gpx and loc

[+georgeandmary]

I did some searching on the forum and couldn't really find the answer. I hear gpx is better but I don't know why?

 

Can someone fill me in?

 

george

 

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

[+Gimpy]

Been trying to figure that one out myself, george. It's great for quick viewing info thru Clayjars very nice app., but my 200 cache loc file turns into a 76 cache gpx file. Something gets lost in the shuffle somewhere. Being able to get the different icons is nice, but I'd rather have the additional 124 caches. I must be missing something.

 

Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.

[+The Merman]

Have to say that using Clayjars great Watcher utility with GPX downloads is great.

I put it on my laptop and can browse through the caches offline and really plan out my day.

(only problem was having to update to IE6 to get it to run)

LOC is great for downloading to GPSr and now that Huga has written a LOC to MPS utility, the waypoints can be loaded straight into mapsource.

 

Happy New Year

 

I woke this morning and my boat was not rocking...for one horrid moment I thought I lived in a house!

[+Olar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gimpy:

Been trying to figure that one out myself, george. It's great for quick viewing info thru Clayjars very nice app., but my 200 cache loc file turns into a 76 cache gpx file. Something gets lost in the shuffle somewhere. Being able to get the different icons is nice, but I'd rather have the additional 124 caches. I must be missing something.

---

 

Gimpy there are two things that must be done. First the gpx file opened by Watcher must be one that has been downloaded by a pocket query and not one that has been created by EasyGPS from a .loc file.

Secondly you need the latest version of EasyGPS to read the downloaded .gpx file properly.

 

Hope this helps, Olar

 

"You are only young once but you can stay immature forever"

[+Gimpy]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Olar:

 

Gimpy there are two things that must be done. First the gpx file opened by Watcher must be one that has been downloaded by a pocket query and not one that has been created by EasyGPS from a .loc file.

Secondly you need the latest version of EasyGPS to read the downloaded .gpx file properly.

 

Hope this helps, Olar

 

_"You are only young once but you can stay immature forever"_

---

 

 

Thanks, Olar. Latest version of EasyGPS did the trick. Works great now. I knew I was missing something.

 

Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.

[+Time Travelers]

I tried GPX and it was working o.k., but now when I try to upload I'm getting the message, 'no data was received from the GPS! Error #22'. I uploaded the same query in LOC and it worked fine...

Anyone else having this problem?

I'm using the lastest versions of ExpertGPS (and even tried the beta version) and Magellan 3.15. I also noticed the difference in file sizes; (my query is for the 100 closest caches); attachments in email LOC=20.8kb, GPX=407kb.

Thank you

 

"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

[+sledgehampster]

Am getting the same Error 22 message using latest version of EasyGPS. Can download from GPS but can't upload to it. Groundspeak edition works fine both ways. Sent report to support2002@easygps.com. Using MAP 330.

[+Renegade Knight]

I thought GPX was being touted as the universal waypoint file type so all programs that use and generate waypoint files could talk to each other... A spect I've seen on it shows that it has 'room' for more imformation about each waypoint than most other file types like tpg loc etc.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[+The Hornet]

quote:

---

Originally posted by sledgehampster:

Am getting the same Error 22 message using latest version of EasyGPS. Can download from GPS but can't upload to it.

---

 

I can't download a GPX waypoint file to my Meriplat but the same data in LOC format works fine. Keep us posted on what happens.

 

_________________________________________________________

 

It is better to regret something you did, rather than to regret something you didn't do.

[+alexm]

quote:

---

I tried GPX and it was working o.k., but now when I try to upload I'm getting the message, 'no data was received from the GPS! Error #22'. I uploaded the same query in LOC and it worked fine...

Anyone else having this problem?

I'm using the lastest versions of ExpertGPS (and even tried the beta version) and Magellan 3.15. I also noticed the difference in file sizes; (my query is for the 100 closest caches); attachments in email LOC=20.8kb, GPX=407kb.

---

 

The problem is more than likely a conflict between the waypoint data in the GPX file and the application you are using to load it to your GPS.

 

To sum geocaching.com's GPX up in a nut-shell, it's a LOC file with loads more data in it that has basically nothing to do with knowing that GCFFFF is at 91 32.123W 31 30.123N. What it does have is information like the cache page, last 5 logs, the cache type, and a slew of other information that is handy for folks working on developing third party applications for geocaching.

 

Unfortunately, as with any "new" thing, there are bugs that are just starting to crawl out of the cracks, probably both in the GPX files being generated by geocaching.com and the applications that read them.

 

Basically, if you don't need the extra data, you're just as well off with a LOC file as you are with a GPX.

 

If you're interested in what apps currently exploit the extra data, I've started a thread here that will hopefully one day fill up with apps that will have us all praising the glories of GPX.

 

Hope this helps!

 

alex

 

[This message was edited by alexm on December 30, 2002 at 01:23 PM.]

[+Time Travelers]

Thanks for your time Alex, now I'm going to try your patiences...

 

"The problem is more than likely a conflict between the waypoint data in the GPX file and the application you are using to load it to your GPS."

 

I'm using ExpertGPS and have also tried the beta version as well. I can receive info from my GPS to my computer and also LOC from my computer to my GPS (and have in the past received GPX from my computer to my GPS, but now I'm receiving the error message).

 

"To sum geocaching.com's GPX up in a nut-shell, it's a LOC file with loads more data in it that has basically nothing to do with knowing that GCFFFF is at 91 32.123W 31 30.123N. What it does have is information like the cache page, last 5 logs, the cache type, and a slew of other information that is handy for folks working on developing third party applications for geocaching."

 

So the GPX file would be useful for someone creating a program similar to the Pocket Query?

 

"If you're interested in what apps currently exploit the extra data, I've started a thread here that will hopefully one day fill up with apps that will have us all praising the glories of GPX."

 

If ExpertGPS is one of the programs using the GPX, where is this extra data, (cache page, last 5 logs, type...) it doesn't look much different than the LOC file to me...

 

Thanks again,

Linda

 

"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

[+alexm]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Time Travelers:

I'm using ExpertGPS and have also tried the beta version as well. I can receive info from my GPS to my computer and also LOC from my computer to my GPS (and have in the past received GPX from my computer to my GPS, but now I'm receiving the error message).

---

Wow. How do I explain this one? A .loc file looks something like this:

  <waypoint><name id="GC1D35"><![CDATA[sud-Ouest  by Katie & Alex]]></name><coord lat="30.1341833333333" lon="-91.79325"/><type>geocache</type></waypoint>

 

That's fairly simple and pretty-much has what you need to know (where it is and what to call it).

 

The same cache in a GPX file looks more like this:

<wpt lat="30.134183" lon="-91.79325"><time>2001-09-16T00:00:00.0000000-07:00</time><name>GC1D35</name><desc>Sud-Ouest  by Katie & Alex, Traditional Cache (1/1)</desc><url>http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=7477</url> <urlname>Sud-Ouest  by Katie & Alex</urlname><sym>Geocache</sym><type>Geocache</type><Groundspeak:cache id="7477" available="True" archived="False" xmlns:Groundspeak="http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0"><Groundspeak:name>Sud-Ouest </Groundspeak:name><Groundspeak: placed_by>Katie & Alex</Groundspeak: placed_by><Groundspeak: owner id="20262">alexm</Groundspeak: owner><Groundspeak:type>Traditional Cache</Groundspeak:type> <Groundspeak:container>Regular</Groundspeak:container> <Groundspeak:difficulty>1</Groundspeak:difficulty><Groundspeak:terrain>1</Groundspeak:terrain><Groundspeak:country>United States</Groundspeak:country><Groundspeak:state>Louisiana</Groundspeak:state><Groundspeak:short_description html="True">blah blah blah</Groundspeak:short_description><Groundspeak:long_description html="True">blah blah blah cache page</Groundspeak:long_description><Groundspeak:encoded_hints>blah blah hints</groundpeak:encoded_hints><Groundspeak:logs><Groundspeak:log id="794328"> blah blah blah buckets of logs</Groundspeak:log></Groundspeak:logs></wpt>

 

As you can see, there's tons more 'stuff' in the GPX file, 99% of which is useless to a simple 'load these waypoints to my GPS' application like EasyGPS, but valuable to a program like ClayJar's "Watcher" application. The problem comes in when an application like EasyGPS stumbles across something in the extra data that confuses it. It could be something as simple as someone entering a certain character in their cache description, or perhaps a description that's longer than EasyGPS can handle. It literally could be just about anything.

 

quote:

---

So the GPX file would be useful for someone creating a program similar to the Pocket Query?

---

Exactly. Folks are working on applications as we speak to do tons of wonderful things with the extra data. ClayJar's "Watcher" app is one of those. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before there's more apps than we know what to do with.

 

quote:

---

If ExpertGPS is one of the programs using the GPX, where is this extra data, (cache page, last 5 logs, type...) it doesn't look much different than the LOC file to me...

---

 

Are you saving the GPX from ExpertGPS and looking at it? In that case, ExpertGPS is "stripping" the stuff it doesn't know out. GPX is an "open standard" for relaying GPS data. Groundspeak (geocaching.com) adds things into this open-standard that are specific to geocaching.com and geocaching.com-GPX aware applications.

 

The easiest way to tell is to save the GPX file from the email to a file and open it with a text editor such as notepad or wordpad. You'll notice the difference there.

 

And I'm going to take a stab at your GPS problem also. There's probably a cache in your list of waypoints to download that has either a comment or description with something strange in it (something you probably can't immediately type on your keyboard such as an international character). This Cache used to make my ExpertGPS exhibit the same problem (the international-a-thing-with-a-hat-on-it in the name).

 

I hope this helps and doesn't confuse it even more.

 

...

alex

 

[This message was edited by alexm on December 30, 2002 at 04:41 PM.]

[+Time Travelers]

Perfect! I see exactly what your talking about. I saw all this excitement about the GPX and wanted to jump on the bandwagon too! Looks like between the pocket querys and the LOC files I have everything I need (for now . Thank you again.

 

"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

[topografix]

quote:

---

Originally posted by alexm:

And I'm going to take a stab at your GPS problem also. There's probably a cache in your list of waypoints to download that has either a comment or description with something strange in it (something you probably can't immediately type on your keyboard such as an international character). http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=10589 used to make my ExpertGPS exhibit the same problem (the international-a-thing-with-a-hat-on-it in the name).

---

 

I'd like to hear from anyone who's having trouble downloading GPX or LOC data to their GPS, and can trace the problem back to a geocache containing international characters.

 

Contact me at TopoGrafix support.

 

--

Dan Foster

TopoGrafix: GPS Software, Waypoints, and Maps

http://www.topografix.com/

[+Time Travelers]

TopoGrafix,

When I said, "I see exactly what your talking about." I was referring to the difference between the LOC and GPX file when viewed in notepad... Sorry for the confustion. However I am still receiving the 'no data was received from the GPS! Error #22' message when I attempt to download the GPX file to my GPS, but the LOC for the same query works fine... and I have downloaded the GPX files in the past, but can not now... (I'm going to look for an older GPX file and see if I can compare the two for differences). I'd be happy to send the current LOC & GPX file if you're interested.

Thank you,

Linda

 

"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

[+alexm]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Time Travelers:

When I said, "I see exactly what your talking about." I was referring to the difference between the LOC and GPX file when viewed in notepad... Sorry for the confustion. However I am still receiving the 'no data was received from the GPS! Error #22' message when I attempt to download the GPX file to my GPS, but the LOC for the same query works fine...

---

 

You may be having the same problem as described in This Thread. There's a work-around in the thread, and it looks like a fix is in the works.