Creating POI Symbols

AndyCr15 · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:48 pm Post subject: Creating POI Symbols

Can anyone tell me the best way to make my own POI symbols? I have access to Photoshop CS.

I know they want to be around 22x22 and 4 bit colour, but I have done some to that spec and they don't show (or give errors) when I put them with the ov2 file.

What other settings must I use?

Thanks for any help.
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TomTom 6 - SPV M5000 and WM6
Garmin Zumo 500 on Honda TransAlp

www.lanarchy.co.uk for LAN gaming near London

BoPeep · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:31 pm Post subject:

Hi AndyCr15,

Here's a link to a post I made a while ago which should give you all the information you need on creating your own bitmap files for POI icons.

If you have done all this and they are still not showing, make sure they have exactly the same file name as the .ov2 and .txt file in the POI overlay and make sure also that you have gone to the Properties area of your navigation program and selected that particular POI to show on the map.

HTH. Thumbs Up

Regards,

Bo Peep.
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TomTom 730
HTC Desire - Co Pilot Live Premium (Europe)

AndyCr15 · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:33 am Post subject:

Just for the record, I found out the specifics of how to make them. They need to be 8 bit with 256 colours.

To do this with pretty much any image you find using Photoshop, firstly crop and resize to get to 22x22 or 24x24. Go to Image->Mode->Indexed Color... This then brings up a box, select in the first box (Palette) 'System (Windows)' and click okay.

Now when you select 'Save As' it should show you are saving an 8 bit Bitmap file. Copy this into your map folder and off you go Thumbs Up

I have found on occasion this still makes Tom Tom give errors. I usually just save and copy over again (or pick a different image) and it will work fine.
_________________
TomTom 6 - SPV M5000 and WM6
Garmin Zumo 500 on Honda TransAlp

www.lanarchy.co.uk for LAN gaming near London

MikeB · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 3:51 pm Post subject:

I found the most reliable application to convert to the 8bit bmp format was suprisingly MS Paint. I have Photoshop 6 and this just couldnt output the right file format. Opening the image in Paint and then saving again did the trick for me.
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Mike Barrett

AndyCr15 · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 4:15 pm Post subject:

MikeB · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 5:57 pm Post subject:

AndyCr15 · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:03 pm Post subject:

I understand your point, I'm not saying people shouldn't do that, but MS Paint is very limited from what I can see. How do you even just re-size an image for example? Using PS you can make ov2 icons from pretty much any image or photo.

It's odd it wont work for you, the given method seems good for me Confused

I'd be interested if other can make it work.
_________________
TomTom 6 - SPV M5000 and WM6
Garmin Zumo 500 on Honda TransAlp

www.lanarchy.co.uk for LAN gaming near London

MikeB · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:08 pm Post subject:

AndyCr15 · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:24 pm Post subject:

Jeez, I wont bother trying to help anyone again in the future Rolling Eyes

I searched this forum asking what settings I needed to save a bitmap as to make a working ov2 icon. I couldn't find them, so when I found out myself, I came back to share the information. Whats the big problem? You don't want to, fine, stick to MS Paint. Anyone with PS that would like to make some nice looking icons, I just gave them the information on how. Maybe you don't like people helping others on this forum if it isn't the same as the help you suggest?
_________________
TomTom 6 - SPV M5000 and WM6
Garmin Zumo 500 on Honda TransAlp

www.lanarchy.co.uk for LAN gaming near London

MikeB · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:07 pm Post subject:

Sorry Andy I didnt mean to be critical, and we do appreciate everybody's constructive input. I was just trying to point out that there are alternatives, I certainly did not intend to put you down, and I apologise if you felt this to be the case.

I am a designer by trade and have a large number of graphics utilities, I was just saying that what works for you didnt for me and for other people who dont have this expensive software there are free alternatives (as I suspect that most people do not have Photoshop).

Please do keep this sort of contribution coming in.
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Mike Barrett

AndyCr15 · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:15 pm Post subject:

Thats okay. I'm sorry too, I have a bit of a short fuse sometimes Embarassed

_________________
TomTom 6 - SPV M5000 and WM6
Garmin Zumo 500 on Honda TransAlp

www.lanarchy.co.uk for LAN gaming near London

Dave · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:26 pm Post subject:

Must be all that all night online gaming Wink

I still can't stop playing Quake III and Unreal Tournament. Completed both games, but love fraggin' people to death! Laughing

AndyCr15 · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:37 pm Post subject:

Never really got into Q3, lovin UT still though, 2004 is pretty damn good Thumbs Up

_________________
TomTom 6 - SPV M5000 and WM6
Garmin Zumo 500 on Honda TransAlp

www.lanarchy.co.uk for LAN gaming near London

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