satmac and geocschimg

ukpooka · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 24, 2010 Posts: 2

Hi all, after years of being a Garmin user for Geocaching I finally made the decision to get a Satmap at Christmas as they were having an amazing offer not sure if I made the right move, still done now.

My question is that with Garmin you can download the information for a geocache directly into the Garmin unit. I am not expecting this but I can now import the .GPX file using the new Satsync for Mac but cannot see the details of the Geocache location and hints, is this at all possible?.

I have Parallels and XP, only to run Memory Map as the Garmin mapping software is just useless.

Any thoughts on getting this information on the Satmap screen, I have tried to use GSAK but still no luck viewing the data.

All the best

Steve

planetnine · Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 5:50 pm Post subject:

...you can import POIs and GPXs for Geocaching into the Active-10 Steve, but you might have to get SatSync to convert them into MAP files for it to use them. Satmap have just made a few trweaks in the last-but-one firmware upgrade to allow geocachers to do stuff like this. The resident forum expert is Mr Gibson, who I'm sure will be along soon to explain the ins and outs...
_________________
planet nine
Lincoln, UK.

Gibbo10 · Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:31 pm Post subject:

Thanks Planetnine for the nice intro!!

ukpooka, satmap can display all the information that you want it. I notice in your post that you mention you are using satsync for mac. I don't have a mac so I don't know how it compares to Satsync for PC, therefore I can only advise on PC. I think you also have XP so if these instructions don't make sense for sat sync for mac then try the pc version.

The main ways of importing geocaches into satmap are:
1) Individual GPX Exchange files downloaded from each cache page.
2) Zipped or un Zipped Pocket Queries (zipped is best)
3) GSAK generated GPX file.

If you want to use geocaching icons, you will need to download the "My POI Icons.zip" file free from satmap website. You can still import the caches without the icon file but they will all appear as the standard blue crossed circle.

Instructions for importing "the my poi icons" file are contained in the user guide I believe which you can get when you open satsync.

If you choose to download the icons file you should then go into satsync settings and open the second tab "import 2/2" here you make the appropriate settings for geocaching icons. You only ever have to do this once or when you want to make changes.

Next, connect you satmap and click import, locate you pocket query zip file or GPX Exchange file (whether it is download from the cache page or generated from GSAK) on your pc and then when promted choose where you want the file to be saved in Satmap which will be either Internal Memory of SD Card.

Satmap will then convert the gpx or zip files into a map file which is the format it uses and chunk the file into several small files which will appear in your satmap as a seperate category.

GSAK: Many cachers prefer to use GSAK to manage their caches before exporting to satmap. You will need a macro to do this. I have written a macro that will generate a file that is supported by satmap and gives you more choices over the use of icons, hints and the number of logs that you see. This file is fully intergrated with satmap, if you want a copy of it and instructions you can PM me and I will send it to you.

Hope this helps, if you are still having problems please post back and we will see if we can help.

Good luck

ukpooka · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 24, 2010 Posts: 2

Thanks for the information, yes I do have XP but using Parallels I cannot directly use the software with the Satmap, I have to drag and drop between programs. I was hoping that there might be an easier way to transfer the information such as hints etc as a jpg or PDF that I can copy and upload into the Satmap.

The Mac version of Satsync converts the .GPX to a .map file automatically although it show up as a route instead of a POI but its the hints and location information that would really be a boon. I can use my Palm Pre to get this information using its own Geocaching application, in my opinion better than the Iphones version, but it would be good to have it on one unit.

I suppose I have been spoilt by Garmin over the years as its just a few clicks and its on the unit I wonder if Geocaching would allow or indeed Satmap could write a link to be imbedded into the Geocaching website???

Anyhow thanks for the information and I will give it a try this weekend.

TTFN

WalkerDan · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 04, 2010 Posts: 30

Well after graduating from an old Etrex Yellow bought 8 years ago through to a Garmin 60CSx 3 years ago have finally graduated to the Satmap 10. Thought about buying one when they first came out but had only just got the CSX so have managed to hold out until now. Having checked Gibbo's posts reckoned this looked a safe bet for geocaching and far more useful for walking as well. Have followed the suggested steps for downloading caches from GSAK and it's now all loaded and ready to go. It's been relatively simple and painless so far. Having done a couple of hill walks in snow and one walk through a dense part of Kielder forest it's certainly proving very useful.

p-brain · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 17, 2008 Posts: 30

Hi, I tried importing some geocaches to my Satmap for the first time the other day (I ran a query on geocaching.com and then selected some of the caches to import)

From reading this thread I understand that I should be able to view cache description, hint, logs etc?

My question is how? The only info that I see imported with my cache locations is the cache name.

Many Thanks

Gibbo10 · Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 4:50 pm Post subject:

Are you a premium member? If not it won't work.

If you are a premium member, then did you choose .LOC files or .GPX files? You have to choose .GPX files.

I didn't understand your point about;

Gibbo10 · Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:09 pm Post subject:

p-brain

send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you a pocket query that works if you would like.

Paul

p-brain · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 17, 2008 Posts: 30

Hi yes, you understood correctly that I previewed the query online and selected some of the results to download as gpx files.

Yes I am a premium member.

I haven't yet tried the zip files emailed to me as you describe....so I'll give that a go!

Many thanks for your quick response!!

Gibbo10 · Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:32 pm Post subject:

okay, so the problem there was that you can't download gpx files that way. if you want individual gpx files go to the cache page and click on gpx exchange file you will then be able to download it with all the data. .LOC files don't contain any info about the cache, just co-ordinates.

Paul

Gibbo10 · Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:35 pm Post subject:

p-brain

It's also worth a mention that if you want the caches to appear with different icons that denote thier type then you should also ensure that you have downloaded the my poi icons.zip file from the sat map website and installed it via satsync - instructions can be found in the sat sync user guide. you will also need to open satync and adjust the user settings on import tab 2/2.

Paul

p-brain · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 17, 2008 Posts: 30

Great! All done and working now. Thanks so much for your help!

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