Table Of Coords/finds By Lc?

[+MAntunes]

Since the log form for LCs has specific places to enter the coords of a LC find, i think that data is being stored in a form that might allow to create a table of all spots logged by LC.

 

If this is the case, maybe it would be nice to allow that table in each LC (ordered by coords.) so everyone who wants to log a spot can check if it was already logged by another cacher (of course each spot should be considered as the coords. reported and all the area within a radius of .01 mile ).

 

This suggestion is because it's getting difficult and error prone to check through hundreds of logs if a specific spot was already logged previously. This happened to me recently and this idea came to my mind. Also, i've a LC of my own and it would be easier to check the new logs (finds) against the existing ones.

 

Ok, i read the foruns regularly and i know that LCs aren't a priority to the Admins but here's the suggestion.

 

PS: I've made a search in the foruns by the keywords "locationless", "form" and "search logs" and found no related topic. Hope i won't be Markwelled.

[+Hemlock]

You can use the GPS Coordinate Grabber to grab all the coords on the page, and pull them into EasyGPS. Add a waypoint of the site you just found, and see if anything is close. If you have ExpertGPS you can map all the locations.

[+fivegallon]

You can use the GPS Coordinate Grabber to grab all the coords on the page, and pull them into EasyGPS. Add a waypoint of the site you just found, and see if anything is close. If you have ExpertGPS you can map all the locations.

Ok , i expect i'm doing something wrong/stupid here. Each time i try to d/l the co-ords it only lets me save them as xml , there are no options for loc?

Any help appreciated

 

Edit: Update:

clicking on the "open" option works in as much as it opens the co-ords in easy gps and you can then save from there.

clicking on the "save" option only allows a save as xml

Edited July 31, 2004 by fivegallon

[+MAntunes]

Thank you Hemlock for the link.

 

It will help a little. It's not an integrated solution as i was suggesting - where we could sort the logs by coords. proximity and see all related data (coords, log type, log date, cacher name).

 

But, if this is all we can expect, please help me (and maybe you'll be helping others) a little more:

 

1) - In the example suggested (Ols Stone Walls) it appeared 681 coords. grabbed and 6 duplicates. This means that 6 spots were logged twice? (or any other combination) Since the duplicates are deleted from the final result, i can't confirm.

 

2) - I downloaded the result table to EasyGPS (*) and got a file with 681 entries (+ one entered manualy, wich is "my spot"). Ok... But, how can i sort those 682 entries in order to check if any is near the spot i want to log in a LC (or to check if another log already exists near to a specific spot when i'm checking a new log in my LC)? That's because in EasyGPS, the entries appeared in the order they exists in the cache and the "description", "waypoint" and "comment" columns are filled with the same value: GC50E0(cache code)+nnn(entry nbr. - with the maximum allowed of 999?) Then, i choosed an entry and hited the "View Online" button and a "GPS Coordinate Converter, Maps and Info" page appeared - That's Ok! But, since i found no way to sort the entries by coords. proximity, it will be a little difficult to search this way within 681 entries.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

(*) FiveGallon, for me it saved as .loc after i hit the "save" button...

[+Hemlock]

fivegallon, not sure what to tell you. It saves a .loc file for me.

 

Note this is not my program. For further support, email Boulter via the link at the bottom of the page.

 

1) - In the example suggested (Old Stone Walls) it appeared 681 coords. grabbed and 6 duplicates. This means that 6 spots were logged twice?

That is my guess. Unfortunately most locationless caches seem to have a handful of duplicates

I don't know of a way to determine which ones are duplicates.

 

how can i sort those 682 entries in order to check if any is near the spot i want to log in a LC

First, double-click on "your" waypoint, or right-click and choose "Set Active Point". You will then notice a red arrow next to it. Now click on the "Distance to Active Point" heading. This will sort that column. Your waypoint will be at the top, and the closest one will be right below. Note you might have to scroll horizontally or resize a few columns to bring the distance column into view.

 

You can also click on any of the headings, to sort by that column.

[+Stunod]

2) - I downloaded the result table to EasyGPS (*)  and got a file with 681 entries (+ one entered manualy, wich is "my spot"). Ok... But, how can i sort those 682 entries in order to check if any is near the spot i want to log in a LC (or to check if another log already exists near to a specific spot when i'm checking a new log in my LC)? That's because in EasyGPS, the entries appeared in the order they exists in the cache and the "description", "waypoint" and "comment" columns are filled with the same value: GC50E0(cache code)+nnn(entry nbr. - with the maximum allowed of 999?) Then, i choosed an entry and hited the "View Online" button and a "GPS Coordinate Converter, Maps and Info" page appeared - That's Ok! But, since i found no way to sort the entries by coords. proximity, it will be a little difficult to search this way within 681 entries. 

Click on "your" waypoint to make it the active point. Then click on the Distance to Active Point column header to sort the entries by distance.

 

edit: slow typing

Edited July 31, 2004 by Stunod

[+fivegallon]

fivegallon, not sure what to tell you. It saves a .loc file for me.

 

Note this is not my program. For further support, email Boulter via the link at the bottom of the page.

 

1) - In the example suggested (Old Stone Walls) it appeared 681 coords. grabbed and 6 duplicates. This means that 6 spots were logged twice?

That is my guess. Unfortunately most locationless caches seem to have a handful of duplicates

I don't know of a way to determine which ones are duplicates.

 

how can i sort those 682 entries in order to check if any is near the spot i want to log in a LC

First, double-click on "your" waypoint, or right-click and choose "Set Active Point". You will then notice a red arrow next to it. Now click on the "Distance to Active Point" heading. This will sort that column. Your waypoint will be at the top, and the closest one will be right below. Note you might have to scroll horizontally or resize a few columns to bring the distance column into view.

 

You can also click on any of the headings, to sort by that column.

OK , a strange twist to the downloaded xml file. I did a right click on the saved file (stonewall loc.xml) and chose to open it in GSAK , which it duly did! ( i wasn't aware GSAK would deal with an .xml file ? )

We all know how easy it is to sort with GSAK

 

Maybe this will help MAntunes with finding any co-ords near his. Sort by either Lat or Lon or Distance or anything else GSAK offers

[+MAntunes]

Ok. Thank you all for the hints on EasyGPS usage

 

From the point of view of a LC "finder", it will help to look for logs near the spot i wish to log - No doubt.

 

From the point of view of a LC owner, it seems not because GPS Coordinates Grabber eliminates the duplicates instead of mark them for verification - I'm going to send a mail to the creator of this nice program, Boulter. Maybe he can fix this or has an obvious answer for not doing it.

 

About the columns that has the same value ("description", "waypoint" and "comment"), i realize the program couldn't make it another way because it is prepared to grabb coords. from free, unformated text.

 

That's why, for LCs, i would preferr an integrated solution where the gc.com could allow a table ordered by coords. proximity, with the key data a log has.

 

That's all for me.

[+boulter]

If what you're trying to do is check if a waypoint is already been found for a locationless cache, I have another tool for that. And the results are in a table, so you could just copy the table into excel if you wanted.

 

Check it out here. http://boulter.com/gps/distance/

 

And it make it easy for finders of locationless caches, you can provide them with this link on your cache page so they can just slap in their coordinates and check if their find has already been found:

 

http://boulter.com/gps/distance/?from=GCXXXX

 

(replace GCXXXX with the cache waypoint)

[+Hemlock]

Check it out here. http://boulter.com/gps/distance/

Oh that is just TOO COOL! Thanks Boulter!

[+MAntunes]

Yes, it is a very usefull tool. Thank you Boulter.

 

... and i wasn't Markwelled!

 

This foruns are great!