paperless caching/downloading waypoints

[+GetUpToGetDown]

I would really appreciate it if someone could help me with changing to paperless caching and some help on downloading waypoints as well. I have been trying a few programs...easyGPS as well as swiss army for downloading waypoints and neither of them seem to save the user hints like they are supposed to. Which of these programs is better to use? Are they able to download enough information right onto my unit (Garmin vista hcx) for me to go out and cache? I also looked into a program where I can put coordinates onto my palm pilot...do any of those programs work well?? I am just beginning with all this and am some what confused on how to set everything up.

 

Can anyone give me a list of programs/an easy description of the best/simplest way for successful paperless caching??

 

Any help would be great! Thanks

[+Bullfrog Eh-Team]

I would really appreciate it if someone could help me with changing to paperless caching and some help on downloading waypoints as well. I have been trying a few programs...easyGPS as well as swiss army for downloading waypoints and neither of them seem to save the user hints like they are supposed to. Which of these programs is better to use? Are they able to download enough information right onto my unit (Garmin vista hcx) for me to go out and cache? I also looked into a program where I can put coordinates onto my palm pilot...do any of those programs work well?? I am just beginning with all this and am some what confused on how to set everything up.

 

Can anyone give me a list of programs/an easy description of the best/simplest way for successful paperless caching??

 

Any help would be great! Thanks

 

I'm using GSAK on the desktop pewter and Cachemate on my HP PPC. I use Active-sync to bring the .GPX file (hints included!) directly into the PPC. Absolutely no problems for a year and a half now - I'm very satisfied. I understand the same would work with your Palm.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Be aware that only the GPX files (including Pocket Queries) contain the hint information. If you are downloading the LOC files as an non-Premium Member, you won't get the hints no matter what software you use.

 

I use Cachemate on my PPC and load my Pocket Queries and other GPX files directly to it. GSAK can be used to get the hints onto your GPS unit from the GPX files.

[+michigansnorkelers]

Be aware that only the GPX files (including Pocket Queries) contain the hint information. If you are downloading the LOC files as an non-Premium Member, you won't get the hints no matter what software you use.

 

I use Cachemate on my PPC and load my Pocket Queries and other GPX files directly to it. GSAK can be used to get the hints onto your GPS unit from the GPX files.

 

That's very true.

 

However, I'd like to point out that your GPSr can only hold a limited number of characters, so the hints are usually incomplete on the GPSr. On the other hand, there will be a complete set of hints on the PDA, automatically decoded if you wish. With either option, images in hints will not transfer though.

[+Trucker Lee]

Like mentioned above, you need to be a premium member to get all the information in a gpx file, the loc file is barely more than the coords.

 

I use GSAK on the laptop to open the query files I receive as email attachments, then filter to my heart's content. After this, I first use GSAK to load the GPS unit with the waypoints, then export all the information, including last five logs and hints, into my Palm program. The last step is to load the palm, done by putting the unit on the cradle and pressing a button.

[+GetUpToGetDown]

Thanks for all the help so far...which program do you use for putting the info onto your palm?

[+sixreagans]

Do a quick search using the words, "paperless caching". There is a BUNCH of info on the subject including a fabulous step-by-step article written by Clan Barron. When you find his article, save it to your computer and follow it step by step and it will get you caching paperless in no time. His article focuses on using GSAK and Cachemate. I followed his advice and it was spot on!

[+aronnie]

good luck on pocket queries, i'v tried for a week to get one e-mailed ,just comes back no queries today, or something like that.

[+theosus]

I would really appreciate it if someone could help me with changing to paperless caching and some help on downloading waypoints as well. I have been trying a few programs...easyGPS as well as swiss army for downloading waypoints and neither of them seem to save the user hints like they are supposed to. Which of these programs is better to use? Are they able to download enough information right onto my unit (Garmin vista hcx) for me to go out and cache? I also looked into a program where I can put coordinates onto my palm pilot...do any of those programs work well?? I am just beginning with all this and am some what confused on how to set everything up.

 

Can anyone give me a list of programs/an easy description of the best/simplest way for successful paperless caching??

 

Any help would be great! Thanks

 

What model Palm do you have? Here's what I do:

Become a premium member, its not that expensive... and you're helping the site out. Once you figure out how to run a pocket query, do so. You will get a bunch of waypoints in a GPX file. Ive done three this week and havent had a problem.

 

There are several palm-friendly programs around. I use cachemate ($8) on my Tungsten E2. Run cachemates (free) converter on the GPX file. Hotsync the palm, and the caches will be added, complete with the options you chose (like decoded hints, full description, and past logs). These are really nice to have on the road, and you can sort by distance or name.

 

For my GPS, I use GPSbabel, which is a free converter program. It processes the GPX file into a WPT file for my magellan, which I load into MapSend and then onto my GPS. Of course, you dont get hints or anything on the GPS, so the palm and the GPS work side-by side.

 

Ive only been using the two togather for "paperless" geocaching, but it works well so far.

[+slither666]

I use GSAK, Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx, and a Palm Tungsten E2 and Cache Mate for the Palm. GSAK has an export function that not only puts the file in Cache Mate format and puts it into the synch directory for the palm. All you have to do then is synch your palm. Very handy. GSAK sends the waypoints directly to my Garmin also. Very handy.

 

I would really appreciate it if someone could help me with changing to paperless caching and some help on downloading waypoints as well. I have been trying a few programs...easyGPS as well as swiss army for downloading waypoints and neither of them seem to save the user hints like they are supposed to. Which of these programs is better to use? Are they able to download enough information right onto my unit (Garmin vista hcx) for me to go out and cache? I also looked into a program where I can put coordinates onto my palm pilot...do any of those programs work well?? I am just beginning with all this and am some what confused on how to set everything up.

 

Can anyone give me a list of programs/an easy description of the best/simplest way for successful paperless caching??

 

Any help would be great! Thanks

[+Wild Thing 73]

Think about becoming a Premium Member...Then the whole world of geocaching will open up to you...Welcome to our world.

[+New Jersey TJ]

Although there are other solutions, I have found that using GPX Spinner and Plucker are a good way to get cache pages, including hints, on a Palm device. Using GPX Spinner, you get the added benefit of a pretty impressive set of hyperlinked indexes to list your cache pages in different ways. It takes a little to bit of effort to get it set up, but once you have, loading the Palm is pretty quick and easy.

 

Here's a summary of what I do using a PC to load a Palm:

 

- Create a folder on your desktop (I name it to something like the area the gpx pertains to . . you'll open a file of this name on your Palm). Copy the gpx to that folder.

 

- When GPX Spinner installs, it creates an icon on your desktop. Open the folder with the gpx file in it and drag and drop the gpx file onto the Plucker icon. Plucker will run briefly in the background. When it's finished, it will place two new gpx files in the folder you created earlier. I haven't quite figured out the difference between the two Plucker gpx's; however, you can use either one of them or the original gpx with EasyGPS to load your GPS unit.

 

GPX Spinner also creates a folder named 'cache' inside the folder you created on your desktop. Inside of it are a number of htm files and accompanying graphics. These are htm files containing cache pages, hint pages, and a number of useful index pages. You can double click on the 'index.htm' file to view the various ways the pages have been indexed. Navigation is through hyperlinks.

 

- Plucker is a Palm document reader. It has an accompanying desktop application that will convert the htm files created by GPX Spinner into a format it can read. Start by installing the Plucker desktop, which I believe will allow you to install the Plucker reader on the Palm at the same time. To get ready for conversion, set Plucker's "Default Configuration for New Channels' as follows. Spidering - "Breadth First", Limits - Page Depth "3". Leave everything as default. Also, create a folder somewhere for Plucker's output. I created a folder aptly named 'Plucker'.

 

- Use the Plucker Desktop to convert the GPX Spinner output into a form it can be read on the Palm. Run the 'new channel' wizard. A channel is just a confusing name for the name of the set of files you're going to read on the Palm. Step through the wizard giving your new 'channel' a name (I use the same name as the folder I created on my desktop). Set the starting page to a local file and select the 'index.htm' file in the cache folder created by GPX Spinner in the folder you created on your desktop. Set the channel output to the 'Plucker' folder you created.

 

- Finish the wizard and hotsync. Now open Plucker on your Palm, and click on whatever you called your 'channel'. The equivalent of the 'index.htm' created by GPX Spinner is now on your Palm. You can navigate to your cache pages and view logs and the hint.

 

- This may seem complicated at first, but once it's set up, it will take about one minute to process a small gpx and have it loaded on your Palm.

 

Good luck!

 

New Jersey TJ

[+GetUpToGetDown]

I own a Palm Tungsten T3?? I think??? I am going to hopefully get a premium account for christmas so I will refer back to this once I'm upgraded! Thanks for all the replies!

[+voiletmay]

Hi there, I'm having the same problem with logs/hints/descriptions not appearing on my palm.

 

I have a palm IIIC, cachemate (registered), garmin legend hcx, gsak, and have paid my $30 and joined geocaching.com. I'm receiving the gpx files and transfering them to my palm OK, but I am not getting hints and the past 5 logs, or even a description about the cache.

 

I think I am missing something in my transfer from GSAK to my palm. Or maybe I am doing something wrong when I generate gpx files.

 

Is there something else I can use besides GSAK that will let me transfer GPX files to cachemate?

 

I saw someones cache pages on GPS sonar on a pocket pc and that looked great, looked like it does on the computer screen. I can use isilo and get the same quality images on my palm, but it is labour intensive as I have to do it one cache at a time.

 

Is there a way to transfer these nice colour cache pages to my palm in batches of 500? Does cachemate handle these colour cache images?

 

Thanks for any help.

[+theosus]

Hi there, I'm having the same problem with logs/hints/descriptions not appearing on my palm.

 

I have a palm IIIC, cachemate (registered), garmin legend hcx, gsak, and have paid my $30 and joined geocaching.com. I'm receiving the gpx files and transfering them to my palm OK, but I am not getting hints and the past 5 logs, or even a description about the cache.

 

 

Are you sure youre getting the GPX file and not a LOC file? The LOC files only have the bare minimum (coords, name, and and a few other things.)

Otherwise i dont know what to say. never used gsak. Might be some settings you have to tweak about what to import. I know cachemate lets you drop some things if you want.

[+ClydeE]

Hi there, I'm having the same problem with logs/hints/descriptions not appearing on my palm.

 

I have a palm IIIC, cachemate (registered), garmin legend hcx, gsak, and have paid my $30 and joined geocaching.com. I'm receiving the gpx files and transfering them to my palm OK, but I am not getting hints and the past 5 logs, or even a description about the cache.

 

 

Are you sure youre getting the GPX file and not a LOC file? The LOC files only have the bare minimum (coords, name, and and a few other things.)

Otherwise i dont know what to say. never used gsak. Might be some settings you have to tweak about what to import. I know cachemate lets you drop some things if you want.

 

This does very much sound like the issue. For more information please see this thread

[+MaplessInSeattle]

I personally had a nightmare of a time with many of the programs out there.

So I decided to go on the heels of rhouston's lead, and use his program.

He created tinygpx, for free use and download.

http://www.strawberryelectron.com/tinygpx

It allows me(you, whoever) to print out everything i may need for the cache, AND it has a -teeny option which allows even more space saving on the paper.

I also contacted him and asked about a feature, and he modified the code, and added it within a few hours.

oh, and the price is right, FREE!

=)

-=[MaplessInSeattle]=-

[+voiletmay]

Thanks for your help ClydE and Mapless. I will download tingpx in a minute.

 

I've found a solution to my problem, it was the known GSAK bug with zip files and windows xp. I'd been getting this error message pop up and I've been ignoring it. This is why I haven't been getting all the information. I need to unzip the files and drag the gpx files to GSAK, not click on the zip file straight from the email.

 

Need to have a play with gpx spinner, tinygpx, plucker and a few other things, so I have a few different options. I want the full html colour page on my palm, not only the black/white cachemate version.

 

Edit.. did the plucker thing.. Easy instructions at http://www.geocacher-u.com/resources/paperless.html.

 

Took forever, plucker desktop transfers the gpx files from geocaching.com (500 caches) to indexed html type files that you can read with plucker for the palm. Extremely slow process, and is slower to read. Does look prettier than cachemate though, but not sure worth the LONG wait.

Edited November 3, 2007 by voiletmay

[+MaplessInSeattle]

Just as a side note, GSAK was updated the other day, download the latest release and see if you still have issues.

[+nism]

Here comes a series of questions that I am SURE have been asked endlessly:

 

I have a palm TX.

I cannot get cache pages downloaded to it.

I want logs and pictures.

I have read other other responses to similiar questions.

I have Spinner on my desktop.

I have plucker on my desktop.

I have an isilo program on my palm.

I cannot get cache pages from my inquiries onto my palm.

I've exhausted myself and others.

PLEASE HELP!

 

Ever since Mobipocket Reader has left, my palm tx is useless to me.

 

Really, PLEASE,PLEASE help.

It is as though I can get the files and yet, my palm has nothing to recieve or read them.

 

Thank you from the get go, nism.