Paperless Caching....possible to log notes to Cachemate & upload to GSAK & Geocaching.com?

[+brydawg]

Hello all,

 

I'm still new to Caching, but having a blast so far! Just wondering if anybody else has researched this and has more experience than I do. Here's what I'm trying to do:

 

I have a Garmin 60csx to find caches. I also have a Pocket PC (PPC) with Cachemate. With those two, paperless caching is great. Cachemate on PPC is a little different than Palm, but I know log/found notes can be entered onto the PPC version. Is there a way to upload the found/log notes from PPC to GSAK and then to Geocaching.com?

 

Would love to log notes in the field on PPC and then load to GSAK & Geocaching.com. I'm still new to GSAK, but I would imagine someone out there has a macro to upload from GSAK to Geocaching.

 

I like to be detailed, so here's what specifically what I'm thinking: Cachemate for PPC doesn't use the .pdb file that Palm OS uses...PPC uses the GPX file. I would like to assume that if I enter notes on the PPC, it would alter the GPX file? Then, maybe import that GPX file into GSAK, which would update found/log notes there. Then, a macro to take found/log notes to Geocaching.com.

 

Let me know if I'm on to something or if I'm just dreaming!

 

Thanks all...I've learned a lot from these forums in my short time with GeoCaching! Looking forward to enjoying my new hobby/obsession! ;-)

 

-BryDawg

 

UPDATE: I did a test to see if entering log info onto PPC Cachemate would update the stored .GPX file..it does not. Guess that makes sense now that I think about it...so, now the first question becomes: how to get notes from PPC Cachemate into GSAK? Thanks!

Edited April 10, 2009 by brydawg

[jholly]

Try checking out the macro library on gsak.net/board, you might find something you like.

 

Jim

[+Prime Suspect]

Would love to log notes in the field on PPC and then load to GSAK & Geocaching.com. I'm still new to GSAK, but I would imagine someone out there has a macro to upload from GSAK to Geocaching.

Does your PDA have some sort of memo or note utility, and do you have a way to synch those to your PC?

[+brydawg]

Thanks for the website, jholly, looks like a lot of great macros!

 

Does your PDA have some sort of memo or note utility, and do you have a way to synch those to your PC?

 

Prime Suspect - When I'm looking at the cache information on the PDA (using Cachemate), there is a link called 'Edit Log.' When I click on that, it opens a notes page titled 'Log notes' and has a drop-down box where I can select Found, Not Found, etc... However, if I fill out the notes, I don't know what happens to them at that point or how to sync them (don't really see the options in Cachemate, but I've only had Cachemate a few days, so might be overlooking it). Now, my PDA does have a regular Notes section (outside of Cachemate) that I do know can sync up with my PC. It simply transfers them to a Notes folder on my PC. However, my goal is be to be able to enter the notes on the 'Edit Log' page I previously mentioned and have them sync to GSAK.

 

Does this explanation clarify or confuse?!? :-)

[+brydawg]

After reading the replies, I decided I'd do a little looking around in Cachemate. There is an export option.

 

Here's what I did: I copied the GPX file that I loaded on the PDA (to have the original). Then, I updated notes on Cachemate on the PDA cache page using the 'Edit Log' I mentioned in the prior post. All I typed was "test-plz delete" and I choose 'Note' rather than 'Found.' I then used the Export option to export a new GPX file.

 

When I compared the original GPX file and the new exported file, this appeared at the bottom of the waypoint:

 

<cmlog:log version="1.1" found="false" log_type="1" xmlns:cmlog="http://www.smittyware.com/schema/cmdata/1/0">

<cmlog:notes>test-plz delete</cmlog:notes>

</cmlog:log>

</wpt>

 

If anybody wants to the entire waypoint, I can post it, but didn't know if that much detail is needed...let me know.

 

So, then I used GSAK to import the new GPX file and can't tell that anything happened. I did read the change log, but it did not show that anything happened to that particular cache...perhaps choosing 'Found' rather than note would have made a difference, but can't say for sure. So, that's where I'm at now. Next time I find a cache, I'll mark it with a 'Found' option on the PDA and try again to see what happens. Obviously, if you know more about this, I'm all ears!

Edited April 11, 2009 by brydawg

[jholly]

After reading the replies, I decided I'd do a little looking around in Cachemate. There is an export option.

 

Here's what I did: I copied the GPX file that I loaded on the PDA (to have the original). Then, I updated notes on Cachemate on the PDA cache page using the 'Edit Log' I mentioned in the prior post. All I typed was "test-plz delete" and I choose 'Note' rather than 'Found.' I then used the Export option to export a new GPX file.

 

When I compared the original GPX file and the new exported file, this appeared at the bottom of the waypoint:

 

<cmlog:log version="1.1" found="false" log_type="1" xmlns:cmlog="http://www.smittyware.com/schema/cmdata/1/0">

<cmlog:notes>test-plz delete</cmlog:notes>

</cmlog:log>

</wpt>

 

If anybody wants to the entire waypoint, I can post it, but didn't know if that much detail is needed...let me know.

 

So, then I used GSAK to import the new GPX file and can't tell that anything happened. I did read the change log, but it did not show that anything happened to that particular cache...perhaps choosing 'Found' rather than note would have made a difference, but can't say for sure. So, that's where I'm at now. Next time I find a cache, I'll mark it with a 'Found' option on the PDA and try again to see what happens. Obviously, if you know more about this, I'm all ears!

 

Yes, mark it found then GSAK will recognize it as a found log. GSAK does not recognize notes on import. By the way you can delete your own bogus notes or logs from the cache listing.

 

Jim

[+Prime Suspect]

Thanks for the website, jholly, looks like a lot of great macros!

 

Does your PDA have some sort of memo or note utility, and do you have a way to synch those to your PC?

 

Prime Suspect - When I'm looking at the cache information on the PDA (using Cachemate), there is a link called 'Edit Log.' When I click on that, it opens a notes page titled 'Log notes' and has a drop-down box where I can select Found, Not Found, etc... However, if I fill out the notes, I don't know what happens to them at that point or how to sync them (don't really see the options in Cachemate, but I've only had Cachemate a few days, so might be overlooking it). Now, my PDA does have a regular Notes section (outside of Cachemate) that I do know can sync up with my PC. It simply transfers them to a Notes folder on my PC. However, my goal is be to be able to enter the notes on the 'Edit Log' page I previously mentioned and have them sync to GSAK.

 

Does this explanation clarify or confuse?!? :-)

It confuses. The cachemate logging is very limited. But if you have a method of simply writing free-form text that can be exported to the PC, there's a better solution.

[+brydawg]

Thanks for the input! I appreciate all the advice.