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Release Notes (Website: Downloading caches to GPS devices) - August 28, 2018


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On ‎8‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 4:17 PM, OpinioNate said:

 

The retirement of the old lists page happened a couple days ago and it was a big "miss" by us for not communicating that change out to everyone. I apologize for that. Our analytics showed extremely low usage for the page but I am sure that is no consolation for anyone who still used it. It's not coming back, but we have collected feedback on the old vs. new and have it in mind for future consideration. 

Taking the bookmark off the cache page messed up a bunch of puzzle caches...one of them was mine. :(

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On ‎9‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 8:05 AM, on4bam said:

 

You could ask help on these forums but you'll have to disclose your OS and GPS type ;) It's working for millions of people, I would be surprised if it couldn't be made to work for you. First stop: a forum search ...

 

I have read this forum from top to bottom more time that I can count and I still don't understand how to do it.  You all write like everybody understand computers and the gps like you do.  Guess what,  some of us don't.  I am so frustrated that I resorted to loading caches manually yesterday so we could enjoy the day caching.  I try to understand all the directions,  but would appreciate somebody writing them in simple engish like this:

1.  First you do this

2.  Then you do this.

3.  Then you do this.

 

That would be awesome and the way the GS should have written the first announcement.

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11 minutes ago, steben6 said:

Taking the bookmark off the cache page messed up a bunch of puzzle caches...one of them was mine. :(

I still see a list of bookmark lists on the cache page. Have you added some sort of plugin or ad blocker that might be modifying the page in your browser?

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On 2.9.2018 at 10:22 AM, Go Play Outside said:

Well I was hopeful that a suggestion by niraD to use the Lists feature might be the answer but sadly no.  From a List you can "Send to Garmin" or "Save .LOC" file.  There is no option to save to .gpx.

 

When I tried using the circle with 3 dots context menu next to a List entry in the List Management page one of the options is "Send To Garmin".  This requires installation of the Garmin Express app for Windows but when I installed that, Garmin Express said it did not support the older Mapsource 60 series GPSs, I had to install Web Updater.  Web updater does not manage waypoints or any aspect of the GPS other than firmware updates.

 

I also tried the "Download to .LOC" in the individual lists details page in hopes I could use EasyGPS to send them to the GPS but clicking on the button does not produce a file.  It tries to do something but seems to fail.  I think the feature is not working now.

 

We are heading out camping for a week with no internet access so Will try to catch up and see if there are any answers then.

 

Create a PQ from your list, download the PQ into MapSource and send the caches to your GPS. Easy!

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10 hours ago, steben6 said:

[...]

1.  First you do this

2.  Then you do this.

3.  Then you do this.

 

That would be awesome and the way the GS should have written the first announcement.

Well ...

You have a bachelor's degree and would like it explained as you were a 4-H-clubber?

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7 hours ago, HHL said:

Well ...

You have a bachelor's degree and would like it explained as you were a 4-H-clubber?

 

 If somebody does, there are already threads with a ideas to do it, with steps.  I've suggested it right here several times, but this one thread has become a gigantic collection GPS Load problems.  So individual steps are lost in the chatter.

 

Again, for a particular Geocaching issue with specific software and model of GPS, start a thread, or start here: https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/topic/349720-how-to-load-an-old-gps-with-gpsbabel/

 

Edited by kunarion
Sunlight was refracting through the swamp gas of Venus.
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On 29 August 2018 at 4:10 AM, noncentric said:

How is it "much more difficult"?

With the GPX File button, you just attach your GPSr to your computer (which was also necessary with Send to GPS) and click a button on the webpage (which was also necessary with Send to GPS). The only difference is that now, instead of waiting for the plug-in to get started, you tell the computer to save the file to the Garmin/GPX folder of your GPSr.

 

Have you tried the new method yet? Maybe try it a few times before deciding if it's worse or not.

 

Removing the Send to GPS option is an overall benefit for the many cachers that have not continued using outdated browser versions. There have been 1+ posts in the forums every week from cachers, old and new, confused about the button not working anymore. This saves them that frustration.

 

The removal of the send to GPS option is terrible as those of us who have older GPS units have no simple way of downloading coordinates. This is a Garmin ploy to get us to buy an expensive modern unit. Well it's good bye Garmin from me.

 

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I seriously despise the way that the send to GPS Function has been removed in favour of the GPX option. For us non computer geeks and or those with older GPS units the new GPX option greatly hinders the downloading of cache coordinates. I think it's a ploy by Garmin to get us to buy expensive new units. Well, it's good bye Garmin. No way you are forcing me to buy anymore of you fast out dating products.

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10 minutes ago, Hawkeyeone said:

I think it's a ploy by Garmin to get us to buy expensive new units. Well, it's good bye Garmin. No way you are forcing me to buy anymore of you fast out dating products.

 

No it's not. Do some reading on these forums, there's plenty of info to get caches on all kinds of GPSes. It's not spoon fed on a silver platter but the info is there. It might take some getting used to but it does work.

BTW, are you still on Windows 3.1 or did you upgrade as time went by? The end of the plugin was announced years ago, time to move on.

 

 

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13 minutes ago, Hawkeyeone said:

I seriously despise the way that the send to GPS Function has been removed in favour of the GPX option. For us non computer geeks and or those with older GPS units the new GPX option greatly hinders the downloading of cache coordinates. I think it's a ploy by Garmin to get us to buy expensive new units. Well, it's good bye Garmin. No way you are forcing me to buy anymore of you fast out dating products.

I totally agree, i've spent hours trying to load caches onto my etrex. I've about had enough. I rally enjoy geocaching,  but looks like i'll be forced to pack it all in.

WHY HAVE THEY REMOVED THE SEND TO GPS OPTION AGHHHHHHHHHH 

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29 minutes ago, mark913 said:

WHY HAVE THEY REMOVED THE SEND TO GPS OPTION AGHHHHHHHHHH 

 

From the original Release Notes:

 

On 8/28/2018 at 11:55 AM, Geocaching HQ said:

We have removed the ‘Send to GPS’ option from the Geocaching map and the ‘Send to My GPS’ button from cache pages. This functionality has become increasingly unreliable in recent years because modern web browsers do not allow the operating system access required for the plugin to function correctly. This results in a poor experience for users whose browser plugins suddenly stop working, as well as for new users who expect the options to work correctly.

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Wow.  As probably one of the least tech-friendly people here, I'm kinda stunned with the whining...

 

When we started, we had blue legends and  BlackBerrys, using Trimble outdoors. 

How many phones have others had since 'o4?  I've had eight.  They just wouldn't work well anymore with what was updated (some) less than a year later.

We both went to 60cxs and she moved (and stayed with)  iphone, while I went from windows phone, to android, to iphone, and back to android.

Things just don't last anymore.  Anyone who saw the bail-out of app folks for windows phone should remember what that's like.   ;)

 

Sure I get ticked time-to-time (gave up pm in protest for two years just for removing search "nearest" on my profile page), but even I know (and knew) when functions were going bye-bye, simply because I keep track.

No offense gang, but for the life of me, I can't understand how someone would plunk down thirty bucks every year and not pay attention to the goings-on of the site...

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17 minutes ago, mark913 said:

Yeah well it worked, i have spent hours pulling my hair out trying to load caches onto my gps with no luck.  I might as well cancel my subscription, 

I do remember someone kindly offering you help if you would just state your GPSr type and operating system. I think taking them up on the kind offer is certainly a much better option than commiting self-geocide.

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6 minutes ago, mark913 said:

its etrex 20

OK, it's an eTrex 20. That unit could be connected as a drive to your PC. When you connect the unit to your PC it should be automatically mount as a drive or you will be prompted if you want to set the unit into Mass Storage Mode or not. Select Mass Storage Mode.

Now you just click the GPX button on the cache page > choose "Save as ..." > select the Garmin Drive/Garmin/GPX > save the GPX file into the GPX folder.

Unconnect the Garmin. Start the unit.

 

Hans

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1 hour ago, mark913 said:

Sorry yeah, i've been tearing my hair out for hours. It a Garmin etrex.  i've tried re installing garmin express.  i've tried the gpx thing, but its jus over my head, it was so much easier when could just  send to gps.

 

With an eTrex 20 you can easily use PQs. You also just need to store the GPX file onto your device as described by HHL.

 

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On ‎9‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 3:55 PM, steben6 said:

I have read this forum from top to bottom more time that I can count and I still don't understand how to do it.  You all write like everybody understand computers and the gps like you do.  Guess what,  some of us don't.  I am so frustrated that I resorted to loading caches manually yesterday so we could enjoy the day caching.  I try to understand all the directions,  but would appreciate somebody writing them in simple engish like this:

1.  First you do this

2.  Then you do this.

3.  Then you do this.

 

That would be awesome and the way the GS should have written the first announcement.

I agree. This really now sucks. When I save a cache to a GPX file it just goes into my downloads. I have no option but to go to each one then send it to my GPS. When I try to save it to a list it shows it as saved but I have no idea where it went. I try to make a new list and it never shows up in my dashboard. How is this easy????? Send to my GPS worked great, was easy. Geocaching.com has now taken all the fun out of downloading caches.  

Edited by olytreeman
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23 minutes ago, olytreeman said:

I agree. This really now sucks. When I save a cache to a GPX file it just goes into my downloads. I have now option but to go to each one then send it to my GPS. When I try to safe it to a list it shows it as saved but I have no idea where it went. I try to make a ne list and it never shows up in my dashboard. Ho is this easy????? Send to my GPS worked great, was easy. Geocaching.com has now taken all the fun out of downloading caches.  

 

You can set your browser to ask where you would like to save the file. In Firefox go to Tools>Options and scroll about halfway down. Chrome is something similar. You can set it to ask where to save or set it to download to the Garmin/gpx folder. If you set it to download straight to the gps, everything you download will go to that folder.

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5 hours ago, JPatton said:
6 hours ago, olytreeman said:

I agree. This really now sucks. When I save a cache to a GPX file it just goes into my downloads. I have now option but to go to each one then send it to my GPS. When I try to safe it to a list it shows it as saved but I have no idea where it went. I try to make a ne list and it never shows up in my dashboard. Ho is this easy????? Send to my GPS worked great, was easy. Geocaching.com has now taken all the fun out of downloading caches.  

 

You can set your browser to ask where you would like to save the file. In Firefox go to Tools>Options and scroll about halfway down. Chrome is something similar. You can set it to ask where to save or set it to download to the Garmin/gpx folder. If you set it to download straight to the gps, everything you download will go to that folder.

 

Yes, and if you set it to ask where to save, it'll remember that for the next time you're saving a gpx file so all you have to do is one click to confirm.

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On 9/2/2018 at 6:03 AM, JimJinks said:

I'll throw this out as a quick fix for older GPS owners, utilizing GPSBabel as the interface program.

 

Create a batch file on your desk top containing the following command:

 

"c:\Program Files (x86)\GPSBabel\gpsbabel.exe" -i gpx -f "%1" -o garmin -F usb:

 

(assuming that is where you have GPSBabel installed)

 

Then you can drag/drop a gpx file onto the batch file and it will be sent to your USB attached Garmin device.

 

Tested on a 60Cx. YMMV
 

 

I don't see a "c:\Program Files (x86)" folder on my Mac.

 

For those that need .LOC files, another option (if you use Chrome, which runs on Windows, Macs, Linux)is  the CacheList extension.  It allows you to create a list of caches either from the cache pages or from the map, then save the list as a GPX, LOC,  KML (google maps), or CSV formats.  It can also print the list as a nicely formatted page.

 

 

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On 9/1/2018 at 3:25 AM, monsterbox said:

 

There's a big issue with the upper option on the map! The file generated THERE doesn't have the corrected but the header coords. The option on the cache page works as expected!

 

Thanks for calling this out. We fixed this problem yesterday, so the map preview GPX file should now respect corrected coordinates.

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On 9/4/2018 at 1:16 PM, niraD said:
On 9/4/2018 at 12:47 PM, mark913 said:

WHY HAVE THEY REMOVED THE SEND TO GPS OPTION AGHHHHHHHHHH 

 

From the original Release Notes:

 

On 8/28/2018 at 2:55 PM, Geocaching HQ said:

We have removed the ‘Send to GPS’ option from the Geocaching map and the ‘Send to My GPS’ button from cache pages. This functionality has become increasingly unreliable in recent years because modern web browsers do not allow the operating system access required for the plugin to function correctly. This results in a poor experience for users whose browser plugins suddenly stop working, as well as for new users who expect the options to work correctly.

 

I can completely understand why the "Send To GPS Option" button.  I think it was at least a couple of years ago when at least one browser removed the ability to run the plugin to the inherent security issues related to the technology it used (NPAPI).  Over the past couple of years, pretty much all browsers recognize the security risk and have blocked the use of plugins using NPAPI, to the point that the GS site had a button which, except for the few that were running old, security vulnerable systems, would not work.  Those of us that frequent the "How Do ?" sub-forum have been answering questions about why the Send to GPS button doesn't work (and basically providing the same answers described in this thread as an alternative).  

 

It has also been mentioned in this thread that the "old lists" pages has gone away (though the release notes don't mention it).  I assume that the rationale for this is that GS doesn't want to support multiple implementations of "Lists" (also understandable).  I don't know if it happened in this release or earlier but it also looks like the ability to add a Related Web Page has gone away.   It looks like cache listings which already have a related web page will still display the link (thus, avoiding the breaking of a lot of puzzle caches) but I'm not sure I understand the rationale for removing this feature (same goes for removing the coordinate converter on every cache page that was removed without warning awhile back).   I suspect that it's mostly been used by puzzle cache creators but I've also found it a nice feature to discover additional information about the area where a cache has been placed.  Sure, one could just add a link in the cache description, but that requires knowledge of HTML.    Was GS getting requests from it's users asking for the removal of the Related Web Page link?   I don't really see any benefits in having it go away.

 

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On 28.8.2018 at 8:55 PM, Geocaching HQ said:

• Removed the Download .LOC button at the bottom of bookmark list pages

 

I used this feature to create a list of solved puzzle caches with the original coordinates. In combination with pocket queries, I was able to distinguish solved mysteries from unsolved ones.

 

I would appreciate if you could add one (or better all ;)) of the following features for pocket queries (or GPX in general):

  • put corrected coordinates in the wpt element (as they currently are) AND add original coordinates somewhere in the cache element
  • put an attribute in the cache element to mark caches with corrected coordinates
  • add a filter for pocket queries "has corrected coordinates" (Yes, No,All), like that one in the normal search

Currently you get solved and unsolved mystery caches in the same pocket query and cant distinguish between them, which makes is hard to use on a GPS device.

 

Thanks,

Chris

 

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2 hours ago, WolfHH said:

Currently you get solved and unsolved mystery caches in the same pocket query and cant distinguish between them, which makes is hard to use on a GPS device.

Just flag the solved mysteries (or multis) with an indicating custom poi.

1. add solved mysteries to a bookmark list

2. create a PQ from that list

3. use Poi Loader to send that PQ as a poi file to your Garmin.

That might look like this (the yellow triangles are the indicator pois, green underlining means: part of a planned route):

 

Insel%20der%20Jugend_Micros.png?raw=1

 

Hans

 

Edited by HHL
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4 hours ago, NYPaddleCacher said:

I don't know if it happened in this release or earlier but it also looks like the ability to add a Related Web Page has gone away.   It looks like cache listings which already have a related web page will still display the link (thus, avoiding the breaking of a lot of puzzle caches) but I'm not sure I understand the rationale for removing this feature (same goes for removing the coordinate converter on every cache page that was removed without warning awhile back).   I suspect that it's mostly been used by puzzle cache creators but I've also found it a nice feature to discover additional information about the area where a cache has been placed.  Sure, one could just add a link in the cache description, but that requires knowledge of HTML.    Was GS getting requests from it's users asking for the removal of the Related Web Page link?   I don't really see any benefits in having it go away.

 

The related web page was removed when they changed the cache edit page back in December last year and was mentioned in the release notes then:

 

Quote

The Related Web Page field now only exists on caches that currently use that field. If a cache owner removes an existing Related Web Page, then the field will disappear.

 

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17 hours ago, HHL said:

Just flag the solved mysteries (or multis) with an indicating custom poi.

1. add solved mysteries to a bookmark list

2. create a PQ from that list

3. use Poi Loader to send that PQ as a poi file to your Garmin.

 

Thanks for your suggestions!

Step 1 and 2 is, what I currently do (actually in two lists, because of the limitation of 1000 caches per list/PQ).

Step 3 is no option for me, because I dont use Windows. Instead I exclude all mysteries from the other pocket queries.

 

I liked to have the original coordinates (via the loc-file) and the corrected coordinates (via the pocket-query) for my personal cache database. Currently that's no longer possible. But I guess, that's a very rare use case anyway.

 

Cheers,

Chris

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42 minutes ago, Viajero Perdido said:

One nice thing about caching with a phone is that you don't have to care about any of this.  No computer involved; phone gets caches directly from Groundspeak.

Yep. And back before the API was available, when I used GPX-based apps, there was an Android bug that made downloading the GPX file to the phone rather convoluted. It could be done without involving a computer, but it required multiple configurations and additional app installations that weren't obvious at first. Full access to the API is one of my favorite features of premium membership.

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On 9/4/2018 at 12:47 PM, mark913 said:

I totally agree, i've spent hours trying to load caches onto my etrex. I've about had enough. I rally enjoy geocaching,  but looks like i'll be forced to pack it all in.

WHY HAVE THEY REMOVED THE SEND TO GPS OPTION AGHHHHHHHHHH 

Because, as been mentioned several times above and innumerable times in the last couple years, the technology that enabled it to work is a security risk so modern more secure browsers deliberately do not allow it. This is not something that Groundspeak or Garmin decided. It is the decision of browser providers to avoid the consequences of known hackable software. While I do not expect GS to say this, it would not surprise me that the legal staff have come to the conclusion that continuing to offer access to known hackable software put them at some risk. If it were my decision, I would have deprecated this functionality two years ago.

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13 hours ago, Michaelcycle said:
On 9/4/2018 at 12:47 PM, mark913 said:

I totally agree, i've spent hours trying to load caches onto my etrex. I've about had enough. I rally enjoy geocaching,  but looks like i'll be forced to pack it all in.

WHY HAVE THEY REMOVED THE SEND TO GPS OPTION AGHHHHHHHHHH 

Because, as been mentioned several times above and innumerable times in the last couple years, the technology that enabled it to work is a security risk so modern more secure browsers deliberately do not allow it. This is not something that Groundspeak or Garmin decided. It is the decision of browser providers to avoid the consequences of known hackable software. While I do not expect GS to say this, it would not surprise me that the legal staff have come to the conclusion that continuing to offer access to known hackable software put them at some risk. If it were my decision, I would have deprecated this functionality two years ago.

 

I'm not so sure that GS removed the link (which would download a plugin if it was not already installed) because of the security vulnerability.  As browsers were updated so that they  would block the use of the technology used by the plugin,  they had a link which an ever increasing number of their users would find to be non-functional. That results in more support requests (why doesn't this link work?) and questions here in from those wondering why the link doesn't work.  

 

It should be mentioned that it's the NPAPI technology that has the security vulnerability.  The plug-in didn't take advantage of the vulnerability.  It's more likely the legal staff of companies that make browsers that didn't want them to support a technology which opened up a security hole  

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52 minutes ago, steben6 said:

Can somebody please tell me how to reply to one of these posts?  That's how old and computer illiterate I am.  But I need help.

 

Surely with over 1700 posts to the Forum you know how to reply.  I looked at your previous posts in this thread and I'm not clear on what exactly your question is.  You ask for step by step but for what exactly?  Have you looked in the How Do I... or Geocaching Topics sections of the Forum for answers to your questions?  There are a number of recent threads on how to load caches using the GPX File button, load Lists using Send to Garmin, load PQs, and load caches on old Garmins that don't read .gpx files.  If those aren't clear, post your questions there and someone is sure to respond.  If you can't find an existing thread regarding a specific issue just start a new thread.  And it will help tremendously if you say what operating system, browser, and GPS model you are using.

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2 hours ago, icezebra11 said:

 

Surely with over 1700 posts to the Forum you know how to reply.  I looked at your previous posts in this thread and I'm not clear on what exactly your question is.  You ask for step by step but for what exactly?  Have you looked in the How Do I... or Geocaching Topics sections of the Forum for answers to your questions?  There are a number of recent threads on how to load caches using the GPX File button, load Lists using Send to Garmin, load PQs, and load caches on old Garmins that don't read .gpx files.  If those aren't clear, post your questions there and someone is sure to respond.  If you can't find an existing thread regarding a specific issue just start a new thread.  And it will help tremendously if you say what operating system, browser, and GPS model you are using.

I don't really appreciate your sarcasm.  I haven't been on the forums for a while, and the look of them has changed.  I wasn't asking anything about the gps/gpx issue on this post.  I was only asking how to reply to somebody's post. As you can see, I figured it out.  Thanks.

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This is directed to Ben H, and not anybody on the forums.  Could we PLEASE have the "Send to GPS" option for, say, just another month.  This would give us old timers with old GPS' time to figure out how to use the Send to GPX feature.  We manually loaded our caches in so we could go caching today, but we won't do that every day.  We are trying to learn the "Send to GPX," but we have other steps we have to take because we have two Garmin 60CSx gps', and they don't support the "Send to GPX" feature without other steps.    Please?  Just asking for a month or even a few weeks?   

 

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1 hour ago, steben6 said:

I don't really appreciate your sarcasm.  I haven't been on the forums for a while, and the look of them has changed.  I wasn't asking anything about the gps/gpx issue on this post.  I was only asking how to reply to somebody's post. As you can see, I figured it out.  Thanks.

 

I honestly didn't (and admittedly still don't) understand why you asked how to reply.  As far as I could tell you figured it out in the first of your 11 replies in this thread, including several times quoting other posters, prior to you posting that question in your 12th reply.  My reply to you was based on what you wrote.  If you intended your question to mean something else you should have written what you meant.  We can only read your words, not your mind.

 

So putting that behind, I see you've posted in the GPSBabel thread about loading caches into an old, non-paperless caching, GPS.  With your self-described limited computer skills, you might be better off buying an updated GPS that supports .gpx files and learning to load them direct from the site rather than trying to figure out new intermediate software.  I just looked on Amazon and you can get a bare bones Etrex 10 for about 80 bucks. If you want more features then there are plent of models to choose from.  An Etrex 30x is about $200.  

 

I can't help you with old GPS model issues but I wish you the best getting to where you can load caches again.

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3 hours ago, icezebra11 said:

you might be better off buying an updated GPS that supports .gpx files and learning to load them direct from the site rather than trying to figure out new intermediate software.

 

That's a good point. Cachers will need to decide which is most practical. Shoe-horning software into a way to “load” the GPS, never quite doing what one had hoped? Or in the case of one or two cache coordinates per day, typing them manually?

 

I'm resisting suggesting that people go out and buy all new stuff merely because the company abandoned the old stuff. A lot of it still works great!

 

… but I've had to “type” a list of temporary caches into a few joystick-entry-type GPSs at an event. Man, that was torture! People enjoy that? B)

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