Downloading GPS Coordinates

[DragonSoldier45]

What's happening?  Previously I could download GPS coordinates from a web page to my GPS device.  Suddenly that has disappeared.

 

Now, to make matters even worse, it has disappeared from the MAP VIEW listing where you click on the icon and basic info on the cache is shown.  This one is REALLY, REALLY frustrating since I was just using it  few hours ago in planning for my forthcoming trip and it worked fine (even though the capability had already disappeared from the web page).

 

Now my only option is to download a bulky GPX file and then upload it to my GPS, all of which take time and add to the frustration!.

 

Help!  Help!  Help!  Please fix!

[+on4bam]

6 minutes ago, DragonSoldier45 said:

What's happening?  Previously I could download GPS coordinates from a web page to my GPS device.  Suddenly that has disappeared.

 

 

Yes it FINALLY disappeared.  You probably used an outdated browser to keep it working. It NOT coming back.

 

No idea why you would say it's now a "bulky" GPX file as these files are small.

 

What extra time do you need when using "save GPX" to your GPS instead of the plugin?

 

You could also use a WP manager (GSAK and many others) import the GPX there and export all caches in one go to your GPS. Become PM and use lists or PQs to do the same. I haven't loaded a "single cache GPX" in 12 years

[+noncentric]

FYI... https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/topic/349667-release-notes-website-downloading-caches-to-gps-devices-august-28-2018/

 

[DragonSoldier45]

So, the GPX isn't clunky?  Well, I have to click on the button, say that I want to save it (and where) to my computer, the security scan runs, and then after I get all of them saved, attach my GPS, select all the GPX files I want to upload, and upload all of them to my GPS.  Whew!

 

Now this is as opposed to attaching my GPS to my computer, clicking save, and it's on the GPS.  Lot more extra work!  And I don't know who had problems with the old system?  I've been using it since 2015 with no problems (except for 1 MS update that Garmin told be how to easily fix).

 

And soo, the answer is to buy a premium membership so I can make some kind of list and, I suppose, download them all at once and then upload them afterwards.  Almost sounds the same as above?

 

I know of a couple other fixes they need to make to the site, but I know if I post them they will be ignored like other problems I've raised in the past.

[+on4bam]

You're not running the latest (or even 10 updates ago) version of your browser. Do a search on communicator plugin and look at the date it was first reported not to work anymore (hint: it's been years). There are 1000's of posts "send to GPS stopped working" at least now we won't see those anymore

May now we'll get 1000's of "send to GPS button is not showing anymore".

 

As PM you can have lists/PQ so you can upload 1 file to your GPS containing 1000 caches / file. How's that for extra work ?

 

[+kunarion]

35 minutes ago, DragonSoldier45 said:

So, the GPX isn't clunky?  Well, I have to click on the button, say that I want to save it (and where) to my computer, the security scan runs, and then after I get all of them saved, attach my GPS, select all the GPX files I want to upload, and upload all of them to my GPS.  Whew!

 

Now this is as opposed to attaching my GPS to my computer, clicking save, and it's on the GPS.

 

Do the 2nd option.  Save it directly to the GPS.

[+cerberus1]

56 minutes ago, DragonSoldier45 said:

I've been using it since 2015 with no problems (except for 1 MS update that Garmin told be how to easily fix).

 

Congrats !  For most playing, it hasn't worked for much longer.  And playing for free too.  Cool.  

[+The A-Team]

11 hours ago, DragonSoldier45 said:

Now my only option is to download a bulky GPX file and then upload it to my GPS, all of which take time and add to the frustration!.

The GPX file you get from the GPX button is the same one that previously got loaded by the "Send to My GPS" plugins. It's just the transfer method that has changed.

 

Quote

Well, I have to click on the button, say that I want to save it (and where) to my computer, the security scan runs, and then after I get all of them saved, attach my GPS, select all the GPX files I want to upload, and upload all of them to my GPS.  Whew!

You could do it that way, but there's no reason to. Rather than save them to your computer, just save them directly to the GPS. If you're doing a bunch of them in a row, the browser should remember the last place you saved a file, so for subsequent caches it should be a matter of click the GPX button, click save, done. If anything, this may be fewer clicks than with the "Send to My GPS" plugins.

 

Yes, things have changed after staying the same for a long time. Trust us, if you give it a chance, you'll find you quickly get used to the new method and that it really isn't more difficult than before.

[+waka-man]

Dear Computer experts,

I am a geocache user who enjoys walking and finding a cache every now and then, that is my  pleasure. I used to press a button and the Garmin 60CSx would know where to take us to. Now I have to do things with files and move them to places I do not understand. Can someone translate all the GPX computer talk to human speech so I can go for my hike? In other words, how can I easily move the waypoints to my GPS?

Edited September 2, 2018 by waka-man

[+Goldenwattle]

On 8/29/2018 at 11:41 PM, DragonSoldier45 said:

So, the GPX isn't clunky?  Well, I have to click on the button, say that I want to save it (and where) to my computer, the security scan runs, and then after I get all of them saved, attach my GPS, select all the GPX files I want to upload, and upload all of them to my GPS.  Whew!

 

Now this is as opposed to attaching my GPS to my computer, clicking save, and it's on the GPS.  Lot more extra work!  And I don't know who had problems with the old system?  I've been using it since 2015 with no problems (except for 1 MS update that Garmin told be how to easily fix).

 

And soo, the answer is to buy a premium membership so I can make some kind of list and, I suppose, download them all at once and then upload them afterwards.  Almost sounds the same as above?

 

I know of a couple other fixes they need to make to the site, but I know if I post them they will be ignored like other problems I've raised in the past.

I save files directly to my GPS. Go to 'My Computer' and navigate to the GPS.

[+kunarion]

5 hours ago, waka-man said:

Dear Computer experts,

I am a geocache user who enjoys walking and finding a cache every now and then is a pleasant experience. I used to press a button and the Garmin 60CSx would know where to take us to. Now I have to do things with files and move them to places I do not understand. Can someone translate all the GPX computer talk to human speech so I can go for my hike? In other words, how can I easily move the waypoints to my GPS?

 

The familiar "Send To GPS" button you refer to, failed because the parts that make it go were never updated.  Or they could not be updated.  It's complicated.  Anyway the button's gone.  There are many options, but I can't tell if any will be "just one click".  Remember that even the old Button had stuff to set up and keep functional, and that it broke frequently.  Except for the lucky ones.

 

Software that is actively updated and converts and places GPX files is costly.  So it depends on your budget and what you're willing and able to do.  "EasyGPX" and I think "Basecamp" can load some of the oldest handheld GPSs.  EasyGPS's "cost", for example, is it takes over a PC's file associations and it's designed to encourage you to buy "ExpertGPS" by being relatively featureless (not a complaint, it's just an example of the cost of "free stuff").  GSAK is another, and its "for free" cost is an ever-increasing nag timer before it will do things.  There are for-pay versions of some of those, some are pretty much "subscriptions" so you pay again and again, but none are acceptable to me. I'm trying various ones at times, but so far, yeah, I end up deleting them.

 

But let's say you want to load something like a Garmin 60csx on which you can't load a GPX cache file directly.  Save the GPX file from a cache page by clicking the "GPX File" button.  Or run a Pocket Query and unzip and save its file(s).  At that point you could plug in the GPS, start EasyGPS, import and save the GPX file to the GPS, go caching.  Maybe there's a way to streamline or automate some of the steps, but it will work something like that with any helper software.

 

A more recent Garmin GPS can load a GPX file directly.  Click "GPX File", save the file into the "Garmin/GPX" folder on the device.  I usually save GPX files into Downloads on my PC first, but it is an extra step.  It's just a PC thing I do, you don't have to do it like that.  For a Pocket Query, you do have to do it like that, so that's part of my process.  Anyway, unzip the PQ, place the file(s) into "Garmin/GPX".  That's pretty simple, you can remove old files while you're at it, and you need no helper software for that basic plan. If all you need is a GPX file and your device can load it directly, "helper software" can be a whole lot of extra stuff that gets in the way.  First decide what you want to do, install only what you really need.

 

If I had a very old GPS, I'd type one or two cache waypoints manually (and print or view the cache page on another device) and try to make do.  The time it takes to get software all set up, what works and what doesn't, to learn how to use it, the "cost"... by then, I'm back around to thinking how easy it is to not do any of that, and instead to just type the coordinates and go.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2018 by kunarion
I got stuck under my bed.

[+waka-man]

So if I understand correctly I have to download and install EasyGPS.

Maybe it is a tip to put a button on the Geocache web page.

[+kunarion]

2 hours ago, waka-man said:

So if I understand correctly I have to download and install EasyGPS.

Maybe it is a tip to put a button on the Geocache web page.

 

OK, but the web site administrators would be the ones to do that.  Contact Geocaching.com:  https://www.geocaching.com/help/

Geocaching.com doesn't list the steps to load particular GPSs, and I don't even know of instructions on how to load every GPS (every GPS ever made? Plus every computer setup?).  Bear in mind before you ask for such tips, that the current tips were done by Geocaching.com.  That is, it's... the tips are… you know... as helpful as they may ever get.  

 

I sure can't test your GPS.  If you have a plan that works, post the whole thing somewhere, all the steps (and the specific GPS, along with all versions of everything).

 

But it's not necessarily "EasyGPS" specifically.  People may use ExpertGPS (the paid option beyond EasyGPS), GSAK, Basecamp, or others, but it adds complexity, and creates new issues.  People who hunt a couple of caches every once in a while may opt to instead type one or two coordinates into their GPS directly, no software needed at all.  There may not be an option that is suitable for all.

 

Have you tried to send a List to a 60CSx?  That would use Garmin Express which supports the 60CSx at least in some ways.

 

AND see this!!  What about a way (after perhaps some help setting it up) to just drop files into a folder where they automatically get sent to an "old" GPS!

 

 

Edited September 2, 2018 by kunarion

[+cerberus1]

24 minutes ago, kunarion said:

People who hunt a couple of caches every once in a while may opt to instead type one or two coordinates into their GPS directly, no software needed at all. 

Yep. 

Loaded caches manually since starting, just take along a small notepad for any extra  info I may need, and haven't had any of the issues others worry of time-to-time since '04.    

[+kunarion]

2 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

Yep. 

Loaded caches manually since starting, just take along a small notepad for any extra  info I may need, and haven't had any of the issues others worry of time-to-time since '04.    

 

+1

 

If one sticks with one's good old, old GPS, the world of technology will leave you behind.  It's the sad reality of the world.  But the old device tends to have a great antenna, outstanding precision for Geocaching, and you already know it's reliable in the field.  It just works.  Decide if it's worth the time to set up a PC to load a couple of caches, when you type tons of "Geocaches" all the time while Geocaching without much trouble at all.

 

Edited September 2, 2018 by kunarion

[+waka-man]

@ Kunarion. Thanks for the tips and especially the program names to load coordinates to the GPS. I will try and find a solution so we can go out and find caches with the kids again..

ps I found mapsource on my pc and it seems to work.

Edited September 2, 2018 by waka-man

[+kunarion]

24 minutes ago, waka-man said:

@ Kunarion. Thanks for the tips and especially the program names to load coordinates to the GPS. I will try and find a solution so we can go out and find caches with the kids again..

 

Cool!  Here's more food for thought, where people presented some pretty sweet ideas today:

(Not my ideas, just reposted so people may find them again)

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2018 by kunarion