Offline pictures for GPX / GC

AlfredW · April 25, 2011, 16:40:32

Hi Menion,

First of all congrats for this app. I'm using this only for a few weeks, but I've just purchased the pro version (not that I need PRO functions, but it's just a correct reward for your work).
I use Locus mainly for offline geocaching. And while I've been using c:geo for some time as well, c:geo lacks several important things like... well the offline maps (which are the main reason I came to Locus in the first place) but also the handling of offline geocaches for which I really like the easy GPX import and category handling of Locus that allows me to easily manage and filter caches on the go (and selectively remove the ones I don't want to see).

There is however one thing that is really missing in Locus for offline geocaching, is the handling of pictures.
There are two things to consider:
- GPX files include image links. But once offline, Locus can't see the images anymore, which is a pity
- geocaches also often include "spoiler" picture (you already heard of in other topics I think) that are often useful (sometimes even mandatory) - these picture are not even part of the GPX file of pocket queries
In both cases, it would really be nice to be able to download the pictures into some folder, and to make them visible offline:
- within the cache description for the GPX links (for instance by pointing to the downloaded picture rather than the online link)
- adding a spoiler picture menu for the spoiler pictures downloaded directly from geocaching.com

If that would be in Locus, it would be a really premium app for Geocaching, and I'd probably stop using c:geo...

In all cases, keep up the great work. This is really one of the most useful apps I've used so far!

Regards from Belgium.
Alfred

Menion · April 26, 2011, 14:19:28

hi,
about images inluded into PocketQuery ... I'll look if there isn't any chance to pre-cache these images into web browser in locus

about spoilers - I already discuss about this later here on forum and also with one slovak girl who used some software on it. This soft created complete web page with images on SD card and into PocketQuery placed only url link. So in Locus is already created system that link to sdcard. Just place some webpage on sd card and add into listing link file:///mnt/sdcard ... and you should be correctly forwarded on you web page. So should this be useful for you?

AlfredW · April 26, 2011, 14:42:57

Hello,
Caching images can maybe do the trick for the images linked in the pocket query. I let you judge on that. That would be nice (because many geocaches actually rely on images for the description of the cache, or even on actions to perform on the field)
For the spoilers, I guess the software you're referencing is SpoilerSync (or similar) that indeed generates HTML for it. But it's kind of a hassle to always have to generate that on PC.
What I like with Locus is that all I need to do is import the GPX and go. If the spoilers would be imported at the same time, that would really be the perfect solution for a one-stop offline geocaching app with maps.
Keep up the good work!
Alfred

Menion · April 26, 2011, 15:00:05

problem with spoilers as I know is that they aren't included in PocketQuery files, right?

AlfredW · April 26, 2011, 20:27:36

That's correct. For some reason, attached images in the description are not part of the GPX (except if they are displayed in the description, not just attached).
The link to the original geocaching.com page however is in the GPX, which should allow retrieving the image link when online.
But I agree this requires specific code to get on the geocaching page and retrieving the attached images (which is probably what SpoilerSync does).

Menion · April 27, 2011, 11:32:01

hmm so spoiler will no be in Locus. Access data on gc.com pages violate their terms of use! I'm already parsing all gc.com data in my next application SmartMaps and this is really terrible experience

I'll look on pre-loading of images later but cannot promise.

AlfredW · April 27, 2011, 16:19:11

Thanks for the information. At least the situation is clear :-)

RedSpawn · June 16, 2011, 18:04:42

i tried using a local html file, but it won't work.

i change in gpx:
<url>file:///sdcard/tst.htm</url>
but nothing happens when i click on "Web page"

When i insert an image:
<url>file:///sdcard/tst.jpg</url>
it opens ok...

any ideas?

btw. i can open the html file in the browser

RedSpawn · June 17, 2011, 13:44:06

i managed to make cache-images gallery:
i put a link to a local .html file into the "longdescription" part of the gpx:
<groundspeak:long_description html="True"><a href="file:///external_sd/Locus/spoiler/GC1Z987.html">cache images</a>

[attachment=1:1bsxci12]1.jpg[/attachment:1bsxci12]

[attachment=0:1bsxci12]2.jpg[/attachment:1bsxci12]

AlfredW · June 17, 2011, 15:50:40

Hi RedSpawn,
How is this local HTML generated? I guess you need to generate it outside of Locus?
Alfred

RedSpawn · June 17, 2011, 15:55:47

yes, the html file is created on your PC, you can use "SpoilerSync" for this.
the problem is getting the links to the .html file into the gpx file.

wvb · July 01, 2011, 08:32:10

I am wondering since GC.com has their API opened up and more support for GC.com will come to Locus if this part can also be done by it.
If GC.com Premium members could download full caches on the go trough Locus we wouldn't need a PC anymore so it would be cool if the spoiler part could also be done by Locus.

dibrial · July 01, 2011, 08:53:03

Apart from the GSAK sql db coupling the GDAK developer also found a way to get the pictures and spoilers. //https://market.android.com/details?id=nl.wlsoft.tfnxDroid&feature=search_result (See description)
I've tested it with GSAK and it works for the pictures. Spoilers not tested.

Could something similiar be used for Locus?

Menion · July 01, 2011, 09:55:49

to be true, I don't want to read whole long text of this app description. What's the point? To support database of another program? And this database contain all geocaching data or just a pictures?

dibrial · July 01, 2011, 10:28:04

Quote from: "menion"to be true, I don't want to read whole long text of this app description. What's the point? To support database of another program? And this database contain all geocaching data or just a pictures?

The point is just the pictures. I don't see any extra's in connecting to the GSAK database. All items are perfectly handled by Locus.

Quote from: "GDAK description:"• In Windows Explorer, go to your GSAK databases folder. Find the subfolder named GrabbedImages (Note: No dot for this one!). From GrabbedImages, copy the file named files.db3 to the GDAK .GrabbedImages folder you created in the preceding paragraph.
• Now make one or more subfolders under the GDAK .GrabbedImages directory (the subfolder names can be anything you like). Then copy the grabbed images from the GSAK GrabbedImages folder to the new subfolders. Each folder can contain about 20,000 images.?

I can get GSAK to download all the pictures into a folder, together with the db3.

Maybe I can place these files in a Locus folder to get all images in Locus cache, without having to open them all or connect to internet.
Please advise folder location (I can't find the cached pictures in Locus/cache/...).