TreasureHunt GeoCaching PPC App

[+powersfamily]

I have been working on a new Pocket PC Geocaching application to use on my touch pro (or any gps enabled vga windows mobile 6 device).

 

And I am proud to present my initial beta, stop on by digitalpowers.com for TreasureHunt and let me know what you think.

 

Features:

Allows searching of GPX files for "nearest" caches.

Allows Compass and arrow navigation to selected caches.

Viewing of logs, travel bugs, and cache details for any cache in a gpx.

 

A few details, this is a beta, a very early beta, please let me know if you have any trouble and let me know if you wish it behaved differently. It only uses meters for distances at the moment because I am still writing it but I have the code in place to do other units and once I am closer to out of beta I will enable it.

At the moment this is only for VGA PPC's, I am working on QVGA as well but I don't have it yet.

 

Thanks!

[+powersfamily]

I got a very nice email from a fellow cacher with some great tips, I am still implementing some of the things but I got some of it done as well as QVGA support. I also fixed a couple of bugs I found. Go forth and try it (and leave me feedback so I can improve it!)

 

** ChangeLog 1.0.1.3

- Added a link to cache web page

- Added Home coordinates so searching can be done with no gps signal (set home coordinates on settings page)

- Modified the display of logs to scale better for bigger logs

- Added QVGA Support

[+sk1pmcgee]

I got a very nice email from a fellow cacher with some great tips, I am still implementing some of the things but I got some of it done as well as QVGA support. I also fixed a couple of bugs I found. Go forth and try it (and leave me feedback so I can improve it!)

 

** ChangeLog 1.0.1.3

- Added a link to cache web page

- Added Home coordinates so searching can be done with no gps signal (set home coordinates on settings page)

- Modified the display of logs to scale better for bigger logs

- Added QVGA Support

 

As a fellow geocacher using an AT&T Tilt (QVGA PPC). I have tried numerous paperless caching programs (BeeLineGPS, RicheeseeGPS, Etc) I still have not found one in which the compass moves when you are standing still.

 

Everytime I get to a point where I stop moving the compass just spins, and I have to almost jog or run to get the compass pointing in the right direction again. Does your program, Treasure Hunt, fix this problem? I am going to download it and find out anyway, but it would be nice to get your opinion.

 

Thanks

[+powersfamily]

Unfortunately no it doesn't solve the problem with the compass and I can tell you why as well as some bad news. First off until they add an actual compass (electronic none the less but a compass) device to the ppc we will be forced to use your calculated heading. What I mean to say is that your GPS does not actually know which direction your facing, it must guess based on the last couple of points it saw you at, it takes those draws a line between then and assumes your pointing that direction. The obvious problem with that is that GPS's jump around quite a bit and so once you stop moving the arrow is prone to jump around a bit. I like many programmers before me attempt to minimize the jumping around a bit by trying to detect when you stop moving and stop updating the bearing but doing to much of that causes the compass to become unresponsive with small moves. It is all a big trade off and the only solution is to use a real compass or just know what the problem is and live with it.

 

Cheers,

Josh