PQ sort view and Google Earth conversion

[+AquaDad]

First post. Loving this new game and all the info available. Have looked carefully but not seeing direct answers so am posting this to the group. It may be more on topic at GPS and Tech forum but as I am not sure, am putting here.

 

I am trying to use Find caches along a route and have got it nearly right but wanted a little more. Hope these 2 questions are related enough to include in one post.

 

1) Created PQ and view results shows cache hits but not in geographic order along route. Not sure what order they are in but is there a way to have these ordered other than through importing into another GPSapp?

 

2) Exported PQ in .gpx file and imported into Google Earth. Seems to have downloaded points along the route (viewed as blue squares?) but not mapped to GCXXXX ID. I would like to have the ability to click on the icon in Google Earth and be linked directly to the GCXXXX object in geocaching.com. That would make it really easy to pick a place along the drive. Alternatively, even if I had the proper GCXXXX ID, I could easily find it myself in a separate window.

 

I did note in a tutorial in another similiar post that the .gpx files are very accurate and the .kml or geocaching listing was rounded a little for accuracy that may account for Google Earth (lets use GE) view objects not being right where they should be. But I am seeing it the other way around. One GE object is a couple of miles from the park and ride lot where the nearest cache to the GE object coordinate put it. At least as viewed in GE to find the park and ride street interesction mentioned.

 

Any advice on best way to take driving directions for our family vacation to Niagra Falls and get a view of fun caches along that route appreciated.

 

Sorry for the length.

Thanks all,

Magothy River AquaTrekkers

[+J-Way]

1) I believe PQ results are always sorted by distance... in this situation, they're sorted by distance from the line used as the route. So the caches that are only 50-ft from the center of road are listed first, those that are 1/2 mile away are last. There is no way to order them from start to finish of the route unless you import the PQ into a secondary app. I always use GSAK.

 

2) I've never actually done this. I installed the "Google Earth Browser". I pan along the round and can see all the caches, and can click on them to go to the geocaching.com listing. To use it you have to have GE installed (which you already have). Click on "My Account" and look on the far right-hand side toward the bottom of the screen (just above any Travel Bugs you have). Download the KMZ file and install in GE. Or click here.

[+AquaDad]

Since you were able to make yours work and suggested GSAK, I installed it and imported same GPX file that didn't work in Google Earth. Nice feature in GSAK showed zero waypoints imported. This clued me in to look at the GPX file which seemingly only has the Google Earth waypoints and no GC cache objects. I think that this is because I was to impatient to wait for the emailed GPX file from the PQ and used the download GPX file from the route page.

 

Now that I have a proper GPX file from the PQ email and have loaded that into Google Earth, I am able to see the GCXXXX name in the list of waypoints associated with this route. Some of the objects displpay o the GE map using GC image kml/2/png but most do not.

 

Any ideas on why some but not all caches display on the GE map? properties check on those that do and those that don't look exactly the same. I did click a button on import to create clickable items which I think should relate to this view. I wonder if on one import I did not and not on another (I deleted all and re loaded). Maybe there is some reference left over in GE somewhere picking up on don't create clickable image.

[+lmcgisme]

 

Now that I have a proper GPX file from the PQ email and have loaded that into Google Earth, I am able to see the GCXXXX name in the list of waypoints associated with this route. Some of the objects displpay o the GE map using GC image kml/2/png but most do not.

 

Any ideas on why some but not all caches display on the GE map?

 

In GE, is your "show time" set to never? If not it will only show some caches. I'm not sure what date it uses to see if a cache is shown - those placed within the specified time, maybe? To check your setting open GE and then open a .gpx file. Then in the GE menu, under 'View' is 'Show Time'. Select that and click 'Never' to turn off the tmeline and show all caches.

 

Hope this helps.