Paperless for PocketPC

[Ebenezer]

Some tips for paper-less caching using a PocketPC based PDA. (e.g. HP iPaq, Dell Axim, Toshiba 330 etc)
<p>Pocket Internet Explorer (standard on PocketPC devices) displays HTML saved to your device quite well. The HTML could be manually saved to the device, or automatically synchronised from a URL when you sync your device with your PC, or even downloaded live from the Internet (assuming your device can be wirelessly connected to the Internet).
<p>For generating compact HTML cache descriptions I strongly recommend taking a look at Rob Neilson's <a href="http://www.roblisa.com/geocache/">Geocaching Waypoints page</a>. This page can make quite a good HTML summary of cache descriptions. There are other tools for making HTML cache descriptions, but this is the one I use.
<p>There are a couple of options for getting the HTML onto your device. The first is to work out the URL that gives you the query you want (on your PC), and then use the "Create Mobile Favorite" button in IE. This tells your PC that you want to synchronise this URL with your mobile device. You can choose a schedule for how often you want it to check for updates. The page will get coped to your device next time you sync. It can be opened on your device by tapping the Favorites icon in Pocket IE, and choosing the appropriate page. I tend not to use this method for my device as I have an older device that tends to get confused if there was a problem with any of your mobile favorites.
<p>The other option for getting the HTML onto your device is to save the HTML file somewhere on your PC, and then copy it into the My Documents folder on your device. Then to open the file on your mobile device browse to it using the File Explorer, and tap on the file. This will open it in Pocket Internet Explorer.
<p>For getting an idea of the general location of the cache I find the Cheatisearch tool on geocaching.com.au quite handy, but how about when you are "in the field"? For this I use the CE version of <a href="http://www.oziexplorer.com/">Ozi Explorer</a> loaded with maps of my area. There are various tools that let you download waypoints in Ozi (.wpt) format including the <a href="http://www.roblisa.com/geocache/">Geocaching Waypoints page</a> and <a href="http://geomonkeys.com/main/CacheMonkey/ ... tml">Cache Monkey</a>. If you already have the PC version of Ozi, the extra $40 for the mobile version is a handy addition.
<p>The best maps to use for Ozi will depend on what is available for your area, your budget, and the amount of memory you have on your PDA. I use the NSW LPI's StateView CD (not bad for $30), and I have selected maps downloaded to a 64 meg CF card.

[swanny]

OK. Sounds good. A question though, how the hang do you deal with multi-caches that require reading the page and writing something down as well

Also, another way to get the cache pages is to create a pocket query (assuming you've coughed up for a gc.com membership), which produces a gpx file, which GPX spinner can then organise relative to where you are. To get the caches closest to where I might randomly end up I re-spin the gpx file on my laptop with my current coords. Not always the easiest solution but it's what I'm doing at the moment....

[Ebenezer]

A question though, how the hang do you deal with multi-caches that require reading the page and writing something down as well

Open up Word, and write it there (or write a note)?

[Mind Socket]

More gadgets!?!? What is this paper of which you speak, how much memory does it have?

Another idea is to draft a text message on your phone if you're caught out.

[swanny]

I don't know about you but it's rather difficult to do calculations, read a webpage (the cache/calc description) and write the answers down.

I learnt this at the weekend, couldn't just key them into gps straight away. Had to use a cdr cover for writing down the intermediate results....

I use my camera to capture clues and answers to questions. Don't have a phone yet, had to ditch my last one when I left home

[Ebenezer]

Hi. I am still using the .wpt download facility from http://www.roblisa.com/geocache/ to get the data into Ozi, although the HTML summaries from that site no longer work.

[ClydeE]

How many others on this forum have a PocketPC PDA? I'd like to get some pointers,and share ideas.

Hi Pesky!

I also have a PocketPC. Geo2ozi can generate HTML files and indexes (like GPX spinner) that you can download to your PocketPC. geo2ozi has an option to automatically zip these files - then all you need to do is copy the zip file down to your PocketPC and unzip. (much quicker thant copying the individual files down or synchronizing a folder, see "pocket PC speed" tip in this forum)

You will also find this process quicker if you can unzip to main memory rather than a memory card.

now all i need is to work out how to generate the right GPX files from G.C. and get the hang of Geo2ozi

I would suggest you request from gc.com as much data as you want. You can then import all the GPX files into geo2ozi - then use it's filtering ability to search and slice/dice and geneerate HTML files as many ways as you like. It is worth noting that you don't even need OziExplorer to take advantage of this feature in geo2ozi.

[leek]

How many others on this forum have a PocketPC PDA? I'd like to get some pointers,and share ideas.Pesky!

<br>

Welcome to the IPAQ club Pesky... <br><br>

No need to mess around with HTML files... I load the GPX files from geocaching.com straight onto my IPAQ and then use the free program GPXVIEW available here: http://strandberg.org/gpxview/ to display the GPX files on the IPAQ... It displays the cache page and cache logs pretty much as you see them on the main site and also allows you to sort the GPX file by the field that you want before looking at individual cache details... It even decodes the hints for you... <br>

N.B. this only works with the GPX files from geocaching.com and not with the ones from RobLisa - their GPX files don't seem to be compatible for some reason...

Good luck...

[ClydeE]

No need to mess around with HTML files...

I would not totally discount HTML files. I also use GPX view and find it handy - though I find nothing matches the raw speed and simplicity of the HTML index/file combinations. Some of the functions in GPX view (like loading the GPX file) can be quite slow, especially if your GPX file contains 500+ caches.

I will admit that downloading just one file to the PDA is attractive though, so If you think an application like GPX view is the way to go, then try out a new comer on the block called "GPX Sonar" this has all the features of GPX view and then some.

[leek]

Sorry Clyde, didn't mean to offend or discount the features of your program (in case that was the way it was interpreted)... I started using GPXView a while back and haven't seen any need to change yet... but I'll have a look at GPXSonar...

[ClydeE]

Sorry Clyde, didn't mean to offend or discount the features of your program (in case that was the way it was interpreted

No problems - not my interpretation at all , so no offence taken.

I should have mentioned that my reference to the index/html generation is not just in geo2ozi but also "GPX spinner" - which does a great job of this and you can even set up your own templates. I know many users swear by this method (though the majority are palm users that can't use gpxview)

I guess it just gets down to individual user preference. If it works for you and you are happy with it - you can't ask for much more

[dak's Emu Mob]

I've really enjoyed this discussion, as I also have an iPAQ, and want to utilise it for geocaching.

I have downloaded gpxview and gpxsonar, but have yet to evaluate them to see which I like better.

However, before I install either application, I need to know where to get GPX files from. I have had a look around geocaching.com, read their FAQ, and looked at their Glossary. I am yet to find any reference to "GPX" anywhere.

I'm only new to this caper, so I'm probably missing something obvious; apologies if I am.

From the discussion, I'm getting the impression that I can select a set (or subset?) of caches and create a GPX file that includes all of them in a single file. From the screen shots on the gpxview page, it seems that the cache page can be displayed on the iPAQ, pretty much as it looks in the web browser on my PC. Have I got it right?

I would appreciate any help or a pointer to instructions about how to get and manipulate GPX files.

Cheers,

dak

[leek]

I need to know where to get GPX files from.

To get the GPX files from geocaching.com, you need to pay a subscription of US$30 per year... These GPX files will give you the full functionality you will have seen on the GPXView pages... You can get GPX files from roblisa.com, but they do not contain all of the detail that you get from the geocaching.com version...

Hope this helps...