Geocaching Australia

A small update to the Cachers logs Google Earth feed

example: http://geocaching.com.au/cacher/CraigRat.kml

It now sorts the caches in the order they were logged (finds, attends and photographed log types only)
It also now shows the log date and the log in the bubble as opposed to just the cache link.

To do a tour, simply go to the "<Cachername>'s Logs" folder once loaded and click the play tour icon.

You can get good results by going to the 'Touring' settings tab in Google earth and set 'Show balloon when waiting at features' and speeding up the 'Time between Features' setting, and perhaps the 'Wait at Features time' to 2 seconds or so.

Nothing groundbreaking, only I just read a blog where someone said it couldn't be done, so I did it. (Which is how a lot of features end up here )

Enjoy this feature we've had for years but no-one really knows about

http://forum.geocaching.com.au/viewtopi ... =1&t=17896

Over the Christmas break we have been developing a new calendar / reminder service.

The first cab off the rank will be a "Find a Cache on Each Day of the Year" reminder. If (when it goes live) you select this reminder, you will get an email on any day you have yet to find a geocache. This will help remind you that you haven't yet found a geocache on that day, so you should go and find one to help you complete your 366 calendar days geocaching target.

If you have only a few days left, it's tricky to remember which ones you still need to do, so Geocaching Australia will help you by sending an email either to your default email address OR a selected email address for that reminder.

If you have hundreds of days left, you'll get a reminder, but that maybe a little pointless if you get them for every day of the year

Our reminders will only be as good as the data we have, so there may be the occasional reminder for a day you have already found a cache, but Geocaching Australia doesn't have the log.

At the moment, this is only open to Beta Testers and admins. I'm waiting for the 15th of January which is my first "unfound" day and if that works, I'll let it loose for everyone.

Other reminder services can be added as needed / though of / desired by the community.

Enjoy.

PS. If you have no idea what I'm talking about. It's this thing.
http://geocaching.com.au/cacher/caughta ... f_the_year

To set this reminder service, go to your setting page (from the tabs, hover over My then click Settings).
Look for Calendar Reminders
Click on Set your calendar reminders
Tick the appropriate box.
Set an email address if you would like it sent to an email address other than your default address. If you leave the email address blank it will use your default email address.
Wait with anticipation.

A request was made last night for a list of recently viewed caches.
So, a new hotlist has been created.

From the navigation tabs hover over My
Hover over Hotlists
Click on Last Viewed

You will get a list of the last GCA caches you viewed (in descending date order).
You should see the GA code, the cache name and a link to log the cache directly.

Handy if you are in the field and can't remember that cache number you were looking at just before you left home.

Enjoy.

Google Maps API v3 is now in use.

Google rewrote the Maps functions between v2 and v3. We are now at v3 of the maps and you will notice some small changes.

The pins will refresh when the "centre" moves off screen. So if your not getting a new set of caches when you've moved the map, zoom in a bit and the old centre will move off the map and you should get a new set.

The scale is at the bottom right and is titchy small. I don't like it, but I don't (yet) know how to get the bigger scale back.

The Zoom Bar is a little different (Google did that).

The co-ords will now reappear as you move your mouse over the map. Look to the bottom right. You can click the pic and get different formatted co-ords.

The map 'should' respond a little faster, but you probably won't notice.

For a 'route' there is a known issue. Google will only allow a line weight of 32 pixels. We used to show a grey area which displayed the coverage area (search area) for your route. That is still shown, but is no longer to scale. I don't have an easy workaround for this, so please accept that the grey area around your route is indicative but not accurate.

Routes, zones, caches, points, centroids should all be working.

The "raider" no longer works and has been temporarily disabled. The TSP (travelling salesman problem) code need extensive work and I wanted to get the map functions working quickly, so I'll tackle that later.

Please note any issues in the general Report GCA Issues thread.
http://forum.geocaching.com.au/viewtopi ... =1&t=13578

This has taken about 20 hours to update and I may have missed something or you may find IE behaves differently to FF or Chrome. If you're reporting an issue, please let us know what browser and version you are using.

IE11 will not scroll to zoom. That's Microsoft for you.

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Great work C@W! Much appreciated

My Locations

For moving caches I find myself moving them to the same half a dozen locations over and over (yes, I'm a slacker). I've got a notebook to hold these co-ords, but then I thought, hey I've got a computer and we've got a website.

http://geocaching.com.au/my/locations
Enter a name meaningful to you.
Enter the co-ords.
It will save the data and show you a map so you can check the location.
Then when you go to log a cache, you can select from a drop down of saved locations and save on the fat fingering or referring back to paper notes.

http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/My_Locations for more on "How to use".

Thanks C@W. I'm also a slacker and tend to stick to a few regular locations, particularly one near an active GCA cacher's home in Bendigo
This new feature will certainly get a work out.

Waz.

That sounds useful, similarly here are a few spots that seem to be used as regular drops. People know where they are, and you are usually guaranteed a fairly quick pickup. It's also easier being a slacker when you have to drop a few and have limited time after work to explore a new area of bush looking for a suitable hide that is easily findable but hopefully muggle proof.

That said, the angels seem to have stalled a bit in Sydney lately, all the ones near me are ones I only had one move ago so can't do anything with.

caughtatwork wrote:My Locations
Then when you go to log a cache, you can select from a drop down of saved locations and save on the fat fingering or referring back to paper notes.

Great feature caughtatwork and much appreciated.

Black Bunny wrote:

caughtatwork wrote:My Locations
Then when you go to log a cache, you can select from a drop down of saved locations and save on the fat fingering or referring back to paper notes.

Great feature caughtatwork and much appreciated.

Just set it up and used it for the first time........excellent feature.

Thanks caughtatwork.

OSM (Open Street Maps) is now available again as a selectable layer on the GCA Google Maps.

caughtatwork wrote:OSM (Open Street Maps) is now available again as a selectable layer on the GCA Google Maps.

you are wonderful, thanks so much

Based on this request, there is now a new tool in the box.

Line Intersection on Bearing
From two set of co-ordinates and bearings, determine the co-ordinates where the two lines intersect.

(That's 3 new things this month )

Based on this request, the function is now available.
http://forum.geocaching.com.au/viewtopi ... =1&t=18288

After you have logged a cache, you can now enter the next code you want to log.
Change GA or TP from the selection box, enter the 4 digit code hit Go! and tada

Thanks to the community for another worthwhile recommendation for a change to Geocaching Australia.

Awesomes... one of the few things GC did first ... however displaying the closest list is still gets me there 9/10 time