+lee737 Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 In my recent thread I managed to get some 'trigpoints' properly displaying on the Montana, after swearing at the device and its predecessor the Oregon many times.... To do this, I had to reclassify the trigs from the type 'Benchmark', to something else - I didn't want to use 'Virtual' as I didn't want confusion with true virtuals. So I decided on 'Mega-Event Cache' instead, figuring there's never many around anyway (especially now). I edited the GPX file in the following lines for each waypoint to read: Quote <sym>Geocache</sym> <type>Geocache|Mega-Event Cache</type> .... <Groundspeak:type>Mega-Event Cache</Groundspeak:type> (Previously the term 'Benchmark' was where I have 'Mega-Event Cache' - this seemed to cause the caches to not show up when browsing the map, but would appear in search lists....) The way it is, this works, but the mega-event symbol is barely visible on the screen, so I'd like to replace it with a custom symbol. I've read the Uber-User section on GPSrChive, and am sure I've done it right, and popped a 32x32pixel BMP in the CustomSymbols folder (Called 'Mega-Event Cache.bmp') , but the old event symbol is used. I'd appreciate some pushes in the right direction, please. Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 post your bitmap, please Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 You still have <sym></sym> as geocache....? Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted August 26, 2020 Author Share Posted August 26, 2020 2 minutes ago, Atlas Cached said: You still have <sym></sym> as geocache....? Yes - I tried inserting 'Mega-Event Cache' and it made no difference.... 5 minutes ago, Atlas Cached said: post your bitmap, please I'm back at work now, without my laptop, I will when I get home though. Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted August 26, 2020 Author Share Posted August 26, 2020 29 minutes ago, Atlas Cached said: You still have <sym></sym> as geocache....? I read the Uber-User page again - should I have had <sym>Mega-Event Cache.bmp</sym> ? Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 No file type extension should be used, and is not used in the examples at GPSrChive. How many bmp in the CustomSymbols directory on your GPSr? Send me the symbol and your newest file. Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Just compared your syntax to the files working OK on my device, and I also have: Quote <sym>Geocache</sym> <type>Geocache|Mega-Event Cache</type> <Groundspeak:type>Mega-Event Cache</Groundspeak:type> So that should not be the issue. Likely an issue with the custom symbol, or you have too many custom symbols loaded.... 1 Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted August 26, 2020 Author Share Posted August 26, 2020 Thanks - I'll send it to you in a couple of hours. There are only two symbols in the folder, my venerable (working well) 'Geocache Found.bmp' smiley, and the mega event replacement.... Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 SO when you say that those show up using the 'old event symbol', which symbol is the 'old event symbol'? Do you mean the Default Event Symbol? (remind me which device and firmware version you are using) Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted August 26, 2020 Author Share Posted August 26, 2020 The old event symbol - just the standard symbol for a mega-event, not the custom one I copied into the CustomSymbols folder.... My device is a Montana 680t, F/W 3.50 Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted August 26, 2020 Author Share Posted August 26, 2020 It must be the BMP settings of my .bmp file. I just downloaded some icons from the link shared my Mineral2 a couple of years ago, and they work fine..... link - I guess I have some stuff to learn about bitmap file formats! Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 OK, turns out your BMP was 8-bit, needed to be 24-bit. I sent you the correct version of the BMP and it now works OK on my GPSr, so should work on yours as well! 1 Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 2 hours ago, lee737 said: It must be the BMP settings of my .bmp file. I just downloaded some icons from the link shared my Mineral2 a couple of years ago, and they work fine..... link - I guess I have some stuff to learn about bitmap file formats! Yes, those are GPSrChive custom geocache symbols, all available from GPSrChive directly, plus many more not listed in that post! 1 Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted August 31, 2020 Author Share Posted August 31, 2020 I'm adding in caches from a different geocaching site, alongside my usual geocaching.com caches, and want them to look different wherever possible. I'm running out of standard cache types to rebadge (Event, Mega-Event, Webcam, CITO) for them. Can I make my own?? ie - Quote <sym>Geocache</sym> <type>Geocache|MyOwnSpecial Cache</type> .... <Groundspeak:type>MyOwnSpecial Cache</Groundspeak:type> and then add an icon to the CustomSymbols folder? This would be very cool if it worked.... I'd try it and see, but am nervous I might brick the device! Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 You will not brick the device, and I suspect you will find that approach will not work. Should you have any success, please share your results! Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted September 1, 2020 Author Share Posted September 1, 2020 7 hours ago, Atlas Cached said: You will not brick the device, and I suspect you will find that approach will not work. Should you have any success, please share your results! Thinking about it, the term 'Benchmark' in there wasn't working well, so my own term may not either.... I will try tonight though.... Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 (edited) On 9/1/2020 at 10:26 AM, Atlas Cached said: You will not brick the device, and I suspect you will find that approach will not work. Should you have any success, please share your results! Using different terms in there, apart from the normal cache types, doesn't work (completely). They do appear in the Find cache list, but not on the map, and don't use custom symbols (just the standard treasure chest).... Interestingly the type 'Project APE Cache' doesn't work either..... Edited September 4, 2020 by lee737 Quote Link to comment
+marvin_gardens Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 I suspect that the 11 cache types are hard coded in the Garmin units (At least for my Oregon 600, and APE is not one of them). When the unit encounters a cache type it does not recognize, it defaults to the treasure chest. I have made alternate symbols for Giga and Mega cache (and Found) types. They are displayed on the map as the alternate symbol. but hen I go to the cache filter screen on my GPS, the original symbols show up in the selection menu. I tried to create a new cache type and include a alternate symbol like I have for the Giga and Mega, but it still defaults to the treasure chest. I can see this being one of the main reason GS does not want to create new cache types, it will not display properly on millions of GPSrs out there without a firmware upgrade. If you figure out how to make it work, I too would be interested on knowing to do it. Quote Link to comment
+Atlas Cached Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 I suspect at some point Garmin made a GPSr that did support all of the geocache symbols they listed by name in their Trail Tech Custom Symbols blog entry... That blog post and the included lists are no longer available from the Garmin website. The Oregon series is named specifically in the post, so perhaps those units did recognize all of the listed symbols? I may have to dust off an Oregon x00/x50 later for testing.... Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 It's working quite well now - I have rebadged the events (Event, Mega-Event, CITO) and Webcams, to use for 'special' caches, alternate trads, alternate virtuals and trig points respectively. SO now a glance at the map tells us everything we need to know about what is in front of us.... I never use the GPS to navigate to an event, and if I do, it isn't an issue if the symbol is different, in fact I prefer my new 'event' symbol to the actual event symbol! As there are only 4 webcams in this country, I can live with that too.... I'll keep experimenting..... Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 7 hours ago, marvin_gardens said: I have made alternate symbols for Giga and Mega cache (and Found) types. Is Giga-Event a usable cache type? I didn't note it on the GPRrChive site, so haven't tried it.... Quote Link to comment
+Mineral2 Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 It is not, at least as current as the Oregon 600. I don't think Garmin has really put much update into their geocaching code beyond adding direct API access. Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 1 minute ago, Mineral2 said: I don't think Garmin has really put much update into their geocaching code I fear this may become worse, as the ubiquitous smartphone slowly claims another scalp.... Quote Link to comment
+Mineral2 Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 I don't know if the smartphone is entirely to blame. Garmin still puts out new handhelds and is, in general, improving them. But their tech and business model seems to be antiquated and based on a model of change as few parts as possible so they don't have to write a new system from scratch. The hardware end of things is kinda the same. It's pulling teeth to get them to adopt new hardware standards. Case in point, ditching the mini-USB for micro-USB when the rest of the world is ditching micro-USB for USB-C. And they still haven't put out a USB-C device. The addition of wifi is a nice touch, but not a necessity as I see it. I kinda liked that these devices were fairly secure by being off the network. Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 1 hour ago, Mineral2 said: I kinda liked that these devices were fairly secure by being off the network. I agree. How do the wifi ones roll - live updates like a smartphone, or loading PQs via wifi, or both?? Quote Link to comment
+Mineral2 Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 Both... though live updates is much more limited than a cell phone. 1 Quote Link to comment
+marvin_gardens Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 14 hours ago, lee737 said: Is Giga-Event a usable cache type? I didn't note it on the GPRrChive site, so haven't tried it.... Sorry, my bad. Giga is not a usable cache type. It was Mega and CITO that I changed to different symbols. 1 Quote Link to comment
+lee737 Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 I discovered something today.... I've reassigned CITO to virtuals from geocaching.com.au, and noted today one of ours didn't show up on the GPSr as we drove past.... it didn't appear on the map at all, but did appear in the search list, with the correct (custom) symbol. Turns out if the cache type is CITO, you can't use a container type of 'virtual', anything else seems to work though.... this entry needs to be changed.... Quote <Groundspeak:container>Virtual</Groundspeak:container> to <Groundspeak:container>Other</Groundspeak:container> and all works fine.... Quote Link to comment
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