HTML <!-- in Logs will freeze Garmin GPS Units

[+ian-and-penny]

A number of Garmin users (many and various models) here in Australia have discovered that their GPS freezes or turns off when they look at recent logs that contain the HTML comment code "<!--".

 

It appears that some log authors are using this HTML comment tag to hide the last edited information added by Groundspeak after the last text entered by the log author. The result is that the Garmin code to render the HTML from GPX data just chokes on the use of this tag and then freezes or turns the unit off when the user views recent logs.

 

Groundspeak should probably strip out this code in logs because they cause a Groundspeak "feature" to be circumvented, but this may take some time to implement.

[jholly]

A number of Garmin users (many and various models) here in Australia have discovered that their GPS freezes or turns off when they look at recent logs that contain the HTML comment code "<!--".

 

It appears that some log authors are using this HTML comment tag to hide the last edited information added by Groundspeak after the last text entered by the log author. The result is that the Garmin code to render the HTML from GPX data just chokes on the use of this tag and then freezes or turns the unit off when the user views recent logs.

 

Groundspeak should probably strip out this code in logs because they cause a Groundspeak "feature" to be circumvented, but this may take some time to implement.

It's been this way for years. Nothing new.

[+HHL]

[...] It's been this way for years. Nothing new.

 

That doesn't make it smarter.

Groundspeak should prevent their users from being fooled by ignorant people.

 

Hans

[+AnnaMoritz]

A lot of other progams and apps are able to 'close' all unbalanced/not closed formatting/commands/comments.

 

Maybe also Garmin should think about how to handle <!-- after years.

 

If there are only a few people using this command in your region - maybe they might switch to

[white][size=1]

instead if asked.

 

Reminds me of http://xkcd.com/327/

[+dprovan]

There are some interesting questions of who's technically at fault here, questions I don't know the answer to, but it seems clear that the first action would be for Garmin to fix their unit so it doesn't hang even if what it's hanging on is invalidly formatted data. Is this unit so old it doesn't have upgradable firmware?

 

At the same time, if GS ignores this invalid HTML input in log entries -- I assume you're saying it's an open comment at the end of the log with no close comment -- I'm surprised it doesn't cause trouble with the log output when displayed on a browser.

 

Of course, the root problem is the idiots that think there's some reason to try to hide the fact that they edited their logs. Sheesh. Mistakes happen. Admit it. I don't think anything when I see the edited message, but I pity people when I see them try to hide the edited message.

 

Having said all that, surely with this being such a problem, someone's created a PQ sanitizer by now that fixes this one problem. I guess that's what AnnaMoritz is referring to. Too bad she didn't mention where to find one. Does GSAK deal with this problem?

[+AnnaMoritz]

Anyway, geocaching.com till now has had no problem with hiding what comes after <!--

 

Others likewise, either strip what's in the log after <!-- until the end of the log or like some others simply show what's hidden.

 

How it is done? If you want everything be shown, there are many ways, e.g. ignore <!-- as invalid (on programming side) or insert --> immediately afterwards if encountering <!-- or if you don't want to see the comment, add --> at the end of the log before </Groundspeak:text></Groundspeak:log> in GPX (should in my opinion also help for Garmin - edit PQs or GPX yourself before loading to the device)

 

Some time ago it wasn't possible to write something alike "needed >10000 steps, needed >1000 seconds, found <=10 reflectors" in a log for a cache that is named "... and the 10000 reflectors" because &gt and &lt were interpreted in some weird manner.