Using the Cacher Comparison Calculator with GSAK

Situation: You and a friend want to go out caching, and you'd like to have a list of caches that neither of you have found. You could each generate a Pocket Query for the area you're heading to and play the "Have you found this one yet? How about this one?" game, or with a few simple tools, you could figure it out automatically!

If you're already a user of GSAK, you're probably already familiar with its powerful filtering tools. Combine that with the power of macros, and you can really do some fun stuff! Here's how to get a list of caches that are new for both of you.

Load up your stats!

For this to work, both your stats need to exist in INATN, and your user names need to be visible.

Generate your combined find list

Load up your stats, then go to the Compare page and select the name of your friend to run the comparison. Three lists are generated. The first is just a fun list showing caches you have both found along with the cache names. The second is all the GC codes for the caches that both of you have found. The third is all the GC codes for caches that either one of you have found.

Install a GSAK macro

Here's a short macro you need to install into GSAK. Copy all the text in the box below. With GSAK open, select Macro > Edit/Create to open the macro editor. Paste in the code and save the macro with a useful name. Exit the editor.

VERCHECK VERSION=6.6.0.0 (Please update GSAK to the latest version to run this macro - see http://gsak.net) INPUT MSG="Paste in your GC code list from INATN into the box below. Don't worry, the box is small, but they'll all fit!" VARNAME=$codes SET $continue = true SET $current = 1 SHOWSTATUS MSG="Processing caches. This may take a few minutes..." WHILE $continue=true #Continue only if there was still a code last time $gc=EXTRACT($codes, "; ", $current) IF SEEK($gc) #make sure code is valid before updating user data $d_userflag = true ENDIF $current = $current + 1 IF $gc="" #There wasn't another GC number, so we're finished $continue = false ENDIF ENDWHILE

Generate Pocket Queries

You and your friend each need to run a Pocket Query to cover all the caches in the area you want to visit. Remember that it's a violation of the Groundspeak TOU to share Pocket Queries, so you'll each need to do this on your own. Import the PQ into GSAK. If you use user flags in GSAK, you probably want to import the PQ into a new database.

Run the macro!

In GSAK, select Macro > Run... (or use control-m), click the folder icon to find the macro you just saved, then click OK and OK again. You'll see this:

From the comparison results screen, copy everything from either the second or third (recommended if you want to have caches that neither of you have found) box and paste it all into the tiny box at the bottom of the macro form. Click OK, and give it a few minutes to work. The macro will look at the current database and check the user flag box for every cache that either one of you have found.

Add a few extra filters

Now that the macro is done, you can add a few extra filter conditions. Here's what I use:

This will filter the database down to caches that aren't checked (meaning neither of you have found them), cached that are available, and caches that neither of you own.

If you want to add a third cacher to your group, simply run C³ again and compare yourself to that third cacher. Use the GSAK macro again to check off any additional caches that the third person has found. Repeat as necessary.

Load up your GPSr and go out caching!