How to upload GSA data to iPhone (geosphere)

[ayzeds]

I know how (thanks to lots of help from these forums) to upload Pocket Queries to Geosphere for non-GCA caches, and have been happily doing this for the past 12 months.

But how do I download caches from this site?

I don't use GSAK, as I've never been able to work out what is does, how it works, or how its more useful to me than the pocket query method.

I'm using an iPhone 4 for caching - generally works pretty well, tho I sometimes carry our slightly broken Magellan for backup.

Can anyone tell me how to get GCA caches into Geosphere?

[murf]

This can be a "more than one way to skin a cat" type question, but in the end, it all comes back to using the "Data" tab in Geosphere.

The best idea is to set up some bookmarks, which will make it easier to load things on a regular basis. I'm not sure if you know how to add a bookmark, if not, its fairly simple:
- Go to Data tab
- If you are not already on the Bookmarks list, tap the "Book" icon in the top left corner
- Tap the "Edit" icon in the top right corner
- Select "Add Bookmark"
- Enter a Name for the Bookmark (eg. "GCA Vic Caches")
- Enter a URL (eg. http://geocaching.com.au/caches/gca/au/vic.gpx )
- Tap Save

And thats it. Once the bookmark is added, you can select it and it will download the gpx file and ask you which group to add the caches to. Obviously the key is getting the right URL for the caches you want... My example above is all of the Victorian GCA caches, which may or may not be too much for what you are after... If it's not...

The other option, is that you can add a bookmark for a page, rather than a direct gpx link. So, for example, you can add a bookmark to:
http://geocaching.com.au/my/query/
which will then bring up your list of GCA queries. From there you can just tap the GPX link (might need to zoom in) for the query you wish to add to Geosphere, and its all the same from there.

I hope this makes sense, let me know if not.
I'm thinking about setting up a page on the GCA wiki, as I also now have the fieldnote uploads working in Geosphere, so I'll need to add the Bookmark instructions for that somewhere...

Cheers,
Murf.

[Cheesy pigs]

i usually load the gca caches into gsak then make a file which i email to myself then load it into geosphere, but now i have to try murfs idea lol

[Black Bunny]

I navigate into GA this way (it is a little fiddly but works for me)

On my stats page I added the GA stats bar.

When I want to hit GA for a query I goto pocket queries then click on my userid and stats details. Then click on the GA stats bar to redirect me out of GC and into GA.

Then it is just a case of going to my queries and selecting the relevant one.

[ayzeds]

Thanks all - that makes sense, and a bookmark would make it easy. But ...

how do I actually get to the gsx files? In geocaching.com, you create pocket queries; in GSA, I don't understand how I get a collection of caches to download. For example, if I want to download all the GSA caches within 50km of my home, how do I go about this? I don't know where to start.

Sorry if this seems really obvious, but the search function & FAQs on this site haven't been any help at all. The GSX FAQ only says that these files are easily available, but doesn't explain how to do this.

Can someone explain it, step by step ... I'm sure there are other cachers out there missing GCA caches because the system is different.

Thanks in advance,
Ms Ayzed

[CraigRat]

Thanks all - that makes sense, and a bookmark would make it easy. But ...

how do I actually get to the gsx files? In geocaching.com, you create pocket queries; in GSA, I don't understand how I get a collection of caches to download. For example, if I want to download all the GSA caches within 50km of my home, how do I go about this? I don't know where to start.

Sorry if this seems really obvious, but the search function & FAQs on this site haven't been any help at all. The GSX FAQ only says that these files are easily available, but doesn't explain how to do this.

Can someone explain it, step by step ... I'm sure there are other cachers out there missing GCA caches because the system is different.

Thanks in advance,
Ms Ayzed

We have our own query generator: http://geocaching.com.au/my/query/
You can make a new query with criteria for the caches you want and even have then emailed to you exactly like GC does it.

OR you can get all the caches for your state by clicking the 'GPX' link at the top of the cache list page (eg: http://geocaching.com.au/caches/gca/au/vic/ )
The direct link to get all vic GCA caches in a GPX is: http://geocaching.com.au/caches/gca/au/vic.gpx

[ayzeds]

Thanks! That's what I needed to know. I've now sent off my first search, so fingers crossed, all will work.

Thanks for your help
Ms Ayzeds

[Damo.]

Just installed geosphere and followed murf's instructions for setting up a bookmark with the GCA gpx URL as I am not a GSAK fan.
At first it did not work and "timed out" but restarting the iPhone made it work like a charm.

Looks like a good program and will make finding GCA caches a lot easier.

Thanks for the detailed steps murf. Made it very easy to get the data loaded!

[Richary]

I'm having trouble getting Geosphere to find GCA caches. I've downloaded all my PQs from GC, and imported the NSW.ZIP (it tells me it has processed lots of caches when I do so). MY GC and GCA queries are all in the one database.

However if I hit search it just displays the nearest caches in order and doesn't include the GCA ones. If I go to Data and ask it for caches near my location it just opens the GC search page and isn't using the database that I have loaded it up with.

Any thoughts?