TomTom720 - Adding Shell Petrol Stations

[RobUK]

Hello,

I'm a little bit fussy about the petrol I use in my car (I only use V-Power) and would like to find a way to add all Shell Petrol Stations as Points of Interest to my TomTom720.

Does anyone know if this is possible, and if so, how I can do it ?

The 'raw' information is clearly available and is used by this utility, which seems to be embedded within Multimap:

http://www.multimap.com/clients/places.cgi?client=shell&db=GB&lang=en

Any advice appreciated

Thanks,

Rob.

[Tim Buxton]

Email Shell and get their outlets list in .csv or .xls format. Edit it to show only the V-Power outlets and then convert the resultant file to .ov2 format. Make a suitable icon and stick both in your map directory.
_________________
Tim

[sneeks]

The POI download page of this site has Shell listings available

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=POIs

[BrianI]

Hi Rob
There are 887 Shell petrol stations on this site, along with many other POI's
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=POIs
or click on POI's on left column on this page
Brian

[RobUK]

Great, thanks for your help.

Haven't had time to try yet, but looks like it's reasonably staight forward.

[RobUK]

This is a bit embarassing, but I need to ask:

I've successfully downloaded the required POI file, but I don't know how to transfer it on to my TomTom 720. I've spent over half-an-hour looking in various forums & topics - but can't seem to find how to.

I've opened TomTom Home (v2.0.0.324), I've connected the 720 to the PC using the cradle, selected "Add Maps, Traffic, Voice etc", selected "Points of Interest" and tried to drag&drop the POI file into the green box (the unpacked file - not the zip), but nothing seems to happen.

I'm sure it's user error - but what am I doing wrong ?

Thanks very much,

Rob.

[DennisN]

Best thing is NOT to use TT Home!!
Use Windows Explorer instead. You can start Win Explorer even whilst Home is running.
With 720 in cradle and connected to PC, open Windows Explorer and copy the unzipped ov2 and bmp files to the map directory of the 720. When finished, remember to disconnect the 720 properly - either in Home select Device Disconnect, or in Explorer right click the drive and select Eject.

This page shows how it's done (it doesn't mention GO720, but it's the same procedure. Go for it and come back if you have problems.

Have you done a backup of the 720? If not, GRRRR - DO IT NOW!
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[RobUK]

Thanks for your reply, Dennis.

I think I'm getting closer; I've copied the file into the "Western_Europe" folder, per the instructions - but they still don't seem to be working.

What I've done so far:

Downloaded the POI zip file (renamed it from "POI" to "POI-Shell");
The zip file contains only one file (also called POI-Shell);
I'm assuming this is the OV2 file, but I can't see the extension (despite setting Vista not to hide file extensions);
I've dragged and dropped into the TomTom's "Western_Europe" folder

I'm then trying to select a POI from the new file by tapping POI near home - but I can't find the Shell station which I know is just up the road !

[DennisN]

No, no.
You've got to UNZIP the downloaded zip file. (you didn't need to rename it, but probably no harm done and if there IS harm done, you can just scrub it and download again) Dunno about Vista, (I'm too scared to even contemplate having that yet!!) but in XP you double click the file on your PC and then tell it to extract all files. You'll then have two files one called Shell.ov2 and one called Shell.bmp (I might be wrong about the name, but it'll be something like Shell, but you need two files, both with same name, except one is extension .ov2 and 't other is extension .bmp. You need ONLY those two, just in case you get something else like copyright or version text files etc.

You copy those two files into your map folder, THEN the Shell stations will appear (you might have to "Enable" them first).
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[RobUK]

Dennis,

Firstly - thanks for persevering with me !

I thought I had unzipped the file, but clearly I hadn't - because after 'unzipping', I was only able to extract a single file (same filename and no extension).

I've tried a few times and the same thing happens each time.

HOWEVER, if I tick the "show link" button on the POI page before pressing Download, I am able to successfully unzip this file.

SO - not pressing show link seems to issue a file that I can't unzip - but I don't know why.

If I follow the same process, but press show link I'm in business.

Weird, but it works - and I now have the POIs installed.

Thanks for your help !

despite having used had already unzipped the downloaded file (at least I thought I had) - but this seemed to result with a single file - called the same thing ..

However, I've found a way round it;

[DennisN]

Well, rob, I'm a bit mystified - I've heard about using the show link button, but I've never needed to do so myself. I believe it's to do with operating systems, firewalls and all sorts of magic stuff like that.

Main thing is if you've got it working, I'm glad. I hope you've taken notes on how to do it next time!
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[Andy_P]

This problem crops up so many times and still there are no clear instructions about what that "Show Link" option is for (there's only a mention about using it with IE7).
Still no mention of the 22 sub-categories either...

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