Two states/countries--same city name

[+GrateBear]

Is there a macro/checker that you can use to see if you've found caches in two different states or countries, but in cities with the same name, ie, like Athens, OH & Athens, GA or Athens, Greece?  I looked through GSAK macros, but didn't see one that would do that.

Edited September 4, 2020 by GrateBear
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[+Jayeffel]

49 minutes ago, GrateBear said:

Is there a macro/checker that you can use to see if you've found caches in two different states or countries, but in cities with the same name, ie, like Athens, OH & Athens, GA or Athens, Greece?  I looked through GSAK macros, but didn't see one that would do that.

Can you simply enter Athens?

[+ecanderson]

I think GrateBear is hoping to find all of the examples of this in their finds, not just one specifically.  With almost 5000 finds, that could take a while. 

 

The problem is that gc.com does not record finds by city, so it would take some pretty fancy work with some mapping tools to geolocate all of the finds' coordinates vs. agency maps to figure out what city limits each cache was in, if in any city at all.  City boundaries can be really wonky, especially with some just-barely-legit flagpole annexations some cities have used to appropriate new territory into their taxing clutches.

 

 

 

 

[+HHL]

6 hours ago, ecanderson said:

so it would take some pretty fancy work with some mapping tools to geolocate all of the finds' coordinates

That could be done way easier in GSAK with the macro "GetAddresses.gsk (click here)".

Run the macro. Then filter for Athens|Athina in the custom data field "Adresse".

 

 

 

Hans

Edited September 5, 2020 by HHL

[+ecanderson]

+1 for GSAK.  That reverse geolocation macro would be one of those "fancy work with mapping tools".

 

As an aside:

You know, I often wonder what % of questions of this sort, even after project-gc came online, are still answered here with "GSAK".  I know a lot of people feel that the learning curve is steep, but when you think of the amazing number of things you can do with this utility - without doing a single lick of programming, it's a wonder that more people are willing to jump that barrier.  And anyone who does write any code at all would find the macro building system easy enough that if there isn't already a macro solution thought up by another cacher, it's fun to try to build your own.  I depend upon the level of automation provided by my own macro for how we plan every week's caching adventure.  I can't imagine how many additional hours it would take me to do what we do without it.  Wouldn't be worth it.  I just hope that gc.com doesn't screw up the API so badly some day that it breaks the GSAK interface to the point where Clyde's helpers aren't willing to try to put it all back together.  It would certainly change my level of interest in the hobby.

 

(GSAK ist eine Reise)

Edited September 5, 2020 by ecanderson

[+NYPaddleCacher]

On 9/5/2020 at 10:52 AM, ecanderson said:

+1 for GSAK.  That reverse geolocation macro would be one of those "fancy work with mapping tools".

 

As an aside:

You know, I often wonder what % of questions of this sort, even after project-gc came online, are still answered here with "GSAK".  I know a lot of people feel that the learning curve is steep, but when you think of the amazing number of things you can do with this utility - without doing a single lick of programming, it's a wonder that more people are willing to jump that barrier.  And anyone who does write any code at all would find the macro building system easy enough that if there isn't already a macro solution thought up by another cacher, it's fun to try to build your own.  I depend upon the level of automation provided by my own macro for how we plan every week's caching adventure.  I can't imagine how many additional hours it would take me to do what we do without it.  Wouldn't be worth it.  I just hope that gc.com doesn't screw up the API so badly some day that it breaks the GSAK interface to the point where Clyde's helpers aren't willing to try to put it all back together.  It would certainly change my level of interest in the hobby.

 

(GSAK ist eine Reise)

 

My issue with GSAK as the solution for anything geocaching related is that my primary computer is a Mac and GSAK is a Windows application.  Sure, there are ways to get GSAK runing so that it works (mostly) on a Mac but they're all a pain.  A couple require install/adding the Windows operating system or requiring a reboot each time one needs to switch between GSAK and everything else I do with a Mac.   The best solution that I've found is to use the Wine application which allows a windows application to run on a Mac by modifying the application such that some portions of the application are rewritten to run on a mac instead of windows.  Even that was a headache to setup and required a PC to be available to configure authentication.  I jumped over the fence from a PC to a Mac several years ago and am not going back just for a single application.

[+ecanderson]

Then you'll have to either start writing a lot of code or find alternate tools.  The GSAK for Mac vs. PC issue has had enough popcorn over the years.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

20 hours ago, ecanderson said:

Then you'll have to either start writing a lot of code or find alternate tools.  The GSAK for Mac vs. PC issue has had enough popcorn over the years.

 

I know what it would take to port GSAK to a Mac.  I just think that those that tout GSAK as the solution for every geocaching need to be reminded occasionally that it's a native Windows application and shouldn't assume that everyone reading has a Windows PC.    Project-GC *is* an alternate tool.   

[+ecanderson]

Given the hodgepodge of tools used to both create GSAK and support realtime networked operation of the app, many of which are obsolete, don't underestimate what it would take to recreate it for Mac.   Clyde has made it pretty clear that it's a chocolately mess.  He's had to explain this to the narrow lane of Linux users here as well.

 

Yes, we understand that Mac users aren't going to get any benefit from it.  But for the larger audience of Windows users, it can be a great tool, providing a lot of features simply not possible anywhere else, including project-gc.  So when it can provide a solution to a problem, we attempt to steer users toward it -- not being sufficiently clairvoyant enough to know which OS they're using.  It's quicker than starting out every discussion with a preamble post of "What operating system are you using?" since the odds are that the user is on some kind of Windows system.

 

 

Edited September 9, 2020 by ecanderson

[+NYPaddleCacher]

On 9/9/2020 at 10:36 AM, ecanderson said:

Given the hodgepodge of tools used to both create GSAK and support realtime networked operation of the app, many of which are obsolete, don't underestimate what it would take to recreate it for Mac.   Clyde has made it pretty clear that it's a chocolately mess.  He's had to explain this to the narrow lane of Linux users here as well.

 

Yes, we understand that Mac users aren't going to get any benefit from it.  But for the larger audience of Windows users, it can be a great tool, providing a lot of features simply not possible anywhere else, including project-gc.  So when it can provide a solution to a problem, we attempt to steer users toward it -- not being sufficiently clairvoyant enough to know which OS they're using.  It's quicker than starting out every discussion with a preamble post of "What operating system are you using?" since the odds are that the user is on some kind of Windows system.

 

 

 

I'm not underestimating the amount of work it would take but I'm no stranger to porting an application from one o/s to another.  I ported a somewhat popular text adventure game to a proprietary o/s back in 1983.   I'm not suggesting that every post which mentions GSAK needs to mention that it's a windows application, but an occasional mention could be useful.  

[+ecanderson]

Well, we've got that (the mention) now!

Honestly, if you'd talk with Clyde, you'd have a better picture of how ugly the situation actually is.  And if you didn't pick up on it here or elsewhere, understand that Clyde's ability to contribute to the current project is pretty limited.  Fortunately, he's got a couple of people helping.

I've also spent some time porting code for a living (I used to do printer firmware development, and all emulations had to be ported to different platforms), and it's only after having a better understanding of how GSAK was built that I suggest that moving it to another platform would be a train wreck for anyone trying to tackle it.

[Keystone]

The original "How do I....?" question asking about a GSAK macro solution was answered in an early reply.  Discussion of GSAK in general belongs in the API forum (or, in certain cases, in the GPS forum).