Improving data techniques with a Dakota

Discussion about software such as GSAK, OziExplorer etc, as well as all things hardware, GPSrs, laptops, PDAs, paperless caching, cables etc
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nutwood
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Location: Tasmania

Improving data techniques with a Dakota

Post by nutwood » 02 July 12 9:04 pm

I'm looking for suggestions as to better use my Dakota 20. Currently I use it a fairly basic manner. I bring up a cache page, then down-load to the GPS. When we find a cache, I select "found" on the GPS and it no longer shows as a nearby cache.
There's several areas where I suspect I could improve my technique. Firstly, the down-loading. Currently I just open a whole bunch of caches in an area where we're likely to visit and work through them one by one down-loading them. I suspect I ought to be able to do them in a batch.
Secondly, the use of queries. Currently I simply use queries manually and select those caches we're interested in, using the above technique. I suspect that, again, they could be handled in bulk.
Thirdly, storage on the GPS. Currently all the caches are all mixed in together. The Dakota seems to have plenty of memory and hasn't objected so far but it seems inefficient to have a whole bunch of WA caches (from a visit earlier this year) mixed in with caches from my home state, Tasmania. Not to mention heaps of frogs, many of which don't exist any-more. Is it possible to have multiple folders on the Dakota so I can move them off to a PC when not needed?
I've got some vague ideas on the above issues but I'd be really interested in suggestions. Also any answers to the questions I haven't asked!! What I'm doing works but I feel that it could be done far better.

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CraigRat
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Re: Improving data techniques with a Dakota

Post by CraigRat » 02 July 12 9:08 pm

Look in to GSAK (http://gsak.net)

I get my geocaching.com pocket queries and also my GCA ones delivered by email and GSAK picks them up and downloads them to my GPS

Easy-peasy.

I could show you one weekend if you want, seeing as you are a local :lol:

nutwood
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Joined: 01 April 11 6:02 pm
Location: Tasmania

Re: Improving data techniques with a Dakota

Post by nutwood » 02 July 12 10:12 pm

Thank you for that kind offer CraigRat, I'll take you up on it if I may. There's got to be a more elegant way of doing things than my current technique.

gd___
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Re: Improving data techniques with a Dakota

Post by gd___ » 03 July 12 12:35 am

nutwood wrote: Thirdly, storage on the GPS. Currently all the caches are all mixed in together. The Dakota seems to have plenty of memory and hasn't objected so far but it seems inefficient to have a whole bunch of WA caches (from a visit earlier this year) mixed in with caches from my home state, Tasmania. Not to mention heaps of frogs, many of which don't exist any-more. Is it possible to have multiple folders on the Dakota so I can move them off to a PC when not needed?
The Dakota wont have any problems until you get 2000 caches in there(total in all gpx files). They must all be in the garmin/gpx folder on the unit or the sd card.

Using GSAK you can load all the caches you want in one GPX file and overwrite it when you update. I use one file for closest to home then a second for special trips that can be easily deleted in windows explorer when finished.

nutwood
Posts: 393
Joined: 01 April 11 6:02 pm
Location: Tasmania

Re: Improving data techniques with a Dakota

Post by nutwood » 03 July 12 6:42 pm

gd___ wrote: The Dakota wont have any problems until you get 2000 caches in there(total in all gpx files). They must all be in the garmin/gpx folder on the unit or the sd card.

Using GSAK you can load all the caches you want in one GPX file and overwrite it when you update. I use one file for closest to home then a second for special trips that can be easily deleted in windows explorer when finished.
That makes sense; manage your files on your PC and simply employ ruthless over writing to keep the GPS tidy.
How does the GPS manage things internally? It's smart enough to not show found caches and it keeps way-points segregated from caches. Does it employ separate files within the gpx folder or does it look at an attribute? I was wondering whether it's possible for a user to differentiate between cache types within the GPS. For example, could you have frogs/moveables kept separate from normal caches in the same way as way-points are separate from caches?

gd___
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Re: Improving data techniques with a Dakota

Post by gd___ » 04 July 12 10:29 pm

I generally filter out found caches in GSAK and don't reload them to the GPS but when you mark a cache as found on the unit it adds it to the geocache_visits.txt file and then knows it's found whenever you have that cache in the unit.

The unit looks at an attribute when it loads the caches/waypoints into it's internal memory which is different to the GPX files you see.

Frogs and moveabes will still be seen as geocaches but there would be ways of giving them different icons via GSAK.

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