Oregon 700 benchmark file type

[+Ragfoot]

I've taken an interest into looking for more benchmarks. Unfortunatly, my Oregon 700 doesn't want to help. I've resorted to using my old Delorme PN-60. I've talked to other Garmin owners and find the GPS Map, and the Montana (probably others too) work just like you would expect. The problem with the Oregon 700, is it ignores the "benchmark" type or the "locationless" type. A crude workaround is to change all the file types from benchmark to an Oregon 700 recognized cache type.  I'm hoping for a better solution, such as adding the missing cache types to the Oregon. Anyone with an idea on how to do this?

[+Atlas Cached]

No Garmin GPSr recognizes benchmarks.

 

You will have to use one of the symbols that are recognized. 

 

I have benchmarks loaded on all my Garmin devices and can search and find and log them just like a geocache.

 

 

 

      

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by Atlas Cached
added screen captures

[+Timpat]

I have load an entire state (NY) worth of USGS benchmarks as POIs on my Garmin mapping units. I get the entire NGS data sheet displayed. At the moment I forget exactly how I did it! I work in GIS and download the NGS data and had a free program that converted it all.

[+Ragfoot]

7 hours ago, Atlas Cached said:

No Garmin GPSr recognizes benchmarks.

 

You will have to use one of the symbols that are recognized. 

 

I have benchmarks loaded on all my Garmin devices and can search and find and log them just like a geocache.

 

 

 

      

 

 

Interesting, you say that no Garmin GPSr recognizes benchmarks, and then you post a picture showing a map using benchmark symbols. What you have shown in your pictures is exactly what I would like to be able to do with my Oregon 700. It is what a friends Montana 700 does and what a friends Map 62st does. My Oregon 700 will NOT do that (AFAIK). What kind of GPSr did you use for those screenshots and does the GPSr allow searching for only selected types of caches like shown in the screenshot of my Oregon 700?

[+Ragfoot]

4 hours ago, Timpat said:

I have load an entire state (NY) worth of USGS benchmarks as POIs on my Garmin mapping units. I get the entire NGS data sheet displayed. At the moment I forget exactly how I did it! I work in GIS and download the NGS data and had a free program that converted it all.

Thank you for your reply. I also download entire state text files from the USGS and convert them to .gpx files which I put into GSAK. Then I filter for the benchmarks I want to search for, and export a .gpx file OR simply "Send Waypoints" directly from GSAK. Works great on my Delorme PN-60, works great on friends Montana 700 and friends Map 62st. Doesn't work on my Oregon 700,

I CAN load the benchmarks into the Oregon 700 and view them as waypoints, but that does not allow marking as found.

And yes, I also use GSAK and load them all into my NUVI which also works quite well for road navigation.

[+Atlas Cached]

6 hours ago, Ragfoot said:

I also download entire state text files from the USGS and convert them to .gpx files which I put into GSAK. Then I filter for the benchmarks I want to search for, and export a .gpx file OR simply "Send Waypoints" directly from GSAK. Works great on my Delorme PN-60, works great on friends Montana 700 and friends Map 62st. Doesn't work on my Oregon 700,

 

Can you please share that file with me for testing on my Montana 7x0 and GPSMAP 62? 

[+Atlas Cached]

6 hours ago, Ragfoot said:

Interesting, you say that no Garmin GPSr recognizes benchmarks, and then you post a picture showing a map using benchmark symbols.

 

No Garmin GPSr recognizes Benchmarks. The screen captures I shared required a series of special steps to simulate Benchmarks on the Garmin GPSr.

 

  

6 hours ago, Ragfoot said:

What you have shown in your pictures is exactly what I would like to be able to do with my Oregon 700. It is what a friends Montana 700 does and what a friends Map 62st does. My Oregon 700 will NOT do that (AFAIK). 

 

I also have those models, and none of them do this without also following a specific workflow to make it happen. I am very interested in finding out what is being done with your friends Montana 7x0 and GPSMAP 62 that i snot working with your Oregon 7x0.

 

  

6 hours ago, Ragfoot said:

 What kind of GPSr did you use for those screenshots and does the GPSr allow searching for only selected types of caches like shown in the screenshot of my Oregon 700?

 

Those screen captures were taken from my Oregon 7x0.

 

Please send me your Benchmark GPX file so I can have a look at it, and I will help you achieve what you desire with your Oregon 700.

[+Ragfoot]

4 hours ago, Atlas Cached said:

 

No Garmin GPSr recognizes Benchmarks. The screen captures I shared required a series of special steps to simulate Benchmarks on the Garmin GPSr.

 

  

 

I also have those models, and none of them do this without also following a specific workflow to make it happen. I am very interested in finding out what is being done with your friends Montana 7x0 and GPSMAP 62 that i snot working with your Oregon 7x0.

 

  

 

Those screen captures were taken from my Oregon 7x0.

 

Please send me your Benchmark GPX file so I can have a look at it, and I will help you achieve what you desire with your Oregon 700.

I won't mind jumping through a few hoops if I can retire my Delorme PN-60 and use my Oregon 700 efficiently. I'll appreciate whatever you can do to help. <smile>

I don't know how to upload a .gpx file to this site, so try...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pvpkb5i48xo1prt/benchmark test.gpx?dl=0

[+Ragfoot]

1 hour ago, HHL said:

I'd successfully loaded your GPX file to my Montana 600. The Benchmarks are shown as caches with a custom symbol.

 

 

 

Thanks HHL, that's what I'd like to see on the Oregon 700!

[+Atlas Cached]

2 hours ago, Ragfoot said:

 

Thanks HHL, that's what I'd like to see on the Oregon 700!

 

What do you see on your Oregon 700?

 

Screen captures might be helpful.

[+Atlas Cached]

2 hours ago, HHL said:

I know. I just tested your GPX file to ensure that its OK.

 

The GPX file is in fact not OK.

[+Atlas Cached]

5 hours ago, Ragfoot said:

I won't mind jumping through a few hoops if I can retire my Delorme PN-60 and use my Oregon 700 efficiently. I'll appreciate whatever you can do to help. <smile>

I don't know how to upload a .gpx file to this site, so try...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pvpkb5i48xo1prt/benchmark test.gpx?dl=0

 

Thank you!

 

How was this GPX created? I can see multiple issues with it already....

[+Ragfoot]

3 hours ago, Atlas Cached said:

 

Thank you!

 

How was this GPX created? I can see multiple issues with it already....

I exported the file from GSAK as a .gpx file. Same results if I use GPS>Send Waypoints... except it sends it as a .ggz file.

Also, I don't know what, if any, changes I've made to the GPSr, but the benchmarks ARE showing up now (except as closed chests).

[+Atlas Cached]

32 minutes ago, Ragfoot said:

I exported the file from GSAK as a .gpx file. Same results if I use GPS>Send Waypoints... except it sends it as a .ggz file.

Also, I don't know what, if any, changes I've made to the GPSr, but the benchmarks ARE showing up now (except as closed chests).

 

You can see one of your issues in that very screen capture! Some Benchmarks are displayed as Puzzle/Mystery caches!

 

How was the data collected and processed before importing into GSAK?

 

The quick and dirty fast fix for your current GPX file is to open it in notepad or another text editor of your liking and:

 

1. Edit all <sym></sym> tags to read <sym>Geocache</sym>.

2. Edit all <type></type> tags to read <type>Geocache</type>.

3. Save the edited GPX file and copy to your GPSr:\Garmin\GPX\ directory.

4. Copy the desired custom Benchmark symbol to your Garmin GPSr:\Garmin\CustomSymbols\ directory and rename it to Geocache.bmp.

 

Please see GPSrChive > How To... > Waypoints > Custom Waypoint Symbols > GPSrChive Custom Symbols to find some Benchmark waypoint symbols that are ready to use.

 

I am working on a tutorial to walk you through each step of creating Benchmark 'Geocaches' for your Garmin GPSr so that you will not have this issue in the future. Stay tuned for that....

 

 

Edited October 4, 2021 by Atlas Cached

[+Atlas Cached]

9 hours ago, HHL said:

- Download and unzip the linked icon file https://www.dropbox.com/s/fyytrflnhvxvev5/benchmark2.zip?dl=0

- Copy the file to: GarminUnit://Garmin/CustomSymbols

- Rename the file to "Geocache.bmp"

From now on all unrecovered cachetypes (that gives the closed chest) will be automatically mapped to the new icon by Garmin's firmware feature "CustomSymbols".

We can do that with all icons. Personally I changed the inappropriate Dollar symbol to a more pleasant Euro symbol on my Montana.

 

Hans

 

To be clear,  this only solves half of the problem. 

 

The GPX file formatting must also be corrected. 

 

Also, I don't feel 'inappropriate' is a suitable description for the "$" symbol,  as this is the currency recognized and used world-wide.

 

It is very convenient Garmin allows us to substitute our own symbols where needed. 

 

[+Ragfoot]

1 hour ago, Atlas Cached said:

 

To be clear,  this only solves half of the problem. 

 

The GPX file formatting must also be corrected. 

 

Also, I don't feel 'inappropriate' is a suitable description for the "$" symbol,  as this is the currency recognized and used world-wide.

 

It is very convenient Garmin allows us to substitute our own symbols where needed. 

 

 

Thank you very much for your help! I believe you have me headed in the correct direction. 

FWIW, The '?' and the symbol for 'locationless' are intentional. I know by looking at the Code if it is a geocache or a benchmark. My benchmark database has been modified specifically to aid in finding and logging benchmarks. Note, even the D/T ratings have to do with each specific benchmark.

 

[+Ragfoot]

10 hours ago, HHL said:

- Download and unzip the linked icon file https://www.dropbox.com/s/fyytrflnhvxvev5/benchmark2.zip?dl=0

- Copy the file to: GarminUnit://Garmin/CustomSymbols

- Rename the file to "Geocache.bmp"

From now on all unrecovered cachetypes (that gives the closed chest) will be automatically mapped to the new icon by Garmin's firmware feature "CustomSymbols".

We can do that with all icons. Personally I changed the inappropriate Dollar symbol to a more pleasant Euro symbol on my Montana.

 

Hans

 

Thanks for helping!

[+Atlas Cached]

2 hours ago, HHL said:

Ragfoot's GPX file was formatted spot on. I used it as is, with the above result.

 

Wrong sir.

 

The GPX file he uploaded, and you tested,  has multiple errors, which I have pointed out above. 

[+Atlas Cached]

5 hours ago, Ragfoot said:

 

Thank you very much for your help! I believe you have me headed in the correct direction. 

FWIW, The '?' and the symbol for 'locationless' are intentional. I know by looking at the Code if it is a geocache or a benchmark. My benchmark database has been modified specifically to aid in finding and logging benchmarks. Note, even the D/T ratings have to do with each specific benchmark.

 

 

Interesting.

 

HO0629 St George Mormon Temple Spire uses the 'Locationless' symbol, but is not a geocache, but rather a Benchmark.

MS0594 K 380 has the "?" symbol, and is a Benchmark, not a geocache.

MS0084 T 9 also uses the "?" symbol, and is also a Benchmark, not a geocache.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Moun10Bike]

2 minutes ago, Atlas Cached said:

Interesting.

 

HO0629 St George Mormon Temple Spire uses the 'Locationless' symbol, but is not a geocache, but rather a Benchmark.

MS0594 K 380 has the "?" symbol, and is a Benchmark, not a geocache.

MS0084 T 9 also uses the "?" symbol, and is also a Benchmark, not a geocache.

 

The NGS>>GPX application that can convert NGS datasheets to GPX assigns those cache types to the various classes of benchmarks by default:

• Adjusted BMs -> benchmark symbol
• Scaled BMs -> mystery symbol
• Intersected BMs -> locationless symbol

[+Atlas Cached]

1 minute ago, Moun10Bike said:

 

The NGS>>GPX application that can convert NGS datasheets to GPX assigns those cache types to the various classes of benchmarks by default:

• Adjusted BMs -> benchmark symbol
• Scaled BMs -> mystery symbol
• Intersected BMs -> locationless symbol

 

Even more interesting!

 

I use NGS->GPX and it does not do that for me (so I must have edited the settings somewhere to prevent it if that was the default behavior).

 

I was under the impression the OP marked them this way to identify them as Geocaches because that is what they stated:

 

6 hours ago, Ragfoot said:

FWIW, The '?' and the symbol for 'locationless' are intentional. I know by looking at the Code if it is a geocache or a benchmark.

 

[+Ragfoot]

6 hours ago, Atlas Cached said:

 

Even more interesting!

 

I use NGS->GPX and it does not do that for me (so I must have edited the settings somewhere to prevent it if that was the default behavior).

 

I was under the impression the OP marked them this way to identify them as Geocaches because that is what they stated:

 

 

 

Like Moun10Bike said, those symbols are there for a reason. I was trying to point out, by looking at the Code, If I see a ?, I would know if the code started with GC, then it would be a geocache and not a benchmark.

I have the benchmark symbol installed in my Oregon 700 now, so all is good with the world. [Except, the Oregon 700 won't let my write a log Note. Any help with that? <smile>]

[+Team Geo-Clarks]

On 10/3/2021 at 10:18 PM, Atlas Cached said:

I am working on a tutorial to walk you through each step of creating Benchmark 'Geocaches' for your Garmin GPSr so that you will not have this issue in the future. Stay tuned for that....

 

I'm the user with the GPSMap 62st that Ragfoot has referred to, I'd love to see this tutorial when finished, thank you.

[+Atlas Cached]

On 10/5/2021 at 10:28 AM, Team Geo-Clarks said:

I'm the user with the GPSMap 62st that Ragfoot has referred to, I'd love to see this tutorial when finished, thank you.

 

Please visit GPSrChive > How To... > Benchmark