POI Mega File - pushpin collections for truckers, RVers, and other travelers

Larry,

Another suggestion for you - I just went to www.catscale.com and you can download all the locations of CAT Scales - they are used by both truckers and RVers [on occasion - when we want to check out our rig weight for safety]. I downloaded the GPX version and the CAT .bmp file, so it should be an easy one to do. Not sure what your protocol is, but it downloads for free, and you can sign up for updates to the file.

Tom

I just spoke with Liz from Catscale and she gave the green light to include this collection with the POI megafile. Thanks Tom for the tip.

It would also be nice to have all the Starbucks locations - the wife and I have a latte everyday - most times we make it ourselves with the ground espresso, but occasionally if we are out sightseeing and it's nice to just stop and grab a "quick fix". I have a database, but again you probably need permission. I also have the database on my iPod, so it must not be that secret! Smile.

Tom

And Larry has done it again...
July the 1st update


A special thanks for reminding us about HST ! Yeah, Happy Canada Day!

August 2010 update for POI Megafile

Larry writes:

Free download on page #1

Thank you Larry!

I know this is a thankless job - but I care!

Tom

Ken just suggested to upload new smileys for just this type of occasion ...

Thanks, Larry ...

Wow! Thanks! That is why I do this...for the new smileys! Hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to all the contributors it gets better every month.

I hope I am not off base, but I need some help with S & T 2010. I have been searching Microsoft and everywhere on the Internet with no luck.
I opened Import Data Wizard, selected 12 POI's (.est) files and loaded them into Streets & Trips. In my pushpin folder on the left, only 1 (TA) shows up. No where can I find the other 11. Also when I click the FILE Menu and scroll to the bottom 4 of them show up and are able to be opened.

Sorry if I am in the wrong Forum. Thanks Don

Don,

Only one .est file can be loaded at once. If you want to load more than one POI file, use the .txt or .csv versions of the file. If you are getting them from Discovery Owners, that's why I don't use the MS S&T files for that reason.

If you have the 2010 version, just download the megafile from this site and then just delete the ones you don't want, then save the file as your base.

HTH,
Tom

Tom,

I am still confused. I have at least 4 POI's because I can open them from the File/Open menu at the bottom where previously opened files are listed. They all open, but only the latest one shows in Push Pins, not all.
Right now none of them show, not even pushpins.
When I do Find Nearby Places_Restaurants or Places it only shows what was on Streets & Trips originally, not my POI's.

So if we cannot solve the above, where was that file that you suggested to down load and how to use it?

Thanks for your reply, Don Blume

Hey Don,

You seem to be having some difficulty with Microsoft's concept of "map" files.

Each of those files you referred to are separate "map" files. You can only have one open in Streets&Trips at a time. So you have a couple of simple options.

1. You can just open another copy of Streets&Trips with your planned route in it and open another copy of Streets&Trips and open one of those map files with the desired POI list in it. Then you just switch between them to see what you want to see ... the route or the POI/pushpin list.

To open a second copy of Streets&Trips, just launch it the way you normally would, by double-clicking the desktop icon or launching it from the Programs list in the Start menu.

Or...

2. You can combine those four POI lists into the map file with your route in it. To do this, you need to run two copies of Streets&Trips.
- In the first one, open your file with the route in it.
- In the second copy of Streets&Trips, open one of your POI files.
- Select the pushpin set and use the Copy command.
- Switch to the copy of Streets&Trips with your route in it and Paste the pushpin set.
-* Switch back to the copy with your POI list in it and open the next POI list.
-* Select the pushpin set and Copy.
-* Switch to the copy with your route and the first pushpin set and Paste the second pushpin set.
- Repeat the last three steps for the remaining two POI lists.
- Save the map file so it now contains the route and your four POI lists (pushpin sets) whenever you open it.

Now you can take another step in simplifying your use of the POI lists.

- Open the map file that has your route and your four pushpin sets in it.
- Delete the route.
- Save this new file that only contains the four pushpin sets as a Template file with a name that makes sense to you.

Now, whenever you want to start route planning and also have those pushpin sets available along with the route, just open the template file you just saved as your starting point for the planning. Make a route and save a map file with a relevant name and work with it for that trip. It will have the four pushpin sets in it and your new route, all available within the one map file.

I hope that helps.

...ken...

Ken,

My undestanding of S&T 2010 is that you can have several POI files loaded and viewable, one at a time. I understand this, what I am trying to do is Locate where the other POI's are stored in Streets & Trips. I have searched every Menu & tool to find them, there are 12 in all. When I get Points of Interest in Legend & Overview it only shows what came with S & T, not what I imported.
When I open the File Menu, at the bottom it shows 4 of 12 files that I had previously opened like, TAMS.est- PILOTMS.est - PETROMS.est - CASINO.est. I can open these one at a time, but nowhere can I find where all 12 POI's are stored in order to select one of them to open.
I hope I have been able to explain the situation.
By the way I have searched all over Microsoft Support and Frequently Asked Questions and my DVD copy of S&T 2010 has no phone support number only the Web site, which I tried.

Don,

OK, one more time, each of those "map" files [don't call them POI files] is a MS S&T file, and only one MS S&T FILE can be open at once. What you are seeing on the File Menu is files that have been opened previously and would include the current one open at the top.

What you need to do is follow Ken's advice carefully and do exactly what he is saying to create ONE .est file with multiple POI "Pushpin sets".

You will never be able to see more than one .est file at a time, BUT an individual .est file can contain hundreds of POI sets of pushpins.

Please download the megafile from this website and open it, and I think you will see what we are talking about.

Tom