yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] CouchPotato:
\Images subdirectory too huge and horrible slow

Hello Tom,

first of all let me thank you for your fantastic free(!) application, which is much better than any other free or commercial application in this small market.

Your velocity in adding new features and removing bugs is really impressive! :)

I've some proposals because of issues:

- Windows mobile is known for horrible slow file management if subdirectories becoming big with much files and long filenames.

I've got that problem with the new version of GCzII which stores every image in the same directory \images. With the new feature static maps, which is really fantastic, there are 2.000 more files in that directory with horrible long filenames.

So i have 3.800+ files for 500 Caches in one directory. GCzII got very slow on opening Cache descriptions because of the images. Downloading of the 500 Caches with images becomes slower and slower as the number of files growed in \Images. At last GCzII even crashed and stopped working! :(

So much files in one dir is really bad on windows mobile.

GSAK has had the same problem with exporting HTML-Files with pictures in PDA-friendly format. They got rid of that problem with max 50 files in one subdirectory and shorter filenames.

For instance you could do shorten the static maps filenames if possible in old DOS-Format (8+3), which is the fastest possible.

Instead of

"staticmap_center=51.386817,3.447433_zoom=18_size=640x640_maptype=mobile_format=jpg"

you could say "12345m18.jpg" which belongs to GC12345 is 640x640=m and has zoomlevel 18.

For instance you could do subdirectorys in blocks of 10 Caches with every image in it. So you have only 50+ files in that subdirectory (40 static maps + images of the caches).

Images of a cache could be shortend to 12345_01.jpg for the first Picture of GC12345 instead of using

"0a02ca4e-c58b-41a7-abaa-464e240caccc.jpg" which is not readable by humans, as an adding bonus.

- Implementation of reading zipped *.gpx-files:

Groundspeak delivers pocket queries by default in zipped files containing 2 *.gpx files.

One with the cache descriptions and one with the additional waypoints.

Could you implement automatic unzipping and reading of both files into GCzII?

One more:

I would like to have minor levels in static maps than 14 for Large Area (12 or less?).

Keep on with your good work!

Kind regards

Couchpotato
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] paulpille:
Tom, there's one thing I came across again.

When opening GCz and immediately switch to "Menu/GPS/GPS Monitor/Set Target Location" the current GPS coordinates are shown, ok so far.

However, a failure occurs when doing the following:

- enter a cache from a cache list and choose "GPS Monitor/Set Cache Location" (cache location is shown, ok so far)

- switch back to GCz main menu (1st level with search entry fields ...)

- choose "Menu/GPS/GPS Monitor/Set Target Location" again -> the current GPS coordinates are NOT shown but the last Cache location is still valid
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] Kasush:
Tom,

Thank you again for this wonderful application. I have been using it since just before GCzII was started. I have an HTC Advantage (X7510) this is a landscape device by default and that is how I use it 99% of the time, but there is the issue for me. Your application works great in portrait and landscape but when in the GPS Monitor screen the satellite bars are huge and the "map" window is squeezed beneath while in portrait this is not an issue because there is more screen space up and down. My proposal is to rearrange the layout in landscape so that the "map" is from top to bottom on one side and the satellite bars are stacked under each other on the other. Maybe 3 rows of bars under each other and the rest of the screen for the map. This would make it much larger and easier to read while in the windshield mount and with the keyboard attached. I realize that my device is more exotic than most and I am in the minority with my wish but I hope you will give it some thought.

Thank you
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] freekquency:
someone was asking about a different open source map program to use with GCzII -- just for ****s and giggles i loaded terracrosser into GCzII this morning.

I specified it instead of gmaps ..(no data=no gmaps) and it managed to open it up just fine. It did center itself on my polar opposite ...somewhere in china. But i dont think i ever set the terracrosser up that great... its kind of a clunky program. Anway you should try loading it in it might work with this open source map you mentioned already.

Tom: i guess the idea i was trying to get across this morning. You have the 9 pages ... search from zipcode, search by ownername, etc etc. Could those searches be tied to your currently loaded cache list? ... ie: I have 500 caches loaded, if i could hit find caches like everyone else does but it would search my LIST instead of online.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] arghness:
Low priority feature request:

Would it be possible to make all text boxes copy/pasteable?

Tested on a touchscreen device, I was unable to paste a trackable item number in to the text box when logging a trackable item, as holding down on the text box didn't bring up a menu.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] AntonD:
Low priority feature request:

I use this amazing little app from time to time, and now that I use twitter, I think a cool feature would be to automatically post a short message on Twitter, that a cache was found. So anyone following you on twitter could then go and check the actual logs.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] fx17:
Any chance we can get GCz to load a GPX file with more than 500 caches? I have a collection I carry around with ~2000+ caches each. I use it for loaded caches in my oregon, as well as older WM programs like GPXSonar.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] freekquency:
Just got back from a nice hike w/ 3 more found. We were experiencing some sort of weirdness, the cache would say 240feet southwest, then just as we were suspecting it was wrong,, it flipped around the other way. almost like the poles were reversed or something weird.

also i figured out how to go about sorting caches for the area your in.

GFJ man. You rock.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] paulpille:
I'am testing terracrosser since a few weeks, here a short abstract of my experiences:

pros

- freeware (www.terracrosser.com)

- Google & Yahoo maps supported

- download maps with dedicated PC application (Mapper.exe) enables offline map service (configurable zoom level) on mobile device

- size of map area to be downloaded is configurable

- define POI's and POI groups (proprietary format)

- rotating map mode -> automatic shift of map on the screen depending on user movement

cons

- no support of OpenstreetMap or other more accurate rural maps

- no interaction GCz / Terracrosser -> e.g. automatically show cache & waypoints coordinates (like possible with GoogleMaps)

Before Tom launched the static map functionality, I was using Terracrosser as a navigation help to approach the target area by bike in non forest territory (when approaching by car I use TomTom).

It's running fine, however it's quite cumbersome to enter all coordinates for a bigger cache tour.

And Terracrosser does not solve my main issue which is finding my way through the woods ...
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] khaytsus:
I haven't used anything on this page, but since you're intent on using OSM, look here. :)

http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WinPDA

I've been trying to tinker with gpsVP but I have yet to get it to actually download a map, after MUCH mucking around I figured out how to do it, then I finally found the "Monitors" which shows that it's "Requesting" from the internet, and it never seems to actually download anything.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] Phil82de:
You are so fast! :) This update solved most of little Problems I had with the last version! THANK YOU!

This nano-Problems/requests stay:

- the blue position-point in static maps is not verry exact. In the middle-area-map the point always more than 100 Meters off my real position. If you need one I try to make a log next time.

- I would like to see the trail in the static maps to - and the quality of GPS - wouldn't it be easier to lay the maps in the background of the GPS monitor? With a small Menu for choosing one of the 4 maps, or getting a smaller map automatic when I go near the cache?

-I set the Pinpoint-Zoom-Level to 20 cose I want the best possible satellite-photo of the area. In the city it works fine. But when I drive 5 km out of the city I get a black map - cose there are no satellite-photos for this zoom-level at google maps. Isn't it possible to "see" what's the best available zoom level for the requestet cache before generating the static map and use that one?

- When I travel to other Cities I search and download the 100 next caches for my destination and save a list. That needs round about 20 MB every time. When I am at home again its difficult to delete that cache-data from my storage-card. I don't know which are from home (with important notes and waypoints) and which are the "holiday-caches". Could there be a Point to delete a List and all appropriate cache-data?

Best Greetings and

Happy caching!

Phil
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] cdlh:
Wonderful!:D

Thanks Tom!
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] neilhyland:
First of all, thanks for a great piece of software. Hopefully someone can help, everything works fine except when i go to log a cache all i get is an error stating "log submit failed" any ideas on what the problem is or how to resolve it.

Many thanks
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] Jack_Brody:
Hello Tom,

GCzII is perfect and I use it on a daily basis. And after weeks of downloading listings and especially images there are lots of them. I would like to do a little clean-up and delete images regarding caches I don't need. But here comes the question: which ones? :-) I got over five hundred of them. I understand there might be people (and there are - CouchPotato's log No 1327 one page backward) that have thousands of them and that really can slow down the system.

So how about to change the storage strategy and for every cache create its own subdirectory inside "Caches" directory?

For instance - there would be subfolder "GC110P8" which would contain "GC110P8.xml", "GC110P8.wpt", "GC110P8.pwi" (preserve these names even though they are in their own folder) and of course all images within this particular cache.

This would solve following:

- no more problems with too many files in one directory and slowing down system

- one could delete a cache with everything using file manager

- you could incorporate "Delete cache files" function in GCzII, which would simply delete the chosen cache subdirectory with all the files and refresh the cache list so there is no more the folder icon next to the cache name. Or function "Delete all caches in cache list" or "Delete only images from this cache" for those who want to keep the listing with .wpt and .pwi files (waypoints and notes) to the future.

TB files (like "TB47D1.xml") should probably have their own directory, like "Travel_Bugs". They don't need subdirectories since there are no images or any other files associated with them. At least I haven't noticed any so far.

"Images" and "Notes" folders wouldn't be needed any more.

Just an idea.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] rsheff:
GPS status (on/off)

I just updated my Verizon Omnia with the latest ROM which enables the internal GPS. When I exit GCzII, do I need to turn off the GPS thru the menu or does GCz shut it off before exiting?

Or better yet, is there an app which displays the GPS status? (Running Win Mobile 6.1).

Thanks.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] djhobby:
Tom,

What files can we delete without effecting performance. Can I delete everything in the Image folder for instance without deleting needed files to run the app?

Thanks again for such a great program, I've found nearly 100 caches so far with this tool.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] slink138:
omnia

I have the verizon I910 as well have had the update for about 2-3 months. i have found to save on batterie i shut off the gps off before closing the program. also if you just hit the "x" in the upper right the program is still running in the background. So then would be your gps which would run your batterie down searching for sats, word from experiance. it takes a bit to find sats when you first start but it does work.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] slink138:
problems

i have been having problems being able to sort a cache list by any means. i get a "cache list not exist" error, but i have previously downloaded all the caches. Also when i have the cache list up hit the menu- google map to view all caches. Google map comes up but no caches are shown, where they did before? it does work when you select a cache and go to its page then select google map. i get the pointer balloon showing it. Is there something i need to change? Using version 0.2.34.5
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] shaggyguitarist:
I downloaded GCzii on 8th JUly (whichever version was most recent then) and have been fairly successful with it so far.

I just installed the latest version via AppToDate and I cant get a gps signal. I think all the settings are correct, but all I see on the GPS Monitor page is about 7 Greyed out satellites (not blue)

What is needed to make them blue? Is it because its a bit overcast today?

JonnyG
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] stofik:
improvements

I agree with others: one cache - one folder. This could be great improvement and it can speed up whole application.

To Fixed issues: Great job! ;)

(when "Download Cache Max" over 20) still when tap on next page only 20 caches appears.

Thanks you for great app!!
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] shaggyguitarist:
I was a dumbass, I just needed to reboot the mobile. Sorted
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] Phil82de:
I am for one folder for each saved List! I think thats much better than for every cache:

I can't remenber if cache GC1234 belong to the 100 Caches from CityA or to the 100 caches from TraveledCityB
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] Tomik1:
And what about Cache list is a parent folder that contain subfolders for each individual caches?

I mean something like this:

<DIR> Cache list A

<SUBDIR> GCxx

<SUBDIR> GCxx​

<DIR> Cache list B

<SUBDIR> GCxx

<SUBDIR> GCxx​
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] jyetara:
Been playing with this for a while and really like how it just keeps improving!

Just one suggestion though...

Any chance of putting a quick button to "Mark as Found" or "Mark as Not Found" such as in Trimble's Geocache Navigator?

It then marks it in your Field Notes online in your Geocaching.com account and you can later log in to Log your Finds and non-finds.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] bmielke:
There is a chance ;)

Open a cache (from a list for instance) then goto menu and tip on field notes then you can quick mark this cache as found it or didn't found it In addition you could add a text (saved in the file: FieldNotes.txt)

so long
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] stofik:
What about more lists with the same caches?

I undestand that it would be easier to manually delete one folder with one list by yourselves.

When you have a cache list, there shouldn´t be problem with coding some function to deleting all caches in the list. When sorted in this way - application only reads ids of caches (GCxxxx1,GCxxxx2 ...) from list which is suposed to be deleted and delete folders GCxxxx1,GCxxxx2... at the end delete list1.xml

But easier to code should be leaving cache lists as it is and group only each cache with its images and maps into one dir

folder structure:

<Gcz>

<cacheLists>

list1.xml

list2.xml​

<caches>

<GCxxxx1>

GCxxxx1.xml

image1.jpg

image2.jpg

image3.jpg

staticMap1.jpg

staticMap2.jpg

...
​

<GCxxxx2>

<GCxxxx3>

<GCxxxx4>​

pros: probably faster, no big folder with images which is slowing every load of description or downloading, only quite bigger directory with directories of caches = same number as now, (not xml files -> directories)

cons: possible duplication of identical images from various caches (more caches contain same image - but it would be downloaded more times. Not frequent)

Sorry for analysis, i´m studiing IT university adn still dealing with similiary problems ;)
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] CouchPotato:
Under Windows there is no ideal structure for this problem because of the missing of symbolic links like in other operating systems.

Having a directory with 500 subdirectories for each cache (1 Pocket Query can contain 500 Caches!) doesn't help because of the huge memory structure windows has to build by accessing these file and directory structure.

The only thing which really helps is to keep directories and subdirectories small and short as possible. (~50-100 files or directories with short names)

Better is imho to build a database with the exact storage place for each item in the program itself for fast access to them.

Just my 2 cents
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] Gech:
Update info

Ver 0.2.34.6

1) GPX import issue fix.

2) Change cache directory structure.

3) Cache/Trackable overview issue fix.

4) Change cache list UI.

5) Add "Brightness" setting. (Static Map)

http://www.nicque.com/PQz

thanks

tom
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] boeykenk:
Hi Tom,

another feature request that could make my life easier (and your amazing tool even more amazing :p ):

* export cache coordinates (and waypoints coordinates) to gdb-format (for garmin)

I could then easily import this into other programs... :)

THX.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] stofik:
Thumbs up!

Thx a lot. Tested at my HTC Cruise and big speed up.

Now, downloading is not slowed by slow saving of images.

Edit: More testing and more things are faster. ;)
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] sf93:
First off thank you for developing this software. Just started Geocaching and it is great fun for the family. I do have a question is there a way to export the gps trail as so I can import it to Google earth?
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] iV001:
Waypoint

i know that's a newbie question but i didn't find my answer in this thread, so here it is.

I'm able to find the cache, get the details (coordonnate), but there is no waypoint (the button is greyed out). Is this a configuration problem or ???

Do i do something wrong to get the waypoint (cache) to download. A simple user manual would be really usefull

Thank you Very Much...
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] shaggyguitarist:
Tom,

Ive been using the software for a few weeks now, and have over the past 2 days read every page of this entire discussion, to try and fully understand how to make the best of GCzii.

One observation I had today is there seems to be a big lag in the GPS Monitor updating itself. An example...I was driving today trying to see where I would best get an access point to a approach cache, (I find using heading up a lot easier than North up, so all I need to do is line up the red and blue arrows)

I noticed that when I stop the car at traffic lights etc it takes around 7-8 seconds for the speed to register back to zero again. It also then returns to North up mode ( I understand this is hardware related now)

Once I get out of the car and start to walk it works fine until I stop when Im close to the cache. Then I get the 7or8 seconds before the monitor realises Ive stopped, by which time the distance is 15- 20 metres out, then the blue arrow disappears because im not moving, I find that I have to walk about 20 metres before getting a fix again.

I'm not terribly good at explaining myself, so hopefully you can understand my meaning, and offer advice.

Is there any way that the gps can be more stable at very slow walking speeds ??

Thanks, Jonny
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] khaytsus:
Yep, use a decent GPS.. Most mobile phone GPS are pretty aweful.

You can try to stop moving and use a (real) compass, but the static navigation on your phone GPS will still be a pain. I use a Holux bluetooth GPS and it works MUCH nicer than the GPS in my Tilt.
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] Gech:
Hi jyetara

You will see Cache Detail > Menu > Field Note > Quick Mark

Hi bmielke

OOps, thanks! you already explained it. ;D

--------------------

Hi boeykenk

>> * export cache coordinates (and waypoints coordinates) to gdb-format (for garmin)

Probablly, it's possible but not know the gdb format.

--------------------

Hi sf93

GPS > Logging Start

You can save NMEA format text file. and need to use other converting tool. "GPSBable" like.

--------------------

Hi iV001

The cache does not contain Waypoints. that why the button grayed out.

Also, you can add new waypoints by Add menu.

--------------------

Hi shaggyguitarist

I know the issue which comes from GPS or WM OS.

if we stop, it returns ZERO!!

So, when speed and degrees are ZERO. GCz can ignore it and keep last values.

The might be a solution.

--------------------

thanks

tom
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] bmielke:
In some multi caches there are Waypoints in the cachedescription for instance Trailhead, Stages or Parking places these kind of WP you can find in the Waypointmenu.

If you want to add a waypoint for instance the final-KO etc. click Menu then waypoints after that you can click once more menu and here you can add a WP ( and many other things...)

If there any Waypoints then the button is activ! If there no points then waypoint is greyed out!!!

(the same idea is used by the notes button: is greyed out -> no notes...if you add some notes the the notes button is activ - so you can see easily is there any informations/Waypoints for me ... or not)

In the GPS-monitor you can set cache location in order to find the cache without tapping numbers...

This program is very easy to use try it and look into the various menus and so you are learning by doing ;)

greetings

bmielke
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] hakan42:
Hi Tom,

Thanks for the updated filesystem structure, after updating and reloading my caches, GCzII feels noticably faster (somehow, I managed to collect 800 images on my phone :-) )

Another small request though. Could you, when you save the Google Maps images locally, give the files a ".jpg" extension? This would make browsing the cache_db directory easier.

Regards,

Hakan
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] paulpille:
Tom,

GCzII has now reached a status that is almost perfect for me :)

However, there is some (small) room for finetuning & improvement:

- GPS-Monitor/Set Target Location -> not always fills in the current location data (also see my earlier posts)

- Static maps viewer -> its hard for me to recognize the small blue direction line in sunny environment -> could you make the line a bit wider (may be even configurable) ?

- recently I had to hardreset my device ... due to installation on SD card GCz was running ok, however all settings (static map, GPS, Viewer app, ...) were lost, may be because they are not stored on SD card ?

- and last but not least my wish list would pull down to zero if in the static map settings I could choose between Google and OpenStreetMap :D

Just to remember: comparison forest maps of Google / OSM (showing exactly the same area)
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] boeykenk:
Hey Tom,

concerning the GDB format, I found a document with the structure:

http://www.naviboard.de/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=5200&d=1228132789

I'm most of all interested in exporting waypoints (if it's a multi) or the cache-coordinates (in case of a traditional). It would be great if you could export one or multiple coordinates/caches to gdb-format.

This format could be used to import in Mapsource or gisrussa. GDB or MPS format is almost the same. So this doesn't matter for me.

Woooow, it would be awesome if this could be implemented! If there is something I could do to help you ... :o
[Windows Mobile Apps and Games] derlbear:
Would it be possible to download more than 50 Logs... e.g. ALL ? That's what Cachewolf or the Trimble software supports and it is a really cool feature when you're stuck and can't find the cache.

Anyway... Thank you VERY much for this awesome piece of art! It works perfectly on my Diamond2!