Garmin Route loading

[Howard]

Ellis is circulating the Garmin route file, but since I prepared it there have been some questions raised about how to load the route onto the unit.

The following is the procedure, which is not included in the notes with the 10CR 2017.gpx route file

Route Loading Procedure:-

Open Garmin BaseCamp

Click on "File" then select "New"

Click on "List folder" in the menu

Give new folder a name eg "2017 10CR"

Go back to top of screen & click on "File Import into "2017 10CR" "

Select file to be imported "10CR.gpx"

Click on import into "2017 10 CR"

Click on folder "2017 10 CR" in BaseCamp window on upper left of screen

Route will appear on map on right

Make sure your satnav is visible to BaseCamp. If it fails to see the satnav, close all Garmin software and try again - wait until the satnav is recognized as a USB memory device then restart BaseCamp. (Ignore any windows pop up's about how to open the satnav)

Click on "Edit" menu at top of BaseCamp screen

Click on "send to" and select your SatNav

Send, then wait until it finished copying.

Disconnect Satnav from computer and check that the route has appeared.

Garmin make great GPS's and powerful software but are not good with their instructions or at following the Windows standard way of doing things. Try searching the Internet and you will see how many people are stuck....

[Nick Jones]

No.  It has to be capable of accepting an itinerary, which many of them (especially the cheaper ones) are not.  

My Garmin Nuvi is not capable.  Among it's other faults.    It's just been updated again, but will probably still refuse to take me to Luxembourg...... as it has on every 10CR to date. One day it will push me over the edge and I will kill it.

Nick

[Howard]

Do you need the POI file which gives all the intermediate way points (from the road book) as an alternative?

Cheers

Howard

[Clive]

Yes please!

[Howard]

OK will do

[Nick Jones]

Garmin NUVI 1340....... Don't buy!  >

I always have trouble loading POI files, I think because it has been intentionally crippled by Garmin.  It is possible as I've done it before, though I find 2 year intervals more than enough to forget how.

This time I've got the file in there, though not using the POI loader directly as this either hides the file or doesn't load it at all.  Instead I've got it to put the converted file (GPI) on the computer desktop and manually copy from there to the extras folder on the Nav.  This works to the extent that I can find the list of points but they've been randomised and don't seem to have retained their co-ordinate data so are in fact useless.  >

Back to the drawing board (or the map book)

Nick

[Nick Jones]

Cracked it.... mostly.  I finally realised that Basecamp will only accept .kmi files.  I converted the the .csv to .kmi using an online converter and then Basecamp transferred the file.  It hid the points under an obscure heading in favourites but I found 'em.  Now I just have find out why it lists them in order of distance from home rather than numerical order.......

Nick

Edit:  It lists favourites by distance by design.  Cannot be changed.  I refer to my original comment.  Don't buy......!

[Howard]

Nick

Sorry to hear that - my Garmin is a nuvi 2597 which loads the POI files as I described, but I loaded the GPX route files onto Tim Hunt's 1xxx unit a couple of days ago so have some first hand experience of that series.

The GPX route files turned up in under the "My Data" icon and when I tapped on it, the routes were all there. However they were not loaded as routes until the tick boxes were selected (one at a time) and the option to import as routes was used on the Nuvi. Maybe the same applies to POI files? If you are stuck, see me in Lille and i will bring my laptop and see if I can assist.

Cheers

Howard

[Nick Jones]

Thanks Howard.  Wasn't meant as a criticism in any way.  I just needed to vent and perhaps hoped that someone had already figured it out.

I think the problem with my particular machine is that it was cheap and is now quite old.  It also seems to be intentionally crippled by Garmin to make sure you don't get more than you paid for!  I know it doesn't do itineraries for example.  It does do points of interest but always puts up a fight.  I have previously got speed camera locations on there (now removed!) and even a previous 10CR set, but never before using Basecamp.  I have no idea why it didn't like gpx or gpi files - everything I read suggested that is what it should want.  It doesn't have a "My data" icon but something called "Extras".

Anyway - all 107 POIs are now on it and appear to work.  The remaining frustration is that they are sorted by distance from home rather than numerical order.  This can be partly offset by using the "spell" sort function but not entirely.  The distance sorting is an unchangeable embedded "feature" apparently.  Opinion on the forums is divided as to how smart this is.  All I can say is that those who think it's smart don't try to use it for vaguely circular routes!

I'm satisfied that it's now as good as it can be got within the limitations of the machine - but thanks for the offer of help!  I really must get a better one!

Cheers

Nick

[Howard]

Nick

No problem - its a pain when it doesn't do wha

[Howard]

Nick

No problem - its a pain when it doesn't do wha

[Howard]

Hi Nick

I have spent many hours attempting to sort out the Garmin software on three units that I look after for work, which involved a lot of *****ng before I finally succeed.

Because it is clear that many more CT users are in the same position, I am attempting to understand all the issues & write up notes to help. It would be good to meet up during the 10CR and check what you are doing to work out if we can make it better for next time.

Cheers

Howard

[Nick Jones]

Sure, happy to discuss.  I think the moral of the story is not to be too mean () when buying the sat nav in the first place and to make sure that whatever you buy supports itinerary planning.......

Seems to be quite alot of variation in techniques / abilities between the different models and series of models.

I wonder if there is a Garmin hackers forum out there that has worked out how to extract more from them......

Nick

[kin74]

May I suggest you to use an old smartphone/tablet?

I think we all have one or more obsolete mobiles in some drawer, they might not be good anymore with the latest apps but you can give them a new life as SatNav. Just reset them to the factory settings to remove all the unnecessary apps and updates which make the phone slow, then install a SatNav app. Some of them are free with open source maps, are usually more versatile than a standard SatNavi and allows you to upload tracks and POIs to follow. OsmAnd for Android is one of them.

Pros: It's cheap (free!) and may help you when Garmin doesn't like your route file.
Cons: Unless you're using a tablet or a phablet, screen is usually smaller than a SatNavi and the battery may last less.

This post doesn't help who'd like to keep on using his Garmin, of course.

[malcty]

Just a very big THANKS to Ellis and team for a fantastic run. The scenery was breathtaking, especially the Dolomites. Pity the Europoean`s do not sign diversions when they repair motorways. Now to relax and sort out the car. What a way to spend 5 days. Thanks again. Malc.