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I Need Help With Pocket Queries, Gsak, And Pda


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I have GSAK and EasyGPS downloaded on my computer. I just received my first pocket query by e-mail. I opened the file with EasyGPS. How do I get the information into GSAK? I see that I can export, but how can I import? I plan to get cachemate on my new Clie handheld and store my caching info there. I found the GSAK export function that creates the .PDB file and sends it to the handheld, but I need to know how to get the data into GSAK first.

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I have GSAK and EasyGPS downloaded on my computer. I just received my first pocket query by e-mail. I opened the file with EasyGPS. How do I get the information into GSAK? I see that I can export, but how can I import? I plan to get cachemate on my new Clie handheld and store my caching info there. I found the GSAK export function that creates the .PDB file and sends it to the handheld, but I need to know how to get the data into GSAK first.

Hi there 2GeoGrannies.

 

Firstly it is not necessary to open your pocket query file with EasyGPS. You can open it in GSAK directly. Make sure you have specified your query be in .gpx format as it has much more cache info than the .loc. You can .zip the gpx file as well and GSAK will un-zip it automatically.

If you have a specific reason for using EasyGPS then you can export a file from GSAK to open in Easy later on.

 

Luck, Olar

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You will eventually get another report, depending upon the frequency you set for that query. I have several queries that I receive every day. I download the attachment into the same folder every day so that the older ones get replaced. This keeps my GSAK information current, so long as I "open" that whole folder of .zip files (you don't need to unzip the .gpx files for GSAK, it can handle .zip!!) every time there has been an update. Very handy feature!

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Okay, I edited my search to be .gpx format. I ran the search again...will I get another e-mail or will I have to do another whole query?

Each individual query will only run once per day. You are allowed a total of 5 queries run per day and you can have a total of 20 in your query list at any one time.

If you edited your first query to deliver today (Monday) and it had already been run earlier today then you will not get it until next Monday. Changing it to deliver on Tuesdays will have it delivered tomorrow. If you want it immediately (today) then you will have to create a new one.

 

Geez I hope that is clear and explains it. I was getting myself confused with all the todays, tomorrows, etc. :D

 

Cheers, Olar

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You will eventually get another report, depending upon the frequency you set for that query. I have several queries that I receive every day. I download the attachment into the same folder every day so that the older ones get replaced. This keeps my GSAK information current, so long as I "open" that whole folder of .zip files (you don't need to unzip the .gpx files for GSAK, it can handle .zip!!) every time there has been an update. Very handy feature!

I was doing the same, but found I could save a step by just 'opening' the .gpx file when I see it in my e-mail. Opening the file automatically calls GSAK and the data is imported. Done.

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I was doing the same, but found I could save a step by just 'opening' the .gpx file when I see it in my e-mail. Opening the file automatically calls GSAK and the data is imported. Done.

 

What a great tip! I have a similiar problem.... once I open all my queries into GSAK and manipulate to my liking, how do I generate one gpx file from that edited database?

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Well, essentially you don't have to do anything.

 

If you open a gpx file, GSAK will merge it into the database open (or last opened if GSAK is not running at the time you open the gpx file). So just open your pocket queries into the same database and close the program when you're done.

 

(or did I misinterpret your question?)

 

P.S. If you *don't* want to merge a new file into an existing database, first create a new database then import/open the gpx file.

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I was doing the same, but found I could save a step by just 'opening' the .gpx file when I see it in my e-mail. Opening the file automatically calls GSAK and the data is imported. Done.

 

What a great tip! I have a similiar problem.... once I open all my queries into GSAK and manipulate to my liking, how do I generate one gpx file from that edited database?

My take might be wrong on this, but I think you are asking how to generate one GPX file from all the others that you have just combined into the GSAK database?

 

I am assuming that you want to generate a GPX file to load into some other software - if it is GSAK then just use the DataBase=>Save As... option instead

 

If so, then just export your database to a GPX file. That is, from the menu File=>Export=>GPX/LOC File...

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once I open all my queries into GSAK and manipulate to my liking, how do I generate one gpx file from that edited database?

Yes, the question is, What do you want to do with the data you have manipulated??

 

Once we know where you are going with the data can probably give you some good suggestions.

 

99% of the time all my PQ data just sits in the GSAK database. Every so often I delete waypoints that I have no intention of vising in the foreseeable (sp) future. (I will not be making it to Florida again for years, and since I live in Washington State there is little reason to keep any unfound waypoints from Florida in GSAK).

 

Otherwise once I get things filtered to the way I want, I just export the file to the format I need - HTML, S&T, etc. If I plan on creating this 'filter' often, then I save it in GSAK so next time I don't have to remember how to 'create' it again.

 

My most frequently used filter is called NotFound100 - All unfound caches not hidden by me within 100 miles of home.

 

Side Note to Clyde: Since the 'center' point is saved when using the 'distance from' it probably should be displayed in the filter settings? At first I didnt even realize it was saved - just thought GSAK always reverted to the 'home' coordinate on filters :blink:

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once I open all my queries into GSAK and manipulate to my liking, how do I generate one gpx file from that edited database? 

 

Yes, the question is, What do you want to do with the data you have manipulated??

 

Right now I have both Cachemate AND Plucker on my PDA until I can decided which one I like better. I know this is silly, but I like the way the "Spinner" generated files look in Plucker versus the "GSAK" generated files. I typically get 5 pocket queries to cover the entire state, throw them all into GSAK which eliminates duplicates and then onto Cachemate. Since I prefer the "Spinner" spun look, which to my knowledge CAN'T be loaded with files that have duplicates, I have to first put them through "Watcher", merging them all into one file, then onto Spinner, then Plucker. I would love to to have that merged database from GSAK, made into one GPX file that could then go to Spinner. Any ideas?

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Clyde got it: in GSAK select File/Export/GPX file. That file can then be given to Spinner.

 

The problem I have is that, to my knowledge, I have to open up each of the five pocket query GPX I downloaded and send them seperately, I want to export the ONE merged file on my database.

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The different look of the Plucker files generated by GPXSpinner and GSAK isn't due to GPXSpinner or GSAK, but to different settings in Plucker for the different channels. I didn't like the look of the first GSAK files I generated, but a few tweaks in Plucker made them look right. Plucker isn't for dummies, and it takes some learning for experienced computer users (both PC and Palm) but once you get it tweaked just right it works very, very well. The image settings, in particular, make a lot of difference in both size and appearance on the Palm.

 

My advice, SunnyCyndi, is to use only GSAK, and play with your Plucker desktop settings for the GSAK channel. Once you get that set, all you have to do is open GSAK, click on the HTML generate icon, then run Plucker. You're doing lots of duplication for nothing, I think.

Edited by NightPilot
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I typically get 5 pocket queries to cover the entire state, throw them all into GSAK which eliminates duplicates and then onto Cachemate.  Since I prefer the "Spinner" spun look, which to my knowledge CAN'T be loaded with files that have duplicates, I have to first put them through "Watcher", merging them all into one file, then onto Spinner, then Plucker.  I would love to to have that merged database from GSAK, made into one GPX file that could then go to Spinner.  Any ideas?

 

You can also sort the resulting merge data in a variety of ways and do other twisted manipulations, but I don't see you actually asking those questions...

Your question, as I understand it, is "I have 5 overlapping PQs and want to know how to get one PQ that contains only unique data in it". While GSAK does indeed do this, let me toss in a GPSBabel answer that you can feed straight to spinner or whatever else floats your boat.

gpsbabel -i gpx -f 1.gpx -f 2.gpx -f 3.gpx -f 4.gpx -f 5.gpx -x duplicate,shortname -o gpx -F blah.gpx

 

will merge those five gpx files together, toss out anything with duplicate shortnames (which, from a geocaching view is "GCxxxxx") and smoosh the results in"blah.gpx" which you can then feed to your favorite GPX consumer which might just happen to be Spinner.

 

You an also sort the resulting PQ and further exclude or merge data in a variety of twisted ways, but I don't hear you asking that question, so I won't answerit.

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Clyde got it: in GSAK select File/Export/GPX file. That file can then be given to Spinner.

 

The problem I have is that, to my knowledge, I have to open up each of the five pocket query GPX I downloaded and send them seperately, I want to export the ONE merged file on my database.

You can point GSAK to a folder and it will load ALL the GPX files it finds in that folder.

 

Alternatively with version 3.04 you can use the new automation feature to:

 

1. Load GSAK

2. Load the 5 GPX files

3. Export out as one GPX file

4. Exit GSAK

 

This can all be done from a batch file without having to touch the GSAK GUI

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You can point GSAK to a folder and it will load ALL the GPX files it finds in that folder.

 

Alternatively with version 3.04 you can use the new automation feature to:

 

1. Load GSAK

2. Load the 5 GPX files

3. Export out as one GPX file

4. Exit GSAK

 

This can all be done from a batch file without having to touch the GSAK GUI

 

I am having trouble with step 3. When I go to export, the table asks for a"file to create". I have went into the "Data" file for GSAK to get the database folder, but when I open that it is empty. I did download 3.04....but I kind of had a mental breakdown when I read the help area for the new automation. I have no computer savvy obviously so please keep it idiotically simple for this simpleton

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