Garmin gpi data on nuvi sd card does not appear in Basecamp

Any suggestions where I may have gone wrong?

Two things. Just as in a device custom POI's need to be enabled in BC.

Maps -> Manage Custom POIs...

Secondly BC doesn't seem to recognize Garmin (i.e. encrypted) custom POI's (.gpi files).

Secondly BC doesn't seem to recognize Garmin (i.e. encrypted) custom POI's (.gpi files).

Another hard lesson to learn after a lot of head scratching and searching.

Thank you.

FYI I'm pretty sure I've asked the BC developers, in this forum, about Garmin custom POI (i.e. purchased .gpi files) support but haven't ever been given an answer.

I do a have a Garmin "Safety Camera" POI (safety_camera_us_canada.gpi) file and BC does see the file although I've never found a way to search for/display the POI's in it. I'm guessing that's deliberate so users don't try and avoid the cameras.

I have only just discovered that a gpi file is an encrypted file!

No. GPI files are in a binary format. Since Garmin's POILoader program is used to create GPI files from plain text files (GPX /CSV) I think the assumption is that there's no need to convert them back. However I think there's software and/or websites that'll do it.

Garmin GPI files (that you purchase) seem to be encrypted in addition to being in binary format. That is the data in them cannot be extracted--at least not by end users. Now that makes sense so the data can't be copied.

The problem I have with Garmin's "safety camera" POI's is that one has no idea of what's in them. No total POI count, no listing of general locations where's there's data. Nothing! In short you purchase stuff with no clue about what you're getting.

The problem I have with Garmin's "safety camera" POI's is that one has no idea of what's in them. No total POI count, no listing of general locations where's there's data. Nothing! In short you purchase stuff with no clue about what you're getting.

http://speedcamerapoi.com/howtoeditgarmingpi.php

Edit Safety Camera.

/sigh

Yep, you searched the internet with a search engine and found a page that implies you can edit Garmin .gpi files with POILoader.

The problem is: you can't. In fact POILoader won't open .gpi files--even ones you created. As I stated above it's a one way process.

Garmin .gpi's appear to have some features that POILoader won't create (at least the documentation doesn't say how). For example POILoader allows you to create POI's that have speed/proximity alerts. However the proximity alerts are directionless--that is when you approach the POI from any direction you'll be alerted. The Garmin Safety Camera POI's will only alert when the camera POI is approached from the direction in which the camera is pointing.

Fortunately for me I live in a fairly remote area. The nearest stop light in many miles away and the one after that is even further. In short I really don't need the Safety Camera database I have. I bought it mainly out of curiosity some years back.

I've created my own custom POI's, using POILoader, that alert by distance (proximity). Those seem to work pretty well for my purposes.

I have made several POIs in NY City and PA State.........

With the USA map on the same sd card as the gpi, when I connect the nuvi to the pc although the USA map is recognised, the gpi data is not. The map is blank where it should contain the gpi data POI.

Its BaseCamp 4.3 which we can blame this fault (or bug). BaseCamp 4.3 only reads POIs directly from attached GPS receivers and not from any other source (usb, microSD or virual drives) anymore. BaseCamp 4.2 does read POI's from microSD.


I have solved this by placing the POI's on a virtual SD card (use JaVaWa Device Manager Program) and copy the \garmin\GarminDevice.xml file to the same location on the virtual SD card. Then BC 4.3 recognize the card as a GPS receiver and will read the poi''s.

(except the encrypted poi's)

I have solved this by placing the POI's on a virtual SD card (use JaVaWa Device Manager Program) and copy the \garmin\GarminDevice.xml file to the same location on the virtual SD card.

That is called "cloning" (the device). I have clone SD cards in a number of computers :) Works great for updating maps, getting firmware updates etc without having the actual unit(s) plugged in. Works with JaVaWa Device Manager too :D

;) :cool:

I now use this modified GarminDevice.xml file for (virtual) SD cards, in BC also shown as Virtual SD and not as a "GPS".

You can even change the Unit ID in the GarminDevice.xml file to check when users (e.g. people posting here) are having issues. For all intensive purposes you have their device plugged into your computer. I've done that a number of times in the past when users have had map update problems etc.

The GarminDevice.xml file identifies devices and contains detailed information about them.

PS: This is why the GarminDevice.xml file or Unit ID should never be posted in public.