Archived - Pocket Queries

[+Icarii]

I use a pocket pc for paperless caching. The other day there was a couble of caches that got archive. But, my pocket pc did not get this information because I use pocket queries and drop the gpx file onto it. Is there a way to do a Pocket Query for archived caches? If not could we get one, maybe for the last 7 days at least. That way it is easier to keep our personal databases upto date so we do not spend hours looking for a cache that was archived. Any input would be appriciated.

Icarii

[Keystone]

Archived caches do not appear in pocket queries, with the sole exception of the "All My Finds" special query. The feature enhancement you're asking for is frequently requested by people who maintain offline databases. But the emphasis of the site design is to encourage people to work with fresh data. That means using a new pocket query, from which the archived caches are excluded automatically.

[+Isonzo Karst]

Whenever my new query arrives I place it in the appropriate database, this in GSAK. I then filter based on "dates" date of last update GPX - asking for caches in the database from a date BEFORE the current GPX upload. All those caches have been archived. I then delete the caches caught in that filter.

[+Icarii]

Isonzo Karst, thanks that helped and works great.

Icarii

[+bigeddy]

Archived caches do not appear in pocket queries, with the sole exception of the "All My Finds" special query. The feature enhancement you're asking for is frequently requested by people who maintain offline databases. But the emphasis of the site design is to encourage people to work with fresh data. That means using a new pocket query, from which the archived caches are excluded automatically.

I was recently trying to research archived caches in a 50-mile radius and a pocket query would have been ideal. Knowing where caches have been and reading their logs can be enlightening and is part of the (brief) history of the game. I don't understand the "fresh data" rationale because if that is what a person wants they could simply not check the "archived" box assuming there was such a choice.

 

On a side note, didn't there used to be a choice to hide or show an archived cache? It looks like only the show option is there now.

Edited May 1, 2006 by bigeddy

[+Renegade Knight]

I would like to see archived caches appear in my weekly email. This past weekend I searched for an archived cache due to a conflict with my GPS which was current and my PDA which had not updated. The email notice would have helped.

 

Plus when caches dissapear it helps you know what's going on in your area. You can figure out if someone quit in a snit, if a park is cracking down, if someone kicked the bucket, or the caches are all being stolen in a specific area and maybe you should go check on yours.

[+caderoux]

I would like to see archived caches appear in my weekly email. This past weekend I searched for an archived cache due to a conflict with my GPS which was current and my PDA which had not updated. The email notice would have helped.

 

Plus when caches dissapear it helps you know what's going on in your area. You can figure out if someone quit in a snit, if a park is cracking down, if someone kicked the bucket, or the caches are all being stolen in a specific area and maybe you should go check on yours.

 

I have an instant notification in my area for archives (there's a radius limit there). Between this and the date filtering technique (I manually review the caches to see why they are dropping off), it gets the job done.

[CoyoteRed]

... encourage people to work with fresh data.

 

I've pointed out before that even GC.com's data is no fresher than the users have provided. Some two thirds of the caches have not changed at all thus being no fresher than last week. By providing PQs in a differential format, as in all caches changed in the past 7 days, an off line database would be no different than getting a full dataset except you'd use fewer resources.

[+Geofellas]

I then filter based on "dates" date of last update GPX - asking for caches in the database from a date BEFORE the current GPX upload. All those caches have been archived. I then delete the caches caught in that filter.

 

Or they've dropped off the edge of the zone covered by that PQ (but not necessarily archived) because of new caches appearing closer to the centre of the zone....

[+Renegade Knight]

...notification in my area for archives (there's a radius limit there). Between this and the date filtering technique (I manually review the caches to see why they are dropping off), it gets the job done.

 

I'll check into that. Thanks.

[+The Blue Quasar]

Coyote Red said:

 

I've pointed out before that even GC.com's data is no fresher than the users have provided. Some two thirds of the caches have not changed at all thus being no fresher than last week. By providing PQs in a differential format, as in all caches changed in the past 7 days, an off line database would be no different than getting a full dataset except you'd use fewer resources.

 

Yup. And if "Updated in the Last 7 Days" included 'became Archived' then there would be a less demanding option. (Thanks to CR for teaching me that trick!)

 

The Blue Quasar

[+TheAprilFools]

Yup. And if "Updated in the Last 7 Days" included 'became Archived' then there would be a less demanding option. (Thanks to CR for teaching me that trick!)

 

The Blue Quasar

 

My great wish is for a 'Modified in the last 7 days" PQ setting that would include caches where the owner has updated them, or any status change (anything that would cause a notification to be sent out). But not include an ordinary note being attached like updated in the last 7 days does now.

 

I understand the desire by GC.com for cachers not to go try to find the archived caches and I don't want to, I just want to know that something that I recently received in a PQ is no longer available. I would have no problem if the coordinates were rounded off, the descriptions truncated and the URL removed from the GPX file.

[+CCcacher]

Whenever my new query arrives I place it in the appropriate database, this in GSAK. I then filter based on "dates" date of last update GPX - asking for caches in the database from a date BEFORE the current GPX upload. All those caches have been archived. I then delete the caches caught in that filter.

 

The filter Last GPX Update "Not During" the last "10 Days" also works. You can then either delete these caches, or Database > Move/Copy Waypoints these caches into another database for archival. This filter can be saved and doesn't require tweaking everytime you want to run it.

[+TheAprilFools]

Whenever my new query arrives I place it in the appropriate database, this in GSAK. I then filter based on "dates" date of last update GPX - asking for caches in the database from a date BEFORE the current GPX upload. All those caches have been archived. I then delete the caches caught in that filter.

 

The filter Last GPX Update "Not During" the last "10 Days" also works. You can then either delete these caches, or Database > Move/Copy Waypoints these caches into another database for archival. This filter can be saved and doesn't require tweaking everytime you want to run it.

 

While I do this also, one thing I have found useful is to turn on the instant notifications so that you receive notifications on all archived caches withing 50 miles of your home area, once received click on the link to open the page and click on the links to download a GPX file for that cache (only four mouse clicks per cache). One thing to watch when using the "Not During" filter with GSAK is if your latest GPX file was generated after midnight GMT the cache will have tomorrows date in it, and the 'Not During' filter will include those new caches in its results.

[+CCcacher]

While I do this also, one thing I have found useful is to turn on the instant notifications so that you receive notifications on all archived caches withing 50 miles of your home area, once received click on the link to open the page and click on the links to download a GPX file for that cache (only four mouse clicks per cache). One thing to watch when using the "Not During" filter with GSAK is if your latest GPX file was generated after midnight GMT the cache will have tomorrows date in it, and the 'Not During' filter will include those new caches in its results.

 

Good tip, I'm going to give it a try. Thanks.

[+darus67]

Whenever my new query arrives I place it in the appropriate database, this in GSAK. I then filter based on "dates" date of last update GPX - asking for caches in the database from a date BEFORE the current GPX upload. All those caches have been archived. I then delete the caches caught in that filter.

 

Would you happen to have a GSAK macro that performs this task?