Custom – A Collection of Junk

In the first part of this two part series I wrote about creating a new POI file using ITN Converter and saving it so you may upload it into your GPS unit.

So, are you ready to proceed?

If you did not install the Garmin POI loader software when you got your unit, go and download it, then install it on your PC.
https://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/

Use the link to download. This page also mentions “Proximity Alerts” which you will need to set later when you are uploading your files to the GPS unit.

Now that you have the “POI Loader” installed you are ready to go. Get your GPS unit, plug it into your computer using a USB cable. When it is attached turn the GPS on. After a short time the the Garmin screen should show something like the following picture.

Now open the Garmin POI Loader software using your new desktop icon.

The software should open up, read what it has to say and then click “Next”.

The next screen asks where you want to save your POI file to. Until you learn more about this, leave the default “Garmin Device” radio button selected. If is does not happen to be selected, do so, then click “Next”.

If you have the Garmin plugged in properly, and it is turned on, the program should automatically find your device. You can click on the button (15) but should not have to do so. Either way, make sure it shows in the window before you proceed. Once it does, click “Next” (17).

In the next window you can clear the old POI’s from the unit (perhaps you have some you no longer want. If you are just adding new POI files, or overwriting your existing ones, then just leave “Linstall new customer POI’s onto your device” radio button selected. Then click on “Next”.

The next window requires some minor decisions to be made by you. Where is/are the POI files located at on your system. You do remember where you saved them from the first post when we created them… browse to that folder. (18)

TIP: If you begin making multiple POI files create separate folders for the “Current” and “Old” files.

TIP: If you begin making multiple POI files, or editing them and like to save the old versions as I do, then create separate folders for the “Current” and “Old” files. When you start to upload you will find it makes things much easier to select the files you want to use.
Pick your units of measure that you use. (19) and finally select whether you want the software to automatically upload everything, or if you want to do it manually. Select “Manual”! (20) I am pretty sure you won’t like the defaults on the automatic setting. Finally, click on “Next”. (21)

Once you click “Next” it will start preparing the files to upload. For every file it finds in the directory you selected it will ask what you wish to do with that file. (22) (This is why only having the current files in the directory is handy, you don’t have to skip all the files you do not want loaded.)
You can “Ignore the file” and go to the next one in the directory you selected. You can decide if you want “proximity alerts” for the file or not. (23) Basically these notify you when you are in range of any of the specific points contained in the file you are opening at the time. The “Alert when speed is greater than the Alert Speed” setting could be used to warn you to slow down when you are nearing your intended destination so you do not go past it, or maybe if you have “speed traps” programmed in it will just pop up a warning when you are in the vicinity of the programed locations. In that case a red box pops up on the GPS warning you that you are exceeding the speed you have selected. I like the “Alert whenever you get close to a point, and go with the default quarter mile (1320 feet). You might also like a half mile or some other distance. If so just enter it here and make sure you select the associated radio button. Once you have made your choices, click on “Next”. (24)

Once you have selected and configured the final file in the directory the software automatically goes to work. It converts the files to the correct format and loads them all into the GPS unit. This only takes a few seconds normally. Unless maybe you have some extremely large files. I have a total of almost 15,000 points I load and it goes quite rapidly. Once the “Congratulations” screen pops up you are done! Click “Finish (25) and then detach your GPS from the USB cable and go for a drive!

Now that you have added all your favorite POI’s you need to know how to find them on the unit! Since I had been using a Magellan unit for some time prior to getting the Garmin it took a few tries to get to them the first time. Once you do it though it is easy enough in the future.
When the unit starts up, you get the main screen. Click on “Where To?”.

On the next screen go to “Extras”

On the next screen go to “Custom POI’s” (Go figure…)

Finally if you have multiple Custom POI’s you will be given a choice of them. Here is why adding the number to the beginning of the file name helps to put the frequently used files at the top of the list.

Now that you have the file loaded you can pick the location you want to navigate to from the list.

Verify this is the location you want to navigate to and hit “GO”!

And as soon as it calculates everything you are on your way!

Until the final way point is added,
George

I travel quite a bit for work, and find using a GPS to get me to all the different places I need to go is almost a necessity. There are also vacations with many places that we have never been to before. The days of carrying state maps in the glove compartment (Dating myself – but can you remember when you could get all the maps you wanted free at any gas station?) or an atlas in the trunk are over for me. Even the “high tech” method of using a mapping program to find a location, develop the route to the destination and then printing a map out are past their prime.

To get around to all these places with the least fuss I create different custom POI files for the Garmin Nuvi 755T that I received as a present. I would imagine the method I am going to detail on creating and uploading a custom POI file would apply to other models also.

First you need five things:

A Garmin GPS
Garmin POI loader software
A USB cable
ITN Converter software
An internet connection to download and use the ITN software.

First download the ITN software from https://benichougps.blogspot.com/
(Note: Clicking on any of the following pictures will enlarge (most of) them to allow you to see detail better.

You may do better if you convert the page to English, although it is not really necessary.

Click on the “Downloads” hyperlink.

Follow the prompts to install the software to your PC. Once done you will have an icon like the following on your desktop.

Once it is installed click on the icon to open the software. Then click on the “Editor” button in the lower right hand side.

It will launch the program and open a link which displays Google Maps in a pane along with the program.

Now the fun part starts! Where do you want to go?

Now the fun part starts! Where do you want to go? Type in a search string that gives you the results you want. (1) It can be an address or the name of a place. Here I wanted to find “Cobo Hall” in downtown Detroit Michigan since I was going to run a 10K “Turkey Trot” race there. Click the “Search Icon” (2). Now you have to pick the best match for where you want to go. I like to turn on the satellite view, (4) and zoom in so I can see the object fairly well. (5)

It may take a littel sleuthing to make sure you have the correct location. You can use the address that comes up and Google it to verify the address is the place you want. I often go to the Google Maps page and search there since it gives more detail on the place located. Once you are sure you have the correct location showing you can edit the name. (6) This name will later show in your GPS so you want it short and meaningful to you. Once you edit the name click on “OK”, then remember to click on “Add to itinerary” to save it to your list. (8)

TIP: You can click on the map to add a “pin” for the exact location you want.

TIP: You can click on the map to add a “pin” for the exact location you want. I like to do this so I can define a specific place I want to go such as a certain parking lot at a large park, or even the entrance or exit of a large building that I want to be closest to. Just add the pin then name it like above.

You should see it appear in your list of saved places (9)
In the file give your new file a name. (10) This name will later show in your GPS as the “Custom POI” file name. Again, you will want to give it a meaningful name.

TIP:Organize your files!

TIP: I start all my file names with a series of numbers like 01, 02, 03, etc. This is because later the GPS will order the custom POI files in your GPS in this same order. I like to put the most commonly used ones first in the list to avoid a little bit of scrolling. You can always change the numbers later to add a file or rearrange them if you like.

Repeat the above steps until you have as many waypoints as you want in your file. You can always come back and add more later if you want.
Once you have added all the points you want in this file, click on the X to close the editor.

Once you close the editor it will automatically add the new locations to the file page.

Now you are ready to save your file for later use. At the bottom of the window select “CVS” as a file type. (12) Then click on “Export”. (13)

When you click on export a file explorer opens, pick where you want to save your file, and the name you want it saved by. It will use the name you entered earlier by default but you can change it here if you like. Here I have added the “16” to the file name for later ordering of the files. Another tip is to use either the number of places contained in the file, or the date… or both as shown here. The number of entries in the file lets me know which “revision” it is if I edit the same file multiple times in a day.

That’s all there is to creating your first custom POI file! The ITN software makes this so easy to do I frequently go back in an add even one or two points to a given file. It’s easier than typing in an address in the GPS unit, and probably more accurate.

Now that you have a file what do you do with it? Come back in a week when I go through the details of how to best load the new custom POI’s into your unit.

Until the final POI is defined,
George

Tag Archives: Custom

Uploading Custom POI files to a Garmin GPS Unit.

Creating a Custom POI file for Garmin GPS