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I can produce and load my own gpi files readily enough, but is there any way of controlling the order in which the "select database" list appears on the screen? My GPSr is Garmin Vista HCx
joe99

On my 76CSx, they are listed alphabetically. So If I want something to be at the top, I'd rename it from "Costco" to "1.Costco", or "A1-Costco"

On my 60Cx, they are (almost) random. About 80% are alphabetical, but there doesn't seem to be any logic in the random ones.

The CSV/GPX folder is sorted alphabetically but POI Loader accesses them randomly (watch the "manual" mode) and they stay in this order on the GPS.

I even tried renaming the "1-.....", "2-....", etc but it made no difference.

How do you get them alphabetical?

Bob

I've deleted and re-loaded them many times in the past few weeks, and they always show alphabetically on the device. It's a 76CSx, and has the latest unit and firmware in it.

To be 100% clear, I see a folder structure that is sorted alphabetically, not individual cvs/gpx files in the folders, (I never see the individual file names, only the folder names). Explained here in detail, see the posts from me. Getting this setup is why I've been clearing and re-loading so many times in the past few weeks.

I stopped using separate folders for similar categories of POIs as it did not allow me to zero in on specific "brands". For example, I used to put Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, etc dealers in the "Motorcycle" folder, and have other folders for other categories. When I wanted to see only Suzuki dealers I couldn't as the "Select Database" option only showed "Motorcycle". I reverted to all my CSV files in one folder so I can use Select Database to get only Suzuki dealers.

I didn't notice if the folders were sorted alphabetically, but the CSV files are not.

The 60C(S)x and 76C(S)x probably use identical firmware so I'd guess they handle POIs the same.
Bob

Hi Bob
I understand what you wish to do by having "Suzuki" appear in the list when you go to "Select database".

However, I would like to do something slightly different.

I was not concerned with motorcycles but I will continue to use your example for the sake of discussion. What I would like is to have "Motorcycles" appear in the "select database" list, but when I select it, I would like dealers for all brands to appear (in order based on distance from me)

Further, I would like the map to show different icons for each brand.

I have been unable to achieve this.

I thought I had a bright idea of using MapSource.

I loaded in all Suzuki dealers and made sure that they were asociated with a Suzuki icon (which I had added to the list of Garmin Custom Symbols). By copying and pasting from another MapSource instance, I added in all Honda dealers and associated all those enries with a different custom symbol depicting the Honda logo.

And so on for other brands.

I then saved my work as Motorcycles.gpx

But when I used PoiLoder to generate a gpi file, all I got was a generic icon - my special symbols failed to carry through from my gpx file (even though they displayed correctly when my gpx file was read into MapSource.

I am wondering if you have any suggestions as to how I can achieve my objective of having a variety of icons (Suzuki Honda etc) for custom POIs within the same database (Motorcycles).

joe99

Joe - I haven't been creating new POIs for quite a while so I may be out of touch with the latest developments. I thought the only way to have a custom icon be associated with a POI, was to have a BMP file (icon max 24x24 pixels) that had the same name as the POI file. Hence you would put all the Suzuki dealers in a file called suzuki.csv (or .gpx) and have a BMP file called suzuki.bmp. Do this for each brand and when POI Loader transfers them to the GPS, the correct icons will display on the map. If you put all the motorcycle POI files in a sub-folder called "Motorcycles", then you can select the Motorcycle database, but you can no longer select Suzuki - all the motorcycle POIs will be listed by distance.

Is this what you are trying to do?

Bob

Yes Bob, that is exactly what I am trying to do. I did try what you suggest (putting pairs of csv and bmp files in a folder named "Motorcycle") but it did not work as I hoped. I managed to get the various icons on the screen OK but the databases were listed under brands.

Unless I did something wrong, it seems to me that PoiLoader is only taking notice of file names, not folder names. It appears to be ignoring folder structure altogether apart from looking in subfolders of the folder I browse to.

Maybe I am doing something wrong but I cannot figure out what.

I am using PoiLoader for Windows 2.5.2

Originally I tried to do what I wanted on a Vista HCx and more recently on a Nuvi 760 but was unsuccessful in each case.

Just to be clear, can you confirm whether or not you have ever managed to achieve what I want (though I note it is different from what you wanted), namely a single entry in the database list ("Motorcycles") but different icons for the individual brands?

Thanks again for your willingness to help me,

joe99

I don't use icons as I only want the location, but I decided to try it. I did exactly as described above and I got the following:

http://www.morphew.ca/ccr/POIOrder.bmp
http://www.morphew.ca/ccr/POIDatabaseOrder.bmp
http://www.morphew.ca/ccr/POIIcon.bmp

(Seems the [img] tag won't work so you'll need to click on the link to see the screen shot).

No idea what you are doing wrong but it works for me on POI LOader 2.5.2.0 and a Garmin 60Cx (latest s/w). Perhaps you haven't created the folders correctly - here's what I tried:
>>POI Loader Transfer
>> >> Motorcycles
>> >> >>> Suzuki.csv, Honda.csv, Suzuki.bmp, Honda.bmp
>> >> Camping
>> >> >>> KOA.csv, KOA.bmp
>> >> Hiking
>> >> >>> Waterfalls.csv, Vistas.csv

Select the "POI Loader Transfer" folder when running POI LOader and you will get Motorcycles, Camping and Hiking when you do "Select Database".

Bob

Thanks very much Bob

With your help I can now do what I want.

I think the trouble was that I was pointing the PoiLoader to the "Motorcycles" folder rather than the parent folder. I normally load my Poi categories individually rather than loading them all in one go. This means that on my GPSr I finish up with a number of named gpi files rather than having everything in poi.gpi

I do not claim there is any great advantage in this. It is just how I started doing things.

Thanks once again - you have made me very happy. So far I have only tried it on the Vista HCx but I would be pretty confident that the Nuvi will work the same way.

joe99