Gsak (geocaching Swiss Army Knife)

[+ClydeE]

GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) 6.5 Final is now available for download.

 

There have been many changes and additions.

 

This is a recommended upgrade for all GSAK users.

 

For a complete run down on the additions, changes, and fixes please see http://gsak.net/help/hs1060.htm

 

Download here http://gsak.net

 

Edit: corrected change link

Edited December 12, 2005 by ClydeE

[+benjamin921]

**Edit**

 

 

Edited December 12, 2005 by benjamin921

[+Old Sailor]

Thanks ClydeE

[+LeGodFather]

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...dpost&p=1888796

 

Duh! Thanks Clyde! I really feel silly now..

[+sTeamTraen]

Terrific job, Clyde!

 

I already love:

- the two-decimal-place distances

- the distances being in the DB so faster switching

- being able to apply global changes to the cache title (well, it was my idea )

 

Thanks!

Nick

 

PS: Just found a "bug", well, not really. The list of "Postal Codes" for France is in fact a list of municipality numbers. They have the same format (ddxxx, where dd is the "département" number), but for example, Colmar has postal code 68000 but "municipality code" 68066. But most French residents don't know their municipality code!

Edited December 12, 2005 by sTeamTraen

[+churinga]

really a great job! first, i didn't like gsak at all, but now, the more i use it, the more i like it!! and the support is almost better than perfect!

i just updated from b56 to b57, and right, the renaming of the pq's according to the subject line works.

unfortunately, this does not reflect in the statistics. these still show the number instead of the pq name - would be really nice cosmetics, if these could also be changed to a more senseful name ;-)

thanx for the great job!

[+Les Nomades]

Thank you Clyde for a great program. Now is the time to promot GSAK to some friends of mine who started Geocaching a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure they will love it.

Edited December 12, 2005 by Nomade

[+KC Collins Clan]

I am running XP Professional on a Dell Latitude D610 and keep getting Blue Screen errors about DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE after installing GSAK version 6.0.2. I have friends who are experiencing lockup issues while running GSAK when the system goes into standby. Have you heard of this? If so, are these things addressed in v6.5??? Thanks!

 

Erik

[+hbrx]

the renaming of the pq's according to the subject line works.

Yes it works fine.

Now on to make the names of the PQs a bit more meaningful

(and on to remake my scripts that moves files in archive-folders.

 

Any chance of including date (load or PQ) in the file name?

Istead of the numbering. Of cource with the numbering still as

a last resort to uniqueify the file names.

 

Tha coordinate grabber does a good job of not including

coordinates containing formulas!

 

hbrx.

[+Z_Statman]

Great update

 

Tks,

Z_S

[+ClydeE]

I am running XP Professional on a Dell Latitude D610 and keep getting Blue Screen errors about DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE after installing GSAK version 6.0.2. I have friends who are experiencing lockup issues while running GSAK when the system goes into standby. Have you heard of this? If so, are these things addressed in v6.5??? Thanks!

 

Not really but I have heard of weird behaviour interacting with some virus scanners.

 

For more information please click here and here

[CoyoteRed]

I've never tried this before and I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but I was trying to export my finds and the logs. I tried setting the export to zero logs and to one log. I checked the box that said to always include my logs.

 

I got no logs with zero logs and somebody elses with it set to one log.

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks.

 

BTW, this is with the latest version. Just downloaded in a couple of hours ago.

[+GrandpaKim]

I've never tried this before and I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but I was trying to export my finds and the logs. I tried setting the export to zero logs and to one log. I checked the box that said to always include my logs.

 

I got no logs with zero logs and somebody elses with it set to one log.

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks.

 

BTW, this is with the latest version. Just downloaded in a couple of hours ago.

What you're probably getting is the last nn logs no matter whose they are. So if you specify 0, you're getting zero logs and if you specify 1, you're getting the last log entered by anybody, not just you.

[+ClydeE]

PS: Just found a "bug", well, not really. The list of "Postal Codes" for France is in fact a list of municipality numbers. They have the same format (ddxxx, where dd is the "département" number), but for example, Colmar has postal code 68000 but "municipality code" 68066. But most French residents don't know their municipality code!

I take what I can get

 

That post code file was a user contribution, so If you have a better file (or know were I can get one) please let me know and I will use it.

 

The beauty of the new post code updates is that we can now change the post code files without having to release a new version of the program.

 

Also, don't forget the new post code option allows you to make user changes and them automatically post them to my website so I can include those changes for other users. Perhaps a bit much to ask to update all the post codes for France, but it is something to remember if you change just a few.

[+ClydeE]

I've never tried this before and I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but I was trying to export my finds and the logs. I tried setting the export to zero logs and to one log. I checked the box that said to always include my logs.

 

I got no logs with zero logs and somebody elses with it set to one log.

 

What am I doing wrong?

I just tried that and it worked fine for me.

 

GSAK needs to be able to recognize your found logs for this to work.

 

The implication being that you have not set up GSAK to correctly match your found logs.

 

To get this right make sure you have the "method for matching hidden and found" caches filled out correctly (Tools=>Options=>General). For more information see the help file or view this section online here http://www.gsak.net/help/hs7690.htm

[CoyoteRed]

It's getting my placed and found caches right. Wouldn't that mean it is set up right?

 

Could it have anything to do with the fact I have two users in it?

[+ClydeE]

really a great job! first, i didn't like gsak at all, but now, the more i use it, the more i like it!! and the support is almost better than perfect!

i just updated from b56 to b57, and right, the renaming of the pq's according to the subject line works.

unfortunately, this does not reflect in the statistics. these still show the number instead of the pq name - would be really nice cosmetics, if these could also be changed to a more senseful name ;-)

This is not quite as easy as it sounds.

 

GSAK renames the file that you download from your email. The statistics show the name of the GPX file(s) that is loaded as a result of this download.

 

Well aren't they the same you ask?

 

If your email came as a GPX file then the answer would be yes. However, I suspect that in your case (like most users) you are loading a zip file, and a zip file can have any number of GPX files inside it.

[+ClydeE]

It's getting my placed and found caches right.  Wouldn't that mean it is set up right?

 

Could it have anything to do with the fact I have two users in it?

It could be, but it doesn't sound right.

 

I will need a copy of your database and settings to try and track this down.

 

However, to keep the email size small could you please:

 

1. Create a new test database

2. Copy over a few of your found caches to this new database

4. Confirm you still have the problem on this test database

5. Take the option File=>Backup and select only this test database and make sure you also tick the settings box

6. Email me the generated zip file

 

Thx

Edited December 13, 2005 by ClydeE

[+Jamie Z]

That post code file was a user contribution, so If you have a better file (or know were I can get one) please let me know and I will use it.

Does the US post code date include the state?

 

Often when I do a search by city name, several cities of the same name come up, listed with their respective zip (post) code, but there is little information to determine which city I want since they don't list the state, also.

 

If possible, I think it would be a good idea to display the state data along with the city and zipcode.

 

Jamie

[+ClydeE]

That post code file was a user contribution, so If you have a better file (or know were I can get one) please let me know and I will use it.

Does the US post code date include the state?

 

Often when I do a search by city name, several cities of the same name come up, listed with their respective zip (post) code, but there is little information to determine which city I want since they don't list the state, also.

 

If possible, I think it would be a good idea to display the state data along with the city and zipcode.

 

Jamie

No, the post code file currently does not include the state for any Country.

 

I will look at adding this in a future release (but of course it will only be populated if it is in the source data)

[+Moe the Sleaze]

Here is something I would really like to see fixed in a future release. A gpx file as received from gc.com has a field named “owner” which contains the actual gc.com name of the cache owner, and a field named “placed by” that contains whatever name the owner typed into the “placed by” field when submitting the cache. When I load a gpx file into GSAK and then re-export it back into another gpx file (perhaps after doing some filtering), GSAK replaces the original “owner” field with the data from the “placed by” field.

 

Any chance that can be corrected?

[+ClydeE]

Here is something I would really like to see fixed in a future release. A gpx file as received from gc.com has a field named “owner” which contains the actual gc.com name of the cache owner, and a field named “placed by” that contains whatever name the owner typed into the “placed by” field when submitting the cache. When I load a gpx file into GSAK and then re-export it back into another gpx file (perhaps after doing some filtering), GSAK replaces the original “owner” field with the data from the “placed by” field.

 

Any chance that can be corrected?

Yes. Would have been even better if you had asked this while 6.5 was still in beta

[+Moe the Sleaze]

Yes. Would have been even better if you had asked this while 6.5 was still in beta

Sorry about that! I can be patient for the next release.

[+Les Nomades]

Yes. Would have been even better if you had asked this while 6.5 was still in beta

 

OK Clyde,

 

Lets go

GSAK version beta 6.6 (build 1)

[+ShowStop]

Long time listener...first time caller. I tried searching in the FAQ and here in this thread, but couldn't find anything about sorting the columns.

 

I commonly want to look up caches by name or smart name. Currently I sort which ever column I need alphabetically by then scroll to find the name. This is tiresome if I jump back and forth from T to B then S, etc. I tried to click a column and type 'T', but that doesn't jump me to the T's. Is there a way to do this?

 

Hopefully I explained the situation well enough. TIA for any help.

[+ClydeE]

Long time listener...first time caller. I tried searching in the FAQ and here in this thread, but couldn't find anything about sorting the columns.

 

I commonly want to look up caches by name or smart name. Currently I sort which ever column I need alphabetically by then scroll to find the name. This is tiresome if I jump back and forth from T to B then S, etc. I tried to click a column and type 'T', but that doesn't jump me to the T's. Is there a way to do this?

 

Hopefully I explained the situation well enough. TIA for any help.

You really should be using the name search for this. It is more sophisticated than a sort type search and your current view can be sorted in any sequence.

 

New features added to this search also allow you to recall your last 5 searches and add favourites.

 

To search on a cache name:

 

 

To see last 5 searches and add favourites:

 

Edited December 13, 2005 by ClydeE

[+Les Nomades]

Long time listener...first time caller. I tried searching in the FAQ and here in this thread, but couldn't find anything about sorting the columns.

 

I commonly want to look up caches by name or smart name. Currently I sort which ever column I need alphabetically by then scroll to find the name. This is tiresome if I jump back and forth from T to B then S, etc. I tried to click a column and type 'T', but that doesn't jump me to the T's. Is there a way to do this?

 

Hopefully I explained the situation well enough. TIA for any help.

Why not go in the name search and type the name your looking for

 

[+stantastic]

Great job on the newest version, as usual, Clyde!

 

But -- I've got a problem (occured in earlier versions of GSAK as well -- for me, anyway -- so it didn't just pop up in 6.5.0).

 

Whenever I try to export a Cachemate .pdb file from the current database, GSAK does its magic, sends everything to GPSBabel UnderTheHood, and finishes with a dialog box that says "CmConvert: 1 waypoint converted. finish ok."

 

And that's it. When I look at the .pdb file and load it into CacheMate, sure enough, I've got 1 waypoint. Only thing is, my database consisted of 300 waypoints!!!

 

What happened to the other 299?

 

Am I doing something wrong? Some setting somewhere? If I take the same .gpx file that I originally loaded into GSAK and run it through the standalone "cmconvert" application, everything works as expected.

 

Help!?!?!? TIA,

 

Stan

[+ClydeE]

Great job on the newest version, as usual, Clyde!

 

But -- I've got a problem (occured in earlier versions of GSAK as well -- for me, anyway -- so it didn't just pop up in 6.5.0).

 

Whenever I try to export a Cachemate .pdb file from the current database, GSAK does its magic, sends everything to GPSBabel UnderTheHood, and finishes with a dialog box that says "CmConvert: 1 waypoint converted. finish ok."

 

And that's it. When I look at the .pdb file and load it into CacheMate, sure enough, I've got 1 waypoint. Only thing is, my database consisted of 300 waypoints!!!

 

What happened to the other 299?

 

Am I doing something wrong? Some setting somewhere? If I take the same .gpx file that I originally loaded into GSAK and run it through the standalone "cmconvert" application, everything works as expected.

Please see item 20 of the GSAK FAQ in the help file or online here http://gsak.net/help/hs1070.htm

Edited December 13, 2005 by ClydeE

[+stantastic]

Okay -- doh!!

 

Just answered my own question -- I figured it out!!

 

Needed to specify just a tad more info in the Waypoint Name section of the CacheMate PDB export dialog box -- it doesn't like to be empty

 

Whoopee...

[+Team Tierra Buena]

It's amazing how something so good keeps getting so much better.

 

I'd like to add one to "the list" for a subsequent release. Namely, an additional option on the "Load GPX/LOC File" dialog to permanently "delete file(s) loaded when finished", as opposed to moving them to the Recycle Bin, which it does now.

 

Thanks for considering it, and thanks for all you do for your application and for geocaching, Clyde.

 

Steve

[+stantastic]

All righty -- one MORE question, now that I figured out the Waypoint Name field needs to have something in it in the export field...

 

How do I export as a Cachemate PDB file BOTH the name of the cache AND the GC waypoint number so that it works the same as the "cmconvert" application?

 

It must be tied to the Waypoint Name in the export dialog box, correct? Only, what do I enter?

 

I used %name and got the full cache name (I asked for 31 characters -- that should be kosher, since it worked). But when I imported the file to my PDA, I see the "waypoint" reads the same as the name (only shortened).

 

Out of cmconvert, I get both. When viewing the database on the PDA, I see the name AND the GC number in parens -- and CacheMate allows me to sort by either. On the "I" page, I see the name, and the GC number shown beside "Waypoint:"

 

With cmconvert I get

 

Name: Alhambra Urban Micro Eight-Oh

Waypoint: GCXXXX

 

using the exporter in GSAK I get

Name: Alhambra Urban Micro Eight-Oh

Waypoint Alhambra Urb

 

I tried %name%code but that didn't work.

 

Gimme a clue?

 

Thanks,

 

Stan

[+ClydeE]

All righty -- one MORE question, now that I figured out the Waypoint Name field needs to have something in it in the export field...

 

How do I export as a Cachemate PDB file BOTH the name of the cache AND the GC waypoint number so that it works the same as the "cmconvert" application?

 

It must be tied to the Waypoint Name in the export dialog box, correct? Only, what do I enter?

 

I used %name and got the full cache name (I asked for 31 characters -- that should be kosher, since it worked). But when I imported the file to my PDA, I see the "waypoint" reads the same as the name (only shortened).

 

Out of cmconvert, I get both. When viewing the database on the PDA, I see the name AND the GC number in parens -- and CacheMate allows me to sort by either. On the "I" page, I see the name, and the GC number shown beside "Waypoint:"

 

With cmconvert I get

 

Name: Alhambra Urban Micro Eight-Oh

Waypoint: GCXXXX

 

using the exporter in GSAK I get

Name: Alhambra Urban Micro Eight-Oh

Waypoint Alhambra Urb

 

I tried %name%code but that didn't work.

 

The waypoint name in Cachemate comes from the Waypoint name in GSAK, so you can't alter this.

 

The "Waypoint" in Cachemate is what you can alter when you put special tags in that box.

 

So what you need in that case is just %code

 

[+stantastic]

Doink!!! I shoulda just left well enough alone with your pre-programmed defaults.

 

Sheesh...

 

Thanks, Clyde

[+Hoosier Katie]

OK, I feel kinda dumb right now. I just got a new PDA (actually, a Treo! and loaded Cachemate. I am trying to load caches that I want to find on the first leg of my vacation. I am apparently too thick-headed to figure it out. Can someone Markwell me to some step-by-step directions if they exist?

 

I may be off my rocker here, but I guess I don't know how the programs "talk" to each other. I have filtered about 205 caches that I want to export to Cachemate from GSAK (No, I'm not going to go after them all, i just want to get them into Cachemate as they are all in the general area where I will be.) In GSAK, when I try to "export as a cachemate pdb file" and give it a name ... (Florida) It says I cannot create file here and that file does not exist. How *do* I create the file??? Clearly I am not getting it.

 

I'm really not an idiot.. just seems that way.

 

Thanks for any assistance!

Edited December 13, 2005 by Kama Raga

[+Pasha]

I may be off my rocker here, but I guess I don't know how the programs "talk" to each other.  I have filtered about 205 caches that I want to export to Cachemate from GSAK (No, I'm not going to go after them all, i just want to get them into Cachemate as they are all in the general area where I will be.)  In GSAK, when I try to "export as a cachemate pdb file" and give it a name ... (Florida) It says I cannot create file here and that file does not exist.  How *do* I create the file???  Clearly I am not getting it.

I'm thinking that the problem is that you haven't chosen a folder to export the file into... just entering a filename probably won't do it for you.

 

Try this: In the "Export CacheMate PDB File..." dialog, click the folder icon to the right of the "PDB File To Create" text box. This will open another dialog where you can choose the folder to which you want to export the PDB file. Once you're in the folder you want, enter a filename to use - "Florida" is fine - and click "Open". Now set the rest of the options you want and click "Generate." Once the work is done, the PDB file should automatically open in the PalmOne quick install dialog; all you have to do is click OK and then sync your Treo.

 

Treos are the greatest gadget. I love mine.

 

Sorry I don't use fancy screenshots like Clyde.

[+Team Wheaties]

Sorry if this question has been asked before, but, searching got me nowhere.

 

Am I doing it the long hard way , the right way, or is there a macro that will do all these steps for me?

 

I currently drop a PQ onto my GSAK icon at the desktop. Then I place it into the database it needs to go into. Once the database is loaded i export it to Mapsourse, and then from mapsourse export waypoints to my Legend.

Am I making it harder than it needs to be or is this pretty much the way y'all do it too?

 

If there is a macro that will do this for me, put it to me in the most basic of terms.

 

thanks and my appologies

[+Radler]

What Browser is GSAK using when and why?

 

I am trying to avoid Internet Exploder wherever possible. For cache listings offline and online GSAK seems to have guessed my preference and is using Firefox. (I assume that it found somewhere in my operating system configuration of registry that this is my standard browser.) But for the changes from previous display it is using IE. Can I change that, or can you, Clyde, change that?

 

The new display of changes from previous is very nice by the way. It is a brilliant as the rest of this knife. Thanks for this outstanding tool!

[+Pasha]

Sorry if this question has been asked before, but, searching got me nowhere.

 

Am I doing it the long hard way , the right way, or is there a macro that will do all these steps for me?

 

I currently drop a PQ onto my GSAK icon at the desktop. Then I place it into the database it needs to go into. Once the database is loaded i export it to Mapsourse, and then from mapsourse export waypoints to my Legend.

Am I making it harder than it needs to be or is this pretty much the way y'all do it too?

 

If there is a macro that will do this for me, put it to me in the most basic of terms.

 

thanks and my appologies

Well, sure, a macro could do it for you, but unless you're doing it every other day and need a bunch of intricate filters added, a macro is probably overkill.

 

You can transfer waypoints from GSAK straight to your GPSr; no need to send them to Mapsource first. See the GPS menu and the help files for GPS setup and sending waypoints - here's the web version of the relevant help files.

 

That said, you can probably macro-ify everything you need to do with just 3 macro commands:

GETMAIL
LOAD
GPS

The web help for those macro commands is here. Hope that helps.

[+ClydeE]

What Browser is GSAK using when and why?

 

I am trying to avoid Internet Exploder wherever possible. For cache listings offline and online GSAK seems to have guessed my preference and is using Firefox. (I assume that it found somewhere in my operating system configuration of registry that this is my standard browser.) But for the changes from previous display it is using IE. Can I change that, or can you, Clyde, change that?

 

The new display of changes from previous is very nice by the way. It is a brilliant as the rest of this knife. Thanks for this outstanding tool!

Please read this post

 

And if haven't already I very much recommend you read this post as well

[+Pasha]

Edit: Hey, Clyde's back, everybody.

Edited December 13, 2005 by Pasha

[+Team Wheaties]

WOW! that was fast

 

thanks

[+ClydeE]

Edit: Hey, Clyde's back, everybody.

Yea sorry, my inbox is running a bit hot at the moment but I am certainly monitoring this thread

[+Hoosier Katie]

I'm thinking that the problem is that you haven't chosen a folder to export the file into... just entering a filename probably won't do it for you.

 

Try this: In the "Export CacheMate PDB File..." dialog, click the folder icon to the right of the "PDB File To Create" text box. This will open another dialog where you can choose the folder to which you want to export the PDB file. Once you're in the folder you want, enter a filename to use - "Florida" is fine - and click "Open". Now set the rest of the options you want and click "Generate." Once the work is done, the PDB file should automatically open in the PalmOne quick install dialog; all you have to do is click OK and then sync your Treo.

 

Treos are the greatest gadget. I love mine.

 

Sorry I don't use fancy screenshots like Clyde.

Thanks, Pasha! I think I've got it now..... Cool!!!!

[Mittellegi]

With both the Beta and FInal versions 6.5 I keep getting a pop-up asking me to downlaod this file: http://www.gsak.net/images/gsdata.bin

 

I'm using "Download Accelerator Plus" ver 4.0.0.2

 

What should I do with the file if/when downlaoded?

[+ClydeE]

With both the Beta and FInal versions 6.5 I keep getting a pop-up asking me to downlaod this file: http://www.gsak.net/images/gsdata.bin

 

I'm using "Download Accelerator Plus" ver 4.0.0.2

 

What should I do with the file if/when downlaoded?

You don't need to do anything with it. Just ignore it as GSAK uses it internally for version checking.

[+ClydeE]

It's getting my placed and found caches right. Wouldn't that mean it is set up right?

 

Could it have anything to do with the fact I have two users in it?

Where were you when we were beta testing

 

I just tried the export using multiple users and that is the problem.

 

So for the moment that option will only work if you have your found log matching set to a single user.

 

I will fix this in the next release.

[+Radler]

Clyde,

thanks a lot for the fast and good help. In deed, I only had searched this page here using Ctrl-F of my browser. Therefore I appreciate your additional help on how to more effectively find previous posts on the same topic. Thanks!!!

[CoyoteRed]

Where were you when we were beta testing

ROFL!

 

It's Fizzy's fault with his new FindStats program. He just released a new version that counts the number of logs in it. (Though not the number of your logs.) That is what I was working on when I discovered it.

 

Thanks!

[+DeViDe]

The filter screen no longer has the option to select caches with travel bugs

 

or is there another way to do this now?