Garmin etrex - cache name after download

[+fonzy_cat]

I have a Garmin etrex (yellow) GPS. I recently bought the computer link cable and down loaded some caches to my GPS. I was happy until I realized the names were being truncated to six characters and for several of them the seventh character made them unique .

 

For Example: "GC105JK" and "GC105JH" both get truncated on my GPS to "GC105J" . The result is that the last one is overwritten and I end up with only one of them .

 

Does anybody have a solution for this? Thank you!

Edited July 24, 2007 by fonzy_cat

[+MetroGT]

If you are using GSAK to send the waypoints, you should be able to send 8 characters, check to see that the code length isn't set to 6 max characters or else you can use %drop2 instead of %code which drops the GC off of the codes and you will get 105JK and 105JH for the output codes.

[+Miragee]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

Yup . . . GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) is your friend. You can set it up to send the waypoints to your GPSr with a "smart name." If your GPSr will only accept six characters, that isn't a problem.

 

For instance, if you used this code: %drop2 for the Waypoint name in the "Send to GPSr" dialogue box, you will get the last four, or five, characters for the name.

 

You could even use %drop2%typ and that will give you part of the code, plus the "Type" of the cache at the very end (T for Traditional, M for Multi, V for Virtual, etc.)

[+geo climber]

I have a Garmin etrex (yellow) GPS. I recently bought the computer link cable and down loaded some caches to my GPS. I was happy until I realized the names were being truncated to six characters and for several of them the seventh character made them unique .

 

For Example: "GC105JK" and "GC105JH" both get truncated on my GPS to "GC105J" . The result is that the last one is overwritten and I end up with only one of them .

 

Does anybody have a solution for this? Thank you!

 

I have the same yellow eTrex as you, and the waypoints field holds a maximum of six characters AFAIK. However, the truncation on mine occurs at the beginning of the waypoint name, so GC105JK gets shortened to C105JK, and I now have lots of stored waypoints beginning with "C", but their names are still unique. I don't know of a solution for this as I assume it's a limitation of the eTrex itself. I'm using GPSBabel to download BTW.

[+fonzy_cat]

It works! First I downloaded and installed GSAK(free) and then I built a pocket query choosing the defaults plus my home coords. Then I started GSAK and went to Tools->Options Smart Name at the bottom right. Set length to 6. I sent the pocket query to GSAK and then from GSAK to my etrex GPS. Its that easy...

 

Thanks everyone for posting!

 

I have a Garmin etrex (yellow) GPS. I recently bought the computer link cable and down loaded some caches to my GPS. I was happy until I realized the names were being truncated to six characters and for several of them the seventh character made them unique .

 

For Example: "GC105JK" and "GC105JH" both get truncated on my GPS to "GC105J" . The result is that the last one is overwritten and I end up with only one of them .

 

Does anybody have a solution for this? Thank you!

 

I have the same yellow eTrex as you, and the waypoints field holds a maximum of six characters AFAIK. However, the truncation on mine occurs at the beginning of the waypoint name, so GC105JK gets shortened to C105JK, and I now have lots of stored waypoints beginning with "C", but their names are still unique. I don't know of a solution for this as I assume it's a limitation of the eTrex itself. I'm using GPSBabel to download BTW.