UPDATED: Would you like to play Geocaching with your WM device? Introducing... GCz!

[Guest Pontiac_CZ]

Hello,

today I played with your program during my morning travel to work. Looks awesome, especially the possibility to find nearby caches from the place I am currently on and the GUI. Two things:

1)

I had troubles when trying to approach a cache. The compass only works when walking faster (probably uses the heading provided by GPS chip?). But mainly I was confused by the "Degrees" indicator - I thought it was an azimuth to the cache. After some time I found out it is my motion heading. :-)

I think heading is of no use for a cacher. Could you please change it to the real azimuth to a cache? (maybe that was the original intention but, you know, errors just happen). I then could use the azimuth on my magnetic compass and go straight for the cache. ;-)

2)

Would it be possible to add "Find nearby caches" to a cache page for searching for caches around the current one? It could be located in the right Menu.

Thanks for a beautiful program and please keep up the good work!

Pavel

PS: and the radar function (like in the post from argh) would be also great! :-)

Edited March 11, 2009 by Pontiac_CZ

[Guest jim256]

Would be awesome to have camera support!

[Guest argh]

Hmm, I only just got around to trying it. I had a few issues, unfortunately.

For reference, I'm using 0.0.32 in the UK.

The red arrow did not seem to point in the direction that I should actually be heading (I had Heading: Head Up). When showing the location and direction on Google Maps via GCz, I was heading in the right direction (I already knew where this cache was, too). This sounds similar to an issue that you reported fixed earlier.

For some multi-caches such as GC1GJR0, there are no co-ordinates for the clue locations in the description text, they're just in the "Additional Waypoints" section which is not displayed by the application (requiring the user to visit the webpage instead). Is it possible to gather those together in a way that we can select which waypoint we're interested in?

In the UK, co-ordinates are generally given as N a degress b.c, W x degrees y.z - when using a multi-cache where I had to type in the co-ordinate, I wondered why I ended up getting a result 65 miles away. I realised that as your longitude is always Eastern, I had to type the Western coordinate in as a negative. That worked fine, but it would be nice to have this as an option B)

I hope that Tom is still following this thread, as the interface is amazing compared to other WinMo Geocaching applications. I love the touch-friendly design and the Google maps integration in particular.

Lastly on the geocaching front (and this is a limtiation with the HTC Touch HD, not GCz), does anyone know if it's possible to turn of "static navigation" on this device? It's what makes it take a while to respond to direction changes if you're moving slowly, and not give heading information. It's good for in-car navigation but makes me pull my hair out with geocaching applications on this device!

I saw that Tom also has an application for hunting down restaurants in Japan with GPS support. I've seen similar applications for iPhone for other countries (where you can set a type of cuisine, and/or price-range to filter by) - any idea if there are any similar applications for WinMo?

[Guest Shadowfixeruk]

Hi All,

sounds like a great piece of software..

i just can't get it working propely though!

when ever i try and find a geocache - using GCz - i get the error message "You need to agree to the licence agreement before you can start" with a YES\NO option box....

Clicking Yes takes me to www.geocaching.com where i have an account and am able to search using my PC...

Any ideas?

Thx

SF

[Guest tom_hiro255]

Hi bmn4711,

Currently, there is no way to use GCz without Internet Connection.

But I started to develop new version of GCz today.

It will have offline mode also.

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

Hi argh,

THere are not many WM device equip hardware compass.

So, I need to consider new feature instead of current GCz compass.

As you said, I agree Radar is one of good feature.

>> Is it possible to show if there's any trackable items in an inventory from the search result page?

Could you explain more? I don't get your point. sorry.

>>Is it possible to go directly to a co-ordinate, after solving a multi-cache clue, for example? Lastly, multi caches benefit >>greatly from somewhere to write notes, or even a dedicated section to store letter->digit mappings. Solving a puzzle with >>these is much easier if the puzzle can be visible at the same time as the letter->digit mapping and the solution you're >>writing down.

I don't understand this too. because I have never tried solving a puzzle. Which cache contains this kind of play?

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

Hi Pontiac_CZ

Yes, compass does not work because no hardware compass on the WM devices.

(But Windows Mobile OS supports compass when move only faster. LOL)

I will think about new feature instead of current GCz compass.

Aya, I have same idea "Find nearby Cache" but not decided to implement it or not.

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

Hi jim256,

It is not difficult to implement camera function but I have no idea what will it use for. ;D

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

Hi argh,

Oh!! I will add Waypoint next version. thanks.

also, N/S E/W will do. ;D

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

Hi Shadowfixeruk,

To stard using GCz, need to agree GC.com "Waypoint License Agreement".

It's rule of GC.com.

Visit below.

http://www.geocaching.com/waypoints/agreement.aspx?ID=0

Check ON the checkbox and submit it. (probablly, need to login in first if you not.)

GCz tried to take you there.

regards,

tom

[Guest bmn4711]

Thanks for the answers i will wait impatiently till the next version B)

Please when you have it announce it in this topic :( is the one i follow :(

good luck

Edited March 24, 2009 by bmn4711

[Guest MarcusWar]

Hi Tom

Looks like a fantastic application, I've installed version 0.0.32 on my HTC Touch HD (Blackstone) and can start it up OK. I've entered my Geocaching userid/password in the options and the GPS is detected OK. The only problem is it won't start an internet connection when I click on one of the GO buttons. I get the hourglass icon and then an error message ; "Internet Connection [CommMgrEstablishConnection] failed". Even if I connect manually and then click a button it still gives the same error.

I've flashed the ROM on my phone witha custom ROM (Duffy Extream 2.3).. I suppose it could be a bug with that but the internet connection works fine with other apps like Opera.

Don't know if it makes any difference but I'm on the T-Mobile network in the UK running web-n-walk.

Does anyone else have it working on a HTC Touch HD ?

Thanks

Marcus

[Guest tom_hiro255]

Hi MarcusWar,

I'm not really sure T-Mobile because I used to use O2 when I lived in Manchester UK.

but I heard something what T-Mobile users use Speed-Manager sometime.

(I guess Speed-Manager is a kind of proxy to boost up Internet Speed.)

If you know the proxy setting of T-Mobile, Try to configure Proxy setting of GCz.

Otherwise, another T-Mobile UK user reported that GCz works fine after turn off Speed-Manager.

Anyway, I guess it is proxy issue. (but still not sure.)

regards,

tom

[Guest MarcusWar]

Tom

Thanks for the prompt reply.

Problem solved !

You were correct it was a T-Mobile issue, the windows internet connection for T-Mobile had been setup to use a proxy server (presumably this being what T-Mobile call Speed Manager). I unticked it and everything is now working fine. B)

The setting is under Windows ;

Settings

-->

Connections

-->

Connections

-->

Advanced

Click "

Select Networks

"

The top drop down list is for "

Programs that connect to the internet

" and mine said "

T-Mobile Internet

"

Click "

EDIT

"

Goto the "

Proxy Settings

" tab

Untick second tick box that says "

This network uses a proxy server to connect to the internet

"

Changing this setting has also fixed the Facebook app I'd installed but never got to work :(

Thanks

Marcus

[Guest argh]

Thanks for the replies, Tom, I look forward to seeing what additions you come up with in the future. I'm excited to hear that you're working on a new version!

Do you have any ideas about the issue I posted in a previous post?

For reference, I'm using 0.0.32 in the UK.

The red arrow did not seem to point in the direction that I should actually be heading (I had Heading: Head Up). When showing the location and direction on Google Maps via GCz, I was heading in the right direction (I already knew where this cache was, too). This sounds similar to an issue that you reported fixed earlier.

Do you have any idea why the red arrow on the compass wouldn't be pointing towards the cache?

If there's anything that I can do to help diagnose this problem, I'd be happy to do it.

[Guest tom_hiro255]

Hi MarcusWar,

Thank you for the info. I added it on GCz website. ;D

----------

Hi argh,

New GCz will have Radar instead of Compass because Windows Mobile Devices have not equipped Hardware Compass.

Also, I'm planning to add COM port settings for GPS.

regards,

tom

[Guest argh]

Thanks. I know there isn't a digital compass, but I do get a reading under "Degrees" once I start moving, so I guess it's being calculated somehow. I find that compass displays are still useful when you're a long way from the cache, and radar is useful when you get closer (especially on devices without a digital compass, where you can't tell where you are in relation to the cache unless you're moving).

I'll do some tests soon to see if the angle in the "Degrees" readout matches the angle I'm walking (I'll compare against N/S/E/W on Google Maps).

[Guest Borderland]

I've been using GCz for a few weeks now, though I mainly use Cachemate and a dedicated handheld GPSr.

I think your work is awesome Tom. Many, many thanks.

A couple of observations that could improve your app.

• The initial search by Placename is strange. If I search for "Brecon" it returns a street in Texas rather than the town in Wales. "Brecon, Wales" works though. If I search for the Welsh mountain "Pen y Fan" it returns a street is Wales. If I put in my nearest town "Coleford" it does as I would expect. It offers me a selection of places around the world with that name.
  
  • I like the new option to select the number of caches displayed, but a "next" button would also be very useful.
    

  [*]Similarly it would be very useful to have a button to show the next n logs. When you are caching for real it is often helpful to look at past logs when you're really stuck. For example, if I had seen this log when I looked for this cache I might have found it, but it wasn't in the last 5 logs.

  Keep up the great work. :excl: :excl: :excl:

[Guest tom_hiro255]

Hi

I'm working on new Version of GCzII.

You will see the topic on other forum.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=482249

Current version, if you meant would like to see more than 5 logs.

You can change the maximum number in the Menu > Option > Web Browser > [Log Count]

The default number is 5 but can change it in there.

Anyway I will keep working to improve GCz. ;D

regards,

tom

[Guest bornl33t]

First of all...you are my hero! I've been wanting to go geocaching for 2 years, but life happens. I got a i910 a few months ago and the GPS was unlocked last week thanks to a leaked rom. I found my first cache today using your software and I'm impressed! I would easily pay for this!

I did notice a problem and would like to say something about it. I have version .31 and I'm getting a negative lontitude reading still. Of course this throws off the compass and points south instead of North. Now being a Verizon phone this may be something verizon screwed up deliberatly...so there may not be a fix for it, but I though I would post here about it in case another i910 using comes along with this problem....

I'll try .32 tomorrow!

edit: I tried version .24, .29, .31 and .32 and all show lon as a negative value?

edit2: GCz II displays the lon correctly

Edited April 15, 2009 by bornl33t

[Guest tom_hiro255]

Hi

THank you for trying GCz and GCzII.

Currently, I'm working on GPS Monitor and I think almost done for it.

I will start implementation for Geocaching main features.

regards,

tom

[Guest bornl33t]

Could you include in the next release a over ride to the phones sleep function? Something to keep it from turning the screen compleatly off?

[Guest tom_hiro255]

Next version already has it.

You will see it.

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/Gzh/20090418#1240057551

It's just for GPS testing.(not GC features yet.)

regards,

tom

[Guest bornl33t]

Next version already has it.

You will see it.

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/Gzh/20090418#1240057551

It's just for GPS testing.(not GC features yet.)

regards,

tom

Tom,

I used GCz II today on my drive to work. There is a cache about 500ft of a road I take. I have gotta say I'm WAY excited for this release! It's incredible! Love your work!

[Guest Rob Choc]

Tom

Thank you so much for this application I have found 5/6 caches in my area and I'm getting out of the house in the fresh air, thanks to you and your application. It works great on my XDA Serra (HTC touch pro)

I can't wait for GCz II with the radar screen.

Rob

[Guest Chastiser]

Just for information, we never got the GPS to recognize GCz on the Omnia i910 Verizon phone. I played with all (0-9) comm ports but still no luck. I guess 1st qtr is almost finished so I can wait that long before Verizon (they say 1st Qtr.) unlocks the internal GPS.

I'd still be interested though if anyone with the same Verizon phone has got the bluetooth GPS and GCz to talk to each other.

Rich

i have this phone in the uk and the software connects to the internal gps with no problem at all.

a great bit of software so thanks very much for the free share.

the only bit that seemed slow was the pointer on the gps window, it often did not point to the direction i should be heading in.

Mike

[Guest zeflar]

hi there - this app looks great but i have an issue - i can get the list of caches but can select any of them -it just says Cache not availible - does anyone know why this is happening ?.

everything else looks fine, just can be directed to any cache !

Many thanks

[Guest kenlaur]

Hi everone

I am in need of some help.

I am running GPz version 0.0.31 on an HTC Touch phone using WM6.1.

I installed it a month ago and it worked great. Yesterday it started crashing and acting up. I now get "Invalid form location" errors when I do a "search for nearby caches" or a search using an address, city , postal code etc.

I tried the most current version of this software but got the same trouble. I went back to 0.0.31 and no luck.

I did not make any changes to the phone prior to it crashing.

The only search I can do with either version is search for a specific geocache. That button brings back results.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Kenlaur

[Guest tom_hiro255]

Hi

Geocaching.com server has been maintained and changed their codes.

GCz needed to be modified.

Please try new version.

http://1942.rocketspace.net/PQzII/GCz_2009...00_0032_006.cab

Also, you can read the discussion about GCzII. (new version)

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread...mp;goto=newpost

Thank you for using GCz.

Best regards,

tom

[Guest ArvinDeep]

I have been an active geocacher for about a year. Some of my friends got an iPhone and I have been jealous on the Geocaching application they have on their device. Now I have tested the GCz for a few days, and I like it very much. Now I have an online application to help me in the field.

Thank you very much!

<_<