Files 101 for the Technically Challenged

[+PinkDolphin]

I am primarily a Geocacher but have a growing interest in Benchmarks. I run PQ's and dump them into GSAK and load them into my Garmin. GSAK has a ton more functionality, but that is all I pretty much use it for loading caches into my unit quickly.

 

I saw the thread about benchmark files, but I am not sure I followed the technical part.

 

Bottom line is there a way to load the benchmarks right into my Garmin or run the PQ. I see there are .Loc files but to be honest I have no idea what they are or how to use them.

 

I guess I can load stuff by hand, but it is quite time consuming and subject to human error.

 

Any suggestions from the experienced?

 

Responses in remedial tech are greatly appreciated

 

Thanks,

 

PinkD

[+Black Dog Trackers]

PinkDolphin -

 

Groundspeak, despite the question being raised here 100 times over the years, has never offered a PQ for benchmarks function. Therefore we have long since developed a technique of using the NGS database instead of the GC benchmark database. Check the Me First pinned topic for information about getting from NGS to GSAK.

[+A tapeworm]

I haven't fussed much w/ GSAK, & there are others here with much more tech-savviness... but if I'm understanding your question correctly, there's an easy way to download lat/long data for a local area from the Geocaching.com site:

 

From the GC page of any BM, click "Nearest Benchmarks". The page which opens is entitled "Listing Local Benchmarks - Searching Benchmarks". At the top there's a button labeled "Download all results to *.loc" - or check the boxes you want in the far right column & then click "Download Waypoint File" at the bottom left of the page.

 

At this point, my download defaults to GSAK (I don't remember if I had to tell it to do so, once upon a time). Load the new info into your GSAK waypoint database, then send the PIDs & lat/long data to your GPSr using the "GPS" tab on the GSAK toolbar.

 

Hope that made sense....

[+PinkDolphin]

I haven't fussed much w/ GSAK, & there are others here with much more tech-savviness... but if I'm understanding your question correctly, there's an easy way to download lat/long data for a local area from the Geocaching.com site:

 

From the GC page of any BM, click "Nearest Benchmarks". The page which opens is entitled "Listing Local Benchmarks - Searching Benchmarks". At the top there's a button labeled "Download all results to *.loc" - or check the boxes you want in the far right column & then click "Download Waypoint File" at the bottom left of the page.

 

At this point, my download defaults to GSAK (I don't remember if I had to tell it to do so, once upon a time). Load the new info into your GSAK waypoint database, then send the PIDs & lat/long data to your GPSr using the "GPS" tab on the GSAK toolbar.

 

Hope that made sense....

 

I have seen that option on the side, I never tried checking the boxes since I had no idea where it would send the information. I could try that and just have a blank GSAK database open.

 

I also saw there was a tool Easy GPS that will work with the .loc files, that I might be able to download. I guess my question was more how to deal with those .loc files and get them where I need them.

 

Thanks.

 

 

EDIT UPDATE

 

I just tried checking the box and sending the .loc file. Well it did go to GSAK into the correct data base (I already learned by trial and error to be sure you have it set to the correct data base or it will to to whatever is open). I checked off several benchmarks, and sent it. Instead of sending just the ones I requested it sent 852 or something like that. Oh well, I can isolate the ones I want and go from there. At least it works.

Edited October 23, 2007 by PinkDolphin

[AZcachemeister]

The .loc files are going to have much less information than you are going to need to be successful in hunting many marks.

A LOT of marks have SCALED co-ordinates, which are at best only approximate.

Think of them as a sort of multi-cache/letterbox, without the description you will have a lot of trouble.

[+Black Dog Trackers]

PinkDolphin -

 

The best thing is to just forget about using the .loc files. Use the NGS .dat files instead. There are several choices on that page. Probably one to start with is the radial search.

 

Use the geocaching site to pick a benchmark where you want to do some benchmark hunting in its area, then go to that NGS site and do a radial search from that benchmark's coordinates.

 

Then use either BMGPX or foxtrot-xray's newer NGSGPX program to read the NGS .dat file and make a .gpx file that GSAK will read. This way you get the verbal descriptions of how to find the benchmarks into GSAK. The .loc files won't do that, and as AZcachemeister says, hunting benchmarks without the verbal descriptions just won't work.

[+PinkDolphin]

Now I am more confused then before. I just want to know how to get there and the coordinates into my GPS without doing it manually. Mostly I just find ones other people have already found and post photos so I can find them. Although I did find one in Pittsboro, NC that no one had logged, and it was just on a corner out in the open.

 

I usually print out the page anyway so I have the written information. I don't use GSAK for anything but getting the coordinates into my GPS.

Edited October 23, 2007 by PinkDolphin

[+PFF]

I did find one in Pittsboro, NC that no one had logged, and it was just on a corner out in the open.

 

That was an awesome recovery. Nobody had filed an update of any kind since it was monumented, decades ago! Glad you got the FTF!

 

I usually print out the page anyway so I have the written information. I don't use GSAK for anything but getting the coordinates into my GPS.

 

There is a lot to be said in favor of downloading the coordinates. I manually load mine into the map program and then download them, and occasionally I make a typo which throws me off target.

 

However, I would not want to download ALL the marks in a given area. I want only those I have researched in advance. I've been on some team hunts where folks loaded an entire county, and they wanted to "chase a rabbitt" every time we got close to a mark. The fact is, those may not have been on the list of targets because they were destroyed, inaccessible, etc. I feel a hunt is more fun (and productive) if you stay focused on the ones selected in advance.

 

This assumes, of course, that the person who set up the route did his/her homework before getting on the road. During my team hunt with ArtMan on Friday, we discussed how much time we spend in preparation, compared to how much time we're in the field. We agreed we generally do one hour of preparation for every hour in the field.

 

With that said, I'd certainly be in favor of a system which allows me to pick certain targets and then download the coordinates into the GPS unit, or into the MapSource software which drives the GPSr. I'm a good statistical typist, but everyone hits the wrong key now and then.

 

-Paul-

 

"When your failure rate is one in a million, what do you tell the millionth customer?"

[ArtMan]

I use EasyGPS. It doesn't do a lot of other stuff, but for uploading (and downloading) waypoints to (from) your GPS, it works like a charm.

 

What I do is —

(1) download the datasheets from NGS.

(2) run the resulting .dat file through BMGPX to create a .gpx file

(3) Load the .gpx file into EasyGPS. I'll call that FILE A

(4) Open a new, empty file in EasyGPS (FILE B ); I now have two open files in EasyGPS

(5) Using Windows|Tile command, I have FILE A and FILE B side-by-side

(6) I copy the benchmarks I will be looking for from FILE A to FILE B

(7) I protectively save FILE B and upload it to my GPS

 

-ArtMan-

Edited October 23, 2007 by ArtMan

[+QuesterMark]

 

I have seen that option on the side, I never tried checking the boxes since I had no idea where it would send the information. I could try that and just have a blank GSAK database open.

 

I also saw there was a tool Easy GPS that will work with the .loc files, that I might be able to download. I guess my question was more how to deal with those .loc files and get them where I need them.

 

Thanks.

 

 

EDIT UPDATE

 

I just tried checking the box and sending the .loc file. Well it did go to GSAK into the correct data base (I already learned by trial and error to be sure you have it set to the correct data base or it will to to whatever is open). I checked off several benchmarks, and sent it. Instead of sending just the ones I requested it sent 852 or something like that. Oh well, I can isolate the ones I want and go from there. At least it works.

 

Once you've checked some things in GSAK you will need use the "Select a saved filter" pull down to choose "User Flag (GSAK default)". This will show you only the ones you've checked. When you then go to send them to your GPS it will send only the ones that are showing. (You're right about GSAK...whatever is showing at the time is what it's working with at the time.)

[+PinkDolphin]

I use EasyGPS. It doesn't do a lot of other stuff, but for uploading (and downloading) waypoints to (from) your GPS, it works like a charm.

 

What I do is —

(1) download the datasheets from NGS.

(2) run the resulting .dat file through BMGPX to create a .gpx file

(3) Load the .gpx file into EasyGPS. I'll call that FILE A

(4) Open a new, empty file in EasyGPS (FILE B ); I now have two open files in EasyGPS

(5) Using Windows|Tile command, I have FILE A and FILE B side-by-side

(6) I copy the benchmarks I will be looking for from FILE A to FILE B

(7) I protectively save FILE B and upload it to my GPS

 

-ArtMan-

 

That is sort of what I did with the 852 points I downloaded this morning (which was not my intention, it just happened). I really only wanted about 10-12. I copied them over to another data base then deleted what I didn't want, leaving the ones I printed out the pages for. The only difference is I just copied the data base over to accomplish my task. I will probably leave the 852 where they are, but not load them into my GPS. I understand about "chasing rabbits" happens to me with GeoCaching all the time.

 

Thanks ArtMan, hope you enjoyed your time in Raleigh. All I can say is PFF has been very helpful to me!

 

I will look closer at EasyGPS when I get home.

 

Thanks

[+Black Dog Trackers]

Now I am more confused then before. I just want to know how to get there and the coordinates into my GPS without doing it manually. Mostly I just find ones other people have already found and post photos so I can find them. Although I did find one in Pittsboro, NC that no one had logged, and it was just on a corner out in the open.

 

I usually print out the page anyway so I have the written information. I don't use GSAK for anything but getting the coordinates into my GPS.

 

Oops sorry, I thought you were requiring to use GSAK for getting all the recovery notes into it for a palm computer or something. In this case, I agree with ArtMan; just use EasyGPS and bring the datasheets.

[+Black Dog Trackers]

By the way, Google Earth will read your 852 PID .loc file as-is, so you can see where you're going in its 3D map. It will even give driving directions to the locations.

Edited October 23, 2007 by Black Dog Trackers

[+A tapeworm]

I usually print out the page anyway so I have the written information. I don't use GSAK for anything but getting the coordinates into my GPS.

 

That's essentially what I do, also.

 

Some day when I grow up & graduate from my dial-up connection to a high-speed connection I'll download more of those other programs to use!

[+PinkDolphin]

I use EasyGPS. It doesn't do a lot of other stuff, but for uploading (and downloading) waypoints to (from) your GPS, it works like a charm.

 

What I do is —

(1) download the datasheets from NGS.

(2) run the resulting .dat file through BMGPX to create a .gpx file

(3) Load the .gpx file into EasyGPS. I'll call that FILE A

(4) Open a new, empty file in EasyGPS (FILE B ); I now have two open files in EasyGPS

(5) Using Windows|Tile command, I have FILE A and FILE B side-by-side

(6) I copy the benchmarks I will be looking for from FILE A to FILE B

(7) I protectively save FILE B and upload it to my GPS

 

-ArtMan-

 

Is BMGPX hard to download. I started the process but it indicated I needed to extract some files, and after looking at the Read Me it appears I need to be familiar with the command prompts (which I am not). Most anything I load or down load is quite intuitive and the program does it all for me.

 

I did install the Easy GPS

[ArtMan]

Is BMGPX hard to download. I started the process but it indicated I needed to extract some files, and after looking at the Read Me it appears I need to be familiar with the command prompts (which I am not). Most anything I load or down load is quite intuitive and the program does it all for me.

Shouldn't be hard to do at all. Where in the process are you having problems? The download page is here, and you should click on the line that says "Download the EasyGPS installer for Windows 2000, XP, and Vista" (I didn't mention it earlier, but this is a Windows program, so I assume you are running a reasonably recent version of Windows.)

 

I downloaded the installer file (SetupEasyGPS.exe) with no hangups. I can't install the program here at the office because I do not have admin rights on this computer, but you certainly shouldn't have to do anything on the command line.

 

-ArtMan-

[+PinkDolphin]

I downloaded the EasyGPS no problem, it was the BMPGX program I aborted. It did not seem to have a windows installer, maybe it does and I just didn't take it far enough.

 

I have Windows XP

[ArtMan]

Ah!

 

Yes, BMGPX is a command line program, but there is a way around that. You can drop-and-drag a .dat file onto the BMGPX file (either the file entry in Windows Explorer or as an icon (e.g. as a shortcut) on your desktop. BMGPX will then create a .gpx file with the same name as the .dat file. It's actually very easy to do, and no command line typing is needed!

 

-ArtMan-

[+PinkDolphin]

Sort of getting there.

 

I have EasyGPS sitting on my desktop

I have 6 different county files sitting on my desktop

 

Now to figure out how to drop them into the .dat file

[+Harry Dolphin]

This dolphin is technically challenged. I could put all the benchmarks within a hundred miles into my GPS. (Okay, my brother could do it for me!) (Somehow, he set it up so that all 9000 caches within 100 miles get downloaded into my GPS.) And, in my benchmarking wanderings, I've looked for 10 or fifteen caches using only the coords in Gupy. And I"ve found most of them (85% or so).

But, finding benchmarks relies much more on the descriptions. I'm not about to go benchmark hunting without the descriptions!

So, when I go benchmarking, I decide which ten or twenty I want to hunt for. Add a few more for good measure. Print out the pages at work. :X (Most web sites are prohibited, but since we do government packaging, all urls ending in .gov are permitted...) And type all the waypoints into Gupy by hand (taking advantage of update coordinates listed by seventhings, hologaph, ArtMan, Zhanna, or whomever.)

Works for me.