Green Gables

Markwell raises a good point. Take a look at instructions on the demo page. They ask the cache owner to, “Choose the attributes that apply to your cache.” Without further guidance, we’re likely to see a highly inconsistent use of this feature. The challenge is that the proposed cache attributes serve two important, but different, purposes. They are intended to be criteria for cache selection -- which would drive a cache owner to be comprensive in their use. They are also, as icons on the cache page, a way to alert cachers to conditions that they may not otherwise expect -- which drives a more judicious use.

This is cool, I never explored all the GSAK features before. Took me awhile to discover how to view the various pages. So where do I log my find for GSAK features? From the Green Gables profile page, I don't understand how to "use the batch command facility to load Microsoft Streets & Trips, Delorme StreetAtlas USA, Cachemate and my Magellan GPSr on a weekly basis." Does that mean I can do that in one step, rather than in making the conversions individually, in my case for Streets & Trips, ExpertGPS, Garmin and sometimes MapSource? Is it possible to change the GSAK menu bar to eliminate some buttons that I never use? I'd ask directly, but I figure there must be a few others following this thread that grew up with a typewriter instead of a computer who would like to know.... GSAK has a rudimentary macro capability that allows you to place commands in a .txt file and then execute them using a batch file. The macros I use are: DEBUG status=off LOAD File="C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\Geocaching\1111.gpx" LOAD File="C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\Geocaching\2222.gpx" LOAD File="C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\Geocaching\3333.gpx" FILTER Name="Not Found" EXPORT Type=SAT EXPORT Type=SNT FILTER Name=Cachemate EXPORT Type=CMT EXIT The entire process is kicked off when I run a .bat file that contains the following command: GSAK /run "C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\Geocaching\GSAKmacro.txt" This process creates the files to be imported into StreetAtlas and Streets & Trips and prepares the Cachemate file for HotSynch. There's more information under the help topic "Automating GSAK". As for the buttons, I don't believe they're customizable - it's a feature I'd like as well.

I sure would be intrested since I found that I can use Terra server from GSAK. I followed this link thinking that I'd get the standard Microsoft Terraserver stuff. What a pleasant suprise to find a GC-friendly interface instead...thanks, Marky. I've replaced the standard Terraserver link in my GSAK with a links to photo, hi-res and topo images through Marky's viewer -- it works like a charm. Instructions are on my profile page if you're interested. Custom URLs are: Aerial Photo=http://www.yvanovich.com/geocaching/index.php?coord1=%code&mkr1=26&autoinc=yes&type=1&zoom=10&width=900&height=600 Hi-Res Aerial=http://www.yvanovich.com/geocaching/index.php?coord1=%code&mkr1=26&autoinc=yes&type=4&zoom=8&width=900&height=600 Topo Map=http://www.yvanovich.com/geocaching/index.php?coord1=%code&mkr1=26&autoinc=yes&type=2&zoom=8&width=900&height=600 I'm thinking I'll be using ExpertGPS a whole lot less now.

Had a great time at today's BADGES picnic but came limping home with a flat tire. From the cache logs it looks like Team Alamo suffered the same fate. Any others have the same experience?

I'd echo bthomas' recommendation that you include at least one of the Twin Peaks trio. If the weather is clear, the views are absolutely not to be missed. Hill Sign is good fun and good exercise. If views and photography are your goals you may want to reconsider Blue Light, however, as it's a in an industrial area.

I’d give this photo notification thing some careful consideration. Event caches have dozens of photos uploaded after the event – we certainly wouldn’t want a notification for each photo. Perhaps, similar to the weekly New Caches email, it might make sense to have an opt-in, emailed Cache Owners Report that would list last found date, logs, notes, and photo activity for the week (or month?) for all caches owned by an individual.

I really like the new format for these pages. I have a couple of minor suggestions for the Quick View tab: 1. The page title is My Account Details. Now that the content for this page is spread across multiple tabs, wouldn't this page be more appropriately titled My Account Summary? 2. The You are Logged in as.... information appears in two places on this page - in the green border and on the Quick View tab (occupying prime screen real estate.) I'd vote for losing the duplicate reference in the Quick View tab OK, I one more suggestion...would it make sense to group your action links in the gray area in the top right of the screen? (i.e., reposition the Lookup/Email Another Player and Run PQ links under Update Home Coordinates.) Hmmm...one more observation... the links View Nearby Benchmarks and Search for Nearest Caches from your Home Coordinates appear to perform similar functions, one for benchmarks and the other for caches. Similar labeling would help users connect with this point. I'm thinking something simple like: Quick Links Cache Search Near Home (filter finds) Newest In California Benchmark Search Near Home Account Actions Edit Profile Update home coordinates Lookup/email another palyer Manage Pocket Queries Although...I'd vote for giving PQs their own tab and making Member Services a simple page link off the My Account Detail(Summary) page. Overall, I really like the new changes. Thanks for all the hard work!

I recently noticed that a cache I had previously found was down for a week or so awaiting maintenance. Had I known, I could have easily gone out to fix up the cache, as it is located just a couple of blocks from my home. I suspect that there's a vast army of would-be cache maintainers that would be pleased to help out if only they were made aware of the need. It would be great if there an unobtrusive way to show nearby caches that need maintenance. A solution could be as something like using a Needs Attention attribute to force the cache to be displayed in query results where Filter Finds would have otherwise eliminated it. Perhaps the use of color or a first-aid icon would serve to explain it's unexpected appearance in the query results.

Is anyone able to successfully click on the "remove" button? I am unable to remove any caches from my WatchList. (Mac, IE and Safari) Watch list removals have worked fine for me. Did you notice that there is a confirmation step? Jeremy, I'm glad you lost the log text. You could further refine the page by losing the "You Found" text in front of each log as the log type is evident from the icon. Also, the page might be cleaner if you lost the Visit Log links on each line and implemented a Show Logs link in the header which would link to the expanded log view. Thanks for the changes!

SporTrak Pro - DC 4402 has cracks opposite the middle screws on both sides.

I agree, limiting PQs with bounding coordinates would be a very useful feature. In the mean time, you might try GPSBabel. In addition to converting between file formats, GPSBabel filters waypoints within a bounding rectangle -- or any polygon for that matter. I use it to filter my 500 wpt Bay Area file to get Peninsula caches which it then loads directly to my GPSr. As GPSBabel is primarily command-line driven, I store the necessary parameters in a BAT file making this a very simple process to execute when my PQ's come in. Unfortunately, through, it won't shrink the size of the emailed files.

Jeff -- I'm having great fun with your new tool. I've used it for a couple of weeks and have a suggestion. The seach results would be more useful to me if the Area Code and ZIP Code searches defaulted to returning Not Found caches only [&F=1]. When I search using an Area Code or ZIP, it's usually to locate caches I haven't found. On the rare occasion when I wanted to see found caches I'd use a direct query on the name or use the GC search tool. Thanks for creating and sharing this. Those of us who are technologically-imparied really appreciate cool tools like this. -- Bill

Talk about having too much time on their hands...who designed that badge...pretty darn impressive work of graphic art!

So count me in for a couple of tix. Payment coming via PayPal. Great looking staffs. I checked them out on www.geo-hikingstick.com. By the way...nice cropping job on photo of the Mizz Butterfly stick

Mr. Big - I haven't done the Toro Park caches but they seem like pretty significant hikes. My favorites in the Monterey area are Pez Cache and Cache de Canyon. Both can be found in the Jack's Peak area and, on clear days, have outstanding views. Neither, however requires significant physical exertion.

A locked gate or two was probably the least of your worries. You need to be cautious wandering around there in the dark. A large part of Fort Ord is off-limits because of unexploded ordnance. One false step and Kablooey! Fortunately, it is all pretty well marked so the risk is low...unless you're desparate to find a way out.

Just did AltDotAir's America Off-Line cache which may be the most devious hide on the peninsula! If you're into great views, and if the weather is clear, you will want to try Pez•Cache. It's a relatively easy find with an outstanding view. It's in an area that most our-of-towners wouldn't stumble on. While you're doing Pez, you'll want to look into Cache De Canyon which is nearby and has great views out the other way.

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