GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife)

[+ClydeE]

GSAK version 5.1 is now ready for download from http://gsak.net

 

As I mentioned before, I will be letting the automatic updated notification feature propagate the release before I notify users via email.

 

If you have not received the automatic notification, then either you have it turned off, or it was already checked today before the update was released (GSAK only does the version check once per day)

 

For a complete list of changes please see the version history

 

However a couple of items that might be worth a quick mention is semi automatic logging and the new user sort column

[+dmoyers]

I just switched to Gsak from EasyGPS and when trying to download wp's it still defaults to the EasyGPS. I removed that program via the add/remove in the control panel and it still wants to use the TopoGraphic (EasyGPS) software to open it. Thanks in advance for any help...dm (NuB)

Edited February 17, 2005 by dmoyers

[+PDOP's]

dmoyers

 

In GSAK on the main menu bar select "Tools" then "GPX file association" then check the box for "Force association each time GSAK starts".

[+TresOkies]

I just switched to Gsak from EasyGPS and when trying to download wp's it still defaults to the EasyGPS. I removed that program via the add/remove in the control panel and it still wants to use the TopoGraphic (EasyGPS) software to open it. Thanks in advance for any help...dm (NuB)

1. Right click on a GPX file while holding down the SHIFT key.
   
2. One of the items there should be "Open With...", with a selection of "Choose Program". Choose that option.
   
3. Wait a good bit while Windows figures out all the programs installed on your PC.
   
4. Find GSAK in the list.
   
5. If GSAK isn't on the list, use the "Browse" button to find GSAK.exe (probably in C:\Program Files\GSAK).
   
6. Click the little check box that says "Always use the selected program"
   
7. Press OK and Bob's your uncle
   

Edit: Or what PDOPs said much simpler.

Edited February 17, 2005 by TresOkies++

[+washboy]

It would be nice to be able to store/load the definitions of exported files.

For example I use %drop2%typ=2 as a waypoint name and %Name (%Dif/%Ter) %typ as description format in one case but on another purpose the values are %code and %Name (%Dif%typ1%Ter).

It would be really nice if I didn't need to change these manually. (And of course the path & filename are different too).

 

You can do this now. That is exactly what "settings" are for. Just set up your export the way you like, then click on the save button to save your settings under a name that is meaningful to you. Now you can restore those settings at any time without having to rekey them. The "settings" are also available for you to use in macros. This is also a great feature for those that use more than one GPSr as the settings include the GPSr options and icon settings.

 

I must be doing something wrong but I can't get this to work reliably with Custom export. 90% of the time, the settings details are lost. I fill in the settings, including the Statement to run, click Save and give it a name. However, when I subsequently select the saved settings, from the Settings dropdown, the Statement to run is blank!

 

What am I doing wrong, please?

[+ClydeE]

It would be nice to be able to store/load the definitions of exported files.

For example I use %drop2%typ=2 as a waypoint name and %Name (%Dif/%Ter) %typ as description format in one case but on another purpose the values are %code and %Name (%Dif%typ1%Ter).

It would be really nice if I didn't need to change these manually. (And of course the path & filename are different too).

 

You can do this now. That is exactly what "settings" are for. Just set up your export the way you like, then click on the save button to save your settings under a name that is meaningful to you. Now you can restore those settings at any time without having to rekey them. The "settings" are also available for you to use in macros. This is also a great feature for those that use more than one GPSr as the settings include the GPSr options and icon settings.

 

I must be doing something wrong but I can't get this to work reliably with Custom export. 90% of the time, the settings details are lost. I fill in the settings, including the Statement to run, click Save and give it a name. However, when I subsequently select the saved settings, from the Settings dropdown, the Statement to run is blank!

 

What am I doing wrong, please?

Without looking over your shoulder it is difficult to say what must be going on here.

 

I tried this several ways on different computers and always got the expected results.

 

I have no other reports of this not working, so I am really stumped as to what is going on here.

 

Perhaps there is some step I am missing - can anyone else duplicate this problem?

 

Just in case there is something strange going on with you database, I would:

 

1. Delete the saved setting you are having the problem with

2. From the main menu select Database=>Repair/Defrag

3. Try save the settings again and do another test.

Edited February 18, 2005 by ClydeE

[+Semper Questio]

Hi ClydE. Any thoughts how to code a Custom URL for the new Bookmark and Ignore listing functions? I checked the URLs on these cache page buttons and they appear to have our GC UID embedded but not the cache code. Thanks.

[+leatherman]

Is there a way to have a different waypoint icon override for multipul DNF's? Like the Micro override when you exort.

Play with the INI or something?

[+ClydeE]

Is there a way to have a different waypoint icon override for multipul DNF's? Like the Micro override when you exort.

Play with the INI or something?

Yes.

 

Bacially you can have an icon override for any subset of records. That is, if you can set a filter for it, you can have an icon override.

 

The procedure is :

1. Set a filter for what ever the subset of records are you want specific icons for

2. Send waypoints to your GPSr, then click on the change button

3. In the icon override section click on "All waypoints"

4. Select the corresponding icon you want for all waypoints

5. Transfer "All waypoints" from the available section to the active section (making sure it is the very last entry in the active section

 

Click on Save, then click on Send.

 

Please also see "icon overrides" in the help file or online here

 

Warning: The next time you send to your GPS be sure to remove the active "all waypoints" setting, otherwise every waypoint will get this symbol. The recommended method here, is to save your settings for the normal send to your GPS and these "special" filter icon overrides. That way, you can just select the settings from the drop down list when sending to the GPS.

 

Better still, try setting up a macro to to the whole thing so you don't have to remember to do this each time. For an example of such a macro see example 3 in the topic "automating GSAK" in the help file or online here

Edited February 18, 2005 by ClydeE

[+steve0mania]

I'm just getting started with GSAK, thanks--it's great.

 

I have run into one problem that's stumping me. The first few times I've uploaded the data to my GPS, I've been able to get the waypoint name (I'm using %code) and the waypoint description (I'm using %Name by %By (%Dif/%Ter)). Now for the past few times, when I get a new waypoint to update, the description field on my GPSr is left blank. The description format I've written above are exactly what's set in GSAK. Is there a switch that I'm missing that tells GSAK to upload the descriptions? Any ideas about what I might be doing wrong?

 

Thanks again for the great program!

 

-steve0mania

[+mrking]

Question for you Clyde...

 

I have the GPX setup to export so it takes off the first two characters of the waypoint name (in my instance GC) and replaces them with the cache type and cache box size.

 

Now I also have other important waypoints in GSAK such as my HOME and MYWORK. Is there anyway I can set up the export to leave the names of these two and a couple other named waypoints alone and just edit the ones that start with GC?

[+Semper Questio]

Can someone tell me if I am doing something wrong? This is not new, but I finally decided to ask. When I get my PQ's and pull them into GSAK, disabled caches do not show up with the archived/unavailable flag on. Since I don't want to load these in my GPSr and CacheMate I have to find them manually and flag or remove them. Am I missing something?

 

Thanks.

[+Miha Ivan]

Can someone tell me if I am doing something wrong? This is not new, but I finally decided to ask. When I get my PQ's and pull them into GSAK, disabled caches do not show up with the archived/unavailable flag on. Since I don't want to load these in my GPSr and CacheMate I have to find them manually and flag or remove them. Am I missing something?

 

Thanks.

I am not sure of what happened, but I noticed a similar thing happening with my PQs. I did get archived caches flagged for awhile, then it seemed like I noticed that some that I knew were archived or deleted were still shown as active in GSAK. I finally ran a PQ where I selected "Not Active" only. When I loaded that one, all the archived guys were properly flagged in GSAK. So while I have conflicting evidence here, I suspect that the PQ is including only active caches. You might want to take a peek at the GPX file and see if there are any archived caches in there.

 

I realize this raises more questions than it answers, but I figured I would chime in anyway.

[+Hi-Tek]

Can someone tell me if I am doing something wrong?  This is not new, but I finally decided to ask.  When I get my PQ's and pull them into GSAK, disabled caches do not show up with the archived/unavailable flag on.  Since I don't want to load these in my GPSr and CacheMate I have to find them manually and flag or remove them.  Am I missing something?

 

Thanks.

I am not sure of what happened, but I noticed a similar thing happening with my PQs. I did get archived caches flagged for awhile, then it seemed like I noticed that some that I knew were archived or deleted were still shown as active in GSAK. I finally ran a PQ where I selected "Not Active" only. When I loaded that one, all the archived guys were properly flagged in GSAK. So while I have conflicting evidence here, I suspect that the PQ is including only active caches. You might want to take a peek at the GPX file and see if there are any archived caches in there.

 

I realize this raises more questions than it answers, but I figured I would chime in anyway.

AFAIK you only get 'Diabled' caches in a PQ (when selecting Not Available). 'Archived' caches do not show in PQ's at all.

 

In short there is no alternative but to mark Archived caches manually. You could use the 'Last GPX' update facility in GSAK to assist you in tracking down any cache that hasn't been updated since a particular date.

[+baloo&bd]

ARC Filters.

 

I am constantly learning new things on GSAK, so bear with me.

 

When using arc or polygon filters, is there a way to get the waypoints from a program like Mapsource into GSAK poly/arc filter setup without manually entering in each point? If the arc/poly has a number of points, it can get real tedious.

 

I thought maybe a combo of exporting it to GPX and then importing it might work, but I still don't see how I would populate the filter.

 

By the way. Thanks for another great update.

Edited February 18, 2005 by baloo&bd

[+Marky]

Can someone tell me if I am doing something wrong?  This is not new, but I finally decided to ask.  When I get my PQ's and pull them into GSAK, disabled caches do not show up with the archived/unavailable flag on.  Since I don't want to load these in my GPSr and CacheMate I have to find them manually and flag or remove them.  Am I missing something?

 

Thanks.

One suggestion (and a good one) is to just filter out the disabled caches in the PQ by selecting the "is active" attibute. This way, it frees up spots in your 500 cache allotment for active caches, instead of taking up space. Of course, this doesn't answer your original question.

 

Edit: Oh, I see that this doesn't really help the problem because most of you are probably keeping an offline database of caches. I delete my GSAK cache database on every upload, so I never have currently disabled caches in my list.

 

--Marky

Edited February 18, 2005 by Marky

[+Oldhippy & Granny]

I mark my route for an arc in mapsource then export it as .mps file. In the filter I load mps file and set distance from the arc (route). hope this helps

[+Semper Questio]

I don't care abou tthe archived, but I want to get the disbaled so I can see when they go offline or come back. But as things stand now, I get the wpts and they don't show as disabled. I am going to run some more test PQ's selecting very specific cache sets so I can verify my results easily.

[+PDOP's]

ARC Filters.

 

I am constantly learning new things on GSAK, so bear with me.

 

When using arc or polygon filters, is there a way to get the waypoints from a program like Mapsource into GSAK poly/arc filter setup without manually entering in each point? If the arc/poly has a number of points, it can get real tedious.

 

I thought maybe a combo of exporting it to GPX and then importing it might work, but I still don't see how I would populate the filter.

 

By the way. Thanks for another great update.

From the Help File

Using the "Load from file" button you can import coordinates from a text, GPX files (that contain waypoints, routes, tracks) and LOC files. GSAK also support Street Atlas route files (ANR), MapSend Waypoint files (WPT), OziExplorer WPT files,  and MapSource (MPS) files, although it does use GPSBabel "Under the hood" to convert these to an acceptable format for the arc filter.

 

Use the "load from file"button on the "Arc/Poly" tab of the "Set Filter" dialogue.

[+baloo&bd]

Arc Filters.

 

Thanks O&G and PDOP. I was so intent on what I was doing, the button was all but invisible to me.

 

Thanks again.

[+Semper Questio]

Well, as usual, I do some focused testing and everything seems to be working correctly. I did some PQ's targeting set of caches where I knew there were disabled caches and they came in and popped up as disbaled every time. Go figure. So I guess I'll sit on this until I see it happen again (if I do) and try to get a better understanding of the conditions under which it occurs.

[+The White Family]

Question for you Clyde...

 

I have the GPX setup to export so it takes off the first two characters of the waypoint name (in my instance GC) and replaces them with the cache type and cache box size.

 

Now I also have other important waypoints in GSAK such as my HOME and MYWORK. Is there anyway I can set up the export to leave the names of these two and a couple other named waypoints alone and just edit the ones that start with GC?

Have a look in the Help for Special Tags, especially %notGC.

 

e.g.

%drop2%typ1%con1 %notGC %code

will convert traditional regular GCABCD to ABCDTR, but will leave ABCDEF just as it is.

[+ClydeE]

Can someone tell me if I am doing something wrong?  This is not new, but I finally decided to ask.  When I get my PQ's and pull them into GSAK, disabled caches do not show up with the archived/unavailable flag on.  Since I don't want to load these in my GPSr and CacheMate I have to find them manually and flag or remove them.  Am I missing something?

 

Thanks.

I am not sure of what happened, but I noticed a similar thing happening with my PQs. I did get archived caches flagged for awhile, then it seemed like I noticed that some that I knew were archived or deleted were still shown as active in GSAK. I finally ran a PQ where I selected "Not Active" only. When I loaded that one, all the archived guys were properly flagged in GSAK. So while I have conflicting evidence here, I suspect that the PQ is including only active caches. You might want to take a peek at the GPX file and see if there are any archived caches in there.

 

I realize this raises more questions than it answers, but I figured I would chime in anyway.

This one has been discussed quite a few times before in various GSAK threads.

 

Basically a PQ will provide "Temporarily unavailable" caches but never "Acrhived" caches.

 

If you maintaining your database for historical reasons (any many GSAK users do) and want archived caches shown correctly please see the suggested work around here There is also more information on this topic in posts further on so you might like to read those as well.

[+Stunod]

First of all, Clyde...THANK YOU for adding the feature to drop "A" and "THE" from the cache name on HTML output.

 

However, when I use this, I'm getting a few caches indexed under "?" that shouldn't be there. Here is a clip from the index page:

 

?     Top 
GCF7F7 Micro by the stream
GCJ5YR  ?
GCGEVP A Walk In The Park
GCM5J3 THE RACCOON CACHE/ A.K.A. LILLIAN'S TRE
GCH6K5  Sewards Bluff Forest Preserve
GCG7WZ  Pirates Cove
GCH9FJ home run ??

 

GCJ5YR seems like it should be there...it is actaully called "?". But why are the others ending up there?

[+mrking]

Have a look in the Help for Special Tags, especially %notGC.

 

e.g.

%drop2%typ1%con1 %notGC %code

will convert traditional regular GCABCD to ABCDTR, but will leave ABCDEF just as it is.

Thanks!!

[+ClydeE]

First of all, Clyde...THANK YOU for adding the feature to drop "A" and "THE" from the cache name on HTML output.

 

However, when I use this, I'm getting a few caches indexed under "?" that shouldn't be there. Here is a clip from the index page:

 

?     Top 
GCF7F7 Micro by the stream
GCJ5YR  ?
GCGEVP A Walk In The Park
GCM5J3 THE RACCOON CACHE/ A.K.A. LILLIAN'S TRE
GCH6K5  Sewards Bluff Forest Preserve
GCG7WZ  Pirates Cove
GCH9FJ home run ??

 

GCJ5YR seems like it should be there...it is actaully called "?". But why are the others ending up there?

More information needed. Private email sent.

[+Hynr]

I have a suggestion for a change to the background colors in the display gird in GSAK. Maybe some won't like this, so I offer it here for discussion.

 

I would suggest that the color indicators (background color) for Found and Owned be moved off the Code column to different columns, leaving the Code column background color for active/inactive information only.

 

The reason: when a previously found cache becomes inactive, the Found color (yellow by default) is obscured by the inactive color. Changing the priority in the Options just shifts the problem. I would suggest moving the "Found" indicator (yellow background) to the Waypoint name column and the "Owned" color (green) to the "Placed by" column. Alternatively, maybe the Priority drop-down list box on the Options General dialog, could be replaced with a column name drop-down list.

 

Now that the gpx data differentiates between disabled and archived, I would also like to have the Inactive indicator show up as two different colors or perhaps shades of the selected color (red by default).

[+ClydeE]

Interesting idea and I can see what you are getting at. Not quite sure if users want that much colour all over the place, but this sure is the right place to discuss it.

 

Now that the gpx data differentiates between disabled and archived, I would also like to have the Inactive indicator show up as two different colors or perhaps shades of the selected color (red by default).

To my knowlege this hasn't changed - you sitll can't get a PQ that contains archived cahces. The only way you can indicate archived caches in GSAK is to flag manually or download the GPX file from the actual cache listing - one at a time. However, regarding showing the difference, I believe this has already been taken care of. Disabled (or Temporarily unavailble) caches show in the normal font, while archived caches show in the strike out font. That way you can instantly tell the difference between an archived and temporarily unavailable cache.

[+ClydeE]

First of all, Clyde...THANK YOU for adding the feature to drop "A" and "THE" from the cache name on HTML output.

 

However, when I use this, I'm getting a few caches indexed under "?" that shouldn't be there.  Here is a clip from the index page:

 

?     Top 
GCF7F7 Micro by the stream
GCJ5YR  ?
GCGEVP A Walk In The Park
GCM5J3 THE RACCOON CACHE/ A.K.A. LILLIAN'S TRE
GCH6K5  Sewards Bluff Forest Preserve
GCG7WZ  Pirates Cove
GCH9FJ home run ??

 

GCJ5YR seems like it should be there...it is actaully called "?".  But why are the others ending up there?

More information needed. Private email sent.

OK, we have now got to the bottom of this one.

 

The problem caches all begin with a "space" and this is causing GSAK to throw a "wobbly" when it comes to this feature in the name index.

 

I will fix this in the next maintenance release.

[+caderoux]

Interesting idea and I can see what you are getting at. Not quite sure if users want that much colour all over the place, but this sure is the right place to discuss it.

 

Now that the gpx data differentiates between disabled and archived, I would also like to have the Inactive indicator show up as two different colors or perhaps shades of the selected color (red by default).

To my knowlege this hasn't changed - you sitll can't get a PQ that contains archived cahces. The only way you can indicate archived caches in GSAK is to flag manually or download the GPX file from the actual cache listing - one at a time. However, regarding showing the difference, I believe this has already been taken care of. Disabled (or Temporarily unavailble) caches show in the normal font, while archived caches show in the strike out font. That way you can instantly tell the difference between an archived and temporarily unavailable cache.

On a related note, it would be nice to be able to get only active or disabled caches which haven't been updated in, say, the last two weeks - these are the one you would want to download individual GPX files to get the archive log. The way I see it now, the filter criteria just have available or not available (includes temp. disabled and archived together). Right now the only real way to work the list is anything not updated in the last few weeks. The problem is that the archived ones will continue to come up in this list - choosing only available also filters out disabled caches which have been archived. If there is no way to filter out the archived, this is also where the extra descriptive colors would be useful to work the list to go get the individual GPX files.

 

I like to have this info more for the caches in my area which I have previously found, as opposed to ones I'll never find. Then if I go to look at the cache to see if I want to recommend it to someone, I know I have the updated information and I can also see if the reason the cache was archived is of interest to me (new cache placement now available, problem in the area, etc.).

[+ClydeE]

On a related note, it would be nice to be able to get only active or disabled caches which haven't been updated in, say, the last two weeks - these are the one you would want to download individual GPX files to get the archive log.  The way I see it now, the filter criteria just have available or not available (includes temp. disabled and archived together).  Right now the only real way to work the list is anything not updated in the last few weeks.  The problem is that the archived ones will continue to come up in this list - choosing only available also filters out disabled caches which have been archived.  If there is no way to filter out the archived, this is also where the extra descriptive colors would be useful to work the list to go get the individual GPX files.

 

I like to have this info more for the caches in my area which I have previously found, as opposed to ones I'll never find.  Then if I go to look at the cache to see if I want to recommend it to someone, I know I have the updated information and I can also see if the reason the cache was archived is of interest to me (new cache placement now available, problem in the area, etc.).

You have been able to filter on just disabled (temporarily unavailable) caches for quite a while now.

 

However, prior to release 5.1 this option was tucked away on the "Other" filter tab. Version 5.1 now brings this into plain view in the general tab. Please refer to the "Available Status" boxes, you now have archived, temporarily unavailable, available.

Edited February 20, 2005 by ClydeE

[+Hi-Tek]

On a related note, it would be nice to be able to get only active or disabled caches which haven't been updated in, say, the last two weeks - these are the one you would want to download individual GPX files to get the archive log.

This can be done quite easily now. Here's how I do it ...

 

Set up a filter called 'To be Archived?"

 

Under the "General" tab select "Available"

 

Under the "Dates" tab select "Last Update GPX" and "Not During" the last "2 days".

 

(Note: you can change the number of days to suit your PQ update frequency).

 

When this filter runs the grid will show you the caches that are potentially 'archived' and it's a simple job to click on the "On-line Waypoint URL" and check. If it is you can either manually "Archive" it or download the GPX file.

 

HTH

[+Mr_and_Mrs_Hydrogeologist]

Clyde,

 

Help!

 

We have a problem sending waypoints from GSAK to the GPSr.

 

We have a Magellan SportTrak Map

Compaq computer running Windows XP Professional

Purchased copy of GSAK and downloaded version of EasyGPS

 

We have never, ever been able to download the waypoints from geocaching.com to the GPS on this computer. We have both programs, EASYGPS and GSAK and can't get it to work. However, I have EasyGPS loaded on my work computer, which is also running Windows XP Professional, and I have no problem downloading the waypoints to the GPSr.

 

I know that the COM1 port works on the home computer. I performed the firmware update for the GPSr without any problems.

 

I have check, double checked and triple checked the following settings, making sure that they matched on both the GPSr and the software:

 

1. Longitude/Latitude

2. Coordinate settings

3. Baud Rate

4. NMEA off

 

Here's the error messages that we receive. First one from EasyGPS:

______________________________________________________________

No Data was received from the GPS!

(Error #22)

You should quit this program and turn your GPS off before proceeding.

If you need technical assistance, please visit

http://www.easygps.com/support.asp

Details of this error have been logged to

d:\program files\EasyGPS\EasyGPS_Message_Log.txt

____________________________________________________________________

Here's the error message that we receive from GSAK:

 

Error sending waypoints:

MAGPROTO: No Data Received from GPS

____________________________________________________________________

 

Needless to say, I have become extremely frustrated beyond belief. Yes, I could continue to take the GPSr to work and download waypoints, but that's not what I want to do, nor should I be doing.

 

Can you give me some advice before I toss the GPSr and the computer out the window in a tantrum? I would be most appreciative

 

Sincerely,

 

"The Mrs" of Mr and Mrs Hydrogeologist

 

[+OC_Clay]

Hello all,

 

I am brand new to geocaching. I just got a Magellan Meridian Gold two days ago. I just loaded GSAK yesterday and I'm just starting to scratch the surface with it. I did manage to run my first PQ to get all the caches within five miles of home. I successfully sent them to the MeriGold, all 87 of them.

 

Of course, now when I display the map on my MeriGold, all I see is 87 cache names all piled on top of each other to the point where I can't see the map! I see a couple of possible solutions, and need someone to point me in the right direction.

 

Am I supposed to set a filter in GSAK to select only a few specific caches to send to the GPSr? Alternately, I see that there is a setting in the MeriGold to turn waypoint visibility on or off. It seems very slow and tedious to do that one by one in the GPSr itself. Is there a filter in GSAK that will allow me to load all 87 caches into the MeriGold, but only have a selected few turned ON in the map via the visibility setting? That would let me store all the caches in the GPSr, and only turn on the visibility when I want to add them to the map display.

 

Maybe this is a basic workflow question. Can anyone point me in the right direction here?

 

Thanks,

Edited February 20, 2005 by OC_Clay

[+Miha Ivan]

Hello all,

 

I am brand new to geocaching. I just got a Magellan Meridian Gold two days ago. I just loaded GSAK yesterday and I'm just starting to scratch the surface with it. I did manage to run my first PQ to get all the caches within five miles of home. I successfully sent them to the MeriGold, all 87 of them.

 

Of course, now when I display the map on my MeriGold, all I see is 87 cache names all piled on top of each other to the point where I can't see the map! I see a couple of possible solutions, and need someone to point me in the right direction.

 

Am I supposed to set a filter in GSAK to select only a few specific caches to send to the GPSr? Alternately, I see that there is a setting in the MeriGold to turn waypoint visibility on or off. It seems very slow and tedious to do that one by one in the GPSr itself. Is there a filter in GSAK that will allow me to load all 87 caches into the MeriGold, but only have a selected few turned ON in the map via the visibility setting? That would let me store all the caches in the GPSr, and only turn on the visibility when I want to add them to the map display.

 

Maybe this is a basic workflow question. Can anyone point me in the right direction here?

 

Thanks,

I use Garmin's product, but when that happens, I zoom in which, in effect, spreads the stuff out and then you can see the map. From there you can pan to see other things, then zoom back out if you want to do something different.

 

I also use more than one database in my mapping software so I can load different waypoints in different "densities" depending on what I want to do. But I usually work with all the geocaching waypoints active and don't have much trouble unless I zoom out to the point where, as you say, there is nothing but a blob of overlapping waypoint names.

[+DomHeknows]

For some weird reason I'm unable to use the new log feature to log a cache for GCMNFB

 

I think the reason is that the hyphen in the name has got translated to a square in gsak and it then fails when you try to log. It opens the log page but nothing is in the clipboard. I can confirm it works ok with other caches though including ones with hyphens in the name such as gcjn8x

 

ok to really confuse things i've just tried on another machine and it works ok - shrug.

[+spud67]

When I close GSAK I get a pop-up screen telling me 'error #2 - file not found'. This happens when I click yes to backup databases and setting when I close the programs. It is indicating that it can't find the 'icon.cds' file, I did a search on my computer and it doesn't exist anywhere. Was this file suppose to be created when I installed GSAK?

[+Hi-Tek]

When I close GSAK I get a pop-up screen telling me 'error #2 - file not found'. This happens when I click yes to backup databases and setting when I close the programs. It is indicating that it can't find the 'icon.cds' file, I did a search on my computer and it doesn't exist anywhere. Was this file suppose to be created when I installed GSAK?

This is a known issue and should be fixed in the next maintenance release (due very soon).

[+Hi-Tek]

For some weird reason I'm unable to use the new log feature to log a cache for GCMNFB

 

I think the reason is that the hyphen in the name has got translated to a square in gsak and it then fails when you try to log. It opens the log page but nothing is in the clipboard. I can confirm it works ok with other caches though including ones with hyphens in the name such as gcjn8x

 

ok to really confuse things i've just tried on another machine and it works ok - shrug.

I've just tried this on the cache you mention and it worked fine for me.

[+spud67]

Thanks Motley Crew.

[+ClydeE]

When I close GSAK I get a pop-up screen telling me 'error #2 - file not found'. This happens when I click yes to backup databases and setting when I close the programs. It is indicating that it can't find the 'icon.cds' file, I did a search on my computer and it doesn't exist anywhere. Was this file suppose to be created when I installed GSAK?

This is a known issue and should be fixed in the next maintenance release (due very soon).

Yes, this is a known bug on a virgin install of 5.1 of GSAK

 

Hopefully, the public release fix will be out very soon. However, to get around this error you can create a dummy "icons.cds" file. Just open up notepad (or your favorite text editor) and save a blank file called icons.cds in your install folder of GSAK. The will allow the backup to complete normally.

[+ClydeE]

For some weird reason I'm unable to use the new log feature to log a cache for GCMNFB

 

I think the reason is that the hyphen in the name has got translated to a square in gsak and it then fails when you try to log. It opens the log page but nothing is in the clipboard. I can confirm it works ok with other caches though including ones with hyphens in the name such as gcjn8x

 

ok to really confuse things i've just tried on another machine and it works ok - shrug.

Hate to ask the obvious, but have you actually got any text in the log section of the notes for that cache on the computer you are having the problem with?

[+ClydeE]

Clyde,

 

Help!

 

We have a problem sending waypoints from GSAK to the GPSr.

 

We have a Magellan SportTrak Map

Compaq computer running Windows XP Professional

Purchased copy of GSAK and downloaded version of EasyGPS

 

We have never, ever been able to download the waypoints from geocaching.com to the GPS on this computer. We have both programs, EASYGPS and GSAK and can't get it to work. However, I have EasyGPS loaded on my work computer, which is also running Windows XP Professional, and I have no problem downloading the waypoints to the GPSr.

 

I know that the COM1 port works on the home computer. I performed the firmware update for the GPSr without any problems.

 

I have check, double checked and triple checked the following settings, making sure that they matched on both the GPSr and the software:

 

1. Longitude/Latitude

2. Coordinate settings

3. Baud Rate

4. NMEA off

 

Here's the error messages that we receive. First one from EasyGPS:

______________________________________________________________

No Data was received from the GPS!

(Error #22)

You should quit this program and turn your GPS off before proceeding.

If you need technical assistance, please visit

http://www.easygps.com/support.asp

Details of this error have been logged to

d:\program files\EasyGPS\EasyGPS_Message_Log.txt

____________________________________________________________________

Here's the error message that we receive from GSAK:

 

Error sending waypoints:

MAGPROTO: No Data Received from GPS

____________________________________________________________________

 

Needless to say, I have become extremely frustrated beyond belief. Yes, I could continue to take the GPSr to work and download waypoints, but that's not what I want to do, nor should I be doing.

 

Can you give me some advice before I toss the GPSr and the computer out the window in a tantrum? I would be most appreciative

 

Sincerely,

 

"The Mrs" of Mr and Mrs Hydrogeologist

 

The fact that you can't get EasyGps or GSAK to send waypoints to your GPS does seem to indicate you have a hardware problem or system setting error.

 

I know you said that "I know that the COM1 port works on the home computer. I performed the firmware update for the GPSr without any problems" but I am wondering if something has changed/happend since.

 

If you do the firmware upgrade again now will it still work?

 

Perhaps someone with more technical knowlege on communications will be able to help you out, but I really think the first thing you need to establish is that in fact COM1 and your other related hardware is working on this computer now

 

Is the cable still good? Is the connection at the Pc and GPSr still good (hence the reason for asking if you can still do the firmware upgrade again now)

[+caderoux]

You have been able to filter on just disabled (temporarily unavailable) caches for quite a while now.

 

However, prior to release 5.1 this option was tucked away on the "Other" filter tab. Version 5.1 now brings this into plain view in the general tab. Please refer to the "Available Status" boxes, you now have archived, temporarily unavailable, available.

Excellent - I hadn't looked at my filters since I upgraded.

[+ClydeE]

When I close GSAK I get a pop-up screen telling me 'error #2 - file not found'. This happens when I click yes to backup databases and setting when I close the programs. It is indicating that it can't find the 'icon.cds' file, I did a search on my computer and it doesn't exist anywhere. Was this file suppose to be created when I installed GSAK?

This is a known issue and should be fixed in the next maintenance release (due very soon).

Yes, this is a known bug on a virgin install of 5.1 of GSAK

 

Hopefully, the public release fix will be out very soon. However, to get around this error you can create a dummy "icons.cds" file. Just open up notepad (or your favorite text editor) and save a blank file called icons.cds in your install folder of GSAK. The will allow the backup to complete normally.

This fix (and a few others) is now available to the public. The maintenance release 5.1.1 is now available at http://gsak.net

[+Go Play Outside]

Something that I think would be helpful in GSAK would be the ability to type down to a certain waypoint in the list by typing the keys for the waypoint number or preferably only last 4 characters ignoring the ever-present GC.

We have recently started using a laptop with GSAK and Mapsource while traveling and caching away from home. The navigator looks for caches along the route on mapsource (or the recently discovered NRoute) and flips over to GSAK to look up the cache description to see if it is appropriate to hunt it down. With the waypoint list sorted alphabetically and using the GC code as the waypoint label in mapsource it is not too hard to find them but using a pointer stick on a laptop in a moving vehicle or even the page up/down keys or arrow keys takes a bit of time when we are flying along the highway.

 

Perhaps this subject has already been addressed in another thread or venue but it was one of the first things that I tried. This is a feature built into many controls in windows and perhaps it is something that could be enabled with out much coding in your database.

 

Thanks for the great program and all the hard work you are obviously putting into development and especially support. My registration fee was mailed out last Thursday and it is well worth it.

[+NightPilot]

Mrs. Hydrogeologist, the first thing that comes to mind is that your GPS isn't using Com1 on your home computer. You may have only one physical serial port, but you can have many virtual ports, and Windows Device Mangler can tell you which ones are actually in use. Com1 and Com3 commonly use the same physical port, but it could be any number. Windows isn't as easy to use and configure as Bill Gates would have you believe. I doubt that your problem is the fault of GSAK, it's your problem for not being a Windows expert. Try going from Start, right-click on My Computer, then Properties, Hardware, Device Manager, and check the Ports (Com and LPT). That will show you all the com ports Windows thinks it has. Try them all for the GPS.

 

Another thing that I've seen cause this problem is a faulty connection, either a bad cable or a bad connection on the GPS end, or a bad serial port. The fact that this is consistent seems to point to a bad connection at the GPS not being the problem, though. I get this sometimes with my Garmin, but it's not consistent, only happening now and then if I don't get the connector seated just right. I could possibly be a bad port on your computer or a bad cable, if you're using different cables on the computers. If it's the same cable, then the cable is likely good.

Edited February 21, 2005 by NightPilot

[+DomHeknows]

For some weird reason I'm unable to use the new log feature to log a cache for GCMNFB

 

I think the reason is that the hyphen in the name has got translated to a square in gsak and it then fails when you try to log. It opens the log page but nothing is in the clipboard. I can confirm it works ok with other caches though including ones with hyphens in the name such as gcjn8x

 

ok to really confuse things i've just tried on another machine and it works ok - shrug.

Hate to ask the obvious, but have you actually got any text in the log section of the notes for that cache on the computer you are having the problem with?

I hate to respond with the obvious but yes!

As it turned out I had a corrupt database as when I went to look at one of my own caches, it was showing me the first part of my cache and logs from someone elses cache! I therefore restored from the automatic backup and it now works fine. (it wasn't obvious from this particular cache that there was a problem in the database.)

 

Sorry about that.

[+ClydeE]

Something that I think would be helpful in GSAK would be the ability to type down to a certain waypoint in the list by typing the keys for the waypoint number or preferably only last 4 characters ignoring the ever-present GC.

Yes, you can do this now.

 

That is exactly what the "code search" box is for. Just enter any part of the waypoint code here. This search works in a very simlar fashion to the name search, but obviosly on the waypoint code. (see picture below)

 

[+KaiserKlan]

YIKES! I can't see my Counts at the bottom of the page after upgrading to 5.1.1, I can see that they are there but I have no way to pull them into view, how do I do that?