purple_pineapple

I have considered this in the past, and one of our esteemed reviewers gave it the thumbs up in principal, however.... the thought of suddenly becoming everyone's IT "expert" (not that I am one by any means) was too much just a thought off the top of my head, but rather than have a physical event workshop, we could have a virtual event workshop, at a time convenient for a number of experienced paperless cachers. We could hijack an IRC channel for the evening (prefereably one that is available without the use of a chat program like mIRC) and people could log in (or attend) the cache throughout the evening. That way, lots of people would be around to answer questions, and the pressure wouldn't be on stuey to become an IT expert! Also, anyone from the UK could log in to ask questions, and try out the answers in real time. How does that sound?

I had been using the %drop2 code, but that means that imported logs from cachemate don't find a match in GSAK, because it needs either an exact match of GCXXXX or an exact match of smart tags. However, following the advice above from Clyde, and engaging what I pretend is my brain, I'm now using smart names all round, and everything works perfectly! Mark, how do you mean your logs went rubbish? Admittedyly I haven't long term tested it yet, but all it does for me is open the logging window for the cache and then I can type what I like in as the log. I find it so much quicker! Still, each to their own!! Dave

I did actually consider that, my ONLY concern, and if I'm wrong, then I'm a converted man, was whether smart names would drop the leading apostrophe ' from the front of many cache names - although thinking about it, that wouldn't be a problem if it dropped it for both the GPS ABD the palm - back to the drawing board again! thanks clyde!

I always look for the nearest as well, by far the best way of operating! I still like the idea of not having them all in the etrex under G though - JUST in case i need to select a specific cache! I think I may have to resort to storing them on cachemate using the original code, unless I can get GSAK to display and list using XXXXGC, but still connect to the correct page on GC.com - thats something to try when I get home.

Clyde is currently helping me out on the GSAK forum with a problem I've made for myself using Cachemate Logs and GSAK to log them on GC.com In short, GSAK lists all my caches by GCXXXX code, whereas cachemate has them all listed by XXXXGC. Therefore, when i try to import logs, it can't match any records! The reason I have cachemate displaying that way is that I need them in the etrex in XXXXGC format, otherwise the whole lot will be under 'G'... so cachemate just lists them in the same format. What do other people do? Thanks for any help Dave

i thought this might be the case! Is the code match option and exact match, or will it work on a partial string? For example, if I have cachemate using the XXXX format, and dropping the GC altogether, will GSAK match the XXXX part with its own GCXXXX, or does it need the entire code to match? Thanks! getting there...

Among the new pocket query changes in the announcement, it says the default is to run once and then uncheck itself - does this mean that we are all going to need to reactivate our weekly pocket queries? Or have I misunderstood that? Dave

following some investigation, i may have narrowed down the problem. My GSAK database has files stored in the GCXXXX format, whereas cachemate stores files in the XXXXGC format, to make it easier to find them in conjunction with my GPS in the field. So, I THINK that the records aren't matching, because the codes don't match. Is there a way round this. If I must change one of them, I would rather change GSAK - is this possible? Thanks again for any help! Dave

Hi! Having thought I had my cachemates log macro working perfectly last week, it appears to have stopped! No error is reported, and it appears to be creating the newfinds.gpx file perfectly, but doesn't open a logging window for GC.com. When I try to manually load cachemate logs and finds from this file, it tells me that 6 records are matched and selected for update, but 0 founds are updated in gsak and 0 logs are updated. I can't work out where the problem lies, but it appears to not be importing any founds. If I change my founds filter to look for the last 10 days or so, then it will work for my old logs. Yours baffled (and stoopid!) Dave

The most useful 'excuse' I heard, and apologies that I can't remember who mentioned this one, was for those times you're caught coming out of some dense bushes. Simply pretend to be doing your flies up and no one asks! Even better, no one os going to go tramping in afterwards.... One day I'll be using this one...

I assume you mean that you are using cachemate in the field, marking start and end times, ticking found etc, and you want to upload these into gsak, to help with logging your finds on GC.com? I assume you are already hotsyncing your palm with your PC? If so, its quite complicated, but to start with, you need to go to GSAK to download the cachematelog.txt macro. Once done, and installed in your gsak macro folder, you will need to edit the macro for you path settings. You will also need to download a small exe file (cm2gpx.exe) from Smittyware which converts your palm backup pdb file (where all your new logs are stored) into a file for gsak to read. Editing the macro can be rather difficult, having just done this myself, so if you need any guidance if you can't get it to work, then let me know! Hope that helps! Good luck!

Google Earth will do that - you need to download some free software (type google earth into google) and then you can use gsak to output as many waypoints as you like to a satellite image of the world. May not be ideal, but its one way of doing it for free! HTH Dave

If I had any caches to promote, I would say doing ANY of my caches is an event, and therefore I can promote like mad However, I haven't, so I won't!

or get yourself a sock puppet and use that to recommend an "amazing new cache you've just done!!" Ooops, did i say that out loud - sorry! TBH, it looks an interesting cache, so word of mouth will probably do the trick! Dave

i had thought of the film canisters (I have loads at home already, use them for storing salt, pepper etc when camping) but wasn't sure about buying the right size magnet and fixing that in place. I may well do that though! Thanks HH - do you have more details of the magnet seller? Dave Another thought could be permanently fixing the lid of a micro to something, and cachers just remove the bottom part. Would that be allowed, and is it practical?

Don't know if this would make a useful pinned topic, but either way, I have a question! Suppliers of lunchboxes are many and varied, and if you buy them in the shops, you may even get a plastic bag to wrap them in However, I'm quite keen on putting out some micros, and like the magnetic key safe ones. A search on e-bay revealed a company selling small numbers of them, but is there anywhere I can get quite a few (20 or so) without breaking the bank? Any other tips on where to get caching supplies? Thanks for the help! Dave

oops - you are indeed correct! I was unaware that there are two pesky flying obejects around! I stand corrected, and looking more than a little foolish! Oh well, nothing unusual in that!

I believe the Hayward Hornet has a sock puppet account that gets used for all sorts of nefarious dealings...

would anyone want more than 100 caches on their watchlist? we used to have about 50 or so, until i got cheesed off with the constant e-mails! I tend to use it for very few things now, and more often for TBs! What do other people use the watchlist for (Outrageous and unsubtle thead-jacking, sorry!)

a VERY high price! As people who watch QI will know, the OS have just released a set of very high detail (? 1:1000 or some ludicrous scale!) on CD for the entire country, for which the charge is not £4.99 as Alan Davies suggested, but £499,000,000.... quite a lot of CDs I imagine! For anyone that doesn't watch QI, shame on you! Its hilarious! Dave

well, some of us had to go to work today, and then get soaked on our motorbikes on the way home! So nowhere near as exciting as yours! Any chance of finding out the outcome??? just my nosy parker side showing through! Besides, If the rucksacks are harmless, then you get to keep them if they aren't claimed!

ditto

FWIW, I'm, another voice in the "TBs are not swaps" camp. We don't often swap, but if we do, TB's are not included in that.

only if you.... no, mustn't. slapped wrist. I DO apologise for my mind

nothing for me today either