Electronic Disc Golf Directory for Travelers & Sat Nav users?

I figured I'd move this discussion to this Category since there is a lot of good info and individual efforts going on!!!

Creation of a GPSr File for the course directory

Hello,

I wanted to let you all know of an effort that I am undertaking to get the course directory into a customizable format for the Garmin’s NUVI, Tom Tom, or other Sat Nav units. I travel almost 100% for my job and I am use my Garmin 680 all the time..and I have built my own file over the past year or so and I wanted to make this available to the community and for everyone to use..So I have a few questions for you.

1. Do you own a Sat Nav? What brand and Model do you have? And do you think this file is of use?

2. This file would be free to anyone who wants it..the only charge for it would be to the retailers who want to be included in the file. So say if you were from out of town and needed to find the nearest store..all you would have to do was to look in the Disc Golf file. I am not sure of how much to charge yet…Clubs, courses and other not for profits would be totally free to be included.

3. I can include pictures, emails and web sites in the file so these can have as much info or as little as the Course Pro wants? Same with the Club info..I usually put the club into a neutral area around a course or center of a city such as The Mile High Disc Golf Club is located with the coordinates of the Denver Capital…The Phone numbers (if the unit is Bluetooth enabled) can auto dial the phone number in the file!

4. Would you be willing to help in getting some of the info and QA of the files for your areas?

A file already exists for free and for download but the only info it contains is the Location of the course and the Name of the course…I am working on a few test files and exactly what info I would need or want to be included besides the basic info such as Name, Lat/Long, Pro Name, Pro Phone, Email, web Site, description, and photo of the course..

1. The File has been created an resides on the POI factory Web site and is free for anyone to upload (this just contains the course info with no contact info)
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/7132

2. Discussion Thread for other files such as Google Earth .kml file
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4722

I appreciate your thoughts and comments!

Scott

[Scott Holter]

Here are a few of my test files...Garmin units only right now...the other are easy to create with a Save As feature...but I want to test it on my unit first:

CAUTION this is a test file and still way too much...figuring it out so to say..but take a look on how the Clubs and Retailers line up..along with how each course name is set with the DGC in it...so when you are driving along you can distingush the POIs form each other...Quite a few of these are not confirmed coordinates so do not use to navigate until I get a confirmed file for upload..

1. Test file GPX
2. Course Update form
3. Retailer Update form

let me know what you think!

[Scott Holter]

Ok here is another file that I can export with the Program..its a KML file for Google earth...Again this is a test file but you can see the potentail!

[JJ Coutts]

wish i had a gps unit now, i just use my iphone and was wishing there was something like this for the iphone

[Scott Holter]

What a long strange trip its been!!

Well we finally have an agreement signed and I just received the first file from the PDGA! 3000+ courses!

Here is the workflow that they would like to begin with! Anyone that wants to help - we need to do that from the PDGA web site and update the info there (they are going to start a large media blitz for this effort)

http://www.pdga.com/directory-help-wanted

Then periodically I will receive a file to create the POI and/or tour guide from some of the applications being tested and used at the POI factory. This way the retailers, hotels and restaurants etc can be included in the tour guide as well as all the courses with updated 'driving' coordinates.

If you have any question please do not hesitate to PM me...any advice or help with the creation of the tour guide and management of the files is greatly appreciated!!

I am really stoked and if anyone is a iPhine app developer let me know and hopefully this POI tour guide can and should be part of this project!

Scott

[Gbudz]

Congratulations on your hard work! I just read the whole thread and am amazed at how steadfast in your goal you were! The PDGA finally came through!

This sounds like it could really help disc golf! Congrats again on a job well done.

Glenn

[Scott Holter]

All,

Just a Update I just recieved the second file and I am now looking for beta testers and developers to help with the file. If you are interested please let me know! Again this is a free file that will have all teh courses that can easily be uploaded to your device!

Scott

[Josh C]

I just got a Magellan RoadMate 1220, would I be able to put the file on this?

[Scott Holter]

Josh this is what I found on the Magellan website - so I am not sure if your particualr model does or not

http://magellangps.helpserve.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=...

Do me a favor and see if your model can accept custom POI files? If it can then yes this file will work!

Here is what the POIN factory has - very worth your while to research this for the otehr files that you can load up...and this is a great site below (Red Light camera files are one of the best things on my GPS...HEHE)

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/1632

[Scott Holter]

Josh were you able to find more info?

BTW I finished the first state - Colorado is now ready for testing...hmmm what state to fix next??

[Josh C]

I searched around online and I didnt find anything that said it could accept custom POI's, but It didnt say that it couldnt. So I'm not sure yet.

[Scott Holter]

Ok it looks Like I can indeed create Magellan files directly from the application I am using...So I can support the Device - hopefully you can find out if this model will support it and how to load it into it..

[Scott Holter]

All - Spent the better part of the weekend working on things:

Colorado
Virginia
Maryland
Georgia
Utah

Are now done as much as they can without someone driving to the courses and confirming the coordinates. We will be posting the Google earth file of Colorado on the Mile High site soon...