Program Interface (soap, Etc...) To Geocaching.com

[+Alspachfam]

It would be great if there was an API to geocaching.com that would allow a person to determine the distance between two waypoints (or return the lat, long of one).

This would let a person write a program to calculate the velocity of a travelbug or put up a website that would display the range of locations they have searched or use Google maps to display their finds, or include geocaching info into a GIS system or, ???

something like

http://www.geocaching.com/distance.php?loc1=GCE0CA&loc2=GCRM76

would return 6.5

To reduce the drag on your servers, a second choice would be to allow

http://www.geocaching.com/point.php?loc=GCE0CA

which would return N 40° 32.983 W 122° 20.672

a person could then make the second call for the other site and calculate the dist themselves. This may not reduce the load on the server much though since it would result in two calls.

If you made a person sign up (much like the Google API) and use a license code in each request, you could then limit the number of searches. In fact, you could require, as part of the license, that a web page using this data display a "powered by Groundspeak" logo.

 

Obviously there are many more features you could expose using a system like this (SOAP like). I just listed the one that I would find most useful right now.

 

Thanks for listining.

James

1/4 of team Alspachfam

 

[EDIT]

In the few moments since I posted this I thought of another feature that would be handy for me:

http://www.geocaching.com/verify.php?loc=GCE0CA

would return true if GCE0CA is a waypoint.

Lets say I have a website for discussion of local caches. This feature allws me to make sure that referenced locations are in the geocaching database.

 

If you had write access via this API it would be easy to set up an Asterisk PBX to allow you to log finds using your cellphone. Just call your house, enter your password, enter the waypoint and then select 1 for found, 2 for not found, etc...

 

the possibilitys are endless.

 

Thanks again.

Edited January 11, 2006 by Alspachfam

[Jeremy]

We're working on a much more involved API. We'll announce it when it has been completed, but we are actively developing it now.

[+Alspachfam]

We're working on a much more involved API. We'll announce it when it has been completed, but we are actively developing it now.

Thank you very much for the reply. I look forward to the additions. Do you have a rough ETA on when this type of thing may start to be available?

 

It is funny. I was just reading through some of the pinned topics and found this

 

You'll get a prize when you can figure out how to get Jeremy to add this often requested improvement. smile.gif

Does he even exist anymore??

 

and yet, not an hour after I post this question, you reply.

 

Thanks again! For the reply and the site!

 

James

Edited January 11, 2006 by Alspachfam

[+ibycus]

We're working on a much more involved API. We'll announce it when it has been completed, but we are actively developing it now.

I'm looking forward to it!

[+laxbobber]

I would be very interested in any API stuff you put out too. I'm willing to review/beta test, etc.

 

Thanks! Bob

[+Angus27]

I am also very interested, and would be happy to be a beta tester if there will be such a thing running...

[+BigFurryMonster]

Make sure to implement the metric system this time ;-)

[+laxbobber]

Any more updates on the API? I'm dying to get my hands on one!

 

Just a simple "fetch the info about a cache" would be a great start!

[+Alspachfam]

Any more updates on the API? I'm dying to get my hands on one!

 

Just a simple "fetch the info about a cache" would be a great start!

 

I too am very interested in taking a look at this.

My big interest would be in getting the distance between caches although if the info request you mention above returns lat and long I am happy to do the math myself.

 

James

[+BigWhiteTruck]

When do we get sql access to the database itself?

[+Pasha]

And moon ponies!