Mac Questions

[+Tcaches]

Hi all! I'm enjoying my new addiction errr hobby, and so far cachers seem like a really cool group of people. Can I pick your brains?

 

I am new to caching and also just made the switch from a PC desktop to a Mac Laptop. So I'm doubly lost. I have created a pocket query and am trying to transfer it to my Garmin 60CSx. The pocket query shows up on my account here but doesn't transfer over. Could it be a Mac compatibility issue?

 

Any suggestions for Mac Caching? Thanks in advance!

[+nojoplusplus]

From what I understand from my brother in law (mac and garmin user) is that only certain garmin gps units can receive a pocket query directly. He was stuck entering his coordinates by hand. I pointed him to a program that is recommended by the people that make GSAK.

 

http://www.maccaching.com/

 

He said it doesn't allow him to do true paperless caching without a secondary device. He now uses his Ipod for the paperless stuff. The program does however allow for you to upload pocket queries.

[+flask]

as a bona-fide mac user, i'm going to give you the best advice i have: buy a pc laptop for the purposes of geocaching. wait until after the new OS comes out next month, since it's supposed to be better than that horrid vista.

 

none of the really good geocaching software is mac-friendly, and besides: would you want to leave your good mac on the front seat while you cache?

[+nojoplusplus]

Has anyone tried running GSAK on wine out there?

[+Tcaches]

From what I understand from my brother in law (mac and garmin user) is that only certain garmin gps units can receive a pocket query directly. He was stuck entering his coordinates by hand. I pointed him to a program that is recommended by the people that make GSAK.

 

http://www.maccaching.com/

 

He said it doesn't allow him to do true paperless caching without a secondary device. He now uses his Ipod for the paperless stuff. The program does however allow for you to upload pocket queries.

 

Thanks. Right now I'm using the MacBook to read over cache info, then sending the ones I want to visit to the 60CSx one at a time.

 

When I know I want to go to a certain cache, I pull it up on my itouch and take screen shots of the cache info. But I'm finding myself with a little time here and there while in random places, and wishing I could just say "what is nearby?" And I was hoping to carry less stuff with me. I'm looking through maccaching but it's not as intuitive as the other mac stuff.

 

Oh well. Not a perfect world I guess. Thanks for the suggestions!

[+Tcaches]

as a bona-fide mac user, i'm going to give you the best advice i have: buy a pc laptop for the purposes of geocaching. wait until after the new OS comes out next month, since it's supposed to be better than that horrid vista.

 

none of the really good geocaching software is mac-friendly, and besides: would you want to leave your good mac on the front seat while you cache?

 

Oh no the pretty new MacBook is not going caching with me. I really like the MacBook and it's only 4 days old- don't see yet another laptop in the works for a while. I couldn't wait to buy a computer and I wasn't going to buy Vista or take a chance on 7- I recall Microsoft making similar claims about how awesome Vista was going to be compared to XP. So I'm a Mac user for a while at least. Unless I can configure the dusty, ancient, slow laptop that has (Gasp) ME on it to work for caching.

 

Cachers seem to be cooler than your average bear. Sad that Mac, who likes that demographic, is lagging behind PCs.

 

Thanks for the thoughts!

[+SD Marc]

as a bona-fide mac user, i'm going to give you the best advice i have: buy a pc laptop for the purposes of geocaching. wait until after the new OS comes out next month, since it's supposed to be better than that horrid vista.

 

none of the really good geocaching software is mac-friendly, and besides: would you want to leave your good mac on the front seat while you cache?

 

What?

 

Download the Mac software from the Garmin site. Use Road Trip to import your GPX files, then send them to the GPS. I have a Mac, and (used to have) a 60 CSx, and I've never had a single issue.

 

You can use Communicator to send individual caches to your GPS. No problem.

 

There is software for loading maps to your GPS on the Garmin Mac page.

 

You can even get GCStatistic 2 for Mac and make one of those stats graphics for your profile.

 

There is absolutely no reason you can't use your Mac with your Garmin.

[+nojoplusplus]

This isn't on topic completely but since you mentioned it.... Windows 7 is actually a very good operating system. Microsoft is right on this one. They did a smart thing and let people download it and use it before they buy it (offer is over now). I have been using it for a few months and I love it.

 

Have you used Wine before? I am curious if Wine will run GSAK. That would solve your problems if it did.

[+HeliGeek]

I've been trying desperately to switch my geocaching stuff over to all Mac. I was initially having problems getting a serial adapter to work with my older units, but I've since replaced them with a USB-compatible GPSr (Garmin Oregon 300) and the device issues have gone.

 

Unfortunately, Mac Caching, while a really nice program, doesn't let me do what I want as far as paperless caching goes. I really prefer to use GSAK. I've since gotten a copy of Parallels for Mac, and I've loaded a VM of Windows XP in it that I use for all my stuff that doesn't support Mac directly. With this setup, I'm able to run GSAK, connect my GPSr and away I go!

 

Not the cheapest solution (Parallels ~ $40 and XP ~$99 new) but much less expensive than buying a second laptop just for geocaching. In fact, the XP license I used came from an old PC I converted to Linux, so I didn't even need to buy it. Using this setup, I could have even kept the older GPSrs, but the Oregon does paperless nicely.

[+nojoplusplus]

looks like the wine people have tested it. it tested in the Bronze range which means it probably works but may have hiccups

 

http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?...n&iId=13150

[+nojoplusplus]

I've been trying desperately to switch my geocaching stuff over to all Mac. I was initially having problems getting a serial adapter to work with my older units, but I've since replaced them with a USB-compatible GPSr (Garmin Oregon 300) and the device issues have gone.

 

Unfortunately, Mac Caching, while a really nice program, doesn't let me do what I want as far as paperless caching goes. I really prefer to use GSAK. I've since gotten a copy of Parallels for Mac, and I've loaded a VM of Windows XP in it that I use for all my stuff that doesn't support Mac directly. With this setup, I'm able to run GSAK, connect my GPSr and away I go!

 

Not the cheapest solution (Parallels ~ $40 and XP ~$99 new) but much less expensive than buying a second laptop just for geocaching. In fact, the XP license I used came from an old PC I converted to Linux, so I didn't even need to buy it. Using this setup, I could have even kept the older GPSrs, but the Oregon does paperless nicely.

 

Yeah I knew of that option too. But wasn't sure if the original poster had cost limitations. That does seem like the best setup and is quite useful for more than just caching.

[+nojoplusplus]

as a bona-fide mac user, i'm going to give you the best advice i have: buy a pc laptop for the purposes of geocaching. wait until after the new OS comes out next month, since it's supposed to be better than that horrid vista.

 

none of the really good geocaching software is mac-friendly, and besides: would you want to leave your good mac on the front seat while you cache?

 

What?

 

Download the Mac software from the Garmin site. Use Road Trip to import your GPX files, then send them to the GPS. I have a Mac, and (used to have) a 60 CSx, and I've never had a single issue.

 

You can use Communicator to send individual caches to your GPS. No problem.

 

There is software for loading maps to your GPS on the Garmin Mac page.

 

You can even get GCStatistic 2 for Mac and make one of those stats graphics for your profile.

 

There is absolutely no reason you can't use your Mac with your Garmin.

 

SD Marc, can you send pocket queries to the Garmin using there software? Does it send any of the details too or just the location of the cache?

[+flask]

 

none of the really good geocaching software is mac-friendly

 

i stand by my statement.

 

you can't beat GSAK.

 

when i cache, i expect to bulk-dump databases from my PQs with a minimum of hassle, with the fewest possible pieces of software.

 

all you need is GSAK and nroute and you are in business with a 60csx. real time navigating and database flexibility.

 

i run a dell laptop for this. i hear that if you ask dell nicely, they might put an older, more stable OS on it. they did when i got mine; they wouldn't for a while, but they might now if you ask nicely.

[+SD Marc]

as a bona-fide mac user, i'm going to give you the best advice i have: buy a pc laptop for the purposes of geocaching. wait until after the new OS comes out next month, since it's supposed to be better than that horrid vista.

 

none of the really good geocaching software is mac-friendly, and besides: would you want to leave your good mac on the front seat while you cache?

 

What?

 

Download the Mac software from the Garmin site. Use Road Trip to import your GPX files, then send them to the GPS. I have a Mac, and (used to have) a 60 CSx, and I've never had a single issue.

 

You can use Communicator to send individual caches to your GPS. No problem.

 

There is software for loading maps to your GPS on the Garmin Mac page.

 

You can even get GCStatistic 2 for Mac and make one of those stats graphics for your profile.

 

There is absolutely no reason you can't use your Mac with your Garmin.

 

SD Marc, can you send pocket queries to the Garmin using there software? Does it send any of the details too or just the location of the cache?

 

Yes, you can load PQs using Garmin's Mac software. It send some details, I don't know what GSAK sends, but a 60CSx doesn't hold a ton of the info, like an Oregon.

 

flask has a point about fewest pieces of software possible, but is another piece of hardware, with another operating system, really less? I've never used GSAK, I'm an Apple user, home and work, Garmin's stuff has worked well for me, but it's all I know.

[+nojoplusplus]

With GSAK it depends on what unit you are sending it to as far as what information it sends. To my Nuvi 270 it sends everything including the last 5 logs. To my magellan explorist 210 it sends the name, difficulty stats, date it was last found, and the first 50 characters of the hint.

 

It is quite a great program that someone should create an equivalent for mac for. The guy who made GSAK though said he wouldn't make it for anything but PC.

 

Does it send the hint or any of the rest of the data to the 60CSx directly from the PQ?

[+HeliGeek]

To clarify, with the new Oregon 300 (can't comment on the 60Csx as I don't have one), the Garmin Mac software works very well. I prefer to use GSAK though, because I prefer the versatility it offers from the cache information management standpoint. It's a shame that the authors aren't ever going to make a Mac port of GSAK. I'd gladly pay four times as much for it.

 

I'm just sayin'

Edited September 17, 2009 by HeliGeek

[+nojoplusplus]

To clarify, with the new Oregon 300 (can't comment on the 60Csx as I don't have one), the Garmin Mac software works very well. I prefer to use GSAK though, because I prefer the versatility it offers from the cache information management standpoint. It's a shame that the authors aren't ever going to make a Mac port of GSAK. I'd gladly pay four times as much for it.

 

I'm just sayin'

 

Yeah the guy probably just does it as a side project. I am sure keeping the windows version up to date is a time consuming project all on its own. And if he isn't familiar programming for the mac I can see how that could become a burden that he wouldn't be willing to bear.

 

It is on the frequently asked questions though. He just outright says that Windows is what he is familiar with and that is the way it is going to stay.

[+kimgh]

I'm a Mac purist, I suppose, and won't even use Boot Camp to load any version of Windows at home. I get enough Windows grief at work, thank you!

 

I have almost no problem uploading PQ's to my Garmin 60CS. I use GPSBabel+. It can be a bit fussy about downloading from the GPSr (USB issues), though I can fix that by choosing a different USB port on my laptop (the "front" one seems to be the best choice). But little problem uploading; it works beautifully.

 

There are other similar programs for the Mac; they all seem to be built on the original GPSBabel, which I guess is a Unix command line driven program.

 

Anyway, it works fine for me. And I DON'T take the laptop with me caching, but I do take my iPhone with the Groundspeak software, which works fine for casual caching and for the "paperless" caching part.