N8OFP - Del

Thank you !!!!

The following Macro is used to generate and upload waypoints to two different GPSr. This macro is currently run by another macro using the Macro function. This works fine. However I would also like to run this Macro as a stand alone from a Macro Button, however I need a way to set the variable $Database when run by a Macro button. Is there a way to capture the Current Database being displayed by GSAK? Example: I have databases called Home, Columbus, Erie and there maybe any number more added. If I have the Columbus database displayed on GSAK is there a way to capture Columbus from the Database field on the toolbar?? == Macro ============================================== # Macro Pause/Choose - Display Choose GPS To Send Waypoints To CHOOSE msg="Send waypoints to;" opt1=GPS V opt2=Vista opt3=Both If $Result = 1 .or. $Result = 3 Pause Msg="Make sure the GPS V is turned on and connected" # Set The Closest 490 From "Home" Location ShowStatus msg="Sorting Closest 490" Database Name=$Database Action=Select USERFLAG type=clear range=all USERFLAG type=set range=490 Filter Name="Closest 490" # Send Waypoints To Garmin V GPS ShowStatus msg="Sending Closest 490 Waypoints To The GPS V" Export Type=GPS Settings="Garmin V" File="C:\GSAK_Files\GPSV_$Database.loc" EndIf # Send Waypoints To Garmin Vista GPS If $Result = 2 .or. $Result = 3 Pause Msg="Make sure the Vista is turned on and connected" Database Name=$Database Action=Select USERFLAG type=clear range=all ShowStatus msg="Sending Waypoints To The Vista" Export Type=GPS Settings="Vista" File="C:\GSAK_Files\Vista_$Database.loc" EndIf # Macro Pause - Display This Macro Has Completed Successfully Message PAUSE msg="This macro has completed successfuly." Database Name=$Database Action=Select USERFLAG type=clear range=all VIEW name="Default" Center Location="Home" SORT By=Distance Sequence=A =====================================================

I agree a laptop is very nice to have in your vehicle. It comes in very helpful when your in an area where you don't know the roads and street. It is also a quick way to read about the cache before you leave the vehicle. Then a PDA is nice to carry while hunting for, and logging the cache. If you use GSAK on your laptop and a Palm PDA with Cachemate or a Pocket PC with Spinner it's pretty easy to setup a GSAK macro that will import the cache note from your PDA. Very easy way to keep track of your trades, time found and any special notes you may have written in the PDA at the cache site.

I carry the following; (I keep a number of the items in my truck since I'd have to have a pack mule to carry all this stuff into the woods []) 1) A complete cange of cloths (And I do mean complete), you never know when you may slip on a rock while crossing a creek, and in the winter that can be VERY damgerous. 2) A First Aide Kit 3) Regular (small flashlight) and a pocket Led flashlight 4) Compass (I actually carry at least two, one that attaches to my wrist watch strap, and a regular base plate or hiking compass 5) Trading material 6) Small to medium multi-tool 7) Cell Phone 8) SPARE Key for your vehicle (Take it from me, this WILL come in handy some day).... 9) Ball cap in the summer, warm stocking cap in the winter. 10) Gloves – several pair. ALL YEAR LONG 11) Spare Batteries (I keep spare batteries in the truck as well as in my hiking pack) 12) Spare Zip Lock bags (I keep spare batteries in the truck as well as in my hiking pack) 13) Spare Log Books (You can get small note pads at almost any Dollar Store for 3 for a buck) 14) Garbage (CITO) bags (I keep spare batteries in the truck as well as in my hiking pack) 15) Spare Pair of shoes 16) Bottled Water (I try to carry several bottles) (I keep spare batteries in the truck as well as in my hiking pack) 17) Snacks 18) Bug Spray 19) Full size bath towel (In case you fall into water and need to dry off) 18) Hand towel 19) Handy wipes (I keep a large pack in the truck, and several in my pack that I take into the woods) 20) 100 foot of 3/8" rope 21) As an Amateur Radio operator, I always carry one of my hand held radios and a spare battery pack. 22) I also carry a spare GPSr. 23) Paper road map.

Palm T3 Cachemate GSAK

You may want to look at a Palm PDA and Cachemate. You can get a new Palm Zire 31 for around $130.00 or a Zire 71 for $250.00, and Cachemate for $8.00. GSAK has a build in function to export cache information to Cachemate.

I planned on giving them a call today but didn't get a chance. Hope I can get a chance tomorrow. As for the batteries, I've used NiHM, Lithium, and Alkalin and it shuts off regardless. Thanks,

Having the same problem with my new Vista. After reading this post I checked the battery terminals and found that Garmin had already added a piece of foam to 2 of the battery terminal. I added a piece the the third (The fourth is a spring) but am still having problems with the unit shutting off for no reason. The batteries are fully charged NiMH. Any one else come up with a reason or fix? I've sent an email to Garmin Support (about a week ago) and haven't heard a word. I'm going to call them today. I must say I'm not real impressed with Garmin's support so far... Thanks

I've found a number of caches on Fire Hydrants, and also have a magnetic cache painted to match the hydrant.

I have a Vista (not the color version), I've used the compass a number of times, as far as calibrating the compass it a very quick process. I have Map Source Topo loaded on my Vista and with the latest firware update (Can be downloaded from Garmin's web site) the Vista will hold 1000 waypoints.

I agree, leave the PDA in your pocket and use it to log your finds. Purchase a stand alone GPS. I just purchased a Garmin Etrax Vista. With the firmware update it will now store 1000 waypoints. You can also install Garmin's MapSource software on the Vista. I've got the topo version. Works really nice when your in the woods.

No mapping program, just Excel. I keep my own database of my finds and their actual locations; I also record the time of each find, to keep them in the proper order, and then compute the distance using Vincenty's formula, which I have written up in VBA. Not as fast as the C++ version, but it gets the job done. The biggest problem with having the website do this is that only the date of each find is recorded, not the time. So there is no reliable way for the website to keep your finds in order. BTW, I think I am 2nd in the world in terms of total geocaching distance. worldtraveler is first, with well over 400,000 miles. What is the formula, or where can I find it? Thanks

Just a quick FYI In macro the code: ============================================= GoTo Postion=Top While .not. $_eol # Now call up the log page for this cache (press Ctrl-V to paste GSAK info the log box) WEB url="http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?ID=%gcid" Pause msg="When log finished, click on continue" GoTo Position=next EndWhile GoTo Postion=Top ============================================== The word "Position" in the second line and last line is spelled incorrectly. Thus it won't run

Great idea. Just one thing to add when filling out this form. When entering the emergency contacts put how they are related. Example: Jane Doe (Wife), John Doe Jr (Son), Jim Smith (Freind) As a former EMS Paramedic knowing how the contact person is relayed to the injured / ill person can be very helpful.

Sounds interesting, I maybe interested

As a long time user of GSAK and Paperless Caching, GSAK offers a lot of options for the user that doesn't have a PDA. Examples: 1) You can download a Pocket Query from Geocaching.com (Premium Memebers), import the pocket query into GSAK and them do the following; A) Sort the caches using any number of parameters (Closest to your home location, By Terrian or Difficulty, Cache Type, Cache Size, etc...) If you have a PC and Mapping Software you can export the Cache waypoints to a number of Map Software programs (Delorme Street Atlas, Microsoft Streets And Tips, Garmin Map Source, and several others). You could then print off the maps that show the area street near the cache your looking for (If you don't have a latops to take with you. C) You can use GSAK to kepp track of all your "Found", "Did Not Find" caches etc. You can have GSAK setup to open the cache data in the Offline Browser, then you could print the cache page to take with you. The cache print out will give all the information about the cache, and show the decoded Hints as well as the last five log entries (Log entries can be very useful. many times people will give a slight clue when they log a cache that could helps you find it). And if you get to the point where you have a GPSr that will accept uploading of waypoints GSAK will do that very nicely. The same is true if you pick up a PDA, then you'll be set to go paperless. Hope that answers some of your questions. Cache On !!!!

I good at finding a way to get dirty from head to toe every time I go out caching. Doesn't matter if we walk three miles through the woods or 3 feet through a parking lot, I find some way to get dirty...... In fact I have a couple pair of jeans that are my caching jeans because they have slid down so many hills, gotten soaked from falling in water (I alway seems to be able to find the deepest spot in a shellow creek to fall into), that the stains just will not come out.....

I use a combination of programs for caching. 1) I use GSAK to maintain Not Founds, Finds, and Parking Coords. Very nice tool. 2) I use Cachemate on my Palm T3. I upload all Not Found caches for the area I plan on searching. Once found I log it into Cachemate. 3) When I first started caching some 2 years + ago I didn't have a Palm etc, So I created an MS Access database to track my Finds. I still maintain it today as it contains some additional information that is not stored in GSAK (i.e. Who if any one I was with when I found the cache. What coty and county the cache was located in (I'm working on finding a cache in all 88 counties in Ohio). 4) Of course is Geocaching.com As for keeping the waypoints in your GPSr, like a number of others, I delete the waypoints once I have found the cache. Make sure I don't go looking for one I already found (Been down that road when I first got started).

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Thanks again. I'll give it a try....

Thank did it. Thanks, Now I have another question. Is the any way to pass the Database name to a filter? Below is the entire Coord Grab portion of my macro. Everything seems to work until I get to the Move Parking Waypoints To Parking Database. ============================================= # Select Parking Database $Database_Parking = $Database+"_Parking" If DatabaseExists($Database_Parking) Database name=$Database_Parking Action=select Else Database name=$Database_Parking Action=create EndIf # Delete Waypoints In Parking Database ShowStatus msg="Deleting All Waypoints From Selected Database" Database Name="Parking" Action=Select USERFLAG type=set range=All Delete Settings="Delete Parking Waypoints" # Grab Packing Waypoints ShowStatus msg="Creating Parking Waypoints" Database Name=$Database Action=Select USERFLAG type=clear range=all GRAB Settings="Parking" # Move Parking Waypoints To Parking Database ShowStatus msg="Moving Parking Waypoints To Parking Database" Database Name=$Database_Parking Action=Select Filter Name="Parking Waypoints" IF $_FilterCount > 0 MoveCopy Settings="Move Parking" ENDIF USERFLAG type=clear range=all VIEW Name="Parking" ============================================== The problem is with the Database name entered into the MoveCopy Settings.

Tried that and GSAK responds with an error message of; Error in Macro line 100 If DatabaseExists($Database_Parking) Error=> Invalid expression in Macro

I'm having a problem trying to create a macro. Currently my macro has the following which ask the user to enter a Database name. This works fine. == User Inputs Database Name ========================= # Select Database INPUT Msg="Enter the Database name that you want the PQ imported into." Default="Home" VarName=$Database If DatabaseExists($Database) Database name=$Database Action=select Else Database name=$Database Action=create EndIf ============================================== The problem I am having is with the macro snip below... I am using the coord grabfunction to find any parking coords and then put it into a seperate database. In the macro snip below I am attempting to populate an existing Parking Database, or if the Database doesn't exist then create it and populate it..... But when I run this macro GSAK returns an error that says Error in Macro line 101 Database Name=$Database_Parking Error=> Database does not exist Home_Parking == Select Parking Database ============================ Database Name=$Database_Parking If DatabaseExists($Database_Parking) Database name=$Database_Parking Action=select Else Database name=$Database_Parking Action=create EndIf ==============================================

32) Geocaching brings out the best of mother nature, or at least opens your eyes so you can see it......