What is your GSAK string?

[+XopherN71]

Never really gave GSAK much thought until recently when I started playing with my Geko and Venture HC. Still working out a good one for the Geko but the Venture HC I think I nailed it.

 

Waypoint Name: %smart=14

Waypoint Description: %con1%last4 %hint %dif1%ter1%bug

 

This gives me a 14 digit real name, and the size, last 4 found status, hint and if room, difficulty, terrain and tb status.

[+sbell111]

Since I have all the descriptions in my Plucker database, I don't need GSAK to export fancy verbiage for the GPSr names and descriptions. Therefore, my waypoint name=%code and the caches all go in as POI.

[+XopherN71]

So this thread really didn't apply to you then did it

[+sbell111]

So this thread really didn't apply to you then did it

I thought that I answered completely on-topic. You asked for people to post their GSAK string, which I did. If I didn't use GSAK, then it wouldn't apply to me.

[+DanOCan]

Waypoint Name: %code

Cache Description Format: %con1/%dif/%ter: %name

 

Combined with the custom Geocaching symbols for my 60CSx I can tell the size, type, difficulty and terrain at a single glance. If I want more info I'll pull out the PDA.

[+XopherN71]

Since I have all the descriptions in my Plucker database, I don't need GSAK to export fancy verbiage for the GPSr names and descriptions.

 

EDIT: Thanks DanOCan

 

Anyone else? Looking to see if there's a better one out there (I'm sure there is, this is only one of my first attempts).

Edited May 16, 2008 by XopherN71

[+Maingray]

In order to prevent pulling th Palm out as much as possible..this is in combination with a symbol generation macro that tells me the container size / rough difficulty / cache type in the GPS icon;

 

Waypoint name: %smart=14 %children -%smart

 

Waypoint description: %drop2 %typ1/%con1%Dif/%Ter%last4%hint

 

%drop2 as there's nothing more stalling on a cache run than someone asking...so whats the GC number for this one?

Edited May 16, 2008 by Maingray

[+Airmapper]

Waypoint Name: %Name by %by %typ %con (%Dif/%Ter) %code

 

I use that so I can look at my GPS for the main info, and if I need the description or hint I can get out the PDA.

[+Kit Fox]

Cache name visible on my map screen. %drop2

 

Comment section: %typ=2/%con=3 (%dif/%ter) Pl:%datepl (%last4 Lf:%datelf) %smart

[+Miragee]

Waypoint = %smart=9 %con1%typ1%dif1%ter1

 

Waypoint Description = %Name=8 %hint

 

POI .gpx Cache Description Export = %By %Hint %Code

 

I rarely get out my Palm to read the description unless I am having trouble finding the cache and need some Past Logs or more of a longer hint.

[+MedicOne]

Please excuse my ignorance here - while not new to geocaching I AM new to GSAK. Where do you place these character strings in the program? I'm really interested in knowing from looking at my 60csx whether the cache is a micro or not as I prefer at this point in my caching experience to NOT do micros as I feel they are the bane of geocaching but that's another whole topic.

[+Team GeoBlast]

Please excuse my ignorance here - while not new to geocaching I AM new to GSAK. Where do you place these character strings in the program? I'm really interested in knowing from looking at my 60csx whether the cache is a micro or not as I prefer at this point in my caching experience to NOT do micros as I feel they are the bane of geocaching but that's another whole topic.

 

In the top GPS menu. Send to GPS.

 

If you don't want to seek micros, you can have GSAK filter them out by going to the SEARCH top menu> filter>other and uncheck the micro box. The GSAK forums that are hosted on their page are very helpful for questions like this.

[+baloo&bd]

Waypoint Nane= %drop2-%con1,%typ1-%dif1,%ter1%bug%notGC%code

 

Waypoint Description = %smart=20 %typ %con %dif/%ter%bug

[+The Leprechauns]

Waypoint Name: %drop2%con1%dif1a%ter1a%smart

Waypoint Description: %hint

 

Knowing the container, difficulty, terrain and the hint, I often don't need to read the cache page.

[cliff_hanger]

Waypoint name: %smart

Comment Format: %typ=1 %name by %By (%dif/%ter)

Child Name Format: %c_Type=1-%name

Child comment format: %c_comment

 

All via Garmin POI Loader

[CoyoteRed]

Waypoint: %user2-%con1%typ1%dif1a%ter1a

 

I give each cache a unique designation and stuff that into User 2. It's 3 digits. The it's the container, type of hunt, single character difficulty and terrain. It all fits into 8 digits.

[+keehotee]

I use GSAK to export to Memory Map, so:-

 

Waypoint name: %Name by %By (%Dif/%Ter)

Name on GPS: %code

Comment: %code %hint

 

From Memory Map I export to my pda, and I use LordElph's icons - so type, status, contents etc are all taken care of in the icon.

 

If I'm browsing memory map on the pc, I leave the link box as default (ie click thru to the cache page), or use

“http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=%lat=D&lon=%lon=D&z=18.3&r=0&src=ggl” to click thru to flashearth.

 

For the pda I also export GSAK html, and add this to the link box “\SD%20Card\HTML\%code.htm” to open the local page from memory Map Navigator.

 

Of course, this is all going to make as much sense as a pretty senseless thing if you're not running Memory Map......

[+hikerT]

Waypoint: %smart%con1

 

Description: %dif1a%ter1a%hint

 

Instead of using the geocaching feature on my Garmin, I colour code the icons with navaids intead...

 

green= traditional

amber= multi

white= letterbox

Information sign= mystery

blue= solved puzzle coords

etc.

 

same idea for child waypoints... parking sign etc.

 

Then I delete after I've found them, and mark as found in PDA for logging.

Easier to view than 1000 treasure boxes.

Edited May 17, 2008 by hikerT

[+Allen_L]

Waypoint name G%typ1%drop2-%con1 %children G%typ1%drop2%c_Prefix

 

Description %Name by %By (%Dif/%Ter) %typ

[+DavidMac]

Great idea for a thread! And I always thought I was the only person who did this.

 

Here are the strings that I send to my 60csx:

 

waypoint: %drop2 %typ1%con1%diff1%ter1 %last4

 

description:%bug=!X %datelf %hint

 

I also uploaded each of the different cache icons to the unit as custom waypoint symbols, and set GSAK to upload each type as a separate icon so that I can look at the map and quickly differentiate a tradiaional from a multi, for example.

[+The Jester]

Just a side note: Using %smart=?? really can slow down the export. If the smart name is set to a different length, before exporting all smart names in the database must be recalculated so that they are unique. It would be better to go to Tools=>Options=>General tab and set the correct length of the Smart Names there.

[+Mudfrog]

I had been using GSAK for over a year before i finally figured out (actually hadn't thought about it until then) how to customize what went into the GPSr.

 

Now i have the "smart name" at 10 digits on the main waypoint name (the maximum my unit will accept). On the secondary name, i have it set up to show the type of cache using a single letter, dificulty and terrain difficulty levels, cache container size using a single letter, and the last 4 logs status. In otherwords:

 

%typ1%dif%ter%con1%last4

 

Yes i know that doing this draws fire from some cachers, but this is usually all the information we need to find the majority of caches without having to read every cache page.

[+Mudfrog]

Waypoint: %smart%con1

 

Description: %dif1a%ter1a%hint

 

Instead of using the geocaching feature on my Garmin, I colour code the icons with navaids intead...

 

green= traditional

amber= multi

white= letterbox

Information sign= mystery

blue= solved puzzle coords

etc.

 

same idea for child waypoints... parking sign etc.

 

Then I delete after I've found them, and mark as found in PDA for logging.

Easier to view than 1000 treasure boxes.

I'm still using a monochrome screened GPSr so i have to use symbols instead. Traditional one stage caches are flags, multicaches are a round symbol, puzzles that i haven't solved yet are a bowling pin and ball (not sure how i came up with that).

[+PDOP's]

Waypoint Name %drop2 %notGC %code %children %drop2%c_Prefix

 

Waypoint Description %hint

[Rhialto]

%smart%typ1%con1%macro="c:\GSAK\myDiffTerr.txt" where %smart is 10 in length

 

The macro is mine, available here.

 

Which give something like ABigTreasuTS85 where the last 4 char mean:

 

Traditional Small Diff=4 Terr=2.5

 

And in the notes field, I get the GC code and the hint (part of it).

[+Crew 153]

I see a lot of people use %Drop2 or %code in their waypoint name.

 

I can't see any requirement to know the GC number when I am in the field.

 

When I return from a cache hunt, I use GSAK to set the centre point to the area where I have been caching and then double click on each caches that I have visited to open theGC page for logging.

 

How do others use the GC number?

[+The Leprechauns]

1. The GC number is the same on my mapping software, my GPS, GSAK, the WAP site and Trimble Geocache Navigator. I want all my tech tools to speak a common language.

 

2. The GC number is guaranteed to be unique. With so many series of caches and multiple caches with names like "Just a Walk in the Park," something unique is important.

 

3. If you hunt caches with others, odds are that the rest of the group will know the GC number using their systems for exporting waypoints, regardless of what other variations there are. In the car it is easiest to say "we're going for GC1234 next."

[+DavidMac]

I can't see any requirement to know the GC number when I am in the field.

 

What Lep said. Knowing the GC number can be very handy if you are hunting a series of caches with similar names. This weekend we went after a series of caches with names in the format of "Holmes County State Park: cache name". Several people had trouble figuring out which cache was which, because the names got truncated in their GPSr. By using the GC number, I am guaranteed that I know how to match up the cache listing.

 

Another example, I once received a find log on a hiking cache that I have in East Tennessee. With their log being something along the lines of "drove right up to this; easy find", I knew something was wrong. They had a dozen or so finds in one corner of Nashville that day, and it turns out that one of the caches they had found had the same name as mine. They had gone to the hide and seek page, typed in the name, and picked the first one they saw that was listed in the state, while the one they actually found was listed farther down the page.

[+Wild Thing 73]

Since I have all the descriptions in my Plucker database, I don't need GSAK to export fancy verbiage for the GPSr names and descriptions. Therefore, my waypoint name=%code and the caches all go in as POI.

As a "charter member" it sound as if you are jealous of GSK power. Also, the comment is unworthy of a Charter Member...just my thoughts. Happy Trails...

[+Thrak]

Waypoint Name: %smart=14

 

Waypoint Description: %Name %Dif/%Ter%con1 %hint

 

The only thing I don't like about this setup is that a long cache name uses all the charachter spots Garmin has allotted (another grumble entirely) so that I don't get the other info I wanted

 

Looking at other's strings in this thread I may well play with the Name setting and shorten my default for %smart so that I can put my %Dif/%Ter/%con1 into the name field.

 

In that case I'd be using:

 

Waypoint Name: %smart-10 %Dif/%Ter%con1

 

Waypoint Description: %Name %hint

 

I like the full name for logging purposes - yes, I know using the GC# might be easier but I simply don't like the dang GC# designation. It's not at all intuitive to me as far as cache identification.

[+SweetSassyPants]

Oh Thank Heavens!!

 

I fiddled with GSAK the other day and accidently hit the "use defaults" button and it completely wiped out my string. Normally that wouldn't bother me too much, but I am roadtrippin to Geo-Woodstock this weekend and don't have time for by guessing and by gollying my system.

 

My string is the same as Mirage's apparently. And thanks soooo much for posting that. Woo hoo. Totally saved me.

[Rhialto]

How do others use the GC number?

I sometime go paperless and having it in the Notes field, I can write down on a paper all the GC code of those I find and also at what time I found it. Yes, I like to write down the time I find each.

[+SweetSassyPants]

How do others use the GC number?

I sometime go paperless and having it in the Notes field, I can write down on a paper all the GC code of those I find and also at what time I found it. Yes, I like to write down the time I find each.

 

Please don't take offense, there is none intended, but that may well be the funniest thing I've read all day.

 

 

I sometimes go paperless, too. And when I find a cache I pull out my Palm and log it as found, marking the end time of the hunt, because I also like to know the time.

[+Mudfrog]

How do others use the GC number?

I sometime go paperless and having it in the Notes field, I can write down on a paper all the GC code of those I find and also at what time I found it. Yes, I like to write down the time I find each.

 

Please don't take offense, there is none intended, but that may well be the funniest thing I've read all day.

 

 

I sometimes go paperless, too. And when I find a cache I pull out my Palm and log it as found, marking the end time of the hunt, because I also like to know the time.

I often got confused when using gc numbers instead of the names of caches in my gpsr so i got rid of them completely. A title of a cache is much easier to recognize and keep straight than the incoherent letters and/or numbers that come after the gc. Yes a series of caches might come up every once in a while that incorporate much of the same name but gsak adds something, usually a digit, at the end of it's smart name to keep them easily identifiable.

[Clan Riffster]

I like to be able to tell at a glance what is nearby, so I use both GSAK strings and custom icons.

Traditional = Geocache

Multi = Navaid Orange

Mystery = Navaid Violet

etc...

 

For the name, I start with the name of the cache, followed by the container, type, difficulty & terrain:

%smart=9 %con1%typ1%dif1%ter1

For the description, I start with the GC number, (minus the actual GC), then the hint:

%drop2 %hint

 

The end result? For this cache, which is a multi called "Gotta Go West?" my screen displays an orange dot labeled GottaGoWe RM31. This tells me I'm looking at a regular multi with a D/T of 3/1. The description gives me GZFP Final cache is at the **********. (I edited the actual hint for this post)

 

Everything I need in one neat package.

[Rhialto]

How do others use the GC number?

I sometime go paperless and having it in the Notes field, I can write down on a paper all the GC code of those I find and also at what time I found it. Yes, I like to write down the time I find each.

Please don't take offense, there is none intended, but that may well be the funniest thing I've read all day.

 

hahaha! ok you get a point. When I say peperless I mean without having printed all caches info but I always have some sort of notepad in my pocket to notes the cache I visit. Last week I used the back of a gum package.

[Rhialto]

For the name, I start with the name of the cache, followed by the container, type, difficulty & terrain:

%smart=9 %con1%typ1%dif1%ter1

...

my screen displays an orange dot labeled GottaGoWe RM31. This tells me I'm looking at a regular multi with a D/T of 3/1.

Wrong, you have to know the formula for D/T.

 

From GSAK help:

 

%dif1 = Difficulty reduced to 1 digit (dif * 2 -1), so 1=1, 1.5=2, 2=3, 2.5=4, ...

%ter1 = Terrain reduced to 1 digit (dif * 2 -1), so 1=1, 1.5=2, 2=3, 2.5=4, ...

 

I simplified this by making my own DiffTerr macro, see my 1st post up in this thread.

[CoyoteRed]

From GSAK help:

 

%dif1 = Difficulty reduced to 1 digit (dif * 2 -1), so 1=1, 1.5=2, 2=3, 2.5=4, ...

%ter1 = Terrain reduced to 1 digit (dif * 2 -1), so 1=1, 1.5=2, 2=3, 2.5=4, ...

 

I simplified this by making my own DiffTerr macro, see my 1st post up in this thread.

That one way to do it.

 

I prefer the %ter1a version were the whole numbers aren't translated at all and the halves are letters. A=1.5, B=2.5, etc. So, a "3" is a "3." I only have to think when it's a letter.

[Clan Riffster]

Wrong, you have to know the formula for D/T.

Weird! I just checked the cache page and you are 100% correct. It is a 2/1, yet it got translated into a 3/1. All this time and I just noticed that.

I reckon that's why folks call me dumber than a box of pickles.

[+OReviewer]

Smartname size 12 in options

 

Waypoint: %smart %children%smart%c_Code

 

Description: %drop2 %con1%hint=20

 

My GSAK gives me the proper icon for the caches so I don't need that in my name/description.

[Clan Riffster]

I simplified this by making my own DiffTerr macro, see my 1st post up in this thread.

A question about your macro: After I install it to GSAK, will it run automatically each time I export or will I need to push another button?

As you can tell from the question, I'm not very macro conversant.

[+Suburban Hillbillies]

For the waypoint: I use %con%smart

 

For description, I have: $drop2 %dif/%ter %dnf=D-%bug=T- %last4 %by

 

Seems to give me enough info to get most, Occasionally I have to fire Geocache Navigator and look up a hint.

[Rhialto]

I simplified this by making my own DiffTerr macro, see my 1st post up in this thread.

A question about your macro: After I install it to GSAK, will it run automatically each time I export or will I need to push another button?

As you can tell from the question, I'm not very macro conversant.

It will run each time you Sent do GPSr

 

You need to place the file myDiffTerr in the GSAK directory and use that string %smart%typ1%con1%macro="c:\GSAK\myDiffTerr.txt"

 

Edit the c:\GSAK according to the location of your GSAK installation

 

You will notice it's a bit slower than before because the macro is run for every cache sent but it's not taking age.

[Clan Riffster]

Thank you Sir, I'll play with it and see what happens. Looks kinda kewl!

[Rhialto]

Thank you Sir, I'll play with it and see what happens. Looks kinda kewl!

Welcome.. Let me know if it works for you.

[knowschad]

Wow!! What a great and useful thread. Thanks to the OP for starting it.

 

My only question now is, "who's right?"

[+ClydeE]

Wow!! What a great and useful thread. Thanks to the OP for starting it.

 

My only question now is, "who's right?"

 

Yea, I don't think there is any right or wrong. It is more a case of what works for you.

 

Thanks also to the OP, as the thread generated more interest than I thought it would. Obviously people are interested in this crazy stuff

 

For those that want total control of the string generated, check out the %macro special tag. This tag enables you to harness the full power of the macro language to virtually generate any string of information you like. Rhialto has already alluded to this in a previous post, but it is worth repeating.

 

Should you have questions or need help with the %macro special tag, then probably a post in the the GSAK support forum at http://support.gsak.net is the way to go.

[+infiniteMPG]

Waypoint Name : %drop2-%typ1-%last4

 

What this does is for the waypoint name, it drops off the first 2 characters of the geocache code name (every one of them starts with GC so no need to waste 2 characters sending that).

 

Then is sends a one letter code defining the cache type %typ1 - letters used are as follows: T=traditional, M=multi, B=letterbox hybrid, C=CITO, E=event, L=locationless, V=virtual, W=webcam, O=Other, G=Benchmark, R=Earth, and U=mystery/Unknown.

 

Then is sends the last four log entries %last4 - Last 4 found/not found logs. Found = F, Not Found = N, No log = 0. For example, if the latest log was a not found, the next a found, and there were no more logs this tag would return NF00. Notes are not included in the %last4 tag

 

So for a waypoint name a cache coded GCABC123 that is a multi cache and had the last log a DNF and the rest finds, would give a name of ABC123-M-NFFF

 

Waypoint Description : %shortname-%datelf-%dif-%ter-%con1

 

For the name (which shows up in the NOTES screen of the waymark) you get %ShortName - very similar to the %smart tag with the sole exception that unique names are not guaranteed. This tag is far more efficient as there is no re calculation of the database if you change the length of your short names. This tag also supports the syntax %ShortName=nn

 

The you get the date last found as if this shows up as a year ago you might want to look at it better before you waste time looking for something not found for a long time.

 

Then you get difficulty and terrain with a dash between them. The last bit of the description is %con1 - letters used are as follows: R=regular, L=large, M=micro, S=Small, V=Virtual, and U=unknown. If the cache type is not stated, the letter used is U.

 

This is for a MAP60CSx with limited characters.... works great so far. Just sent this to my caching nephew yesterday so I only had to cut-and-paste the instructions and explaination. Timing is everything!

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

Waypoint name: %smart=14

 

Waypoint description: %Name by %by (%dif/%ter)

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

 

Waypoint name: %smart=14

 

Waypoint description: %Name by %by (%dif/%ter)

 

 

Or:

 

Waypoint name: %smart=14

 

Waypoint description: %typ=6/%con=5 D:%Dif/T:%Ter %bug:%UserSort