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Any Plans For Archived Caches To Appear In Pqs?


Cache Liberation Front

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Hi all,

 

I'm pretty new to these boards, please pardon my newness.

 

I love fiddling with the PQ system to get all my found caches sent to my GSAK. I learned from these boards how to select multiple states (I'm still under 500 caches), but the PQ is still incomplete, it still doesn't send me the caches I've found that are archived. Of course I can dload them manually, but that defeats the purpose of using PQs in the first place, no?

 

Are there any plans to include Archived Caches in the PQ options?

 

Thanks for a great, great website,

Mr. Wisearse.

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I just don't feel like doing a forum search, but this has been discussed at least several times that I can recall. The gist of the past discussions is that there are no plans to include archived caches in PQ's.

 

As for whether not having archived caches defeats the purpose of PQ's...I use PQ's to decide what caches I want to find, not what caches are no longer there, so in short, no, it doesn't defeat the purpose for me. B)

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So the creators of the PQ system as least understood that folks do in fact use the system to help keep a dbase of one's we've found, and I've yet to come up with a reason why this should exclude archived caches....

No. Pocket Queries were created so you could create a list of caches to put in a handheld device. There was no intent to create an offline database. I'm not sure where you got that idea from Geocaching.com

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Not to be contrary, I love the site, but why, then, when I "create a new query" is there even a check box in the PQ options under "That (and)" for "I have found"?

It was requested and makes sense for people who wish to revisit listings that they have been to in the past. Also good for listing caches you want to show visitors. Same goes for a listing of caches you own.

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"It was requested and makes sense for people who wish to revisit listings that they have been to in the past."

 

And don't those listings"that they have been to in the past" include archived ones, as well? Which is exactly what I mentioned earlier re: an offline dbase (e.g. in my Plam) of caches we've been to.

 

Otherwise it appears like so much a Stalinist revision of history.... "Those caches never existed." B)

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I can revisit any archived cache I've found via My Cache Page.

 

Kind of interesting a new person needs to call gc.com communists.

Yipes, I'm not calling anyone communists, and if I did, that's not necessarily an insult coming for me. Don't be so defensive.

 

But that's not the point, geez, I'm just trying to figure out why archived caches don't appear in PQs I run which include ones "I've found."

 

And, though I call myself new, I've been using gc.com for over 7 mos. I'd like to think that gives me a right to ask a simple question, no?

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I'd like to think that gives me a right to ask a simple question, no?

 

sure does.

 

and you had your answer from the man himself.

/shrug

 

I give.

 

I assume when you say "by the man himself" you mean Jeremy? If so, I've read his posts here very, very closely, and besides getting a "no" answer which I clearly understood, the answer to my "why" still eludes me, for in answer to that all I found were tautologies.

 

Gee, you'd think I'd have insulted you folks' mothers by asking a simple question or two re: archived caches in PQs.

 

Guess it's a good thing I stayed away from these boards for 7 mos of caching. I suggest some of you go out caching a bit more, and trolling internet forums a bit less...

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Instead of answering immediate questions, I should read the original post so I can understand the context.

 

PQs were not created for you to create a listing (and log list) of caches you have found. However, I do have one feature in the queue to allow a download of all the caches you have found. This will address your need. However, it will not be a true GPX file with all the additional stuff like descriptions, terrain/difficulty. Essentially it would be a list of caches you have found and your log entries only.

 

Don't be offended. Invoking things like Stalin will raise the ire of folks here and on the Internets. But I get your point. You want all your finds. If you want something in the meantime you can download individual cache listings from the listing pages for archived caches. Looking yourself up and the caches you have found will give you a list of all your finds. From there you can clicky to get a GPX file for each archived listing.

 

HTH

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When the feature is implemented it should be a GPX file. While it may not have complete information it should be portable in some way so that the logs are not lost due to technology creep.

 

As an aside I've made a requet via contact@gc.com for a GPX of archived caches in my area for use in going to the police to try and get help. The idea was to show the magnitude of the problem. That's it's not just one cache and one cacher but hundreds of caches and dozens of cachers. I never got a reply. Not even a "No".

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It would be good to have an archived option. For those with an offline search database, the only way I can set a cache as being archived so we don't inadvertantly go and visit it (doing a search off line when we can't get to the web page) is after a series of PQ searches is to go and look at those which were not included in those files and set the flag manually.

 

Sue & G

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When the feature is implemented it should be a GPX file.

It will be a GPX file. It just won't be the full namespace.

 

As an aside I've made a requet via contact@gc.com for a GPX of archived caches in my area for use in going to the police to try and get help.

 

I am unaware of this email but I'll ask OpinioNate about it.

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It would be good to have an archived option. For those with an offline search database, the only way I can set a cache as being archived so we don't inadvertantly go and visit it (doing a search off line when we can't get to the web page) is after a series of PQ searches is to go and look at those which were not included in those files and set the flag manually.

 

Sue & G

Hmmm...GSAK lets you filter by last update date. Why don't you create a macro to filter those that haven't been updated in, say the last 5 days and delete them? Nothing manual about it...

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No. Pocket Queries were created so you could create a list of caches to put in a handheld device. There was no intent to create an offline database. I'm not sure where you got that idea from Geocaching.com

That is interesting to know. I thought it was also a way to reduce the server load. (Looking at the offline data base should in theory reduce the number of hits the server gets). I appreciate when you explain things like this. It lets us late to join people understand what's going on.

 

I use my offline database for when I don't have access to the internet (2 week drive to Calif. I did recently) and when I remember at the last minute I need waypoints and can't wait for a PQ to show up.

 

Any chance of a PQ of archived caches that all it contains is something that says to the software people are using that it's archived? Personally, I don't care why, when, where it used to be, etc. I just hate going after something that had been archived because I still had it listed as active. (I realize that this will probably be a no, just hoped that maybe with the minimum info it might make everyone happy and you willing to do it).

 

This will be my only comment on the issue. Thanks for consideration.

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No. Pocket Queries were created so you could create a list of caches to put in a handheld device. There was no intent to create an offline database. I'm not sure where you got that idea from Geocaching.com

I don't want you to take this bad but here it goes anyway...

 

PQ's save you a tremendous server load, YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL that people use them as an offline DB. I ALMOST never search on the site, I use my offline DB for researching caches to do and such. I also use them for mapping uses which means i have not checked out the GC.com maps in forever. This is also part of my offline db.

 

Offline DB in essential for the continuing functionality of the site. Power users will not swamp the site because they are browsing their gpx files.

 

Anyway, would archived caches in a PQ of finds include coords?!? I surely hope so since I would want to be able to map out my finds.

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Any chance of a PQ of archived caches that all it contains is something that says to the software people are using that it's archived?

since part of the gpx file includes the tag...

 

<Groundspeak:cache id="161153" available="True" archived="False" xmlns:Groundspeak="http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0">

 

note the archived="False" statement... I assume that would say True for archived caches :blink:

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I decided to search for the old thread discussing the status of a PQ for "All found caches", but couldn't come up with it. However, I found this thread, and it gets to the same topic, as well as some interesting tangent issues.

 

I'm really not going to step into the middle of the "data ownership" issue that seems to be discussed with such zeal. As a paying subscriber, I would like to, once again and with my strongest emphasis:

 

My TOP feature request from gc.com (aside from being available - which ties into a later point I'll make) is, and has been, the delivery of such a pocket query. I would like a SINGLE PQ that returns every one of my finds, regardless of active or archive status. If there is some significant data or infrastructure architecture issue that precludes this, or makes it "expensive" - then I'd be interested in that as part of the response.

 

Having just cracked 2K finds, I know have to burn 4 PQs (of my available 20, or 20%) just to get a listing of all my finds. Let's call this Issue #1. Issue #2 is that this still does not include archived caches - and manually tracking those down can be a REAL headache - definitely a manual process, particularly if one were to only use the tools available on gc.com.

 

Okay, ducking for cover, but I'm going to raise Issue #3 - the use of offline tools. Many of the issues have been well articulated by previous users, but I'll just add that as a strategic planner and architect of Internet-facing infrastructure and services for a Fortune500 company: Distributing a workload definitely allows services (and the underlying infrastructure such as servers, bandwidth, etc) to scale. Personally, I use a variety of "offline tools" for various purposes. I absolutely understand that there's a LOT involved here, from business models to egos to data ownership - and I absolutely respect that everyone is entitled to their respective opinions and perspectives. I'm just trying to explain mine. If want an "offline" DB for all the reasons mentioned, just to name a few: I also like to slice and dice the data a variety of ways (which would be additional workload on gc.com, even if such exotic and free-form queries WERE available - which I'm not requesting ). :) I drive ALL of my geocaching processes from offline data, and like to have ALL of it in my Palm.

 

Again, Jeremy and team gets to decide what features and services they wants to provide to both free and premium members. I'm just one user, but I would like to think that the collective voice of the user community carries at least some weight. While I might want open, standards-based Web Services interfaces for interacting with the geocaching.com "backend system" (I liken it to our corporate ERP system) - I under understand that user requests are just one of many system considerations that the gc.com architects need to consider. So I'm just expressing "one guys opinion". YMMV.

 

In conclusion - I am thankful for gc.com and the services and features that are provided - that's why I gladly continue to renew my premium meambership, and encourage others to do the same. Just a feature request for "All Found Caches" PQ... really! :laughing:

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Having just cracked 2K finds, I know have to burn 4 PQs (of my available 20, or 20%) just to get a listing of all my finds.

Ummm...is it not possible to create a PQ of all your finds AFTER a certain date? This would negate your requirement to continually d/l all your previous finds no?

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Actually, no - I can't.

 

Of course, that was my preferred approach: Assuming I'm current with my finds, it would be GREAT to have a PQ that returns:

 

All Caches found after date XX/XX/XXXX

 

Unfortunately, if you look at carefully at the PQ options, what you actually have options for are:

 

All caches found that were PLACED after date XX/XX/XXXX

 

(or any variation of placement date: Before, after, between dates).

 

But, the "filter" is the PLACEMENT date, not the found date. This caused me some confusion early on, and I was assuming that a PQ would return my most recent 500 finds. Not the case.

 

Does this make sense?

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Actually, no - I can't.

 

Of course, that was my preferred approach: Assuming I'm current with my finds, it would be GREAT to have a PQ that returns:

 

All Caches found after date XX/XX/XXXX

 

Unfortunately, if you look at carefully at the PQ options, what you actually have options for are:

 

All caches found that were PLACED after date XX/XX/XXXX

 

(or any variation of placement date: Before, after, between dates).

 

But, the "filter" is the PLACEMENT date, not the found date. This caused me some confusion early on, and I was assuming that a PQ would return my most recent 500 finds. Not the case.

 

Does this make sense?

ok, is it possible then to do "all caches found", that were placed BEFORE xxxx date?

 

i would think this may give you what you need??

 

sorry,can't check myself just now due to my PM lapsing and lack of renewal thus far (where i work i think there is only 1 cache in about a 200mile radius, so not much caching for a while)

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I will add a "me too" to SnoWake's requests.

 

I would argue that we should be able to check a box in a PQ requesting archived cache info. I would even be happy if no description or coordinates were included, I would want it with just the GC code, found flag, archive flag, and any notes posted on the day of the archiving as well as my own logs if I found it. Since the result is xml, this should not be too difficult to program.

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ok, is it possible then to do "all caches found", that were placed BEFORE xxxx date?

 

i would think this may give you what you need??

No, this won't work either. When I find, let's say, 20 caches in a weekend, the placed date of them could be spread over the whole range, requiring me 10 PQs to get all the new finds. Not good, right? Fortunately, Jeremy said he is working on a special "all found" GPX. I can't wait! :)

 

--Marky

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ok, is it possible then to do "all caches found", that were placed BEFORE xxxx date?

 

i would think this may give you what you need??

No, this won't work either. When I find, let's say, 20 caches in a weekend, the placed date of them could be spread over the whole range, requiring me 10 PQs to get all the new finds. Not good, right? Fortunately, Jeremy said he is working on a special "all found" GPX. I can't wait! :)

 

--Marky

just had to retract that suggestion as the problem gets clearer...Doh!!

Edited by fivegallon
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