Help

[Allen G0CRB]

Now I have retired the Wife and myself decided to get back to Geo-caching. Since we last did some caching I have bought a new computer which is Windows's 10. I put some new Batteries in my Garmin Oregon 450t.Went to download a few caches like I "used" to on my OLD lap-top which used vista.Any way I'm now on my new windows 10 computer and I get a screen message on my computer I need to download a Plugin.OK, Now the Problem Help. I clicked on the Garmin download,Then a message came on my comp screen the Plugin does not support Windows Browser Edge !! Try Firefox,Ok so I went on Firefox to download and the Plugin when the message again said plugin does not support Firefox " What " The next message is use Explorer,Ok try to down the plugin again same message....So until I can Download a plugin to this Accer Windows 10 computer I can not download any caches.. Can some one please explain where I'm going wrong in an easy way as I'm 65 and the grey matter is not tooo high tec Thanks.

[+lee737]

This thread should help you.....

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=259646

 

You shouldn't need to use plugins.....

[Pup Patrol]

This thread should help you.....

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=259646

 

You shouldn't need to use plugins.....

 

I didn't read that whole thread...are there suggestions what to do if one is not a Premium Member and not using Pocket Queries?

 

The OP of this thread is not a PM. What it says on the forum is not up-to-date with the membership status of the poster.

 

B.

[Pup Patrol]

Now I have retired the Wife and myself decided to get back to Geo-caching. Since we last did some caching I have bought a new computer which is Windows's 10. I put some new Batteries in my Garmin Oregon 450t.Went to download a few caches like I "used" to on my OLD lap-top which used vista.Any way I'm now on my new windows 10 computer and I get a screen message on my computer I need to download a Plugin.OK, Now the Problem Help. I clicked on the Garmin download,Then a message came on my comp screen the Plugin does not support Windows Browser Edge !! Try Firefox,Ok so I went on Firefox to download and the Plugin when the message again said plugin does not support Firefox " What " The next message is use Explorer,Ok try to down the plugin again same message....So until I can Download a plugin to this Accer Windows 10 computer I can not download any caches.. Can some one please explain where I'm going wrong in an easy way as I'm 65 and the grey matter is not tooo high tec Thanks.

 

As a Basic Member, you will need to load caches one at a time, as far as I know.

 

What you can do is this:

 

-create a folder on your computer and name it something like "loc files".

 

-save the loc files of caches to that folder

 

-use GPSbabel to transfer the loc files from that folder to your gps

 

https://www.gpsbabel.org/

 

That's what I did when I was a Basic Member. I never used any of the plugins or the "send to gps" function of the cache pages.

 

When I no longer needed those loc files, I deleted them from the folder on the computer, and from the gps.

 

B.

[Allen G0CRB]

It wont let me connect my Garmin without a plugin.Ie find a cache on the site,Hit the find my Garmin then that is that,It states I need a plug in.I did follow the link unfortunately I think that is about downloading the caches once the site has found your GPS devoice, I know how to do that. Its trying to get my Garmin talking to the Geocache site.

[+kunarion]

It wont let me connect my Garmin without a plugin.Ie find a cache on the site,Hit the find my Garmin then that is that,It states I need a plug in.I did follow the link unfortunately I think that is about downloading the caches once the site has found your GPS devoice, I know how to do that. Its trying to get my Garmin talking to the Geocache site.

Web browsers are dropping support for Garmin Communicator and other plug-ins that use similar methods.

 

But you can send a file or two manually. On a cache page, click the “LOC waypoint file” button. Paid members should use the “GPX File” button (or Pocket Queries to load a whole bunch of caches at once). Use "Save As" and give the file a unique name. Save the LOC file in the /Garmim/GPX folder of the GPS receiver. This does what the Communicator does, except that you have more control over the files.

 

If you'd prefer a lot of extra work keeping Garmin Communicator functioning, you must get familiar with how to do that, and remember that it tends to require adjusting technical settings on the computer and special downloads, that you may get it working today and not tomorrow, that it may work for now in another browser, that it's fine for some people while you can't even get it to work, or that you'll just plain need to keep fixing it at times:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=334207&view=findpost&p=5538114

Edited November 30, 2016 by kunarion

[+NYPaddleCacher]

It wont let me connect my Garmin without a plugin.Ie find a cache on the site,Hit the find my Garmin then that is that,It states I need a plug in.I did follow the link unfortunately I think that is about downloading the caches once the site has found your GPS devoice, I know how to do that. Its trying to get my Garmin talking to the Geocache site.

 

In order to get your Garmin to talk directly to the Geocaching site it needs a plugin, and that plugin is no longer supported by most browsers (at this point it may be a good idea to just removed the "Send To you GPS" link because it basically doesn't work any more.

 

The alternative is to use your computer to manage geocaching waypoints. There are several waypoint managers (GSAK, Basecamp, EasyGPS, ExpertGPS, etc) that can do this and all will be able to send a batch of waypoints to your GPS. As a basic member you can only download waypoints one at a time, but a tool like GPSBabel can be used to merge them into one file that can be loaded into a waypoint manager. Once waypoints are in the datastore for whatever waypoint manager you use, they can be sorted, filtered, or organized however you want before sending them to your GPS. Most of them will also allow you to import waypoints from your GPS (e.g. any waypoints you might mark while using your GPS). Although it may be convenient to send cache data directly from the website (using a browser) to your GPS, using a waypoint manager gives you a lot more flexibility.

 

 

[+lee737]

This thread should help you.....

http://forums.Ground...howtopic=259646

 

You shouldn't need to use plugins.....

 

I didn't read that whole thread...are there suggestions what to do if one is not a Premium Member and not using Pocket Queries?

 

The OP of this thread is not a PM. What it says on the forum is not up-to-date with the membership status of the poster.

 

B.

 

What does the "Group +Premium Members" under his name mean??

 

 

[+niraD]

What does the "Group +Premium Members" under his name mean??

It means that at some point the OP was a PM and logged into the forum while a PM.

 

That added the OP to the Premium Members group within the forum.

 

Later, when the OP's premium membership lapsed, the forum was not updated to remove the OP from the Premium Members group within the forum.

[+HHL]

[...] the Geocaching site it needs a plugin, and that plugin is no longer supported by most browsers (at this point it may be a good idea to just removed the "Send To you GPS" link because it basically doesn't work any more.[...]

 

Even permanent repetition of this wrong statement doesn't turn it right.

 

I've just tested the "Send to My GPS" with Firefox 50.0.1 and it works.

 

 

Use this Plug-In from Mozilla itself:

 

 

Frohes Lernen

Hans

[+The A-Team]

[...] the Geocaching site it needs a plugin, and that plugin is no longer supported by most browsers (at this point it may be a good idea to just removed the "Send To you GPS" link because it basically doesn't work any more.[...]

Even permanent repetition of this wrong statement doesn't turn it right.

 

I've just tested the "Send to My GPS" with Firefox 50.0.1 and it works.

It only works in a single browser, only if you install it from a specific location, and may not continue working for much longer even if you get it working. IMO, "basically doesn't work any more" is an adequate description of the Garmin Communicator plugin's status, and advising cachers of alternatives is the way we should be moving.

[Allen G0CRB]

Ok just to refresh.I had been a P/M for a few years ,However we had to stop caching,We have just got back into caching now that we have retired,We are not sure how much it now costs to have P/M.I now only have a pension so will have to see if I can still afford it...Thanks for all the replys,It does sound complicated to download files and things..

I can tell you that I have now worked out how to send the cache info to my Garmin.I went on FireFox Browser and followed instructions that "Garmin" told me to do and so I'm now up and running. ( mind you I have not tried it on this Edge Browser lol.) Thanks all anyway.

[+colleda]

[...] the Geocaching site it needs a plugin, and that plugin is no longer supported by most browsers (at this point it may be a good idea to just removed the "Send To you GPS" link because it basically doesn't work any more.[...]

 

Even permanent repetition of this wrong statement doesn't turn it right.

 

I've just tested the "Send to My GPS" with Firefox 50.0.1 and it works.

 

 

Use this Plug-In from Mozilla itself:

 

 

Frohes Lernen

Hans

That's how mine is set up. I use the 'Send to GPS' quite often when I want to grab a new listing or whatever. The rest of the time I'm using GSAK.

The communicator must be the "Signed" version. I can't remember the last time I had to update the communicator, its been quite a while. So, despite what some say, it still works, at least for me it does.

[+colleda]

[...] the Geocaching site it needs a plugin, and that plugin is no longer supported by most browsers (at this point it may be a good idea to just removed the "Send To you GPS" link because it basically doesn't work any more.[...]

 

Even permanent repetition of this wrong statement doesn't turn it right.

 

I've just tested the "Send to My GPS" with Firefox 50.0.1 and it works.

 

 

Use this Plug-In from Mozilla itself:

 

 

Frohes Lernen

Hans

That's how mine is set up. I use the 'Send to GPS' quite often when I want to grab a new listing or whatever. The rest of the time I'm using GSAK.

The communicator must be the "Signed" version. I can't remember the last time I had to update the communicator, its been quite a while. So, despite what some say, it still works, at least for me it does.

Something I just remembered. The communicator also sends to my Windows 8 phone.

[+barnold]

Completely agree with colleda.

I use GSAK for bulk transfer, that works fine.

For the quick cache, like a nearby newly published one, I use the "Send to GPS"facility, Firefox and the 4.1.0.0 signed version of the Communicator as indicated above.

I would be greatly disappointed if the facility to quickly download a cache to my GPS (also an Oregon 450) would be removed.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Completely agree with colleda.

I use GSAK for bulk transfer, that works fine.

For the quick cache, like a nearby newly published one, I use the "Send to GPS"facility, Firefox and the 4.1.0.0 signed version of the Communicator as indicated above.

I would be greatly disappointed if the facility to quickly download a cache to my GPS (also an Oregon 450) would be removed.

 

The problem that I see it, is that the button is labeled "Send to my GPS" not "If you are running Firefox and the 4.1.0.0 signed version, Send to my GPS". There is nothing on the site which explains that "Send to GPS" requires a specific version of a browser to work. Most users are just going to find that it doesn't work. They might try a different browser, attempt to download the plugin, only to be told it's no longer supported.

 

GS removed the link to "Old Search", which still *does* work and some even prefer over the "new search", but has left a link on the cache page, which, unless one is running Firefox and the signed version of the plugin, will not work.

 

[+jellis]

As I mentioned in another post. I am a premium member and found that the plug in for Garmin is useless. I haven't found a browser yet that supports it. I tried Firefox which I knew wouldn't, tried Windows Explorer and The Edge. None will work for me.

[+HHL]

[...] I haven't found a browser yet that supports it. I tried Firefox which I knew wouldn't, tried Windows Explorer and The Edge. None will work for me.

Please read post #11 carefully again. Your knowledge about Firefox is not quite right.

 

Hans

Edited December 7, 2016 by HHL

[+on4bam]

As I mentioned in another post. I am a premium member and found that the plug in for Garmin is useless. I haven't found a browser yet that supports it. I tried Firefox which I knew wouldn't, tried Windows Explorer and The Edge. None will work for me.

 

The plugin is still working in FF 50.0.2

I have no need for it since I always load caches through GSAK but in case of emergency I could still use the plugin.

 

Make sure you have the 4.1.0.1 signed version.

[cezanne]

 

But you can send a file or two manually. On a cache page, click the “LOC waypoint file” button. Paid members should use the “GPX File” button (or Pocket Queries to load a whole bunch of caches at once). Use "Save As" and give the file a unique name. Save the LOC file in the /Garmim/GPX folder of the GPS receiver. This does what the Communicator does, except that you have more control over the files.

 

It does not do what the Communicator does for basic members. The sendtogps sends a gpx file with the additional waypoints (but with no description) and the loc file only contains the header coordinates and is useless even for almost all traditionals here as the parking coordinates are missing which are often more important than the cache coordinates.

 

I do not mind to send even 100 files that way and also not to change settings from time to time to allow me to use the Communicator. The issue is that there is no way for basic members to get the file sendtogps sends to the gps without using the plugin.

[+kunarion]

The issue is that there is no way for basic members to get the file sendtogps sends to the gps without using the plugin.

The "Send To GPS" button once was available in even the smallest popup window, a convenience over having to visit the specific cache page, and handy for paying members, too. That button has been vanishing over the years, due Groundspeak's imbecility thoughtful redesign of the site functionality. At this time, most members can at least use the button where it still exists, with a lot of research and work. I post my most recent success at keeping the plugin running (no guessing, I always verify my steps actually work for me at the time of posting). I keep it alive on my PC as a personal challenge, and today it's still working. But I post the caveat that users are also opening themselves to security risks when using that plugin, and therefore need to weigh those risks.

Edited December 7, 2016 by kunarion

[cezanne]

The issue is that there is no way for basic members to get the file sendtogps sends to the gps without using the plugin.

At this time, most members can at least use the button where it still exists, with a lot of research and work.

 

Personally, I'm satisfied with the two locations where the sendtogps can be found but that's of course subjective.

I only needed to download a new version of the plugin a while ago and that was quickly done and needed no research, but I would not refer to me as a typical case.

 

I post my most recent success at keeping the plugin running (no guessing, I always verify my steps actually work for me at the time of posting). I keep it alive on my PC as a personal challenge, and today it's still working. But I post the caveat that users are also opening themselves to security risks when using that plugin, and therefore need to weigh those risks.

 

I did not comment on that part of your post. I keep the plugin running because I use it very often. The point of my post was that without sendtogps basic members end up with loc files and with sendtogps they obtain a reduced form of gpx - so the result is not the same as you had claimed. I thought that this might be valuable information for you that basic members end up with gpx files when using sendtogps.

Edited December 7, 2016 by cezanne

[+kunarion]

I did not comment on that part of your post. I keep the plugin running because I use it very often. The point of my post was that without sendtogps basic members end up with loc files and with sendtogps they obtain a reduced form of gpx - so the result is not the same as you had claimed. I thought that this might be valuable information for you that basic members end up with gpx files when using sendtogps.

I will change the text to clarify that the file sent has the file extension "GPX" and not "LOC" (for the one person who's confused by that ). But the sent GPX file has much missing that paid members receive, including descriptions and hints. When I was a basic member, I entered more info into a Palm PDA, or printed one or two cache pages, to complement what I got onto the GPSr. When it's free, I can't complain.

Edited December 7, 2016 by kunarion

[cezanne]

I will change the text to clarify that the file sent has the file extension "GPX" and not "LOC" (for the one person who's confused by that ). But the sent GPX file has much missing that paid members receive, including descriptions and hints. When I was a basic member, I entered more info into a Palm PDA, or printed one or two cache pages, to complement what I got onto the GPSr. When it's free, I can't complain.

 

It appears to me that you still did not get my point which was neither to complain nor to talk about the file extension (or any other form of nitpicking). I have no idea what you thought that I was complaining about here (I could not use the descriptions and hints on the GPS anyhow as my GPS-r is old and I do not own a smartphone). Regardless of my member status I would always cache with handwritten notes or printouts.

 

So once again:

 

When a basic member downloads the loc file from the cache page or via the bulk download, only the header coordinates are contained in the file, but not the additional waypoints.

 

If a basic member uses sendtogps, what is transferred to the gps is a gpx file with all waypoints but without further descriptions and hints (which is perfectly fine from my point of view and never has been part of the discussion here).

 

Conclusion: Sendtogps offers more functionality for basic members than what you described (downloading the loc file and sending it to the gps in whichever way). Sendtogps seems to be the only way for basic members to send all waypoints via gc.com to their GPS-units (even for their own caches).

Edited December 7, 2016 by cezanne