Geocaching Map Enhancements

July 11, 2016

I have just changed the script, and OS maps are now working. but I have now lost Map Quest, and map quest areal on the cache page

July 11, 2016

I have just changed the script, and OS maps are now working. but I have now lost Map Quest, and map quest areal on the cache page

Please see the latest Release Notes for the background of this change.

July 11, 2016

I have just changed the script, and OS maps are now working. but I have now lost Map Quest, and map quest areal on the cache page

Please see the latest Release Notes for the background of this change.

hadn't see this, thank you.

July 12, 2016

I've now released a bugfix update: GME v0.7.3.2. Greasemonkey / Tampermonkey ought to auto-update in due course, but if you are impatient or installed a modified version, you might need to get it directly from https://openuserjs.org/users/JRI/scripts

Hopefully this will fix the current problems, but I've not done much testing, so let me know if there are other issues. This version should remove all trace of Mapquest from GME, and set OSM to be the default map.

The reason the changes to the website broke GME so badly was that Groundspeak now include Google Maps as an option even when you have Leaflet Maps selected in your Map Preferences. As both map engines are loaded at the same time, GME couldn't work out which you were using, and quit because it assumed you had the wrong one. I've now disabled this test, so GME should work fine again when your preference is Leaflet. As before, it won't work when Google is selected as your preferred mapping engine, but as my Premium membership lapsed some while ago, I can no longer test quite how gracefully it fails (or not). If any PM knows enough Javascript to give me a reliable test, let me know!

July 12, 2016

Thanks very much JRI.

July 12, 2016

I have exactly the same problem as Muddy Puddles.

Yup, me too.

Makes me realize how much I used this extension - lost without it!

Thank you for that quick fix, it's greatly appreciated!

July 13, 2016

I've now released a bugfix update: GME v0.7.3.2. Greasemonkey / Tampermonkey ought to auto-update in due course, but if you are impatient or installed a modified version, you might need to get it directly from https://openuserjs.org/users/JRI/scripts

Hopefully this will fix the current problems, but I've not done much testing, so let me know if there are other issues. This version should remove all trace of Mapquest from GME, and set OSM to be the default map.

The reason the changes to the website broke GME so badly was that Groundspeak now include Google Maps as an option even when you have Leaflet Maps selected in your Map Preferences. As both map engines are loaded at the same time, GME couldn't work out which you were using, and quit because it assumed you had the wrong one. I've now disabled this test, so GME should work fine again when your preference is Leaflet. As before, it won't work when Google is selected as your preferred mapping engine, but as my Premium membership lapsed some while ago, I can no longer test quite how gracefully it fails (or not). If any PM knows enough Javascript to give me a reliable test, let me know!

July 13, 2016

Thanks from me too jri, much appreciated.

July 16, 2016

Obviously I had cracked this a while back as Chrome works nicely with the OS Mapping - but I've moved (back) to Firefox and had to "learn" how to do it again, along with recovering my key from the Bing Maps Centre.

Got the key, copied the script, inserted my rediscovered key, copied the revised script into the box to the left of "Add", click the "Add" button and bingo! OS Mapping nicely in FF as well as in Chrome.

Thank you JRI, I used to do machine code back in the days of Zilog Z80 microprocessor in the mighty Sinclair Spectrum (All Hail Rodney Zaks) but now with bus-pass in hand and State Pension imminent, it's all too difficult!

August 29, 2016

Suddenly I am not seeing the GME Menu on the map page. Also there are two of the 'rop-down' map selection icons at the top right of the map page.

Using latest Version of Firefox.

Happens on all our PCs.

Has there been a recent GC web page change that has broken things?.

August 29, 2016

I keep getting that as well, refreshing the page usually fixes it for me.

I think it must be a server problem - there's quite a few other things going wrong as well at the moment, it's affecting c:geo as well.

6.2k · August 29, 2016

I had that too earlier, but seems OK now.

August 30, 2016

Suddenly I am not seeing the GME Menu on the map page. Also there are two of the 'rop-down' map selection icons at the top right of the map page.

Using latest Version of Firefox.

Happens on all our PCs.

Has there been a recent GC web page change that has broken things?.

I got the same problem, since the last weekend and refreshing the page, doesn't fix it for me

Edited August 30, 2016 by Arnos99

August 30, 2016

Same here but a page refresh seems to sort it out for me too. Firefox.

August 30, 2016

Sort of got the menu back.

Upgraded Firefox to 48.0.2.

Did this: http://geo.inge.org.uk/gme_trouble.htm#resetconfig - Be very careful, that will also loose your Bing Key, so copy it beforehand and copy any other settings you have

I now have the menu back. Of course, could be a co-incident.

However, as soon as I add gccomment I'll loose the menu again. Map Enhancements never worked with 'gc little helper', now also not with gccomment.

Any clever person out there that has a clue where the problem might lie, other than gc fiddling with their maps again?

September 1, 2016

Just discovered the same problem myself today (grr, no alert from the forums). I've got some kid-free time over the next few days, so I'll try to get a fix sorted out.

September 1, 2016

Thanks JRI.

September 1, 2016

Thanks JRI.

I second that

September 1, 2016

OK, I've fixed the first part of the problem (no GME icons). For the desperate, a somewhat-working version of the script is available on GitHub at https://github.com/JRInge/userscripts/raw/GME-Development/GeocachingMapEnhancements/Geocaching_Map_Enhancements.user.js

If you do try the GitHub version, it may break the auto-update in Greasemonkey. Be sure to re-install the "official" version when I announce it here.

I still need to fix the extra map selection icon, and I was going to do some work to the cache page maps too. Unfortunately I'm just getting "500 - Server Error" from the website right now, which probably means it's overloaded again. As I can't do any more testing at the moment, I'm going to go out caching instead.

September 2, 2016

Glad you're on the case! Update half-fixes things, can find the GMR in the sidebar now.

I hit the 500 error yesterday too - raised a ticket with HQ and it sorted itself shortly afterwards, then a response to my ticket confirming they had issues.

September 2, 2016

The geocaching maps page keeps locking up my Firefox.

I get a pop up "A script on this page may be busy, or it may have stopped responding", pressing 'continue' or 'stop script' makes no difference, haven't tried 'Debug script'. It usually appears while scrolling the map. It freezes Firefox completely - the only way out is to fire up the task manager and kill Firefox.

It started happening a few days ago, coinciding with all the other high-jinks with double menus, missing options etc.

September 2, 2016

I think most of these problems are caused by Groundspeak's server issues. From what I figured out yesterday, the symptoms with GME are caused by GME trying to modify the map page before all the scripts from the geocaching.com servers have loaded and run properly. I can work around the issues to an extent by building more checking into the GME script, but it's hard to test and figure out what needs fixing: if the server is running too well, everything works fine and I can't see a problem. If it's too bad, then I get the 500 error and nothing works!

The same problems are probably also behind the issue where the map page loads, but clicking on a cache icon doesn't do anything. Whenever you move the mouse over a map tile, there is a request to the server to ask whether any caches are in the area, which has to be answered before you can click on the icon. After you've clicked, there's another request to fetch the information about the cache. Overloaded servers can break the website at any of these stages.

September 2, 2016

I think most of these problems are caused by Groundspeak's server issues. From what I figured out yesterday, the symptoms with GME are caused by GME trying to modify the map page before all the scripts from the geocaching.com servers have loaded and run properly. I can work around the issues to an extent by building more checking into the GME script, but it's hard to test and figure out what needs fixing: if the server is running too well, everything works fine and I can't see a problem. If it's too bad, then I get the 500 error and nothing works!

The same problems are probably also behind the issue where the map page loads, but clicking on a cache icon doesn't do anything. Whenever you move the mouse over a map tile, there is a request to the server to ask whether any caches are in the area, which has to be answered before you can click on the icon. After you've clicked, there's another request to fetch the information about the cache. Overloaded servers can break the website at any of these stages.

Sounds about right to me as I've had very few issues on chrome when GC.com is running smoothly but find the GME menus etc missing when they overload, which sadly is far too frequently.

As for clicking on cache icons, that has always seemed very poor to me and needs lots of zooming in and out to get the icons active. Absolutely nothing to do with GME though, just Geocaching.com's servers and systems.

September 3, 2016

Hi, a lot of the info. on this thread is now well out of date.

Would it be a good idea to start a fresh with the latest info.

on how to get the OS maps merged with the ones from GS.

September 3, 2016

All seems to be working again fine today, including GME 7.3.2

It's early though and the maps page is nicely responsive. We know it goes downhill through Saturday as it gets more use, however so if it craps out again later, that does suggest it's linked to the map server problems.

September 5, 2016

Hi,

I'm also getting this error, and my friends are too. We all use FF (latest version) and GME (latest version) Get dobble maps, and script error, and then the whole browser freezes and have to be killed and restarted. And I can see it is a dobble map, because it first loads the Google Map, and then the GME map comes over the Google map.

14224876_10157486715225374_9025565011256454790_n.jpg?oh=805f968a37a9e4457c8e237db917f6b0&oe=587CEC0A

And script error:

14225599_10157488506835374_8461589882276279097_n.jpg?oh=b6702f18125d8df552e972b6efe5968d&oe=5848E216

Please help me fix this. Geocaching is uesless without GME.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Snicker666

September 8, 2016

OK, I've fixed the first part of the problem (no GME icons). For the desperate, a somewhat-working version of the script is available on GitHub at https://github.com/JRInge/userscripts/raw/GME-Development/GeocachingMapEnhancements/Geocaching_Map_Enhancements.user.js

Use the version mentioned by jri above, that'll do the job until this is fixed in the next release. :antenna:

Edited September 8, 2016 by SpeedCore

September 9, 2016

OK, I've fixed the first part of the problem (no GME icons). For the desperate, a somewhat-working version of the script is available on GitHub at https://github.com/JRInge/userscripts/raw/GME-Development/GeocachingMapEnhancements/Geocaching_Map_Enhancements.user.js

Use the version mentioned by jri above, that'll do the job until this is fixed in the next release.

Sorry, the issue is still there after I installed the new script. (Same version nr also?)

September 11, 2016

It was working fine this morning but now it isn't - I just get a blank screen with no caches. Fixed by disabling the GME script.

Possibly caused by slow website now that the US has woken up to go caching on a Sunday?

September 12, 2016

It was working fine this morning but now it isn't - I just get a blank screen with no caches. Fixed by disabling the GME script.

Possibly caused by slow website now that the US has woken up to go caching on a Sunday?

Odd. I reinstalled the script using jri's link above and it started working again, even though I'd used that link to install the latest fix only a few days ago.

September 12, 2016

I had a meeting in London today and used some of the time on the train to finish fixing GME. Strangely, the dodgy 3G internet signal in the Wiltshire countryside gave just what I needed for testing how the script reacted to slow website load times! The result is on Github at https://github.com/JRInge/userscripts/raw/GME-Development/GeocachingMapEnhancements/Geocaching_Map_Enhancements.user.js (same link as before).

It would be great if anyone could be a victim volunteer for testing, and let me know how well it works, as I haven't had a chance to do much testing. In particular, I've not really tried out how the script works on pages other than the main maps page (i.e. trackable maps, cache listings, cache placement, etc.).

If it all seems to be working, in a few days I'll post the update on OpenUserJs.org, which should auto-update people who haven't manually installed the Github version.

September 12, 2016

Hi jri!

After a short test, I can say that it works. Have always had the issue. But now it seems to work fine. Only one map icon, and it looks like only one map is loading.

Hurray!! Thank you so much! Now I can use GC again.

September 13, 2016

I've just done a quick test on the main map, cache, trackable and placement pages and they all seemed to work well.

Thanks for all the hard work on the maps.

Just out of interest, does anyone know of a script (if it's possible) which will toggle all caches on the map off and on - usually the first thing I do when I go to the map is switch off all icons, zoom out, to find a place I want, zoom in on it and then enable all the icons. I regularly use the map for work and planning walks and I often just hide all the icons.

Edited September 13, 2016 by duncanhoyle

September 13, 2016

I've just done a quick test on the main map, cache, trackable and placement pages and they all seemed to work well.

Thanks for all the hard work on the maps.

Just out of interest, does anyone know of a script (if it's possible) which will toggle all caches on the map off and on - usually the first thing I do when I go to the map is switch off all icons, zoom out, to find a place I want, zoom in on it and then enable all the icons. I regularly use the map for work and planning walks and I often just hide all the icons.

Glad GME's working for you again.

And yes, GME should already have the feature you want! If you turn on the 'I' tool and click on the map, there should be a link to hide cache icons (and turn then on again).

September 19, 2016

It may or not be related to the automatic update of the GME script today but when I do a search for caches via the Play button then select Filters and enter something like Church Micro in the selection box I get the required number of caches returned BUT then when I select Map these Geocaches I get a full screen (OS map style) showing ALL caches i.e not just those in the Filter???

I am sure this feature was working yesterday.....

Is it related to the GME script please or is it yet another issue with the Groundspeak staff playing with the maps again??

September 19, 2016

It may or not be related to the automatic update of the GME script today but when I do a search for caches via the Play button then select Filters and enter something like Church Micro in the selection box I get the required number of caches returned BUT then when I select Map these Geocaches I get a full screen (OS map style) showing ALL caches i.e not just those in the Filter???

I am sure this feature was working yesterday.....

Is it related to the GME script please or is it yet another issue with the Groundspeak staff playing with the maps again??

I only got that problem with the GC little helper script, when I deactivate it, everything is fine. GME is working for me.

September 19, 2016

Whats the GC Little Helper script please?????????? and where do I find it?

September 19, 2016

Well I found what The GC Little Helper is by I do not have this script installed and still have the problem I reported???

Any other ideas please?

September 19, 2016

OK here is what I have just done.

1. On another PC where I had not installed the latest 7.3.3 version of the GME script I tested the Filter process and maps and it all works OK.

2. I then updated that PC with the latest GME script 7.3.3 and tried the Filter process again and sure enough this time the map shows ALL geocaches not just those in the Filter... so there is an issue with the 7.3.3 version of the script.

I have to assume that there is some sort of bug in the latest script?

I am now about to regress the script on the original Laptop back to 7.3.2 to see if that proves it works once again on the old version.

I do not know what else to do other than report the problems I have found today.

September 19, 2016

Have now regressed the script back to 7.3.2 and all works OK once again on Laptop and PC.....

Not sure what to do now...?

September 22, 2016

It may or not be related to the automatic update of the GME script today but when I do a search for caches via the Play button then select Filters and enter something like Church Micro in the selection box I get the required number of caches returned BUT then when I select Map these Geocaches I get a full screen (OS map style) showing ALL caches i.e not just those in the Filter???

I am sure this feature was working yesterday.....

Is it related to the GME script please or is it yet another issue with the Groundspeak staff playing with the maps again??

I've had a look at this, and it's not related to GME. I switched off Greasemonkey, so I was just using the plain website, with no scripts, then did a filtered search. When I clicked the "Map These Geocaches" button, it worked about 50% of the time, showing just the four caches from my search. The rest of the time, the four caches appeared, then disappeared to be replaced by the normal, unfiltered map.

An intermittent fault like this implies that either its another overloading problem, similar to the issues GME was having, or that some of Groundspeak's servers are configured differently to others, and it's pot luck which you get.

September 22, 2016

Can we have another post on how to get the OS maps up again please? I seem to be getting a little confused on the steps needed. I am using Firefox.

Thanks

September 22, 2016

Can we have another post on how to get the OS maps up again please? I seem to be getting a little confused on the steps needed. I am using Firefox.

Thanks

Here's a link to the original post about getting OS maps working: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=291102&view=findpost&p=5495595

September 22, 2016

It may or not be related to the automatic update of the GME script today but when I do a search for caches via the Play button then select Filters and enter something like Church Micro in the selection box I get the required number of caches returned BUT then when I select Map these Geocaches I get a full screen (OS map style) showing ALL caches i.e not just those in the Filter???

I am sure this feature was working yesterday.....

Is it related to the GME script please or is it yet another issue with the Groundspeak staff playing with the maps again??

I've had a look at this, and it's not related to GME. I switched off Greasemonkey, so I was just using the plain website, with no scripts, then did a filtered search. When I clicked the "Map These Geocaches" button, it worked about 50% of the time, showing just the four caches from my search. The rest of the time, the four caches appeared, then disappeared to be replaced by the normal, unfiltered map.

An intermittent fault like this implies that either its another overloading problem, similar to the issues GME was having, or that some of Groundspeak's servers are configured differently to others, and it's pot luck which you get.

September 22, 2016

Thanks, however I must report that using version 7.3.2 of the script everything works fine EVERYTIME but if I upgrade to version 7.3.3 then the map issue I reported occurs EVERYTIME ..... and on several PCs so I dont quite understand the logic you offer?

So for the moment I have to stay with version 7.3.2

Confusing to say the least.

September 23, 2016

Sorry

I am really struggling. I can't find the script to replace. I have lots of map types but not theOS one. Can anyone help me find it?

December 3, 2016

I've noticed for a while now that the link to open Magic Map (using the 'i' button menu option) wasn't showing all relevant layers. It seemed as though SSSI and Forestry Commission weren't shown and they're the 2 main ones which crop up in my area. To fix this I've taken the URL options from the link on the Wiki and changed the GME script locally. I noticed that the original GME URL options were using numerical references for what to display. The Wiki link (which opens the Benchmarking page) uses more easily readable names for each layer.

If you want to try it modify line 2125 of the script to read:

magic = ", <a target='magic' title='Show MAGIC map of environmentally sensitive areas' href='http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?srs=WGS84&startscale=" + (Math.cos(control._map.getCenter().lat * L.LatLng.DEG_TO_RAD) * 684090188 * Math.abs(b.getSouthWest().lng - b.getSouthEast().lng)) / control._map.getSize().x +	"&chosenLayers=lnrPIndex,lnrIndex,nnrPIndex,nnrIndex,nnrscoPIndex,nnrscoIndex,nnrwalPIndex,nnrwalIndex,sssiPIndex,sssiIndex,sssiscoPIndex,sssiscoIndex,sssiwalPIndex,sssiwalIndex,moncPIndex,moncIndex,rspbgbPIndex,rspbgbIndex,fclegbIndex,backdropDIndex,backdropIndex,europeIndex,vmlIndex,25kIndex,50kIndex,250kIndex,miniscaleIndex,vmlBWIndex,25kBWIndex,50kBWIndex,250kBWIndex,miniscaleBWIndex,baseIndex&box=" + b.toBBoxString().replace(/,/g,":") + "'>MAGIC</a>";

It seems as though the MAGIC site is running incredibly slowly. I don't think it's caused by the link I've just posted as the link from the Wiki seems to be slow as well.

NOTE: if you're trying to paste the above change into the script in a standard Firefox based browser you may run into an annoying safety feature which prohibits pasting. To get round the problem edit externally or use the following fix

December 3, 2016

I've noticed for a while now that the link to open Magic Map (using the 'i' button menu option) wasn't showing all relevant layers. It seemed as though SSSI and Forestry Commission weren't shown and they're the 2 main ones which crop up in my area. To fix this I've taken the URL options from the link on the Wiki and changed the GME script locally. I noticed that the original GME URL options were using numerical references for what to display. The Wiki link (which opens the Benchmarking page) uses more easily readable names for each layer.

Thanks for sharing this. I'll build it in to the next release of the script.

December 4, 2016

I forgot to say - thanks for the tip on hiding and showing caches using the 'i' menu which you mentioned above. I missed it when you posted and so commented on it when I filled in your survey. Now GME is pretty much perfect

December 31, 2016

It would really useful if it was possible to filter out 'my finds' and 'my hides" beyond zoom level 11, perhaps something you may be able to consider for the future.

Geocaching Map Enhancements

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