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Pocket Queries


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I think the main advantage of PQ's is that you can use the GPX file with a PocketPC and see the info in the field; using a tool like GPXSonar or GPXView. Both of these can render each cache entry in the GPX file into a Web-page which looks remarkably like the actual GC page (minus any pics which were on the original page. I started as a member and moved to full membership in weeks as I could see what an advantage this would be.

 

I am assuming you do own a PocketPC here though.

 

If you use GSAK with the PQ's this make planning a caching trip easy as you can setup exports to cover a small area or an arc etc

 

Money well spent

 

Milton (aka moote)

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Not sure about MM but if you use GSAK you have pretty much all the information available that you would have online. The main difference is that you will only have the 5 most recent logs (that's all the PQ contains). However, if you have quite an old database it will keep adding logs to the cache page each time you download an update.

 

The other thing to bear in mind is that it won't download any photos or images (including attributes) unless you are online. Also you'll need to use another program (SpoilerSync for example) to download spoiler photos.

 

IMO going to premium is excellent if you intend to go paperless. Even if you don't GSAK is a fantastic program and PQs make it worthwhile.

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I am also a PPC user but you can download to Palm too and you can get those things very cheap on eBay.

 

This means that you can carry loads of caches' info on a PDA with you. Married with SpoilerSync you can have everything with you in the field.

 

The main point of PQs is that you can 'request' a bunch of GPX's rather than downloading them one by one. GSAK is essential too :-)

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This topic comes up very regularly, so if you do a search you will have lots to read. It can still be done at the moment, but you have to split the selection up by date placed rather than by location. It won't be too long before it is impossible with just 20 saved queries :ph34r:.

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Just a thought but if you filter out Archived and Temp. Unaivailable caches you remove approx 300 from the PQ list. If you also filter out caches you have found this will also give you a bit more PQ space.

 

However since the temp unavail and archived and 'found' caches change regularly you will have to modify the date ranges regularly.

 

Me head hurts :ph34r:

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However since the temp unavail and archived and 'found' caches change regularly you will have to modify the date ranges regularly.

 

Me head hurts B)

No, you don’t have to modify the date range regularly! Just set your pq, to do for you. B)

Here's what I did, when setting up my PQ. No mess, no fuss! Just drop and go!

 

When setting up your PQ (I set mine for the closes 100 caches from home), just checkmark “That I haven’t found”, and “is active”, and unless you have placed many caches yourself – you’ll then need to check off “I don’t own”. Then have it sent to your email daily( by checking every day of the week in the setup for this PQ), and just drop it into your GSAK program or what ever you do to get your GPX files loaded into your device.

This result should give you “all caches in a given area” that you have not found, are active – huntable, and that you don’t own. You shouldn’t have to keep changing the date.

You can then verify your “output results” by going into your PQ setup <Member Features> , then <Pocket Query Generator>. This should bring up a table of all your PQ’s. Now find your PQ we just talked about. To the left of the name, click on the “preview” to see the results. Hopefully, if you set your PQ up properly, you should see the caches “you have not found” and the caches that are good to hunt – “active”.

 

Hope this helps to cut down your steps. B)

SF1

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But don't we want to know what caches are Archived and Temp. Unaivailable.  Then we don't turn up looking forsomething which is not there.

 

Milton (aka moote)

Hey Moote,

When you set up a filter, to "exclude" certain caches, you don’t “need / want to know it’s if it’s unavailable or archived”. Reason being, you are “only hunting” what the “results of the output” are. Which means, if they are active, they will show up, and be ready for you to hunt. Remember to empty your GPS and reload only the fresh output!

 

Another note: Please remember to keep your info up to date. There is nothing worse, than going to hunt a cache, and finding out it’s been disabled / archived, exactly what you stated above. We call it “stale data”. B)

 

Good luck

SF1

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But don't we want to know what caches are Archived and Temp. Unaivailable.  Then we don't turn up looking forsomething which is not there.

 

Milton (aka moote)

Hey Moote,

When you set up a filter, to "exclude" certain caches, you don’t “need / want to know it’s if it’s unavailable or archived”. Reason being, you are “only hunting” what the “results of the output” are. Which means, if they are active, they will show up, and be ready for you to hunt. Remember to empty your GPS and reload only the fresh output!

 

Another note: Please remember to keep your info up to date. There is nothing worse, than going to hunt a cache, and finding out it’s been disabled / archived, exactly what you stated above. We call it “stale data”. B)

 

Good luck

SF1

Hi strikeforce1

 

I think that you might have missed the earlier part of the discussion the Cacher Nellies Knackers wanted to know how to get a complete download of the UK. I pointed out a plan from another thread which works on dates. In the UK you can get the whole of the country by setting up around 17 PQ's using the date; but to keep on top of these it is essential to do a regular update of unavailable caches. Lots of Cachers over here use GSAK to setup there caching ventures and maintain a UK database on their PC's

 

Thanks

 

Milton (aka moote)

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When you set up a filter, to "exclude" certain caches, you don’t “need / want to know it’s if it’s unavailable or archived”. Reason being, you are “only hunting” what the “results of the output” are. Which means, if they are active, they will show up, and be ready for you to hunt.

Not if you are updating your database rather than creating a new one. If you already have it on your database, and you only gat available on your PQ, you won't get it updated to say it is unavailable.

 

T

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I have just reread this topic and wonder if I am missing something. I know it has come up several times before, but I cannot see the purpose of creating a set pf PQs for the whole of UK. Much as I would like to I don't think it likely that I will visit places 2-300 miles from home on a casual basis and therefore will only want cache details for those areas when I plan to visit.

My method is to do a PQ for each area I regularily visit (30 or 40 miles from each centre) and load it into a "master" file in GSAK. That way I have a considerable file which I filter when I visit an area and a the same time do a PQ for that area to update the old caches. With newly set PQs coming back almost at once that presents no difficulty and the only one I do on a daily basis is for the nearest 50 miles from home.

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I know it has come up several times before, but I cannot see the purpose of creating a set pf PQs for the whole of UK.

It saves having to work out where those centres are as you have all of the centres allready in your home database

As our nearest unfound caches are 18 miles away that would mean some complicated work on finding the correct co ords to get the entire edge of that 18 mile circle (we like to keep an eye on the ones we have found) from our house then what do we do about or holiday in london this month, we also use the database to help plann our holidays which for the last two years were based on cache density. For people with more finds the cirlce must be further out also the UK's travelling culture (sales reps etc) there are lots of people on the road etc, and also "because we can"

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and also "because we can"

I think that is the only valid justification :blink:

 

Surely there aren't people on the road that cover Land's End to John o'Groats to Kent? and if there are, surely they wouldn't mind missing a few thousand caches when they might have several thousand already downloaded for other parts of the country?

 

Anyway, I've said it now... I'll get my coat. No doubt a nationwide rep from a national company will be along soon and prove me wrong :blink:

 

:rolleyes:

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i suppose everyone has their own preferred way of doing things! As they say, the world would be dull if we were all the same... The reason I like to have all the UK caches in my PDA is for when we go visiting friends, often at short notice, I don't then have to sit and construct a suitable PQ for the area, and also for any en route, before we go. I'm disorganised at the best of times, so its one less thing to worry about! I can just take the GPS, turn on, find nearest, knowing I'll have the details with me!

 

Just my penny's worth!

 

Dave

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Hey Moote,

Hi Strikeforce1

I think that you might have missed the earlier part of the discussion the Cacher Nellies Knackers wanted to know how to get a complete download of the UK. 

Thanks Milton (aka moote)

You are right, I missed that posting! :rolleyes:

 

For those that "do not GSAK", all I can say about it is that, you are able to carry a mini version of GC with you, where ever you are! It has even saved several of us, when GC unexpectedly goes down. We have a small network of cachers that “always” has “fresh data”, for those “unexpected down times”.

 

There is no better “one program” that does as much as GSAK! :blink:

 

SF1

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sorry to bring this up again, as I think it has been discussed before... Am i right in thinking that PQs don't automatically rerun week after week? If so (how annoying!) what is the best way of telling it to rerun, as I can't find an obvious button to press. I'm sure that somebody once mentioned having to click on something in the e-mail, but there is nothing that looks likely.

 

what do others do?

 

thanks

 

dave

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