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Gsak (geocaching Swiss Army Knife)


ClydeE

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Posted
Ok, so it has been said that the gpx file that gc.com sends in a PQ does not contain the archived information, however there are times when I'm importing the PQ into GSAK and I get a window saying a cache has become available that was once archived/unavailable. If the info is not sent in the gpx/PQ file then how does GSAK know.

 

I would have to assume that this is incorrect and that the info is in the PQ file. If I am correct, why does GSAK not automatically update this in the database.

Please do a search on the gc.com forums and you will find quite a few threads on this.

 

Many users have pleaded with the TPTB to get archived caches in PQ's (or at least a way to automatically identify an archived cache) but they just won't budge on this one.

 

You do get "temporarily unavailable" cache information in the GPX file. You also get notification if a cache that was once unavailable becomes available.

 

However, in a PQ you never get "archived" caches.

Posted
Re - removing archived caches.

 

I've now added the code below to my weekly GSAK macro which reads in the latest PQ for my area.

 

First the FILTER selects any caches that have not had an update for two weeks but still remain available - these are likely the ones that have been archived. Then these are deleted.

 

Is there anything wrong with this strategy?

 

Mike

 

FILTER Name="No GPX Updates for 2 weeks"
IF $_FilterCount >0
Delete Settings="Delete all in filter"
ENDIF

This "sort of works", however there is one subtle trap.

 

If new hidden caches now meet your selection criteria, your PQ may exceed 500 caches. If it does then you will have older caches in your database that will not get the last GPX date updated but they are not necessarily archived.

Posted

All,

 

I've tried to search for this answer with little luck.

 

I would like to take more advantage of the "Found By Me" dates. Specifically, I want to generate web pages that I can sort by this date. It seems that I don't get this information at all when loading a .gpx file. Is there a setting I need to activate for this field to be updated?

 

At this point, I have updated a few by editing the properties of the cache, but there has to be a way for the information to be updated using the PQ. If I found a cache yesterday and ran a PQ of 'Found' caches, everything seems to update except the date in the 'Found by me" column... it appears to be an empty field.

 

If this has been asked before, I apologize.... just send a link to the topic.

 

=0)

Posted

Have you filled in the information so that GSAK knows who you are so that it can identify your finds?

 

From mousing across your user name, I'd say your id number should be 392451. I think

 

I read somewhere on the forums that there was a bug in the PQ's for a few days a week or two ago. The bug was that PQ's didn't include any of your logs in addition to the most recent 5, so GSAK wouldn't be able to recognize your finds. You may want to get a new "found" gpx file just in case.

 

Hope that helps,

jon

Posted
All,

 

I've tried to search for this answer with little luck.

 

I would like to take more advantage of the "Found By Me" dates.  Specifically, I want to generate web pages that I can sort by this date.  It seems that I don't get this information at all when loading a .gpx file.  Is there a setting I need to activate for this field to be updated?

 

At this point, I have updated a few by editing the properties of the cache, but there has to be a way for the information to be updated using the PQ.  If I found a cache yesterday and ran a PQ of 'Found' caches, everything seems to update except the date in the 'Found by me" column... it appears to be an empty field.

 

If this has been asked before, I apologize.... just send a link to the topic.

 

=0)

What do you have under Found status upate options (see help)? From the help:

 

Found Status Update

 

Important Note: These options only apply to the loading of the incoming GPX file. After the GPX file has been loaded (using these options) GSAK will then interrogate your logs for found/DNFentries to update your found status and count etc (which may appear to contradict some of the settings you have used here). If you don't want GSAK to do this automatic log interrogation then turn this option off via Tools=>Options=>Advanced. For more information see interrogate logs for founds/DNFs

 

Always - the found status of a cache in the database is always updated to whatever is in the GPX file you are about to load.

Found only - The found status is only changed if the incoming GPX file has the cache as found, and the database has the cache marked as not found. That is, If you have manually marked a cache as found then this option will prevent this found status being cleared by the loading of the GPX.LOC file. Use this option if you often manually update your found status before you get the GPX files that reflect this.

Never - The cache found status is never updated by the incoming GPX file

Posted
Have you filled in the information so that GSAK knows who you are so that it can identify your finds? 

 

From mousing across your user name, I'd say your id number should be 392451. 

I had replied to this, but I must have previewed and not submitted.

 

In the past, I always used WildCard when importing because I thought it was for Placed caches only. Using the advice above, I entered my number and selected to correct option with perfect results.

 

Many thanks!

Posted

Now for my next question...

 

b. can i put the downloaded pics via macro into the user_notes?

Yes. You can do this via a macro. There is already a macro that will do this for you for the SpoilerSync photos ( see http://gsak.net/Macros ) You could then use this macro and change it to put in any other pictures you like.

 

I have been creating my own, personal web pages for all the caches I have found to include one or more pictures of the cache. GSAK does a much better job with more detail than I have on my pages. At this point, I have one folder with all of the pictures I've taken of pretty much every cache I've found. I name each picture for its cache... gc1234.jpg, gc1234a.jpg, gc1234b.jpg, etc for the gc1234 cache. Is there a way to use the offered macro to search my images folder and find the corresponding pics for the user notes section? I have hundreds of pictures and would really like a way of automating this process.

 

I don't know much about macros, so newbie status is in full effect.

 

=0)

Posted

Hi, Clyde.

 

Just upgraded to 6.0.2 and found a minor problem. A Global Replace setting the User Sort field to 0 no longer also resets the current value in Tools|Options to 0. Bug or feature? If the latter, any way I can get back the previous functionality?

Posted
Hi, Clyde.

 

Just upgraded to 6.0.2 and found a minor problem. A Global Replace setting the User Sort field to 0 no longer also resets the current value in Tools|Options to 0. Bug or feature? If the latter, any way I can get back the previous functionality?

Feature. This was one of my 'discussions' with Clyde, as I would Global Replace on one database (where I manually enter numbers), but wanted to keep the Tool|Options number for use in another database.

 

Don't know if you can go back to the old style.

Posted
Feature.  This was one of my 'discussions' with Clyde, as I would Global Replace on one database (where I manually enter numbers), but wanted to keep the Tool|Options number for use in another database.

 

Don't know if you can go back to the old style.

It was one of my discussions with Clyde that resulted in it being the way it used to be. Can't please all the people....

 

The problem here is that the starting value is kept globally. It should be per database. It should also start from the current value in that database. That way, if the field is cleared for all records then the start would naturally return to zero.

 

My problem would also be solved if there was a macro command to set the start value. Then my "Clear User Sort" macro would just need another line.

 

How about it Clyde?

Posted (edited)

Is there a way to add Postal codes to the database? My zip seems to be skipped (06491). I looked in the help, but didn't see anything on adding it.

 

TIA

Cheers,

WebbWalkers

Edited by WebbWalkers
Posted

I seem to get an error message when I try to view my caches online through GSAK. It says :There was a problem sending the command to the program. I can view them offline though. Any suggestions? I have the latest download and it worked fine before I downloaded the latest version.

Posted
My problem would also be solved if there was a macro command to set the start value. Then my "Clear User Sort" macro would just need another line.

 

How about it Clyde?

He's said that macro access to that data and other elements of the GUI (dialogs like the User Note) will be coming as part of the macro langauge. but trying to dump too much into the macro commands at once would be a nightmare. You can always add a Cancel command (with message to remind yourself to reset the number manually) at the end of your macro.

Posted
my first question B)

anything in planning for a pda version, 2002/2003?

 

cheers

Bill

No. GSAK is strictly for the PC and I don't see Clyde changing that. That's because there is CacheMate already available for the Palm and GSAK will export to that format.

Posted (edited)
my first question B)

anything in planning for a pda version, 2002/2003?

 

cheers

Bill

No.

 

GSAK does too much "Heavy lifting" to be directly ported to the PPC or Palm.

 

So it would need to be cut down a heck of a lot.

 

To be honest, the end result would be no better that Cachmeate for the Palm or GPXSonar for the PPC.

 

I very much recommend both these applications for the corresponding platforms.

Edited by ClydeE
Posted
Now for my next question...

 

b. can i put the downloaded pics via macro into the user_notes?

Yes. You can do this via a macro. There is already a macro that will do this for you for the SpoilerSync photos ( see http://gsak.net/Macros ) You could then use this macro and change it to put in any other pictures you like.

 

I have been creating my own, personal web pages for all the caches I have found to include one or more pictures of the cache. GSAK does a much better job with more detail than I have on my pages. At this point, I have one folder with all of the pictures I've taken of pretty much every cache I've found. I name each picture for its cache... gc1234.jpg, gc1234a.jpg, gc1234b.jpg, etc for the gc1234 cache. Is there a way to use the offered macro to search my images folder and find the corresponding pics for the user notes section? I have hundreds of pictures and would really like a way of automating this process.

 

I don't know much about macros, so newbie status is in full effect.

 

=0)

Yes, you can do this via the macro language.

 

The spoilersync macro would be a good guide on how to do this, but unfortunately you would need to make up your own macro (using some of the code in this macro) in order to do this.

Posted
My problem would also be solved if there was a macro command to set the start value. Then my "Clear User Sort" macro would just need another line.

 

How about it Clyde?

He's said that macro access to that data and other elements of the GUI (dialogs like the User Note) will be coming as part of the macro langauge. but trying to dump too much into the macro commands at once would be a nightmare. You can always add a Cancel command (with message to remind yourself to reset the number manually) at the end of your macro.

In the interim, you can do this yourself via the macro language.

 

Using the Putfile and Getfile functions you can store your own starting/ending values for the user sort column (and using the $_CurrentDatabase system variable).

 

The user sort column can be directly read/updated via the $d_UserSort database variable. Therefore it would not be hard to bypass the GSAK automatic update of this column.

 

Just create a macro with the above functions for each database, then update this database variable directly.

 

Now you can add this macro as a tool butoon and it will be generic for all databases - only being one mouse click away when needed.

Posted
GSAK version 6.0.1 (First maintenance release) is now ready for download

 

For a list of fixes in this release please see http://gsak.net/help/hs1060.htm

 

Download here http://gsak.net

Just an FYI, You still get the unique error message when using a macro and exporting to Mapsource.

 

Tom (WU8C)

Thanks B)

This should have been fixed in 6.0.2

 

Your quote refers to 6.0.1

 

Are you saying that 6.0.2 has still not fixed this issue or do you not have the latest release of GSAK?

Posted (edited)
I seem to get an error message when I try to view my caches online through GSAK. It says :There was a problem sending the command to the program. I can view them offline though. Any suggestions? I have the latest download and it worked fine before I downloaded the latest version.

If that indeed is the error message your are getting, then I am sorry to say I have never heard of it before or can really say what the problem is.

 

However, it does sound like your system does not have the URL "open" action properly associated with your default browser.

 

For a discussion on a similar problem on this please read the posts in this thread around here

Edited by ClydeE
Posted
Is there a way to add Postal codes to the database? My zip seems to be skipped (06491). I looked in the help, but didn't see anything on adding it.

No, but you can get around this by simply adding this post code as a location.

 

Please see Tools=>Options=>Locations

Posted
My problem would also be solved if there was a macro command to set the start value. Then my "Clear User Sort" macro would just need another line.

 

How about it Clyde?

He's said that macro access to that data and other elements of the GUI (dialogs like the User Note) will be coming as part of the macro langauge. but trying to dump too much into the macro commands at once would be a nightmare. You can always add a Cancel command (with message to remind yourself to reset the number manually) at the end of your macro.

In the interim, you can do this yourself via the macro language.

 

Using the Putfile and Getfile functions you can store your own starting/ending values for the user sort column (and using the $_CurrentDatabase system variable).

 

The user sort column can be directly read/updated via the $d_UserSort database variable. Therefore it would not be hard to bypass the GSAK automatic update of this column.

 

Just create a macro with the above functions for each database, then update this database variable directly.

 

Now you can add this macro as a tool butoon and it will be generic for all databases - only being one mouse click away when needed.

That's a good idea, though it wouldn't work from double-clicking in the field, which is the main benefit here. Even with a toolbar button the frequent mouse movements would make the operation much less friendly.

 

It's no big deal. I just have to remember to manually reset the starting value in Tools|Options before running the macro.

 

I guess I'm just a little disappointed that functionality which I had a hand in designing has been changed so that it's much less useful. And I still think it's obvious that a global replace on the field implicitly sets the starting value to 0 (for that database, which is why it should be database-specific).

Posted
GSAK version 6.0.1 (First maintenance release) is now ready for download

 

For a list of fixes in this release please see http://gsak.net/help/hs1060.htm

 

Download here http://gsak.net

Just an FYI, You still get the unique error message when using a macro and exporting to Mapsource.

 

Tom (WU8C)

Thanks B)

This should have been fixed in 6.0.2

 

Your quote refers to 6.0.1

 

Are you saying that 6.0.2 has still not fixed this issue or do you not have the latest release of GSAK?

Nope, I have the latest version and now working as expected - Great! BTW, I, as others have requested, also would like a way to modify the HTML pages as can be done in GPXSpinner. Thanks in advance!

Posted

I seem to recall having seen this soemwhere before, but I can't find it now.

 

I export data for MS Streets & Trips from GSAK. Then I go in and import the data and modify the pinpoints and information balloon data. Is there a way to automate this manual process, preferrably through GSAK macros, that I'm jsut not seeing?

 

Thanks.

Posted (edited)
I guess I'm just a little disappointed that functionality which I had a hand in designing has been changed so that it's much less useful. And I still think it's obvious that a global replace on the field implicitly sets the starting value to 0 (for that database, which is why it should be database-specific).

 

No, it is not obvious, as I would not have other users argue the other way. You must remeber that you could be doing a global replace using a filter just to update a few records, and it would then be very unlikely you wanted this set back to zero.

 

You may only do a global replace on the whole database, but you must consider that other users do things differently.

 

Perhaps less useful to you, but not the others that requested this behaviour.

 

Sorry, I can't please all the people all the time.

 

Also, please note that I have never stated (nor will I) that features or the behaviour of features in GSAK won't change.

 

It is a constant juggling act and I am just trying to keep up with the demand of my users in general and not just individuals.

Edited by ClydeE
Posted
Sorry, I can't please all the people all the time.

Absolutely. As I said earlier, it's no big deal, and just requires that I remember to reset it before starting to dbl-click the field.

 

All that I'm asking is that, because you can't satisfy everyone with a single value, you consider enhancing the feature so it can. For my purpose, making the start value database-specific would do it, as would a macro command to set the start value in Tools|Options. I think the former also satisfies The Jester, if I've understood correctly.

Posted
Any one else having problems clicking on waypoints in fugawi after downloading them from GSAK after the latest patch?

What exactly has changed?

Posted

I used to be able from the list of waypoints click on one and fugawi would show that map and waypoint, now it does not. it still works for the older ones just not for the new ones after the latest patch.

Posted

Sorry if this has been asked already but I was getting tired after reading a few pages.

 

I have a few databases in GSAK and I am rerun one of the PQ for an existing database so it would include new caches and multicaches. How do I load the new gpx file without making duplicates of the other caches? I can delete all the caches in that database and reload the new PQ but then will I lose my logs and founds etc? Thanks!

Posted
Sorry if this has been asked already but I was getting tired after reading a few pages.

 

I have a few databases in GSAK and I am rerun one of the PQ for an existing database so it would include new caches and multicaches. How do I load the new gpx file without making duplicates of the other caches? I can delete all the caches in that database and reload the new PQ but then will I lose my logs and founds etc? Thanks!

Just load the new GPX file into the database. GSAK automatically adds new caches, but updates existing ones. This means there will be no duplication of waypoints if they already exist in the database. The other benifit you get by doing this is that logs accumulate for the updated caches. So even though you only get the last 5 logs with your GPX file, over time you can accumlate as many logs as you like for a cache.

Posted
I used to be able from the list of waypoints click on one and fugawi would show that map and waypoint, now it does not. it still works for the older ones just not for the new ones after the latest patch.

Hmm, anyone else notice this?

 

I have not made any changes to this format.

 

However, GSAK does use GPSBabel for this conversion, and the latest version of GPSBabel is included with each new release.

 

Perhaps Robert can enlighten us if any changes have been made to this format in GPSBabel recently.

Posted
I used to be able from the list of waypoints click on one and fugawi would show that map and waypoint, now it does not. it still works for the older ones just not for the new ones after the latest patch.

OK. Just to clarify you're talking about the last patch/version of GSAK or Fugawi?

 

Doubling clicking on on a waypoint in the list still moves to the map and with the waypoint centered for me. The only time this doesn't happen is if the waypoint is outside of the boundaries of the map coverage. I'm using the latest version of GSAK and the last version of Fugawi 3 (I'm not at home so don't know the exact version number)

Posted

Sorry if this is redundant, but I DID do a search - and found nothing.

 

I'd like to install GSAK on both my desktop and on my laptop and have them both use the same set of files. I have made the GSAK directory on my desktop a network "shared" directory, but can't seem to find a way to tell my laptop version of the program to look "there" for it's files.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

 

Milt

Posted
Sorry if this is redundant, but I DID do a search - and found nothing.

 

I'd like to install GSAK on both my desktop and on my laptop and have them both use the same set of files. I have made the GSAK directory on my desktop a network "shared" directory, but can't seem to find a way to tell my laptop version of the program to look "there" for it's files.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

 

Milt

Tools=>Options=>General then change the "database folder"

Posted
OK. Just to clarify you're talking about the last patch/version of GSAK or Fugawi?

 

latest version of gsak, it is also happening to my fathers computer as well. to fix it he downloads to his gps and then to fugawi and it works, but not when he exports from gsak to fugawi.

 

thanks guys

Posted
Sorry if this is redundant, but I DID do a search - and found nothing.

 

I'd like to install GSAK on both my desktop and on my laptop and have them both use the same set of files. I have made the GSAK directory on my desktop a network "shared" directory, but can't seem to find a way to tell my laptop version of the program to look "there" for it's files.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

 

Milt

The information you are looking for is in the GSAK program help. I went there and typed 'backup' because I have seen what you are asking for in the GSAK threads for prior releases:

 

Backup allows you to save databases and settings. This feature allows you to take manual backups of GSAK. You can then use these backups for system restore, or swapping information between computers and other GSAK users. This is a good way to transfer data and settings between your desktop and your laptop. GSAK backups are a collection of files in the standard zip archive format. Also note that GSAK can be configured to do automatic backups of your data and settings.

 

Use the restore option to restore a GSAK backup.

Click on any section for more information.

Posted
OK. Just to clarify you're talking about the last patch/version of GSAK or Fugawi?

 

latest version of gsak, it is also happening to my fathers computer as well. to fix it he downloads to his gps and then to fugawi and it works, but not when he exports from gsak to fugawi.

 

thanks guys

Don't know what to suggest. I don't normally export from GSAK to Fugawi anymore so have not experienced this problem. I know the feature works with individual cache LOC files from the cache page links loaded automatically by Fugawi but I don't think this is what you're asking.

 

Clyde or Robert have any changes been made to the Fugawi format in the newer versions of GPSBabel that might cause this?

Posted
Perhaps Robert can enlighten us if any changes have been made to this format in GPSBabel recently.

I don't see any intentional changes in GPSBabel's Fugawi output since April '03. If anyone can produce counter evidence to that, let me know. Better yet, if you can produce an input file that results in functioning and non-functioning output with two different GPSBabels, please do send along that test case.

Posted
Sorry if this is redundant, but I DID do a search - and found nothing.

 

I'd like to install GSAK on both my desktop and on my laptop and have them both use the same set of files.  I have made the GSAK directory on my desktop a network "shared" directory, but can't seem to find a way to tell my laptop version of the program to look "there" for it's files.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

 

Milt

Tools=>Options=>General then change the "database folder"

That'll do it .. Thanks, Coach!

 

Milt

Posted

I remember reading somewhere about using the arc filter in GSAK with Microsoft Streets & Trips, but I can't find it now. It was about creating a route in S&T and then clicking on the route whenever it changed directions to add another point. I don't have any problem with that. However, I can't remember how to get the data from S&T to GSAK. If anybody can point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate it.

 

Thanks,

GrandpaKim

Posted

Hi,

 

Sometimes when there is more than 5 visits at a given cache between PQ's you will miss some logs in GSAK. I can actually see those missing logs at geocaching.com when I ask for More logs ...

 

Given that a PQ can only return the last 5 logs, the question is

 

How can I add those missing logs in GSAK?

 

Regards

Posted

I'm having a minor problem with the 'get mail' feature (using a gmail account). Not a bug per se, but I hope something that can be addressed by tweaking my gmail settings.

 

I get a regular PQ with the closest caches to me. Also, on a less regular basis, I pull one with my own finds. I have mail settings for each, but my problem is that when I run the process to update my closest to home, the 'finds' e-mail also gets scanned over, and even though it's not downloaded it is now skipped over when I next try to update my 'finds'. If I run the 'finds' first, the others then won't come in. My guess is that the scanning process marks these messages as 'read', thus one scan (any scan), makes the next scan useless. Short of creating seperate e-mail addresses for each query, is there something I can do to fix this?

 

A couple of other little things I'd like to do via GSAK if possible:

1. Export a file to Excel to show a month by month chart of the number of caches I have found.

2. Keep a webpage of my finds updated with as little manual data entry as possible. I know there are TOS issues here, but I don't intend to have PQ type data available for others to grab, just hoping to get my history current and keep it that way without hours of work. My page is very basic (I think), but manually updating it take a fair amount of time. You can see the VERY out of date page at www.gnbrotz.com/geocaching.

Posted
Sometimes when there is more than 5 visits at a given cache between PQ's you will miss some logs in GSAK....How can I add those missing logs in GSAK?

If this is happening to you a lot, the easiest thing to do would be to get your PQ's more frequently.

 

If on rare occasion you have a reason to add missing logs to a waypoint, you could copy from the gc.com page and paste into the user notes section of GSAK. Notes (and logs) placed here appear at the top of the logs in GSAK (notes always stay within GSAK, whereas logs will be uploaded to gc.com if you click on "Log Cache", so it's best to use the notes section for things you don't want to risk accidentally uploading).

 

I don't know of any way to automatically add missing logs.

Posted
I'm having a minor problem with the 'get mail' feature (using a gmail account)...

 

I get a regular PQ with the closest caches to me. Also, on a less regular basis, I pull one with my own finds. I have mail settings for each, but my problem is that when I run the process to update my closest to home, the 'finds' e-mail also gets scanned over, and even though it's not downloaded it is now skipped over when I next try to update my 'finds'.

I have the exact same plan and don't have this problem, so it can be done. I'm not sure what I'm doing differently that works, but here are a couple of guesses you can try:

 

1) In Gmail, on the "Forwarding and POP Settings Page", I have it set to "Disable Forwarding", "Enable POP only for mail that arrives from now on", and When Messages are accessed with POP: archive Gmail's copy.

 

2) My Gmail settings in GSAK are: After Matching Download: "Leave on Server". Get Files That Match is set to "Contains" and includes the entire subject line of the PQ. I have separate settings in GetMail for Closest to Home and My Found Caches (the two PQ's I receive each week).

 

The net effect of this is that GSAK leaves the files on Gmail, and Gmail archives them once they've been downloaded by GSAK (you can still access archived files through "All Mail" in Gmail, but they're removed from your inbox). Don't know if this combination is what works for me.

 

If the above doesn't help, the workaround would be to have your two PQ's sent on two different days (e.g. Closest to Home sent on Friday, Found Caches sent on Monday). If you GetMail with GSAK between each PQ (i.e. sometime between Friday and Monday, and again between Monday and Friday), you would never have two PQ's in your Gmail inbox at the same time!

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