Proximity Alerts on XT

er-minio · Apr 30, 2022

Since we are messing with the Zumo these days...
is there a way to have proximity alerts (when approaching a Waypoint) on the XT?

I mean something like this:

So essentially a Waypoint that is not part of the route (or track) you are following, I know you can change shaping points into waypoints with alert, but I wanted to understand if I can get alerts from an extraneous waypoint, just sitting there in the vicinity, as you can do on the handhelds.

Thanks.

John Armstrong · Apr 30, 2022

I'd guess so as "safety" cameras get announced when not included as a waypoint. Not a clue on how to download the above as a POI though.

er-minio · Apr 30, 2022

Did a test today. The "lone" waypoint is ignored.
I haven't seen a banner or notification for the one the route either (I don't use audio).

Wapping · May 3, 2022

As far as I know, points are either announced or they are not.

If you find that points are not being announced but you want them to be, the only way to make them announced, is for you to alter them into a form that the device will announce them.

Berin · May 3, 2022

To "announce" the waypoint needs to be classed as a PoI. There's an article on how to do create PoI's here, and a few people have created POI databases of things like bike dealerships, and of course speed cameras.

Once the POI's have been created, you can load them into the device with the Garmin POI loader.

This is how you would add, for example, speed camera alerts from the like of Pocket GPS world, but they can be anything, and then you can configure the type of alert, such as range, audible, visual etc.

Waypoints, which are not part of the route, will pop up if you are navigating a route or track with those waypoints included, I think, but they don't announce, you just see them on the map. The only exeption is if it's set as a waypoint and included in your route.

Berin · May 5, 2022

Doesn't help XT owners, but I've just been further investigating the Montana 700i, and it appears to have the capability to create proximity alerts from waypoints. In other news, a recent firmware update has upgraded the postcode search to 6 digits, which is also good news.

er-minio · May 5, 2022

Oh that is very good news.

Redboots · Jun 5, 2022

If you are still interest in making your own POI's, read this: garmin-csv-file-format

Load the generated .csv file through POI Loader.

Or do it through Basecamp: Custom POI's on BC

er-minio · Jun 5, 2022

Thanks. I think that is the same process Berin pointed out above?
Anyway I gave up. I use proximity alert quite often on the gpsmap 64, but the functionality is just not there (at least no easy enough) on the XT.

Redboots · Jun 6, 2022

er-minio said:
I think that is the same process Berin pointed out above?

Something I have found out is they are not POI's on the XT, but Map Layers.
I don't have my XT yet, its in the post, but will investigate when I get it.

Reading the German forums, the bottom right corner "three dots" is where you select the POI map layer, but the "User POI's" is not selectable.

Maybe bastardise one of the layers so it has user POI's :nenau

Garmin help

Redboots · Aug 3, 2022

I have not had time to play with this yet and wont for some while, but maybe it can do what you want.

Download link: https://www.gpsurl.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2253&d=1575543179

Its not an install, just unrar it into a dir of your choice.

The software requires:
A PC with Audio (for Preview of the Proximity Alerts)
An active Internet connection (for the location of the POI using Google Maps)
You have installed on your PC the POI Loader software (required) and GPSBabel (if you intend to use the function of filtering POI by geographical area)
The CSV Source Files in a PC Folder (either local or network located). This software does NOT make Automatic downloads of the POIs, they must be Downloaded and prepared beforehand by the User. It can now process gpx files as well.

There is the authors thread here

er-minio · Aug 3, 2022

Hey, thanks. Yes I've looked at that method in June.

Too much of a faff. And potential to mess up map data in an already pretty fragile system.
I'm not doing that.

I just wanted to be able to quickly drop a waypoint when creating tracks, routes and having it alert me (especially since I use tracks a lot).
Have to come to terms that the XT is a Zumo after all and it lacks a lot of functionalities that the standard Garmin navs have.

I'll survive that I guess

Redboots · Aug 4, 2022

er-minio said:
Have to come to terms that the XT is a Zumo after all and it lacks a lot of functionalities that the standard Garmin navs have.

I agree with you. Saving my pennies for another Montana.

Wapping · Aug 4, 2022

er-minio said:
Since we are messing with the Zumo these days...
is there a way to have proximity alerts (when approaching a Waypoint) on the XT?

I mean something like this:

So essentially a Waypoint that is not part of the route (or track) you are following, I know you can change shaping points into waypoints with alert, but I wanted to understand if I can get alerts from an extraneous waypoint, just sitting there in the vicinity, as you can do on the handhelds.

Thanks.

I have mucked around with my XT, coming to the conclusion that there is no way to do it.

The closest I can get to is to create the points as favourites. When selecting the favourites’ button, it will list those closest to you. It’s not much of a workaround but it’s the best I can manage.

er-minio · Aug 4, 2022

Yeah – I think it is out of scope for the Zumo series.

Cheney Triumph · Aug 5, 2022

I used to run The Pocket GPS World speed camera database on my Zumo 595 LM it used to function faultlessly. It is in effect a custom POI file loaded via Garmin POI Loader.
I have loaded it on to my XT but it does not function in any way near, as well as the 595. I have now given up on getting it to function correctly, obviously Garmin will not be interested in getting aftermarket software to function.

John Armstrong · Aug 5, 2022

Cheney Triumph said:
I used to run The Pocket GPS World speed camera database on my Zumo 595 LM it used to function faultlessly. It is in effect a custom POI file loaded via Garmin POI Loader.
I have loaded it on to my XT but it does not function in any way near, as well as the 595. I have now given up on getting it to function correctly, obviously Garmin will not be interested in getting aftermarket software to function.

I've also got it on an XT, and apart from the icon size being miniscule, it seems to work ok for me. How does it not work for you?

Redboots · Aug 5, 2022

Cheney Triumph said:
I used to run The Pocket GPS World speed camera database on my Zumo 595 LM it used to function faultlessly. It is in effect a custom POI file loaded via Garmin POI Loader.

I used SCDB and that seem to work OK. They add the following notes for sending to the XT: We have received information that the Garmin zumo XT sometimes has problems installing speed camera data. The reason is that POI Loader has not recognised the zumo XT. The problem can be solved by first saving the speed camera file on the computer.

Start POI Loader and select the computer (not: Garmin device) when asked for the storage location for the user POIs. The user POI file (poi.gpi) created by POI Loader is first saved on the computer. Then copy the user POI file via file browser (Windows Explorer) to the poi folder of the device and/or SD card.

Note for Mac users: The zumo XT is based on Android and is therefore not displayed in the Finder. You need an additional programme such as Android File Transfer to connect the device to the Mac and copy the file.

Cheney Triumph said:
Garmin will not be interested in getting aftermarket software to function.

The thing is, its not software, just a data file.

er-minio · Aug 5, 2022

Cheney Triumph said:
Iobviously Garmin will not be interested in getting aftermarket software to function.

Garmin has serious problems making their own software to function (or develop at all). They are not even close to be able to consider third parties IMHO.

Cheney Triumph · Aug 5, 2022

John Armstrong said:
I've also got it on an XT, and apart from the icon size being miniscule, it seems to work ok for me. How does it not work for you?

I can see the files on the unit, so I know they are on there. The alert only pops up very briefly & the announced voice does not, which in itself is not a deal breaker.

I have spent so much time now trying to resolve it, that I have lost interest. On my old Montana 600 & my 595LM (no sold), it ran faultlessly from the get go, so I can only assume that something has changed on the XT - thank you for your interest.

Proximity Alerts on XT

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