Changing the icon for a batch of custom POIs?

Discussion in 'Mapping & Navigation' started by Emoto, Nov 25, 2012.

  1. Emoto

    Emoto Sure, why not?

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    Having uploaded a set of custom POIs of moto dealer sof a certain brand to a Montana and a Zumo, I realize that I would like to use a custom icon for those places. Is there an easy way to do this as a batch instead of one at a time?
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  2. DRTBYK

    DRTBYK All Things GPS

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    Well, the easy way would be to create your Custom Icon and place it in the same folder as your POI file (GPX, CSV). You must name the Custom Icon the same name as your POI file. For example; BMW Dealers.GPX = BMW Dealers.BMP.

    When you use the POILoader to create the GPI file and load it to the GPS, POILoader will look for a any BMP files of the same name as the POI data and assign the icon to ALL of the POI's within that file (BMW Dealers.GPX).

    Your Custom Icon must meet Garmin's Custom Symbol requirements.

    Cheers,
    #2
  3. Emoto

    Emoto Sure, why not?

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    Ah! Thanks! :thumb :bow
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  4. Emoto

    Emoto Sure, why not?

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    In case this helps anyone else, on both the Montana and the Zumo 350LM, the file on the GPS unit holding your custom POIs is called "Custom POI.gpi". If you havve no custom POIs, this file will not be present. It is created when you upload custom POIs.


    • On the 350LM it is in a folder called "POI" under "Internal Storage", so /Internal Storage/POI/.

    • On the Montana, the file is also called "Custom POI.gpi" but it is in a folder called "POI" under a folder called "Garmin", so /Garmin/POI/.
    The filename that you need to match in order for your custom POI icon to be displayed on screen is the filename of the file that your custom POIs were uploaded from. For example, I had a file named "BMW Motorrad USA Retailers.csv", so my image file for the icon had to be named "BMW Motorrad USA Retailers.bmp" in order to be recognized as DRTBYK instructed.

    Key point: Assuming the use of the Garmin poi uploader tool, set to "express" (not "manual") you must copy your image file into the POI folder before uploading the POIs themselves. The uploading tool will take care of making the image to POI association, but if you upload your POIs before the image file is present in the POI folder, the image file will be ignored. There might be a way around that, but just stick the image file up into the POI folder first, then upload your POIs. :wink:
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  5. 1200gsceej

    1200gsceej wanabee overachiever

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    Do you have a reference link to those specs?

    Also, do the comments relating to the Montana and the 350 also apply to the Zumo 660/665?

    thanks,
    -ceej
    #5
  6. DRTBYK

    DRTBYK All Things GPS

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    The spec's are simple: 8-bit Windows BMP, 32x32px maximum size. If you want any part of the icon transparent, it must be colored Magenta (r,g,b, = 255, 0, 255).

    In general EMOTO's comments are correct and they apply to the zumo 66x brand as well. One addition I'll make is that when using Garmin's POILoader to create your POI files you can name them anything you want as the POILoaders screen below indicates.

    [​IMG]

    Naming your POI files (you can have more than one) is a good thing as the default is POI.GPI. If you only use the default name, each time you update/change your POI file the old one is overwritten. So, give your POI files an appropriate name. For example my Garmin/POI/ folder looks like this:

    BMW Dealers.gpi
    Road Food.gpi
    Camping.gpi
    Repair Shops.gpi
    US Embassies.gpi


    Cheers,
    #6
  7. Emoto

    Emoto Sure, why not?

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    That is a really great tip! :thumb
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