Groundspeak Portal

I have an up to date bundle of text files, which are the expanded descriptions of all categories for use in the field. As most waymark managers don't alter their initial description, these descriptions are pretty much up to date. I do check for changes. Eg  octagonal buildings. Each text file has a link back to the waymark category.
As new categories are created I usually add the expanded description straight away using the 'Newest Category' link.

Then I load the text files on to my PDA for paperless waymarking. Palm Zire 71 or Palm 505. The PDA's search feature will find the category I'm looking for. This will hopefully support Groundspeak's drive to create waymarks and missed opportunities to create a waymark through not knowing the requirements set by the Category Managers.

Now for some stats
I have around 455 Categories which can be found in Europe, 51 more which can only be found outside Europe.

Folder full of text files size just over 1 Mb.
Compressed zip file of all text files size about 600 kb

If waymarkers want to download these archives, they are here.
Where I'll endeavour to keep them up to date. I have found this method very useful. Now paperless for all GPS activities.

This looks great...I think that Hikenutty should get a hold of you.  This would make a great add-on to the wayward waymarking website where there are a few downloads available for use including a tracking table that I put together.

KE

I'm not a PDA user, so I'm not really sure how these work.  What type of files are they?  I'd love to have them for the tools section of Wayward Waymarking though.  The page has links to different tools that folks have created to help them manage their waymarking habit. Lists, spreadsheets, that type of stuff.   The tools are available to be downloaded by the Waymarking community and the folks who created them send me updates so I can keep the tools current.  If this is something that you'd be interested in sharing with Wayward, let me know.  It sounds pretty useful.  Might just finally convince me to buy a PDA.

Nice I got it.

Thanks for the nice work.

oops typo in title. Expanded
never mind.
Once people have grabbed their copy of the zip files, they could keep their store up to date by copying new category's web page and pasting into a text editor.

I delete the text 'Category Settings:
Waymarks can be added to this category
New waymarks of this category are reviewed by the category group prior to approval
Category is visible in the directory'

either manually or with BKreplacem.

New categories seam to appear after the weekend.

To aid you in facilitating this you might want to start a Forum thread about "Category Description Has Been Updated"

Not only would this alert you to when changes take place, but everyone would know they should look again before making a new Waymark in those Categories.

BQ

I've added flipflopnick's bundle of text descriptions to the Wayward Website on the tools page.  Look for the download in the "Paperless Waymarking" section of the page. 

I try to do monthly updates of all the tools on the page to keep them as current as possible and I will try to remember to post on the "Updates on Wayward" thread when they are updated.  Thanks for this helpful new tool, flipflopnick!  I may finally have to go out and buy a replacement PDA for my old, dead Palm m105, now.

this is a great tool, flipflopnick .  i went in and modified the title on those that looked similar, such as independent pizza shops, as my pda had all of them looking the same.  and with independent donut shops, too.  by the way, those are real easy to find; just turn on your radar detector when in a new area..

 

I used it last weekend for the first time. Great tool to help with the prerequisites of a category.

Thanks.

More new categories have been added to categories.zip

Glad people find it of use.

more categories added to categories.zip in post #1
abandoned air force radar sites is latest

Categories.zip now has all the categories as text files. All European and all non-European (ie USA) are in. Over 644 categories, about 730 kB. Hopefully
HTH

This is a bit trickier if you have a Blackberry, since you can't save text files on a Blackberry.

This is what I just did as a workaround on my Blackberry (haven't tried using this solution "in the field" yet, but I think it should work:

- download and extract flipflopnick's zip file
- merge all the files into one large text file using Simple File Joiner ( http://www.peretek.com/sfj.php - use the free edition, not the Pro)
- select all text in the newly created joined file and copy it.
- paste it in an email that you send to the email account that you have access to on your Blackberry (please note - I had trouble pasting the text into Gmail..apparently it doesn't like about 1.5Mb of text pasted in there :-). Use a desktop email client if possible)
- open the email on your Blackberry and save it there

I've also sent the email to my Gmail account so I can always get to it using Google's Gmail for Blackberry application.

Hope this helps.

w8in:

Hope this helps.

OK, that didn't really work (leaving it up there in case any others have any ideas), because the email message gets truncated, even when saved. Also, in Gmail on the BB there is no search function within the email.

So I thought of something else that would work on the BB. This requires you to have a data subscription with your telephone carrier and access to the internet.

Point your BB browser (or your desktop browser for that matter) to http://www.w8in.com/wm and http://www.w8in.com/wm/OutsideEurope and you should get a listing of links to all the text files flipflopnick published.

OK, and now I really need to get out of the house to waymark before it gets dark :-)

Added latest categories, Barns and Made for Millennium, to categories.zip mentioned in first post.

URL of my hosting has changed to categories.zip
Old Url valid until May 1st, 2008. Please update your bookmarks.

Would like to edit initial posting in this thread, please moderator. Change URL

flipflopnick:

I have an up to date bundle of text files, which are the expanded descriptions of all categories for use in the field. As most waymark managers don't alter their initial description, these descriptions are pretty much up to date. I do check for changes. Eg  octagonal buildings. Each text file has a link back to the waymark category.
As new categories are created I usually add the expanded description straight away using the 'Newest Category' link.

Then I load the text files on to my PDA for paperless waymarking. Palm Zire 71 or Palm 505. The PDA's search feature will find the category I'm looking for. This will hopefully support Groundspeak's drive to create waymarks and missed opportunities to create a waymark through not knowing the requirements set by the Category Managers.

Now for some stats
I have around 455 Categories which can be found in Europe, 51 more which can only be found outside Europe.

Folder full of text files size just over 1 Mb.
Compressed zip file of all text files size about 600 kb

If waymarkers want to download these archives, they are here.
Where I'll endeavour to keep them up to date. I have found this method very useful. Now paperless for all GPS activities.

Edited the link and added a "p" to the title.

These are so much appreciated, flipflopnick.  Tnks for your efforts.

Found MiniOffice Palm office suite programs. FREEWARE from solutionsinhand.com Excellent reader of converted text files.
categories.zip updated

Here's how I create this archive and use it. Works in Win32 and Linux. Sorry not got a Mac.

How to create categories.zip archive.

Create text files.
0 Put kettle on.
1 Use Mozilla Firefox browser with Add-on 'Plain Text to Link'.
1a Have a look in PTTL preferences. Make sure 'Save to file' is ticked.
2 Follow link to NEWEST categories.
3 Open each new category in separate tab.
4 Expand each page's 'additional information'.
5 Highlight text from category name to end of variables.
6 Right click and choose copy.
7 Right click again and choose 'Save to file', part of PTTL add-on.
8 Navigate to 'categories' folder.
9 Paste in filename box. (Clever!)
10 Add .txt to end of filename and delete space at beginning of filename.
11 Save file.
11a Pour boiled water in to cup or tea pot.

Now to clean up new text file.
12 Open new files in Text Editor.
13 Delete 'allows ratings'
14 Delete 'Managed By: Icon Here'
15 Delete 'Expanded Description:'
16 Delete ' Description:'
17 Delete 'Category Settings:'
18 Delete ' Waymarks can be added to this category'
19 Delete 'New waymarks of this category are reviewed by the category group prior to approval'
20 Delete 'Category is visible in the directory'
21 Save file.
The above deletions are automated with BKreplacem, which works under WINE.
21a Remove tea bag or pour tea in to cup. Add milk and honey.

Create Archive
22 Open categories.zip.
23 Drag new files into archive, after deciding if potential waymarks are likely to be Outside Europe.

Make publicly available.
23 Use FireFTP add-on in Firefox, or Gnome Commander or FileZilla or Opera or any FTP program.
24 Upload categories.zip to server by FTP.
25 Drink tea.

Use text files in the field.
26 Scrounge old PDA from friend. Palm M500 or above. WinCE device. Notes feature of iPod. Mobile smartphone?
27 Load text files on to PDA.
28 Go Waymarking. No excuse not to get all photos and requirements set by category managers.
29 Record Waymark Co-ordinates in separate file on PDA. Spreadsheet or text file?
30 Repeat weekly or suffer withdrawal symptoms.

See _howto.txt in categories.zip
HTH