GPX files from Geocaching.com (identifying a find)

[+Aspelin]

Hi,

 

not quite sure I catched the right forum, but I'll give it a try here.

 

I'm playing around with the GPX I can generate from geocaching.com. I figured out that

a) downloading a single GPX from a specific cache listing will include my own log in the GPX regardless how many logs came later than that one

requesting a "My Finds" pocket query will generate GPX where all included caches will include my own log

c) requesting a free defined pocket query (e.g. from the map) will generate a GPX with the latest logs (5?) of the included caches included, but not necessarily including my own logs in case they would be older

 

First question: is the above right?

 

Now, why do I want to know? I'm trying to figure out how to identify a cache found by myself out of the GPX. As I am using GSAK I think I did understand that you identify this by looking for your own username in the logs included in the GPX. Well, then I took a GPX, deleted my own log from it, and loaded it into GSAK. And GSAK did still mark that as "found". So then I took a GPX, deleted my own log from it, changed the Geocache Code and ID and loaded it into GSAK. And GSAK did still mark that as "found".

 

Second question: How does GSAK identify my own "founds" even if the GPX (apparently) does not include any hint on that? (Or was my try just a result of some wierd database caching? Espcially after the second change to the GPX it should not have been found anymore...

 

Thanks for your help! & regards,

Oliver

Edited August 10, 2011 by Aspelin

[+fizzymagic]

First question: is the above right?

As far as I know, yes.

 

Second question: How does GSAK identify my own "founds" even if the GPX (apparently) does not include any hint on that? (Or was my try just a result of some wierd database caching? Espcially after the second change to the GPX it should not have been found anymore...

I agree with you. I do not understand it. My experience is that if I load a cache into GSAK that I have found but where my log is not in the GPX, it does not mark it as found. My guess is that you did not actually delete the entire log from the GPS file.

[+kayakerinme]

Now, why do I want to know? I'm trying to figure out how to identify a cache found by myself out of the GPX. As I am using GSAK I think I did understand that you identify this by looking for your own username in the logs included in the GPX. Well, then I took a GPX, deleted my own log from it, and loaded it into GSAK. And GSAK did still mark that as "found". So then I took a GPX, deleted my own log from it, changed the Geocache Code and ID and loaded it into GSAK. And GSAK did still mark that as "found".

 

Second question: How does GSAK identify my own "founds" even if the GPX (apparently) does not include any hint on that? (Or was my try just a result of some wierd database caching? Espcially after the second change to the GPX it should not have been found anymore...

 

Each geocache also includes:

<sym>Geocache</sym>

or

<sym>Geocache Found</sym>

[+fegan]

a) downloading a single GPX from a specific cache listing will include my own log in the GPX regardless how many logs came later than that one

requesting a "My Finds" pocket query will generate GPX where all included caches will include my own log

c) requesting a free defined pocket query (e.g. from the map) will generate a GPX with the latest logs (5?) of the included caches included, but not necessarily including my own logs in case they would be older

 

First question: is the above right?

 

Almost right:

a) 20 most recent logs...includes your logs

your logs for all caches you've found

c) 5 most recent logs...includes your logs

 

Bottom line, you always get your own logs regardless of which method you use.

[+Aspelin]

 

Each geocache also includes:

<sym>Geocache</sym>

or

<sym>Geocache Found</sym>

 

Hmm... I cannot see that in any of my GPXs... using GPX version 1.0.1 as set in my account details.

 

BR,

Oliver

[+HHL]

[…]

Hmm... I cannot see that in any of my GPXs... using GPX version 1.0.1 as set in my account details.

 

BR,

Oliver

 

You may have downloaded loc files from the PQ. Those files do NOT include these information.

 

Happy Hunting

Hans

[+Aspelin]

 

You may have downloaded loc files from the PQ. Those files do NOT include these information.

 

Happy Hunting

Hans

 

No, definitely not. I go to the page of a cache I have found and press the "GPX File" button. That file does contain neither a <sym> tag or a "Geocache found" statement.

 

BR,

Oliver

[+dfx]

No, definitely not. I go to the page of a cache I have found and press the "GPX File" button. That file does contain neither a <sym> tag or a "Geocache found" statement.

 

BR,

Oliver

 

Maybe you can give us an example of what you do see? Because the <sym> tag is most definitely there and has always been...

[+Aspelin]

 

Maybe you can give us an example of what you do see? Because the <sym> tag is most definitely there and has always been...

 

Hey, next try did work! No idea what happend with the first tries... (well I probably messed it up somewhere ) Thanks for fighting my stubborness!

 

So, this comes to the follow up question:

 

Using the <sym> tag does only help me if I know who downloaded the GPX file, right? It is nowhere in the GPX who downloaded it telling me who found it if the <sym> says Geocache found.

 

BR,

Oliver

[+dfx]

Using the <sym> tag does only help me if I know who downloaded the GPX file, right? It is nowhere in the GPX who downloaded it telling me who found it if the <sym> says Geocache found.

 

Yeah, the symbol represents the personal found status for that cache, for whoever downloaded the file. There's no way to tell if cacher X found cache Y just be downloading the GPX. You can go through the logs you get in the GPX, but you only get a certain number of logs. There's also nothing in the GPX telling you the username of who downloaded it, if that's what you're asking.