GASK and Cachemate question

[+davethis]

I have been using GSAK for month or so now, but I just started using Cachemate tonight, and I have one question. I exported all my caches( found and not found) from GASK to cachemate. When I tell cachemate that I want to view only the "not found" caches, I see my found and not found caches. Is this right? Do I need to change something in either GSAK or cachemate.

 

Thanks!!!

 

Update, I have done some more playing around. I think that GSAK, does not export the status of the cache, and it is up to me to update the category in cachemate to found, not found, etc. Is this correct? Lucky for me I only have 48 to update.

Edited August 21, 2007 by davethis

[+admo1972]

I've always marked caches as found in cachmate to begin with, so I have not set caches as found in GSAK and then transfered them. However, when you have a cache page up in cachemate, go to OPtions -> View Options, and make sure you have the option checked to move the record to the found category when marked as found.

[+Team Cotati]

Is viewing of found caches in cachemate something that you do on a regular basis?

[Blue_Stone]

I've been using GSAK/Cachemate for almost a year now. One of the first things I also noticed about Cachemate, is that, no, the found/not found status does not import. I was hunting benchmarks for awhile also, so it would have been nice to have this working. I played with it for a little bit, but couldnt find a workaround other than manually changing each caches status....So I pretty much have been ignoring the Category field...

 

And Cotati, yes I often look at caches I've found in Cachemate. I have over 4000 caches in several databases on my PDA. I keep all active caches, as well as archived caches I have found. I cache regularly with several other cachers, so its nice when we are out together to be able to look up a cache and see whether one or the other, or both of us have found it. My memory being what it is, its also nice to look up a cache I've found, and read my notes on it, when discussing it with other cachers at events, or whenever....

Edited August 21, 2007 by Blue_stone

[+Thrak]

I've always used the Spinner/Plucker combo. Very recently I got Cachemate and started messing with it. I quickly learned that I wanted to send separate data sets to my Palm. I sent a set with my own hides, a set with all of my finds, a set of the nearest 300 unfound caches, etc. I made a new category for each of these and then I was able to import each data set into the category I had made. That allowed me to mark the entire "all finds" data set as "found", the entire "My Hides" data set as "owned", etc. When travelling to another town many miles away, I did a PQ for that area and imported it into Cachemate in it's own category so the data was separate.

 

Use the Edit, Categories menu to add new categories. Play with it and see if that makes life easier. Don't send all the different type of caches as one big data set.

Edited August 21, 2007 by Thrak

[+Miragee]

I have always use the GSAK/Cachemate combination.

 

In GSAK, I have several databases, including one for my Found caches. When I find a cache that is in the Default database, I move it to the Found database, so that database remains up-to-date. I don't have to request the "All Finds" PQ very often that way.

 

I do the same thing in Cachemate. I have separate "databases" in Cachemate. When I find a cache, it moves from the "Not Found" category in the default database to the "Found" category. After I log those caches online, I move the caches in the "Found" category to the "Found" category in the "Found" database.

 

Does that make sense . . . ?

[+Team Cotati]

I have always use the GSAK/Cachemate combination.

 

In GSAK, I have several databases, including one for my Found caches. When I find a cache that is in the Default database, I move it to the Found database, so that database remains up-to-date. I don't have to request the "All Finds" PQ very often that way.

 

I do the same thing in Cachemate. I have separate "databases" in Cachemate. When I find a cache, it moves from the "Not Found" category in the default database to the "Found" category. After I log those caches online, I move the caches in the "Found" category to the "Found" category in the "Found" database.

 

Does that make sense . . . ?

 

I've often wondered, since geocaching.com keeps track of all your logged finds as well as dnf's, what is the practical usage of a gsak 'found' database? I don't have one and want to learn if I am missing some useful tool.

[+Miragee]

If you ever want to place a cache, it is helpful to load the caches you have Found in that area, as well as the caches you Own, and the caches you haven't Found yet, into your GPSr, so you don't get back, write up the cache page, and find out your new cache is too close to that one you Found two years ago and forgot about . . .

 

I even placed a cache too close to one of my own one time . . . Doh! I just forgot about it . . . and didn't have my Owned caches in my GPSr that day . . .

[+Team Cotati]

If you ever want to place a cache, it is helpful to load the caches you have Found in that area, as well as the caches you Own, and the caches you haven't Found yet, into your GPSr, so you don't get back, write up the cache page, and find out your new cache is too close to that one you Found two years ago and forgot about . . .

 

I even placed a cache too close to one of my own one time . . . Doh! I just forgot about it . . . and didn't have my Owned caches in my GPSr that day . . .

 

Yes and that is exactly what I have done...........eleven times. All without a gsak found database. A Pq with my desired hiding place's coords as the search start point and download all caches of all types within x radius. Pop those into the good old gpsr and go for it. I had always thought that that was what most people were doing. Thanks for the info.

[+Thrak]

I keep an All Finds database as a POI database on my microSD card. I've used it to make sure a new cache location is far enough from previous finds and also to help out a friend who sometimes enters the wrong coordinates into his unit (he does it by hand).

 

I have a 2GB microSD card so there's plenty of room to just keep this handy for whenever I want it. Not a problem.

[Blue_Stone]

go to OPtions -> View Options, and make sure you have the option checked to move the record to the found category when marked as found.

 

Yes, this works. Unfortunately, it works well if you are just starting out caching. If you already have several hundred or more finds, its a PIA to have to keep going in and change them manually each time you update your Cachemate databases.

[Blue_Stone]

I sent a set with my own hides, a set with all of my finds, a set of the nearest 300 unfound caches, etc. I made a new category for each of these and then I was able to import each data set into the category I had made. That allowed me to mark the entire "all finds" data set as "found", the entire "My Hides" data set as "owned", etc. When travelling to another town many miles away, I did a PQ for that area and imported it into Cachemate in it's own category so the data was separate.

 

Use the Edit, Categories menu to add new categories. Play with it and see if that makes life easier. Don't send all the different type of caches as one big data set.

 

Yes, this works also...Unfortunately, I already have a My Finds, My Waypoints, 20mi Unfound, and 5 databases of ALL caches within 100miles, based on miles away from home.

So yeah it works, but its a PIA to import to seperate databases based on category alone.

Not to mention, I dont know if I'm missing a setting or something, but even if I set the category for each cache in my Cachemate database, once I import an update, it erases all the categories I had set, and defaults everything back to "unfound".

[Blue_Stone]

I've often wondered, since geocaching.com keeps track of all your logged finds as well as dnf's, what is the practical usage of a gsak 'found' database? I don't have one and want to learn if I am missing some useful tool.

 

Well, one thing it makes easier, is if you have more than one GC.com account to keep track of. It puts ALL finds, for ALL your GC.com accounts in one database, viewable all at one time.

 

Also, for people who seek geocaches OTHER than those listed on GC.com, they can have those finds listed in one database with those from GC.com.

 

Its also a nice way to "backup" your finds and logs. Heaven forbid the GC.com servers go down, or get infected, or your data disappears off the servers through an act of God, at least you still have your complete geocaching history all in one database on another machine. (I even backup[ my GSAK databases to CD-RW every now and then.)

I couldnt imagine losing my caching history after finding and logging a thousand caches or more, or how ever many over several years....Imagine having 10yrs of caching history, and only having it on GC.coms servers, and they go out of business, or the place burns down or something...

 

By the way, when I change the found status of a cache in GSAK, I cut and paste the log off GC.com, to the User Notes, Log Section...so I have records of my logs. Accessible anytime I want, even if I'm not online. Good for use with laptops when you're away from home, and out of wifi range.

Edited August 21, 2007 by Blue_stone

[+davethis]

Thanks everyone...I think I got my question answered, and now I have some new things to consider.

 

Thanks again!!