[cook46933]

Thanks! Is bcaching.com the same type of site as gsak.net? Can I use either with B*? I am a premium member, and the .gpx files seem much better. Do I need to something special with my BB Storm to activate the GPS in order to use this?

Unless GSAK has additional functionality that I don't know about, they are very different.

bcaching.com is a website that was created to allow geocachers access to the cache information from their pocket queries on a mobile browser. It is a great site. You will get an email address the you can put into your PQ as the email address to send it to, set up your PQ to run daily, or whenever, and it will automatically update bcaching.com. BlackStar is integrated with bcaching so that with the push of one button, it will download the 20 closest caches from bcaching and import them automatically into BlackStar. I have several PQs set up to run weekly, one for the closest to my home, one for the closest to my work, and a couple more for my favorite caching areas. So I am always up to date (within a day or two) in all my common areas.

In order to use bcaching, you must be a premium geocaching member, which you stated you are. The reason for this is that only premium gc members are able to run pocket queries. bcaching.com registration is free. You will need to initially run a "My Finds" PQ and import it to bcaching as part of your setup. In BlackStar, you need to go into the options screen for bcaching and enter your userid and password and click the validate login button, then you are all set.

As far as needing to do anything special to activate your GPS, no it is already activated, but it could be turned off. Just go to your phone's options / advanced / gps and make sure it is on.

[cook46933]

To clarify my previous post, the difference between bcaching and GSAK is that GSAK is a PC application which stores your PQs on your PC. So you must be on your computer to have access to your cache information. bcaching is a web-based application which allows you access to your PQs over a web interface so you can access it anywhere you have an internet connection.

When I said they were very different I meant bcaching.com compared to gsak.net website. The main point is that I do not believe gsak.net hosts any cache information online unless there is something I don't know about.

[eikogirl]

Thank you so much for this info! I can't wait to try B*, bcaching.com, and caching with my BB!

[DaIceMan]

I tried to import a gpx file i downloaded at bikemap.net into blackstar.
It says "parsing file" for 0.5 seconds but the waypoints don't appear in the list.

How can I solve this problem?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Same problem for me...

I am a new Premium Member at geocaching.com, so I'm not sure how long a GPX normally takes to import.

I created a route of 91 miles with 28 caches along the way. Created the GPX (Buffalo_Loop.gpx) and saved to my media card in my BB Curve 8310. When I try to import the file, it says Parsing File for about .5 seconds, then gives way to a white screen which states "Please wait while the file is imported...". This screen has been the same for over 5 minutes at this point. Happened with the previous version of BlackStar as well as the new version I just installed.

[PvT]

Just grabbed 1.5. Thank you.

Haven't been on the CrackBerry.com forum for a few months now, but just came back to see if anything new with BlackStar... Viola a new version

[cook46933]

Same problem for me...

I am a new Premium Member at geocaching.com, so I'm not sure how long a GPX normally takes to import.

I created a route of 91 miles with 28 caches along the way. Created the GPX (Buffalo_Loop.gpx) and saved to my media card in my BB Curve 8310. When I try to import the file, it says Parsing File for about .5 seconds, then gives way to a white screen which states "Please wait while the file is imported...". This screen has been the same for over 5 minutes at this point. Happened with the previous version of BlackStar as well as the new version I just installed.

The problem obrax was having is that he was loading in a route instead of a list of waypoints. If you open your GPX file in a text editor, do you see a bunch of <wpt lat="xx.xxxxx" lon="-xx.xxxxx"> tags, or do you see <trkpt lat="xx.xxxx" lon="-xx.xxxx">

I suspect your file is a route which will use the trkpt tags which BlackStar will not recognize at this point. If not, then feel free to post the file, or email it to [email protected].

[DaIceMan]

Sorry... I meant to say that I was getting the same "parsing file" screen and nothing loading.

I tried to paste as code, but the tags didn't work. I have attached the text from the file that was created by geocaching.com

[cook46933]

That file contains <rtept> tags, ie <rtept lat="xx.xxxxx" lon="-yy.yyyyy" />
BlackStar is not set up to recognize these tags

[DaIceMan]

That file contains <rtept> tags, ie <rtept lat="xx.xxxxx" lon="-yy.yyyyy" />
BlackStar is not set up to recognize these tags

The GPX came from geocaching.com. Where would I create a GPX of a route that Blackstar does recognize?

...or is it possible to replace (text find and replace) the <rtept> tags with tags that are recognized by Blackstar?

[cook46933]

You cannot load routes into BlackStar at all. The best you could do would be to reformat the file into a series of <wpt> tags, but you would also need to include a <name> to keep them all unique.

[RnRJunkie]

I've had this app for 2 days now. I have a friend who is obsessed with cache hunting. I like the app and its been very helpful for someone like me who is on a budget and can't spend a few hundred on a new gps. I have the storm and it works great...the only complaint I have is the battery life. Even when I'm not using the app, my battery life has been cut down drastically. Last night when I went to sleep I had a full battery, and when I woke up it was half done. The app works wonderfully but is it constantly connected or what? I'm just curious as to why my battery is constantly drained even when not using the app.

[cook46933]

I've had this app for 2 days now. I have a friend who is obsessed with cache hunting. I like the app and its been very helpful for someone like me who is on a budget and can't spend a few hundred on a new gps. I have the storm and it works great...the only complaint I have is the battery life. Even when I'm not using the app, my battery life has been cut down drastically. Last night when I went to sleep I had a full battery, and when I woke up it was half done. The app works wonderfully but is it constantly connected or what? I'm just curious as to why my battery is constantly drained even when not using the app.

If you exit out of BlackStar by using the "Red Hang Up Button", then you are not really exiting, you are only pushing it to the background. It will continue to poll the GPS and chew up the battery in that state. You need to exit using the menu button or the "escape" button.

Also if you open BBMaps or Google Maps from within BlackStar, make sure you close out of them properly too.

[bucky716]

Only issue I had with this app was the compass seemed to be pointless. It worked perfectly the first time but after that I just relied on the distance to see if it got us closer or further away.

[SleeperSell]

I was looking for a good compass/gps program for my phone a few months ago and discovered the BlackStar app with a google search.

At the time I had never even heard of geocashing, now I am totally hooked.

Thanks for the update, I need to upgrade.

[camarojones]

DAMN MAN!!!

I just read the thread of your original creation, and tried to install it. LOL
When I realized that you were putting out too many updates, I continued reading.

I love my old basic Garmin GPS because of all the bells and whistles about the information, and I've been looking for something similar.

Needless to say, I found this thread with the actual end-product. WOW! Keep up the good work boss!!!!

[byerssha]

I downloaded a gpx from geocaching.com, a single cache. When I try to import it from my BB memory card into Blackstar, the app hangs, "Please wait while the file is imported." Do you have to be outdoors to import a file? I was outside when I started but had to come in. Other than that how do I get past this problem? Thanks.

[byerssha]

I followed instructions earlier on this thread, and looked at my gpx file with a text reader. It looks like the whole geocaching.com page. So I downloaded the same cache as a loc file and it imported fine. Problem is loc files all have the same name, so they'll have to have their names changed, whereas gpx files of single caches have the cache code as the file name.

[cook46933]

I followed instructions earlier on this thread, and looked at my gpx file with a text reader. It looks like the whole geocaching.com page. So I downloaded the same cache as a loc file and it imported fine. Problem is loc files all have the same name, so they'll have to have their names changed, whereas gpx files of single caches have the cache code as the file name.

There is a problem that we have been trying to figure out with SOME geocaching pages. It seems to be with either smilies or blank lines in the logs. And it does not occur on the Storm, but it does on the curve.

Try a different cache to see if it will work. You could also post or PM me the name of the cache and I can check it out.

[nobius]

How are Waypoints stored? I lost some of my waypoints after having to do a wipe even though I did a Save 3rd Party Applications & Data option.

And will the next version fix the tiny fonts on the Waypoints screen?

[cmhbb]

HAd the app for a few days. It really eats the battery up and my distance does not work when the app is on and the speed works. What up?

[cook46933]

How are Waypoints stored? I lost some of my waypoints after having to do a wipe even though I did a Save 3rd Party Applications & Data option.

And will the next version fix the tiny fonts on the Waypoints screen?

The waypoints are stored on the Blackberry's persistent store, which is housed in the phones flash memory. I remember looking it up once, but forgot the details. Unfortunately, I do not think there will be any way to get your data back.

[cook46933]

HAd the app for a few days. It really eats the battery up and my distance does not work when the app is on and the speed works. What up?

The fact that it is constantly polling the GPS, it will chew up your battery much faster that normal. Just the nature of the beast.

The distance is the distance to your selected destination. If you don't have a destination waypoint selected, the distance will remain blank.

With the addition of the tracking, it seems users are getting this confused with the distance travelled on your route. We have it documented to create a new field to display the distance travelled when recording a route.

[Blacklatino]

Sweet! Good job with the upgrades

[nik.martin]

FYI, I just tried to go to the BlackStar site, and it's down.

[cook46933]

FYI, I just tried to go to the BlackStar site, and it's down.

The website is back up again. Sorry for any inconvenience.