GSAK 8

WGA Member Joined: 2007-12-27 Posts: 342 Location: Wausau

Has anyone fully upgraded to GSAK version 8 yet? I've played with it a little and the live API seems really cool. I'm curious as to why Favorites are still not included in the GPX files but they ARE included in the API - so GSAK can get them via a pull to groundspeak. Having quick access to Pocket queries is nice to - eliminates the download step anyway. I'm sure that can be automated somehow.

I was just wondering, from those of you who have tried it, what new features you found and were excited about. I'm sure there are things I have yet to uncover and would be glad to learn from others experiences.

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:45 pm

Let's see...creating bookmarks from the database (without having to click 1000 times and close 500 windows)...priceless.

Being able to automatically check and update the caches NOT in the PQ but in the database (essentially marking diableds, archives, and finds I forgot to mark) is a big time saver. My procedure is load PQ, filter for any caches where the last GPX date is before today, then refresh those caches. Note that you could also theoretically use the status check function instead of refreshing, but Groundspeak gives us 6000 cache refreshes for 24 hours, so I can't see why I would just not do the whole refresh.

Along the same lines, once in a while I will update the entire database to get the new "Favorites" numbers. This is (today) the only way to get these values, short of typing them in manually. Hopefully those will start showing up in PQs (real soon now...)

Finally, being able to get all (or at least most) of the logs on a cache is helpful when administering the LCG. Sometimes people post a bunch of note/NM/NA/DNF logs on caches so that the standard PQ doesn't include the last "found" log.

To be honest, the first benefit listed would justify the cost for me, but I would always update my software when it is as well supported as GSAK. I really want the developer to keep developing on this, so the best way to support him is to upgrade as soon as possible.

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 7:38 pm

A couple of things that may cause problems but do not reduce the usability of the software:

1. Downloading the PQs using the geocaching.com menu loads all available PQs into the currently open database. I found that the PqLoader macro now uses the API to get the PQs though it only loaded to data for one of the databases. The PQ for other was still in the download directory so I was able to run the macro a second time and it loaded the data.

2. Publishing logs does not have the ability to grab, drop or discover trackables. Even with this limitation, I have been using this feature to log my finds. Set up a template and edit each log and publish them all at once. I'm not able to use field notes because my GPS uses a different data format in the finds file. I have GCCODE,DATE,NOTE and the software is looking for GCCODE, NOTE.

3. As I have been upgrading with the minor revisions I have been getting an error message about the temp directory but the program continues to run. I'm wondering if this has something to do with the PqLoader macro not completing the processing of all PQs.

I agree with Team DeeJay, it is software worth the price. It is continually updated and the developers are always willing to give advise for problems that occur between the keyboard and the chair.

WGA Member Joined: 2007-12-27 Posts: 342 Location: Wausau

Wow, Dave! Thanks for those insights - yeah that's some pretty big wins! I didn't realize the Bookmark thing but that is fantastic! And the status updates for potentially archived caches will save me some time and frustration too!

Thanks for the information! Smile

And I agree, this is software and a developer WORTH supporting!

WGA Member Joined: 2007-12-27 Posts: 342 Location: Wausau

I just did some math. Since I registstered GSAK (there were several I found with the unregistered version) each find has cost me about 2.2 cents in GSAK registration fees - yeah, I'd say that's WELL worth it.

Altogether using GSAK, I figure about 1.5 cents per find.

Thank you, Clyde!

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:01 pm

I just downloaded GSAK because I was having trouble with Google earth to load the cache info on to my GPS. GSAK loaded fast and quick. So I was not doing one at a time. I am still fairly new at this but I love it. I see there is an up coming event in the Appleton area to learn GSAK. I am unable to attend. THose who are new at this and can make I strongly suggest you go and then come teach me more. lol

STEMmom Very Happy

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:18 am

so far, i've stayed with the v. 7 of gsak. however, there are some macros that only run on 8. my questions..if i upgrade, will my current find data and installed macros remain intact? or will i be starting from scratch? i have faced that rebuilding one other time and it was not my idea of fun. thanks

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 12:28 pm

Everything should carry over if you install it in the same place. You might break a few macros with the upgrade, but by now, there should be a replacement for anything that might break.

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:51 pm

Made the change without problems or regrets! Smile

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:09 pm

thanks for the reassurances...i can run it by trekkin when he gets back from hanging with his history friends.

WGA Member Joined: 2008-09-10 Posts: 231

NO problems here with the switch

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:10 am

I don'r remember having trouble with the switch, but I have had a few as yet unexplained problems. I'm not sure if it is a problem with GSAK or with the office network. I turn on the setting that will check for a new version every time I start up GSAK. Just the other day I realized I hadn't had an update message in quite a while. When I checked the site I found that I was over 100 revisions behind. Now I am going to keep my eye on the web site to see if there is a bug in that feature.

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:03 am

gkrone wrote:

I don'r remember having trouble with the switch, but I have had a few as yet unexplained problems. I'm not sure if it is a problem with GSAK or with the office network. I turn on the setting that will check for a new version every time I start up GSAK. Just the other day I realized I hadn't had an update message in quite a while. When I checked the site I found that I was over 100 revisions behind. Now I am going to keep my eye on the web site to see if there is a bug in that feature.

Seems like updates or 'build versions' come out almost weekly/daily. We try to stay on top of them, but can't speak to the wisdom of that...perhaps more likely to put you in a beta-tester mode. Probably better to wait for a more official update, but don't really know how often that is. Our last update was triggered by finding a macro that seemed to require the move, so we made it.

Here's the thread with the updates......go to the very end of the thread. http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showtopic=23309&st=80

Good luck! Smile

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:35 pm

huffinpuffin2 wrote:

Seems like updates or 'build versions' come out almost weekly/daily. We try to stay on top of them, but can't speak to the wisdom of that...perhaps more likely to put you in a beta-tester mode. Probably better to wait for a more official update, but don't really know how often that is. Our last update was triggered by finding a macro that seemed to require the move, so we made it.

Here's the thread with the updates......go to the very end of the thread. http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showtopic=23309&st=80

Good luck! Smile

I've had very few problems with the update cycle. It does sort of make you a beta-tester, but if something does get nicked in the update they usually have it corrected quickly.