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10 <center><img src="images/gpxview.png"></center>
11
12 <center><h1>GPXView - Geocaching with Maemo</h1></center>
13 <center>Till Harbaum <a href="mailto:till@harbaum.org">&lt;till@harbaum.org&gt;</a></center><p>
14
15 <center><a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7400558"><img src="images/paypal.png" border="0"></a></center><p>
16
17 GPXView is a <a href="http://geocaching.com">geocaching</a>
18 application. Its main purpose is to work with <a
19 href="http://www.geocaching.com/pocket/">pocket queries</a> in GPX
20 format (hence the name GPXView). GPXView allows you to conveniently
21 read the information stored in these files and navigates you to
22 geocaches using your devices built-in GPS. GPXView features many
23 advanced features including full HTML rendered cache descriptions, GPS
24 based voice navigation and a built-in map viewer.<p>
25
26 <h2>Did you know?</h2>
27
28 GPXView supports online download of geocaches using
29 <a href="#geotoad">geotoad</a>. This even works without a premium
30 account!<p>
31
32 GPXView can guide you by <a href="#voicenav">voice</a> so you can
33 concentrate on your search while the device sits in your pocket.<p>
34
35 <h2>Obtaining GPXView</h2>
36
37 GPXView is available for three different plattforms:
38
39 <ul>
40 <li>Maemo4 (codenamed Chinook/Diablo) on Nokia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N800">N800</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N810">N810</a>
41 <li>Maemo5 (codenamed Fremantle) on <a href="http://maemo.nokia.com/n900/">Nokia N900</a>
42 <li>Desktop Linux
43 </ul>
44
45 The latest N810/N800 version is available from the
46 <a href="http://maemo.org/downloads/product/raw/OS2008/gpxview/?get_installfile">Nokia repositories</a>.<p>
47
48 <center><img src="images/maemo4.gif"><h5>GPXView on N810</h5></center>
49
50 The N900 version is available from the extras repository and can be
51 installed from the Navigation section in the Application Manager on
52 that device. However, since there's a review process involved in
53 getting software into the respective repositories and since the review
54 process for the N900 is rather slow, it may take some time for the
55 latest version to show up on your device.<p>
56
57 <center><img src="images/cachelist.gif"><h5>GPXView on N900</h5></center>
58
59 There is no pre-packaged version for the Linux desktop. In order to
60 install GPXView on a desktop PC you'll have to download the <a
61 href="http://repository.maemo.org/extras-devel/pool/diablo/free/source/g/gpxview/">source code</a> and compile and install it yourself.<p>
62
63 <center><img src="images/desktop.gif"><h5>GPXView on Ubuntu Linux</h5></center>
64
65 <h2>Getting started</h2>
66
67 GPXView comes ready-to-run and even includes some little "welcome"
68 demo file. You can use this to learn about the basic usage of GPXView and
69 check out the various program features.<p>
70
71 <center><img src="images/welcome.gif"><h5>First start of GPXView</h5></center>
72
73 However, to start hunting geocaches near your location you
74 need to get the appropriate pocket queries in GPX or LOC format either
75 from geocaching.com where you have to be a paying member to be allowed
76 to download them. Or you check free services. Sources known to work
77 with GPXView are:
78
79 <ul>
80 <li><a href="http://www.geocaching.com/pocket/">Pocket queries</a> from geocaching.com, available to paying customers only
81 <li>LOC files from geocaching.com are available for free, but contain very limited information only
82 <li>GPX files from <a href="http://www.opencaching.de/">Opencaching.de</a>
83 </ul>
84
85 <h3>Installing GPX files</h3>
86
87 Once you got your GPX files you might install them anywhere on your
88 device like e.g. the memory card on your N900. Files being downloaded
89 in ZIP format from geocaching.com can be left compressed. GPXView will
90 uncompress them automatically.<p>
91
92 You can copy the files onto the device via USB. But you might as well
93 just receive the files via Email directly on the device without any
94 PC involved.<p>
95
96 Finally you might use <a href="#geotoad">geotoad</a> to download cache
97 data directly.<p>
98
99 <h3><a name="gpxlist">The GPX list view</a></h3>
100
101 To import such files into GPXView you need to start GPXView and
102 and select "Import file" from the main menu. The GPX file will then
103 be included into the main screens list of GPX files. The following
104 session has two active GPX files and a closed one installed.<p>
105
106 <center><img src="images/gpxlist.gif"><h5>GPX list</h5></center>
107
108 You can adjust details of this list and enable and disable selected
109 columns in the <a href="#settings">settings dialog</a>.<p>
110
111 These GPX list will be loaded whenever you restart GPXView. Since
112 these files may contain plenty caches, loading them may take a few
113 seconds. While loading you'll see a progress bar.<p>
114
115 <center><img src="images/loading.gif"><h5>Loading ...</h5></center>
116
117 You may wish to temporarily disable certain GPX files from this list
118 in order to speed up loading. In order to do so, just click the
119 <img src="images/delete.png"> icon (on N800/N810 and desktop use the
120 Import->Close in the menu instead). A dialog will pop up to ask you
121 whether you want to remove that entry completely from the list or
122 whether you only want to close it.<p>
123
124 <center><img src="images/close_remove.gif"><h5>Close or Remove?</h5></center>
125
126 If you choose to close the file it will be displayed in "disabled" style
127 as visible in the GPX list screenshot above. These files will not be
128 opened at startup and thus don't affect the startup time of GPXView. The
129 containing cache files are not imported and are e.g. not found when using
130 the Search function and are not displayed on the map. To reenable a closed
131 entry just select it.<p>
132
133 <h4>Importing entire directories</h4>
134
135 GPX files derived from pocket queries usually contain many geocaches
136 and it makes sense to maintain them as one big object in the main
137 view. But some GPX files only contain a single geocache and you might
138 have many of those seperate files stored on your device. To cope with
139 such a collection of single GPX files, GPXView provides the "Import
140 directory" feature. This collects all GPX files from a given directory
141 and treats them like one big GPX file.<p>
142
143 <h3><a name="cachelist">The cache list view</a></h3>
144
145 When you select a GPX file in the <a href="#gpxlist">GPX list
146 view</a>, you'll be forwarded to the cache list view. This view lists
147 all geocaches of the selected GPX file sorted by distance from your
148 current GPS coordinate.<p>
149
150 <center><img src="images/cachelist.gif">
151 <h5>The cache list view</h5></center>
152
153 You can adjust details of this list and enable and disable selected
154 columns in the <a href="#settings">settings dialog</a>.<p>
155
156 Little markers at the cache icon will give you additional info
157 about the cache:
158
159 <ul>
160 <li><img src="images/cache_type_ovl_found.png"> indicates that a cache has been marked as "found" by you or has a log from you in the GPX file
161 <li><img src="images/cache_type_ovl_mine.png"> indicates that a cache has been placed by you
162 <li><img src="images/cache_type_ovl_override.png"> indicates that you've overridden the coordinate of that cache
163 <li><img src="images/cache_type_ovl_note.png"> indicates that you've entered notes into the note tab of the cache view
164 </ul>
165
166 The cache list also tells you how far in which direction a cache
167 is. This of course changes when your position changes. GPXView can
168 thus update the cachelist periodically. This can be adjusted in the
169 <a href="#settings">settings</a>.<p>
170
171 <h2><a name="cacheview">The cache view</a></h2>
172
173 Selecting a cache in the <a href="#cachelist">cache list</a> will
174 forward you to the main screen of the cache view.<p>
175
176 If the <a href="#map">map window</a> is open at the time you select
177 a cache, then the map switches into navigation mode and e.g. a compass
178 rose will be displayed for the selected cache.<p>
179
180 <h3><a name="cachemain">Cache main view</a></h2>
181
182 The main view gives you a quick overview of the most important
183 aspects of a geocache. Among this information is the difficulty
184 and the terrain rating and of course the main coordinate.<p>
185
186 <center><img src="images/cache_main.gif">
187 <h5>Cache main view</h5></center>
188
189 This coordinate is displayed striked out if it was overridden on the
190 <a href="#cachegoto">goto page</a>. You'll also find various
191 informantion placed on buttons which are linked to the internet
192 browser. The waypoint id button will e.g. open the caches description
193 in the web browser.<p>
194
195 <h3><a name="cachedesc">Cache description view</a></h2>
196
197 The cache description usually contains the main part of the cache.
198 It's the important part when solving multi caches or mystery caches.
199 This description often comes in HTML format as it may contain all
200 kind of text formatting, tables, images etc ...<p>
201
202 <center><img src="images/cache_desc.gif">
203 <h5>Cache description view</h5></center>
204
205 Images are usually not part of the GPS file itself. Instead the
206 description text is in HTML format and contains references to
207 the actual images stored somewhere on the internet. When being
208 asked to display such a description, GPXView downloads the images
209 and stores them internally for further usage. So once you had a
210 working internet connection while reading a cache description
211 and the images successfully got loaded everything is stored on
212 device. And the images are available to you afterwards in the field
213 even without internet connection.<p>
214
215 <h3><a name="cachehint">Cache hint view</a></h2>
216
217 The hint is displayed in the typical encrypted form. Just click
218 the encrypt and decrypt buttons to toggle between the encrypted
219 and decrypted display,<p>
220
221 <center><img src="images/cache_hint.gif">
222 <h5>Cache hint view</h5></center>
223
224 In some cases (e.g. in GPX files from opencaching.com) the hints
225 are tagged as html text or actually are encoded in html. In this
226 case GPXView is unable to encrypt the text. The hint tab will then
227 just display the decoded plain text.<p>
228
229 <h3><a name="cachelog">Cache log view</a></h2>
230
231 Pocket query in GPX format usually contains the last 5 logs. If you
232 have found this cache and logged it, your log is included regardless
233 how recent it is. GPXView uses this fact to determine whether you
234 found a cache. In order to make this feature work, your username must
235 be specified in the <a href="#settings">settings</a>.<p>
236
237 <center><img src="images/cache_logs.gif">
238 <h5>Cache log view</h5></center>
239
240 If the geocaching id of the cache is known, GPXView is able to
241 create a browser button on top of the log view. Clicking this button
242 will open the browser with the appropriate log page for convenient
243 logging.<p>
244
245 <h3><a name="cachewpts">Cache waypoints view</a></h2>
246
247 Some caches contain additional waypoints. These are only included
248 in GPX files if they actually contain a valid coordinate (unlike e.g.
249 the stages of a multi cache which don't come with valid coordinates
250 as you are supposed to determine the coordinates yourself).<p>
251
252 <center><img src="images/cache_wpts.gif">
253 <h5>Cache waypoints view</h5></center>
254
255 When the selected cache has waypoints, these are also displayed
256 on the <a href="#map">map</a>.<p>
257
258 <h3><a name="cachetbs">Cache travelbug view</a></h2>
259
260 <a href="http://www.geocaching.com/track/">Travelbug or geocoin</a>
261 information stored in the GPX file is also parsed.<p>
262
263 <center><img src="images/cache_tbs.gif">
264 <h5>Cache travelbug view</h5></center>
265
266 If GPXView is able to create a valid internet link for a travelbug
267 or goicoin the id will be displayed on a button. Clicking that
268 button will open the browser with the travelbugs homepage.<p>
269
270 <h3><a name="cachenotes">Cache notes view</a></h2>
271
272 The notes view is special in a way that it does not display
273 informantion from the GPX file. Instead it's meant to store
274 information that you enter manually. You might e.g. use the notes
275 page to solve a mystery cache or store your findings while solving
276 a multi cache.<p>
277
278 <center><img src="images/cache_notes.gif">
279 <h5>Cache notes view</h5></center>
280
281 <a name="overwritten">The cache notes page contains a <a
282 href="#coordinate_tool">coordinate tool</a>.</a> An alternative
283 ("new") coordinate entered here (e.g. a solved mystery position or a
284 multi cache state). This can be used to overwrite the original one if
285 the "override" checkbox is enabled. This overridden coordinate will
286 then always be used instead of the original one.Icons derived from the
287 overridden cache position are overlayed by the <img
288 src="images/cache_type_ovl_overwritten.gif"> marker.<p>
289
290 You can also mark the cache as "found" here. Found caches can then be
291 found in the <a href="#search">search dialog</a> or exported in
292 the <a href="#export_garmin_fnote">garmin field notes</a> or
293 <a href="#export_garmin_wpt">garmin waypoints</a>.<p>
294
295 All user generated content on this page is stored permanently on
296 the device. This data is <b>not</b> stored inside the GPX files.
297 You may at any time update or replace GPX files without affecting
298 the contents of the notes pages.<p>
299
300 <h3><a name="cachegoto">Cache goto view</a></h2>
301
302 The goto view helps you navigating to a geocache. It contains a compass
303 rose that is adjusted to your walking direction (the compass damping may
304 need adjustment in the <a href="#settings">settings</a>). Furthermore
305 the compass needle always points to the geocache.<p>
306
307 <center><img src="images/cache_goto.gif">
308 <h5>Cache goto view</h5></center>
309
310 Due to a lack of a real magnetic compass, GPXView needs to use the
311 GPS signal to determine your heading. This only works while you are
312 moving. And it works better if you are miving fast and in a straight
313 line. These conditions are usually not given when approaching the
314 cache on the last few meters. Once you are moving too slow for the
315 heading detection to work reliably, you can lock the compass in place
316 by tapping it. You'll then need some other means to determine where
317 north it. As long as you still know this, you can adjust the device
318 accordingly and the compass needle will still point to the geocache.<p>
319
320 <a name="voicenav">Another advanced feature is the voice
321 navigation</a>. The small speaker icon <img src="images/speaker.png">
322 allows you to enable an accoustic distance announcement. This way you
323 don't need to look at the device all the time and the device will keep
324 you informed about the distance to the cache.<p>
325
326 <h2><a name="coordinate_tool">Coordinate tool</a></h2>
327
328 Whenever GPXView deals with coordinates it will use the coordinate
329 tool. This tool consists of two buttons displaying the coordinates
330 (on N810, N800 and desktop linux these are text entry fields) and
331 one or two additional buttons with icons.<p>
332
333 <center><img src="images/coordinate_tool.gif">
334 <h5>The coordinate tool</h5></center>
335
336 <a name="picker">You can change the coordinate directly by clicking
337 the coordinate buttons. On N810, N810 and desktop linux you can use
338 the text entry fields to enter a new coordinate. On the N900 the
339 coordinate picker will show up once you click one of the coordinate
340 buttons.</a><p>
341
342 <center><img src="images/coordinate_picker.gif">
343 <h5>The coordinate picker</h5></center>
344
345 The coordinate picker is designed for finger friendlyness and allows
346 you to enter coordinates without using a keyboard.<p>
347
348 You can also import one of the various coordinates GPXView already
349 knows. In order to do this you just habe to click the coordinate
350 import button <img src="images/pos_get.png">. A picker with then
351 show up allowing you to select a coordinate source.<p>
352
353 <center><img src="images/coordinate_import.gif">
354 <h5>Import a coordinate</h5></center>
355
356 The number of sources available depends on the state GPXView is in.
357 Possible sources include:
358
359 <ul>
360 <li><img src="images/pos_gps.png"> The current GPS position
361 <li><img src="images/pos_home.png"> The home coordinate stored in the <a href="#settings">settings</a>
362 <li><img src="images/pos_wpt.png"> Additional waypoints stored in the <a href="#settings">settings</a>
363 <li><img src="images/pos_map.png"> The current <a href="#map">map</a> position
364 <li><img src="images/pos_geomath.png"> The current <a href="#geomath">geomath projection</a>
365 <li><img src="images/cache_type_traditional.png">, <img src="images/cache_type_multi.png">, ... The current caches coordinate and the <a href="#overwritten">overridden one</a> if present
366 <li><img src="images/wpt_parking.png">, <img src="images/wpt_refpoint.png">, ... The current caches <a href="#cachewpts">waypoints</a> if present
367 </ul>
368
369 In some occasions also a export button <img src="images/pos_set.png"> is present. This button opens the coordinate export tool.<p>
370
371 <center><img src="images/coordinate_export.gif">
372 <h5>Export a coordinate</h5></center>
373
374 Up to three choices may be present here:
375
376 <ul>
377 <li><img src="images/pos_map.png"> Show the position on the <a href="#map">map</a>
378 <li><img src="images/maemo_mapper.png"> Export the position to Maemo Mapper (needs to be supported by Maemo Mapper)
379 <li><img src="images/clipboard.png"> Copy the coordinate to the clipboard
380 </ul>
381
382 <a name="distance_picker">Similar pickers also exist for distances<p>
383
384 <center><img src="images/distance_picker.gif">
385 <h5>The distance picker</h5></center></a>
386
387 <a name="direction_picker">and directions (angles).<p>
388
389 <center><img src="images/direction_picker.gif">
390 <h5>The direction picker</h5></center></a>
391
392 <h2>Main Menu</h2>
393
394 The main menu can be reached from the main screen (and e.g. not
395 from the map screen). It exact contents vary with the state of the
396 main screen and e.g. some menu entries may only be visible if the
397 main screen is in "GPX list" mode.<p>
398
399 <center><img src="images/menu.gif"><h5>The main menu</h5></center>
400
401 <h3><a name="about">About</a></h3>
402
403 The first thing selectable from the menu is the about dialog. The main
404 about screen will tell you version and comppile time. This is the way
405 to check whether you have the latest version of GPSView running.<p>
406
407 <center><img src="images/about_main.gif"><h5>Main about view</h5></center>
408
409 GPXView comes free of charge. You can install it on any device you want.
410 If you think you want to show your appreciation, you are welcome to
411 make a <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7400558">little donation via paypal</a>.<p>
412
413 <center><img src="images/about_donate.gif"><h5>Donations are appreciated</h5></center>
414
415 You may also actively contribute to the project by reporting bugs or
416 filing feature requests.<p>
417
418 <center><img src="images/about_bugs.gif"><h5>You can contribute</h5></center>
419
420 <h3><a name="settings">Settings</a></h3>
421
422 The settings dialog contains various global settings. Any change
423 made here is permanent.<p>
424
425 <center><img src="images/settings.gif"><h5>The settings</h5></center>
426
427 <h4>Enable GPS</h4>
428
429 This settings controls GPS globally. The major reason for disabling
430 GPS is to save energy. Since geocaching without precise location
431 information is not possible, you usually want to have the GPS
432 enables. However, if GPS is disabled, an alternatice coordinate is
433 being used instead. As a default only a home coordinate is stored. You
434 might add an unlimited number of additional locations (like your
435 workplace or other places you often use). Just hit the add or edit
436 buttons while GPS is disabled to maintain this list. If GPS is
437 disabled, all coordinate calculation (e.g. in order to display the
438 distance of a cache) is then based on the selected alternative
439 coordinate in the list. In the example above the "Home" coordinate is
440 the active one.<p>
441
442 <center><img src="images/edit_location.gif"><h5>Manually edit a location</h5></center>
443
444 The alternate positions are also useful while having GPS as they can easily
445 be reached via the <a href="#coordinate_tool">coordinate tool</a>.<p>
446
447 <h4>Imperial Units</h4>
448
449 This settings changes the display between imperial (mi, in, ft) and
450 metric units (km, m). These only affect the display. Any input
451 accepts both formats at any time. So you may enter inches while in
452 metric mode and meters while in imperial mode. However, these are
453 immediately converted into display units while being processed.<p>
454
455 <h4>Username</h4>
456
457 This is your geocaching.com user name. It's used to determine if
458 a geocache has been placed by you or has been found by you. The
459 caches are then marked using the appropriate icons as finds
460 <img src="images/cache_type_ovl_found.png"> and owned
461 <img src="images/cache_type_ovl_mine.png">.<p>
462
463 Furthermore the username is being used when using the
464 <a href="#geotoad">geotoad</a> feature.<p>
465
466 <h4>Visible GPX list items</h4>
467
468 This setting allows you to enable and disable columns in the
469 <a href="#gpxlist">GPX list view</a>. The original file name
470 (as opposed to the GPX name stored in that file), the date
471 of creation and the number of caches stored in that GPX files
472 can be toggled independently.<p>
473
474 <h4>Visible cache list items</h4>
475
476 This setting allows you to enable and disable columns in the
477 <a href="#cachelist">cache list view</a>. The waypoint name,
478 the cache size and the caches rating can be toggled.<p>
479
480 <h4>Cache list screensaver</h4>
481
482 The screensaver can be disabled while the
483 <a href="#cachelist">cache list</a> is being displayed. This
484 is useful when e.g. driving with the cache list view active.
485 Since the cache list may optionally be sorted by distance,
486 the nearest cache is always the first one on screen.<p>
487
488 <h4>Cache list refresh</h4>
489
490 As pointed out before, the <a href="#cachelist">cache list</a>
491 can be refreshed automatically every 30 seconds. Since this
492 feature consumes CPU power (and thus battery), it can be
493 disabled.<p>
494
495 <h4>Cache compass damping</h4>
496
497 The compass in the caches <a href="#cachegoto">goto view</a> uses
498 track information from the GPS signal to determine the
499 heading in order to re-create the functionality of a
500 magnetic compass. Depending on the precision of the GPS
501 receiver and the signal quality of the GPS signal the
502 tracking information may be rather inaccurate. Especially
503 when you are moving slowly the compass tends to jitter.
504 If you have this problem you might want to increase
505 damping. This makes the compass a little less responsive
506 but it increases stability of the compass display.<p>
507
508 <h4>Use GCVote service</h4>
509
510 GPXView can retrieve cache quality ratings from the
511 <a href="http://dosensuche.de/index.php">GCVote</a> service. If GCvote
512 is enabled, an additional line of stars is shown in the caches main view
513 describing the quality of a cache like difficulty and terrain are
514 already displayed by default.<p>
515
516 <h4>Disable screen saver in goto view</h4>
517
518 Since the <a href="#cachegoto">goto view</a> can be used to navigate to the
519 cache, it may be handy to keep the screen on all the time. Be aware
520 that this may drain your battery if you leave the device for a longer
521 period in this mode with the goto view active.<p>
522
523 <h3><a name="export">Export</a></h3>
524
525 GPXView can export data for use with other devices or applications.
526
527 <center><img src="images/export.gif"><h5>Export</h5></center>
528
529 The export submenu lets you select the application you want to export data
530 to.<p>
531
532 <center><img src="images/export_mmpoi.gif"><h5>Export to Maemo Mapper POI</h5></center>
533
534 <a
535 href="http://maemo.org/downloads/product/OS2008/maemo-mapper/">Maemo
536 Mapper</a> is a popular mapping solution for maemo. GPXView can export
537 geocache locations as points of interest (POI) directly into a
538 database as use by Maemo Mapper. Selecting this database in Maemo
539 Mapper will make it display geocaches locations in its map. Since the
540 database export is rather slow, you might limit the radius around your
541 current GPS position, You can also prevent caches to be exported that
542 you already found or that are disabled or archived to further reduce
543 the number of exported caches.<p>
544
545 <a name="export_garmin_fnote">
546 <center><img src="images/export_garmin_fnote.gif"><h5>Export garmin field notes</h5></center>
547
548 GPXView is able to export so-called <a
549 href="http://www.geocaching.com/my/fieldnotes.aspx">Garmin field
550 notes</a>. These are files containing information about all caches you
551 have marked as found. Also the text from the notes page of each found
552 cache is included. You can upload the resulting file via the <a
553 href="http://www.geocaching.com/my/uploadfieldnotes.aspx">upload page
554 at geocaching.com</a>. Afterwards you can conveniently log all the
555 caches.<p></a>
556
557 <a name="export_garmin_wpt">
558 <center><img src="images/export_garmin_wpt.gif"><h5>Export Garmin waypoints</h5></center>
559
560 GPXView can export waypoints of <a href="#overwritten">overridden
561 coordinates</a> into a file suitable for use on garmin handheld gps
562 devices (tested with Garmin Colorado and Garmin Oregon devices). This
563 way you can transfer the coordintes of solved mystery caches or stages
564 of a multi cache to those Garmin handhelds.<p>
565 </a>
566
567 <h3><a name="search">Search</a></h3>
568
569 The number of geocaches stored on your device may grow very fast. The
570 search feature allows you to search through all of the currently
571 active GPX files and to search for particular text fragements in the
572 caches name, description etc.<p>
573
574 <center><img src="images/search.gif"><h5>The search dialog</h5></center>
575
576 You can also search for caches that you found within the last few
577 days. This may be handy when logging at home and is meant to help you
578 remember which geocaches you've found recently.<p>
579
580 <h3><a name="tools">Tools Submenu</a></h3>
581
582 The tools submenu is reached via the main menu. It can be used to
583 invoke various geocaching related tools. The tools act as if they were
584 seperate programs but are tightly integrated into GPXView and
585 typically import or export data to or from GPXView.<p>
586
587 <center><img src="images/tools.gif"><h5>The tools submenu</h5></center>
588
589 <h4><name="geomath">Geomath</a></h4>
590
591 The geomath tool allows very basic geocoordinate calculations. Two <a
592 href="#coordinate_tool">coordinates</a> can be entered as well as a <a
593 href="#distance_picker">distance</a> and a <a
594 href="#direction_picker">direction</a>.<p>
595
596 <center><img src="images/geomath.gif"><h5>The Geomath tool</h5></center>
597
598 Clicking the "Calculate" button calculates the distance between
599 the two given coordinates and projects the first coordinate (on the
600 screens left) by the given distance and direction. The resulting
601 projected coordinate is then be displayed in the bottom row.<p>
602
603 The resulting coordinate can be used within GPXView from the
604 coordinate selector tool using the geocalc icon
605 <img src="images/pos_geomath.png">. This icon also shows up in the map
606 if a valid geomath result is present.
607
608 <h5>Usage example: "Go 120m in 65&deg;" from the given start coordinate</h5>
609
610 The cache description tells you to walk a certain distance into a
611 certain direction from a given coordinate. First you select the caches
612 main position <img src="images/cache_type_traditional.png"> from the
613 coordinate selector tool <img src="images/pos_get.png">. The start
614 coordinate should then be displayed in the left column. Now enter the
615 requested distance and direction into the appropriate fields (on
616 Maemo5 using the <a href="#picker">picker tools</a>). When done just
617 click "Calculate" and the "projection" row will contain your target
618 coordinate. This coordinate can now be selected in the caches "goto"
619 view and is also being shown in the map. You can even re-select the
620 projected coordinate in the Geomath dialog for further processing and
621 to e.g. walk another distance in another direction.
622
623 <h4>Geotext</h4>
624
625 The geotext tool allows two simple text operations often required to solve
626 a geocache. Many geocaches ask you to calculate the letter sum of a certain
627 text or word.<p>
628
629 <center><img src="images/geotext.gif"><h5>The Geotext tool</h5></center>
630
631 Just enter this word into geotext and the character sum
632 is being displayed while you type. Another common operation is the "shift"
633 letters. If you shift the letter "a" by one you get the next letter "b" (and
634 "z" becomes "a" again). If you shift by two "a" becomes "c" and so on. This
635 is the so-called cesar encryption. A special case is a shift by 13. This
636 encryption of shifting letters by 13 is named rot13 and is for example used
637 on the geocaching.com website to encrypt hints and spoilers.
638
639 <h4>Precise Position</h4>
640
641 The Precise Position is more for the hider than for the seeker. It is
642 supposed to be used when standing still. It allows you to average the
643 current position over some longer period of time.<p>
644
645 <center><img src="images/precise_position.gif">
646 <h5>The Precise Position tool</h5></center>
647
648 The tool will also
649 show you graphically how far all the positions received so far are
650 apart to give you an impression how precise the position really
651 is. The more coordinates you get and the smaller the radius of the
652 circle containing them all is the more precise is the resulting
653 coordinate. You can then copy the resulting coordinate to the
654 clipboard for further processing in other applications.<p>
655
656 <h4><a name="geotoad">GeoToad</a></h4>
657
658 <a href="http://code.google.com/p/geotoad/">GeoToad</a> is not part of
659 GPXView itself but has to be installed seperately. GeoToad is written
660 in the <a href="http://ruby-lang.org/">ruby language</a> and as of this writing has to be installed
661 together with the ruby interpreter from the <a
662 href="http://www.nokian900applications.com/repositories-extras-extras-devel-and-extras-testing-for-nokia-n900/">extras-devel
663 repository</a> when using Maemo5.<p>
664
665 <a href="http://code.google.com/p/geotoad/">GeoToad</a> allows you to
666 download geocache information directly from the <a
667 href="http://www.geocaching.com/">geocaching.com website</a>. In order
668 to comply with the terms of that site, GeoToad intentionally runs
669 rather slow (about one cache request per second) to prevent to
670 overload that site with automated requests.<p>
671
672 To use GeoToad you first have to enter your account information (you
673 don't need a premioum account!), the location you want to get geocache
674 information from and the size of the area you are interested
675 in. Please, start with an area of ~1km (0.6 mi) radius. Otherwise the
676 download may take rather long. You also have to select a place to
677 store the resulting file. You can choose any location, but it's
678 preferred to use a memory card to save precious root file system space
679 on a mobile device like the N900.<p>
680
681 <center>
682 <img src="images/geotoad_setup.gif">
683 <h5>Setup of GeoToad</h5>
684 </center>
685
686 GeoToad is then invoked using the parameters you just entered.<p>
687
688 <center>
689 <img src="images/geotoad_run_1.gif">
690 <h5>Running GeoToad</h5>
691 </center>
692
693 After a few seconds the first information should be returned and
694 GeoToad starts reporting what it receives from geocaching.com.<p>
695
696 <center>
697 <img src="images/geotoad_run_2.gif">
698 <h5>Search results are coming in</h5>
699 </center>
700
701 Once geotoad is done it reports some statistics about its work and
702 GPXView tells you that the GeoToad job is done.<p>
703
704 <center>
705 <img src="images/geotoad_run_3.gif">
706 <h5>GeoToad download is done</h5>
707 </center>
708
709 You can now close the window and return to the main screen. You'll find that
710 the download has been added to the list of GPX files.<p>
711
712 <center>
713 <img src="images/geotoad_result_1.gif">
714 <h5>The resulting file</h5>
715 </center>
716
717 You can now use this file like any other GPX file you might have downloaded
718 from geocaching.com or similar sites.<p>
719
720 <center>
721 <img src="images/geotoad_result_2.gif">
722 <h5>Caches downloaded by GeoToad</h5>
723 </center>
724
725 <h3><a name="map">The Map</a></h3>
726
727 GPXView comes with a built-in map. This map is downloaded on demand, but
728 all data being downloaded is caches locally. Once you've visited a certain
729 area on the map, the data will even be accessible without internet
730 connection.<p>
731
732 <center>
733 <img src="images/map_all_balloon.gif">
734 <h5>The map</h5>
735 </center>
736
737 The map is tightly integrated into GPXView and always displays all active
738 caches with little icons. You can click these icons and get detailed
739 information of the cache in a "balloon". Clicking this balloon will cause
740 the main GPXView application to switch to that particular cache.<p>
741
742 The map data can be taken from several sources. Clicking the little arrow
743 on the right screen side will extent a menu allowing you to select a
744 different map source.<p>
745
746 <center>
747 <img src="images/map_source_sel.gif">
748 <h5>Selecting the map source</h5>
749 </center>
750
751 The map always displays your current GPS position using a blue marker
752 surrounded by a circular gray area. This area displays your current
753 GPS precision. In the example below the precision of ~5km is extremely
754 low indicating that the position is likely not derived from the GPS
755 signal but of location information derived from the cell network or a
756 wlan position. Furthermore a small blue arrow on the GPS indicator
757 displays your current tracking.<p>
758
759 <center>
760 <img src="images/map_nav.gif">
761 <h5>Navigating to a cache</h5>
762 </center>
763
764 When there's a geocache selected in GPXViews main view, then all
765 caches except the selected one a displayed semi-transparent.
766 Furthermore a info display on the left side of the screen helps
767 navigating to the cache. Clicking on the coordinate in that info
768 display will center the map in that position. Clicking the compass
769 will toggle between GPS mode (blue compass arrow) and map center mode
770 (black compass arrow). In GPS mode, the distance and heading info is
771 displayed relative to the current GPS position. In map center mode the
772 distance and heading info is displayed relative to the map center.<p>
773
774 Finally, the current map position can be used as coordinate input
775 in the <a href="#coordinate_tool">coordinate tool</a>.<p>
776
777 </body>
778 </html>
779