alert box if it comes up checked by default. In manual mode, I'm seeing some of my files default to just being points (alert checkbox unselected), while other files always come up with the alert box checked in manual mode and wacky defaults for speed/distance. Doesn't seem tied to .csv vs .gpx, or large numbers of points vs a handful, or anything that seem particularly obvious to me. Seems like POILoader is trying to automagically guess what the source file contains (alerts vs points), and isn't always guessing right.

[Thrak]

How do I get rid of that and make it show what I've entered in the Cache Description Format field? This is making me crazy.

Sounds like POILoader is creating proximity alerts in your POI instead of plain old points, Thrak.

If you're running POILoader in express mode, try going to manual mode and unchecking the silly proximity alert box if it comes up checked by default. In manual mode, I'm seeing some of my files default to just being points (alert checkbox unselected), while other files always come up with the alert box checked in manual mode and wacky defaults for speed/distance. Doesn't seem tied to .csv vs .gpx, or large numbers of points vs a handful, or anything that seem particularly obvious to me. Seems like POILoader is trying to automagically guess what the source file contains (alerts vs points), and isn't always guessing right.

Yes, it was in Express mode. I changed it to Manual mode and when it came up it didn't have the proximity alert box checked. Unfortunately I still have the same problem?

Before loading the POI file I deleted the one that was on the card so that isn't the problem. I don't understand what is going on here but it's extremely annoying. I'll mess with it more tomorrow but, at the moment, I can't figure out what the problem is.

Many thanks for your suggestion. It has taken me one step closer...........

[ProsperoDK]

Yes, it was in Express mode. I changed it to Manual mode and when it came up it didn't have the proximity alert box checked. Unfortunately I still have the same problem?

Before loading the POI file I deleted the one that was on the card so that isn't the problem. I don't understand what is going on here but it's extremely annoying. I'll mess with it more tomorrow but, at the moment, I can't figure out what the problem is.

Many thanks for your suggestion. It has taken me one step closer...........

Hi Thrak,

You should upgrade to the newest version of POIloader (2.3.2), the previous version (2.3.1) created proximity alerts for all POI's. Download it from Garmin it here. And then you could probably leave it in express mode.

There was a place where you could download version 2.2.0, but I can't find that now.

ProsperoDK/René

[Munin]

You should upgrade to the newest version of POIloader (2.3.2), the previous version (2.3.1) created proximity alerts for all POI's. Download it from Garmin it here. And then you could probably leave it in express mode.

Even with ver 2.3.2, you might want to try running in Manual mode first. I just ran a retest to double-check my earlier experiences, and if POILoader comes up wanting to create proximity alerts in Manual mode for a given file, then it'll create proximity alerts for that file if Express mode is used.

I'm beginning to suspect that POILoader 2.3.2's guess on proximity vs point is based on the filename. If I run it on a set of files ending in numbers - ex: foo1.csv, foo2.csv, foo3.csv - then POILoader is defaulting to proximity (speed) alerts. (With the threshold speeds set to 1mph, 2mph, 3mph - at least when set to Feet/MPH for the units.) However, if I simply rename the files to all-alpha names - ex: fooa.csv, foob.csv, fooc.csv - then POILoader defaults to creating regular locations. Anyone care to play with their filenames and see if they can duplicate this behavior?

There was a place where you could download version 2.2.0, but I can't find that now.

2.2.0 is still available from gpsinformation.org's website. The file is named POILoader_20.exe, but it's actually 2.2.0. (I bookmarked one of your earlier posts with that handy link, ProsperDK. )

[ProsperoDK]

Even with ver 2.3.2, you might want to try running in Manual mode first. I just ran a retest to double-check my earlier experiences, and if POILoader comes up wanting to create proximity alerts in Manual mode for a given file, then it'll create proximity alerts for that file if Express mode is used.

I'm beginning to suspect that POILoader 2.3.2's guess on proximity vs point is based on the filename. If I run it on a set of files ending in numbers - ex: foo1.csv, foo2.csv, foo3.csv - then POILoader is defaulting to proximity (speed) alerts. (With the threshold speeds set to 1mph, 2mph, 3mph - at least when set to Feet/MPH for the units.) However, if I simply rename the files to all-alpha names - ex: fooa.csv, foob.csv, fooc.csv - then POILoader defaults to creating regular locations. Anyone care to play with their filenames and see if they can duplicate this behavior?

2.2.0 is still available from gpsinformation.org's website. The file is named POILoader_20.exe, but it's actually 2.2.0. (I bookmarked one of your earlier posts with that handy link, ProsperDK. )

I think all versions do some guessing based on filename/waypointname, I searched for some info on that and found some, but that was at home, and I'm sitting at work now. That was also why I couldn't find that other link

ProsperoDK/René

[Munin]

I think all versions do some guessing based on filename/waypointname, I searched for some info on that and found some, but that was at home, and I'm sitting at work now. That was also why I couldn't find that other link

It's still "stumble around the house clutching morning coffee" time for me. I just came across some good info on POI filename conventions on gpsinformation.org's POI Loader page. Handling POIs based on the filename make sense now that I think about it - Express mode wouldn't be so ...ummm... "express" if you wanted proximity alerts and had to keep stopping and typing speeds/ranges for every single file that POILoader found.

[ProsperoDK]

It's still "stumble around the house clutching morning coffee" time for me. I just came across some good info on POI filename conventions on gpsinformation.org's POI Loader page. Handling POIs based on the filename make sense now that I think about it - Express mode wouldn't be so ...ummm... "express" if you wanted proximity alerts and had to keep stopping and typing speeds/ranges for every single file that POILoader found.

Looking at the link you gave, it seems to be the same that I found. I haven't played around with it given that I don't really have a database that would benefit from proximity alert - I would rather see the geocache on the map screen than get an alert for those that I pass by. And I haven't found any data for speedcams or the like in Denmark.

ProsperoDK/René

[oldnavy59]

Ive gotten to where I can download the poi's okay now to work on the little blue dot is there and easy way to get something other then the blue dot??

[Timpat]

Ive gotten to where I can download the poi's okay now to work on the little blue dot is there and easy way to get something other then the blue dot??

If you name an icon .bmp the same as your POI file name (such as MyFinds.gpx, and MyFinds.bmp) and put it in the same folder, upon uploading you will get this custom icon displayed.

[Munin]

Ive gotten to where I can download the poi's okay now to work on the little blue dot is there and easy way to get something other then the blue dot??

If you name an icon .bmp the same as your POI file name (such as MyFinds.gpx, and MyFinds.bmp) and put it in the same folder, upon uploading you will get this custom icon displayed.

Sputnik has links to a couple of nice icon collections (geocaching and benchmarking) in Question 9 of the Managing and Using Waypoints section of his Garmin FAQ. They were originally designed as waypoint icons, but the bitmap versions can also be used for Custom POI icons. They're handy for folks like me who have no artistic talent.

[ProsperoDK]

The Elsinga family also has some icons on this page here.

The Zip-file is here directly. The icons for caches are 16x16 pixels.

ProsperoDK/René

This post has been edited by ProsperoDK: Aug 17 2006, 06:27 AM

[Thrak]

I got sick and haven't had the energy after work to do more with this. I'll definitely get the newer version and give it a try. Thanks for the link.

I do have some database items that I want a proximity alert for as well. I put them in a separate .gpi file. They're red light cams so a proximity alert is a good thing for those. I haven't had a chance to check them out yet since none of the are in my town. I'll have to wait until I have to travel to Sacramento for work one of these days to try them out and see if the alert actually works or not.

Maybe I'll mess with making a phony waypoint with an alert and see how it goes. I guess that would probably be the best way to figure it out.

[whitecrow]

Ive gotten to where I can download the poi's okay now to work on the little blue dot is there and easy way to get something other then the blue dot??

I load my custom poi gpx files into EasyGPS & edit the waypoint icons using EasyGPS icons.




This post has been edited by whitecrow: Aug 17 2006, 12:21 PM

[Oneyedjack]

The Elsinga family also has some icons on this page here.

The Zip-file is here directly. The icons for caches are 16x16 pixels.

ProsperoDK/René

A little help please!

May be I'm picky, but when I use these icons in my 60CSX they work all right but the background is showing white, instead of transparent as I would wish them to be. I have tried to edit the background but as of yet unable to make a difference. I'm sure this question has been asked before but I haven’t been able to find the answer, any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

This post has been edited by Oneyedjack: Aug 27 2006, 04:35 PM

[Thrak]

I finally got back to this and it works great. I ended up using "%smart/%con1/%dif/%ter" in the waypoint name field and "%lat=m/%lon=m/%hint" in the cache description format field. It gets me everything I want.

Thanks again for the great info.

[Dirtnapper]

Great info....I was wondering how I was going to get this set up - works great!

[Prime Suspect]

May be I'm picky, but when I use these icons in my 60CSX they work all right but the background is showing white, instead of transparent as I would wish them to be. I have tried to edit the background but as of yet unable to make a difference. I'm sure this question has been asked before but I haven’t been able to find the answer, any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

I don't know why, but the icons in the zip file aren't set up for a transparent background. However, the ones on this page are.

Garmin uses the color Fuchsia (RGB 255/0/255) as its transparent color.

[Thrak]

May be I'm picky, but when I use these icons in my 60CSX they work all right but the background is showing white, instead of transparent as I would wish them to be. I have tried to edit the background but as of yet unable to make a difference. I'm sure this question has been asked before but I haven't been able to find the answer, any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

I don't know why, but the icons in the zip file aren't set up for a transparent background. However, the ones on this page are.

Garmin uses the color Fuchsia (RGB 255/0/255) as its transparent color.

Strange..... Lots of icons there but nothing that looks like a "found geocache" icon.....

[Thrak]

.bmp files don't support transparancy. .gif files DO support transparancy. Are you sure they have to be saved as a .bmp file?

[Oneyedjack]

May be I'm picky, but when I use these icons in my 60CSX they work all right but the background is showing white, instead of transparent as I would wish them to be. I have tried to edit the background but as of yet unable to make a difference. I'm sure this question has been asked before but I haven't been able to find the answer, any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

I don't know why, but the icons in the zip file aren't set up for a transparent background. However, the ones on this page are.

Garmin uses the color Fuchsia (RGB 255/0/255) as its transparent color.

Strange..... Lots of icons there but nothing that looks like a "found geocache" icon.....

Just tried these and they worked but showed up with the fuchsia square box around the icon!



OK, let me add this........as I have never been one to read the directions first. These icons very well may work uploading through Ximage to the unit. I am however trying to upload these custom icons through Garmins POI Loader and this method and icon set are not giving me the results I am wanting, as you can see in the image I have posted. Surly there is a way to accomplish or am I all wet?


This post has been edited by Oneyedjack: Aug 28 2006, 08:33 PM

[Prime Suspect]

.bmp files don't support transparancy. .gif files DO support transparancy. Are you sure they have to be saved as a .bmp file?

From the POI Loader help file:

Custom bitmaps can also include a transparent color. Most compatible Garmin products use magenta (RBG 255, 0, 255) as the transparent color.

[Oneyedjack]

From the POI Loader help file:

[quote]Custom bitmaps can also include a transparent color. Most compatible Garmin products use magenta (RBG 255, 0, 255) as the transparent color. [/quote]
[/quote]

Maybe the GPSMap60CSX doesn’t use (RGB 255, 0, 255) as transparent, cause I sure can't get it to work. I'll check on Garmins site and see if I can find any more information.

[Prime Suspect]

From the POI Loader help file:

Custom bitmaps can also include a transparent color. Most compatible Garmin products use magenta (RBG 255, 0, 255) as the transparent color.

Maybe the GPSMap60CSX doesn’t use (RGB 255, 0, 255) as transparent, cause I sure can't get it to work. I'll check on Garmins site and see if I can find any more information.

It is odd. The magenta transparency does work when you upload custom icons through Ximage. I don't know why it doesn't for custom POIs. I have a feeling it's in the OS, and not a POI Loader problem.

This post has been edited by Prime Suspect: Aug 30 2006, 08:00 AM

[The Pastor & Pastor's Wife]

Ok, I've got the custom POI's working and stored on the sd. Is there a way to show all of these POI's on the map page, much like all of the caches will show on the map page? Or do I have to just choose one and "go to" it.

[Red90]

They only show up at lower zoom levels depending on your detail settings. 300 to 800 feet if I recall correctly.

[tomahg]

Ok, I've got the custom POI's working and stored on the sd. Is there a way to show all of these POI's on the map page, much like all of the caches will show on the map page? Or do I have to just choose one and "go to" it.

This is explained here: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...p;#entry2067832

[bulletproofcj7]

How do i make a "POI folder/directory"?

Is it as simple as making a new folder in "my documents"?

I can't figure out how to get the info to the gpsr.

Hooked up gpsr/POI loader opens automaticly/ asks me to "please select directory where data files can be found" / I have exported gsak into mapsource (mps/gdb file) named it --> C:\Documents and Settings\Jason\My Documents\Mapsource POI.mps/ click next in the poi loader and it says that "there are no datafiles in that directory. Please specify a directory that contains at least one file with a .csv extension."
what am i doing wrong?
I'm so confused!

[bulletproofcj7]

If only there was some way to make the geocaches in the custom POI show the cache name rather than the GC number. It's pretty hard for old folks like me to relate to the GC number.

There is. I use GSAK to export a Mapsource .gdb file and use "%smart" (without the quotes) in the Name box. I also use "%By (%Dif/%Ter) %hint" (without the quotes) in the "Cache description format" box so I have up to 88 characters for a comment. (Oh, type in 88 in the "Maximum characters" box.) Then I do a "save as" to create a .gpx file. POI Loader will upload this .gpx file.

Ican't find the "save as box at this point in the Gsak window "export to mapsource mps/gdb file" just the save button below.

[Red90]

>>Is it as simple as making a new folder in "my documents"?

Yes


>> C:\Documents and Settings\Jason\My Documents\Mapsource POI.mps................

The files need to be in either CSV or GPX format NOT MPS format.

[bulletproofcj7]

>>Is it as simple as making a new folder in "my documents"?

Yes


>> C:\Documents and Settings\Jason\My Documents\Mapsource POI.mps................

The files need to be in either CSV or GPX format NOT MPS format.

Ok how do I get them into the gpx format?