POIs

[Buster50]

I have a XXL540TM and I can down load all types of POIs to my TT. Now I have a Via 1535TM and cannot find the online POIs from TT. Where do I find them?

 

[dhn]

Welcome to TTF. (by the way, no need to use a font size larger than the default ... ).

Anyway, there isn't a repository as such of online pois from tomtom but you can put custom pois you have in a couple of ways:

1. Use the Add Community Content menu item which will appear when you connect your new unit to the computer and it'll be found in thre desktop MyTTT icon (in the notification area)
2. Use this tool from TomTom which the company doesn't promote very well:

http://uk.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14081/?locale=en_GB

You can also find custom poi sites online. Here are some places to look:

1. http://www.gps-data-team.com/poi/
2. http://www.poi-factory.com/
3. http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/default.asp?CAT_ID=20

 

[Andy_P]

Those other libraries should have most of what you need, but if you're desperate to use the POIs you were getting from TomTom Home, you could download them to the XXL first and then use the Content Transfer Assistant or the manual Add Community Content methods dhn has described to copy them to the Via.

 

[Buster50]

First of all, some of us eyes are not what they used to be and need the larger print. And thanks for the help.

 

[Buster50]

I have a TT XXL540TM and uses me older Tomtom Home and has a library from service stations to parks. Chose and download. Where do I find this for the mytomtom?:sad:

 

[Andy_P]

As we said, you don't!

My TomTom simply doesn't have the same functionality as Home does.

So your options are
1. Use Home to download to the XXL first, and then transfer the POIs to the VIA yourself.
2. Use one of the other places to get POIs

 

[Buster50]

Thank for the help. You would thing the mytomtom would have more not less then the older tomtomhome. I have downloaded most of the POI to me XXL540TM with tomtomhome. Are they on my pc now or do I have to open tthome then send them to my Via? Or just how do I do what I want to do. Will TT be adding POI to their Mytt in the future?

 

[Buster50]

I have found the place where TThome has stored the POIs. But cannot figure how to download them to my Via.

 

[Andy_P]

Thank for the help. You would thing the mytomtom would have more not less then the older tomtomhome.

MyTomTom was forced on the company. I think they would be the first to admit (privately) that it is unfinished and has a long way to go before it is satisfactory.

They HAD to go over to it for two reasons,
1. map piracy was a real problem and they needed to lock down the units so people could not access the file system and
2. Microsoft sued the pants off them over the use of the file system itself, which Microsoft reckoned they had patent rights over.

---------------------

I have downloaded most of the POI to me XXL540TM with tomtomhome. Are they on my pc now or do I have to open tthome then send them to my Via? Or just how do I do what I want to do. Will TT be adding POI to their Mytt in the future?

One of the easiest ways to get the POIs from the XXL to the VIA is to use the Content Transfer Assistant utility that both dhn and I have already mentioned in previous posts.

However, if you want to do it manually, you can either:

1. just connect both machines at the same time and use MyTomTom's "Add community content" feature to copy the POI files directly from the map folder of the XXL (again as already mentioned above)
or:
2. Copy them from the download folder on your PC (but see below)

I have found the place where TThome has stored the POIs. But cannot figure how to download them to my Via.

The downloaded POIs that you get from Home are stored in your Home download directory (normally set to C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\TomTom\HOME\Downloads\complete\poi (for Windows XP) or
C:\Users\username\Documents\TomTom\HOME\Downloads\complete\poi (for Windows 7/VISTA)

But they are stored as compressed .zip or .cab files.
Mostly, they will be .zip files and you can use either a dedicated program such as Winzip to uncompress them, or Windows own "un-zipper" (just right click on the .zip file and select "extract all" to get the .ov2 and .bmp files you need.

You then upload the .ov2 and .bmp files to the VIA with "Add community content" in MyTomTom as we said before.



If you are happy with using the normal tools for locating files with Windows programs like Windows Explorer and can use MyTomTom, then manually copying them from the map folder of the XXL (as above) is probably the simplest.

If you need further help, please choose one of the methods you would like step-by-step instructions for, but both techniques are pretty straightforward

 

[Andy_P]

But they are stored as compressed .zip or .cab files.
Mostly, they will be .zip files and you can use either a dedicated program such as Winzip to uncompress them, or Windows own "un-zipper" (just right click on the .zip file and select "extract all" to get the .ov2 and .bmp files you need.

You then upload the .ov2 and .bmp files to the VIA with "Add community content" in MyTomTom as we said before.

Actually, tell a lie..... I'd forgotten that the very latest version of MyTomTom can also accept the .zip files directly, so just select those in "Add community content".

 

[Buster50]

I finally was able to download the POIs from TTH to my Via 1535TM. Your help was great. But, tech people forget that not all of us are techies. I want on the net and looked for Add community content. Finally someone said it could be found in the lower right hand corner next to the clock. On my pc it was under (show hidden icons). They then said right click in it. There I found (Add community content).
Thanks also for letting me know why TT has changed their software. I am not the type to complain about something. But TT acts like they don't care about their costumers. Last year I bought the TT XXL540TM and really like it. So last month I bought the XXL550T and quickly found out that it wasn't what I wanted and took it back. I like the 2D over the 3D and it wouldn't position the map in the direction I was traveling in the 2D mode. So I bought the Via 1535TM and found that the online software isn't what it should be. And it has another draw back. My holders for my XXL will not work on the Via because the suction cup will not come off. I cannot find the new holder in the store. I like the unit, but not there support.

 

[- et -]

My holders for my XXL will not work on the Via because the suction cup will not come off. I cannot find the new holder in the store. I like the unit, but not there support.

It is actually fairly easy to remove the Via mount. TomTom provides instructions for this at:

http://us.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14828/?locale=en_US

You can then use a third-party mount that provides a ball that fits inside the socket on the Via - installed by reversing the removal procedure that TomTom provides at that link.

I have removed the TomTom mount on my GO LIVE 1535 and replaced it with an adapter sold by Arkon that attaches to their "goose neck", which goes into the cup holder of my cars. (I use the same goose neck with my XXL540, although there is a different adapter that goes between the goose neck and the GPS itself, depending upon whether the GPS is my XXL540 or the GO LIVE 1535.)

With best wishes,
- Tom -

 

[Andy_P]

But, tech people forget that not all of us are techies. I want on the net and looked for Add community content. Finally someone said it could be found in the lower right hand corner next to the clock. On my pc it was under (show hidden icons). They then said right click in it. There I found (Add community content).

Sorry, but I thought dhn's mention in the very first reply that "the Add Community Content menu item... (will) be found in the desktop MyTT icon (in the notification area)"... would be sufficient.

The "notification area" (also sometimes called the "system tray") is Microsoft's name for the area next to the clock.

I will try to remember to always say "...in the system tray (next to the PC clock)" in my replies from now on. But If we weren't clear enough you could always have asked here...

 

[Lillypaw]

great notice

Welcome to TTF. (by the way, no need to use a font size larger than the default ... ).


Anyway, there isn't a repository as such of online pois from tomtom but you can put custom pois you have in a couple of ways:

1. Use the Add Community Content menu item which will appear when you connect your new unit to the computer and it'll be found in thre desktop MyTTT icon (in the notification area)
2. Use this tool from TomTom which the company doesn't promote very well:

http://uk.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14081/?locale=en_GB


You can also find custom poi sites online. Here are some places to look:

1. http://www.gps-data-team.com/poi/
2. http://www.poi-factory.com/
3. http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/default.asp?CAT_ID=20

what a great post thank you
:thumb:

 

[Buster50]

Thank You. I didn't see this in the manual.