Caches Along A Route

[+WeightMan]

Raine,

 

First of all, great job. I just found out about this and have not really tried it out yet, but I will.

 

There is a small spelling error, you might want to correct. On the search by keyword page, you say seperate by commas. That should be separate. Not a big deal, but on something like that you want it right despite my sig line.

[+pazooter]

Our next release will have the ability to map out a PQ's results to a google map.

-Raine

 

As opposed to D/L'ing and dropping the gpx file into GE? Sounds expedient.

[+Cache Heads]

 

This is a way cool new feature!! Thanks, guys! I'll test it out on my upcoming trip to Hawaii

[+Cornerstone4]

Our next release will have the ability to map out a PQ's results to a google map.

-Raine

 

As opposed to D/L'ing and dropping the gpx file into GE? Sounds expedient.

 

I just discovered that new feature on the PQ page today. Way cool!

[+darus67]

Our next release will have the ability to map out a PQ's results to a google map.

 

-Raine

 

Sweet feature.

 

I thought of something else that might save a few hits on the database.

When viewing a route, let the user set the width of the highlight line so they can see the area covered by the

PQ. I have no idea if that is possible with the Google API.

[+Traveller2005]

I am heading to Vancouver this Friday and was trying for the last 2 days on how to have all the caches along Hwy 1 all the way up to Fraser Lake. It wasn't easy!! And lo-and-behold... today a new item to "Find Caches Along A Route". The answer to my prayers... and it couldn't have come at a better time. I've already created a public route from Abbotsford to Fraser Lake and downloaded all the caches into my GPSr. I LOVE IT!!! Thanks you so very much. This is fantastic and so easy!!!

[Skippermark]

This feature looks great. Thank you! I'm just wondering what program everyone uses to create their routes to export either a GPX or a KML. I've got Google Earth but often times don't want to take the routes it's suggested. I also have Streets & Trips, but it only routes "straight" lines unless you add a lot of stops along the way. I've got Mapsource, which works great, but the maps in my area are pretty outdated and an older version of Street Atlas 2005 I could try too. Lastly, I have ExpertGPS where I could just trace a route and export as a GPX. Does anyone know if that would work too? Thanks.

Edited June 29, 2006 by Skippermark

[+GeoBlank]

Well Done!

 

I love how people can share routes but keep the control of our own pocket query settings. I think you guys did an awesome job on this feature.

 

Now I can take a few trips. I have been sitting at home waiting for this!!!

[+Jeremy]

I'm going to unpin this topic since it has been officially released. I'll put an announcement up.

[+DocDiTTo]

I like the new "along the route" feature, but designing routes with Google Earth doesn't allow much leeway. I'd much rather use Street Atlas USA, and I've been sorta successful with that. I generate a ANR file with street atlas, then I'm trying to use GPSBabel to convert that to KML. The problem is, babel outputs a KML file with this stuff in it:

 

<Folder>

<visibility>1</visibility>

<name>I81 Test</name>

<Folder>

<visibility>1</visibility>

<name>Points</name>

<Placemark>

<styleUrl>#route</styleUrl>

<Point>

<coordinates>-75.793326,42.042368,0.000000</coordinates>

</Point>

</Placemark>

<Placemark>

<styleUrl>#route</styleUrl>

<Point>

<coordinates>-75.793605,42.042189,0.000000</coordinates>

</Point>

</Placemark>

 

THese placemarks apparently break the KML reader here on the website. KMLs generated by Google Earth don't have these placemarks in them. Is there some way I can get GPS babel to not include them in its KML output?

 

The website likes KMLs with this stuff instead:

<name>Path</name>

<MultiGeometry>

<LineString>

<coordinates>

-75.793326,42.042368,0.000000 -75.793605,42.042189,0.000000 -75.791759,42.040300,0.000000 -75.790901,42.039056,0.000000 -75.789871,42.036610,0.000000 -75.786266,42.025623,0.000000 -75.785537,42.023478,0.000000 -75.784721,42.021718,0.000000 -75.784121,42.020903,0.000000

 

When I edit the placemarks out of the KML by hand, the website accepts the KML file. I'm sure there's probably something I could do differently with babel, just tell me what, please...

(I'm using the beta 1.2.8 version of babel, BTW and Street Atlas USA Plus 2006)

[+Raine]

Try outputting it to gpx instead

[robertlipe]

The problem is, babel outputs a KML file with this stuff in it:

 

That's perfectly lovely KML. Since my KML writer was developed in partnership with Keyhole/Google, yes, I'm pretty confident of that. :-) Admittedly, our KML reader isn't as strong and parsing arbitrary KML is really hard as it's a crazily expressive format. That expressiveness is probably what's tanking the reader here.

 

If you don't want placemarks at individual trackpoints, turn them off using the 'points=0' suboption.

See: http://www.gpsbabel.org/htmldoc-development/fmt_kml.html

 

Raine, if you see tags you don't understand, you should ignore them - it's the XML way.

[+Boomer]

First, thank you Raine @ Groundspeak for all your help in getting "Caches Along A Route" set-up. I'm already starting to play with this new option. I only wish I had it two weeks ago on our trip from So. Cal to Utah. Well, maybe next time. I don't know if anyone noticed but it was stated in the last email notifacation that the range was 1 to 5 miles from the route. Well I was able to put in .1 miles which will be a big plus for those of us on long trip looking for a quick "Cache and Dash" off the freeway. Thanks again.

[+DocDiTTo]

The problem is, babel outputs a KML file with this stuff in it:

 

That's perfectly lovely KML. Since my KML writer was developed in partnership with Keyhole/Google, yes, I'm pretty confident of that. :-) Admittedly, our KML reader isn't as strong and parsing arbitrary KML is really hard as it's a crazily expressive format. That expressiveness is probably what's tanking the reader here.

 

If you don't want placemarks at individual trackpoints, turn them off using the 'points=0' suboption.

See: http://www.gpsbabel.org/htmldoc-development/fmt_kml.html

 

Raine, if you see tags you don't understand, you should ignore them - it's the XML way.

 

Even with the points=0 line, the web site doesn't like the output. I still get an error when I try to uploade the file generated by gpsbabel. I tried removing some extra tags, but no go. If there's any interest I'll generate a small route file and upload it here for the looking. I guess I'll have to see how the GPX output fares.

[+Geovius]

Does someone know how to translate TomTom routes to GPX format? Of course it would be ideal if Geocaching site would accept TomTom format directly. Reason Google routes in here are not very accurate and sometimes even really stupid.

[+DocDiTTo]

For those wishing to convert Street Atlas USA Routes (.anr files) to a GPX file suitable for uploading to the "caches along a route" feature here, you can make a batch file that uses GPSBabel to do so. The batch file will consist of one line:

 

"C:\foo\bar\gpsbabel.exe" -i saroute -f %1 -o gpx,gpxver=1.1 -F "C:\foo\bar\GC_Route.gpx"

 

Save the above line as sa2gpx.bat, obviously you'll need to change the \foo\bar to whatever folder your gpsbabel.exe and anr output files are in, I use C:\DeLorme Docs\Navigation since that's where Street Atlas saves its ANR files by default.

 

Once the batch file is saved, you can just drag and drop an ANR file onto it, and it will automatically be converted to GC_Route.gpx, which can be uploaded right to the site.

 

Hope this helps a few folks out with this great new feature!!

[+Brandi Sour]

Amazing feature - a BIG thank you.

 

I've recently spent many hours making Pocket Queries for a forthcoming trip to the UK. I've now completely redone them in under 30 minutes. FANTASTIC