+treemoss2 Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 Having struggled through the process of going paperless, I thought I would post this. I hope it helps those who are having trouble. I believe it will be easier to understand how to do this if placed in a step by step format. Become a premium member. Buy and download Cachemate. ALSO you will need to download CMconvert off the Cachemate site. I hadn't done this originally and had seen nothing relating to this in all the tips on these forums. You need it. Create a folder you can find and name it. get your Geoquery e-mail 1 Download to folder (Geoquery and converter) will be a zip file 2 Right click mouse>>>>>extract 3 delete Zip folder. No longer needed, reduce clutter. 4 Open unzipped folder>>>>>2 files .gpx (for EasyGPS) .prc (for PDA) 5 .prc Open Converter 6 Open .exe (comconvert.exe) 7 Load file (highlight points found in folder) 8 Rename as .pdb file 9 CONVERT 10 HotSync Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment
+TresOkies Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 If you want to use GPXSpinner and Plucker, you can follow these instructions. CacheMate is good for some and not so good for others. Cachemate has the advantage of being quick and that's a bonus. I tried it for a while and went back to using Plucker. Plucker can take up to 10 minutes to convert on my 1.4Ghz laptop. But I like the web-page format that Plucker gives but the real reason I went back is that I like all the things that GPXSpinner does. The GPX Spinner and Plucker step is more laborious, but it's free. -E Quote Link to comment
+-=(GEO)=- Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 IMHO, this is why Pocket PCs are a better choice for beginners or non-computer savvy types: with apps like GPXSonar or GPXView, all the user needs to do is to copy their GPX file over to the device and they're done instantly. Regards, Fabien. Quote Link to comment
+TresOkies Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 IMHO, this is why Pocket PCs are a better choice for beginners or non-computer savvy types: with apps like GPXSonar or GPXView, all the user needs to do is to copy their GPX file over to the device and they're done instantly. That must be why all these newbies are asking "Which iPaq should I get for geocaching". Don't give the PocketPC that much credit. The mysterious and arbitrary way that ActiveSync works confuses even the most savvy computer users. -E Quote Link to comment
+SBPhishy Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 (edited) I think it's a little easier as first posted by treemoss2. When you download Cachemate, it comes with CMConvert, because you need it. There is no need to go find it on the site. It is in the main Cachemate folder. Also, from your queries, just have .GPX files sent to you in .zip format. Forget about the "ebook" files. Unzip the .GPX and open CMConvert. Click "load file" on CMConvert and load the GPX file into it. Select all that you want converted. (I usually click on "select all) Convert the GPX file into PDB. Thats it. You still have the GPX file that you can use for EasyGPS, and you have a new PDB file converted from your GPX. Double click on the converted file, and next time you Hotsync, it will go right in. Edited January 9, 2004 by SBPhishy Quote Link to comment
+Team BlackZ Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 (edited) IMHO, this is why Pocket PCs are a better choice for beginners or non-computer savvy types: with apps like GPXSonar or GPXView, all the user needs to do is to copy their GPX file over to the device and they're done instantly. That must be why all these newbies are asking "Which iPaq should I get for geocaching". Don't give the PocketPC that much credit. The mysterious and arbitrary way that ActiveSync works confuses even the most savvy computer users. GPXSonar works great! I recommend getting it and an Ipaq. I've had no problems with Activesync. Very easy to install, and works perfectly! Edited January 9, 2004 by Team BlackZ Quote Link to comment
+-=(GEO)=- Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 TresOkies++... I must say that I've had -very little- trouble with ActiveSynch and my iPaq 1945. Nothing that a soft reset or a reboot of the system could not cure anyways. I've been very pleased with stability of Windows Mobile 2003 also. Things have come a long way since the CE 2.x days... or the early Palm OS days for that matter. One thing that most users forget is that the OS on PDAs is only as stable as the apps that are installed on it... One example that comes to mind is Adobe's Acrobat Reader: use it and be prepared to soft reset to death... Remove it, and things are stable again. My point is this: it's all too easy to throw the baby away with the bath water... My 2 cents. -FR Quote Link to comment
+Rosco Bookbinder Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Don't give the PocketPC that much credit. The mysterious and arbitrary way that ActiveSync works confuses even the most savvy computer users. I have been a PDA (Dell Axim X5) owner for less than two months. This is my first experience with one and had never seen or used ActiveSync. I ran the setup, read "some" (I always read as little as possible), got it running no problems, use it a TON and have had NO problems. I guess being a "savvy" computer user has helped but I still see no problems if it's setup correctly and used the way it was intended. Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 ALSO you will need to download CMconvert off the Cachemate site. Only if you want/need a newer version of CMConvert then is packaged with CacheMate. Quote Link to comment
+Velda Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Step 1) Buy a Treo Step 2) bookmark geocaching.com wireless internet, gotta love it. now if someone would just release a good GPSr for it. :\ Quote Link to comment
+TresOkies Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My point is this: it's all too easy to throw the baby away with the bath water... Point taken. It's Garmin/Magellan, Ford/Chevy, Mac/Windows, Jesus/Allah. I've seen the other side (extensively) and I chose Palm. I think of the time working on WinCE as the "years I wandered in the desert". -E Quote Link to comment
+Rosco Bookbinder Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 One thing that most users forget is that the OS on PDAs is only as stable as the apps that are installed on it... Since getting my handheld I have learned this one thing for sure. If the app doesn't work right, if it's always giving me problems and it's more trouble than it's worth, I delete it. There is way to much software out there to put up with bad programming. I'll have to agree with what GEO says and that I have found the OS to be very good. It's some of the junk software I have tried that has been the problem.... Quote Link to comment
+Team Lightfoot Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Plucker can take up to 10 minutes to convert on my 1.4Ghz laptop. But I like the web-page format that Plucker gives but the real reason I went back is that I like all the things that GPXSpinner does. The GPX Spinner and Plucker step is more laborious, but it's free. I've been playing with JPluck http://jpluck.sourceforge.net/ and it seems to convert the files much quicker than the plucker desktop for me. Quote Link to comment
+EarlyMorningHours Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 I started Geocaching with my trusty iPAQ 3975 and a bluetooth CoPilot GPS (using Mapopolis). I still use all those but have added GPXSonar and GPS Tuner. I'm becoming less and less satisfied with GPS Tuner as time goes on and am thinking of upgraded to a Fortuna Bluetooth clipon GPS for the added accuracy. Back to the point.. using GPX2maplet to convert my GPX file to an mlp file for Mapopolis gives me my 500 closest caches right on the map, and GPXSonar gives me all of their details plus my field notes. You just can't beat it. If I really do need to get online, I just have the iPAQ dial up using my SE T616 bluetooth phone (don't even have to take it out of my pocket). As far as ActiveSync goes.. never had a problem. Getting a palm, or even worse, one of those Sony Clies to sych can be an exercise in frustration. I am a network engineer by trade and complete propeller head by choice and in one particular circumstance I couldnt get a Sony Clie to sych if my life depended on it. In other cases it has taken hours with many reboots to get it working. Now I realize that there are those who have had identical experiences with ActiveSync. I won't dispute that. I suppose one man's freedom fighter is another's terrorist. Quote Link to comment
+aka Monkey Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Anyone feel like posting the steps for going paperless under Mac OS X? Quote Link to comment
+Goose and Butterfly Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 I imported a file form pocket query and sucessfully imported into a registered version of Cachemate but got a message that directions and hints were not downloaded. What's up? Quote Link to comment
+IMLost Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 I imported a file form pocket query and sucessfully imported into a registered version of Cachemate but got a message that directions and hints were not downloaded. What's up? Were all the option checked when you imported the file? I just registered my version and imported two file without any problems. Don't remember the exact options available when you import. Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 I imported a file form pocket query and sucessfully imported into a registered version of Cachemate but got a message that directions and hints were not downloaded. What's up? Check the file you loaded. I think that message is there because people frequently try to local .LOC files which have nothing more the the waypoint itself and then wonder why they don't have any of that information. Keep in mind that EasyGPS will trash your GPX file. Make any change and your GPX is stripped of all information to the point that it's only as good as a LOC. Quote Link to comment
+JeremyA Posted January 11, 2004 Share Posted January 11, 2004 Anyone feel like posting the steps for going paperless under Mac OS X? 1) Become a premium member and get pocket queries sent to you in GPX format 2) Get Cachemate (only $7 for a great app) 3) Use cmconvert or MacCMConvert to convert the GPX file into PDB format 4) Install cachemate and the PDB file onto a Palm OS PDA. I believe that the spinner/plucker route can also work on the Mac too. JeremyA Quote Link to comment
+Goose and Butterfly Posted January 11, 2004 Share Posted January 11, 2004 You guys were right. I used the .loc the first time, .gpx worked fine for the Cachemate. Thanks Quote Link to comment
+Rosco Bookbinder Posted January 11, 2004 Share Posted January 11, 2004 You guys were right. I used the .loc the first time, .gpx worked fine for the Cachemate. Thanks Almost but not quite the same thing happened to me. I was having a terrible time trying to get a file to work in GPXSonar. I tried everything I could think of. Finally I sent the file to GEO and he tells me it's a .loc file. My query was set for GPX!!!. They say it's experimental and now I am a believer. I deleted my query and re-did it and all went fine from there. The header in the file is what gives it away. Thanks again GEO Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 I tried everything I could think of. Finally I sent the file to GEO and he tells me it's a .loc file. My query was set for GPX!!!. Almost sounds like a EasyGPS stunt. It butchers GPX files to the point they are effectively LOC files (but keeps the extension), but I don't know if it changed the header. And then it mangles LOC files by making them binary. I know you said it in another post, but I don't know if it can be repeated enough - EasyGPS mangles anything it touches. Quote Link to comment
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