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I thought this was discussed here, but I can’t find it so perhaps it was not.
I want to change the default icons for sending geocaches to the Garmin, but just sometimes.
The reason is, it’s useful to have different icons on the map so that caches can be prioritized. For instance, we typically build “priority 1,” “priority 2” and so on when caching, particularly with kids.
So my thought here is, I would create different GSAK databases and corresponding GPX files in the Garmin. Each GPX file on the unit would have different icons for caches it contained.
I could do this with our previous non-Garmin unit, but using either the “send to GPS” or “export to GPX” option in GSAK, it’s not an option.
Do I need a macro?
Is it even possible?On the Left Side of the Road...Not to be a pain in the neck, but this process you need was discussed almost exactly one month ago in this same forum. Look here.
Dave, I looked at that forum before posting but it didn’t seem to apply because I’m not loading to Mapsource.
EDIT: I see a link buried in there that looks like it might apply, and I’m guessing perhaps that Mapsource is running under the covers somewhere even tho I don’t have the Mapsource program/CD/whatever.
I’ll do (even more) research…old dog, new tricks…
On the Left Side of the Road...Update: As I originally suspected, the other thread does not apply but not for the reason I originally thought. I should have mentioned at the beginning of this thread that my question specifically applies to the Oregon.
The short answer is that there is no way to customize the geocaching icons on the Oregon. You can do some POI workarounds but you cannot retain the geocaching-specific functionality if you do this so what’s the point.
The Oregon is not as customizable as earlier Garmin units, which is a bit ironic, however it appears they made a tradeoff between form factor and in-depth functionality.
Our old Lowrance still kicks butt over any unit I’ve seen in terms of how much and how easily you can manipulate information on it. Compared to the Lowrance the Garmin is a very “dumb” unit inasmuch as it is simply a GPX file reader. In contrast, the Lowrance took the info on the file, made it its own, and let you play with it ON THE UNIT to your heart’s content. Think of it as the difference between having Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat. Garmin simply doesn’t “digest” the GPX database.
But, with its comparatively awful GPS issues, the Lowrance fails at its most basic function. So it appears we’ll have to stick with the Garmin to get us where we’re going, but come up with some creative workarounds or other processes to figure out just where we want to go and to effectively manage that information once we get there.
On the Left Side of the Road...thats a bummer, there is a nice macro to do it for the 60’s when uploading from gsak. Takes 10-15 mins to get the icons on the 60, then selecting the right stuff in gsak when uploading.
The downside is the 60’s only allow 2 geocaching icons found/unfound so you can’t use the icons AND the geocaching stuff built into the 60.
The Oregon improves on that somewhat by showing an icon specific to the cache type–traditional, multi, earth, puzzle, virtual–and it changes to an “open box” when you find it.
However, you can’t change the original icon–as far as I can tell you can’t really change it at all and any workaround kills the geocaching functionality.
I’m also used to simply deleting individual caches from the interface of the GPS itself, so having to pull the GPX file back off, manipulate it, and put it back on is definitely clunky. But I’m sure there are people out there who love it, and it will just take getting used to.
I think the easiest way to accomplish what we want to do is simply amend the cache name in GSAK before creating the file. Put a number or letter at the beginning so I know whether it’s one to target or not. It’s just easier to look at a screen and visualize it.
On the Left Side of the Road...I just categorize caches into different DB’s in GSAK and then I use the macro to load them onto my Nuvi (I have the 255W). Easy to do with different PQ’s as the source. Separated by categories in the Nuvi helps me choose which to hunt. By default the macro will further categorize your DB into Traditionals, Multis, Earthcaches, etc.
For those of you who haven’t seen this, picture pressing “Priority 1” then “Traditionals” and seeing the closest ones with directional arrow and distance and then hitting Go and being directed to the cache.
I make decisions on which caches to hunt in my truck so the Nuvi with the GSAK macro has completely changed the way I cache for the better. They’re all categorized the way I want them to be on the unit and I get the entire cache page and past logs. No more Palm. Also, no more getting lost on the streets and hopefully no more accidents 😉
I don’t have a flashy handheld but with a Nuvi in the truck who needs one? The best 200 bucks I ever spent (I think the 255W is now insanely low priced in the latest ads).
Oh and I load a combined DB onto the handheld so that when I leave the truck I use that. At that point, does it matter which icon is on the unit?
However, if you decide which caches to hunt after you’ve left your vehicle and your on a 5 mile hike, then I guess what I just typed above won’t help you…
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