iGeoCacher Frequently Asked Questions

Can I upload more than one cache at a time?

Yes. In fact the original design concept it targeted for pocket queries which are in GPX format and typically contain a number of caches depending upon the query criteria. But you can also pick them one at a time as I demonstrate in the video. The same thing applies to LOC files.

Why don't the log details show up?

As of 4/5/2008 19:50 GMT I've posted a new gpxupload that fixes a bug that was preventing some log and detail display. Please re-upload anything for which you wish to see log info and let me know if it is still giving you any problems.

I have also found an issue with GPX files exported from Geobuddy. It seems that even though it displays what I call the cache-id (i.e. something like GC116H1 which Grouspeak calls the name) it does NOT export that information when it saves GPX files. At least I can't seem to find it in the XML. So for the moment uploading a file exported from Geobuddy isn't recommended as I depend on that information as a key field. They also change the location of the log information in the XML tree. The latter is easily accounted for but without a definitive and unique "id" to relate the logs to the main record (and I can't find such in a Geobuddy export) there is no way to tie them together. That's a shame. I've been using Geobuddy since I started caching and I'd love to make that work. I'm puzzled why they omit the Groundspeak tag. They display it in their program. I'll have to run that down someday.

It appears the GSAK exports work just fine as it preserves the vital Groundspeak identifier. Again, remember that my "gold" standard is the GPX format as rendered by Groundpeak in their pocket queries and GPX downloads.

What about other waypoint formats?

Thus far I've only tested with the formats that Groundspeak (www.geocaching.com) uses and with the GPX export from GSAK (Gecaching Swiss Army Knife) as that seems to be popular and customers who wanted that. If there is interest in other XML (or even CSV) formats, I'm open to incorporating them. There seem to be a rather large number of them out there and seemingly they all have subtle differences. While it isn't hard to parse, it's tedious to test, especially if I don't have the product that makes them so as much as possible it would be nice to stick with these.

I'm having trouble with the search function

The way the popup keyboard works in the iPhone can be misleading. It used to have a search button at the bottom. It turns out that's because I named the entry field "search." Now it just says "Go" but DON'T use it. It effectively just reloads group 1 no matter which group you are on. Instead, once you've entered your search string, just use the "Done" button to close the keyboard pop-up and then just press the group button of the group you are looking at to generate the refreshed filtered view. There are a few "features" like this built into the archtiecture of the iPhone that I'm still mastering. This "feature" got in the way of the intended operation and is misleading.

Why does the group map not automatically center?

Actually, it does but it is centered in a 512x512 pixel image (the largest Google maps will allow with a static map query.) The screen size on the iPhone is 320x480 and while I could have asked for an image that size, it seemed to me to be better to just get the bigger image (there isn't that much difference in bandwidth volume) and allow you to scroll using finger swipes.

Why don't you show the overview/group maps in the iPhone map feature?

I wish I knew how. I've seen it done (for example you can diplay a number of restaurants) but these appear to be from queries to Google. What I'm using is Google's "static map" feature which DOES allow one to display multiple sets of coordinates with a letter identifier. I've looked high and low in the API docs and I don't find the same thing available for the mobile map application. If anyone knows differently, please drop me a line.

By the way, if you drill on down past the zoomed level (just keep pressing the letter designators) the last level calls up the individual point in the iPhone map display just as if you'd touched the cache icon at the top level. That's another way to get there.

The group display zoom seems inconsistent sometimes, why is that?

When I first display the group/overview display, I let Google calculate the zoom level based upon the number of points and their geographic span so as to show all of the points on the same map. So if they are widely separated, you'll get a low zoom level. If they happen to be very close together then you will see it at a higher zoom level.

When you "zoom" to one of the caches by pressing its letter designator, I zoom to a fixed level of 15 which is about the level at which the street names start showing up. Also, the zoomed map uses that point as the center for the 512x512 map. You'll only see those caches that are within the map area at this zoom level along with the centered cache.

Therefore it is entirely possible if your group only has a few very closely located caches (like two or three in the same park for instance) that the first level "auto zoom" might actually zoom in to a level greater than level 15 and thus it would appear when you drilled down (resulting in a fixed level 15 zoom) that the map would actually zoom out. It all depends upon the geographical diversity of your display group.

Which email address is which?

I maintain THREE pieces of address information for each customer.

1. The registration "address." This defaults to the email that you used to register on your Paypal order. This is the "id=xxxx" paramter in the URL.

2. A correspondence email address. This defaults to the above unless you tell me differently. This is where I'll send important announcements about upgrades etc.

3. The email address to which the new "cache mailing" feature sends selected caches at your request. This defaults to #1 unless you tell me differently after registration. If you mail caches and they go to the wrong address, just let me know.

If you want me to change any of these, please be sure and include address #1 too so that I know which record to update.

ALWAYS use your registration address for the id=adr URL parameter when you access the webapp. I look up the others based upon that. It is your "key."