YeOleImposter

GpsBabel's arc filter has options for finding waypoints within a polygon and along an arc. I think that 'points' would be very useful. ie, Just like the arc/line option except that instead of including all points along the arc it only includes waypoints within the specified distance from each point specified? Right now using the arc filter I can filter my database to give me benchmarks and caches along the interstate - it would be great to have it only show those within x miles of the exits. Also would be great to feeding my benchmark database a list of cache waypoints I plan on visiting and pulling out all benchmarks within x miles I put a request for this in the gpsBabel mail list. Was wondering if others might find that useful? Gary Paulson www.gpaulson.doesntexist.com

Have just about added it to my palm - but I don't see what it will do that Plucker does not do with HTML files. I probably should install it jus to try it out - but if I remember you can't really try it out because it limits the number of caches you can put in? Will it let me add a note after the hunt to help me remember? I see on some screen shots that it has a spot for Took: Left: and TB: but I don't see any memo type pad.

In the main GSAK thread I have the string for both the photo and topo maps and a desription of what the options are (different zoom, size, etc). Have never linked to a post before but if it works here is the link: Lost Outdoors Options

What do you do to keep track of you finds while you are out hunting caches? My memory won't keep more than 2 caches stored. That is why I carry my palm. What are you using to keep track of the caches you find / don't find while out on the road? Any automated way to keep track of all this?

MickUpi, you might try adding %name right between the comma and the star near the end of your LostOutDoors URL - ie 7,%name*... It will put the cache name next to the red dot. And Yes - GSAK is great and very responsive to user requests/sugestions.

Hmmm, ah, my error - when I converted the commas to %2Cs I left one - right before the 14 - if you remove the offending comma it will probably work. (prior to 3.04 the comma was stripped by GSAK so it did not cause a problem) I have updated my links since 3.04 also allowed putting commas instead of %2Cs in the links so they now look like this: LostOutDoors Topo=http://www.lostoutdoors.com/map.php?map=%lat,%lon&t=2&z=1&s=3&id=&mark=%lat,%lon,255,0,0,14,%code-%name* LostOutDoors Photo=http://www.lostoutdoors.com/map.php?map=%lat,%lon&t=1&z=1&s=3&id=&mark=%lat,%lon,255,0,0,14,%code-%name* (the forum may split the lines - so make sure each of the above is all in one line when you paste it into GSAK) The 255,0,0 is the color of the 'dot' the 14 is the size of the 'dot' the s=3 is the size of map the t=2 or t=1 is the type of map the z=1 is the zoom (meters per pixel) Wish I could find a way to make the text of the marker larger. Wish I could make it default to opening with the dot centered on the screen. All these settings were found by trial and error. There is probably a help file somewhere that explains what all you can do. I like the Lost Outdoors maps because I can easily save them as .jpg files and either print them or store them on my palm

Excellent Looking forward to seeing this in the next release. What do the waypoint ID's end up as after the import into GSAK? The first 15 characters of the waypoint name - should be enough to be unique. My Interstate 84 list of exits became the first 15 characters of the waypoint name and I used the format I84X000-ExitName so they were alway unique since the 000 was always different for each exit. What kind of database would you be importing? Am curious how others are 'abusing' GSAK

Sorry Robert for the confusion. The waypoints in question were produced by st2gpx. The only problem I had with them is that (at the time) GSAK could not import the waypoints from the st2gpx file into a waypoint database because each waypoint had did not have a unique (or for that mater any) 'id' and so they were all treated as the same waypoint - with 'blank' as the cache id. Clyde has fixed this now (in a beta build), so if a waypoint has no 'id' then the cache description is used to generate one when it is imported into the database. Now GSAK will read the st2gpx just like any other gpx file and it does not have to be run through gpsBabel first to create a unique 'id'. (edited to clear foggy writing)

A nice feature for GSAk would be if you could specify the directory to find the databases. My thoughts is that it would be on the screen where you select databases - you could change/browse to a directory. Reasons: 1) Many keep their data files on a seperate hard drive from their programs for back up purposes 2) If you are running different .ini files you could have it only show the appropriate databases (ie for geocaches and another for benchmarks) Along that same line, the ability to specify the .ini file on the command line would be great - ie: gsak.exe [/cfg:gc.ini] [/run...]

Only reason I leave the PID on each line is because I process the output through bmgpx and so it (probably) expects that on each line to do its conversion from the datasheet to a gpx file. I will have to look at sed - the only reason I use perl is because it can do what I need - and I don't need much Sed sounds like I won't have to relearn quite so much each time. Will go back and find out your recomendation for a sed program. Thanks

Which program is crashing? I am assuming from your message that it is the desktop conversion program and not the plucker viewer in your pda? I have run a 3000 waypoint gsak filter through both plucker-desktop and jpluck with no problems (except it takes forever on the desktop and only 5 minutes in JPluck). Might try it in 4 500 cache chunks to see if it is something in one of those caches? I know I have bumped into a problem with one of the caches name 'Pi' and it generates output with π etc - probably the same thing, one silly cache causing the problem.

Yes, the question is, What do you want to do with the data you have manipulated?? Once we know where you are going with the data can probably give you some good suggestions. 99% of the time all my PQ data just sits in the GSAK database. Every so often I delete waypoints that I have no intention of vising in the foreseeable (sp) future. (I will not be making it to Florida again for years, and since I live in Washington State there is little reason to keep any unfound waypoints from Florida in GSAK). Otherwise once I get things filtered to the way I want, I just export the file to the format I need - HTML, S&T, etc. If I plan on creating this 'filter' often, then I save it in GSAK so next time I don't have to remember how to 'create' it again. My most frequently used filter is called NotFound100 - All unfound caches not hidden by me within 100 miles of home. Side Note to Clyde: Since the 'center' point is saved when using the 'distance from' it probably should be displayed in the filter settings? At first I didnt even realize it was saved - just thought GSAK always reverted to the 'home' coordinate on filters

No problems for me with my Legend. If you want to export the waypoints as a .gpx and send it to me, I will attempt to put it in my legend. Other thing you could do is eliminate 1/2 the list at a time and see if you can narrow the problem down. If you have 400 waypoints just send the first 200. If that works try the last 200. then just send 100 of whichever one caused the failure, and then 1/2 of that etc till you see the obvious problem. Guessing it would only take 6 or 7 tries to whittle it down to the offending waypoint - probably has some unspeakable character in it.

Yep, and my perl script does somethign real similar. But if you are not familiar with perl (ie don't know what it is) then TextHarvest that Embra mentioned probably will do what you want. I play with perl once a year to manipulate some file somewhere. This year it is the benchmark datasheets. Next year I will have to google myself through the basics again to remember how to do everything. I have to sell insurance during the day to feed my 7 kids (no joke) - and so I really don't have alot of time to keep up to date with this stuff. I usually go through spurts like creating the perl script to clean up the datasheets and the GSAK html output. Then I live with it until I just have to do something different.

An option that could help speed up Plucker indirectly would be the option to turn off indexes that you do not use? I never use the 'Bug', Not-Found, etc indexes. Removing these would speed up Plucker by not having to create the indexes. Especially for those of that use it for Benchmarks since the NotFound index is the whole database practically? But mainly as a 'feature' - would be nice to be able to customize the index to what you actually need/want.

When I used GPXSpinner, I would point Plucker to the index.htm file it generated. What file do I use for GSAK? Same thing - index.htm It is in the 'Cache' subdirectory of whatever directory you have in the first option of the HTML Export screen. If you have "Show HTML index when finished" checked it will pop up when done creating the HTML files. You could then just copy the address bar into plucker.

I have moved from plucker-desktop to jpluck this week because of the difference in processing times on large databases like this. Plucker Desktop was just taking too long to process my normal GSAK outputs. It was a pain because JPluck did not want to install due to some conduit error - but a google search brought the answer on how to remove the conduit from the registry.

For related tips, see http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/formats/s_...ipPlanning.html Thanks Robert & PDOPs! I love it when others have blazed the trail before. I knew their had to be an easy way to turn these points into a route without clicking on each one individually.

Is this in the mobipocket output? You do not say.

And don't forget the Locationless: Lewis & Clark Expedition

Yes, that is correct - but the st2gpx generated GPX file will also work without routes. I think though, YeOleImposter was wanting this file automatically imported into the locations file in addition to the arc filter. Yes, I like to keep them in a file I can manipulate later and a separate GSAK database is perfect for that. Problem with going right from S&T to arc filter without using a route is that it appears the waypoints are output in the order they were added to S&T - so if you added a waypoint in the middle of your 'route' it will not be in order (correct?) I assume putting these all in a route would fix that? Anyone know if there is a way to tell S&T to include all pushpins in a route without clicking on each one?

Yes, since all my finds still are less than 500, I clicked the first state on the list, scrolled down to the last state, held down the shift key, and clicked it. Now all the states are selected. Then I put 500 mile radius. Now as long as I don't travel to Europe or South America, all my caches show up - even the ones I have done in Canada and Mexico since they are within 500 miles of one of the border states. Once I have over 500 (still active) finds, I will need to break it into 2 PQs.

Hmmm, on the surface it looks ok. Could you please send me a copy of the GPX file and I will see what the problem is. Thanks. It is on its way. I ran it through gpsBabel and converted it to a .loc file. it changed the name item to: <name id="I84X177-Umatila Army Depot"> as well as spelling out waypoint instead of wpt - not sure if those are important. Anyway - file is on in the bit bucket on its way to you.

Clyde, I am trying to import a file that was created with st2gpx into it's own database. Am guessing it is missing some of the stuff in the gpx file that GSAK expects - since it seems to just create one record (blank) instead of 49. 2 of the pertinent gpx lines are as follows: <wpt lat="45.794210" lon="-119.387494"><name><![CDATA[i84X179-I82]]></name></wpt> <wpt lat="45.800181" lon="-119.421777"><name><![CDATA[i84X177-Umatila Army Depot]]></name></wpt> What do I need to add to these lines so GSAK will be happy? Hmmm wonder if I can get gpsBabel to convert it into something GSAK would accept? BTW these are the Interstate 84 Exits for a trip I am taking to portland (Portland Cache Machine). I want to keep a database of the exits - and then can format them for both the 'arc' filter and for the HTML indexes (wish could import a gpx file into that But cut and paste works.

What is the date in the 'last UPDATE' column for the caches that are not showing the 'found by me' date? If it is not the same as the other caches in the area then you may need to run a .gpx that includes the caches you found. If when you go online to gc.com and find that those caches have been archived then you will need to manually click on the icon to download the .gpx file on that cache page and import it. When I moved everythign over to GSAK I downloaded all these archived caches' individual .gpx files into a temp directory then ran GSAK import on the 80 gpx files in that directory