Reverse Geocaching

Background

This app was created out of frustration about the problems with the WhereYouGo app, which no longer worked on my Android 12 phone. I was according to the reviews of the WhereYouGo app, various forums on the internet and the issues page on github certainly not the only one. Since I used the WhereYouGo app mainly for finding Reverse Caches I decided to build an app myself that has the same functionality as the "The Reverse Cache - beta" Wherigo cartridge that Waldmeister offers.

From this idea the Reverse Geocaching app was created, which enables people with an Android phone/tablet without the WhereYouGo app to search with the same three numerical codes to be able to find Reverse Caches. From version 1.3 it is also possible to use codes for the ReWind Wherigo cartridge from Technetium, which added some new game modes (direction, hot/cold and angle to cache).

So the Reverse Geocaching app is not intended to replace the WhereYouGo app and is not able to run Wherigo cartridges! I definitely don't want to speak evil about the WhereYouGo app. Maintaining and adjusting such a large project with all the new (stricter) Google rules and changes in the latest Android versions is a huge job.

Ads, rights & privacy

This app is totally FREE! It contains NO ads and/or in-app purchases.

Rights

The app requests access to the (exact) location of the phone/tablet. This one is obviously necessary to determine the location (and therefore distance) to the final coordinates. The location is only retrieved and used in the "play" screen of the app, not in the other screens.
The app automatically gets the right to access the internet. The app has no connections to servers on the Web. Internet access is only used in the cache detail page to open the (optionally) specified geocache on www.geocaching.com (or in the geocaching app if installed), if you click the button with the GC-code.

Privacy

The information that is stored, such as added reverse caches and the attempts including the time and locations of these attempts, are only stored on the phone/tablet NOT anywhere on the Web! This means that if the app is removed from the phone, this data will be lost.


Main screen

When starting the app, all saved and played reverse caches are shown, except when the app is started for the first time (then the list will be empty). Press the name of a reverse cache to access it and start playing (search) or request the details.

Reverse caches with a green circle with a check mark in front of them, are an indicator for resolved caches. These caches can no longer be played, but the details, such as the final coordinates and the number of attempts can be viewed.

By pressing the garbage can icon to the right of a reverse cache, a reverse cache be removed.

To add a new reverse cache, click the round green button with the "plus" icon at the bottom of the screen.

Add Cache

There are a number of mandatory and non-mandatory fields on this screen. The mandatory required fields are:

  • Name
When code type "Waldmeister" is selected:
  • Code 1
  • Code 2
  • Code 3
On code type "ReWind":
  • ReWind code
The name is visible in the list of caches on the main screen. The three Waldmeister codes are the codes contained in the geocache listing or received after solving a puzzle. If you have a ReWind code, select code type "ReWind" and fill in the obtained text code.

The name entered in the "Name" field is the name visible in the list on the main screen and can be set to whatever you like. It is allowed to give two caches the same name, but is not useful because these caches are then difficult to keep them apart on the main screen.

For the type of code you can choose from "Waldmeister" and "ReWind". Choose (default) Waldmeister if the cache listing mentions the "Reverse cache" and there are three 6-digit numbers available. If the cache listing mentions a "ReWind" cache, choose "ReWind". This code consists of only 1 code with only letters (and most likely dashes).

Waldmeister codes In the "Code 1", "Code 2" and "Code 3" fields, enter the three (six-digit) codes that come with the geocache. Often the codes for the Wherigo cartridge of "Waldmeister" are given on three lines, because they must also be entered that way when starting the cartridge. "Code 1" in this app is the code on the first line, "Code 2" is the code on the second line, and "Code 3" is the code on the third line.
The entered codes will be checked for validity before saving and if one or more codes are incorrect, the app will notify you. A cache cannot be saved with incorrect codes.

ReWind code In the field "Rewind Code" the obtained ReWind code must be entered. The entered code will be checked for validity before saving and if incorrect, the app will notify you. A cache cannot be saved with an incorrect code.

In the field "GC Code" you can enter the GC code of the associated geocache. This is not mandatory, however it has the advantage that if this has been filled in, a button becomes available with which you can immediately access the specified geocache on www.geocaching.com or in the official geocaching app (if installed).

To save the new cache, use the button "SAVE" and with the button "CANCEL" or by navigating back in the app, the new cache is not saved.


Cache Details

From the list of reverse caches on the main screen, press the cache you want to play (caches with a green circle in front have already been solved and can no longer be played!). The details of the selected reverse cache are now shown, how many attempts have already been made and a "FIND CACHE" button. With this button the game can be started.

If a GC Code was specified when adding a new cache, a button with this GC code can be used to go directly to the relevant geocache www.geocaching.com or in the Geocaching app (if installed).
If no GC code is specified, the button will be disabled (grey).

Play Cache (search) - Default

From the cache details screen you can start "playing" a reverse cache by using the "FIND CACHE" button.

Use the "CALCULATE DISTANCE" button to determine the distance to the cache. Every time the button is used, the attempt is recorded and saved on the phone. When the distance is requested and you are within 20 meters from the (physical) cache location, then the cache is solved and the app shows the coordinates of the cache. The button then disappears and the distance is now continuously updated to get closer to the cache.

The app will request access to the (exact) location (GPS) of the phone the first time. It is very important that this permission is given, because without an exact GPS location it is not possible to play.
The app then waits for the device to determine the GPS location before the "CALCULATE DISTANCE" button will be made available.

Use the “back” button on your phone (the left arrow next to the text "Find Cache") or the general back button of the phone to return to the cache details screen. If a GC code was entered for the cache, then the button with the GC code can be used to directly find the geocache on www.geocaching.com or in the Geocaching app.


Play Cache (search) - ReWind

From the cache details screen you can start "playing" a (ReWind) reverse cache by using the "FIND CACHE" button.

Depending on the game mode determined by the ReWind code, the app will provide hints on how to find the cache. The ReWind cache has the following game modes:

  • Direction (North, East, South and West)
  • Warm/Cold
  • Distance (same as original Waldmeister Reverse Cache)
  • Angle compared to cache location (0 up to 359 degrees, clockwise)
Use the "CALCULATE DIRECTION", "WARM OR COLD", "CALCULATE DISTANCE" or "CALCULATE ANGLE" button to get a hint about the location of the cache. Each time the button is pressed, the attempt is recorded and saved on the phone. When a hint is requested and one is within 20 meters from the (physical) cache location, then the cache is solved and the app shows the coordinates of the cache. The button disappears and the distance is now continuously updated to get closer to the cache.

The app will request access to the (exact) location (GPS) of the phone the first time. It is very important that this permission is given, because without an exact GPS location it is not possible to play.
The app then waits for the device to determine the GPS location before the "CALCULATE DISTANCE" button will be made available.

Use the “back” button on your phone (the left arrow next to the text "Find Cache") or the general back button of the phone to return to the cache details screen. If a GC code was entered for the cache, then the button with the GC code can be used to directly find the geocache on www.geocaching.com or in the Geocaching app.

Generate Waldmeister & ReWind codes

Via the main menu of the app, available under the three vertical dots in the main screen, it is now also possible to generate codes. This is useful for people who want to hide a new Reverse Cache.
On the screen the coordinates can be entered in the "geocaching" format (degrees/minutes). When clicking the "GENERATE" button, the Waldmeister (original Reverse Cache) codes and the four different ReWind codes associated with the specified coordinates are displayed.

There are a number of extra buttons on the screen, some of which are only shown once the codes have been generated. The button can be used to remove the generated codes and to enable the user to edit the coordinates again.
The button can be used to "share" any information on the screen (for example via email, WhatsApp or simply copy the information to the clipboard).
On the right of every generated code you will find a button , with which the code of this field (or in the case of the Waldmeister code, the three fields) is copied to the clipboard so that it can then be "pasted" again in another app.