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Gsak (geocaching Swiss Army Knife)


ClydeE

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Question: When I cheched the Lock box and later I want to uncheck it doesn't work. I uncheck it and check the box Check to override. Save it and later unchect the Check to override box. There must be a better way.

 

Bummer, looks like you found a bug - Just as I have already released the latest maintenance release for GSAK :P

 

It would appear that locking or unlocking a cache via the edit screen is no longer working. I think this bug was introduced on the release of 5.0 but only just picked up now.

 

However, until I get out a public fix for this there is a work around.

 

1. Add the "lock" column to your current grid view (Tools=>Options=>Display, check the "Data lock" box). You may want to drag this column across to the left so it is always in view

2. Now if you double mouse click in that cell it will toggle the lock status on or off

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Hi

 

I am tring to figure out the meaning of the HTML cache density report but I think I am missing something. Is there somebody that could help me understanding this one? I am planning a 3 days cache raid between ChristMas and NewYear.

Here is an extract of the report

 

Cache Density - Top 50 (Within 5 kms)

 

6 GCK1PR Cache or Charge?

6 GC56EF Massabesic Ledges

6 GCK425 massabesic video cache

6 GCM4K9 NEW HAMPSHIRE Smilie

6 GCJXVD Night Water (Revised)

6 GCM4BM Clark Pond ... aka Turtle Pond

 

From which location is the 5km referenced?

What is the meaning of the number before the cache code?

 

Thanks in advance

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From which location is the 5km referenced?

What is the meaning of the number before the cache code?

If my take on it is correct then of all your caches in your exported HTML file are surveyed and a list is generated of each cache and how many other caches are within 5 Km. of it. The first number would be the number of caches for each one listed and the highest displayed first.

Just for curiosity sake I generated a list of all the caches within 100 Km. of my home. Here are the top fifteen.

 

43 GCKWAG GNASHERS 03 - QUASY QUISTMAS at the PARK

42 GCHVZW Westside Duck

42 GC9BD0 Quasy Cache 02 - 12 Mile Creek

41 GCFC79 Quasy Cache 10 - Brock Reserve

41 GC8E07 Ultimate Chicks Survival Cache

40 GCK0DD Are you affraid of the dark...?

40 GCJ77F 12 Mile Creek Bruce Trail Cache

37 GCFE89 Bruce Trail Break

37 GCJTXX THE ZODIAC SERIES: SCORPIO

36 GC7DA7 Quasy Cache 01 - Jackson Flats

36 GCJ4H7 Blue Box 1 - Monday

36 GCKE0R THE ZODIAC SERIES: SAGITTARIUS

35 GCG0VH Quasy Cache Finale

35 GCKBTN Off to the dump we go!

35 GCJ2YZ Tagteam Niagara Rockway N

 

Olar

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Clyde,

 

When helping a new GSAK user through the many options, it occured to me that the icon overide option does not bahave like I'd like it to.

 

I like to have a differnt icon for micros, so I have set a icon override for micros. But will it also override multis or mystery caches which are set as micros?

 

My preferred icon priority is to display what type of cache it is (traditional, multi, virtual, mystery) and my secondary desire is for traditional micros to be displayed as such.

 

Reason being is that if my icon shows a multi or mystery, I know I'd better look at the cache page to see what instructions I need to find the cache. I'm less interested at that point in the container size.

 

If the cache is a traditional type, where you can simply go to the posted coords and find the container, it's often useful to know if it is a micro one is looking for.

 

Jamie

Edited by Jamie Z
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My preferred icon priority is to display what type of cache it is (traditional, multi, virtual, mystery) and my secondary desire is for traditional micros to be displayed as such.

I'll second that. Being a former Spinner user, I'm used to having the micro icon override all of the cache types. It wasn't a huge problem, but at times it was confusing. If I pull up a waypoint and see a micro icon, I'll start looking for a micro. If the cache is anything but a traditional cache, I'll be out of luck.

 

Is there anyway to add an option to "override only if traditional" to the micro override?

 

BTW, I'm just getting the hang of GSAK after registering my really old version yesterday. It took some convincing for me to switch from my spinner/plucker combo, but it's looking like I might just be able to make the switch. So, thanks for all your work!

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8. How do I select multiple rows to perform some action on a group of rows (eg delete a group of waypoints)?

Marking records in GSAK revolves around the user flag (column heading with ). You can set and clear user flags in bulk (see the "User Flags" menu) You can set/clear them individually by mouse clicking in the box. Once you have the required user flags set, then set a filter on "user flag" = "set". You now have a sub set of your database that only contains those records that have the "user flag" set. All GSAK options (eg GPS send, HTML export, etc) will then only use those records.

ok, this just doesn't do it for me. I download 500 waypoints, but want to delete half of them. These directions tell me to click the user flag box for each waypoint I want to delete? So, I have to click 250 lines to delete them? You've got to be kidding. What about when I plan a trip and get 5000 waypoints and can only put 1000 into my Legend? I've got to delete 4000 lines manually?

How about allowing us to highlight several lines (even using CTRL or SHIFT with the mouse like you can in Excel) and delete them with one mouse-click?

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Check UserFlag for good point, Filter for User flag "Not Set", Delete all waypoints in filter.

Or, sort waypoints and send 1 to 500 to GPS

Or, sort waypoints, menu userflag, set next 500 records, filter, delete

Or, sort waypoints, filter to distance,....

 

Many ways...

Happy new year.

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My preferred icon priority is to display what type of cache it is (traditional, multi, virtual, mystery) and my secondary desire is for traditional micros to be displayed as such.

I'll second that. Being a former Spinner user, I'm used to having the micro icon override all of the cache types. It wasn't a huge problem, but at times it was confusing. If I pull up a waypoint and see a micro icon, I'll start looking for a micro. If the cache is anything but a traditional cache, I'll be out of luck.

 

Is there anyway to add an option to "override only if traditional" to the micro override?

 

Ok I will add this one to the available icon overrides in the next release.

 

However, If you want to do this right now you can, using filters and the "All waypoints" icon override. You can even send to your GPS all in one go via a macro - please see Example 3 of "Automating GSAK" in the help file or online here http://www.gsak.net/help/hs21000.htm

 

If you don't understand this please let me know and I will go through it in more detail

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Is there a way of setting the 'Select a saved Filter' from the default 'NONE' to 'User Flag (GSAK Default)' ?

 

This is the setting I use 99% of the time so it would be nice to have that as the default.

 

Thanks

 

Martin

If you have a filter (or group of instructions ) you use often then the best way is to add a macro button to the tool bar.

 

1. Create a macro that has the required instructions (In your case FILTER name="User Flag = Set")

2. Configure any one of the 10 macro buttons to use this macro (Right mouse click the tool bar, select "Macro buttons configuration")

3. Add this macro button to the tool bar (Right mouse click the tool bar, select "Customize Tool Buttons"

 

Now your "User flag = Set" filter is just one mouse click away.

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Clyde, this might be asking a lot but what about a different display layout, columns, by database. For example, my 'primary' or to do DB does not need Found Date, whereas my Found DB doesn't need several of the available Date columns.

In a future release I will look at adding a "properties" option for databases. Different behaviour for each database (such as views) could then be handled this way.

 

Of course the work around for the moment, is to just select the required view from the drop down box (available in version 5)

 

Editted: added last paragaraph

Edited by ClydeE
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The different views are great and sSetting the options up should be fairly straightforward if you take the approach of letting us associate a default "View" with a speicifc Database. Still lets us define and change views on the fly, but we have the default association in place so when a DB is opened,it's default associated view is used to present it.

 

THanks yet again for a great product and great support!

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I've been playing with my new cf Que 1620 (in a HP iPAQ 2210) for the past few days. Clyde can you give a date when upload/download support via USB will be ready?

 

All GPS communications for GSAK is actually done by GPSBabel. Robert Lipe often visits this thread but this may better be answered in the GPSBabel mailing list by posting your question here http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/gpsbabel-misc

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i often go out with a few cachers, and was wondering if there is a good method of taking several pocket queries and comparing them to only return the caches that none of us have found?

 

Set a filter using the logs tab. Please refer to example 5 of the logs filter in the help file or online here http://www.gsak.net/help/hs4970.htm

 

Note: This method works best if you can get the Pocket Queries from the other cachers (they must also be premium members) because they will always contain their found log. The problem with just using your own PQ is that if you have not accumulated enough log history, some of the found logs for the other cachers may not be in your database (remember you only get the last 5 logs in a PQ)

Edited by ClydeE
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i often go out with a few cachers, and was wondering if there is a good method of taking several pocket queries and comparing them to only return the caches that none of us have found?

 

robert

Use GeoToad to get a pocket query that includes only caches not found by the members of your group.

 

(10) cache not found by [username1,username2]

 

Then load that PQ into GSAK and BAM!

 

The one little flaw I have found in this method is that the PQ from GeoToad has encrypted hints. To get around this I only use this data in the GPS. I use a GC PQ in my Palm III. hmmm

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It's a small and (for me, at least) hypothetical point, Clyde, but I noticed that while the User Data field is limited to 15 characters, there appears to be no such limitation on the corresponding field in the Filter form. Might that lead to someone unintentionally creating a "never true" filter?

 

OK, I will correct this in the next maintenace release.

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Am I the only one having this problem when exporting to a MapSource .mps file from 5.0.2 build 20? :o

 

Exception Log

 

List index out of bounds (108).

 

I then get the export dialogue, but I can't change the GPS symbols (in fact, the GPS symbols box is completely empty). If I try, I get this:

 

Exception Log

 

Access violation and address 00416887 in module 'gsak.exe'. Read of address 0000000.

 

Looks like a NULL pointer problem. This happened both on my upgraded database, an empty database and a completely fresh database (after deleting all of them and re-initing from GPX files). ;)

 

I guess it's back to running GPS Babel by hand for me... ;)

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Am I the only one having this problem when exporting to a MapSource .mps file from 5.0.2 build 20? ;)

 

Exception Log

 

List index out of bounds (108).

 

I then get the export dialogue, but I can't change the GPS symbols (in fact, the GPS symbols box is completely empty). If I try, I get this:

 

Exception Log

 

Access violation and address 00416887 in module 'gsak.exe'. Read of address 0000000.

 

Looks like a NULL pointer problem. This happened both on my upgraded database, an empty database and a completely fresh database (after deleting all of them and re-initing from GPX files). :P

 

I guess it's back to running GPS Babel by hand for me... :rolleyes:

Very strange, I have not seen this before so I don't know exactly what is going on here.

 

If you could take a backup of the database you are having the problem with (File=>Backup) also checking the "settings" box.

 

Then email me the generated zip file so I can interrogate and track down the problem.

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I had an access violation on one of the 5.x updates that I did, but I tried whatever I was doing again (I think it was an export), and it worked after that without a hitch. Since I could not reproduce it, I figured you would not be able to do so either, so I just shrugged and went on. But it may be a "one time after updating" kind of bug that would be difficult to find. So I chimed in here so you might have a clue of where to look, or to give fuel to the "I may never find it, so try it again and if it works, I won't put it on my dire emergency list" answer.

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This may sound like a strange question, but here goes anyway.

Is there a way to take 2 pocket quiries and compare them against each other and only keep the caches that are in each PQ? By that I mean this: Me and a friend go on cache runs sometimes and we only want to stop at caches neither of us have done yet. So he does a PQ and I do a PQ and then we compare the two to see where we want to go. If I could get GSAK to compare them and only list the caches BOTH of us need it would be great!

 

Dennis

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This may sound like a strange question, but here goes anyway.

Is there a way to take 2 pocket quiries and compare them against each other and only keep the caches that are in each PQ? By that I mean this: Me and a friend go on cache runs sometimes and we only want to stop at caches neither of us have done yet. So he does a PQ and I do a PQ and then we compare the two to see where we want to go. If I could get GSAK to compare them and only list the caches BOTH of us need it would be great!

 

Dennis

You could run your pq today and he run his tomorrow. Load yours, then load his. The ones not updated from his pq would be ones only in yours. Running yours again, the day after his would filter more out.

 

7

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Dennis

You could run your pq today and he run his tomorrow. Load yours, then load his. The ones not updated from his pq would be ones only in yours. Running yours again, the day after his would filter more out.

 

7

That sound like 2 or 3 days time. I would prefer to be able to do this at anytime with 2 PQ generated on the same day. Sometimes we go on a run on a moments notice.

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This may sound like a strange question, but here goes anyway.

Is there a way to take 2 pocket quiries and compare them against each other and only keep the caches that are in each PQ? By that I mean this: Me and a friend go on cache runs sometimes and we only want to stop at caches neither of us have done yet. So he does a PQ and I do a PQ and then we compare the two to see where we want to go. If I could get GSAK to compare them and only list the caches BOTH of us need it would be great!

 

Dennis

Yes, you can do this.

 

1. Create a new database (Database=>New)

2. Load in PQ1 (select "always" for the database options)

3. Load in PQ2, but make sure you select the options as per the picture below

4. Now just set a filter on "User flag = set" and this subset will be just the caches that exist in both of the GPX files

 

load1.png

 

Edited to put step 4 before the picture

Edited by ClydeE
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This may sound like a strange question, but here goes anyway.

Is there a way to take 2 pocket quiries and compare them against each other and only keep the caches that are in each PQ? By that I mean this: Me and a friend go on cache runs sometimes and we only want to stop at caches neither of us have done yet. So he does a PQ and I do a PQ and then we compare the two to see where we want to go. If I could get GSAK to compare them and only list the caches BOTH of us need it would be great!

 

Dennis

Yes, you can do this.

 

1. Create a new database (Database=>New)

2. Load in PQ1 (select "always" for the database options)

3. Load in PQ2, but make sure you select the options as per the picture below

4. Now just set a filter on "User flag = set" and this subset will be just the caches that exist in both of the GPX files

WOW,

 

Not only you the man, but Clyde and FawverFamily were reading my mind just before I got here. I swear I just logged into the forums to ask nearly this exact question!

 

I do have one addition. So if I wanted to do three (or more cachers) I would follow the above steps, but making sure the settings above were used for each cachers data I added after mine except the clear all user flags tag, correct?

 

Dan

Edited by dan_edwards_1966
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I do have one addition. So if I wanted to do three (or more cachers) I would follow the above steps, but making sure the settings above were used for each cachers data I added after mine except the clear all user flags tag, correct?

I am sorry to say, this method will not work as it stands for 3 or more cachers (can you spot why?). It does need a bit of tweaking to get the results you want.

 

As usual there are more ways to skin a cat than one so you may also like to take a look at example 5 of the log filters in the help file or online here http://www.gsak.net/help/hs4970.htm

 

However, as we have started this discussion with he current method I will explain how to do this. If this is something you do often I would set up a macro to do this so it can all be done with one click of a button.

 

1. Create a new database (Database=>New)

2. Load in PQ1 (select "always" for the database options)

3. Load in PQ2, but make sure you select the options as per the picture above in the previous post

4. Now set a filter on "User flag = not set"

5. Delete all caches for this filter

6. Load in PQ3, but make sure you select the options as per the picture above in the previous post

7. Now set a filter on "User flag = not set"

8. Delete all caches for this filter

 

Finally when you have loaded in all the required PQs then either delete those that do not have the user flag set, or set a filter on "User flag = set"

 

You will now have a subset that contains only caches that are in ALL these PQs

 

If there is anything about the above process you do not understand don't be shy to ask questions.

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Thanks for a great product Clyde,

 

I'm having a little difficulty exploiting smart tags though. The help file and previous discussions don't seem to clue me in if I'm doing something wrong or asking GSAK to do something it can't do.

 

Here's the challenge - I want the html waypoint code to display the same as the gpx and Mapsource waypoint name

 

Here's the settings I've chosen: Under Tools, HTML tab, Waypoint description for HTML view, I have entered the following string: %drop2 %notgc%code

 

In exporting to Mapsource or to gpx, in the export window waypoint name field I entered the same string: %drop2 %notgc%code

 

Which provides exactly what I would expect it to - all cache codes have the "GC" dropped and all of my benchmark codes remain intact.

 

When exporting to html though, that same string when entered in the export to html waypoint code field drops the first two characters of all codes.

 

The only work around I've found is to export to gpx, open that file in GSAK, then export that to html using only the %code tag. A little tedious to be a good solution.

 

Am I missing something?

 

Happy New Year,

 

- Pen

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I was wondering about this (comparing multiple PQ's) myself. I know currently we have the ability to open a folder of PQ's at one time. It would be nice if there was an option to "compare" the PQ's in this folder and either "Keep" or "Delete" the same waypoints. That way we could just make a new folder, dump in all the PQ's we have and let GSAK do it's thing! Now that would be very neat!

 

Dennis

Edited by FawverFamily
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Thanks for a great product Clyde,

 

I'm having a little difficulty exploiting smart tags though. The help file and previous discussions don't seem to clue me in if I'm doing something wrong or asking GSAK to do something it can't do.

 

Here's the challenge - I want the html waypoint code to display the same as the gpx and Mapsource waypoint name

 

Here's the settings I've chosen: Under Tools, HTML tab, Waypoint description for HTML view, I have entered the following string: %drop2 %notgc%code

 

In exporting to Mapsource or to gpx, in the export window waypoint name field I entered the same string: %drop2 %notgc%code

 

Which provides exactly what I would expect it to - all cache codes have the "GC" dropped and all of my benchmark codes remain intact.

 

When exporting to html though, that same string when entered in the export to html waypoint code field drops the first two characters of all codes.

 

The only work around I've found is to export to gpx, open that file in GSAK, then export that to html using only the %code tag. A little tedious to be a good solution.

 

Am I missing something?

 

Happy New Year,

 

- Pen

What you describe does sound like a bug to me.

 

I will see if I can duplicate. If I can duplicate the problem I will fix in the next maintenace release, otherwise I will be asking more questions :unsure:

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I was wondering about this (comparing multiple PQ's) myself. I know currently we have the ability to open a folder of PQ's at one time. It would be nice if there was an option to "compare" the PQ's in this folder and either "Keep" or "Delete" the same waypoints. That way we could just make a new folder, dump in all the PQ's we have and let GSAK do it's thing! Now that would be very neat!

 

Now where would the challenge be if we were to let GSAK do everything :wacko:

 

It might be a bit of work to originally set up a macro to do this, but once done the process is automatic. It may also give users an insight to how powerful macros can be and what other possible uses there might be for them :unsure:

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Hello Clyde -

 

Happy New Year!

 

I am using GSAK 5.2.0.

 

I have one GSAK database that contains my geocaching world. When we go out to geocache I export to MapSource as we often cache with a laptop and use MapSource for autorouting, etc. There are several caches in my area that we haven't found but we don't want them to appear in the MapSource export (hefty multis, etc.). How can I filter them out?

 

I have a filter that is "unfound, no puzzles, active". I'd like to "subtract" or "exclude" a list of specific caches from this filter and then export.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

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I have one GSAK database that contains my geocaching world. When we go out to geocache I export to MapSource as we often cache with a laptop and use MapSource for autorouting, etc. There are several caches in my area that we haven't found but we don't want them to appear in the MapSource export (hefty multis, etc.). How can I filter them out?

 

I have a filter that is "unfound, no puzzles, active". I'd like to "subtract" or "exclude" a list of specific caches from this filter and then export.

 

Any thoughts?

 

The easy solution is to use the "permanent" delete feature of GSAK to delete these caches and stop them ever getting into your database again. However, I will assume for some reason you would still like to have these caches in your database, but just want to exclude them on export. The following example my also be a good illustration to other users on how to handle similar situations.

 

The quick answer is to just use the user flag to indicate those caches you don't want, then set a filter on "user flag = not set"

 

However, this would require you to do this every time you did the export.

 

So what you really want is some way to keep a list of these caches in GSAK then apply this list against your current database when required. That way you would only have to set up the list once (perhaps just adding a few new entries as they crop up)

 

The move/copy waypoints option comes to your rescue.

 

Firstly to create the initial list of "undesirable" caches:

 

1. Create a new "undesirable" dababase (Database=>New)

2. Select your default database that contains your main list of caches

3. Clear all user flags

4. Tick the user flag for all the individual "undesirable" caches

5. Set a filter on "user flag = set"

6. Copy these waypoints to your "undesirable" database using the Database=>Copy/Move option per the picture below.

 

move1.png

 

Now, when ever you want to exclude any of these caches in a filter from your main database:

 

1. Select your main database and clear all user flags

2. Select your "undersirable" database and do the copy as per the picture below

3. Now in your main database, just set a filter on "User flag = Not set" and these caches will be excluded.

 

(If you do this often, you can set up a macro that will do all this in one step)

move2.png

Edited by ClydeE
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Clyde,

 

Great product. I have only been using GSAK for a few days. Currently I use .gpx's for my PDA and GPS.

 

Question:

 

When downloading .gpx's from a search, check the selection boxes, and click download, it automatically downloads the .loc format.

 

When downloading waypoints (gpx) from the cache page (one at at time) I have no problem...except for the time it takes.

 

This may seem like a simple question, but I'm just not seeing it. Is there a way to download mulitiple waypoints from GC.com in the gpx format? (Yes, I am a premium member)

 

Thanks

DC

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Clyde,

 

Great product. I have only been using GSAK for a few days. Currently I use .gpx's for my PDA and GPS.

 

Question:

 

When downloading .gpx's from a search, check the selection boxes, and click download, it automatically downloads the .loc format.

 

When downloading waypoints (gpx) from the cache page (one at at time) I have no problem...except for the time it takes.

 

This may seem like a simple question, but I'm just not seeing it. Is there a way to download mulitiple waypoints from GC.com in the gpx format? (Yes, I am a premium member)

 

Thanks

DC

From the Geocaching.com main page,

Click "My Cache Page"

Click "Run Pocket Queries" (read the stuff on this page carefully)

Click "Create a New Query" (read the stuff on this page carefully)

 

Be careful and double check all of your settings before running a query. You only get 5 per day.

Edited by Team Perrito Blanco
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I have noticed what I think is a bug with the new Memory-Map export. When I leave the settings as they are the waypoints are imported into Memory-Map using the dot icon and the category "Geocache". Shouldn't it, by default, be using the anchor as stated in the export options?

 

When I change the export options so that the icon for unfound caches is a flag the category is also changed to be "Flag".

 

I was wondering if a better way would be to have the category name independant of the icon name.

 

Regards,

 

Dan.

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QUOTE (DuncanClan @ Jan 1 2005, 12:40 PM)

Clyde,

 

Great product. I have only been using GSAK for a few days. Currently I use .gpx's for my PDA and GPS.

 

Question:

 

When downloading .gpx's from a search, check the selection boxes, and click download, it automatically downloads the .loc format.

 

When downloading waypoints (gpx) from the cache page (one at at time) I have no problem...except for the time it takes.

 

This may seem like a simple question, but I'm just not seeing it. Is there a way to download mulitiple waypoints from GC.com in the gpx format? (Yes, I am a premium member)

 

Thanks

DC 

 

From the Geocaching.com main page,

Click "My Cache Page"

Click "Run Pocket Queries" (read the stuff on this page carefully)

Click "Create a New Query" (read the stuff on this page carefully)

 

Be careful and double check all of your settings before running a query. You only get 5 per day.

 

Thanks. My problem was I was unzipping the folder then trying to import that instead of just dragging the zipped folder...worked like a charm!

 

DC

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Thanks. My problem was I was unzipping the folder then trying to import that instead of just dragging the zipped folder...worked like a charm!

 

DC

Don't forget that you can just leave the zip files in their default location and tell GSAK to take all zip, loc and/or gsx files in that folder and add/append your database. It even remembers the folder for next time.

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