Custom Waypoint Symbol Sets

Support for Custom Waypoint Symbols has been a very welcome feature in the On The Trail brand units (notable exception is the Monterra). The On the Road brand however has moved to the far Left of Symboldom and with the BMW Navigator V they completely ignore imported Symbols and make everything a Favorite (Heart Symbol). The zumoTm brand (which really includes the BMW Navigator's) has no support for Custom Symbols and it's internal Symbol Set is made up of only 46 symbols many of which are rather silly: a Bowling Alley?!

I would like to ask the BaseCamp Dev Team to please discuss the addition of support for Custom Waypoint Symbols across all Garmin PND brands so Customers can share symbol sets and continue to derive visual information from our on-map Waypoints. Garmin could even reduce the standard set to One:

  • I'll forward your request, but I can say this was clearly a deliberate attempt to simplify the map display. I can only suggest that all like-minded people send emails to product support. As you know, any change is a balancing act between sometimes conflicting goals and perspectives. Even the outdoor group is not completely convinced that Custom Waypoint Symbols are used widely.
  • Just for completeness and so we're all in the loop I've asked across on the Windows Basecamp forum that these new symbols that appear on the newer nuvis etc be included in Basecamp so that we can at least use them in Basecamp and send them to the newer nuvis etc.



    I guess allowing nuvis etc to use Custom Waypoints would be more difficult, and unlikely to be implemented anytime soon :confused:
  • Even the outdoor group is not completely convinced that Custom Waypoint Symbols are used widely.


    And how would they (or anyone for that matter) know?

    Sure BaseCamp (and lots of software these days) "phones home" usage information. I wouldn't assume that many users don't disable (and/or block) that stuff. I do.
  • I guess allowing nuvis etc to use Custom Waypoints would be more difficult...


    I doubt it. More likely, IMO, is what azdrmn said namely "Even the outdoor group is not completely convinced that Custom Waypoint Symbols are used widely".

    I do BTW in my Outdoor devices and have since MapSource 6.5 and the 60C/76C models introduced the feature in 2004 or so.

    Provided the capability for the user to define up to 64 custom waypoint symbols.
  • I use them also. I suppose a software update to enable their use could be done, but it would mean changes across various models and versions, hence my comment 'would be more difficult' ... but I've been wrong before :p
  • I suppose a software update to enable their use could be done...


    I wouldn't hold my breath if I was you. In fact it wouldn't shock me to see support dropped across the board.

    I know (having been in the business) how new products are developed. These days the engineers get somewhere between 3 and 6 months to create a new product. Look how quickly new models of phones etc come out. As development times are reduced management can do a number of things to keep up.

    • Add more people/independent teams (costs $).
    • Purchase better development tools to reduce development/testing time.
    • Reduce functionality to reduce development/testing time (no direct or seen cost).


    One doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to see which option is more appealing.
  • And how would they (or anyone for that matter) know?

    Sure BaseCamp (and lots of software these days) "phones home" usage information. I wouldn't assume that many users don't disable (and/or block) that stuff. I do.


    You would be surprised then, because somewhere between 53 and 90% of users submit analytics depending on platform and app. I will admit that we had a pool for what the percentage would be and I guessed 3%. I'm glad I was wrong. You're point made me go look and sadly # of custom waypoint symbols isn't one of things we send back...perhaps we should add that and use the data to at least convince outdoor group to keep them. It's going to take more than that to convince the automotive group to add them.
  • You would be surprised then, because somewhere between 53 and 90% of users submit analytics depending on platform and app.


    LOL. Well the NSA also now knows who uses BC and what they do in it :D But then they also know, at any moment, where smartphone users are so I guess it's ok.

    You're point made me go look and sadly # of custom waypoint symbols isn't one of things we send back...


    Oops. Well since you won't get "analytics" from me I use (all) 56 in my Oregon 450 and (all) 24 in my 76CSx. Also I use MapSource :)
  • You would be surprised then, because somewhere between 53 and 90% of users submit analytics depending on platform and app. I will admit that we had a pool for what the percentage would be and I guessed 3%. I'm glad I was wrong. You're point made me go look and sadly # of custom waypoint symbols isn't one of things we send back...perhaps we should add that and use the data to at least convince outdoor group to keep them. It's going to take more than that to convince the automotive group to add them.


    Here is the problem I see with analyzing these types of statistics. First, Garmin doesn't advertise most of the interesting features available on their devices. Most users find out about features like Custom Waypoints and how to use them by word of mouth--just like a lot of features/functions and not only on the devices.

    For years I had this discussion with Garmin Development relative to "chicken & egg" features. In this case I stopped using Custom Waypoints when many of the Garmin zumo devices stopped supporting them--which is half my customer set. Now we have units that totally ignore any Symbol assigned to a Waypoint like the BMW Navigator V. They force the HEART symbol on all transferred waypoints. That's pretty darn simplified--and VERY annoying (yes, I've made my feelings known to both BMW Motorrad NA and Garmin Automotive OEM (zumo) Team.

    I really don't care if Garmin doesn't want to support Custom Waypoints, my point was simple; please be consistent. But, since that seems to be impossible, given current and past products, my suggestion was to simply support ONLY Custom Waypoints and let the Customer decide. Sure you could be nice and provide a "starter set" but after that don't bother.

    I know this suggestion will not be looked upon with much favor since I made the same one over six years ago and usually bring it back up with each major change Garmin makes on their devices -- like now.
  • By the way, did you notice that the "standard" Symbol Set for the zumo's doesn't have a Tent symbol. I suppose the market analysis shows that zumo owners don't camp. :cool:

    But apparently Bowling is very popular.