Xchange 2 Hotfix

[phrunt]

Yay! 

Minelab finally updated Xchange 2 so it still works with Google maps, some time ago Xchange being so old was no longer compatible with Google maps and they've finally fixed the problem somewhat properly using a patch that runs in the background.

You can download the fix to your Xchange 2 (Windows) here 

https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/507670/XChange2-1.8.7-1.3.5-Hotfix.exe

XChange2 - Hotfix for mapping and pin fixes. (Released July 2023)

External interfaces used by XChange2 change over time which can affect the way that XChange2 needs to work. Installing the XChange2 Hotfix file after installing the XChange2 1.8.7-1.3.5 program will help XChange2 maintain it's compatibility with Google maps so that detectorists can continue to use the program as intended.

Step 1 - Download and install XChange2 1.8.7-1.3.5

Step 2 - Download and run XChange2-1.8.7-1.3.5-Hotfix.exe (This will take a few minutes.)

Step 3 - Restart your computer then run XChange2 as normal. (the Hotfix will run in the background.)

--- Note for Minelab, maintain its compatibility. 🙂

 

[flakmagnet]

Too bad they never thought to make this compatible with Mac's...

[Steve Herschbach]

Too bad they never gave us a simple import / export function. I still think a robust built in GPS system can be a great tool in a detector. The ability to mark finds with a button push as opposed to pulling out a separate device to do so makes an huge difference. Unfortunately Minelab never maintained interest in making the system all it could have been. This was compounded by not only general disinterest from end users, but some actively hating on the product. The idea was that it added unneeded expense and processing overhead, and some people actually thought they were being tracked and their gold locations collected. It will be interesting to see if a future GPZ or CTX still includes GPS. If not, that will probably be the end of it as a concept, and I think ultimately that’s a loss for all of us if that’s the way it goes.

[Ridge Runner]

If you got a cell phone the powers that be know where you at 24 hours a day if you got it turned on.

 More than one murder can thank their cell phone for them getting caught. All the law had to do was ask the phone company who was in this area about said time . So if you had a gps with your detector no big deal.

 I go to another town to visit my mother and tap the map on my phone and it shows what part of the building I’m in.

 Chuck 

[phrunt]

They're features Chuck, Geolocation and GPS mapping to help you navigate.  And the phone registering on the towers its using as they login (handshake) to it.  

GPS in the detector is safe from "tracking".  It only stores it locally then you're using the pins on Google maps so it's as safe as your Google account 🙂

Either way, it's a shame that the concept probably won't survive and they likely only fixed this version of it as they still sell the two detectors that use it as new products and they're advertised as having the feature, if it didn't work legally in Australia and NZ at least someone could get a refund on their detector over it, not working as advertised.

[phrunt]

As I said earlier on this post, the methods used to make Xchange 2 work on Google maps were dodgy with a resident memory patch, they've now made a better version just released, good to see them keeping it working, although very likely a necessity by Australian consumer law considering they still sell the GPZ and CTX which are associated with it.

I believe this is why they never bothered with an application for Mac computers, far more likely to make it work on Android or iOS than for Mac computers.

Operating Systems Percentage Market Share Worldwide - August 2023

Android 39.2%
Windows 30.12%
iOS 16.48%
OS X 8.77%
Unknown 1.84%
Chrome OS 1.44%

Skip back a few years when the CTX and GPZ came out and see the figures and you'll know why they never touched OS X.

And the direct link to the program.

https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/514407/XChange2-1.8.7-1.4.1.exe

XChange 2 Application (PC Only). Version 1.8.7-1.4.1 Released 2023 September.

Installation Guide:

• Download “XChange2–1.8.7-1.4.1.exe”
• Restart your computer
• Locate the downloaded “XChange2–1.8.7-1.4.1.exe” file, then double click on the file to start the installation process.
• Installation will take approximately 5 minutes and will uninstall the current version of XChange 2 that is installed on your computer.
• Once installation is completed, restart your computer.
• Open and run XChange 2 as normal
   

[flakmagnet]

wonder what percentage of detectorists use a mac 

anyway, anything with asking MineLab to fix/modify/update, is usually beating a dead horse

and…I still love my 7000