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Google Earth add-in removed


adrian.rutter

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wow !

 

Google earth link is gone ? I am definitely one of those 200, I used this every single time when looking for caches outside of my home area (I use PQ for those).

 

There is really no replacement for this and I am really pissed off because I am going on 2500 mile road trip in just one month and I wonder how will I plan for it now. I know there is the google map, but it's very slow, cumbersome to navigate and it just takes 5x as much time as it did in Google earth...

 

Very dissapointed in this decision ;)

 

That's OK. Someone will post in just a few minutes to tell you what a rube you were to like using GE and how everything that you possibly could do with it can be done better (if more slowly) with the other tools available.

 

There now, don't you feel better? :D

Edited by Road Rabbit
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Nate has said the KML is dead and will not be coming back...give it up and move on.

 

Fine... give us a few more PQs a day and all will be fine. Or the idea of previewing one in GE as mentioned above.

 

or the built in gc google map having a full page view feature.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this either. There's absolutely no reason that 5 PQs can't cover an area for the travel a normal person can do in one day...If you have 'regularly scheduled PQs' and you're traveling, turn off the 'regular' PQs and do the travel PQs.

 

Don't just gripe about the system...work WITH it.

 

I am working WITH the SYSTEM - I am following the request of Nate and making suggestions. I asked for a full screen gs google map or more PG's for traveling time. How is that griping?

 

The system STINKS if it cannot handle suggestions as you are demanding. I think the SYSTEM needs to remember its history. I will not say any more about that.

 

So pray tell me how following the system as suggested is griping?

Edited by Frank Broughton
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Add me to the list of 200 who regularly use the GE link. A moderator posted on the first page that an argument FOR discontinuation is the fact that relatively few geocachers have posted to protest. That's because MOST USERS DON'T KNOW IT'S BEING DISCONTINUED!!! I personally didn't realize it until I found out about it in a different thread. I used the kml successfully yesterday afternoon. I may be wrong, but I anticipate a flood of protests as it stops working and more and more people realize that it's not coming back. Maybe even all "200" people.

 

So why did I use GE instead of the maps here at Groundspeak?

 

1. I use GE Pro at work to map routes and areas for planning purposes. As an example, I'm working on a 110-mile long power transmission line route. I can turn on the caching KML to see caches near that route, as well as along roads used to access the route. NO way to do that in the regular maps. It would take hours to create a complicated custom "route" (for the cache-along-a-route feature, including all the various access roads and the line itself) so I could locate the same caches. I would have to draw a complicated line in GE, export as a KML, then convert it to a GPX using third-party software, then upload to Groundspeak, run the cache-along-a-route feature, then wait around for the email, then load the GPX back into GE.

 

1a. You can also easily overlay trail maps (GPX routes and direct image overlays), property boundaries, and park (and National Park) boundaries to help plan a caching trip. Not possible with the regular maps.

 

The fact that you can load a GPX into GE to see the locations is great... and an absolutely stupid argument. Let's compare times...

- Open KML file: Open GE, turn on the KML. 30 seconds max.

- Load GPX: Create pocket query, wait (patiently) for the email, load the GPX into GE. 15 mins minimum, and that's assuming you get all the caches you want in the PQ on the first try, and you don't have any delays with the email. And after 5 PQ's, you're done for 24 hours. I guess you could build your own offline database using PQ's and GSAK over a period of days (weeks for cache-dense area), but don't TBTP frown on offline databases??

 

2. One of my side activities is to find caches in different counties. There's NO way to do this using the regular maps (no county lines).

 

3. When planning a long trip, I use the GE overlay to set the route. I start with a basic route, then search for interesting caches for miles to the sides. Sometimes I'll deviate for miles to grab a cache just across a county line (same as 2).

 

4. I haven't used them much recently, but the regular maps were almost painfully slow. It would take minutes to reload the map after the smallest pan. Has that been fixed?

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Yet another of the '200' who used this feature regularly

 

To paraphrase a previous poster - The kml feature is an easy way for the non techicnal savy people like me to locate caches in an area or on different routes ...and take notes on the ones I like & devise a specific route.

 

I'm a non technical person too. People are making reference to GE & GPX files, dragging them across, overlays etc - you might as well be talking a foreign language to me, I have no idea what that means & how it will benefit me.

 

And, I'm not averse to trying out something new, but I only have basic IT knowledge, and limited opportunities to develop it to the level where I can understand & work through alternative processes.

 

I also find the Groundspeak maps slow to load & I struggle to get them to the specific locations I want to view

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Add me to the list of 200 who regularly use the GE link. A moderator posted on the first page that an argument FOR discontinuation is the fact that relatively few geocachers have posted to protest. That's because MOST USERS DON'T KNOW IT'S BEING DISCONTINUED!!! I personally didn't realize it until I found out about it in a different thread. I used the kml successfully yesterday afternoon. I may be wrong, but I anticipate a flood of protests as it stops working and more and more people realize that it's not coming back. Maybe even all "200" people.

 

Actually, it was announced to all here.

 

Just to bring things back in perspective, not sure if everyone posting realizes, but back at post #64 it was pointed out that it will not be back no matter how many messages there are asking for it.

 

In the announcement it also explained that the lack of use only made the decision somewhat easier however system performance was the deciding factor.

 

While maybe a pain, there are alternatives for doing everything that was listed here in the thread as reasons for keeping GE like boundaries such as counties, routing, etc. The change can be fought in a futile attempt to bring back GE or some of the suggested alternates can be accepted.

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Nate has said the KML is dead and will not be coming back...give it up and move on.

 

Fine... give us a few more PQs a day and all will be fine. Or the idea of previewing one in GE as mentioned above.

 

or the built in gc google map having a full page view feature.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this either. There's absolutely no reason that 5 PQs can't cover an area for the travel a normal person can do in one day...If you have 'regularly scheduled PQs' and you're traveling, turn off the 'regular' PQs and do the travel PQs.

 

Don't just gripe about the system...work WITH it.

 

I am working WITH the SYSTEM - I am following the request of Nate and making suggestions. I asked for a full screen gs google map or more PG's for traveling time. How is that griping?

 

The system STINKS if it cannot handle suggestions as you are demanding. I think the SYSTEM needs to remember its history. I will not say any more about that.

 

So pray tell me how following the system as suggested is griping?

I'm not 'demanding' anything. I said that there are other ways of doing things that will work within the current system.

 

Personally, I don't give a flying rip if you or anyone else in this thread are happy about the change or not...or if you are willing to adapt or not...I have my own way of doing my thing with caches and routes and it all works just fine. If you want to be unhappy, that's your choice.

Edited by Allanon
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A moderator posted on the first page that an argument FOR discontinuation is the fact that relatively few geocachers have posted to protest. That's because MOST USERS DON'T KNOW IT'S BEING DISCONTINUED!!!

 

I don't regularly trawl the forums...... If fact this is my 2nd time ever..... thus I too only found out about the KML files being discontinued TODAY... when 'trying' to use them...

:sad:

 

Why is it assumed that all geocachers automatically would have seen this on the Forum..?

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There are two schools of thought here. I'm not sure how close the divide is along the lines of "those who used GE/KML" and "those who did not use GE/KML". It does seem close. Typically, it would appear that those who did not use GE/KML are probably not in a position to assess the loss. I fear some uninformed opinion is being offered. I would respectfully request that those who did not have the GE/KML experience (and recently, as GE itself improved over the last couple of years) keep their own counsel. They really have little to offer as they don't know what the others have lost.

 

For all I know, it may be true that every capability available through the GE/KML interface is available elsewhere. I do not believe it, but stand to be corrected. I am utterly convinced, having used GE/KML frequently if not regularly, that the GE interface is far superior to anything else that's available. Using the PQ interface to take advantage of GE functionality is a woefully inferior alternative. Given the PQ restrictions, it's terribly inadequate. Perhaps if there were some PQ sharing functionality (I'll do 5 in Seattle; you do 5 in Chicago; we'll post them somewhere) it might make some difference. But that would still never add up to the same thing. (I have found the Follow-a-Route tool useless for my purposes.) In any case, web site navigation and instruction is a little weak.

 

Ultimately, although GS has spoken, certainly the customers should have a right to speak. Regardless of pronouncements like "never again", decisions can sometimes be reversed - sometimes in the light of overwhelming demand (which this is not, yet), and sometimes when circumstances change. A continued, joint, loud voice decrying this decision (or necessity) will register. If one day this tool can be returned, today's speech might further that result. Suggestion that some withhold their voice is, as the Brits would say, just not on.

 

Respectfully yours,

paul

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Add me to the list of 200 who regularly use the GE link. A moderator posted on the first page that an argument FOR discontinuation is the fact that relatively few geocachers have posted to protest. That's because MOST USERS DON'T KNOW IT'S BEING DISCONTINUED!!! I personally didn't realize it until I found out about it in a different thread. I used the kml successfully yesterday afternoon. I may be wrong, but I anticipate a flood of protests as it stops working and more and more people realize that it's not coming back. Maybe even all "200" people.

Actually, it was announced to all here.

 

Just to bring things back in perspective, not sure if everyone posting realizes, but back at post #64 it was pointed out that it will not be back no matter how many messages there are asking for it.

 

In the announcement it also explained that the lack of use only made the decision somewhat easier however system performance was the deciding factor.

 

While maybe a pain, there are alternatives for doing everything that was listed here in the thread as reasons for keeping GE like boundaries such as counties, routing, etc. The change can be fought in a futile attempt to bring back GE or some of the suggested alternates can be accepted.

I realize that it was officially announced back on 4/21. I also realize from reading this entire thread, that this feature will likely be gone forever. TPTB have a history of sticking with decisions in spite of outraged protest (except in a few situations where the vast majority of posters were united in protest). They also have a history of making these announcements in the manner of "Here's what we did (and here's why)! Love it or shut up!" as opposed to "Here's what we're planning on doing, any comment?"

 

As for "there are alternatives", please tell me how to QUICKLY see caches along trail maps that you've installed on GE. Yes, you can download a GPX, but PQs are premium member only, and downloading singles takes forever. Like this:

4ee5057f-8148-4953-bfde-83cf0e937eb6.jpg

 

How many caches are in Escambia County, Alabama? You can see county lines on the "MyTopo" option with the regular maps, but no where near this easily:

fa35da15-66ce-4fa7-b598-f1754b27f816.jpg

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:sad:

Add me to the 200 users of Google Earth KML.

So, if this feature has been removed, why is the "Caches along a route" feature still active?

You need to use a KML file to create a route to find caches while traveling.

You can't expect us to just use already created routes with such descriptive names as "My home to the cabin".

 

Is there any other way to find caches while traveling except downloading an entire state (or states) and using GSAK?

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:sad:

why is the "Caches along a route" feature still active?

You need to use a KML file to create a route to find caches while traveling.

You can't expect us to just use already created routes with such descriptive names as "My home to the cabin".

 

Is there any other way to find caches while traveling except downloading an entire state (or states) and using GSAK?

 

I'm sure you'll be treated to other suggestions, but...

 

You don't need a KML...a GPX route is fine.

 

I use Google Maps to create a route of up to 25 stops and then GMapToGPX to create a GPX file from that.

 

(But I don't want to minimize your loss...if all of the 200 didn't post we couldn't have judged how [in]valid that number was.)

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The other reason is that only about 200 users regularly accessed the Google Earth KML, and the performance hit to the site was grossly out of proportion with the return. In other words, it was making the site run quite slowly.
This statement contradicts itself:

 

1. Assuming the 200 users number is accurate, if there were only 200 regular users could not possibly tax a site that routinely has hundreds of members logged in at any given time, since the 200 would almost never be accessing the site at precisely the exact same time.

 

2. Using the approach of abandoning something when it isn't running quite right must make owning an automobile very expensive for TPTBs. Have they considered ....ummmm ....FIXING it instead of ditching it? If the server can't handle the extra bandwidth the tool requires, maybe it's time to use some of those $30 membership fees to -maybe - upgrade the server? Just a thought .....

 

Yes, GE had its flaws - the cache locations would bounce around like crazy when changing zoom levels. But it was oh so handy for calculating cache hunt walking distances using the ruler tool, and for determining good locations for new hides through the use of the waypoint tool. Both of these features are NOT available using the geocaching.com Google cache map.

 

I'm really disappointed that one of my favorite caching tools is going away. Yes, count me among those "200" who regularly use the feature (I think that figure is missing a few digits, personally).

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:sad:

why is the "Caches along a route" feature still active?

You need to use a KML file to create a route to find caches while traveling.

You can't expect us to just use already created routes with such descriptive names as "My home to the cabin".

 

Is there any other way to find caches while traveling except downloading an entire state (or states) and using GSAK?

 

The KML file that queries the database live in Google Earth is one thing.

 

The KML file that YOU create to show Geocaching.com your route is another thing.

 

Google Earth and Geocaching.com still work. It's just the ability to have Google Earth show the caches "live". You can even still drop a GPX file from your pocket query into Google Earth.

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:sad:

why is the "Caches along a route" feature still active?

You need to use a KML file to create a route to find caches while traveling.

You can't expect us to just use already created routes with such descriptive names as "My home to the cabin".

 

Is there any other way to find caches while traveling except downloading an entire state (or states) and using GSAK?

 

I'm sure you'll be treated to other suggestions, but...

 

You don't need a KML...a GPX route is fine.

 

I use Google Maps to create a route of up to 25 stops and then GMapToGPX to create a GPX file from that.

 

(But I don't want to minimize your loss...if all of the 200 didn't post we couldn't have judged how [in]valid that number was.)

 

 

Thanks for this tip about GMapToGPX . It doesn't solve all of the problems and worries mentioned in this thread, but it's a very useful tool that I hadn't heard of before.

 

One big advantage of using Google Maps (rather than GE) to build a route is the ability to manually change the route by dragging the line around. For example, if you want to go from Orlando to Miami via Tampa (which is not the direct route), you can just use the mouse to drag the suggested route so that it goes through Tampa. Then use GMapToGPX to save the altered route and use that as the basis for your PQ.

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Is there any way to reduce the server load and keep the KML active?

 

Suggestions:

- make it a premium-only feature

- re-configure it to download and cache the data instead of using only live data.

Or perhaps we could get some input on the suggestion I made in post #88. From the people who use the KML file, would that compromise work for you? From Groundspeak, would that compromise work for you?

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Or perhaps we could get some input on the suggestion I made in post #88. From the people who use the KML file, would that compromise work for you? From Groundspeak, would that compromise work for you?

I thought I'd read the entire thread, but must have skimmed over your post. Here it is:

How about the ability to preview a PQ in Google Earth, much like the capability to view a travel bug track in Google Earth. A user can create a PQ and then click preview in GE. The system would generate the KML file for the PQ which shouldn't cost any more than generating the preview in Google Maps that is currently available. Most people will have KML files associated with GE so their browser would download the find an display it in GE. Since it's a preview it wouldn't count against the PQ limits. You'd loose the ability to pan and zoom in GE to see new areas, though I expect it won't take long for someone to create a application to take the parameters from GE and create a PQ on the fly from your view. But you gain the ability to apply all the filters available in PQs to the caches you get in the KML file. In the meantime you'd avoid the load on the system from people who never adjusted their refresh parameters and were requesting KML downloads whenever they panned or zoomed their view in GE. Of course some will realize that you can preview 500 cache, adjust your PQ a little to get 500 more and do this many times to get the coordinates for a large number of caches downloaded to your computer. So Groundpeak may want to continue to fudge the coordinates in the KML files that are sent this way. (To get accurate coordinates you'd have get the GPX file and this would count against your PQ limit.)

Personally, I like the idea of previewing pocket queries in Google Earth.

 

Here's another suggestion: Modify the kml so that it doesn't automatically refresh on pan and zoom. Force the user to manually refresh after the first time.

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Or still make the KML file available for people to use. 200 is Not that many, and so thusly they don't tax the system that much. Actually, Its BETTER for them to use Google Earth. That way, the Maps are coming from google(1 server), and the geocaches are coming from another(1 server). Why is it that 2 brains(servers) is a BAD thing in this case. I've always stayed with the premice that Having More servers than are actually needed(like 2 placed in Seattle, 2 in NYC, and 2 in Europe currently) would actually Decrease the load on any one point in the grid.

 

Of course, this is Only 3 Years of College talking...

 

The Steaks

 

P.S. If you Somehow loose your file, you Might be able to find it on my website... something like gckml.kmz or something like that...

Edited by eagsc7
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So, then Am I considered 1 or 3 people? I have 1 Account, but I use Google Earth on 3 computers(depends where I am at the time). Of course, sometimes my wife uses it as well... so then could I be counted as 2 instead of 1 or 3.

 

Our vote is to bring it back.

 

Now just to see if the Old file still works. Hopefully it still does.

 

The Steaks

I think the point of "number of users" relative to value misses the point. There are many things that I do only rarely but the value of that access to whatever I do whenever I do it is of great value to me at the time. I like many (certainly far more than 200!) may only use GE once a week or 2X a month...but when I do it is of great value. Especially because I can overlay many other GE attributes to the location that help prioritize where I go and what I do. My small vote is to bring it back..redundant or not.

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Nate has said the KML is dead and will not be coming back...give it up and move on.

 

Fine... give us a few more PQs a day and all will be fine. Or the idea of previewing one in GE as mentioned above.

 

or the built in gc google map having a full page view feature.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this either. There's absolutely no reason that 5 PQs can't cover an area for the travel a normal person can do in one day...If you have 'regularly scheduled PQs' and you're traveling, turn off the 'regular' PQs and do the travel PQs.

 

Don't just gripe about the system...work WITH it.

 

I am working WITH the SYSTEM - I am following the request of Nate and making suggestions. I asked for a full screen gs google map or more PG's for traveling time. How is that griping?

 

The system STINKS if it cannot handle suggestions as you are demanding. I think the SYSTEM needs to remember its history. I will not say any more about that.

 

So pray tell me how following the system as suggested is griping?

I'm not 'demanding' anything. I said that there are other ways of doing things that will work within the current system.

 

Personally, I don't give a flying rip if you or anyone else in this thread are happy about the change or not...or if you are willing to adapt or not...I have my own way of doing my thing with caches and routes and it all works just fine. If you want to be unhappy, that's your choice.

 

You made a direct statement, I construed it as demanding. You claim it was not - I believe you. BUT - if you do not give a rip then you would be ignoring this thread and not instead displaying such a poor attitude. No? Is your condescending remarks really necessary?

 

I am very happy - happy - happy - happy! Loosing a feature for a software program does not effect my happiness in the slightest Alannon.

 

I am not the only one who read you as being demanding.... I see you ignored the other post. Perhaps you should ignore the whole thread. I will not as I am not interested in backwards only forward. Thought the state of Washington was the king of the progressives?

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Nate has said the KML is dead and will not be coming back...give it up and move on.

 

Fine... give us a few more PQs a day and all will be fine. Or the idea of previewing one in GE as mentioned above.

 

or the built in gc google map having a full page view feature.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this either. There's absolutely no reason that 5 PQs can't cover an area for the travel a normal person can do in one day...If you have 'regularly scheduled PQs' and you're traveling, turn off the 'regular' PQs and do the travel PQs.

 

Don't just gripe about the system...work WITH it.

 

KML was particularly useful *before* generating the PQs, because you were able to choose your route according to your findings. That's not possible with PQ, but you will have to use the inferior GM.

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I was a frequent user of the KML feature, but only as a way to circumvent the 500 cache limit in the PQ's for planning road trips or preparing new cache sites. It seems that I rapidly consume my 5 PQ limit a day when doing advanced planning (for what ever reason). Though I completely understand the desire to offload server workload, it would be nice to have a tool that offset the loss of that feature. Maybe "upping" the 500 cache limit in a PQ to 1,000? Maybe changing the 5 PQ's per day to 25 per week? Life will go on in the caching community without the KML function, and it will not be too long before some smart person comes up with a work around. It was nice while it lasted :D

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Why bother...?

GC, and all the moderators here, has already made the decision.

Being a user since 2005 I've been pleased with the cross over with GE and I also am one of the 200.

The moderator who put that up should be relieved of their duties!

They already failed to support GC's decision accurately further degrading the issues at hand.

 

My vote is to bring back the GE crossover; if that is not possible then state why (simple like so us ignorants can understand).

Then perhaps GC could make it a paying item and let us all choose if we want it and if we do then let us pay for it; capitalism at its best ya know!

Also with that in mind GC might think to have different levels a person might be able to purchase for PQ's. 5 tends to be fine for someone hanging around close to home but going on a trip or planning time out and about competing in challenges and so forth makes 5 a limit I'd be happy to purchase and increase for... If It Were Available That Is!!!

GC, aka Jeremy isn’t such a bad guy but he has a SERIOUS track record of doing things “His Own Way, and to Hell with the rest of Us”… Case in point would be the changes with Virtuals and WebCam Caches. The outcry was for them to be allowed but he changed the rules and didn’t mind an ounce. It is despicable that there is SO LITTLE user/customer input in to GC; this is almost as bad as the BAD MOUTHING moderators who have posted up in this string…

Why bother...?

Nothing will change for it has already changed and 200 of us have been left in the dust…

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Then perhaps GC could make it a paying item and let us all choose if we want it and if we do then let us pay for it; capitalism at its best ya know!

Also with that in mind GC might think to have different levels a person might be able to purchase for PQ's. 5 tends to be fine for someone hanging around close to home but going on a trip or planning time out and about competing in challenges and so forth makes 5 a limit I'd be happy to purchase and increase for... If It Were Available That Is!!!

 

Sounds like the actions of a company positioning itself to offer various levels of service for increasing levels of price. (Think cable providers....)

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Add me to the list of 200 users. The GE KML plug-in was one of the coolest features of geocaching.com and easily the feature I use the most often. After a day of caching I simply fire up Google Earth and grab my track log from my GPSr, and then use the caches shown from the KML along my track to quickly jump to the GC.com page for the cache and log my visit. The fact that this is being discontinued for performance reasons is really a bit dispiriting, as performance issues should be fairly straightforward to solve. Taking away the feature rather than fixing the underlying perf issues is something of a step backward. I will miss this feature greatly but I'm guessing it won't be too long before it either comes back or someone finds a clever way to provide the same capability.

 

I'll also say that the coolest part of KML was just being able to randomly "spin the globe" and see what kind of geocaches were around that area. I was explaining geocaching to my mother-in-law (who is of Norwegian heritage) and when she mused whether there were any caches near some fjord in Norway, I just punched in the fjord name in GE and it took us to that location and then a bunch of caches popped up. I've done this over and over with friends and family and they always get a kick out of it. Losing that kind of spontaneous tie to the geocache data is really too bad.

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I'm heading out to a bookstore, preferably Chapters. I'd like to grab a cache or two in the neighbourhood. So I fire up GE, search on Chapters (immediate results) and, with the GC KML loaded, look at the neighbourhood caches deciding which to target. Elapsed time to cache perusal: less than 1 minute.

 

Can anybody tell me how I'll do this once I can no longer see all the caches in GE?

 

Surely you won't say this:

  1. Determine the address of ONE POSSIBLE book store
  2. Create a PQ based on that address
  3. Wait, sometimes 2-3 hours, for the PQ results to be emailed
  4. Load the PQ into GE
  5. Repeat for other candidate bookstores

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I'm heading out to a bookstore, preferably Chapters. I'd like to grab a cache or two in the neighbourhood. So I fire up GE, search on Chapters (immediate results) and, with the GC KML loaded, look at the neighbourhood caches deciding which to target. Elapsed time to cache perusal: less than 1 minute.

 

Can anybody tell me how I'll do this once I can no longer see all the caches in GE?

 

Surely you won't say this:

  1. Determine the address of ONE POSSIBLE book store
  2. Create a PQ based on that address
  3. Wait, sometimes 2-3 hours, for the PQ results to be emailed
  4. Load the PQ into GE
  5. Repeat for other candidate bookstores

 

I won't say that it's anywhere near as easy as with GE, but you don't have to do steps 3 or 4.

 

As soon as you create the PQ (even if you don't ask for it by email), there's a one-click "Preview in Google Maps" icon right next to it.

 

Please do not construe this as a vote against the live KML feature: I loved it and I'd like it back! :D

Edited by Urubu
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I'm heading out to a bookstore, preferably Chapters. I'd like to grab a cache or two in the neighbourhood. So I fire up GE, search on Chapters (immediate results) and, with the GC KML loaded, look at the neighbourhood caches deciding which to target. Elapsed time to cache perusal: less than 1 minute.

 

Can anybody tell me how I'll do this once I can no longer see all the caches in GE?

 

Surely you won't say this:

  1. Determine the address of ONE POSSIBLE book store
  2. Create a PQ based on that address
  3. Wait, sometimes 2-3 hours, for the PQ results to be emailed
  4. Load the PQ into GE
  5. Repeat for other candidate bookstores

 

I won't say that it's anywhere near as easy as with GE, but you don't have to do steps 3 or 4.

 

As soon as you create the PQ (even if you don't ask for it by email), there's a one-click "Preview in Google Maps" icon right next to it.

 

Please do not construe this as a vote against the live KML feature: I loved it and I'd like it back! :D

No need to even create a PQ. Just enter the address of the bookstore in the Zoom to Address box on the Geocaching Google Maps page.

 

But if you want to look at the caches in Google Earth you'd need to get a GPX file which could take some time and limits you to 5 per day with only 500 caches each. My guess is that some people found it easier to pan and zoom in GE and took advantage of the way it handled areas with more than 500 caches when you were zoomed out. Also, it is clear that GE integrated the caches better with other capabilities, whether it was the ability to do local POI searches, draw boundary lines (e.g. for counties), or draw tracks. In fact, I'll miss the capability to look at waymarks (using the Waymarking KML) along with geocaches.

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This has probably been mentioned but I dont care to sift through this entire thread.

 

Maybe is only used by 200 people at any given time.

 

That would make much more sense. It's hard to beleive anyone would even say only 200 people used it. That is illogical. Think of the majority of people that don't even use the forums.

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This has probably been mentioned but I dont care to sift through this entire thread.

 

Maybe is only used by 200 people at any given time.

 

That would make much more sense. It's hard to beleive anyone would even say only 200 people used it. That is illogical. Think of the majority of people that don't even use the forums.

They said it had 200 regular users. I would assume that means about 200 people who used it more than a certain number of times in a certain time frame. You can ask Groundspeak what those ranges are, if you wish, but don't rewrite their words.

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Thanks beejay&esskay!

Since this all happened since I started on vacation, I was a bit upset since my route was unplanned except for the first leg.

 

The GmapToGPX utilitywith Google Maps does work and even allows for route adjustment, something that Google Earth made difficult. The only complaint is the kludge of having to cut and paste using such advance tools as notepad. Also, it doesn't work in Opera, my browser of choice. Of course Opera also refuese to gecognize GPX file as anything other than XML documents. But that's a separate issue.

I've successfully imported Google Map routes into a GPX for creating 2 Pocket Queries for my leg between Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and Baltimore and Wheeling.

 

Now if Jeremy could just do something about the 5 days of rain that has kept me from doing much caching on my trip. :D

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Now if Jeremy could just do something about the 5 days of rain that has kept me from doing much caching on my trip. :D

I may be wrong, but I believe Jeremy only has the power to control caching weather on the west coast of the USA.

 

Back OT, any word on any of the great suggestions in this thread to reduce KML load and keep some of the GE benefits?

 

- Ability to preview PQ results in GE? (not real-time, but much better than waiting on emails)

- Make it premium only? (I've always been surprised that such a powerful cache-finding tool was free)

- Revise it to require manual refreshes? (this in itself would greatly reduce the load from people who just leave it on all the time and hit the server every time they twitch their mouse)

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Maybe is only used by 200 people at any given time.

They said it had 200 regular users. I would assume that means about 200 people who used it more than a certain number of times in a certain time frame. You can ask Groundspeak what those ranges are, if you wish, but don't rewrite their words.

I didn't rewrite their words. I didn't see where that was written. This is why i said maybe.

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I used it a bunch; I'm very disappointed. If something with only 200 users caused performance problems, then they should fix the performance problem, not kill the feature. GE is way better for browsing areas than that little map window, IMO.

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As a somewhat frequent user (in my own opinion) I'm sad to see this go, but I will survive. I can still do other things (routes, GoogleMaps, etc.) to get what I want.

 

I'm planning a trip to Yellowstone from California soon and GE would be the easiest way, but not the only way to do this. It will take more time now but it is what it is.

 

I work in technology and understand that sometimes these things have to be done - that's just life.

 

edit: typos

Edited by Kealia
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I too loved the KML file. I thought it was excellent for planning long cache trips. It helped for plotting out multi's, checking cache proximity and measuring distances. I hope that it gets brought back as google earth is truly an indispensable tool and GPX files just won't cut it in cache dense areas.

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I travel a lot for work, and like to Geocache along the route. I always use Google earth to export a KML file that I bring into GC.com to build a pocket Queries, Find Caches Along a Route. Does the mean I will no longer be able to do this? If this is the case then I am very upset, as I use it all the time! How else can I find caches between here and there within a reasonable distance from the highway? This function was one of the main reasons I got a paid membership!

Please tell me I am misunderstanding this and I will still be able to cache along a route from Google Earth.

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**This was a duplicate but when I cleaned it up my other post magically disappeared.**

 

I am right there with most of you, although I can understand the scalability issues, as I live them daily...

 

Personally, I like the ability to use the more "real-time" features of GE and be able to use my own overlays, and other datasources to see various features on my maps. Sure I could do it all with a static GPX file, but then why can Groundspeak not also take that approach...

 

What about instead of allowing the KML generation from the LIVE production database you actually take a repository approach and cache the Geocache data the night before and allow KML generation for the repository versus actually hitting the backend RDBMS increasing the load, using the extra threads, as well as I/o and resource contention. With that approach you could actually make it much more responsive and lighter weight from my blind perspective.

 

So what I blindly envision is to instantiate a repository and using a "universal form" of attribute/value pairs for data storage and relation. Then create a trigger or macro / utility (DTS Package) to query the RDBMS (could even be the backup RDBMS after using a DTS package for replication) pull the delta from the last run and update the repository with the delta.

 

I see this as a trade off versus a total elimination. Yes the data will not be truly "real time" and will not have the latest caches published since the delta apply in it, but will have a snapshot of when the last delta was applied and could potentially reduce resource loads on the other servers providing data needed for the rest of the site to function properly.

Edited by renruts
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I travel a lot for work, and like to Geocache along the route. I always use Google earth to export a KML file that I bring into GC.com to build a pocket Queries, Find Caches Along a Route. Does the mean I will no longer be able to do this? If this is the case then I am very upset, as I use it all the time! How else can I find caches between here and there within a reasonable distance from the highway? This function was one of the main reasons I got a paid membership!

Please tell me I am misunderstanding this and I will still be able to cache along a route from Google Earth.

 

Nope that feature is not going away.. actually it's being improved.. very soon you'll see that you have the ability to create routes directly on the site with no need to upload a KML file.

 

-Raine

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