GeoClipping Palm Pilot Application

[+rschoolf]

GeoClipping

 

Use this application to clip information from the cache pages at Geocaching.com, formatted for the MemoPad application of your Palm.

 

The cache information will be cleaned up, and formatted to read nice in MemoPad. The content will be truncated to 4k, so it will fit one memo.

 

This application was written for use with Microsoft Internet Explorer.

 

To use:

1. Using Microsoft Internet Explorer, navigate to a cache page you would like to place in a Palm MemoPad record.

 

2. To include any encrypted hints, navigate to that page before clipping. To do this click on the "cheat" link on the cache page:

 

Additional hints can be decrypted below.

You can decrypt the hint with the chart, or you can *cheat*.

 

3. Run the GeoClipping program. The GeoClipping program will see that Microsoft Internet Explorer is running, and will set focus to it, select all the text, and copy it to the ClipBoard.

 

4. It will then parse the text, and place the formatted text back on the Clipboard.

 

5. If you have your Palm Desktop running, GeoClipping will set focus to it, switch to the MemoPad, add a new record, paste your clipped data.

 

6. You are now ready to navigate to another cache page, and repeat the process.

 

Prerequisites

1. You must have a c:temp directory.

 

2. You must be running Microsoft Internet Explorer.

 

3. You should have the Palm Desktop running - and you should not be in a record editor.

 

Bugs

1. Currently, difficulty and terrain values are not available - you will have to enter these in yourself.

 

Please report any bugs to rschoolf@hotmail.com

 

License to use is hereby granted to the GeoCaching community, released to the public domain.

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~rschoolf/geocaching.htm

[+the england's]

I just tried this webclipping program and I think its great......well done

 

It's out there...let's go get it!

[+Dan_Edwards]

You can never have too many! Thanks, I can't wait to download it when I get home.

 

Dan

[+pdxmarathonman]

Thanks.

 

It's a good user interface. Fun to watch too, since it is almost exactly the keystroke sequence I have been using to accomplish the same thing - just about 50 times faster!!!

 

Maybe we can get Jeremy to put the numeric difficulty/terrain numbers next to the stars.

[+benjamin921]

Definatley a neat program. Works good on my m130.

[+Clan Ferguson]

How long should I let the program run. After 10 minutes the window still says Processing...

 

I have a cache page open. I have Palm DeskTop open. I have Internet Explorer. I have C:/temp, I start GeoClipping Press Clip and then it just sits there. How long does it normally take??

 

Thanks

 

James

"Big Dog"

-Clan Ferguson

[rodness]

I use a pocket PC and so will have to cut and paste the text to pocket word but this utility is extremely useful and well done. Thank you for writing it. I would love to see Pocket PC support.

[+rschoolf]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clan Ferguson:

How long should I let the program run. After 10 minutes the window still says Processing...

---

 

Thanks so much for the heads up with the issue you reported. I think I have discovered the cause, and made the application more robust in that regard. Please see the new instructions on the web site, and download and install the latest version.

 

Issue: "Blank screen upon launching program. Message: Processing ... "

 

SOLUTION: The focus (cursor) cannot be in the Address edit field in Internet Explorer. Please click on the cache page. This will establish the page area (rather than the URL) as the target of our clipping.

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~rschoolf/geocaching.htm

[+Wander Lost]

That's the best thing since sliced bread!!!

 

If you want to keep the size down a bit you can click on the link to make the page printer friendly. (i.e. no logs)

 

 

[This message was edited by Wander Lost on April 30, 2002 at 07:38 PM.]

[+Wander Lost]

That's the best thing since sliced bread!!!

 

If you want to keep the size down a bit you can click on the link to make the page printer friendly. (i.e. no logs)

 

 

[This message was edited by Wander Lost on April 30, 2002 at 07:38 PM.]

[+byonke]

The new version works great. What a timesaver. Are you ready for enhancement requests yet?

 

Thanks again

Brian

[+rschoolf]

quote:

---

Originally posted by byonke:

Are you ready for enhancement requests yet?

Brian

---

 

I am ready! One thing I like to do is print out a cache sheet. I use Word, and copy certain info from the cache page, and Paste Special (Unformatted) into the right side, and paste a nice topo on the left side. Maybe this program could format that text, too?

 

So, what are enhancement ideas? Let's do it!

[+byonke]

quote:

---

I am ready! One thing I like to do is print out a cache sheet. I use Word, and copy certain info from the cache page, and Paste Special (Unformatted) into the right side, and paste a nice topo on the left side. Maybe this program could format that text, too?

 

So, what are enhancement ideas? Let's do it!

---

 

My thought would be to have the GC#### included in the title line that goes to the note. Often the GC#### is the easiest thing to find when searching for waypoints in the GPSR. This is especially true with some of the more basic models that do not contain description fields. This information is available on the

line of the html code. In fact that may be where you get the current desription.

 

Thanks

Brian

[+rschoolf]

quote:

---

Originally posted by byonke:

 

My thought would be to have the GC#### included in the title line that goes to the note. Often the GC#### is the easiest thing to find when searching for waypoints in the GPSR.

---

 

Done!

 

v1.0.2 05-01-02 Added waypoint to the title. Thanks to byonke for the suggestion. Added support for pasting into Word and other applications. One use for this is to create your own custom printouts. Added 'Include Logs' option. Added instructions on the initial screen. Added 'Prompt for Difficulty / Terrain' option, and 'Difficulty / Terrain' dialog.

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~rschoolf/geocaching.htm

[ride_bent]

The latest update has the option to auto paste the page into Notepad and save it. Very, very nice.

 

Thanks so much for this little gem!

 

The best things in life are not things...

[+Wander Lost]

I love this program!! But.........

 

Since you are taking suggestions, how about an option to prompt for the cache type?

 

Why be normal!!!!

[+Wander Lost]

I love this program!! But.........

 

Since you are taking suggestions, how about an option to prompt for the cache type?

 

Why be normal!!!!

[+rschoolf]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ben:

Hey man, it keeps on getting better and better. Just a shot in the dark, but is there any way to have the map that is displayed on the Geocache page be displayed on the palm - if it supports photos?

---

 

I have done this kind of thing with Plucker. I wrote parsers for the cache pages and the General forum, weather and more. Creates a whole web site all formatted for the Palm, complete with topos, satellite radar weather images, that can be Plucked.

 

It is a lot of software to install, configure, and run. I found Plucker has a penchant for locking up my Win2000 Server from time to time.

 

That is why I decided to go with a simple, low tech solution. I read that many folks were happy using the built-in MemoPad application to store cache data. With copying text from a web browser, formatting the text and sending it to MemoPad, there is little point of failure.

 

Now, as you know, MemoPad is just for text, not pictures! So automating pictures gets us back to the Plucker world. If you want to see a sample of this work, you can download this sample Plucker file (compiled for 256k color Palm m505):

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~rschoolf/downloads/csgeocaching.pdb

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~rschoolf/geocaching.htm

[+rschoolf]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zuckerruebensirup, in another thread:

 

That's why my cache description spefically states, "None of the micro containers are covered. Each is in plain view, but you’ll basically need to be right on top of them before you’ll be able to see them."

 

On the other hand, I've heard people complain about virtual caches when, rather than reading cache description pages, they do a mass download and go out searching for caches that they have no idea what they are looking for. (In my mind, these people are doing themselves a disservice...possibly missing out on cautions and/or hints about cool things to look for or do while they're at the cache site.) I hope, though, that even if a person has no idea what kind of cache container (or not) they are looking for, that they will use courtesy, and not tear the area up.

---

When I traveled last, I am guilty of downloading waypoints en masse, and going from one to the next, even if it is a virtual.

 

Here is a good application if the GeoClipping software. Clip and sync before you travel and seek.

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~rschoolf/geocaching.htm

[+rschoolf]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wander Lost:

Since you are taking suggestions, how about an option to prompt for the cache type?

---

Such as "Normal, Large and Micro"? The program already handles (or should) this. Are there others that I can trap for? Let me know...

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~rschoolf/geocaching.htm

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by rschoolf:

 

"Clip and sync before you travel and seek."

---

A good motto.

 

(I'll have to check out that GeoClipping software...just as soon as I figure out how to download waypoints.)

 

-------

"I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by rschoolf:

 

"Clip and sync before you travel and seek."

---

A good motto.

 

(I'll have to check out that GeoClipping software...just as soon as I figure out how to download waypoints.)

 

-------

"I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

[+MeeCachers]

rschoolf,

 

Just wanted to drop a note saying how great this little app is. My wife and I went away for the weekend this past weekend, and of course geocaching was part of the fun.

 

Before we went, I downloaded all the local caches into my GPS, and then I used the GeoClipper to download the information pages into my Palm. No more need to handle pages and pages of printouts, especially since we did not know in advance which caches we would visit. My wife commented several times on how this was far superior to the paper method.

 

I also have an app in my palm for decoding the hints, so the few times we got stuck it was real easy to pull out my Palm and cut and paste the clue into the decoder app. Presto - instant hint!

 

Thanks again.

[+Wander Lost]

I was refering to, Normal, Multi, Virtual, Event, etc.

 

Why be normal!!!!

[+Bear and Ting]

And it ain't small either.... you seem to have pretty good control over the windows environment (as good as could be expected). Any way to clip from the view/list?? I mean, just have it go down the list in an automated fashion? Just a thought.

 

Geocachers don't NEED to ask for directions!

[+weezer]

Wow that is nice. Havent taken my palm caching yet. Have to find room in my pack.

 

Thanks

 

Weezer

[+embra]

Yup, this is slicker than snail snot. Thanks for creating and sharing this, rschoolf. I had been synching my memos to Outlook, but this ease of use factor justifies going back to the Palm Desktop for me.

[teamwsmf]

Another very nice solution to getting GC stuff into the Palm.

 

This is great for quickly getting a cache or two right intot he palm.

 

-tom

 

----------------------------

TeamWSMF@wsmf.org

[+TeamCNJC]

Thanks, rschoolf, for making this available. I don't know if you're taking suggestions or not, but have you given any thought to parsing out the hint conversion matrix? When I used to do this by hand, I would delete the matrix, and leave the coded hint in the Palm memo, using this palm application to decode the hint if needed.

 

Thanks again!

Craig/TeamCNJC

[+TeamCNJC]

Thanks, rschoolf, for making this available. I don't know if you're taking suggestions or not, but have you given any thought to parsing out the hint conversion matrix? When I used to do this by hand, I would delete the matrix, and leave the coded hint in the Palm memo, using this palm application to decode the hint if needed.

 

Thanks again!

Craig/TeamCNJC

[+parkrrrr]

quote:

---

Originally posted by TeamCNJC:

but have you given any thought to parsing out the hint conversion matrix? When I used to do this by hand, I would delete the matrix, and leave the coded hint in the Palm memo,

---

 

Alternatively, use this matrix:

 

A  B C  D E  F G H  I   J  K L MN O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

Which looks ugly here, but works quite well with the default Palm memopad font.

 

[+chillas]

Great app! Thanks much!

 

One itty-bitty little nit-pick ... in my area (at least) there are a number of caches that have fractional difficulty/terrain ratings; i.e., 1.5, etc. The app doesn't allow for that.

 

Excellent work regardless. Again, thanks.

[+parkrrrr]

quote:

---

Originally posted by chillas:

One itty-bitty little nit-pick ... in my area (at least) there are a number of caches that have fractional difficulty/terrain ratings; i.e., 1.5, etc. The app doesn't allow for that.

---

 

You could use my "cache simplifier" to convert the stars to text before using GeoClipping. Unzip into your Windows directory, double-click the .reg file, and restart IE to add a "cache simplifier" button to your toolbar and your "Tools" menu.

 

[dboggny]

thanks so much for your work. this program is great. i was doing this with a palm modem and palm web browser, storing cache pages in the browser's cache to view on the hunt.. this program is so much better. your to be commended. thank you again for you contribution.

 

dboggny

[+culpc]

rschoolf,

Thanks for the new toy. This really simplifies life by cutting out the paper!

 

Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son!

[+culpc]

rschoolf,

Thanks for the new toy. This really simplifies life by cutting out the paper!

 

Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son!

[dboggny]

when i use this program, with or without the palm desktop running i get a runtime error '76' path not found. i think maybe its because my default planner program is outlook not palm desktop. anyway, if i paste to a note in outlook, and hot sync, it works anyway. with a little cleaning up before hot sync, the program works excellently.... definately better then what i was doin. how you doin?

 

 

dboggny. patriot, beer drinker

[CourtneyP]

Mac users left in the dust again...?

 

--

CourtneyP

TeamGeek