Firefox/GS no good for PQs -part2

[+Rustynails]

Once again I try downloading a PQ from GS email and more problems. When looking at what recently downloaded, I see the file has now listed as something called compressed GPX. I tried loading this to my gps but it won't work. So firefox is no good for pqs. I go back to Internet Explorer and download with no problems and get standard GPX.  I now have gpx files in my garmin that work.

 

Is there anyway to fix firefox or GS email so I get standard gpx files instead of compressed ? GS doesn't want people to use IE but it's the only way to download workable gpx file. I haven't changed anything since last week when I got standard gpx. I'm not a computer expert, so please me nice.

[+on4bam]

Once again, firefox is NOT broken and as good as any browser for PQs.

What is the file you downloaded? It should be a ZIP file (123456.zip) containing 123456.gpx and 123456-wpts.gpx (the 123456 is an example) Both should be placed on your GPX.

Doubleclick on the ZIPfile will get you the 2 files, I suspect you didn't "unpack" the zipfile and just put the zipfile on your GPS and that doesn't work.

 

 

[+Goldenwattle]

Right click on the downloaded file and go WinZip. Choose Extract to here. The file won't work unless you do this.

Edited January 18, 2020 by Goldenwattle

[+Rustynails]

Like I said before I get View results and Download now
when opening GS PQ email. When clicking download  I only see a white screen.  Then looking at recent downloads I now see a compressed gpx instead of the standard gpx file.

[+on4bam]

Just now, rustynails. said:

Like I said before I get View results and Download now
when opening GS PQ email. When clicking download  I only see a white screen.  Then looking at recent downloads I now see a compressed gpx instead of the standard gpx file.

Doubleclick the downloaded file. You'll get the 2 gpx files you need.

Compressed= zip file

 

[+Rustynails]

9 minutes ago, Goldenwattle said:

Right click on the downloaded file and go WinZip. Choose Extract to here. The file won't work unless you do this.

 

When right clicking I don't see WinZip as an option.

[+on4bam]

1 minute ago, rustynails. said:

 

When right clicking I don't see WinZip as an option.

Doubleclick. Win10, if that's what you use has unzipping build in.

 

[+Rustynails]

6 minutes ago, on4bam said:

Doubleclick the downloaded file. You'll get the 2 gpx files you need.

Compressed= zip file

 

 

Thank You, that worked as you described.  I didn't have to do that last week. Why am I now getting a compressed file?

[+on4bam]

You always get a compressed file. It's been like that for ages.

 

[+niraD]

If you're using MS Windows, then it might help to change the filesystem explorer to stop hiding the file extensions of known file types. That way you can easily tell the difference between 123456.gpx and 123456.zip and 123456.htm and 123456.doc and 123456.txt and so on.

[Keystone]

I moved this thread from the Geocaching.com Website Bug Reports and Feature Requests forum.

[+thebruce0]

Don't know what would have changed, but it's possible the associated program to handle zip files has changed on your operating system.  Previously you have opened the file from the email link (presuming you're using web-based if you're referring to now using Firefox) and it automatically opened (the file that was automatically downloaded) in the tool that views the ZIP contents, but for whatever reason that changed.

As above it's good to know the difference between what file extensions are being used, where they go when you download them, and what is used to open them.  The nice thing is, ideally, you should be able to set that up to be fairly automated once (as you were used to) and not have to worry about it again. Knock on wood.

[+kunarion]

3 hours ago, rustynails. said:

Once again I try downloading a PQ from GS email and more problems. When looking at what recently downloaded, I see the file has now listed as something called compressed GPX. I tried loading this to my gps but it won't work. So firefox is no good for pqs. I go back to Internet Explorer and download with no problems and get standard GPX.  I now have gpx files in my garmin that work.

 

Is there anyway to fix firefox or GS email so I get standard gpx files instead of compressed ? GS doesn't want people to use IE but it's the only way to download workable gpx file. I haven't changed anything since last week when I got standard gpx. I'm not a computer expert, so please me nice.

 

You may have used one of several methods to get GPX files.  For example, you can download a cache GPX file which is not compressed, directly from a cache page.   You can download uncompressed GPX files from "Lists" of caches you create.  And once you set up Garmin Express (maybe you set it up already, it's Garmin's way to update your GPS), you can download entire Lists of caches directly to your Garmin.

 

But I most often download the Pocket Query Zip file, double-click it to reveal both GPX files (caches and waypoints), then click and drag the files into my Oregon 750.  The main reason I do it that way is it works even when various "new methods" don't work.  So I may see a whole bunch of "'Send To' Is Broken" posts around here, and I load my GPS and go caching.  

 

If you tell Firefox to download a file such as a Pocket Query Zip file, by default it goes to the "Downloads" folder in Windows.

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2020 by kunarion
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