sharing a custom .gpx file

[+TXHooligans]

We have our yearly Texas Challenge coming up in a few weeks. I need to share a .gpx file of special caches with users who i'm sure will be caching with iphones.

 

i am not an iphone user so how do i send it to them so they can use it?

 

is there a particular applicaiton they need to use?

 

i have read that the official application for iphone does not import .gpx files.

 

simple question with just about anyother device. what about the iphone?

[+The A-Team]

We have our yearly Texas Challenge coming up in a few weeks. I need to share a .gpx file of special caches with users who i'm sure will be caching with iphones.

 

i am not an iphone user so how do i send it to them so they can use it?

 

is there a particular applicaiton they need to use?

 

i have read that the official application for iphone does not import .gpx files.

 

simple question with just about anyother device. what about the iphone?

Are these Geocaching.com listed caches? If so, you can't share them with others, as per the Waypoint License Agreement (bolding mine):

Licensee shall not sell, rent, lease, sublicense, lend, assign, time-share, or transfer, in whole or in part, or provide access to the Data, Related Materials, any updates, or Licensee's rights under this Agreement to any third party whatsoever.

If these are caches being placed just for the event, and will not be listed on Geocaching.com, then you can share all you want. Unfortunately, if they aren't listed, I don't think there's any way to get them into the app. I think they'd have to use a 3rd party app to navigate to them.

Sharing listed caches, though, is strictly not allowed.

[+TXHooligans]

Third party app is what we need.

 

Any recommendations?

[+The A-Team]

Third party app is what we need.

 

Any recommendations?

Sorry, I've never used any other apps. I've got a handheld GPS, so I only use the app to bring up additional information or if I'm caught without my GPSr. Try searching in the app store for "GPS", "waypoint", "coordinates", and you might find something that will work.

[Skippermark]

i have read that the official application for iphone does not import .gpx files.

The iPhone application will import GPX files as long as the person is a premium member. If the event caches are temporary and not getting published to GC.com, you could create a GPX file for attendees to use, but, as mentioned by The A-Team, GPX files & cache info from GC.com shouldn't be used.

 

The biggest question I'd ask is, how are attendees going to get the file? The way this feature works is, users have to upload the GPX file to their account from a computer and then, when they go into the iPhone app, the custom GPX file appears alongside any other PQs they've created. This would work if you send them the file the night before the event or if there was a computer at the event that they could use to log into their account.

 

I just wanted to add that the iPhone app allows people to manually enter coordinates, so if you printed out the coordinates, iPhone users will still be able to enter them into their phone, just like those with a handheld GPS will have to do.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Skippermark

[+TXHooligans]

the event is the 10 Annual Texas Challenge.. there are over 50 caches made available on flash drives to each of the teams in the state... and olklahoma. they are temporary caches just for the event.

 

us normal cachers with gpsrs and droids can load .gpx files easily from a laptop (no internet connection needed). the folks who cache with iphones, from where i sit and understand, have a problem. Apple's systems, in my limited experience, are quite closed(minded) when compared to other operating systems.

 

i can email the file to them, but then i cannot offer any instructions on what they can or need to do with it. if i could recomment an application or instructions it'd be a huge step in the right direction or possibly a solution.

 

it'd take more than the alotted hour to enter coords for this many caches into an iphone or any other thing a cacher might have with them. manual entry is not realestic.

 

I'm a new team captain for our newly recongnized region and want to be able to support all the cachers on my team. even those who use iphones. i know we'll have a great time if i can show a path over this small hurdle.

[+The A-Team]

The way this feature works is, users have to upload the GPX file to their account from a computer and then, when they go into the iPhone app, the custom GPX file appears alongside any other PQs they've created.

Are you sure this still works? Moun10Bike stated back in November that this was going away, and when I tried uploading a file just now, it didn't show up in the app. I first tried an exported GPX from GSAK. I then downloaded a GPX of one of my owned caches, and then immediately uploaded it as is, with no changes. It didn't show up either. If this functionality has truly been disabled, the associated webpage (http://www.geocaching.com/pocket/saved.aspx) should be removed or edited to explain the status. Cachers keep trying to use it and get frustrated when it doesn't work.

[Skippermark]

Are you sure this still works? Moun10Bike stated back in November that this was going away

I haven't tried it since about that time. I got rid of my iPhone in early December, and it was working before I got rid of it. I'll check now because I'm curious.