Notification Service (beta)

[+WildGooseChase]

So I was poking around and saw something I haven't seen before:

 

Notification Service (beta)

The Notification system is currently active .

 

The Geocaching Insta-Notify service is a Groundspeak Premium Member feature. As new logs are posted to Geocaching.com you can get an instant email sent to you with the contents of that log entry. the Insta-Notify feature is experimental and is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

 

Create a new notification

 

I can't get it to work though. I keep getting this error.

Cannot insert the value NULL into column 'IsArchived', table 'GEO.dbo.WptLogNotifications'; column does not allow nulls. INSERT fails. The statement has been terminated.

 

Anybody had any luck with it?

[+WildGooseChase]

Okay I got it to work, but I guess I can only create 10 notifications? Too bad there are ten cache types!!

 

Maybe one option for all cache types would be good.

[+TheAprilFools]

its beta, and I think they are launching new features today, give them a chance to work the bugs out.

[+WildGooseChase]

Exactly. I'm reporting the bugs so they know about them.

[+TheAprilFools]

Of course. I just tried it and found a couple small of issues of my own specifically:

 

1) The name field, when you create a new notification the 'name' field does not get saved and always gets stored as "New Notification". But when you edit it, it will save your name.

 

2) When you select "earthcache" you can only choose "temporary disabled" and "enabled" but not "publish" or "retract". This may have been intentional but it seamed odd that only this cache would not have those options.

 

I can think of several of new features to add to this but I will withhold them and just enjoy the bounty that has been provided.

 

Thanks.

[+WascoZooKeeper]

So now our local FTF hounds won't even have to get up at 2:00 in the morning to run a PQ for new caches. They can just have a notification sent to their pager.

 

[+beejay&esskay]

Maybe it can't be helped...

 

But it doesn't seem that we should have to have a separate notification for each cache type.

 

Now there are probably only 4 cache types I want a notification for, but why set up 4 separate entries to do that?

 

(Yes, Jeremy, just as you suspected...as soon as you add something nice people complain it's not nice enough. Sorry. )

Edited July 28, 2005 by beejay&esskay

[Jeremy]

But it doesn't seem that we should have to have a separate notification for each cache type.

I'm not trying to be smarmy, but you seem to be complaining that you have too many options in how you wish to be notifed of new log entries. The granularity at which you can request notifications can be filtered right down to the type and log type (and area) you desire. And you want to just clicky on a list of cache types and get notified of everything? Yikes, that's a lot of logs and not a whole lot of options.

 

Instead the functionality is set up so you can decide on which log types you want that relate directly to the cache types you select. So with cache events you could, for instance, select the "attended" log type. These Insta-Notify options do not exist now but once the beta testing is over we will start opening them to more log types. If we went your way there would be no way to choose what log types you can have based on those cache listing types.

 

So yes, I agree that you may have to create a couple of notifications if you wish to watch a different type in the same area. It only takes a few minutes of your time and it sorta does its thing without any care and feeding.

[+StarBrand]

Cool!!!

 

 

Now I can be instantly notified about the 4 caches I will place in the next year and the other 2 that will be planted within 50 miles of me.......

 

Cool!!!!!

 

(Note: Sarcasm directed at the lack of new caches in my area and lack of cachers to fill the void....sigh)

[Jeremy]

Now I can be instantly notified about the 4 caches I will place in the next year and the other 2 that will be planted within 50 miles of me.......

Well, you could live vicariously through others by setting a subscription in more popular areas and curse their foul luck

[+LSUMonica]

WOWWW!! Love it but....

 

Am I missing something? I can't find how to be notified of Mystery/Puzzle caches.

[Jeremy]

WOWWW!! Love it but....

 

Am I missing something? I can't find how to be notified of Mystery/Puzzle caches.

The old name is "Unknown cache" - those are puzle types.

 

(I need more zzzs)

[+KKTH3]

Cool!!!

 

 

Now I can be instantly notified about the 4 caches I will place in the next year and the other 2 that will be planted within 50 miles of me.......

 

Cool!!!!!

 

(Note: Sarcasm directed at the lack of new caches in my area and lack of cachers to fill the void....sigh)

Set your notification service around the 82601 zip code and take more day trips!

[+WildGooseChase]

Sorry I forgot to mention that this new tool is realy cool.

 

Thanks!

[+Sparrowhawk]

Sorry I forgot to mention that this new tool is realy cool.

Sounds beta than nothing.

[+Tharagleb]

Doesn't seem to let you have miles over 50. For an Event cache I would like to by able to get them farther away..

 

Cool feature, WTG TPTB!

[+Tharagleb]

the Insta-Notify feature is experimental and is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

 

Please work on the FDA approval so we can get this out of beta.

 

/wonders if Google Maps is waiting on FDA red tape.

 

[Edit to add quote.]

Edited July 28, 2005 by Tharagleb

[Jeremy]

We're easing into it. We'll see how much volume this can take before we open it up a bit.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Cool!!!

 

 

Now I can be instantly notified about the 4 caches I will place in the next year and the other 2 that will be planted within 50 miles of me.......

 

Cool!!!!!

 

(Note: Sarcasm directed at the lack of new caches in my area and lack of cachers to fill the void....sigh)

Move further south

[+Maingray]

Ooh, this looks good. Trying it out. Someone place a cache near me, quick

[+TheAprilFools]

Doesn't seem to let you have miles over 50. For an Event cache I would like to by able to get them farther away..

 

Cool feature, WTG TPTB!

Do you really need to rush over to the site of an event the minute it been approved? They ususally give you some time before the event takes place.

[+Tharagleb]

Doesn't seem to let you have miles over 50. For an Event cache I would like to by able to get them farther away..

 

Cool feature, WTG TPTB!

Do you really need to rush over to the site of an event the minute it been approved? They ususally give you some time before the event takes place.

No, but if it's an option I want to use it. Not many events within 50 miles for me.

 

/does every innocent comment get flamed around here????

[Jeremy]

/does every innocent comment get flamed around here????

Not everyone will understand your reasoning straight out. I can see how an email notification would be nice. I'll make a note of the feature request.

[+robert]

Tharagleb,

 

I think the point was you don't need instant notice of an event being published since events are not supposed to be published the day they are to occur. If you set up an event Pocket Query, you'll be fine, with plenty of time to attend the event even if the PQ only runs weekly.

 

This is how I do it and it works well.

 

[+Tharagleb]

Tharagleb,

 

I think the point was you don't need instant notice of an event being published since events are not supposed to be published the day they are to occur. If you set up an event Pocket Query, you'll be fine, with plenty of time to attend the event even if the PQ only runs weekly.

 

This is how I do it and it works well.

 

Thanks Robert.

 

Not to beat a dead horse. Because I am *not at all* concerned about this but....

 

1) Event gets published a few weeks before event.

2) I get new instant email notification via new service

3) I go to event(?)

 

The way it works now:

 

1) I get weekly notification

2) I *might* read the whole thing and find out about event

3) I go to event(?)

 

Your PQ thingy is the answer though.

 

/just tryin to explain my original post

[+Tharagleb]

/does every innocent comment get flamed around here????

Not everyone will understand your reasoning straight out. I can see how an email notification would be nice. I'll make a note of the feature request.

Thanks.

[+robert]

Tharagleb:

 

Yup, just do a separate PQ for events only, set your distance from your home coords and put in the states you want.

 

I have mine set within 250 miles for all events, and I get it weekly which gives me plenty of time to attend.

 

Glad to be of some help!

 

[+TheAprilFools]

/does every innocent comment get flamed around here????

I am sorry, I did not mean to flame you.

 

I thought the purpose of the notifier was to let you know as soon as possible that there is a new cache close to you so you can decide of you want to rush out and find it. Since events can not be found (attended) for several weeks at least it seamed an email notification for it would be of little use.

 

Currently I have a PQ setup to show all unfound caches within 100 miles of my home and the events show up in it giving me enough notice, but then if this notifier is as good as I hope it will be that PQ may not be needed any more.

[+Tharagleb]

/does every innocent comment get flamed around here????

I am sorry, I did not mean to flame you.

 

I thought the purpose of the notifier was to let you know as soon as possible that there is a new cache close to you so you can decide of you want to rush out and find it. Since events can not be found (attended) for several weeks at least it seamed an email notification for it would be of little use.

 

Currently I have a PQ setup to show all unfound caches within 100 miles of my home and the events show up in it giving me enough notice, but then if this notifier is as good as I hope it will be that PQ may not be needed any more.

Okay, no problem. Thanks.

 

I was not thinking of the *instant* feature so much as the inidividual email aspect of it. I rarely read the entire weekly notification, just the ones closest to me.

 

I will start using PQ's for event caches, never thought of that.

[+CompuCash]

ok people ---

 

would someone kindly please post a link or give

instructions where this page can be found?

 

can't seem to find where they hid it this week.

 

cc\

Edited July 29, 2005 by CompuCash

[+Hoover and Root]

I get stack traces if I try to add more than 10 notifications.

The boring details are:

 

Server Error in '/' Application.
Input string was not in a correct format.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.FormatException: Input string was not in a correct format.

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:

[FormatException: Input string was not in a correct format.]
  Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.DoubleType.Parse(String Value, NumberFormatInfo NumberFormat) +195
  Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.DoubleType.FromString(String Value, NumberFormatInfo NumberFormat) +82

[InvalidCastException: Cast from string "). Remove one to create a new no" to type 'Double' is not valid.]
  Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.DoubleType.FromString(String Value, NumberFormatInfo NumberFormat) +171
  Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.DoubleType.FromString(String Value) +7
  Geocaching.UI.LogNotificationControl.BuildControl() +337
  Geocaching.UI.notify_edit.Page_UserLoggedIn(Object sender, EventArgs e) +1081
  Geocaching.UI.WebformBase.IsLoggedIn() +1105
  Geocaching.UI.notify_edit.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) +99
  System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +67
  System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +35
  System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain() +750


Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:1.1.4322.2032; ASP.NET Version:1.1.4322.2032

[+The Leprechauns]

I believe you're limited to ten notifications, hence the error message when attempting to create #11.

[+Langner91]

ok people ---

 

would someone kindly please post a link or give

instructions where this page can be found?

 

can't seem to find where they hid it this week.

 

cc\

I found it under:

 

My account - Member Features

 

Hope that helps.

[Jeremy]

I believe you're limited to ten notifications, hence the error message when attempting to create #11.

You are, but the message shouldn't be so ugly. I'll try to track this down in the morning. In the meantime, yes, you are currently restricted to 10 notifications during the beta period, which I promise will be much shorter than Google's.

 

CompuCash, the feature hasn't been officially announced.

[+The Leprechauns]

Oh. Glad to hear that polite error messages will be part of the service contract.

[Jeremy]

Oh. Glad to hear that polite error messages will be part of the service contract.

Naw. It's just out of the goodness of my own heart, it is.

[+beejay&esskay]

But it doesn't seem that we should have to have a separate notification for each cache type. 

I'm not trying to be smarmy, but you seem to be complaining that you have too many options in how you wish to be notifed of new log entries. The granularity at which you can request notifications can be filtered right down to the type and log type (and area) you desire. And you want to just clicky on a list of cache types and get notified of everything? Yikes, that's a lot of logs and not a whole lot of options.

 

Instead the functionality is set up so you can decide on which log types you want that relate directly to the cache types you select. So with cache events you could, for instance, select the "attended" log type. These Insta-Notify options do not exist now but once the beta testing is over we will start opening them to more log types. If we went your way there would be no way to choose what log types you can have based on those cache listing types.

 

So yes, I agree that you may have to create a couple of notifications if you wish to watch a different type in the same area. It only takes a few minutes of your time and it sorta does its thing without any care and feeding.

OK, not trying to be re-smarmy...

 

I guess what would be nice would be if you could select multiple cache types in one notification. (Especially since I understand there is a limit of 10?)

 

I imagine there are a number of us who would treat new traditional, multi, letterbox (and maybe even puzzle) caches in the same manner.

 

But if the design doesn't allow that easily, I'll set up my multiple notifications and be happy for the new functionality.

[+CompuCash]

I believe you're limited to ten notifications, hence the error message when attempting to create #11.

You are, but the message shouldn't be so ugly. I'll try to track this down in the morning. In the meantime, yes, you are currently restricted to 10 notifications during the beta period, which I promise will be much shorter than Google's.

 

CompuCash, the feature hasn't been officially announced.

 

Thanks Lang -

 

Jeremy -

 

Yes I understood that OP had said it was beta.

 

But so many people were talking about it and I just coont find it - so asked.

 

hope I didn't blow your scoop -

 

nice feature - evun puts my home coords in automagically - cool - thanks -

 

cc\

[Jeremy]

hope I didn't blow your scoop -

Nope. I often hint at small releases and officially announce them once they're stable enough.

 

Now that I think about it I never announced the adopt a cache feature.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/adopt

[+Wacka]

Trying it out- so far it isn't working. Have at least 3 new caches in my area since I set up the notifications- no emails at all. At least one other person in my area said his didn't work either.

[Jeremy]

I'm definitely not done testing it. When the bugs are worked out I'll put an announcement on the front page and in the forums. In the meantime you can go ahead and create your subscriptions.

[+LSUMonica]

I know it is way up in this thread...

 

but thanks Jeremy for the clarification on the Mystery/Puzzle caches as "Unknown". I kept associating this with unknown cache container types instead of unknown cache types when I read the listings -- three times I might add.

 

Now, I have to apologize to robertlipe who told me the type was there at dinner tonight and I insisted it wasn't! Oh well, I'll just blame my oversight on the fact that my mind is completely messed up from trying to figure out one of his latest "unknown" caches!!!

 

Thanks again for the clarification and feature!

[+cachew nut]

As someone who likes to jump in with both feet whenever a new feature is announced, I think I'll pass on this one, at least until I'm assured that there is a way to mass delete the insty-things.

[Jeremy]

As someone who likes to jump in with both feet whenever a new feature is announced, I think I'll pass on this one, at least until I'm assured that there is a way to mass delete the insty-things.

Don't hold your breath on that one.

 

(added a smilie. inside "joke")

Edited July 29, 2005 by Jeremy

[+WildGooseChase]

Noticed this one too.. It's like an easter egg hunt finding all these changes!

 

 

Thanks! I know it was only three clicks before, but it was a pain in the rear.

[Jeremy]

I took it out of debug mode this morning. It sent out only a few emails already. I'm monitoring all logs within 50 miles of Seattle to see what that looks like, and I already received my first watch email. If everything looks good I'll "soft launch" it in the announcements and make a more formal one on the site.

 

This was a particularly fun project to work on.

[+Maingray]

 

This was a particularly fun project to work on.

What's next from Groundspeak Towers?

[+Marky]

WooHoo! I just set up a notification for any new Project APE caches within 50 miles of me. I can't wait! Someone go hide a Project APE cache near me to test it out!

[+reepicheep]

I thought the purpose of the notifier was to let you know as soon as possible that there is a new cache close to you so you can decide of you want to rush out and find it.  Since events can not be found (attended) for several weeks at least it seamed an email notification for it would be of little use.

 

Actually it is probably nice for those who don't hunt paperless or use Pocket Queries.

Of course they most likely would not be Premium members, but just maybe they are.

Now they can just get an email that a new cache is nearby and put in on their to-do list.

 

Also will work great for those who plan ahead all week of what caches they want to hunt and have a notification setup for disabled caches in the area.

Last minute check of email and you would easily see that that one cache you was going to go 10 miles out of the way to grab just got disabled.

Or better yet, have it setup to send an SMS message to your cell if one is disabled.

 

I like it.

 

Thanks,

Kenneth

Edited July 29, 2005 by kennethpruett

[+TheAprilFools]

Not having received a notification yet, does anyone have an example of what they will look like?