iGeoCacher Frequently Asked Questions

I can't seem to upload more than 500 caches even though my file has more in it?

Inadvertently, I left a limit in place that was based upon the fact that Groundspeak limits their pocket queries to that maximum size. However, you can upload multiple pocket queries and they will just add to the database. I know of no practical limit other than storage and processor power. That individual download limit of 500 will be removed in the 1.02 release.

What about other waypoint formats?

Thus far I've only tested with the formats that Groundspeak (www.geocaching.com) uses. I'm working on other format options. Of course iGeocacher also supports my own optimized XML format produced by the web app service.

When the program exits because I've selected the Google Map display opotion and then come back into the program, it doesn't come back to exactly the same display.

The nature of the iPhone is a "one app running at a time" architecture. So when you invoke one of the other built in services such as Googl Maps or the Safari browser, iGeocacher is shut down just as if you'd hit the "home" button. There are so many possible states from which you might have come that I haven't yet figure out the best way to manage that state preservation without introducing side effects. But it's on the agenda. Folks were clamoring for me to get it out and I just had to draw the line and implementing that will take some more time. As it turns out, there is a lot of opinion on how that should work and it is perhaps just as well that I didn't as I'd end up having to rip it all out after getting user feedback anyway ;-) This wal I'll do it from an "informed" perspective based on your input.

What coordinate display format are you using?

Degrees and decimal minutes.This seems most common in geocaching circles. Internally everything is done in decimal degrees (double precision floating point.) At some point I'll add in DMS if there is a demand for it.

I don't use the little "degree" marks but you'll notice that there is a space between the first number which has no decimals and the second number which does.

On data entry I use the standard "-" sign convention (not NEWS) for lats and lons. Use minus for west lon and south lat. The "-" sign only goes on the whole degrees. This convention minimizes having to shift between number and letter keyboards. You can do it all on the number keyboard with no shifts.

Note: For data entry on the waypoint screen I allow you to input three ways and I distinguish them by the number of tokens (separated by at least one space) thus:

One number => assumes decimal degrees

Two numbers => assumes first is whole degrees followed by decimal minutes.

Three numbers => assumes degrees, minutes and seconds as whole numbers.

These are all converted internally to decimal degrees for calculations.

I uploaded several cache files and now I have a lot of duplicates. What is happening?

At the moment, I don't do any processing to eliminate duplicates. Also, records are just added to the database rather than updated for the sake of efficiency and to avoid any processing bottleneck during loading. I'm working on ways to eliminate duplicates but at the moment I'm not keying on any particular data field so you can easily get two of the same cache loaded if you happen to have it in more than one of the files you've loaded.

Also, to allow you to aggregate caches in the database, I don't clear groups or the database automatically on download. If you just re-download a file without clearing you'll get a duplicate record for each time you download it. If you load two files and each contains the same data for one or more caches you will see those duplicated as many times as they occur.

Note: To those using my translation server to load geocache data rather than their own personal or other web server, you should realize that the translation server aggregates files in this same fashion. In fact, this technique is the result of many months of usage experience with the web app. It allows you to build your cache library with the greatest flexibility. For example, you COULD just browse the Geocaching site and download individual GPX files one at a time and then aggreage them into a large library. You can select from several GPX Pocket queries (if any contain duplicates, they'll be duplicated faithfully.) Or you could do any combination of the above.

So if you have uploaded data to the site and then return and add more, realize you are adding it to what you have previously uploaded UNLESS you elect to clear it first by using one of the check boxes on the upload page. You can clear just an individual group or ALL groups at once (effectively removing all your data from your private account on my server for a "clean slate.")

I'm going to build in a duplicate elimination "wizard" to help you get rid of unintentional duplicates but in order to give you the greatest flexibility in building your cache library, I also have to give you the responsibility to do it as you wish and that includes duplicates.

The other issue here is that while GPX data from Groundspeak is "tagged" with what appears to be a unique identifier, that is a Grounspeak feature. There is a lot of other geo data out there which can be used with iGeocacher which doesn't use Groundspeak's cache id system. So in reality, there is no good way to reliably detect and eliminate duplicates without running the risk of potentially eliminating something you might want.

So for the moment until I can figure out a good way to accomplish it without robbing you of the power to organize, you need to manage your own duplicate data. If you load it, I'll show it. It is a deliberate design risk to leave the power to organizeyour cache library more fully in your control. With power comes responsibility to use it wisely ;-) Suggestions for ways to improve this are always welcome. I just wanted to explain that the aggregation method was not an accident or oversight but rather the product of many months of field use and feedback by well over 100 users of the web app.

Why is there is no compass rose or other arrow display and there is only the digital bearing to the target?

I want one as well but there are two reasons that didn't make it into the 1.0 release. First I have some reservations about doing that properly. I've seen my daughters try to use the compass built into my eTrex Legend to find a cache in that last 30 feet (which is the hardest) and I've seen it MISLEAD them more than help. When you get that close, the GPS signal varies enough to make an accurate determination of which direction you are walking problematic. You have to actually walk in a straight line for a little bit for it to properly "know" which way is which from successive GPS readings.

The BEST solution (IMO) is to take along a regular hiking/land navigation/map compass and use it for direction and just read out the bearing info. Besides that if you are really out in the boonies you'd better have one just for safety's sake. The batteries run down more quickly when the GPS is cranking. Save that battery to call the SAR team in when you get lost (g).

I'm working on an idea derived from the HSI (Horizontal Situation Indicator) that is familiar to those of us that fly that will do a better job of properly orienting even novice users when the distance gets short. I want to do it properly so there is minimal confusion.

Second, learning to program this device in under a month has been like drinking from a fire hose and I just haven't mastered the graphic API's yet. The announcement that the 3G model would indeed have a GPS built in caught a lot of us by surprise and I scrambled to get something into the first release by way of a text display at least. The compass rose/HSI display is coming shortly. Everyone wants it. I want it to be done right.

What's with the .com and .mobi - I get confused with the URL's

I rent space on a high speed server with big pipes from GoDaddy for everything that is either bandwidth intensive or which requires 24/7 reliability. That is the ".mobi" server. To save storage costs the secondary info is hosted on my own server via my ISP account but it has much lower bandwidth. It is ok for page and info serving but all of the critical features are hosted on the GoDaddy servers. So for example you a reading this page here but if you select one of the video links, it will connect you to the high bandwidth server to deliver the video content. The translation server is also hosted there for reliability.