Jump to content

Pocket Queries For Archived Caches


Team Pink

Recommended Posts

I can't seem to figure out how to get archived listings.  I don't see anything in the Pocket Query form to indicate it.

 

TIA for any help.

Although the previous posters are correct, you have not mentioned your goal in getting a listing of archived caches, and so they have not been able to offer any path to resolve your issue.

 

I assume your goal is to avoid hunting archived caches, and that you have a problem because you have stale data and you need to figure out a way to keep it up to date without reprinting a whole bunch of cache pages or checking through every cache in your binder before a hunt. You didn't say if you were fully paperless or just use the GPX file to load a GPS without any processing or what.

 

Some ways to do that (depending on your method of making your hitlist) would be to:

 

1. Purge (or mark up) your paper listings

 

2. Update an offline database

 

So:

 

1. If you are attempting to purge paper listings, you are unfortunately out of luck, as even listings of caches archive have been opposed here. So you will have no way to go through your paper listing and purge out ones on an archive list.

 

2. If you maintain an offline database in GSAK, you are in luck, as you can create a filter showing only caches which HAVE NOT come down in a GPX file within the last week, say, and then either:

 

a. Pull down the individual GPXes (so you can have the last few logs which will show why it was archived etc - that's what I do)

 

b. Delete them

 

c. Change the status to archived

 

If you do use GSAK, modify any filters you use to hunt from to ensure that only caches updated from GPX files recently are included in those filters, and you'll almost always avoid hunting an archived cache - and then the database maintenance is really just a failsafe in case you make a filter without an updated GPX criteria.

 

And then obviously, you replace all your waypoints in the GPS with those from GSAK, so the archived ones aren't in your GPS - I don't have a traditional GPS, so I can't help there.

 

Hope that helps a little.

Link to comment

Why can't caches archived within the last 7 days be included in Poquet Queries?

I can understand not sending caches archived months ago,

but as PQs are usualy run at least once a week,

it would seem to me like proper cutomer service.

 

Untill this is resolved, I would ask all cache owners and approvers

to make dead caches Temporarly Unavailable for at least 8 days

before making them Archived, to raise a flag in everyone's weekly Pocket Query.

 

Thank you,

Link to comment
Why can't caches archived within the last 7 days be included in Poquet Queries?

I can understand not sending caches archived months ago,

but as PQs are usualy run at least once a week,

it would seem to me like proper cutomer service.

 

Untill this is resolved, I would ask all cache owners and approvers

to make dead caches Temporarly Unavailable for at least 8 days

before making them Archived, to raise a flag in everyone's weekly Pocket Query.

 

Thank you,

Scenario 1: Bomb squad responds to report of suspicious object and detonates the cache. Law enforcement learns it was a geocache and contacts geocaching.com, asking them to remove the listing immediately.

 

Scenario 2: Land manager learns about geocaching for the first time, does a search, and is shocked to learn that a geocache is placed in the middle of an ecologically sensitive wildflower preserve. Geocaching.com receives a request to have the cache listing removed immediately.

 

Scenario 3: Geocacher obtains permission to hide a cache in a State Park, filling out a form that says the cache must be removed on X date. Geocacher would like for the cache to remain available for hunting right up until and including X date. Permit conditions also stipulate that the cache must be removed from the searchable listings on the listing site once the cache's expiration date arrives.

 

Each of the above examples -- which occur on a daily basis -- are IMHO a bit more important than keeping your offline database tidied up. So here's a "no" vote to having caches disabled for X days prior to being archived.

Link to comment
Why can't caches archived within the last 7 days be included in Poquet Queries?

I can understand not sending caches archived months ago,

but as PQs are usualy run at least once a week,

it would seem to me like proper cutomer service.

 

Untill this is resolved, I would ask all cache owners and approvers

to make dead caches Temporarly Unavailable for at least 8 days

before making them Archived, to raise a flag in everyone's weekly Pocket Query.

 

Thank you,

Are you using GSAK as an off-line database? If so, you can filter OUT all caches that didn't appear in your most recent PQ. Keeps your data fresh.

 

And if you're still using paper...well then :(

Link to comment

If you are a prem Member (and you are if your are getting PQ) then sign-up for inta-notifications for Archived Caches.

 

When I get Archived E-mails. I click on the link and save the GPX to my GSAK directory.

 

Then the next time I check and download my PQ to GSAK they are picked up also and marked as Archived

 

It is not perfect but It works well.

Link to comment
Scenario 1:  Bomb squad responds to report of suspicious object and detonates the cache.  Law enforcement learns it was a geocache and contacts geocaching.com, asking them to remove the listing immediately.

 

Scenario 2:  Land manager learns about geocaching for the first time, does a search, and is shocked to learn that a geocache is placed in the middle of an ecologically sensitive wildflower preserve.  Geocaching.com receives a request to have the cache listing removed immediately.

 

Scenario 3:  Geocacher obtains permission to hide a cache in a State Park, filling out a form that says the cache must be removed on X date.  Geocacher would like for the cache to remain available for hunting right up until and including X date.  Permit conditions also stipulate that the cache must be removed from the searchable listings on the listing site once the cache's expiration date arrives.

Except archived cache listings still really remain on the site in all those cases and you can still view the pages (as you should) in no different way than whether they are included in a Pocket Query without data beyond the status.

 

Which still leaves the question that if it's so important that we don't want people caching with stale data, why not provide a listing of archived cache waypoints - not the coordinates, not the full GPX schema?

 

After all, we've now got an "All My Finds" GPX with only your own logs - and this includes archived caches.

 

There are plenty of workarounds, but the time taken to answer this question in the forums over and over and over again for all the newer users plus the time for everyone to learn the workarounds and do their cleanup would seem to outweigh the implementation costs. But I guess that's too global a view. Let's just stick to the way things are and keep wasting our time answering these questions.

 

Silly me, what am I doing prolonging the agony...

Link to comment
Scenario 1: Bomb squad responds to report of suspicious object and detonates the cache. Law enforcement learns it was a geocache and contacts geocaching.com, asking them to remove the listing immediately.

 

Scenario 2: Land manager learns about geocaching for the first time, does a search, and is shocked to learn that a geocache is placed in the middle of an ecologically sensitive wildflower preserve. Geocaching.com receives a request to have the cache listing removed immediately.

 

Scenario 3: Geocacher obtains permission to hide a cache in a State Park, filling out a form that says the cache must be removed on X date. Geocacher would like for the cache to remain available for hunting right up until and including X date. Permit conditions also stipulate that the cache must be removed from the searchable listings on the listing site once the cache's expiration date arrives.

 

Each of the above examples -- which occur on a daily basis -- are IMHO a bit more important than keeping your offline database tidied up. So here's a "no" vote to having caches disabled for X days prior to being archived.

Scenario 1: Bomb squads respond to report of suspicious objects

and detonate caches on a daily basis in your area?

Boy, am I ever glad I do not live in your country!

 

Scenario 2: We will just keep searching for caches removed from forbiden places

because our offline databases are hard to maintain properly with the data supplied.

 

Scenario 3: We will just keep searching for caches removed after forbiden dates

because the owners did not do the responsible thing by making it

Temporarly Unavailable a week ahead of time.

 

Thank you for giving me the go ahead on 2 & 3.

Where can my lawyer team contact your lawyer team when we are both sued?

Link to comment
Scenario 1:  Bomb squad responds to report of suspicious object and detonates the cache.  Law enforcement learns it was a geocache and contacts geocaching.com, asking them to remove the listing immediately.

 

Scenario 2:  Land manager learns about geocaching for the first time, does a search, and is shocked to learn that a geocache is placed in the middle of an ecologically sensitive wildflower preserve.  Geocaching.com receives a request to have the cache listing removed immediately.

 

Scenario 3:  Geocacher obtains permission to hide a cache in a State Park, filling out a form that says the cache must be removed on X date.  Geocacher would like for the cache to remain available for hunting right up until and including X date.  Permit conditions also stipulate that the cache must be removed from the searchable listings on the listing site once the cache's expiration date arrives.

 

Each of the above examples -- which occur on a daily basis -- are IMHO a bit more important than keeping your offline database tidied up.  So here's a "no" vote to having caches disabled for X days prior to being archived.

Scenario 1: Bomb squads respond to report of suspicious objects

and detonate caches on a daily basis in your area?

Boy, am I ever glad I do not live in your country!

 

Scenario 2: We will just keep searching for caches removed from forbiden places

because our offline databases are hard to maintain properly with the data supplied.

 

Scenario 3: We will just keep searching for caches removed after forbiden dates

because the owners did not do the responsible thing by making it

Temporarly Unavailable a week ahead of time.

 

Thank you for giving me the go ahead on 2 & 3.

Where can my lawyer team contact your lawyer team when we are both sued?

I already explained how to avoid this with a GSAK filter. Why are you still arguing?

Link to comment

Thanks for the tips. Seems like there is no clean way to manage archived caches. I personally think that caches that have been requested to be removed due to a violation of one sort or another should be deleted from the site and caches that have been archived due to other reasons such as the owner quitting the game, etc. should be left on the site and coded as archived.

 

I am new to the sport and I acutally did a search on "archive" and "pocket query" before I posted and got no hits. There is a cache owner in our area who is getting out due to personal reasons and stated he would like for the places where the caches he placed to still be visited and the archives would make that possible. If I understand correctly, if I start geocaching AFTER his caches have been archived, I will never have a chance to see them other than someone sharing the waypoint name, coords, etc. Not a serious issue compared to starvation, AIDS, etc. but still less than perfect IMHO.

 

Thanks for a great forum!

Link to comment
Except archived cache listings still really remain on the site in all those cases and you can still view the pages (as you should) in no different way than whether they are included in a Pocket Query without data beyond the status.

This is not exactly true.

Archived caches do nt display in any normal search listings. If you seach by the cache name, you will find nothing. Seach by location, nothing. Unless you have a direct URL to the page, or seach through the logs of the person who hid the cache or someone who has found the archived cache, it's hidden from view.

So no, it's not the same as an active cache.

Link to comment

It makes me wonder way there is even a "Updated in the last 7 days" option. It allows you to get only those caches that have been changed in some way in the past 7 days and not the ones where there have been no change.

 

Now, to me, this is so that you can update those caches that have changed and considering the rest have not changed there is no reason to change them.

 

...except for those that become archived in that period of time.

 

The "Updated in the last 7 days" puts the rest in the group of "Not updated in the last 7 days" except the data set is wrong. Archived caches, which are clearly changed, are put into this same data set. How can anyone think this is correct?

 

If the idea of not including archived caches in a PQ is so these caches will not be hunted then updating an offline database is what you would want to do. You'd think, right?

 

The only solution, really, is to always get the full data set knowing that you are going to get all of the active caches. Anything else you can assume is archived.

 

...thus making the "Updated in the last 7 days" useless.

 

I'm off to increase my PQ load back to the full data set because weeding out the archived caches are getting to be a royal pain in the ...

Link to comment

Archived caches are not supposed to still be in the field (the exception is if the cache listing is merely transfered to another listing site, but the owner would mention that in the archive note). If you find the remnants of an archived cache in the field, it is litter and you should clean it. Leaving geo-litter in the field is among the biggest fouls a geocacher can commit and we as a community should take all possible steps to prevent such occurences.

 

While it's possible to adopt an archived cache, it is usually better to simply clean the archived cache litter and place a new cache from scratch.

There is a cache owner in our area who is getting out due to personal reasons and stated he would like for the places where the caches he placed to still be visited and the archives would make that possible.

If the cacher in question is planning to leave the caches in the field, he should allow someone else to adopt them. Otherwise, he should remove them and archive them. Every other course of action is grossly irresponsible.

Places ... to still be visited

Unless there are some very unusual circumstances, there is nothing to prevent anyone from visiting the lat/long of an old cache location. Just find the coords by finding the old listing and have a happy hike. But if there is still a cache container there, it should be actively (not archived) listed (here or a competitor site), or cleaned as litter.

 

Edited to fix grammar.

Edited by QOCMike
Link to comment
I personally think that caches that have been requested to be removed due to a violation of one sort or another should be deleted from the site

That would also mean deleting all the found logs of everyone that found those caches. Somehow I don't think that would go over too well :anibad:

 

Just because, for example, a cache was hidden without permission, doesn't mean we should punish everyone that found that cache.

Link to comment

The owner fully intends to clean up his caches. A friend of mine and his wife went to one of his and they are still talking about it. They say they felt like they were watching a National Geographic special. Scenery, river otters playing in a crystal clear creek, etc. This special place would be unknown to many if he gets out, espcially if they get into the game after he has archived them.

 

I understand what you are saying about the found logs. I wonder if there could be two type of archives? Maybe one archive called "violation" and another archive called "abandoned" for example. Violation archives could be ignored in queries and searches while the "abandoned" archive type would be available for historical purposes, searchs, etc.

 

I know you folks have been at this much longer than me so I'll try to make this my last post on the subject.

 

Again, thanks for the info and the forums and their contents.

Link to comment

Here is my contribution to this week's verions of this thread:

I would be happy if, when I request "is not available" caches to be included in a PQ, that for archived caches the following xml data be included (with the obvious data replacements), and NOTHING else:

<wpt>
 <time>2005-nn-nnT00:00:00.0000000-08:00</time>
 <name>GCxxxx</name>
 <sym>Trashcan</sym>
 <type>Geocache|xxxtypeofxxx Cache</type>
 <Groundspeak:cache id="yyyyyy" available="False" archived="True" >
  <Groundspeak:name>Archived Cache: name</Groundspeak:name>
  <Groundspeak:placed_by>OwnersName</Groundspeak:placed_by>
  <Groundspeak:owner id="zzzzzz">OwnersGCid</Groundspeak:owner>
  <Groundspeak:logs>
   <Groundspeak:log id="sssssssss">
     <Groundspeak:date>xml.timestamp.of.log</Groundspeak:date>
     <Groundspeak:type>Archived</Groundspeak:type>
     <Groundspeak:finder id="rrrrrr">name of archiver</Groundspeak:finder>
     <Groundspeak:text encoded="False">old railroad tracks are suddenly being used again - for god's sake please stay off</Groundspeak:text>
   </Groundspeak:log>
  <Groundspeak:travelbugs>
  </Groundspeak:travelbugs>
</Groundspeak:cache>
</wpt>

By communicating no coordinates and description in the xml data, Groundspeak can assure that no one will use this GPX file as an impetus to go hunt for this archived cache. By including all logs from the last log date (i.e. the archived date) information as to dangers or reasons for the archiving could be posted so as to keep geocachers safe.

 

This would accomplish the following:

  • Landmangers, bombsquads, leprechauns and anyone else who stipulate immedate removal of a listing can be assured that the maximum number of geocachers have been informed that the cache no longer exists.
  • It assures the safety of geocachers who hold cache descriptions for caches that have been archived because of dangerous conditions.
  • Assure that Groundspeak is not negligent in cases where someone comes to harm due to hunting in the perimeter of a location where a cache used to be.
  • Geocachers who manage their off-line data carefully can be assured that they don't go searching for caches that have been archived.
  • Reduce the number of threads in the forums by individuals wanting to know why Groundspeak neglects to send out information about archived caches when "is not available" is selcted as a PQ search criterion.

It still would not be 100% bullet proof as there will still be some who don't get it or who retain paper-printouts. But at least Groundspeak will have used all possible means to communicate the information.

Link to comment
Why can't caches archived within the last 7 days be included in Poquet Queries?

I can understand not sending caches archived months ago,

but as PQs are usually run at least once a week,

it would seem to me like proper customer service.

 

Until this is resolved, I would ask all cache owners and approvers

to make dead caches Temporarily Unavailable for at least 8 days

before making them Archived, to raise a flag in everyone's weekly Pocket Query.

 

Thank you,

I very much feel your pain. Personally I have proposed both solutions on this forum with similar results (i.e. no chance). But I have come up with a solution of sorts using he notification system. Basically what I do is setup notifications for the cache types that I care about within 50 miles of my home for both newly published caches and archived caches. Once you have the notification email you can follow the link to the cache page and click the button to download a gpx file for the cache and load it into GSAK. If you use paper you could then print it or go into your notebook and remove the printout if archived.

 

Its not an ideal system I know, the notifications have to be setup for a specific cache type rather than one for all types. My ideal solution would be to setup a PQ on all caches that have been modified in the last 7 days (i.e. description or status changed including the archived) or force archived caches into disabled status for 7 days before archiving them.

 

If the bomb squad or land manager removed a cache and the cache said that in the notes I see no harm in marking it as disabled for a week. We see all the time that a cache goes missing and the cache owner disables it until it can be replaced, I don't see a difference. In fact I see some benefits in marking it as disabled for a bit so that other cachers can see why its being removed and know not to place additional caches in that area.

Link to comment
Except archived cache listings still really remain on the site in all those cases and you can still view the pages (as you should) in no different way than whether they are included in a Pocket Query without data beyond the status.

This is not exactly true.

Archived caches do nt display in any normal search listings. If you seach by the cache name, you will find nothing. Seach by location, nothing. Unless you have a direct URL to the page, or seach through the logs of the person who hid the cache or someone who has found the archived cache, it's hidden from view.

So no, it's not the same as an active cache.

If you know the area the cache was in, you can find them. First go to an existing cache in that area. Look towards the bottom of the list page, right before the logs, for the "For online maps..." section and select "Geocaching.com Maps". On the map page, check "List Archived/Disabled Caches" and uncheck "List Caches you found". Select the "Identify" radio button and then click in the map. This will bring up a list of archived caches in that area.

Link to comment
Untill this is resolved, I would ask all cache owners and approvers

to make dead caches Temporarly Unavailable for at least 8 days

before making them Archived, to raise a flag in everyone's weekly Pocket Query.

Let me get this straight.

 

You want everyone else in the world to spend a great deal of effort to accomodate you because the software you use to try to replicate the geocaching.com database locally can't identify archived caches for you.

 

It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

Edited by fizzymagic
Link to comment

OK, without all the argument back and forth as to why archived caches aren't listed, since there is a already defined "My Finds" PQ that will return archived caches that you found, how can that be duplicated to automatically occur on a regular basis....say, weekly, like the other PQ's?

 

Can the pre-defined query be modified so as to be schedule-able?

 

Mike

Link to comment

Speaking as a person that loves to collect Archived entries, even I cannot see any valid reason to get an Archived Geocache PQ.

 

Any Geocaches that are Archived are supposed to be removed, and therefore the idea of searching for something that is not there is a waste of time.

 

Now, if you intend to be advised that a Geocache is no longer there before you go out searching, the same is accomplished be running a PQ of available caches.

 

The GSAK option is the best option. And if a person cared enough about a cache, they would know when it gets archived, either by Watchlist or Insta-Notify.

 

I do the suggested Archive Search using GSAK every Friday, before I go caching. Get your PQ's loaded and create a filter to discover what caches have 'disappeared'

 

GSAK Filter specs for ARCHIVED FINDER:

 

On the GENERAL TAB for FILTER - Select the ARCHIVED radio button only, then choose REVERSE FILTER at the top right.

 

Click GO in the bottom left, and then sort by LAST GPX.

 

The Archives float to the top.

 

:rolleyes: The Blue Quasar

Link to comment
The Archives float to the top.

Except if you use the "Updated in last 7 days" version.

 

You are able to create fewer and smaller PQs using this method. There is less load on the servers and less bandwidth.

 

Unfortunately there is serious problem with archived caches rendering the method useless.

 

I've had to go back to the method you mentioned and at least double, if not treble, the server load and bandwidth.

 

So, yes, I can see a reason to get an archived PQ. You don't need to get a complete list of archved caches every time. Just one to get you going and one with the caches archived in the past week. Seems pretty simple to me.

Link to comment

My reason for posting the question in the first place is this:

 

There is a geocacher in our area that is getting out of the game. He has hidden some caches in some beautiful places in the Ozarks. I have not been geocaching that long and when he gets out and archives his caches those places would have been lost to me forever. I just happened to hear about the quality of his caches before he got completely out and I have gotten all his hides from his profile.

 

Other geocachers who will have started after he has gotten out will not have the opportunity to see the cache locations unless someone adopts them. I think it is erroneous to think that all caches are archived due to lack of maintainence or for violating the guidelines.

Link to comment
My reason for posting the question in the first place is this:

 

There is a geocacher in our area that is getting out of the game.  He has hidden some caches in some beautiful places in the Ozarks.  I have not been geocaching that long and when he gets out and archives his caches those places would have been lost to me forever.  I just happened to hear about the quality of his caches before he got completely out and I have gotten all his hides from his profile.

If you are looking for archived caches by a particular cacher, then the answer is easy.

 

Go to his profile page and look at the caches he has hidden. On this page they still show up, but with a line through archived ones.

Link to comment

Also by archiving his caches it is opening the area up for another cacher to hide a cache in the same area. This will have the added benefit of getting cachers back out to the area that have already found his caches.

 

As for removing the archived caches from the GSAK database. Select clear all before importing the new PQ. All archived caches are now gone. (I know you loss your 57 logs also but do you really need them?)

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...