Pocket Query in MapSource-format

[+hedberg]

We think that we and many other use Garmin MapSource. Is it possible to get the Pocket Query in .wpt format, so we can easily import the waypoints into the Mapsource-program and see all the caches there?

 

Right now we must go thru a program called BabelGPS. But it would make our geocachinglifes much easier if it was possible to get the right kind of datafile from the beginning, if you understand what we mean?

 

www.hedbergx3.tk

[robertlipe]

Although I've offered to make any changes to GPSBabel required by Groundspeak to allow such an option, it's a slippery slope.

 

Maybe you like GC#'s instead of names. Maybe you hunt with a banana instead of a vista so you need 6 character names instead of 35. Maybe you hunt with a banana AND a vista, so you need both. Maybe you like smart icons and maybe you don't. Maybe you use both Mapsource and Streets and Trips. Maybe you want control clicks in S&T to refer to local GPX2HTML output on your laptop instead of back to the geocaching.com site. There are zillions of possible combinatorics to "get the right kind of datafile from the beginning".

 

GPSBabel was meant to be automatable. (I run it from my program that processes incoming mail; you may or may not have such options.) It can be started right from the "download these coords" links or put in a http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/os/Windows_Drag_and_Drop.html thingy on your desktop. The idea is that once you figure out the options that you like, you should never have to actually interact with GPSBabel - it should be nice and boring.

 

Signed,

The Chief Babel-Head.

 

[This message was edited by robertlipe on November 05, 2003 at 08:30 AM.]

[+hedberg]

Sounds interesting, but how do I do a BATCH-file?

 

www.hedbergx3.tk

[+hedberg]

i think I managed to do a batchfile and when I drop a GPX-file on it, a new window opens and I see all the caches pass by. A lot of rows with caches. But then? No file to be found, neither in the directory of GPSBABEL or EUDORA, or anywhere????

 

www.hedbergx3.tk

[+Marky]

It sounds like you didn't specify an output file type? (Note that you can specify multiple output types on the same line, no need to call the program twice.)

 

--Marky

...Be nice to your fellow geocachers, they might be Hemlock...

[+hedberg]

I hope you can understand me, all I asked for, was if it is possible to make a change here at geocaching.com so there can be a third choice for pocket queries. Now we can get .LOC and .GPX - but none of these can be used in the map-program.

 

I assume that I'm not the only user of Mapsource here at geocaching.com, so it would probably make the life much easier for people if we could recieve a third datafile also in a format that is supported by MapSource and other similar programs.

 

It feels a little bit strange to first get it in the mail, then start a program like GPSBABEL and flip around over the harddrive to search for the correct files, save it in the correct place etc, and then open the MapSourceprogram to see where the caches are hidden.

We are living in the 21th century, so it should be easier?

 

Regards,

 

Claes - living in Sweden where almost everything can be done by internet. You can pay your bills on the internet, you can get your bills sent to your internetbank instead of receiving a papercopy by snailmail. You can do your taxes by internet etc... Therefor it seems strange that we can't get a simple file in a third format, to reduce the number of steps before we can use it?

 

www.hedbergx3.tk

[+hedberg]

Comment to Marky:

 

I just wrote everything right off the link he posted. Was that wrong? What should I write instead?

 

www.hedbergx3.tk

[+hedberg]

I hope you doesn't think I'm rude. I'm not so good in expressing (does it spells that way?) myself in english.

 

www.hedbergx3.tk

[+kevin917z]

when i can get my pocket queries within reasonable time, i use a program called easymps, which converts the .gpx to .mps or converts it and opens it in mapsource in one step

[+The Wet Coast Explorers]

Here, here. EasyMPS is the easiest way to go!

[+sbell111]

I use to just upload the coords to my GPSr using EasyGPS and download from the GPSr to Mapsource. It was easy and didn't require additional software. Unfortunately, I now use S&T to perform my routing. Therefore, I downloaded GPSBabel to make the translation. It always takes me a little while to get it to work right, but thats just because I don't have it down yet.

[+alexm]

Comment to Marky:<BR><BR>I just wrote everything right off the link he posted. Was that wrong? What should I write instead?<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.hedbergx3.tk" TARGET=_blank>www.hedbergx3.tk</a>

Your batch file for gpsbabel should look *exactly* like this to do what you are asking:

 

@echo off
gpsbabel.exe -i gpx -f %1 -o mapsource -F %1.mps

 

Why doesn't geocaching.com offer mapsource as a dowload option? If they did one, then they'd have to do the rest when someone asked. NG Topo!, Topo USA, Mapsend, OziExplorer, etc... (GPSBabel currently converts between 40 different formats). By offering GPX format, they have essentially pushed the work for handling mutliple formats to third party applications like GPSBabel, EasyMPS, ExpertGPS, and the like. Which one(s) you use are, of course, personal preference.

 

Or better than that, everyone should start pounding on the software makers (Delorme, Garmin, Magellan, etc...) to natively support the GPX format instead of everyone coming up with their own crazy file formats.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Alex

Edited November 21, 2003 by alexm

[+RocketMan]

Or better than that, everyone should start pounding on the software makers (Delorme, Garmin, Magellan, etc...) to natively support the GPX format instead of everyone coming up with their own crazy file formats.

Great point! Why is it taking them so long to pull their heads out of the sand and start offering this import option? Maybe Garmin will get the hint and incorporate the GPX import option into MapSource sometime soon. They are putting geocaching specific features into their next generation GPS's.

 

Rocket Man