how do I create and manage a personal POI collection?

[marc-s]

While surfing the net I always stumble upon nice places I'd like to visit. Next week or maybe next life. But in any case I need a way to store that information. What type of tool (web based or standalone software) would you recommend for creating a large POI database? And by POI I don't mean restaurants and gas stations, but instead just general coordinates with attached information.

I should be able to tag/classify the POIs, add a description and maybe a link, use different symbols for different categories/tags, view them on a map and ideally view them in a list for fast editing/searching/whatever. The map view should have some sort of filtering function. I'd like to be able to export all the data to e.g. gpx file format, so I can work with them and transfer them on a GPS device (garmin, some anrdoid navigation software, whatever device it is...). It's not necessary that the tool handles file conversion as there are other solutions to that particular problem. In fact, getting all the data out of the tool at any time is vital, as I don't want to be dependent on a product.

I worked with google earth for collection geolocation based information but wasn't really happy with it. What alternatives could you recommend? Web based and/or standalone tool (win and mac).

Thanks in advance!

/I don't really care what basemap the tool has... as long as I have something I'm happy :) if the tool can add WMS services that would be great for incorporating OSM-maps and similar. but it's not a must have. I'm happy if I find anything that helps me managing information...

[DennyIndy]

Garmin's BaseCamp is a free download. It is generally accepted that the Mac version is a little easier to learn.

You can use open street maps.

OpenStreetMap


BaseCamp is actually quite good at storing and organizing Waypoints (poi's)

You can attach pictures and there is a place for comments in each waypoint.

You can export and import gpx files quite easily.

It is not particularly easy to learn since most folks claim it is not intuitive.
I think it is worth the effort to learn it, and you will be proud of the things it can do.

It can interact with Google Earth and then Google earth can export info info that can be imported into Google maps.
So it can be quite versatile once you learn to use the tricks to accomplish those things.

[Emoto]

DennyIndy is right that you could use BaseCamp to create this info, and the nice thing there is that it will let you search for some things that it already has in its POI database, although that might not be there unless you buy a detailed map set, I'm not sure. Some GPSs come with a full map set that you can also install on your computer, some you have to buy the maps. I point this out because choosing a GPS might solve some of this problem for you, if you decide to go big.

If you want simplicity, just make a .CSV (comma delimited) file and put your data in there. This can be as simple as a text file created with Notepad and then "saved as" a whatever.csv instead of whatever.txt. Or, use Excel and save as a CSV.

The Garmin POI uploader will handle a CSV file nicely to import the points into your GPS. I cannot comment on other brands of GPS.

Here is a sample of two lines from my CSV file that I grabbed from www.poi-factory.com of BMW dealers. Each line is a POI:

-149.88906,61.17062,"The Motorcycle Shop","400 W Potter Dr, Anchorage, AK, 99518-1143, (907) 561-1165,"
-147.64646,64.835,"Trail's End BMW","Po Box 80754, Fairbanks, AK, 99708-0754, (907) 479-2367,"

[marc-s]

Thanks for your help. I'll have a look at basecamp and give it a try... as you two seem to use it yourself: can I add a POI by just typing in the coordinates (instead of look of looking it up in the map).

[1200gsceej]

Originally Posted by marc-s

Thanks for your help. I'll have a look at basecamp and give it a try... as you two seem to use it yourself: can I add a POI by just typing in the coordinates (instead of look of looking it up in the map).

Definitely try BC. I do not think that it is un-intuitive for new users. I think that it is just very different from MS and difficult for long time MS users.
-ceej