Field Notes Application for mobile Windows

[+bish0p]

Over the last two weeks I have been developing an application for the pocket PC (also know as Windows Mobile) that allows me to quickly log caches while on the road.

 

It has been created to use the Field Notes section on geocaching.com, the Garmin Colorado series of GPS can generate a field notes file as well, but I was not interested in buying one at this time. But I still wanted to use the quick upload method afforded the Colorado users to log their cache finds, DNF's etc.

 

So knowing I was going on a 7 1/2 day caching road trip I created the field notes program for my Pocket PC based phone/pda

 

 

We used it to log over 285 caches over 4200 miles, it cut our logging time from hours a night to minutes.

 

Since our return I have added a number of features. Default "Found" and "DNF" Logs are now user options so you can click on found or Not found and default text is inserted for you.

 

The ability to track how many total find you have, plus tracking of Finds, DNF's and Needs Maintenance Notes is tracked for the current Field Notes File, has been added to this version.

 

I have also added the ability to add a custom signature to each log this can be static or utilize some of the dynamic information the software tracks, like the find # in this log, what find this is for you, the time of the find, etc The example Signature below adds the following to my logs:

 

Find #5 of the day!

Time of the find: 15:35

Find #2110

 

 

At the end of the day you plug your PDA into the computer copy the geocache_visits.txt file to your PC/mac and upload it to geocaching.com using the fields Notes section.

 

From there you can quickly and easily log your finds for the day/trip/etc.

 

As the time and date are recored in the geocache_visits.txt file you can easily track caches over the course of a trip and still get them logged on the correct day.

 

You will need to install the .net 2.0 so if your windows mobile device does not have that installed you can fetch it from here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

 

I have bundled the program itself in a .Cab file that you can download directly to your device and run to install. It can be fetched from here: http://www.box.net/shared/static/bo1pjnrwg8.CAB

 

This link will always contain the most recent version of the software which is currently .75beta

 

If you use the software please do two things for me. First send me an email telling you are using it. If enough people start using it I will create a site for it. (james.conner@gmail.com)

 

and Secondly please visit: http://www.podcacher.com/?page_id=175 make make a $5 donation to podcacher.

 

bish0p

[+nicolo]

Looks nice James. I'm sure that many people will find this useful.

 

I have a Colorado so don't need it but the log notes are nice ... something we Colorado users are waiting anxiously for.

[+bish0p]

I have updated the software 15 or 20 times since my last post and have included some documentation.

 

It can now be downloaded here: http://www.box.net/shared/static/wqwycfu0w4.zip