Narrowing keyword searches geographically

[+SharkAndMermaid]

I often want to search for my geographic area for a particular keyword (such as the name of a state/national park here in Texas) but find I get many irrelavant (to me) results. For example, I wanted to find all the caches in Big Bend National Park. When I searched using 'Big Bend' I hit a bunch of caches in Australia! Is there some way to add a state to the search? When I tried 'Big Bend Texas' I got no hits, because it's looking for that string.

 

How about a pull down menu where we can select the state in addition to a keyword? If there's a way to already to this I'd appreciate some instruction. Thanks. The Mermaid half of SharkAndMermaid.

[+Jamie Z]

Since you are a premium member, I suggest you can do this very simply with pocket queries and third-party software. GSAK will allow you to filter on just about any criteria you want, including keyword and state. It will do exactly what you want.

 

Jamie

[+SharkAndMermaid]

I'll look into it, but it still seems like a really a useful feature. Thanks.

[+LSUMonica]

Actually the OP suggestion has great merit! PQs are great but require access to email and an external program to read them.

 

In my situation, just this week, PQs were not the answer but additional search criteria would work.

 

Example:

 

I was at work this week and realized that I had forgot to log the two caches I had found in Texas about 2 weeks ago while in Austin for the Austin City Limits Music festival. The event was no problem to find as all I had to do was look at the even calendar on the main Groundspeak page but I couldn't remember the name of the other cache. I knew it was located in Downtown Austin and it had the work "history" in its name. Since I no idea of the zip code or area code the only thing I could do is search on a keyword of "history". Do you know how many caches have the word "history" in them???? 764!!!

 

Even with searching from the event (which was nowhere near the cache) and then by cache type, I still had to look through quite a number of pages before I found the cache listing.

 

A PQ wouldn't work as my company blocks us from personal email sites and even if I had been able to email the PQ to me at work -- I didn't have the software to read the PQ.

 

 

What would have worked (and shortened the list considerably) is to be able to combine the search criteria in the Advanced Search options -- Keyword AND State/Country.

 

So I do think there is merit to this request!

[+Prime Suspect]

I often want to search for my geographic area for a particular keyword (such as the name of a state/national park here in Texas) but find I get many irrelavant (to me) results. For example, I wanted to find all the caches in Big Bend National Park. When I searched using 'Big Bend' I hit a bunch of caches in Australia! Is there some way to add a state to the search? When I tried 'Big Bend Texas' I got no hits, because it's looking for that string.

 

How about a pull down menu where we can select the state in addition to a keyword? If there's a way to already to this I'd appreciate some instruction. Thanks. The Mermaid half of SharkAndMermaid.

What you're asking for seems like a really bad way to accomplish your task. 'Keywords' are simply words that are in the Title of a cache. It's a bit naive to think that all (or even most of) the caches in Big Bend are going to have the words "Big Bend" in the title.

 

Better to simply pick a coordinate within the park, and bring up the list. You can then click the Map It link, and see what caches are in the park.

 

I assume you know that all caches in Big Bend are virtuals (or multis, where the stages inside the park are virtual). You could just pick one, then click the Nearby Caches of this Type link.

Edited October 5, 2006 by Prime Suspect

[+Crew 153]

I use the keyword search when I am logging a cache which is distant from my home coordinates. It is easier to do a keyword search to find the cache than to go through the process of finding the GC code from my records. It would certainly be an advantage to have the search results show the closest ones at the top of the list.

 

How does everyone else find the cache page to log their finds??

 

Am I doing it the hard way?

[+Prime Suspect]

I use the keyword search when I am logging a cache which is distant from my home coordinates. It is easier to do a keyword search to find the cache than to go through the process of finding the GC code from my records. It would certainly be an advantage to have the search results show the closest ones at the top of the list.

 

How does everyone else find the cache page to log their finds??

 

Am I doing it the hard way?

Yes.

 

When I find a cache, I make a note of the Waypoint ID, and use that to get to the cache page. Once you enter a log, there is an entry box where you can enter the next waypoint ID.

[+Crew 153]

I use the keyword search when I am logging a cache which is distant from my home coordinates. It is easier to do a keyword search to find the cache than to go through the process of finding the GC code from my records. It would certainly be an advantage to have the search results show the closest ones at the top of the list.

 

How does everyone else find the cache page to log their finds??

 

Am I doing it the hard way?

Yes.

 

When I find a cache, I make a note of the Waypoint ID, and use that to get to the cache page. Once you enter a log, there is an entry box where you can enter the next waypoint ID.

 

I don't download the Waypoint ID to either the GPS or PDA so that is not readily available.

[+Prime Suspect]

I use the keyword search when I am logging a cache which is distant from my home coordinates. It is easier to do a keyword search to find the cache than to go through the process of finding the GC code from my records. It would certainly be an advantage to have the search results show the closest ones at the top of the list.

 

How does everyone else find the cache page to log their finds??

 

Am I doing it the hard way?

Yes.

 

When I find a cache, I make a note of the Waypoint ID, and use that to get to the cache page. Once you enter a log, there is an entry box where you can enter the next waypoint ID.

 

I don't download the Waypoint ID to either the GPS or PDA so that is not readily available.

Yup, you're doing it the hard way, all right.

[+Team LightningBugs]

Why can't keyword be a filter within the PQ to begin with?