Release Notes 4/1/08

[OpinioNate]

Today we updated the site with the following fixes:

• Removed the restriction to add a waypoint that is identical to the cache location (an error message was added instead)
  
• Added the text "WGS84" to the UTM section of the "other conversions" link on cache pages to reduce confusion
  
• Remove File Path from Photo Upload (IE)
  
• Fixed some text formatting on the Geocoin FAQ page
  
• My Finds calendar functionality has resumed
  
• We now disallow user names starting with "<" or ">"
  
• Usernames are restricted to 32 characters or less
  
• An ampersand in a Travel Bug name no longers breaks formatting during activation
  
• An ampersand in a cache "placed by" field no longer breaks formatting
  
• HTML no longer allowed in the cache "placed by" field
  
• Fixed a bug which prevented the bulk deletion of Field Notes
  

Please feel free to comment in this thread on these changes and report any unusual site behavior. Thanks!

[+Andy33]

Glad the file path for photo upload has been removed it was a real pain.

 

Andy

[Alan White]

Today we updated the site with the following fixes:

• Removed the restriction to add a waypoint that is identical to the cache location (an error message was added instead)
  
• HTML no longer allowed in the cache "placed by" field
  
• Fixed a bug which prevented the bulk deletion of Field Notes
  

Please feel free to comment in this thread on these changes and report any unusual site behavior. Thanks!

Well done. Those - especially the first - were really annoying. Thanks for listening

 

Edited to add: Now, how about fixing the length limit on the log text in geocaching_visits.txt?

Edited April 1, 2008 by Alan White

[+alexrudd]

At first I thought this was going to be some sort of joke, but these bugfixes are even better!

[knowschad]

Thanks for the file path fix!

[+Jennifer&Dean]

On the cache page we just submitted our name is showing up as:

"A cache by Jennifer&amp;Dean "

 

Is it supposed to be doing this? I haven't seen this particular naming problem before on our other caches.

Our other caches all show:

" A cache by Jennifer&Dean "

 

Thank you for fixing the & issue in TB names, our TBs look SO much better now!!!

Jen

[+benh57]

The ignore feature still does not work for Wherigo caches.

[Mr.Yuck]

[*]HTML no longer allowed in the cache "placed by" field

 

I was wondering when those people were going to get caught.

[OpinioNate]

The ignore feature still does not work for Wherigo caches.

 

That wasn't part of this release, so yes you can't yet ignore Wherigo caches. But don't worry, we will fix it.

[OpinioNate]

On the cache page we just submitted our name is showing up as:

"A cache by Jennifer&amp;Dean "

 

Is it supposed to be doing this? I haven't seen this particular naming problem before on our other caches.

Our other caches all show:

" A cache by Jennifer&Dean "

 

Thank you for fixing the & issue in TB names, our TBs look SO much better now!!!

Jen

 

A quick edit took care of this.

 

Edit: There does seem to be some strange behavior still with the ampersand. We will look into this. Thanks!

Edited April 2, 2008 by OpinioNate

[+g-o-cashers]

The Clear All Field Notes button does work now. However, in addition to clearing all of the field notes it also wipes out the information kept in the user account about the last uploaded fieldnote timestamp.

 

If you clear all field notes the next time you upload you'll get all of the fieldnotes not just the new ones. Since there is already a check box to ignore the timestamp cut off (and upload everything) I don't think clearing the field notes should wipe out this data.

 

Also, any word on fixes for the date/timestamp issues with field notes from this thread and this thread?

 

GO$Rs

[+radioscout]

IMHO cache descriptions should be restricted to plain text.

[+Miragee]

IMHO cache descriptions should be restricted to plain text.

Why? I like using HTML and adding images to dress up my cache pages and show the view from the cache.

 

 

On two of my caches, I include the links to thirty other caches. Those would be very ugly pages if I couldn't use HTML . . .

[+Prime Suspect]

IMHO cache descriptions should be restricted to plain text.

And what about puzzle caches that rely on images, and text formating?

[+OzGuff]

[*]HTML no longer allowed in the cache "placed by" field

 

I was wondering when those people were going to get caught.

 

To my knowledge there has never been a guideline restriction prohibiting the use of HTML code in the "Placed By" field, so for what exactly are "those people" getting "caught"?

 

BTW -- as one of "those people" I have been slowly editing my "Placed By" fields to remove the HTML code. But yesterday it wasn't letting me edit that field. Check below for a few examples:

 

BP: Big Pole

Almost 13,000 Pounds

Or Go East...

[+OzGuff]

I just tried to edit again and all now appears to be OK. BP: Big Pole has been corrected. I left the other two as is to show what was happening. And I will continue to slowly edit my cache listings to erase the HTML code.

[+mtn-man]

I've always thought that this issue of HTML in the "by line" has been causing Plucker to function improperly. I will have to start testing Plucker again to see if it will function so I can stop using Sunrise Desktop.

[+TotemLake]

IMHO cache descriptions should be restricted to plain text.

Fortunately, you're in the minority. Plain text looks horrible when you consider today's technological ability to enhance it so it is easier to read.

[+Pablo Mac]

IMHO cache descriptions should be restricted to plain text.

Fortunately, you're in the minority. Plain text looks horrible when you consider today's technological ability to enhance it so it is easier to read.

His opinion on this issue is indeed humble.

Edited April 4, 2008 by Pablo Mac

[Ranger Fox]

IMHO cache descriptions should be restricted to plain text.

Fortunately, you're in the minority. Plain text looks horrible when you consider today's technological ability to enhance it so it is easier to read.

His opinion on this issue is indeed humble.

 

If one's cache is a park and grab, it can be limited to plain text and does not apply to the logic I am about to present. For all else, I consider cache descriptions as marketing, which could need some explaining. Just don't assume I'm personally good with selling my caches, either.

 

I'm going with two cachers who are about to hit 1K and we want to do a cache that will provide them with the best quality experience, terrain-wise. We have been looking at caches in the area, trying to find ones that will provide some memorable experiences. As the owner of a difficult cache (and,if you're in a cache-dense area, even a multi or mystery), if you want people other than locals to visit it, you must entice potential seekers in, among other things, your description. Why should I find your cache over another? There are many things you can do to make your cache stand out from the crowd. One of these things is what you can do with the description. With the limited time I have to search through more than a hundred caches online, you'll need to catch my eye before I continue to the next listing. Mostly, I skim the page, look at attributes, check the rating (also part of selling the cache), and look for pictures. Show me the cache. Tell me what I can look forward to doing and how long it'll take. Use formatting to highlight things I must read. Sell the experience to me, even the mystique. I am a paying customer: above all monetary expenses, I am spending my valuable personal caching time to do your cache and not another's or the thirty to forty PNGs I could get in the same time. This is where using things other than plain text is necessary.

 

Just a test: Give yourself no more than ten seconds per page. Would GCQJJJ look more appealing or Fallin' For Virginia X - Chestnut Ridge? They both involve waterfalls, but one looks more appealing than the other, mostly due to not having a plain text description.

 

So while plain text is fine for PNGs and anything that would be covered in a cache raid, I believe in this day of area cache saturation with added emphasis on numbers, it's important to make one's cache stand out from the rest. That is, if the hider desires as many people as possible from outside the area to come and look for it. Using more than just plain, black and white text is a way to catch someone's attention. Of course, a gaudy design and huge or complicated text will also repel people!

[+zoltig]

 

[*]We now disallow user names starting with "<" or ">"

 

 

What exactly was the issue with "< or >"? Is there any reason that other symbols such as "- or *" or others are still used? IMO (notice I left out the "H"? ) I think other symbols in cache names should be cleaned off. These have a tendency to drive the cachers name to the top of programs such as cachemate, GSAK and such, especially when they attach their name on to a cache title listing. Iffa ya get what I am trying to say.

[+the hermit crabs]

A new error with bookmarks appears to coincide with the 4/1 release. It is best documented in this thread:

Add into private bookmark (April 3), and is also reported in these threads:

Problem with bookmark lists. Something wrong? (April 5)

Bug: Another Bookmark Problem!, Caches going onto the wrong bookmark. (April 6)

Bookmarking fails...., Boomarkings fails to historically chosen bookmark list. (April 8)

[+Prime Suspect]

I think other symbols in cache names should be cleaned off. These have a tendency to drive the cachers name to the top of programs such as cachemate, GSAK and such, especially when they attach their name on to a cache title listing. Iffa ya get what I am trying to say.

So does having a name starting with the letter "A". Where do we stop?

[+zoltig]

I think other symbols in cache names should be cleaned off. These have a tendency to drive the cachers name to the top of programs such as cachemate, GSAK and such, especially when they attach their name on to a cache title listing. Iffa ya get what I am trying to say.

So does having a name starting with the letter "A". Where do we stop?

You completely avoided my initial question regarding "< and >".

Maybe you aren't the right person to respond.

[+Yossarian]

Today we updated the site with the following fixes:

• HTML no longer allowed in the cache "placed by" field
  

 

I see the the html is now broken on the cache pages but not in the search results.

 

Example here: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.asp...;lon=-82.923417

 

Is it not possible to strip the html out? FWIW I'm not intentionally singling OzGuff out...that was just the easiest example I could find.

 

Edited April 9, 2008 by Yossarian

[Ranger Fox]

What exactly was the issue with "< or >"?

HTML tags begin with "<" and end with ">". I would suspect this has something to do with it.

[+zoltig]

What exactly was the issue with "< or >"?

HTML tags begin with "<" and end with ">". I would suspect this has something to do with it.

Thank you. That does indeed make sense. It isn't the symbol but the action (HTML) associated with it.

On the outset, I was thinking it would be written as ">geocacher" or something to that effect.

I guess the way the statement is written - starting with "<" or ">" -mislead me.

Gotcha.

Thanks RF!

[OpinioNate]

Today we updated the site with the following fixes:

• HTML no longer allowed in the cache "placed by" field
  

 

I see the the html is now broken on the cache pages but not in the search results.

<snip>

 

Thank you, we will fix this as well.

[+OzGuff]

Today we updated the site with the following fixes:

• HTML no longer allowed in the cache "placed by" field
  

 

I see the the html is now broken on the cache pages but not in the search results.

 

Example here: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.asp...;lon=-82.923417

 

Is it not possible to strip the html out? FWIW I'm not intentionally singling OzGuff out...that was just the easiest example I could find.

 

I really am trying to get the HTML tags eliminated. But with 800+ active caches it will take me some time...

[+paleolith]

Still huge problems with links. Links in HTML descriptions are getting broken. I just tried to add a link to a description, and now both the new link and the existing link are broken. It's not a browser problem; you can see it in the source -- the entire "<a href=" has been dropped on the floor.

 

Naked links in logs (which should be turned into (visit link) are also broken, for example here. Again, you can see where bad HTML is being sent out -- not a display problem.

 

These are pretty ugly.

 

Edward

[+Prime Suspect]

Still huge problems with links. Links in HTML descriptions are getting broken. I just tried to add a link to a description, and now both the new link and the existing link are broken. It's not a browser problem; you can see it in the source -- the entire "<a href=" has been dropped on the floor.

 

Naked links in logs (which should be turned into (visit link) are also broken, for example here. Again, you can see where bad HTML is being sent out -- not a display problem.

 

These are pretty ugly.

 

Edward

Use TinyURL to shorten the URLs. That sometimes works.

[+paleolith]

Use TinyURL to shorten the URLs. That sometimes works.

These are just links to other pages on gc.com. Also, they were working until very recently. Something broke.

 

In fact, the log page I previously linked is now working. I'm not sure if a fix has been put in place, or if the error is only occurring on some servers. The latter seems like a real possibility, given that in another thread it looks like people are getting varying results.

 

Edward

[+Prime Suspect]

Use TinyURL to shorten the URLs. That sometimes works.

These are just links to other pages on gc.com. Also, they were working until very recently. Something broke.

 

In fact, the log page I previously linked is now working. I'm not sure if a fix has been put in place, or if the error is only occurring on some servers. The latter seems like a real possibility, given that in another thread it looks like people are getting varying results.

 

Edward

There are two different problems. One is that the link parser has stopped working several times recently. Nothing to do for that. When it's fixed, the links will fix themselves. The other problem is HTMLtidy applying line breaks that cause long URLs to not be recognized as URLs. TinyURL can fix that.

[+Marky]

Today we updated the site with the following fixes:

• An ampersand in a Travel Bug name no longers breaks formatting during activation
  

Loud cheers were heard in the M&J household. Thanks for all the hard work!

[+Marky]

Today we updated the site with the following fixes:

• An ampersand in a Travel Bug name no longer breaks formatting during activation
  

Please feel free to comment in this thread on these changes and report any unusual site behavior. Thanks!

I don't know if anyone else reported this, but this has regressed and is now working like it was before the fix. Might this be re-fixed sometime soon? If so, I'll hold off on activating all the new coins I got at GeoWoodstock VI.

 

--Marky