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===sgb

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Posts posted by ===sgb

    Cache search seems broken

    in Website

    Posted

    Cache search seems broken.

     

    For several weeks now, if I go to the website search page and enter a GC number, the first time I did it it returned me to the empty search page . On entering it a second time, I got a list of nearby caches that I could then filter. Unpleasant but tolerable. Then it wouldn't "map those caches", to get a map, I had to export the list to a bookmark list and then map the list!.

     

    Today it has different behaviour, and a very different appearance. I type in a GC number and it gives me a list of over 3 million caches, starting with ones in Germany. This is despite the GC cache typed in being in Slough with a 16km radius.

     

    What is going on?

    • Funny 1
    • Helpful 1

    How do I ... Find caches whose name includes unusual characters?

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    How do I ... Find caches whose name includes unusual characters?

     

    In particular I would like to find caches whose first character is = (equals sign). I know of one!

     

    The cache search filter ignores = signs completely. I could cope with it producing a list of caches containing = somewhere - an easy search of the list to find others.

     

    If I search for = I get no finds (even when =5 Roads is within the specified radius) If I search for =5, the it ignores = and returns CCC 5 and How Odd? #5. No equals in cache names.

    How do I convert a "log id" (numeric) into the log page name (starts GL)?

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Die Batzen said:

    Have a look here:

    https://api.Groundspeak.com/documentation#referencecodes

    THANK you - that was what I was seeking. Excellent.

      

    Base16_Characters = [
    '0', '1', '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '7', '8', '9', 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F'
]

Base31_Characters = [
    '0', '1', '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '7', '8', '9', 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F',
    'G', 'H', 'J', 'K', 'M', 'N', 'P', 'Q', 'R', 'T', 'V', 'W', 'X', 'Y', 'Z'
]


Id to Reference Code
--------------------

If Id < 65536
    ReferenceCode = Base16(Id) // Decimal to Hex
else
    ReferenceCode = Base31(Id + 411120)


    
Reference Code to Id
--------------------

if Prefix == "GC" 
    ReferenceCode = Replace(code, "S", "5")
    ReferenceCode = Replace(code, "O", "0")

ReferenceCode = RemovePrefix(ReferenceCode)
    
FirstChar = substring(ReferenceCode, 0, 1)
    
if len(ReferenceCode) >= 5 or FirstChar >= 'G'
    Id = Base31(ReferenceCode) - 411120
else
    Id = Base16(ReferenceCode)

    How do I convert a "log id" (numeric) into the log page name (starts GL)?

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    On 5/15/2021 at 8:24 AM, barefootjeff said:

    Try the GC-code to/from ID conversion tool in the Geocaching Toolbox. It gives the correct result for the example you gave.

    This is to convert between GCcode and ID (cache) not GLcode and ID (log). But as you say, it gets it right albeit GCHZ0W1 not GLHZ0W1. But that should be enough for me to determine the algorithm.

    1..15 -> 1..F (hexadecimal)

    16 -> 10 also hex. I'll experiment to find it. Thanks.

    How do I convert a "log id" (numeric) into the log page name (starts GL)?

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    How do I convert a "log id" (numeric) into the log page name (starts GL)?

     

    The "My Finds" GPX file you can download from the Pocket Query page includes log ids as a number (eg 16183305).

    When you view that log on the website, it has an alphanumeric name starting GL (for the above log, it is GLHZ0W1)

     

    It is not a simple "base 36" conversion between the two. What is the conversion algorithm please.

    Browse map solved filter

    in Website

    Posted

    On the Browse map, you can filter for trads, multis, puzzles etc. It would be very nice if there was a way to split puzzles into unsolved puzzles (Question mark icon) and Solved puzzles (Jigsaw piece icon), so that you could view only solved puzzles or unsolved puzzles.

     

    (To make things harder, I also use update the coordinates on multis and other types I have solved, so they become jigsaw icons too.)

     

    What would be nice would be a couple of tick boxes: "Show caches with original coordinates" and "Show caches with updated coordinates". Then if you checked both boxes it would behave as the map does at the moment. If you deselect either then those icons disappear. If you deselect both, then you get a blank map.

     

    How about it?

    • Love 1

    List has an empty map

    in Website

    Posted

    So I do a search ( as it happens for Church Micro caches within 25km of the southern tip of the Isle of Wight). The list looks good, the map looks good.

    I save them to a bookmark list and then go and check the list, renaming it from CM_IOW to CMs_IOW.

    The list is fine.

    Then I view the map of the list and it is empty and is based on my home location.

     

    What is going on? How do I see the map of the bookmark list?

    Personal Cache Note

    in Website

    Posted

    PCNs have two modes: Display (on a grey background) and Edit (on white in a box).

    It is really frustrating that clicking on the grey area text changes to Edit mode but doesn't put the cursor in the text box.

    Please could you update the html coding to change focus to the text box?

     

    (This may/may not have been mentioned previously, but Forum Search isn't working today, just ERRORs.)

    • Upvote 2

    MSIE on Win 7

    in Website

    Posted · Edited by ===sgb

    I don't think anything has changed at my end, so I assume that Groundspeak have "upgraded" something. Anyway, when I enter a URL such as https://coord.info/GC6CGYJ - as copied from the drop down at the top right of each cache page - I get a blank screen. I have to click "refresh" to make the page actually load. This also applies to some other geo pages.

    Also the Personal Notes section, when in edit mode, used to be maybe a dozen lines long IIRR. It shrunk to maybe 6 lines a few years back. It is now down to 4 lines which is too small to do any useful editing in. So I have to copy and paste it to an external editor and then repaste it.

    Oh yes - the personal notes no longer select in the old easy way. You used to be able to click on the line of a note and the edit would open and be highlit. Now you have to click on the text (no use clicking on blank to the right) and then you have to wait for it to open in an edit box and then you have to click again on the text to "get in" to it. Why all these counter productive changes?

     

    ===sgb

    Geocache Quality

    in User Insights

    Posted

    The key thing about geocaching, IMO, is finding caches. Travel bugs, souvenirs, virtual caches and events can be fun but are not core.

    • In your mind, what is a high quality geocache?
          The coordinates must be accurate. For not only the final but for every stage whether physical or virtual. IMO, a new cache should be checked against a Google maps aerial view, and if it isn't where the CO knows it should be then the cache shouldn't be published until it is understood why Google maps is wrong in that case. (I know it is hard to verify with a tree in a wood.)
          The cache must be dry and maintained well (embarrassed cough from this CO for a couple of his). It may not be the CO's fault, but caches with rubbish, leaves, used bus tickets and even other cachers' calling cards or worse sweets downgrade the experience.
          A nice location is nice - if it is a less savoury area, there should be a reason explained on the web page (or to the reviewer) to justify it.
          I am not fussy about cache size or style. I do LIKE easy to find ones (yet another 35mm film pot on a sign post). Butit needs to be appropriate to the area - a nano in a wood is frustrating - I can usually find an ammocan.
    • In your mind, what is a low quality geocache?
          The opposite of the above. If hard to find without a suitable D rating - a nano in ivy is frustrating.
          Wet, Dirty or the wrong size. (35mm pots flagged as Small or worse as regular)
    • What steps can the community take to improve geocache quality? And What steps can Geocaching HQ take to improve geocache quality?
          (a) Get all locations validated via Google maps
          (b) Consider creating a team of "checkers" who might volunteer to Find and Check log a cache ("Checked" rather than "Found") before it is publ;ished. They would have more information about where it is and would report back to the reviewer. Maybe folk could be persuaded to do one a month. Maybe this would be hard to implement in low density areas.
          (c) No cache publication without some evidence of experience. eg 100 finds (sock puppet zero find accounts ok if declared to the reviewer).
          (d) A photo of the cache in situ (and maybe of each stage, even if virtual) submitted to reviewer showing the vicinity of the hide.

      ===sgb
    • Upvote 1
    • Love 1

    Personal Cache Note formatting

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    Is it possible to format personal cache notes?

    I endeavour to keep puzzle solution notes there and I often want to align columns, so being able to specify use of a non-proportional font would be helpful.

    Does Groundspeak markup (markdown) work - but even that doesn't have "courier" as a selection.

     

    The alternative is to enter a URL to an offsite file, but that is a bit clunky.

    messages and profiles

    in How do I...?

    Posted · Edited by ===sgb

    I agree that it's not very intuitive, but there is an easier way to get to a user's profile page from the message center. When you click on the message in the left column, then the message conversation appears to the right.

     

    If you click on the cacher's avatar photo in that conversation section of the screen, then a new window will open with that cacher's profile page.

     

    Hope that helps.

    That helps and it works and it finds the profile that was otherwise hidden. I still don't understand why searching for the username failed.

     

    Thanks

    messages and profiles

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    I dislike the message system a lot. However that doesn't stop folk sending you messages. And when they do I like to look up their profile to see what sort of cacher they are.

     

    I am unable to highlight the name in the sender name in the picture block list to the left of the messages. However if you click on the picture block, the name recurs at the above the message text. That can be highlit and copied.

     

    So I do that and then go to my profile page (not the public one) where there is a link "Find another player". Select that and paste into the box there. This page is frustrating too - the initial "look for names like this" page and the second page which lists a few (up to about 20) of them are too similar yet behave completely differently. If you get the wrong name, there is no easy way back to reenter a new name. Frustrating. And if only one name is found, you can't tell the difference between the two pages at all easily.

     

    Anyway, I tried this whole procedure on a new message, and this time it just loops on the first page. Presumably not finding a matching name.

     

    How can I get a message from a username that doesn't exist.

    How do I see the (public) profile of this message sender?

    Mt DNFs

    in Website

    Posted

    I have no objection to having the website map show My DNFs in blue, but would it be possible to use the original icon and convert the background to blue? A frowny blue face means I can't tell what sort of cache it is to quick view.

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