POI's vs Pushpins

I'm having a problem figuring out what the distinction is between POI's and pushpins in Microsoft Streets and Trips. Are they the same thing with different names, or are they quite different things? I imported a set of POI's and assigned a push-pin symbol, but then when I type in the name of one, it won't appear as a search or find result.

When I first imported them, they all appeared as push-pins on the current map. After starting a new planning sequence, they all disappeared. Are they linked to a certain map, rather than being added to the basic POI database?

TIA for any explanations.

Ted

The difference is from functionnality point of view, but it is very small.

In S&T, POI are generally referred as the built in Database of Point of Interest (1.6 millions i guess?). This database include restaurant, museum, and many different things. You can search in S&T (Find) in this database. You may see the internal POI database as an index (alphabetical sorted list of things) of some name you can find on a physical paper map (but the index includes many things museum, city hall, etc but not street names). You can find around a position on the map to display all found POI in the surrounding and display them on the map.

Pushpins in S&T can be seen as a physical pushpin you can use to place it on a physical paper map. It is like a real pushpins you can place on the map (to mark an interesting spot).

So when you are importing file from the outside, you may call them as you like, but once imported in S&T, they are becoming a pushpins set, similar as the one you are using on a paper map, but instead of placing just one at a time, you are setting a bunch of pins in one single shot.

But these pushpins once imported are not part of the POI database of S&T, they are 2 differents things as explained above.

I hope this help

MisterMoonlight,

Thanks for the explanation - I think I'm beginning to get the idea. As I see it, pushpins are tied to a particular map. So to see those pins, I have to open the map on which they are saved. I can then plan a trip and save the trip with a new name, and when I re-open it, the pushpins will be there.

Thanks again,
Ted

In Streets & Trips language, users can add their own pushpins. These pushpins may represent your POIs, so feel free to call them POIs or pushpins; each name is correct.

Streets & Trips 2009 contains approximately 1,500,000 POIs that can be searched with the Find nearby places feature. Your own POIs (pushpins) that you add to Streets & Trips will not appear in the Find nearby places, but you can search for them by typing their full or partial name to the search.

As with any other document (for example MS Word), if you add something to it, you need to save it before you close it, if you wish to retain your work for future use. If you just exit Streets & Trips without saving the file with your newly imported pushpins, the pushpins will not be there for you the next time you open Streets & Trips. Also, if you save your work, you will need to open the saved file (as opposed to just clicking the Streets & Trips icon on your desktop) to see your pushpins.

It all may sound a bit too complicated at first, but it really isn't.

I don't know about your pushpin sets, but mine certainly show up on the list when I request "Find nearby places".

Oh do they? I didn't know that. This just shows how seldom I use pushpins!

Thanks for correcting me, ktrack.

ktrack, Find nearby places (Ctrl+D) is a feature for searching built-in POIs. I just tested it, but I still see no way to search for my own pushpins there.

Welcome but the function of find nearby places finds all places, both those you have selected such as your favorite flavor of eatery from the menu and the pushpin points that you have established on the current map. At least that is how it works for me.

ktrack, I suspect you are talking about the Find (Ctrl+F) feature, but I'm talking about the Find nearby places (Ctrl+D) feature.

No, I am specifically talking about Find Nearby Places. I do agree with you that there is no place on the select menu to request that a push pin be found, but I have always found that when I request Find Nearby places, my push pins in the immediate area always show up on the results list that displays on the left side of the map.

I stand corrected. You are absolutely right, ktrack. I tested it now by placing a few pushpins on the map, and then I opened the Find nearby places (Ctrl+D) feature. My pushpins were located by the feature.

You are most welcome!

I didn't know the find nearby feature can also find in the pushpin set. Thanks for the hint...