Gpx Files On An Ipod

[+Bob&TheGang]

This might sound like a very stupid question, but is it possible to put GPX files (aka, Cache pages like on a Palm Pilot) on an iPod?

[+reepicheep]

Not sure how easy to get it to work, but found Geotoad.

 

Says you can convert to a 'vcf' format which can be displayed on an iPod via addresses.

 

They have a screenshot of it on an iPod:

 

Kenneth

[+HHL]

Says you can convert to a 'vcf' format which can be displayed on an iPod via addresses.

yup, that's cool. but geotoad let you even output a html suite. that's pretty charming using a newton.

happy hunitng from hamburg. old europe.

[robertlipe]

Send me (privately) example vcf files and offer to test it and I'll consider coding it and including it GPSBabel.

[+Bob&TheGang]

Not sure how easy to get it to work, but found Geotoad.

 

Says you can convert to a 'vcf' format which can be displayed on an iPod via addresses.

 

 

Kenneth

This Geotoad looks very interesting, but can I get it to display the cache page description and the hint?

 

That is what I would be most interested in.

[+reepicheep]

Not sure how easy to get it to work, but found Geotoad.

 

Says you can convert to a 'vcf' format which can be displayed on an iPod via addresses.

 

 

Kenneth

This Geotoad looks very interesting, but can I get it to display the cache page description and the hint?

 

That is what I would be most interested in.

I dont use it so I can't authoritatively answer.....but a guess is 'no' since you are trying to populate an address record that normally has phone numbers, name, etc and will be limited in space.

 

Kenneth

[+Maeglin]

I dont use it so I can't authoritatively answer.....but a guess is 'no' since you are trying to populate an address record that normally has phone numbers, name, etc and will be limited in space.

Just because most applications don't use it doesn't mean you can't put binary data in a VCF file (you can, in fact, according to the spec), just as an example. Geotoad uses the "notes" field in a vCard record to store the description and hints. I presume that the iPod will display that information, otherwise Thomas probably wouldn't have bothered.

[+jollybgood]

There's a rumor floating about of an iPod Satellite that will include both GPS and Phone functions. Sort of the 'next generation' ipod.

 

But considering they JUST released the Color iPod photo -- I think it's still a few years away.

 

That is 'if' the rumor has even a shread of truth to it.

[+TresOkies]

There's a rumor floating about of an iPod Satellite that will include both GPS and Phone functions. Sort of the 'next generation' ipod.

Well, there are rumors that Apple is hiring software developers with very specialized skills for their iPod group. Not necessarily just a GPS... or a phone... or a music player... I wouldn't hold off buying that new Treo 650 waiting for it, though.

[+Bob&TheGang]

...........................  I presume that the iPod will display that information, otherwise Thomas probably wouldn't have bothered.

Does anyone know how I contact "Thomas Stromberg"?

 

On the Geotoad web site, I could only see part of his email address.

 

It started thomas@st......

 

I am sure he would know the true answer.

[+Bob&TheGang]

So has anyone ever used their iPod to store Geocaching informaiton?

 

I would really like learn how to do this.

[+HHL]

On the Geotoad web site, I could only see part of his email address.

 

It started thomas@st......

mail him via his gc-profile »helixblue«

happy hunting.

[+reepicheep]

According to superpuppy in this thread, he has an app to turn GPX files into text files that can be displayed on an iPod.

 

I'll refer him over to this thread if he has a place to share the program.

 

Kenneth

[+superpuppy]

I just wrote it Friday so I'm still working the bugs out. It's a very basic Windows app - takes the GPX file of your pocket query waypoints and converts each waypoint into a text file. You can then drop the text files into the "notes" directory of your iPod and you have all the text of the cache notes available to you. No graphics (since I don't have a platform to test that on ) and due to the screen size might not be good for figuring out puzzles on the road. So far it's worked well (for the one cache I did this weekend) so I'm going to add a few more features and figure out how to make sure the file size doesn't go over the iPod file size limit on text files.

 

I haven't looked at converting waypoints to vcf for those with older iPods without the "notes" directory but that may be an interesting challenge.

 

If there's interest I can look into finding a place to host it for downloads but tech support may be pretty spotty - I'm a busy gal!

--superpuppy

 

Edit: I should just note that the iPod will display any plain text file 4KB or less (I believe this is the limit) in size so if your current waypoint tracking program will output plain text you can do this yourself with no need for additional software. Just export the waypoint to a text file and drop it in your iPod "notes" folder.

Edited January 3, 2005 by superpuppy

[+sbell111]

I realize that this is a touch off-topic, but if anyone has an iriver player such as the h320 that I use, you can use txt files of any size. Therefore, you can dump all of your caches to a text file and head out.

[robertlipe]

Send me (privately) example vcf files and offer to test it and I'll consider coding it and including it GPSBabel.

Better yet. JeremyA and I partnered on developing VCF support for GPSBabel. The code is checked in and available now to those that can build from source and will be in the next beta.

 

I *think* this option is available in the version of GPSBabel used by the latest GSAK betas, too...

[+reepicheep]

So does this mean the iPod support is in a beta or what?

 

Kenneth

[robertlipe]

It means that support was checked in to the tree on 2005-01-23 and is present in all builds made after that time and thus will be in the next official release. (...which I'm hoping to make this month)

[+JeremyA]

We finally got MacGPSBabel 1.2.5 out of the door today, which has the vCard support. Convert a GPX file to vCard format and you can put it in your iPod's contacts folder to view the caches on your iPod.

 

Jeremy

[+countrycachers]

Let me preface this reply: I AM NOT A TECHNO GEEK! I AM TECHNO-IMPAIRED. Ok, now that that is out of the way. Unless you wanted to put several, say hundreds, of caches onto your iPod (which I don't see as logical... how many can you bag in a good weekend? Say 10, 20? The others are worthless!) wouldn't it be less of a headache with all this "download this, open that, unzip hers, zip yours, etc" and just take 5 minutes to type in the neccesary info (cache name, coord., any helpful descriptions) into Word Text, and than sending to your iPod notes? You can erase them when your done, even have some extras in case on your way home from work you get an itch, etc? Am I making any sense? I just get so frustrated with trying to figure these darn programs out, especially when I tried my hand at spinner, GSAK and plucker for my Palm. Argh. To heck with it, maybe I should just keep a small journal with neccesary info. I carry one anyways just in case a log is full.