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Provide for Inputting Coordinate Strings the Same Way GC Outputs Them


Thot

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Please provide for entering coordinates (when creating a new cache, when adding coords to a log, etc.) in a format that is the same as the format they are presented to the user.

 

The format they're presented to the user on the cache page is a string like this N 29° 35.362 W 095° 08.987, but they must be entered in Hemisphere, then Degrees, then Minutes.

 

If they could be copied and pasted in as a complete string they could be copied directly from GSAK or some utility that imports them from the GPSr. An increasing number of utilities are allowing input and output in this format. It would go a long way toward simplifying and speeding up coordinate entry and, importantly, reducing errors. Clerical number entry is prone to error -- new caches often have bad coordinates because of these clerical errors.

 

If there is a desire to retain the Hemisphere, then Degrees, then Minutes method, please provide both options.

Edited by Thot
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Clerical number entry is prone to error -- new caches often have bad coordinates because of these clerical errors.

Any bad coords submitted on a new cache are the total responsibility of the cache hider. If you can't figure out how to submit correct HIDE coords, you need more experience using GC coords to FIND caches.

 

I'm not saying that your suggestion isn't a good idea, but don't shift the blame of errors to this.

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I think he's just pointing out that copy/paste is more accurate. I know I once hand entered the wrong degree becuase I'm used to 122 (which I typed by habit), and the cache was just over into the 121 area. A copy/paste option would have prevented that (lucky, the reviewer caught the final was miles from the listed co-ords...).

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Please provide for entering coordinates (when creating a new cache, when adding coords to a log, etc.) in a format that is the same as the format they are presented to the user.

 

The format they're presented to the user on the cache page is a string like this N 29° 35.362 W 095° 08.987, but they must be entered in Hemisphere, then Degrees, then Minutes.

 

If they could be copied and pasted in as a complete string they could be copied directly from GSAK or some utility that imports them from the GPSr. An increasing number of utilities are allowing input and output in this format. It would go a long way toward simplifying and speeding up coordinate entry and, importantly, reducing errors. Clerical number entry is prone to error -- new caches often have bad coordinates because of these clerical errors.

 

If there is a desire to retain the Hemisphere, then Degrees, then Minutes method, please provide both options.

If you use Firefox, this is already available for Additional Waypoints, and Move Logs, via scripts.

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If you use Firefox, this is already available for Additional Waypoints, and Move Logs, via scripts.

 

Thanks. I'll look for that, but the one that's probably the most important to me is when creating new caches.

Edited by Thot
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