Mapping & Navigation Software for Campers

Hello ALL:

Just curious if anyone has found software or hardware, great for folks like us who are going to do some US travels. Is there equipment out there that would list campgrounds, filling stations, etc. on major highways??

I haven't purchased equipment yet, and not sure if a laptop with software?, or what..

Any help would really be a help. We are planning trips for next spring, so time isn't critical at this time.

Ned C:

Ned, many RV'ers, and others who often visit campgrounds, use Microsoft Streets and Trips, DeLorme Street Atlas, ALK CoPilot. and perhaps other software, too. Each contains large database of POIs (points of interest), but there are freely downloadable POIs that can be imported by some (not all) software. I think the combination of POIs that are already in the software program, and the POIs that you can download from various websites, should keep most users quite happy.

The current version of ALK CoPilot cannot import POIs, but the other two programs I mentioned can.

There also is some specific software for campgrounds, but I just cannot recall its name now. Anyone?

There is a campground specific software is called Trailer Life. I don't have any personal experience with it but I found the 2008 version for sale here:
http://rvbookstore.com/shop/detail.aspx?p=553&m=2.

TNKS. Larry and Marvin

Larry, yes, Trailer Life is what I had in mind, but I just couldn't recall the name. I've heard about it on more than one occasion. The beauty of a laptop computer is that you are not limited to just one program; you can install several mapping software packages, and then use each for different purpose. No program can do it all, but two or three programs can complement each other quite nicely.

Woodalls also offers a campground directory for installation on a PC as well but I believe it maybe incorporated into S&T already.

Again Many thanks..
Ned C

Ned, I use Trailer Life's Campground Navigator to locate campgrounds. Although it will determine routes, I use S&T for planning my route. One nice thing about the campground navigator is that you can easily see the three ratings for each campground and determine if they have the hookups you need.
pete

Thanks Pete.. Looking forward to Christmas and a great deal on a PC laptop. I have a Mac, but it seems the software is PC only..

Ned C.

I have Streets and Trips 2008 and got the software from Brian Reynolds called Truck Stops Plus. It will give you low clearances, Flying J, Petro, Pilot and lots of other major fuel stops and mom and pop fuel stops very easy software to use and easy on the pocket book. It will only take short time to figure out S&Trips. Look up POI's (points of interest) on the internet and you will find all kinds of things and locations for camping or RVing. Got questions on any Gps feel free to submit questions on here and someone will answer you. Rukstr

There is a web site for Discovery motorhome owners (http://www.discoveryowners.com/cginfolinks.htm) that has files that can be downloaded by anyone for use in DeLorme, S&T, Co-Pilot and Google Earth. There's also a downloadable text file. The information available (in individual files) includes Flying J stations, Pilot stations, state parks, Wal-Marts with and without fuel, Sams with and without fuel, Golden Corrals, Cracker Barrels, certain bridge clearances and more.

I have a motorhome and use both DeLorme and S&T (not together) and the files work great. Before I found these files, I sometimes did this when looking for certain things.

I can't thank you all enough for all the info. We both are looking forward to traveling this spring and summer. This is going to make things much easier..

Ned C:

Let us know how things go. I have found that part of the fun of RVing is in the planning. I have both DeLorme and S&T and plan routes in both. There are always some difference in the routes. I play with the maps, set up side trips, etc. The overlays I mentioned are very useful. I honestly don't know how often they're updated, however. I frequently use them to look for Flying J stations, Wal-Marts and Cracker Barrels. All of those are RV friendly and that's why I try to patronize them.

Hello there,

We would greatly appreciate any help on this, we just received and installed S&T 2009 in our laptop, now we would like to download POI ( ex:. FlyingJ, Walmarts, Cleareance, etc) from (http://www.discoveryowners.com/cginfolinks.htm) to help us plan our trip down to Florida and because we are newb's to this we need help on the steeps to download, save and incorporate them to a route plan we already have started on S&T.

thanking you in advance
Jobock

It is very easy to add POI in S&T. I have done it very often myself. When browsing POI web site, just search for excel file (.xls) or text files (comma separated text file).

Then in S&T, open the .est file you want to add your new POI (like a list of walmart, campground, and so on) to it. In the Data menu, choose import data wizard. Then you have to choose the file type you want to import (usually excel, text, ...). Then you may choose the country region (other if multi country).

Now you have a chance to format the data with column to separate them: name, address, latitude, longitude and so on. This step can go gracefully or not. It depends how good is the source file. If the first row of the data is the column headings in the source file, you may select this as well. If the first row has not column headings or the headings are not recognized by S&T, you will have to edit the data type for each column yourself (minimum needed is Name, Latitude, Longitude). Once done, you click finish and it will import all the records and validate them. You will see for a while how many records have been accepted and how many have been refused (you may check this carefully later by doing properties on the new pushpin dataset, under the matching tab, you should get 0 for number unmatched, if a great number did not match, the source file is not good, you may have to modify it, see below...).

This will create a new pushpins dataset that has the name of the file you imported as the dataset name. At this point, i am usually changing the default pushpins associated with the dataset (like use a tent for campground and so on. You may also import some icon bitmap that are generally available with the POI source file).

To change the pushpin icon, open the legend and overview pane. Then select the new pushpins dataset imported (that is matching the file name), right click properties, and choose a new icon under general tab, symbol.

A good place to start for POI:

http://www.poi-factory.com/


Important:

1- If the import operation went very bad, sometimes the source file format is not good for S&T. It could usually being repaired easily yourself by opening the excel or the text file, and taking care to split every information carefully in column (for a text file a column is delimited by a comma), with 1 information category in each column. Take care if one information is missing in a row to let a blank in this column category so the data import goes well later...

2- If you want to have these POI to many of your route .est files, do the same to an empty .est file and save it as a template to start your new routes later, so they will have all the POI...

Example of multiple imported POI files:
http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/1063-does-streets-trips-need-legend-overview-pane#post7051

Enjoy

Thanks, MisterMoonlight. You beat me to it.

Hi again,

Thank you MisterMoonlight for your info, it looks so easy to do however I've got to be honest with you I just dont get it maybe its just me....

I'll try to explain what I did and maybe you can tell me what I'm doing wrong.

1- I'm working with Windows XP, we purchased S&T 2009 with GPS, we do not have Excell in our laptop.
2- We would like to download POI's to merge with our existing map route that will help us plan our trip to Florida ex: Flying J, Walmats, cleareance ext...
3- I've gone on the Discoveryowners link above and opened the the zip file for Flying J under the S&T column I saved it in my documents/received files.
4- I unzipped it and saved it in my documents/received files
5- I opened my S&T, opened my saved route plan for Florida, went to import data wizard followed the steps tried to import the Flying J and couldnt ???
6- When I go back to my documents/received files and open the Flying J icon it opens up directly in S&T2009 and shows me the mape with all the Flying J's why cant I merge this with my existing route I have already planned ??
7- I also made the Flying J mape a template mape in S&T and tried to copy/paste my existing route to it and nothing.

What I'm I doing wrong???? Do I absolutely need Excell to download POI's ???? How will I be able to download different POI'S and merge then all with my existing route.

Boy oh Boy maybe I just dont get it !! but would definately like to !!

Help please
thank you
Jobock

If you downloaded the file from the Streets and Trips column at doi, then what you downloaded was the .est files or a map. I believe what you really want is the .txt files over toward the right edge of the web page. That will give you, after you extract the file, is a listing of the locations you want. You should be able import that file into your route.
IMO, EXCEL is a very nice program to use to keep and organize your data in. However it certainly is not a necessity. If you like how a spreadsheet organizes your data then the Works spreadsheet program that comes with Windows XP will work just fine for you. The important point is to get the data into a format that will import. You can fetch the data from notepad as long as it is saved as a .txt file.
Bob

Hi Jobock,

You just need to think about this a little bit backwards and you'll be cooking with gas.

Double-click the Flying J file. Create your route in that file and save it with a different name. Now you have your route and the Flying J stuff in the same file with the new name. You also still have the original Flying J stuff in its virgin form so you can use it to start another route any time.

If you want to be able to merge the Flying J stuff with, say, a Walmart POI file and others, you will need to do as ktrack suggests and start with the .txt file and bring it in through the import data wizard for each of the Flying J, Walmart, Whatever POI files.

I hope that helps a little.

...ken...

No you don't need excel at all. It is just the different file format you can find on POI sites over ethernet. Most of these are not dedicated to S&T and offers these kind of .txt (comma separated) and .xls (excel) files. You don't need excel, S&T can import these file formats alone.

What you got is a .est (S&T route file) with embedded POI.

So you have 2 choices from that point:

1- Find a different source for your POI (.txt our .xls) which is the best solution because you will have a source file you can easily modify yourself and import in the different S&T versions you want later.

2- Copy the POI from your .est POI S&T file to your own florida new .est file. Here how to do this (a little complicated i guess).

a) WARNING: Backup all your files before attempting to modify them. I don't want you to be unhappy by my fault later

b) Open the source POI S&T .est file.
c) Open the legend and overview pane.
d) right click on the pushpin dataset, then properties
e) In the matching tab, you will see a list of all your POI records, one POI for each line. Left Click on the first one, hold the Shift key, then left click on the last one (it will select highlight them all). Then release the shift key and right click on the list, do Copy (copy the POI to the clipboard). Close this map file.
f) Open your new .est map where you want your POI to be inserted.
g) In the legend and overview pane, select a dataset, then rigth click, then properties.
h) go to the matching tab, in the records list, do a right click and Paste. This will paste all the POI records you got from the previous file, then click OK.

Now there is a little difficulty you may meet in the process

To be successfull in method 2, it will only work for an exemple if these POI were entered manually in source file 1 (like in My Pushpins dataset) and you are copying them to a similar type of dataset (My Pushpins).

So method 1 is the way to go because method 2 cannot give success in all situations, and can cause you some headaches . I got some success with method 2 with 2 fake s&T files with manually entered POI copy/paste from one file to the other one...

Thank you all for the info, I will give it another try and let you all know how it went.

crossing my fingers

thank you again
Jobock

I did it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I imported the .txt file and followed the instructions from import data wizard and plus with all your help and GREAT instructions it WORKED !!!! ( not that dump after all, I was starting to think so, my husband will be so proud of me LOL)

Now I cant wait to import more stuff that will help us for our trip.

thanks again for all your help, now I'm going back to play around with it.

Jobock

Way-ta-go, Jobock!!

Good work, Jabock ! It wasn't as difficult as it appeared at first, was it? Believe it or not, majority of users don't ever use the import feature, so after a few days of playing with Streets & Trips you now know more about the program than most users ever will :-). Soon you will be helping others with their Streets & Trips questions here at the forum.

Congrats and happy travels!

Jobock said:
I am happy that you did it, and if i helped you a little, i am happier!

Once again thanks to all for your help !!

I have another question, is there a way to import actual logo pushpins ex. FlyingJ, Walmart, Shell etc..? or I need to customize them myself by using whats available on S&T, I have already downloaded the old sytle pushpins from S&T, however we think it would be better to have the actual logo shown on our map instead of different color pushpins.

Can this be done ??

thanks
Jobock

You certainly could download a copy of the company logo and resize it for use S&T. I believe the pushpin size limitation is in the help files with your program. You could also see what is available at www.poi-factory.com/gps-icons to determine if anything there will work for you. As a side note, I did set up a lot of custom icons for my different location files at one time. My experience was that it significantly slowed the program down, so I have gone back to using the various colored dots and tacks with a few of the supplied icons. This seems to work the best for me, your mileage may vary. Happy Trails.

Hi ktrack,

thanks for the info very helpful and I did it, got the logo for FlyingJ from poi-factory.com , it was very easy, and I can see that they have quite a selection.

thanks for your help, I'm enjoying this a great deal !

jobock