+dino-irl Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Yesterday I used the Field Notes facility for the first time. I'm using a Blackberry Pearl running Cacheberry which creates a Field Notes.txt file that can be uploaded to GC.com using the Field Notes facility. However, when I uploaded the file (I only had one cache in it as a test) I noticed that the last line of my log had been truncated and approximately 40 characters where missing. I've checked the txt file from Cacheberry in Notepad and the full log has been exported from the Blackberry so I assume that the error (if it is that) happened during the upload to GC.com. Has anyone else noticed anything similar happening using Cacheberry or even using Geocache Navigator or a Colorado/Oregon or is there a character limit to Field Notes that are to be uploaded using the GC.com Upload facility? Link to comment
+pppingme Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Is your log more than about 480 characters? If so, see this: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=186591 If not, you might cut/paste the contents here and see if anyone can spot a problem. Link to comment
+dino-irl Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 My log was longer than 480 including spaces. I seem to have fallen foul of this limitation too then. Sad really as logs are really easy to write on a Blackberry and I'd much rather do them in the field than at home Thanks for your help anyway, at least I'm aware of it now Link to comment
+pppingme Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Sadly this issue has come up more than once and GC has given no indication that they even care about it. Link to comment
OpinioNate Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 There is a limit of 500 characters but at first glance it seems to be arbitrary. I wrote up a case to increase the limit to match regular cache logs, but it may be that the Garmin Colorado will not allow for an increase. Offering different limits for different devices would be an even bigger job than just allowing for more chars, so that is not likely to happen. Bottom line: It will take some investigation to find out if we can increase the limit; but if we can, we will. Link to comment
+pppingme Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 There is a limit of 500 characters but at first glance it seems to be arbitrary. I wrote up a case to increase the limit to match regular cache logs, but it may be that the Garmin Colorado will not allow for an increase. Offering different limits for different devices would be an even bigger job than just allowing for more chars, so that is not likely to happen. Bottom line: It will take some investigation to find out if we can increase the limit; but if we can, we will. Why does it matter that a particular device can only create a certain size, the size that the site allows should be that size OR BIGGER, there is no downside to having the website allow a larger field than an arbitrary device (the colorado in this case) can create. Why does it matter if the site can accept MORE characters than the colorado can generate? It doesn't, its not a fixed field size file thats being uploaded, its a delimited file. IF the colorado (or any device) can only generate a field of "x" length, all the site needs to do is allow an upload of ">x" length. In no way is the import or upload going to break if the colorado can only generate 500, but the site can accept something larger, say 2000. Link to comment
+g-o-cashers Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Nate, The Oregon and Colorado can't produce any where near 500 characters (I want to say it is limited to 32 or 64 characters) and even if they could no one would want to key in 500 characters using these primitive input methods (esp. the CO), but I'll echo what Potato Finder said, it shouldn't matter. The site should handle whatever the max log size is, if the device can't support that, no big deal. GO$Rs Link to comment
+Sheesh Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I have a colorado 400t and have been using field notes happily but now all of a sudden there is an error and I can no longer get my field notes to upload. Any ideas what I have done or is it a problem with the site? Link to comment
+pppingme Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I have a colorado 400t and have been using field notes happily but now all of a sudden there is an error and I can no longer get my field notes to upload. Any ideas what I have done or is it a problem with the site? Are you getting an error or do they just not show up? I just tried uploading one and it worked fine. If they just aren't showing up, try unchecking that date check box, its caused issues for me before. Link to comment
+benh57 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 There is a limit of 500 characters but at first glance it seems to be arbitrary. I wrote up a case to increase the limit to match regular cache logs, but it may be that the Garmin Colorado will not allow for an increase. Offering different limits for different devices would be an even bigger job than just allowing for more chars, so that is not likely to happen. Bottom line: It will take some investigation to find out if we can increase the limit; but if we can, we will. Why does it matter if the site can accept MORE characters than the colorado can generate? It doesn't, its not a fixed field size file thats being uploaded, its a delimited file. IF the colorado (or any device) can only generate a field of "x" length, all the site needs to do is allow an upload of ">x" length. Gotta agree with Potato finder here, Nate. Your post shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how the field notes feature works on geocaching.com. The limitation is on the web site. Has nothing to do with 'what the colorado will allow'. The files come from the colorado, nothing goes to it. Link to comment
+dino-irl Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 6612: Increase Field Notes Character Limit to Match Cache LogsIncreased Field notes character limit to match Cache log limit (4000) From today's release notes: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=214112 Link to comment
+Sheesh Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I have a colorado 400t and have been using field notes happily but now all of a sudden there is an error and I can no longer get my field notes to upload. Any ideas what I have done or is it a problem with the site? Are you getting an error or do they just not show up? I just tried uploading one and it worked fine. If they just aren't showing up, try unchecking that date check box, its caused issues for me before. Thanks for the suggestions. I tried and it didn't work. So I went to the Garmin site and a REALLY helpful guy had me try a few things and I emailed him my geocache visits log and apparantly there was a curser at the top where there shouldn't have been one and now it works!!!! Just thought I's share this info in case there are other Colorado users that have the same problem. Happy caching Link to comment
Recommended Posts