GeOrg version 1.1.8
Finally GeOrg 1.1.8 is ready for release. For a detailed list of changes, please have a look at the Changelog. These are the main features in this release:
- New and updated solvers:
We added more solvers to GeOrg. Namely: Character-to-numbers (A=1, B=2, …), Digit Sum-calculation, Number-System-conversion, Playfair- and Vigenere-cypher and UTM-conversion. The Caesar-cypher now also features a scrollable preview of solutions for a given crypto-text. - Extended connector-options:
GeOrg now features an extended set of actions connectors may implement. The connector-interface is now dynamic, meaning that developers may decide not to support all of the new actions and GeOrg will simply not offer these actions or keep them grayed out if the current connector does not support them. There’s also a new connector-sample, showcasing the new actions and implementing some of them. Among the new actions supported by GeOrg are “Log via connector” and “Upload Field Notes”. We also improved the error messages produced by the sample connector. - Cachelistings:
There have been several improvements made here, the most noteable probably the inclusion of Groundspeak attributes in the listing (provided, you configured your PQs to include attributes (GPX 1.0.1)). Also, GeOrg now imports GSAK User-Notes and -Logs, shows you existing Field Notes within the listing and creates hyperlinks from coordinates in listings that lead you to the waypoint-creation dialog. - Map:
There are bigger changes to the map planned for 1.2.x, but 1.1.8 includes support for zipped andnav- and sqlite-tilepacks, shows GC-Vote-ratings in cache-bubbles and allows you to switch to a less complex target-frame (the area on top of the screen if you are navigating) with a bigger font. - Compass:
… speaking of bigger fonts – the compass target-frame now also features a “simple-mode”. And after you had a look at that, you could try out the new radar-view that can be reached by pressing the button on the lower right of the compass. - Navigation:
You may switch off navigation-options you don’t need in the settings. One thing you might not want to switch off, though, is the new support for Google Navigation which leads you directly to Google’s turn-by-turn navigation-solution (on supported devices, only). - Settings:
For those of you, who like to experiment and often reflash their phone, you can now backup all of GeOrg’s settings to SD. After reinstalling GeOrg, you can just restore you settings from the Settings-Page’s menu and you’re done. - Find Nearby:
If you use connectors – these might be interesting to you: The last search-radius is now kept, no more constant switching back to 500m-radius. Also you can see which of the caches displayed are already in your CacheDB and you can jump to these listings directly from within the Find Nearby-Page. - Field Notes:
You configure a default-found-text in the settings that will be included in every “found”-type Field Note you create. That way you can define a signature to use in all Field Notes. Also, single Field Notes can now be send as messages. Than, Android will come up with a list of apps that will send the message, like Twidroid or such. Please note that the official Facebook-app will not allow you to send messages that way (for whatever reason, they don’t allow other apps connecting to them in this way). If you still want to send messages to facebook, there are other clients, like Tweetcaster, for example, who got the facebook-connection working correctly.
Of course, there are more changes, still, so if you’re interested, head over to the Changelog. The next release will add multi-language support to GeOrg, beginning with a German translation.
Please keep us updated about your experiences with GeOrg, features you’d like included or bugs you encounter. Happy caching! 
GeOrg version 1.1.7.8
Another bugfix – cachelistings were showing any file in the spoilers-directory that began with the GC-code of the cache – even non-images. This caused a crash during the image-cleanup introduced with the last bugfix. Now only images will be displayed and invalid images won’t cause crashes anymore. Thanks for reporting this bug!
Happy geocaching!
Improved speed with Froyo?
Ever since the JIT-compiler in Froyo was announced, I was interested in comparing the speed of Android 2.1 vs 2.2. So before I installed the OTA-update, I measured one of the longest running actions in GeOrg – the GPX import – to compare it with the post-Froyo-import. Some tests have claimed dramatic speed improvements with Froyo, and of course the improvement depends on the type of the test (CPU, graphics, IO,..). So without further ado, here’s what to expect for the GPX import:
Test-case: Zipped Groundspeak PQ (500 caches, 97 add.waypoints, 546 TBs, 3385kB unpacked data), 3 test-runs – averaged time in seconds, GeOrg 1.1.7.5, HTC Desire:
| Operating system | Time for import |
|---|---|
| Android 2.1 | 26.6s |
| Android 2.2 | 21s |
To be honest, I expected a bit more, but then again, I already tuned the import a lot to speed it up. In general, from my user-experience, Froyo seems a bit faster to me (maybe only because I expect it to be), but not exceptionally faster.
Happy caching!
GeOrg version 1.1.7.7
This update fixes some Out Of Memory-issues when using Google Maps or viewing caches with large / too many spoiler pictures.
Happy geocaching!
GeOrg version 1.1.7.6
As the Android Froyo-release is currently being rolled out all over european HTC Desires (we just got our OTA), here’s a GeOrg release that supports being moved to SD.
Don’t get fooled by the numbers in the application-settings, though. GeOrg uses symbolic links to link CacheDBs on your SD-Card to internal storage. That way they don’t use the precious internal storage, but the settings-app still counts the CacheDB’s size as if it belonged to internal memory. Waiting for 2.3 to fix that 
Happy geocaching!
BirdBox 1.0.0
Last friday we finally published our second app on the Android Market. The ‘BirdBox’ contains voices and pictures of the 100 most common german birds and aids you in identifying them, managing your sightings and even features a quiz. As the app is relevant for Germany, Switzerland and Austria only, it’s available only for german market-participants and the site and app are written in german. Here’s the scoop for our german readers:
Am letzten Freitag haben wir endlich unsere zweite App auf dem Android Market herausgebracht. Die BirdBox zeigt Euch die hundert häufigsten Vögel Deutschlands mit Gesängen, Rufen und Bildern. Ihr könnt Vögel anhand von Merkmalen, die Ihr beobachtet habt, suchen und bestimmen, Eure Sichtungen als Wegpunkte verwalten und Euer Wissen in einem Quiz testen. Die Anwendung kostet 2,50€. Wenn Ihr mehr wissen wollt – schaut Euch die Webseite der BirdBox an.
That said – back to work on 1.1.8 Happy caching!
GeOrg version 1.1.7.5
Fixed a bug for low-density-devices (like the Tattoo), where the date/time-dialog (e.g. when entering Field Notes or using the SunMoon-Solver) was not fully displayed. Due to the size of the widgets in that dialog I introduced a small scollbar for these devices.
GeOrg version 1.1.7.4
Another bugfix. If you encountered sporadic inconsistent behaviour between different pages of the app (varying Found-Count, locationprovider, etc.), this bugfix is for you
Back to working on the next feature release – Happy caching!
GeOrg version 1.1.7.3
This bugfix release contains some smaller fixes for the Field Note-system, especially the Found Count. Also, GeOrg now recognizes your timezone correctly and uses that in the Field Note-export. Make sure you use the same timezone in your Groundspeak profile or else your Field Notes might suffer from jet-lag
Happy caching!
GeOrg version 1.1.7.2
GeOrg 1.1.7.2 is ready and has just been uploaded to the Android Market. Please find the detailed list of changes and fixes is available in the Changelog. The most relevant changes are:
- Field Notes:
The main effort for this release has gone into providing a Field Note-System that not only lets you mark caches as found/dnf, but also tracks the time of the found and saves optional comments, you might want to enter. Later you can export all your Field Notes from a separate menu to your SD-card or as an email-attachment (the latter requiring Android 2.0+) and upload them to Groundspeak to complete your logs.
A more detailed description of the process will be added to the manual soon.
- GPS-compass:
Some of you have asked for switching between the magnetic and the gps-compass. The gps-compass takes its data from the gps-provider. Whenever you are moving, the gps-provider tracks your heading and this is, what is used in the compass. You can configure a threshold speed – below that speed, the magnetic compass is used, above it, the gps-compass kicks in.This feature might make sense for you, if you want to use GeOrg in your car or if you are unsatisfied with the performance of the magnetic compass in your device. Be aware that the gps-compass can only provide useful data when you are moving. If you are standing still (and have configured the threshold to 0 km/h or mph) it won’t work.
- Fast scroll CacheDB:
In bigger CacheDBs, scrolling used to take some time. With the fast scrollbar, you can nearly instantly reach the bottom of your 2K CacheDB.
The next release will still be a 1.1.7.x-version and will contain extended connector-support and more solvers. Stay tuned
Have fun with the new release and please contact us if you have any problems or feature requests.
