• Introduction
• Compatibility List
• Screenshots
• Pros/Cons
• Waypoints vs. POIs
• Required Software
• GPSr Setup
• GSAK Setup
• Advanced GSAK Setup
• MapSource Setup
• Bonus Symbols and Advanced Symbol Usage
  • Using the bonus symbols
  • Using the micro symbol
  • Creating your own symbols
• Known Issues

This guide is meant to aid you in putting custom symbols into the Garmin 60 series of GPSr.  I have made a file containing waypoints with Geocaching symbols to reflect the different cache types, their status, and even the child waypoints.  You can download the latest file near the top of this page.

This guide will tell you how to put the symbols into the GPSr, how to setup GSAK to automatically assign the symbols when uploading waypoints, and how to use the same symbols in MapSource, if needed.

This is a work in progress, as I am not familiar with every GPSr.  If you know of a unit not listed here that this works on, please let me know.

• 76 series
• 60 Series
• Legend C
• Vista C
• Quest 2
• May work on all eTrex C and Cx models(?)

Pros:

• Geocaching symbols to quickly aid in identifying cache types when viewing the nearest waypoints or viewing the map.
• Quickly identify child waypoints (such as parking areas, trailheads..etc)
• If you are using GSAK to include a "cache identifier" in the name or notes, it frees up those characters for other uses.

Cons:

• Loss of some of the "Geocaching Mode" functions of the GPSr (mark as found and find next nearest).  This is due to the fact that Garmin has only instituted 2 cache symbols for geocaching mode; A closed treasure chest (for not found caches) and an open treasure chest (for found caches).  Although you can switch these symbols to anything you wish, you are still limited to only 2 symbols.
  • However, the geocaching mode is available in a limited capacity.  See the GPSr Setup section for more information.

There are two ways to store caches in the GPSr.  The first one, which is what this walkthrough addresses, is by using waypoints.  The other way is by using POIs (Points of Interest).  Both ways have advantages and disadvantages, which I will detail below.

If you are interested in using the symbols with POIs, then you will probably be interested in the macro that you can get here (credit goes to ProsperoDK).  Doing this is a little outside of my skillset though, so I can't be much help.

	Waypoints	POIs
Maximum number of caches in unit	1000 (60 Series)	Limited only by size of memory card
Custom symbols on map screen?	Yes	Yes (but only if zoomed in 800 feet or less)
Custom symbols on cache listing screen?	Yes	No
Maximum characters in cache name	14	44
Maximum characters in notes field	30	88
Geocaching mode	Yes	No

The dealbreaker for me with POIs was the the symbols on the map screen and not having them available in the list.  I typically use the map screen to zoom around to find cache clusters, so being forced to zoom into 800 feet didn't cut it. 

What I have found myself doing is using the waypoint system (this guide) to store 1000 waypoints, and then using POIs to store either a duplicate copy with more information (like the hint) and also using POIs to store all of my already-found caches.

The following software is available for free, but not all of it is required depending on what you want to do.

• xImage - To upload the custom symbols into the GPSr.
• GSAK - To upload waypoints into the GPSr.  Free to download and use, but after 21 days you will get nag screens until you register (currently $20).
• MapSource - Create POIs, waypoints, etc in this mapping software and upload them to the GPSr.

The first step is to get the symbols into the GPS, so they can then be used and assigned to waypoints.

1. Click here to Download the file containing the geocaching symbols
2. Unzip the file to a temporary directory
3. Connect GPSr to the computer and turn it on
4. Open xImage
5. Click "Next"
6. After it finds the GPSr, click "Next"
7. Click on "Send Images to the GPS"
8. Click on "Select All"
   NOTE:  If your GPSr has more than 24 custom waypoint symbols available, only select the first 24 (0-23) instead of using "Select All"
9. Click "Next"
10. Navigate to the "Symbols - GPSr" folder in your temporary directory that you unzipped the file to.
11. Click on "Finish"
12. Verify it worked
    1. On GPSr, open up any waypoint (or create a new one by pressing the "MARK" button)
    2. Highlight the waypoint symbol (top left) and click the "ENTR" button.
    3. You should see the new Geocaching icons in the "Custom" section:
       

Setting up Geocaching mode (in limited capacity)

1. Go to the setup menu (menu-menu-setup)
2. Click on "geocache"
3. Change the symbol for "Find" from the closed treasure box to the traditional green box icon.
4. Change the symbol for "Found" from the open treasure box to the smilie icon.
   1. Your screen should now look like this:
      

This will allow Traditional caches to function with the geocaching mode.  Please note that non-traditionals (multis, puzzles, webcams...etc) will not show up while in geocaching mode.  However, 90% of the time you will probably be doing traditionals.  If doing another type, you can either manually switch the icon to a smilie for that cache (you will not get a calendar entry) or you could come back into this setup screen and switch the "Find" symbol to the type you are doing for that cache.  It's simply one of the trade-offs for having the cache type symbols.

Now that the symbols are in the GPS, you must set up GSAK, so when you send the waypoints, the symbols will be assigned to them correctly.

1. You should have already downloaded the file and extracted the contents into a temporary directory.
2. Copy the GARMINOTHER.txt file from your temp directory into the GSAK program directory (default is c:\Program Files\GSAK\)
3. Open GSAK
4. If you haven't already done so, go to GPS -> Setup and make sure "Garmin" is selected.
5. Click on GPS -> Send Waypoints
6. Make sure you have the "Include Child Waypoints" checkbox checked (upper left hand corner)

Method 1:  Use a macro (Simplest):
Special thanks to Cache U Nuts for the macro

1. Check the "Use macro for symbol generation" checkbox
2. Select the macro file in the "Macro" folder
3. Test your changes
   1. Click on Send
   2. Verify the caches are in the GPS with the appropriate symbols.

 

 

Method 2:  Manual Setup (you may want to use this method if you are modifying symbols)

1. Click the Change button
2. You will see this screen:

3. Check the "Combine Both" radio button
4. Select the cache type "Traditional" and status of "Not Found"
5. Select the "Custom 1; Traditional" icon from the pulldown.
6. Repeat for each cache type and status (note that there are not currently custom symbols for benchmarks, locationless or "other").
7. Click on the "Child Waypoints" tab at the top of the screen.
8. You will see this screen:

9. Repeat the above procedure for each child waypoint type.
10. Save your changes.
11. Test your changes
    1. Open up any GPX file.
    2. Click on GPS -> Send Waypoints
    3. Click on "Send"
    4. Look at the waypoints in the GPSr and make sure they are assigned correctly.

While not necessary, this section details how I have set up GSAK to display waypoint names, child waypoint names, and the notes field.  This is simply how I have it set up and is provided as a "how to" for those who may not be as technically inclined as others.  I find this setup works well for me.
 

I have set up waypoints to display with 13 characters, and Child Waypoints to display with those same 13, plus an additional letter. In this example, UhOReviewerIM is the main cache, while the two below it are child waypoints for Parking and a Reference Point.

I have set up the notes to display information about the cache.  In this example 2/3.5 = terrain/Difficulty C:R = Container:Regular TB:N = Travel Bug: No (contains no travel bug) FFF0 = The last four logs posted are Find, Find, Find, Note. DocDitto & = The hider (The rest is truncated due to character limitations of the GPSr) I have chosen to NOT put the hint here, since I thought it would be too easy to accidentally see, not to mention that the hint may be truncated due to the character limit.

 

1. Open GSAK
2. Go to Tools -> Options
3. Set the Smart Name Length to 13.  This is necessary to avoid duplicate names.
4. Go to GPS -> Send Waypoints
5. Enter %smart %children %smart%c_Code1 into the "You can build the wyapoint name" field
6. Enter 14 in the "Maximum Characters" field
7. Enter %Dif/%Ter C:%con1 TB:%bug=YN %last4 %By in the "Waypoint Description Format" field.

1. If you haven't already extracted the .zip file into a temp directory, do so now.
2. Copy the files in the "Symbols - Mapsource" folder to the "My Documents/My Garmin/Custom Waypoint Symbols" folder
3. Verify it works.
   1. Open Mapsource
   2. Create an waypoint
   3. Pull up the properties for that waypoint, and click on the "symbol" pulldown.  You should see the custom symbols as an option:

   

Using the Bonus Symbols included in the file:
The .zip file contains a Symbols - Bonus folder which currently contains a symbol for micros and some alternative symbols to the normal ones.  To use these symbols:

1. Copy the symbol to the appropriate folder (either Symbols - GPSr or Symbols - Mapsource)
2. Rename the file to the position you want it to display in, using the format for the other files.  For example, to use it in position #4 on the GPSr, it must be named "Waypoint Symbol 004.bmp".
3. Upload it to the GPSr as noted above.
4. Depending on the symbol you are using, you may need to edit the GARMINOTHER.txt file.  To do this, simply open it in Notepad, and edit the appropriate position with a description of the symbol.  For example, if you are changing position #4 to be the micro symbol, change this line: "Custom 4 ; Parking" to "Custom 4 ; Micro"

Using the micro symbol:
GSAK includes an option to override certain attributes.  Similar to mapping the custom symbols above, you will want to click on the "overrides tab" and change the mappings:

Creating your own symbols:
Symbols simply need to be a 16x16 image.  However, they must be saves as a 256 color Bitmap.  Using MS Paint will work fine, but I used Photoshop.
To make the background transparent when on the GPSr, the background must be magenta (FF00FF or 255,0,255).

1. As of this writing (10/5/06), there appears to be a firmware bug in the 60 series GPSr that prevents being able to assign the last 5 custom waypoint symbols to a waypoint in the unit.  As such, I have left those blank (or as the default blue circle).  Garmin is supposedly looking at this issue, and I hope that they resolve it in the next firmware update.