GSAK Data
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This section describes high-level data management within GSAK - much more detail and discussion could be provided, but hopefully this will get you started. First, two important concepts to understand:
- Databases: GSAK supports multiple databases - you can have as many as you like. These are discreet, unrelated collections of caches, and can be organized in a variety of ways.
- Filters: This allows you to select a subset of the caches in the current database, on virtually any attribute imaginable: Found status, difficulty, terrain, type, owner, date last found - and combinations much more complicated than these.
Again, I will describe how I have opted to organize and store my data in GSAK, as it applies to my overall processes. YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) - and I welcome any suggestions or changes which can enhance the process.
My 'primary' database is called "NotFound". This is where I will load all my Pocket Queries, and log found caches, etc. This database is very dynamic – meaning, I wipe it clean almost every time I load a new Pocket Query. The goal is to eliminate 'stale' data, including caches that have been either archived or temporarily disabled, or caches that I have found.
Other key databases include: "Found", and "Owned". I also have a variety of other databases I use infrequently, such as "Blitz", "RoadTrip", and "Working" - but for the purposes of this discussion, only NotFound, Found, and Owned will be relevant. Contents are probably self explanatory, but just to be clear:
- NotFound: These database includes the contents of my collection of PQs, and is my 'pool' of unfound caches.
- Found: Just like the name says - these are the caches I've found. One point worth mentioning - it is within this database that I track my FTFs, by simply editing the cache and selecting the FTF attribute.
- Owned: This is a database of all the caches I've placed - active, disabled, and archived. Creating a PQ for caches you 'own' will help with populating this database, but may not include all the caches or logs. There are useful macros which can help with this - perhaps more on this as time
permits.
As for Filters - you'll likely end up with a LOT of them. Ones that are critical to the processes below would include:
- Found caches (has the 'found' attribute, a find date, and perhaps even 'usort' information)
- FTF: Caches that you were First-To-Find
- DNF: Caches that you Did Not Find
- Close: Caches within a certain radius of a center point - useful when loading the GPSr with the 1000 caches closest to home.
Again, more on the databases and filters as I discuss the individual processes that involve them.
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