+stu_and_sarah Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 I'm trying to use the GC:UK utility for downloading all UK caches, but while there are 6 million options for Memory Map, Mapsource, Waypoint+ etc. there doesn't seem to be one for ".gpx file as if you just received a pocket query" Anyone know if any of the options cover that particular base? The result I'm looking for is to merge into my database of caches in CacheMate on my Palm. I would have asked on the GC:UK forums, but they seem to be having a little difficulty just now. Cheers, Stu Quote Link to comment
NeilFord Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 GUK unfortunately doesn't provide the ability to download GPX files. I suspect it's part of their arrangement with gc.com. To get GPX files you'll need premium membership of gc.com. The closest you can get it to download and EasyGPS LOC file which will give you the very basics of the cache info. - Neil. Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted April 13, 2004 Author Share Posted April 13, 2004 Ok... and I think there's no way to download the whole of the UK from GC.com? I can only get 500 at a time, so I guess I'll have to do it in several circles of 100 miles radius. I've just noticed because we're planning to go further afield and some of those caches aren't in the PDA. Any new ones are - I already have a query set up for that - but some of the older ones are missing... Quote Link to comment
NeilFord Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 GC.com limits the number of downloads to reduce the load on their servers. A pocket query for 2500+ records could well bring it to it's knees :-) The trick is to pick major cache centers and run queries based around them. Streetmap can help you come up with suitable co-ordinates/postcodes. If you use any digital mapping software, the GUK searches can be useful for creating waypoints, though I've found some niggles there, expect a post on that very subject (with possible solutions) soon. - Neil. Quote Link to comment
+Teasel Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 In a nutshell, the agreement we have is that G:UK is allowed to "scrape" GC.com data so long as we take steps to minimise our impact on their server and that we don't provide any features which compete with those available to premium members. Providing a real-time GPX download to everyone could be considered somewhat competitive However, after the recent "troubles" in UK caching, Elias asked that G:UK stop providing download files containing accurate cache coordinates. As a compromise, I requested that we be allowed to continue to provide downloads, but only to premium members (with the suggestion that expanding our repertoire to include formats such as GPX would give people another reason to become premium members). This seemed to go down well and Elias said that he'd have a think and work out the details. In the meantime we were allowed to keep providing download files to everyone. Since then, both GC.com and G:UK admins have been beset by a number of technical problems (both of us unexpectedly having to move servers in a hurry) and this has slipped down the priority list. Maybe it's time to take another look. Quote Link to comment
+DomHeknows Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 the csv download is very handy - especially the one of all in the uk - that way I import them into autoroute as a quick guide when I'm off to a customer somewhere i've never been before. As to the gpx's - i just get them from gc.com. would be neat to get them from the guk site too, partly for backup, and also as its easier to search by town etc and then get a gpx for just those caches. Out of curiosity - how big is the databse on the geocacheuk site? Quote Link to comment
+Teasel Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 The whole database currently weighs in at about 180Mb (429,000 records). That's not all cache data, though. The three main tables (cache, cacher and log) total about 40Mb, and around that there are the summary tables, lists of places, user queries and all sorts of other stuff. Quote Link to comment
NeilFord Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 If you use any digital mapping software, the GUK searches can be useful for creating waypoints, though I've found some niggles there, expect a post on that very subject (with possible solutions) soon. I should add that this isn't a problem with G:UK but with the MXF format and how programs like Memory Map handle duplicate waypoints. More later.... - Neil. Quote Link to comment
sidewallwolf Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 What db are you running on geocacheuk.com? MySQL? Access? Shouldn't GC.com provide you with an export file which is updated every week or something? You then import it into your database using something like mysqlimport or the Import function in Access. That way it doesn't use up GC.com bandwidth. Quote Link to comment
+John Stead Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 Shouldn't GC.com provide you with an export file which is updated every week or something? Sorry weekly updates would disappoint some of us! Quote Link to comment
sidewallwolf Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 (edited) Okay, so maybe weeks is a bit big. Perhaps every day. Or maybe every half hour. Or maybe there should be a thing before you look at the caches on GUK.com checking to see if you have done 200+ caches and you NEED up-to-date information. Otherwise you get last weeks cache details Edited April 15, 2004 by sidewallwolf Quote Link to comment
+John Stead Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 Okay, so maybe weeks is a bit big. Not much use to those with an appetite for virgins! Quote Link to comment
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