How to install POIs

[digital-flex]

Ok, I think I have it figured out...

The POI is the .ov2 file (and the corresponding .bmp file) and an ALERT is a .ogg file, right?

I was thinking that you needed the .ov2 file AND the .ogg file in the Maps folder for a POI to show up. I guess you only need the .ogg file if you want an ALERT for that particular POI.

Right?

Yes, that is correct. I am currently working on a how-to for installing POI's and POI Alerts.

Hold tight

 

[ghoticov]

Yes, that is correct. I am currently working on a how-to for installing POI's and POI Alerts.

Hold tight

That would be VERY helpful.

I am a new user (obviously) and when searching the forum, there is nothing that is specific and tells what what files do what (like the .ov2 file is a POI..with the corresponding .bmp (image) file and the .ogg file is an ALERT for any given POI).

There is a lot of talk about .ogg and .ov2 files but for a new user, they have no clue what that is and what it corresponds to. Your "How To" would help with all the questions.

 

[ghoticov]

Yes, that is correct. I am currently working on a how-to for installing POI's and POI Alerts.

Hold tight

Oh yea, now I just have to figure out how to edit a .ov2 file so I can add individual locations that are not currrently in a given POI.

For instance, there is a WalMart (a fairly new one) down the street from me but it isn't on the WalMart .ov2 file that is floating around. I would like to update the .ov2 file to show it.

 

[digital-flex]

Oh yea, now I just have to figure out how to edit a .ov2 file so I can add individual locations that are not currrently in a given POI.

For instance, there is a WalMart (a fairly new one) down the street from me but it isn't on the WalMart .ov2 file that is floating around. I would like to update the .ov2 file to show it.

You can use the program POIEdit2007 or the web application POIEDIT.

 

[ghoticov]

You can use the program POIEdit2007 or the web application POIEDIT.

I assume this works also?

Turn on tomtom, go to change preferences, then arrow to manage poi's , add poi , add to whatever catagory (walmart is what I added), type in the street address, street number, city etc, then done.

That seemed to work. It added a Walmart Location that was not in the walmart.ov2 file that I d/l.

 

[digital-flex]

I assume this works also?

Turn on tomtom, go to change preferences, then arrow to manage poi's , add poi , add to whatever catagory (walmart is what I added), type in the street address, street number, city etc, then done.

That seemed to work. It added a Walmart Location that was not in the walmart.ov2 file that I d/l.

Yup, that is the more practical way.

 

[ghoticov]

Yup, that is the more practical way.

Now I am in the midst of trying how to use POIedit and create my own POI catagories. I haven't quite got the hang of creating an excel spreadsheet and having it imported in to POIedit for me to change the extension to an ov2 file....but I am sure the answer is on the forum somewhere, just gotta find it.

Where is a good place to get locations for chain businesses? For instance, say...Taco Bell. They are everywhere, I would love to do an ov2 file for all the Taco Bell's but I can't seem to find a listing of locations anywhere. Is there a site that has a lot of this info? Also looking for Chick-Fil-A.

 

[digital-flex]

Now I am in the midst of trying how to use POIedit and create my own POI catagories. I haven't quite got the hang of creating an excel spreadsheet and having it imported in to POIedit for me to change the extension to an ov2 file....but I am sure the answer is on the forum somewhere, just gotta find it.

Where is a good place to get locations for chain businesses? For instance, say...Taco Bell. They are everywhere, I would love to do an ov2 file for all the Taco Bell's but I can't seem to find a listing of locations anywhere. Is there a site that has a lot of this info? Also looking for Chick-Fil-A.

You can try this place - http://www.poi2go.com/poi2go/

 

[ghoticov]

You can try this place - http://www.poi2go.com/poi2go/

Well, when I put "Taco Bell" and "30016" (zip code) it gives me an error on the page.

In fact, it didn't matter what I entered, it gave me an error. LOL

 

[digital-flex]

Well, when I put "Taco Bell" and "30016" (zip code) it gives me an error on the page.

In fact, it didn't matter what I entered, it gave me an error. LOL

I know what you mean. I never had much success with it like Pedro2NR but then again it won't do Canadian locations so it doesn't affect me

I had to choose a file type *.txt and wait quite a bit before any results came up.

 

[ghoticov]

I had to choose a file type *.txt and wait quite a bit before any results came up.

What do you mean?

 

[digital-flex]

What do you mean?

In the reseult you can choose *.ov2. I was assuming that is what you chose because that the file type we need to use. Everytime I chose that, it would just sit there and load forever.

The only time I got results was when I choose plain text.

 

[ghoticov]

In the reseult you can choose *.ov2. I was assuming that is what you chose because that the file type we need to use. Everytime I chose that, it would just sit there and load forever.

The only time I got results was when I choose plain text.

ah...gotcha. Well, I tried ALL of the .files and nothing worked. LOL

A few questions for ya...

I figured out how to save a csv in Excel and be able to compile data. In the csv file that I am using, which happened to be all the Publix in Georgia (which is a grocery store), here is how the columns are listed:

First column - GPS coord. (longitude?)
Second column - GPS coord (lattitude?)
Third - shopping center the store is in
Fourth - Street address
Fifth - City and Zip
Sixth - Phone number

My question is if I only put the Third - Sixth column, can I import that into POIedit and it will automatically put the GPS coord in for me? I don't want to have to look up each store, it would be nice to only do it by the address. Will that work?

Also, when I load my new maps (should be here in a few days), will it delete all my POI's? or do I just delete my current US and Canada map and load the new map in it's place off the CD using HOME? I have a back up of all my POI's but I was just wondering.

Thanks!

Marc

 

[digital-flex]

First column - GPS coord. (longitude?)
Second column - GPS coord (lattitude?)
Third - shopping center the store is in
Fourth - Street address
Fifth - City and Zip
Sixth - Phone number

The proper format for the *.csv is

First Column - Longitude
Second Column - Latitude
Third Column - Description

My question is if I only put the Third - Sixth column, can I import that into POIedit and it will automatically put the GPS coord in for me? I don't want to have to look up each store, it would be nice to only do it by the address. Will that work?

No, POIEdit doesn't fill in the GPS coordinates for you.

Also, when I load my new maps (should be here in a few days), will it delete all my POI's? or do I just delete my current US and Canada map and load the new map in it's place off the CD using HOME? I have a back up of all my POI's but I was just wondering.

IIRC, it does as your POI's are in the map folder you are deleting. What I do is I use the function 'Copy to Computer' in home all my POI's so when I need to install it again, I just choose 'Install to TomTom' and select all my POI's and click on install.

 

[ghoticov]

The proper format for the *.csv is
First Column - Longitude
Second Column - Latitude
Third Column - Description

ah, I guess the guy that created this list just used the Third Column as the shopping center it is in (as the description).

No, POIEdit doesn't fill in the GPS coordinates for you.

What's the best way to get GPS coordinates for an address? Google Earth?

IIRC, it does as your POI's are in the map folder you are deleting. What I do is I use the function 'Copy to Computer' in home all my POI's so when I need to install it again, I just choose 'Install to TomTom' and select all my POI's and click on install.

What does IIRC mean?

I copied all the POI's like you said, all I need to do is then just put them in the new USA and Canada folder, correct?

Man, this is fun (once you learn how to do these things)!

 

[digital-flex]

ah, I guess the guy that created this list just used the Third Column as the shopping center it is in (as the description).

That's correct. The third column is the only place you can enter such information i.e. address, phone number, shopping center. There is a 64 character limit you should be aware of

What's the best way to get GPS coordinates for an address? Google Earth?

That is what I use.

Here are the steps I use:

1. I create a folder for the POI I'm creating called 'Taco Bell' under My Places
2. Copy and paste the address in the search box and hit search
3. GE zooms in the address.
4. I click the place mark (thumbnail) and paste the address as the name (the address becomes the description)
5. Adding the placemark adds it under my directory called Taco Bell
6. Repeat 1 through 5 for all addresses for the POI
7. Right click the folder Taco Bell and save the file as *.kml
8. Open POIEdit2007 and save it as *.ov2

DONE

What does IIRC mean?

Did you check the glossary in my sig

I copied all the POI's like you said, all I need to do is then just put them in the new USA and Canada folder, correct?

Yup, that's correct.

Man, this is fun (once you learn how to do these things)!

It is, isn't? It's a lot of fun when you can customize your device to your liking.

 

[ghoticov]

That's correct. The third column is the only place you can enter such information i.e. address, phone number, shopping center. There is a 64 character limit you should be aware of

I assume that includes spaces between characters?

The file I am using as a "template" (the one I listed above) has the description as the shopping center and the phone is in an entirely different field.

But as long as I put the GPS coords in, it doesn't really matter if I go over the 64 character limit, right? It will still show it as "Taco Mac" at that location.

That is what I use.

Here are the steps I use:

1. I create a folder for the POI I'm creating called 'Taco Bell' under My Places
2. Copy and paste the address in the search box and hit search
3. GE zooms in the address.
4. I click the place mark (thumbnail) and paste the address as the name (the address becomes the description)
5. Adding the placemark adds it under my directory called Taco Bell
6. Repeat 1 through 5 for all addresses for the POI
7. Right click the folder Taco Bell and save the file as *.kml
8. Open POIEdit2007 and save it as *.ov2

DONE

hmmm..I will have to try that. Here is what I am doing now:

1. Doing a white pages search for all "Taco Macs" (or whatever) in GA. Copy and paste the address and phone into Excel.
2. Go to Google Earth, type in the address to get the coords and put in spreadsheet.
3. Save csv file to ov2 and done (after finding a cool .bmp file for the image)

Did you check the glossary in my sig

Nope, did not check that. But will...

It is, isn't? It's a lot of fun when you can customize your device to your liking.

Absolutely, now I just have to get that 2 gig SD card....my 1 gig is already full.

 

[ghoticov]

Btw...what kind of SD Card do you have?

I bought a SanDisk 2 GIG Secure Digital SD 2 GB Memory Card 2GB. I hear that Sandisk are very good, just wanted to make sure that would do.

 

[digital-flex]

hmmm..I will have to try that. Here is what I am doing now:

1. Doing a white pages search for all "Taco Macs" (or whatever) in GA. Copy and paste the address and phone into Excel.
2. Go to Google Earth, type in the address to get the coords and put in spreadsheet.
3. Save csv file to ov2 and done (after finding a cool .bmp file for the image)

I like that.

Btw...what kind of SD Card do you have?

I bought a SanDisk 2 GIG Secure Digital SD 2 GB Memory Card 2GB. I hear that Sandisk are very good, just wanted to make sure that would do.

I have a 2GB Crucial SD Card. It's a lower end card but it's been good to me so far *knock on wood*

 

[ghoticov]

I have a 2GB Crucial SD Card. It's a lower end card but it's been good to me so far *knock on wood*

Is the Sandisk card a "higher quality" card or something? Does that mean it is faster? I know NOTHING about SD cards (I dont have a digital camera or anything that uses one).