How do projections work?

[Highlands_guy]

I was working on a mystery cache and was at an intermediary stage (not at the cache posted coordinates) and I had to project a distance/bearing to the final stage. In Cachly I had the cache page up, went to waypoints, clicked the add icon, gave it a name, scrolled to the bottom and selected project coordinates.

I entered 3100 meters and the bearing, clicked save. I then opened that waypoint and it said I was about 6300 meters (6.3 km) away.

Did this project from the caches published coordinates? Is this normal?

How can I project from my present position?

Thanks

[Bolling]

Scroll down to Presets and select Current Location. Then enter your Projection. 

[Highlands_guy]

Thanks for that. It's a bit confusing as that selection isn't under the Project Coordinates section, or on the Project coordinates page.

When would you use that preset other than projecting a coordinate?

it would be nice to have the selection for current or geocache location as a click box on the page that you enter the bearing and distance.

[hidegoseek]

The selection for current or geocache location is part of the waypoint page, and projection is just another option on that same page, so it seems to me that the click box is right where it should be.  

[Bolling]

3 hours ago, Highlands_guy said:

Thanks for that. It's a bit confusing as that selection isn't under the Project Coordinates section, or on the Project coordinates page.

When would you use that preset other than projecting a coordinate?

it would be nice to have the selection for current or geocache location as a click box on the page that you enter the bearing and distance.

I tend to agree with you. I have posted on this in the past and the workflow is improved with version 3. It's still not totally intuitive but straight forward once you know what to do. 

[hidegoseek]

On 11/4/2017 at 9:16 AM, Highlands_guy said:

When would you use that preset other than projecting a coordinate?

 

That's an excellent point.  Perhaps the default coords for all waypoints should be current location since that is what is used for parking, trailhead, trail/road junctions, etc., and the preset choices be removed from the initial waypoint screen.  Then, once one chooses the projection feature, the option to use geocache location can be selected.  

That being said, I often enter waypoints from home when preparing for a trip.  Using geocache location is a little easier since the degrees and minutes are often the same for the waypoints I want to enter.