Gsak Vs Watcher

[+frefel]

Today I downloaded GSAK and began to work with Watcher also (with difficulty). My question is: does Watcher offer any important features that aren't included in GSAK? If not, it would save me attempting to learn that format.

Thanks.

[+katguy]

When I started out going paperless, I used watcher and gpsbabel. Since then GSAK has added so many features that it has pretty much taken the place of them both in my bag of tricks. IMO both GSAK and Watcher are excellent programs and you can't go wrong with either of them. They do have slight "look and feel" differences, and I guess it's really less of a question of which one is right for you, as it is one of which one fits best with the way you like to manage your cache lists.

[+Deckyon]

I have used a number of apps befor finding GSAK. That, in combination with CacheMate, is a pretty unbeatable pair of apps. I can't think of a single reason for not at least trying them...

[+Byron & Anne]

The evolution of applications related to geocaching has been great. GSAK apprears to be next generation. Watcher is a great program and I really enjoyed using it. I also used gpsbabel. GSAK combines the two. It makes it easy filter and sort caches, to create text files that I can import into Delorme Topo and a filtered gpx file that gets put into Cachemate.

 

Now we get a little carried away with our electronics. Laptop computer connected to an older Magallen GPS running GSAK and Delorme Topo. Pefer Delorme to National Geographic because of split screen abilities. Handspring PDA with GPS Companion connected running Cachemate and NavCache. Also Anne carries another Palm PDA with Cachemate running.

 

I'm not sure if it the hunt or the excuse for toys that keeps interested in geocaching. Maybe both.

 

Back to the orginal question. Use what ever you're more comfortable with and suits your desires. (was going to say needs, but....)

 

Byron

[+gallahad]

Having just discovered the PDA thing and only yesterday loading GPXsonar supported with Mapopolis and the Maplet features (neat to have all the geocache.com report pages right on the PDA) I'm wondering if any of you experienced PDA users have tried the setup I'm using and how it compares with GSAK. Any comments appreciated.

[+Marky]

This topic might get more responses over in the GPS Units and Software forum.

[Jeremy]

Moving it to the appropriate forum.

[+Right Wing Wacko]

I just tried GSAK again for the first time since one of the early beta's. At that time it wasn't what I was looking for.

 

I have to say, I'm impressed. It still needs some tweaking, but it's getting close.

 

Here are a couple of things that I would like to see. (Perhaps these are already there and I just don't see them):

 

1. Better control over Waypoint ID's uploaded to the GPS. My GPS is one that allows longer waypoint names, so I would like to use a combination of the GC number and Name

 

IE Hxxx JoesCache

 

2. When put into GARMIN mode, the Magellan button on the toolbar should become a Garmin button and export to Garmin MapSource files instead of Magellen MapSend. (Yes, I know I can do the same from the FILE | Export menu option, but the toolbar is there, I would like to be able to use it).

 

I've been using Clayjar's Watcher program, but I beleive I will try GSAK on my next caching trip and see how it works out.

[+PDOP's]

Right Wing Wacko

 

Your comments would be better off in the GSAK thread.

 

Let's not get too many different topics started about GSAK. It's nice to have everthing in one spot.

[+Rosco Bookbinder]

Having just discovered the PDA thing and only yesterday loading GPXsonar supported with Mapopolis and the Maplet features (neat to have all the geocache.com report pages right on the PDA) I'm wondering if any of you experienced PDA users have tried the setup I'm using and how it compares with GSAK. Any comments appreciated.

You are using the same setup I am. GPXSonar and Mapopolis. And hooking the GPS to the PDA using Mapopolis is really cool. For the desktop I've been using GSAK since just about day one. I wouldn't use anything else or switch if you made me walk a mile on broken corn flakes.

[+trippy1976]

Having just discovered the PDA thing and only yesterday loading GPXsonar supported with Mapopolis and the Maplet features (neat to have all the geocache.com report pages right on the PDA) I'm wondering if any of you experienced PDA users have tried the setup I'm using and how it compares with GSAK.  Any comments appreciated.

Does GPXSonar and Mapopolis directly integrate?

 

I use Mapopolis for routing. I use iSilo queries still with GPX Spinner for a few reasons.

 

#1 - It's still faster on my PDA than Sonar

#2 - I can use the variables to spin out GPX tags to use in the Mapopolis Maplet convertor. So I get better data on that screen like the name, difficulty, who placed it, what date it was placed, what kind of cache it is and it's GC#.

 

If there is a way to directly link GPXSonar to Mapopolis (click on a cache in Mapopolis, open a page in GPXSonar...) I'm ready to change...

 

Er... ah... but back on topic. I use watcher. I've started to mess with GSAK only because it'll filter *and* upload to my GPS. I sent an email to the author about a feature and they responded quickly and positively. I will likely end up using that over EasyGPS for uploading coordinates. I haven't really spent much time with it, but I suspect it's true to its name and it probably the only app you really need for manipulating GPX files and uploading them to your GPS. With babel as a back-end it'll output to almost anything.

Edited March 9, 2004 by trippy1976

[+Volwrath]

I use GSAK at home and Watcher at work. No setup required for Watcher! (and none allowed at work)

[+Rosco Bookbinder]

Er... ah... but back on topic. I use watcher. I've started to mess with GSAK only because it'll filter *and* upload to my GPS. I sent an email to the author about a feature and they responded quickly and positively. I will likely end up using that over EasyGPS for uploading coordinates. I haven't really spent much time with it, but I suspect it's true to its name and it probably the only app you really need for manipulating GPX files and uploading them to your GPS. With babel as a back-end it'll output to almost anything.

If there is one thing that GSAK has over EasyGPS that is you can save GPX files without trashing them. The only thing right now that you can't do in GSAK and Clyde is working on that is creating a WP. You can do it in EasyGPS but it won't work in GSAK unless you know the trick.

 

And the trick is.......when you create a WP in EasyGPS you have to give it a WP name like GC????. Name it something with the four letters (?) that means something to you. That way GSAK will read it ok.

 

Then again I don't even know if anyone asked this question...