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garmin communicator plug-in


eky1

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I do not believe a signed version is any longer available. If you know where I can find one, please share the link!

 

I know for sure that there is one (the signed version is new) as I downloaded it and it works fine (with the newest version of Firefox)

I found it here

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/

by searching for Garmin communicator

This is weird. I just now downloaded the version I found as per your suggestion, and it did NOT work. Same error message. I have Firefox 43.0.1 and a Garmin Oregon 450.

That is because FF 43.0.1 does *NOT* support the plugin. The boat has sailed and *all* browsers are dropping support for plugins. Soon none, other than down level browsers will work. Technology moves on, so must you. As an example the number of newer apps that support the XP operating system is quickly reaching the number that support win95, which, if you have not checked lately, is zero.

 

GSAK has been mentioned, it might be a good to look into this. It also has mapping tools that will help with selecting caches, and it has tools to download caches in a given area along with PQ's.

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I'm sure GSAK is great, but my membership here should have perks other than being able to see PMO listings.

 

I see that Groundspeak and Magellan are still partners, and I can get my PQ’s from there for my GPS, then download them to EasyGPS and transfer them to my Garmin.

 

Fact is that I seldom use a GPS for geocaching anymore, I prefer my Android.

I do feel like Groundspeak is falling behind with their apps, ect.

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I am familiar with PQ's and use them from time to time, but I'm not clear on how they stay current. Are you suggesting that I run a PQ and download it into GSAK every time I want to go caching? If so, I gotta say that Garmin Communicator was a whole lot more user friendly and efficient. I'm not trying to be difficult here, I'm just trying to learn a new way of accomplishing what I used to do.

It's far easier now to keep your pocket query data up-to-date in GSAK, ever since the Geocaching.com API became available. GSAK is a trusted API partner and you can access the API features from the "Geocaching.com Access" menu in GSAK. You'll need to authenticate your account and then GSAK can communicate directly with the Geocaching.com database for many things, like uploading logs.

 

But for PQ management, the key tools are downloading and refreshing. First, you have the ability to download your PQ results quickly and efficiently into the appropriate GSAK database via the API, instead of laboriously downloading them one at a time. Run your favorite queries daily, weekly or on demand - it's up to you. If your data for the city 50 miles away is a bit stale, and you're heading out the door to go caching there, the other key tool is refreshing your database. You can either quickly update the status of selected caches to weed out any that have been disabled or archived recently, or you can do a "refresh" which downloads up to thirty recent logs for each cache. You can run "full" refreshes (limited to 6000 caches per day) or "lite" refreshes (up to 10,000 caches per day).

 

Properly managed, a large GSAK database can be maintained with only a few new pocket queries running to obtain newly published caches.

Additional note to the bolded text: You can also use the API GetCaches function to get newly published caches. I keep the Washington State DB current each week without using PQ's (5000 refreshes a day plus new published in the last week once a week).

 

ETA: I have a macro that does this automatically and assigned to a button that I have to press each day.

Edited by The Jester
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That is because FF 43.0.1 does *NOT* support the plugin.

 

Wrong. The signed plugin works for me with FF 43.0.1 and now also with FF 43.0.2.

 

GSAK has been mentioned, it might be a good to look into this. It also has mapping tools that will help with selecting caches, and it has tools to download caches in a given area along with PQ's.

 

The key issue is not how to send gpx files to the gps (there are other programs to do so) but to get a file with waypoints (that's currently part of the send to the gps command).

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This is weird. I just now downloaded the version I found as per your suggestion, and it did NOT work. Same error message. I have Firefox 43.0.1 and a Garmin Oregon 450.

 

And you are sure that you installed the plugin? Is it shown as active under add-ons?

The error message "not signed" does not fit the version I suggested to use that works for me.

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[...] The key issue is not how to send gpx files to the gps (there are other programs to do so) but to get a file with waypoints (that's currently part of the send to the gps command).

 

The gpx files do contain "Additional Waypoints" as well.

Just downloaded per GPX File-Button:

 

594321b7a0916a9e8fe322e73a86df3b.png

 

Hans

Edited by HHL
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And the useless send to GPS feature will still be there forever...

 

I'm sure most people will be able to download the GPX file and save it to the right directory on their GPS. That's all the plugin does.

 

The plugin is not useless at all. First older Garmin units do work in a different manner. Second, the loc files do not contain the waypoints, what is sent via send-to-gps does contain them.

 

Huh? Here's a .loc file I just downloaded for Mingo. It contains minimal information about a waypoint but it *does* include a waypoint. Does it work different as a basic member?

 


<loc version="1.0" src="Groundspeak">
<waypoint>
       <name id="GC30"><![CDATA[Mingo by Kansas Stasher]]>
</name>
<coord lat="39.27795" lon="-100.943683333333"/>
<type>Geocache</type>
<link text="Cache Details">http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC30</link>
<difficulty>1</difficulty>
<terrain>1</terrain>
<container>3</container>
</waypoint></loc>

 

I've been a GSAK user for at least 6 years but recently switched from a PC to a Macbook for my primary computer and I'm not going to load a virtual machine manager and a copy of another OS onto it just so I can run one application.

 

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[...] Huh? Here's a .loc file I just downloaded for Mingo. It contains minimal information about a waypoint but it *does* include a waypoint.[...]

 

A cache file will obviously hold the cache's waypoint. That's what the file is made for. Cezanne meant the additional waypoints (stages, parking area and that stuff)

 

Hans

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Here's a .loc file I just downloaded for Mingo.

 

I just hit the "GPX" button on a cache and get this: (cut the logs)

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<gpx xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" version="1.0" creator="Groundspeak, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.Groundspeak.com" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0/gpx.xsd http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1 http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1/cache.xsd" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0">
 <name>Cache Listing Generated from Geocaching.com</name>
 <desc>This is an individual cache generated from Geocaching.com</desc>
 <author>Account "walkingdogs" From Geocaching.com</author>
 <email>contact@geocaching.com</email>
 <url>http://www.geocaching.com</url>
 <urlname>Geocaching - High Tech Treasure Hunting</urlname>
 <time>2015-12-23T12:39:07.6749972Z</time>
 <keywords>cache, geocache</keywords>
 <bounds minlat="51.130767" minlon="4.40585" maxlat="51.130767" maxlon="4.40585" />
 <wpt lat="51.130767" lon="4.40585">
   <time>2015-05-10T07:00:00Z</time>
   <name>GC5V8EF</name>
   <desc>Groeningenhof Plus 6 by walkingdogs, Traditional Cache (1.5/1.5)</desc>
   <url>http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=fd8c261e-5ed4-4f32-90fe-e5ca80a226bc</url>
   <urlname>Groeningenhof Plus 6</urlname>
   <sym>Geocache Found</sym>
   <type>Geocache|Traditional Cache</type>
   <Groundspeak:cache id="4989188" available="True" archived="False" xmlns:Groundspeak="http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1">
     <Groundspeak:name>Groeningenhof Plus 6</Groundspeak:name>
     <Groundspeak:placed_by>walkingdogs</Groundspeak:placed_by>
     <Groundspeak:owner id="11168789">walkingdogs</Groundspeak:owner>
     <Groundspeak:type>Traditional Cache</Groundspeak:type>
     <Groundspeak:container>Micro</Groundspeak:container>
     <Groundspeak:attributes>
       <Groundspeak:attribute id="1" inc="1">Dogs</Groundspeak:attribute>
       <Groundspeak:attribute id="15" inc="1">Available during winter</Groundspeak:attribute>
       <Groundspeak:attribute id="32" inc="1">Bicycles</Groundspeak:attribute>
       <Groundspeak:attribute id="41" inc="1">Stroller accessible</Groundspeak:attribute>
     </Groundspeak:attributes>
     <Groundspeak:difficulty>1.5</Groundspeak:difficulty>
     <Groundspeak:terrain>1.5</Groundspeak:terrain>
     <Groundspeak:country>Belgium</Groundspeak:country>
     <Groundspeak:state>Antwerpen</Groundspeak:state>
     <Groundspeak:short_description html="True">GROENINGENHOF PLUS:
</Groundspeak:short_description>
     <Groundspeak:long_description html="True"><p>Deze 7 afzonderlijke traditionele caches, in willekeurige orde genummerd (perfect te combineren met onze reeks Groeninghof met Bonus) zullen U door het landschap, rond het domein “Kasteel Groeningenhof, ook Kontichhof of Hof van Helmont” genoemd, leiden.</p>
<p>De aangeduide “Private weg” is niet toegankelijk voor motorvoertuigen (behalve voor de bewoners), wel voor fietsers, voetgangers en hun dierbare honden. Bij nat weer kunnen sommige paadjes wel modderig zijn (waterdichte schoenen is een aanrader).</p>
<p>Het prachtig kasteel, dat U in de verte zal kunnen zien, is een privaat eigendom, dus niet toegankelijk voor het publiek.</p>
<p>Deze caches zijn “hand en home made”. Daar is soms veel tijd aan besteed. Wij hopen dat U deze met liefde behandelt. Leg deze aub ook terug op dezelfde plaats waar U ze vond.</p>
<p>Geef aub geen hint in jullie logs, foto’s zijn natuurlijk welkom, maar geen spoiler foto’s op de site!</p>
<p>Moest U problemen hebben bij het zoeken van een cache, kan U steeds een sms sturen naar nummer 0477/97.16.74 of 0473/97.69.99. Wij zullen er zo spoedig mogelijk op beantwoorden. <strong>NIET BELLEN AUB.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Wij wensen U veel plezier!</strong></p>

</Groundspeak:long_description>
     <Groundspeak:encoded_hints>Een "déjà vu" voor sommigen.Wel hier nu herboren.</Groundspeak:encoded_hints>

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I used the "send to GPS" button the day before yesterday without any issues - this was with Firefox browser and the Garmin Communicator add-on and an Oregon 550 GPS using Windows 10 operating system..

 

Yesterday, I got the message that the add on was no longer supported but I downloaded it again, clicked the button to "Allow" the add-on to be used.. then the "Allow and Remember" button (this was a pop up at the top of the screen)

 

The Garmin Communicator now works perfect, just as it always has.

 

The Garmin Communicator is Version 4.1.0.1-Signed and Firefox Version 43.0.1 :)

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[...]

 

The Garmin Communicator now works perfect, just as it always has.

The Garmin Communicator is Version 4.1.0.1-Signed and Firefox Version 43.0.1 :)

 

Same here with Firefox 43.0.2.

@ on4bam: please stop repeating again and again that this will stop in the future. That's right, but the future is in the end of 2016 (Mozilla stated to stop supporting this kind of plug-ins in the end of 2016).

Edited by HHL
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@ on4bam: please stop repeating again and again that this will stop in the future. That's right, but the future is in the end of 2016 (Mozilla stated to stop supporting this kind of plug-ins in the end of 2016).

 

Seeing the many threads here (and on other forums) many seem to be unaware and jumping through hoops just keep the plugin working. Better to deal with it now (remember the panic when API tokens stopped working "all of a sudden", that was announce well in advance too).

 

BTW, I must have missed "moderator" below your name <_<

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[...] The key issue is not how to send gpx files to the gps (there are other programs to do so) but to get a file with waypoints (that's currently part of the send to the gps command).

 

The gpx files do contain "Additional Waypoints" as well.

Just downloaded per GPX File-Button:

 

 

The problem is that the GPX file button does not work for basic members (it's there but not active). So there is the somehow absurd situation that the only way for basis members to get a gpx file (of course without the cache description details) is to use the send to gps button. Basic members can only download loc files (that do not contain the additional waypoints) and use the send to gps and send to phone buttons.

 

Or do you mean another way to download gpx files as a basic member, not via the gc.com cache pages?

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The problem is that the GPX file button does not work for basic members (it's there but not active). So there is the somehow absurd situation that the only way for basis members to get a gpx file (of course without the cache description details) is to use the send to gps button.

 

There's an easy way around this absurd situation - I pay Groundspeak a few dollars once a year for the level of membership which includes that functionality.

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[...]

Or do you mean another way to download gpx files as a basic member, not via the gc.com cache pages?

 

No, I actually meant the Groundspeak pages. Unfortunately I forgot your member status. Sorry.

Btw: GSAK users that are Base Member only have some advantages per api load.

 

From the GSAK help file:

Note: For premium members the limits are currently 6,000 full caches per day (+10,000 "lite" caches). For non premium members the limits are 3 full caches per day (+10,0000 "lite" caches) In addition, the api only gets the number of logs requested and unlike a PQ you are not guaranteed to get your log unless it is in the number of logs retrieved. Use the Balances button to view your current balances of these totals.

[...]

Data format - Full : Select this option to fetch the full cache information (for those familiar with Groundspeak data formats this is synonymous with the GPX file format). As this option fetches all the information for a cache it can take a significant amount of time to process. Light: Select this option to fetch just the summary details of the cache (for those familiar with Groundspeak data formats this is loosely synonymous with the LOC file format). This option is much quicker that the full cache format, but the data returned is limited to:

 

 

1. Cache Code

2. Cache Name

3. Status (archived, disabled, available)

4. Latitude

5. Longitude

6. Cache type

7. Container size

8. Difficulty

9. Terrain

10. Favorite points

11. GUID

12. Cache ID #

13. Owner name

14. Owner ID #

15. Placed by

16. Placed date

17. Url link

 

Edited by HHL
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The problem is that the GPX file button does not work for basic members (it's there but not active). So there is the somehow absurd situation that the only way for basis members to get a gpx file (of course without the cache description details) is to use the send to gps button.

 

There's an easy way around this absurd situation - I pay Groundspeak a few dollars once a year for the level of membership which includes that functionality.

 

It's not about money (my reason to be a BM has nothing to do with money) and it's not about the fact that PMs have advantages. I used the word absurd because it's not logical to provide the waypoint data only via send to gps (send to gps has nothing to do with which data are available to which group of cachers).

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No, I actually meant the Groundspeak pages. Unfortunately I forgot your member status. Sorry.

 

My intention was anyway not to focus on myself, but just on the point that send to gps is not useless and the suggestions

to get used to a different workflow only are applicable for PMs (hardly most cachers, the term which on4bam was using).

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The problem is that the GPX file button does not work for basic members (it's there but not active). So there is the somehow absurd situation that the only way for basis members to get a gpx file (of course without the cache description details) is to use the send to gps button.

 

There's an easy way around this absurd situation - I pay Groundspeak a few dollars once a year for the level of membership which includes that functionality.

 

It's not about money (my reason to be a BM has nothing to do with money) and it's not about the fact that PMs have advantages. I used the word absurd because it's not logical to provide the waypoint data only via send to gps (send to gps has nothing to do with which data are available to which group of cachers).

 

Seems perfectly logical to me.

 

As the operator of a business, intended to be profitable, I might allow those who don't pay for the enhanced features of the site to use a cut-down or throttled version of them.

 

So I might allow non PM's to download full cache details via a mechanism which is limited to a single cache per download, and remove that limitation for those who are willing to pay a small fee for the privilege.

 

That's neither absurd nor illogical.

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I've been using GSAK since we started which was also when we went Premium. I use GSAK for all my PQs and GPS loading. However, I find the Send to GPS very handy when some new caches are published, its a quick download and then out the door. Last week I plugged in our Etrex 20s and they weren't recognised by Firefox. Got the usual message about unsupported, need plug-in, etc.. After about 15-20 monutes of jumping through computer hoops I finally got reinstalled. Send to GPS is NOT useless.

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As the operator of a business, intended to be profitable, I might allow those who don't pay for the enhanced features of the site to use a cut-down or throttled version of them.

 

So I might allow non PM's to download full cache details via a mechanism which is limited to a single cache per download, and remove that limitation for those who are willing to pay a small fee for the privilege.

 

Yes, that's perfectly logical, but was not the aspect I consider as absurd. I do not have an issue with the fact that each cache has to be downloaded one by one (actually I would do so also as PM). What I consider as strange is that the only way to do that download is via send to gps (and not some other command that leads the reduced gpx file which would remove the dependency on send to gps which is not a Groundspeak product anyhow).

 

In my opinion Groundspeak should think of a solution that allows basic members to download a reduced gpx file (with the same data as provided by send to gps) by some alternative command that of course should come along with the same limitations (only one cache at a time). In that manner they would be well prepared for the end of support of the communicator plugin.

 

Using send to gps is right now also the only efficient option for basic members who hide caches with many additional waypoints to check the waypoints they entered against the correct waypoints on a map. For example, I do have a cache with more than 30 waypoints.

 

I think that the issue is partly caused by the fact that at the time when the system was designed and loc files offered for basic members, there have been no additional waypoints and hardly caches with many waypoints.

 

It should not be difficult to provide a new button (instead of send to gps or at the place of the gpx download on the cache page that is greyed out for basic members) that provides a download of a reduced gpx file.

Edited by cezanne
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As the operator of a business, intended to be profitable, I might allow those who don't pay for the enhanced features of the site to use a cut-down or throttled version of them.

 

So I might allow non PM's to download full cache details via a mechanism which is limited to a single cache per download, and remove that limitation for those who are willing to pay a small fee for the privilege.

 

Yes, that's perfectly logical, but was not the aspect I consider as absurd. I do not have an issue with the fact that each cache has to be downloaded one by one (actually I would do so also as PM). What I consider as strange is that the only way to do that download is via send to gps (and not some other command that leads the reduced gpx file which would remove the dependency on send to gps which is not a Groundspeak product anyhow).

 

I think this is a good approach in general. *Eventually* browsers won't support the plugin at all (unless one uses an older version) and GS will have to decide if they want to support some other solution which allows users to send waypoint info directly from the web site to a GPS. My guess is that they won't. Implementing what you're suggesting (downloading waypoint information encapsulated in a GPX file) would be pretty easy...but I don't think basic vs. premium member features is just a technical issue.

 

 

In my opinion Groundspeak should think of a solution that allows basic members to download a reduced gpx file (with the same data as provided by send to gps) by some alternative command that of course should come along with the same limitations (only one cache at a time). In that manner they would be well prepared for the end of support of the communicator plugin.

 

I have suggested something like this in the past. A loc file and gpx file are just two ways to "mark up" waypoint information. What information is included is defined but the specification of one or more "schema" files. The schemas included in a gpx file for cache data available to premium members includes "Groundspeak extensions" so we get geocaching data (gpx files are not just used for geocache data) such as D/T ratings, container sizes, hints, logs, etc. It would be pretty simple to, instead of creating a loc file, to create a GPX for basic members which did not include the GS extensions and it would contain all the information currently in a .loc file.

 

Using send to gps is right now also the only efficient option for basic members who hide caches with many additional waypoints to check the waypoints they entered against the correct waypoints on a map. For example, I do have a cache with more than 30 waypoints.

 

Here's where we get into the non-technical issues. At the end of the day GS decides what features to provide to non-paying members and what to include for those that pay for premium membership. Perhaps GS feels that a basic membership means that you only get "basic" information about any cache, and that would not include additional waypoints. Maybe basic membership means that you can only download waypoints, one at a time, for traditional caches. If someone wants to find caches with multiple waypoints, or download cache data which includes hints, recent logs, etc. they have to pay for it.

 

You're suggested "reduced gpx" file is technically not difficult to do, but who decides what goes into a "reduced gpx" file? Should those that choose, for whatever reason, not to pay for a premium membership dictate what should be included? What goes into (or more accurately, what's excluded) a reduced gpx file essentially draws a line between basic membership and the benefits one receives for a premium membership.

 

 

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At the end of the day GS decides what features to provide to non-paying members and what to include for those that pay for premium membership. Perhaps GS feels that a basic membership means that you only get "basic" information about any cache, and that would not include additional waypoints.

 

Right now it means however that additional waypoints are included and many basic members have hidden complex caches which are well appreciated by the community under this scenario. If that suddenly should change it feels like being tricked into something.

If I could not check any longer whether my wapoints are correct for a cache I hide, I would not hide any longer caches on gc.com.

 

I did not say anything about hints, logs etc - I do not have a use for them anyway.

 

You're suggested "reduced gpx" file is technically not difficult to do, but who decides what goes into a "reduced gpx" file?

 

Only what currently is sent via send to gps - that is the cache coordinates, the cache name and the additional waypoints. Nothing else.

There would be no change to the status quo. I'm not suggesting to add anything in addition.

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At the end of the day GS decides what features to provide to non-paying members and what to include for those that pay for premium membership. Perhaps GS feels that a basic membership means that you only get "basic" information about any cache, and that would not include additional waypoints.

 

Right now it means however that additional waypoints are included and many basic members have hidden complex caches which are well appreciated by the community under this scenario. If that suddenly should change it feels like being tricked into something.

If I could not check any longer whether my wapoints are correct for a cache I hide, I would not hide any longer caches on gc.com.

 

How would you be getting tricked? You're already getting something for free. If they decide to give you less for the same price you're not getting tricked into anything. The line that GS draws between a basic membership and premium membership is a business decision. They're going to give away enough for free to get people interested in the game. If they give away too much, there is less incentive for someone to become a premium member. Perhaps they might decide that the ability to hide complex caches should require a premium membership and that basic members should only get, you know, basic functionality.

 

 

You're suggested "reduced gpx" file is technically not difficult to do, but who decides what goes into a "reduced gpx" file?

 

Only what currently is sent via send to gps - that is the cache coordinates, the cache name and the additional waypoints. Nothing else.

There would be no change to the status quo. I'm not suggesting to add anything in addition.

 

I took a look at a few GPX files and it looks like that a GPX file, without any of the Groundspeak extensions would still give you additional waypoints.

 

I still think that the ability to continue to download directly to a GPS is still useful. I'm sure that there are still plenty of GPS receivers in use that don't allow copying a gpx file directly to the memory card. Although I usually create a couple of small PQs when I travel I often will hand pick a few caches and download them directly to my GPS. As you said, the ability to do that is dependent upon the GPS manufacturing providing a plugin and they don't seem inclined to do so.

 

 

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How would you be getting tricked? You're already getting something for free. If they decide to give you less for the same price you're not getting tricked into anything.

 

Because many people have hidden caches and helped Groundspeak to become what they are right only based on the promise from back then that the basic game will always stay free. I and many others never ever would have offered caches to a site that addressed itself only to paying members and thus passed the imaginery line to a fully commercial site which is intolerable for me regardless of my own member status.

 

 

I took a look at a few GPX files and it looks like that a GPX file, without any of the Groundspeak extensions would still give you additional waypoints.

 

Yes, that's what I essentially meant with reduced gpx (reduced in comparison to what Groundspeak delivers to PMs). Right now they offer loc files to basic members. It can't be much work to add the additional waypoints. Even in case they kept some other non gpx format, I'm sure that a transfer program would show up soon. However, if some minor work is invested, they could just as well offer gpx versions.

 

As you said, the ability to do that is dependent upon the GPS manufacturing providing a plugin and they don't seem inclined to do so.

 

I rather think that more and more browers will move to versions not allowing such plugins. So it's only Groundspeak who could act by offering an option not relying on a plugin.

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How would you be getting tricked? You're already getting something for free. If they decide to give you less for the same price you're not getting tricked into anything.

 

Because many people have hidden caches and helped Groundspeak to become what they are right only based on the promise from back then that the basic game will always stay free. I and many others never ever would have offered caches to a site that addressed itself only to paying members and thus passed the imaginery line to a fully commercial site which is intolerable for me regardless of my own member status.

 

You're missing my point. I'm not suggesting that they stop providing a basic game for free. I'm saying that GS gets to define what "basic" means. Even if they only allowed basic members to hide traditional caches, with no additional waypoints for free, that's still an offer of a "basic" game for free. I support the idea of being able to play the game for free, but I don't think that those that are getting something for nothing get to dictate what that "something" entails.

 

I took a look at a few GPX files and it looks like that a GPX file, without any of the Groundspeak extensions would still give you additional waypoints.

 

Yes, that's what I essentially meant with reduced gpx (reduced in comparison to what Groundspeak delivers to PMs). Right now they offer loc files to basic members. It can't be much work to add the additional waypoints. Even in case they kept some other non gpx format, I'm sure that a transfer program would show up soon. However, if some minor work is invested, they could just as well offer gpx versions.

 

There really isn't any reason to keep the .loc file around if the same data can be encapsulated in a gpx file. I thought that when looking at a .loc file in the past that it included a schema definition, which would define what can be included in the file, but it appears that the latest version does not. The .loc and .gpx files are just text files which use xml (eXtensible Markup Language) to mark up the data that is to be included. Yes, it's easy to add the text to the file, but it has to be compliant with what a schema file allows. For a GPX file it *does* allow multiple wpt elements (a .loc file uses "waypoint" elements, rather than "wpt").

 

I can't see them offering more than two versions: one with the Groundspeak extensions for premium members, and one without the extensions for basic members.

 

As you said, the ability to do that is dependent upon the GPS manufacturing providing a plugin and they don't seem inclined to do so.

 

I rather think that more and more browers will move to versions not allowing such plugins. So it's only Groundspeak who could act by offering an option not relying on a plugin.

 

Some sort of code which runs in the browser, and knows how to connect to and transfer data to a GPS receiver is required. That is pretty much the definition of a plugin. The current problem is not that it's a plugin, it's that it's a plugin which uses a programming interface (NPAPI) that has had several security holes and browser companies have deemed it to too insecure to be allowed in their browser.

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I do not believe a signed version is any longer available. If you know where I can find one, please share the link!

 

I know for sure that there is one (the signed version is new) as I downloaded it and it works fine (with the newest version of Firefox)

I found it here

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/

by searching for Garmin communicator

This is weird. I just now downloaded the version I found as per your suggestion, and it did NOT work. Same error message. I have Firefox 43.0.1 and a Garmin Oregon 450.

 

I received the following procedure from the support group at Garmin. It worked and I can again download the gpx files directly. As per the instruction, I went through the process 4 or 5 times before it worked.

------------

In the Firefox blocked pop up screen, please click the "X", in the top right corner of the "Blocked" message and refresh the browser page while you are on the Plug In Installation page. You may have to do this a couple of times before it acknowledges the plug in installation.

To refresh the browser, please click on your F5 key on your keyboard.

--------------

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I do not believe a signed version is any longer available. If you know where I can find one, please share the link!

 

I know for sure that there is one (the signed version is new) as I downloaded it and it works fine (with the newest version of Firefox)

I found it here

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/

by searching for Garmin communicator

This is weird. I just now downloaded the version I found as per your suggestion, and it did NOT work. Same error message. I have Firefox 43.0.1 and a Garmin Oregon 450.

 

I received the following procedure from the support group at Garmin. It worked and I can again download the gpx files directly. As per the instruction, I went through the process 4 or 5 times before it worked.

------------

In the Firefox blocked pop up screen, please click the "X", in the top right corner of the "Blocked" message and refresh the browser page while you are on the Plug In Installation page. You may have to do this a couple of times before it acknowledges the plug in installation.

To refresh the browser, please click on your F5 key on your keyboard.

--------------

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I got it to work on firefox but sent an email to Groundspeak concerning the issue with chrome

 

I'm sure they are aware, and I wish they had a fix, but I doubt it.

 

I'm tired of getting less for my premium membership here, and I do cache less now because of problems with that send to GPS link. I need a good app to store caches off line on my phone and not rely on a GPS unit.

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[....]

If I could not check any longer whether my wapoints are correct for a cache I hide,[...]

 

You'll always be able to check your cache per opening the cache page. :rolleyes:

 

Since I have to manually enter 40 waypoints for some caches (no upload facility available, not even for PMs), the issue is to check whether everything is alright and the way I use to do it is to download my waypoints my send to the gps and then load both the waypoints I took during the tour and the waypoints I entered to a map tool and then compare the result. Unlike some other cache sites which at least provide reasonable built in map which show the waypoints for owned caches the miniature map on gc.com is not even helpful for a quick plausibility check. I'm not expecting Groundspeak to provide any new tools - I just explained why send to gps is something very essential for me also when it regards hiding caches.

 

Of course manual checks of the waypoint lists are possible, but I prefer to check everything in at least two ways.

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Running XP with Firefox 44.0, had same issue. Called Garmin and spoke with a rep who had me open Firefox, then "CTRL+T"(for TOOLS in the toolbar), then select "ADD-ONS". This should bring up your Add-ons; Find "Garming Communicator"; To the right of Garmin Communicator, change the drop down menu to "Always Active" (mine were set to "Ask to Activate". Hopefully it will work for you as it did me on my XP and WIN7 PCs running Firefox. Good Luck!

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The Garmin Communicator plugin stopped working for me a long time ago (OS X, Chrome) but I've grown to accept the change. I'm lucky enough to have a device that will allow me to drop the GPX file in easily.

 

But given that the plugin will (eventually) stop working for everyone, I would REALLY like to see a 'Download GPX' link on the cache popup when using Geocaching Maps. I used to use the send to gps link there all the time, which obviously is no longer of any use to me.

 

C'mon.... there's lots of room!

tOKVUYul.png

Edited by benji55545
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The lack of the communicator working with my Garmin GPS is incredibly annoying and its frustrating why a solution can't be met. If not for GSAK, this annoying problem would be a more dramatic one for me. Its annoying but thanks to loading them via GSAK, I can survive with my existing methods for the most part.

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