Mac Caching Solutions

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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Mix
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Mac Caching Solutions

Post by Mix » 07 April 04 4:38 pm

<b>Getting Waypoints in to your GPS </b> <br>
The two main options are GPSconnect , http://www.chimoosoft.com/gpsconnect.html and MacSimpleGPS, http://www.macsimplegps.com/ (all free, to pay see below) <br> <br>

Both are for uploading Waypoint to a GPSr GPSconnect is Garmin specific (Magellan to come) only works with GPX files and is not designed specifically for Geocaching. It does however have the cool feature of working with Mac OSX’s ‘Text to Voice’, so you can setup your laptop in your car and it will read directions to you in a Stephen Hawkins voice (or any other you load). <br>
MacSimpleGPS is made for Geocaching.com waypoints but is an earlier stage of development. Is supports both LOC and GPX, has more fields and will link to GC.Com and MapQuest when you are online. It does not do some of the cool things GSAK will do like export to HTML etc. <br>

<img src="http://www.macsimplegps.com/screenshots/mainscreen.gif">
<br>
There is also a Mac port of GPS bable but its more work to run. <br>


<b>Viewing cache info from GPX files </b> <br> <br>

MacCMConvert, http://www.jfatherton.co.uk/MacCMConvert/ is a Mac OS X graphical front-end for the UNIX program cmconvert ,with cmconvert you can convert GPX and LOC files (of the kind supplied by geocaching.com) into PDB files. PDB files are for use with CacheMate (more in a sec on that) but for those without a palm, who like me wish to view cache details on your (Mac) laptop in the field you can open the PDB file generated by MacCMconvert as a text file in ‘text editÂ’ and use the “command FÂâ€
Last edited by Mix on 17 April 04 12:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by The Spindoctors » 13 April 04 5:40 pm

Started using CacheMate and MacCMconvert during Easter. Very good - not as pretty as iSilo (b/w), but much more functionality. This is the first step towards being Windoze free with geocaching.

Mix76 what's your experience with connecting a GPSr to the Mac. What cord are you using, what was the cost and what is the reliability? I'm a bit nervous about this path as I had big problems with a 'game pad' connected to the iMac.

Mix
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Post by Mix » 13 April 04 7:58 pm

I am working on cable options still, but have a look at
https://www.bluehillsinnovations.com/st ... =item&id=5
and
https://www.bluehillsinnovations.com/st ... egory&id=6
for info on cheapest so far.

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Post by The Spindoctors » 29 April 05 3:22 pm

Mix purchased MacGPSPro and have a cable (Serial to USB) on order, so hopefully I'll be PC free. For what and how do you use MacGPSPro?

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Post by Mix » 29 April 05 10:17 pm

<br>I had to dig for the info in my bookmarks as I have not got as far with this as would like but now youÂ’ve prodded me IÂ’ll probable have another burst of playing with technology followed by months of inactivity in this area (I get distracted easily)<br>
<br><br>
YouÂ’ll need some maps in raster format (either TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, PICT, BMP, Photoshop, SGI, TGA, PDF.)
<br><br>
Download them, get them on CDROM, or scanning them yourself. http://www.maptrax.com.au/ may help.<br><br>


Any image imported into MacGPS Pro can also be manually calibrated. Some maps come with automatic calibration files youÂ’ll need a calibration file in one of these formats world files (TFW, JGW, GFW, PGW), JPR, MAP, GeoTIFF, BSB, and GEO.
<br><br>
Once you have the maps sorted out youÂ’ll need some GPX files (or as you are in the ACT and there are less than 500 caches “a GPX fileÂâ€

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Post by Mix » 30 April 05 12:31 am

IÂ’ve been having a bit of a tinker and am very happy with the results but still have a lot to work out. I remember now why I got distracted from this. The really good news is that its fully compatible with Oziexplorer MAP calibration files so we can happily trade, beg and steal from all the Ozie users on this site. As a starting point I have been using some of the maps and calibration files from http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntse ... imaps.html
Particularly this map http://www.moz.net.nz/cmass/maps/sydney.gif (approx 770Kb)
And calibration file http://members.optusnet.com.au/~johntse ... sydney.zip
<br><br>
Just save them both into one folder then
<br><br>
From the File menu, choose “Import Raster Map or ChartÂ…Ââ€

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Post by The Spindoctors » 30 May 05 5:09 pm

This should excite us Mac GPS users. Was on the Macmaps Yahoo email list :D
I am writing this as the developer of MacGPS Pro in response to Rob's comments. Rob is a software developer and - let's face it - every time we software developers use another application, we can't help but think of how we might have done it differently. Rob's comments are definitely from the point of view of a developer, not from the typical user. When I have such comments to make, I send them in an email directly to the developer; I don't publish them in an open public forum. No user cares whether an application "uses a lot of the old Mac OS 9 calls from the Carbon libraries" to get things done or not, as long as the application does what it is supposed to do.

MacGPS Pro has been around for a while. That has both advantages and disadvantages that you can also see in other well-respected apps such as Eudora and GraphicConverter.

The advantages are that the core code which performs the key operations is solid, fast, and well-proven. Even Rob admits that: "I love the fact that MacGPS Pro works as advertised and allows me to work on my Mac with Topo maps and GPS data...... The math and mapping expertise that is evident in the application is remarkable."

The disadvantages are that it does have some baggage to carry around due to the need to support earlier users. While some applications require "Mac OS X 10.3.8 or better" to even start up, the latest version of MacGPS Pro has, until very recently, worked identically on nearly every Macintosh ever made. The current Classic version of MacGPS Pro is only missing two features that are in the OS X version (support for PDF-formatted maps and support for BSB version 5 charts). We have continued support for Classic longer than some other developers because the GPS field is unique in that people often use their older "second Mac" in their boat, RV, etc. I am glad for Rob that he has the latest hardware and latest operating system version, but not every GPS user does.

However BIG THINGS are in the works. I normally have a policy of not pre-announcing products until they are ready to actually ship, but because of repeated comments about the need to update the interface of MacGPS Pro, I need to say a few things now.

We have been hard at work on MacGPS Pro 6.0 since long before Rob's post. It will be OS X only. With no need to support a Classic version, it will be wholly and completely OS X in every way. It will have many new features, and will provide the modern interface that many of our customers have requested.

We have not yet set a release date for MacGPS Pro 6.0. We will let the macmap group know when it is available.

There is no need to hold off on buying a copy of MacGPS Pro until we release the 6.0 version. The release date is close enough that everyone who purchases a copy of MacGPS Pro now will get a free update to version 6 when it ships.

For Rob and those others who are into these kinds of details, I will comment on some of his specific suggestions:

Floating palettes are a mixed-bag in an application like MacGPS Pro. It might be nice not to have to switch to another window to do some things. But it is not nice to have part of the map you are using covered by a window that you can't get rid of. So floating palettes must be used sparingly. Most people who use Rob's GoLive extension probably have two monitors - and a hence a good place to put the floating palettes. This is not the case for the users of MacGPS Pro with a 12" iBook in the wilderness in a 4X4, or on a boat.

I have great respect for Des Newman and his OziExplorer application. I refer Windows users to OziExplorer, and Des refers Mac users to us. However OziExplorer is a Windows app and MacGPS Pro is a Mac app, and we will always do things a little differently. Anytime a user switches from Windows to a Mac, there is always a longing for parts of the familiar for awhile until one gets acquainted with the advantages of the new.

We are excited about the combination of powerful features and OS X style ease-of-use in version 6.0. MacGPS Pro users, get ready!

Larry James James Associates -- Home of MacGPS Pro and MacTopos USA

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Post by onward bound » 16 September 06 9:55 pm

Hmmm....unfortunately at the moment we can only read these logs and dream of what might be if we could only find a USB-serial converter that will work with OSX10.4. The belkin cable we were sold is useless and a cable that a friend has will run on OSX10.3 but not 10.4....is there anything out there that will do the job. I tried e-mailing mac shops but they simply have not replied. At the moment we are still marking wayponts in pencil in our UBD and entering them manually in our GPS....so...any help would be appreciated :roll:

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Post by The Spindoctors » 17 September 06 12:25 pm

I use a Keyspan USB-serial convertor. Most of the tie I use it on the PC, but I have no problems with the Mac running OS10.4.

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Post by The Spindoctors » 17 September 06 12:30 pm

Looks like there may be a delay in Garmin-Mac support.

http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/06/28 ... /index.php

[quote]Garmin delays Mac GPS support until end of 2006
By Peter Cohen

After announcing plans to support the Mac earlier this year, Garmin has pushed back their timeframe to the end of 2006. The company cites “unanticipated delaysÂâ€

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