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Geocaches + Googlemaps


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I wanted to be able to view geocaches with GoogleMaps instead of Mapquest, Yahoo, etc. So, I wrote a pair of javascript bookmarklets to do it. I thought maybe other cachers out there might benefit from them as well.

 

It doesn't look like I'm able to post html links with embedded javascript, so here's a link to a writeup (with links to the bookmarklets) on my blog: GoogleMaps Geocaching Bookmarklets

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My one complaint however is the lack of being able to have street navigation to the point.

 

Generally, if you click the center point it will offer you "get directions to here" or "from here" but that's not the case.

 

Am I doing something wrong, or is this just something that happens..

 

Other than that, it's awesome...

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Since this is a very helpful little widget and you aren't charging anything for it you might check with the powers that be about getting a link to it on the main site's resources page here.

 

I don't think posting about it in the forum is going to get it exposed to as many people as would benefit from it.

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Even the revised version doesn't work for me.  I'm using Internet Explorer... perhaps that only works in some versions?  I've used bookmarklets before and found that some work, and some don't.

It works fine for me, but I am using Firefox. I dusted off IE6 and gave it a go and it didn't work for me either. Probably some security setting or another.

 

If it is possible I strongly encourage you to install Firefox and give it a try.

Edited by DaveA
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Unfortunately, I don't have room on my ancient home computer for another browser, and I can't install Firefox on my work computers. Hopefully Avantbard will be able to come up with a fix!

 

Has anybody heard of geocaching.com is planning on adding Google maps to the cache pages?

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I have been working on something like this for a while, but with a slightly different approach. I am downloading a LOC file and putting all the caches on to a google map. I had been using a hack to do it, but now that Google has opened up their API it is much easier to do. Check out caches near my work beware it may take 10-20 seconds to load all the cache points. It took a very small amount of xml changes to do this, I had to convert the name tag that the LOC files produce, but other than that (and all the programming it took to get the google maps interface working), I was able to easily import the data.

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I have been working on something like this for a while, but with a slightly different approach.  I am downloading a LOC file and putting all the caches on to a google map.

This violates our terms of use. Please don't do that.

I did not know that, thanks for the warning.

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This violates our terms of use. Please don't do that.

I think I have a solution that will make everyone happy; why doesn't Groundspeak create a second download that is a straight XML file that contains lat, long, name, waypoint name, and difficulty. Then no violation would occur. You could even do the same thing i'm doing, let users check the boxes for the caches they want to see then a xml file is created on your system and a google map is opened with the locations plotted...with that solution, everyone wins. I'd be more than happy to assist you with the implementation of the code to do that.

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I have been working on something like this for a while, but with a slightly different approach.  I am downloading a LOC file and putting all the caches on to a google map.

This violates our terms of use. Please don't do that.

I'm quite curious how loading data that GC.com gives freely into a home made script is against the terms of service. How is that differant then loading the same file into the differant programs that GC.com links to on the resources page? Or am I reading things wrong?

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what am i doing wrong ???

 

 

Upload a track/route .GPX file of your GeoCache excursion (Maximum 25k):

File:

Note: This is a beta site. I reserve the right to change functionality this at will.

Error: Uploaded file does not appear to be a valid track/route GPX file (contains no trkseg or trkpt data)

 

I downloaded the gps exchange file on the cache page and nothing . can someone help. :D

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I have also created a page where you can upload your gpx files and it shows you all the caches with links back to geocaching.com. How would this be in violation of your TOS? When you are the only one able to see the map. It is "for personal and noncommercial use" as your TOS says.

It would be no different the loading the GPX file in to GSAK or similar, only using a webpage instead of a local program.

I would like some clearification before I post a link.

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OK. I was getting all confused because Jeremy snipped a quote that simply said someone was putting caches on a google map. That would seem to be fine and good so long as the resulting map was for the person's own internal use.

· Licensee may modify the Data and merge other data sets with the Data for Licensee's own internal use. The portions of the Data merged with other data sets will continue to be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(Does the whole emphasis on "internal use" mean we have to eat the cache printout page once we are done with them? (Otherwise I shudder to think what "internal use" requires))

 

Going back to the original post however, I see a link where I can access this map. Publishing/sharing/externlizing this map is the no-no. Right?

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Going back to the original post however, I see a link where I can access this map. Publishing/sharing/externlizing this map is the no-no. Right?

That's the only thing I can figure out. Legalize scares and confuses me. But I would guess they would have that in thier TOS in case someone tried to hijack the cache listings for thier own competitor caching site.

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You agreed to this license. You should read it again.

http://www.geocaching.com/waypoints/

 

(Click and read step 1)

To keep in compliance with the TOS I have removed the Google Map with the waypoints on it from my site. For anyone wanting to see a proof of concept of what can be done with Google maps with gps coords, you may still see a screen shot of what the site used to look like. Again, I strongly feel that a map like this would be of value to the geocaching community and would be great to see on Geocaching.com.

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You agreed to this license. You should read it again.

http://www.geocaching.com/waypoints/

 

(Click and read step 1)

I just went and read it and don't understand how there is any TOS violation in using google maps to display coords obtained from this site.

 

I can display them using any number of mapping apps without issue, why is google maps different?

 

I think if you wish for people to avoid TOS violations you need to be more clear as to how they are violating it rather than pointing folks to a bunch of lawyer speak and requiring them to figure it out themselves.

 

If you were saying that allowing us to see the data he displayed on google maps is a TOS violation I would understand that, but it looks like the mere fact he created something that will take .loc files and display the coords as points on google maps is what you were calling a TOS violation and I don't see that it is from my reading of the TOS.

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You agreed to this license. You should read it again.

http://www.geocaching.com/waypoints/

 

(Click and read step 1)

I just went and read it and don't understand how there is any TOS violation in using google maps to display coords obtained from this site.

 

I can display them using any number of mapping apps without issue, why is google maps different?

 

I think if you wish for people to avoid TOS violations you need to be more clear as to how they are violating it rather than pointing folks to a bunch of lawyer speak and requiring them to figure it out themselves.

 

If you were saying that allowing us to see the data he displayed on google maps is a TOS violation I would understand that, but it looks like the mere fact he created something that will take .loc files and display the coords as points on google maps is what you were calling a TOS violation and I don't see that it is from my reading of the TOS.

I would much rather the plain speak of what part of it is wrong as well.

But, I'm pretty sure the problem is in the sharing. That way someone can't hijack caches from the GC.com site and start their own using GC.com data. This obviously is minor and unintentional of course, but still violates TOS.

That is of course, if my understanding is correct.

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For those cachers who use GSAK, you can use this to put a custom URL into the program:

 

1. Open GSAK

2. Tools menu - click Options... (or press Ctrl-A)

3. Click the HTML tab

4. In the Custom URL box, copy and paste the following information onto a new line:

 

Google Maps=http://maps.google.com/?sll=%lat,%lon&q=%lat,%lon

 

When you right click on a cache in your database, you can now select Google Maps as a custom URL. Or you can set this URL as your default double-click option. Thank you AvantBard for figuring out such a handy tool - It works beautifully!

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