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Suggestions for the WAP interface!


Mojoski

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Hey guys and gals,

 

I have been using the WAP interface to the site more and more from my Blackjack2 lately and there are a couple of basic things missing that would be hugely valuable, in my opinion. First of all, I think the cache viewing interface is missing the cache size as well as the difficult and terrain ratings. Am I just missing something obvious? This seems like an unintentional oversight. Having that info is mission critical when on a hunt! Can we get that added? It should be simple, I think.

 

Also, being able to click a link on the owner's name and send them a quick email would be a HUGE nice-to-have, if you are a logged in and a premium member. This is obviously a bit more work than the missing data on the cache details page, but being in the field on a hunt and having a simple way to send a quick email to the cache owner, which could be answered to your blackberry, would be really cool. Thoughts?

 

Some type of simple map view would really rock, but many users might not like the bandwidth usage . For that reason put it behind a button, like the "Show Logs" option is now. It could be the "Show Map" button. It could be a simple, small Google Map view with links for zoom and pan maybe?

 

Thoughts anyone? How many of you knew about and use the WAP interface. I'm constantly amazed by how many serious geocachers I have met who have nice mobile devices but didn't realize there was a WAP interface for the geocaching.com website!

 

http://wap.geocaching.com

 

I log my finds from the road now and it is MOST handy! Thanks for all you guys do!

 

Mojoski

Edited by Mojoski
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One more thing! How about a new field in the GPX file format that would include a URL to view the WAP version of the cache page? There is an element that holds the URL already. How about an additional optional element in the Schema that holds the WAP URL also? That way Cachemate (or other mobile caching database apps) could load the WAP version instead of the full HTML page when viewing the webpage for a cache on a mobile device!

 

What do you guys think?

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Is anyone from the Groundspeak team interested in commenting on the WAP interface?

 

:(

 

The WAP interface was one of the first projects for what is now the Waymarking dev. It has, admittedly, not had any attention since it was introduced about 3 years ago (I'd say that's a pretty good track record, eh? ;).

 

I think your ideas are excellent, and I'll make sure they are documented so when the site is free of bugs (hah) we have the feature requests handy. Seriously though, we have been working very hard to fix broken features and are finally seeing a light at the end. Soon we hope to get back to adding new features instead of patching old ones.

Edited by OpinioNate
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I like the WAP site the way it is. Basic, simple and to the point. If I'm going for an FTF, I try to log a quick "FTF, more later" as a courtesy to others so they don't rush out to get it, only to find that it's been found.

 

The current WAP screen doesn't require a lot of steps to do it.

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OpinioNate, a very reasonable position to have! Thanks for the quick reply! I certainly know how you feel and what you mean. I'm in a similar role professionally as well.

 

That said, can we log the missing data on the cache page (size, difficulty and terrain) as a "bug" and work it in?

 

If not, I understand completely! :(

 

Skippermark, I like it very much as well. I thought I made that clear but if not, I'm sorry.

 

 

I like the WAP site the way it is. Basic, simple and to the point. If I'm going for an FTF, I try to log a quick "FTF, more later" as a courtesy to others so they don't rush out to get it, only to find that it's been found.

 

The current WAP screen doesn't require a lot of steps to do it.

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Skippermark, I like it very much as well. I thought I made that clear but if not, I'm sorry.

 

Sorry, Mojoski. We're having a heatwave here, 80s after being freezing all winter, and my bain isn't working too clearly. :(

 

I was mainly referring to the mention of maps and should have made that clearer. Maps would be cool, but I wouldn't want them to slow down the speed of the page.

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I think Mojoski was accounting for bandwidth by putting the maps behind a button, Skippermark.

 

I will certainly do my best to have some small features added, even if they have to be split up into installments. If more people used the WAP site it would be easier to justify spending the man hours.

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I've been using the WAP site with my Verizon Voyager, and would like to see the Lon/Lat search for caches go to the same format as the main pages. Yeah, the GPS can work with either hddd.ddddd or hddd mm.mmm but it would be nice to work in only one format. The maps would be nice too, but I'm not sure my phone handles Java very well (or at all). Sometimes it will run the main HTML site just fine, sometimes it chokes. The missing information noted previously would help too.

Thanks for listening

hairball

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You can use the same format for the WAP interface: just input your coordinates as DD MM.MMM - make sure you put a space between the degrees and the minutes and it will work!

 

I LOVE the WAP interface - the feature I would really love to see would be the ability to filter out my finds. But in any case, I use the WAP interface a lot!

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You can use the same format for the WAP interface: just input your coordinates as DD MM.MMM - make sure you put a space between the degrees and the minutes and it will work!

 

I LOVE the WAP interface - the feature I would really love to see would be the ability to filter out my finds. But in any case, I use the WAP interface a lot!

I too use the WAP interface; there are however a few things that make it not so usable as I would like:

-missing size and difficulty

-no direct url to a cache, like eg: wap.geocaching.com/cache.aspx?wp=GC1234 (that would allow quick links from GSAK created files to check the last logs/hints/etc

-no access to photo's that are used in the cachedescription or added to logs

-unable to decrypt encrypted logs

-logs that contain [ or ] are encrypted :ph34r:

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-no direct url to a cache, like eg: wap.geocaching.com/cache.aspx?wp=GC1234 (that would allow quick links from GSAK created files to check the last logs/hints/etc

I imagine that's to prevent screen scrapers from using the WAP service.

 

-no access to photo's that are used in the cachedescription or added to logs

It's supposed to be a low-bandwidth option. If you've got a high-bandwidth connection, just connect to the regular site.

 

-unable to decrypt encrypted logs

-logs that contain [ or ] are encrypted :ph34r:

You can have it show decrypted logs, but it encrypts everything that was previously plain-text. Definitely needs work.

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I have recently updated my phone to an HTC TyTN II and am busy discovering all the new things I can do with it. One of the most exciting is the ability to download from the GC WAP site which I find really useful.

 

My wish list is very similar to others already posted:

 

1. Fix the bug that causes logs containing '[]' to be encrypted

 

2. Add container size, difficulty and terrain

 

3. Provide a URL link. I use Memory Map and have cache details overlaid. It would be really nice to be able to click on a cache in Mamory Map and have the details of that cache displayed without having to tap in the coords

 

4. Option to filter out caches already found

 

5. As the HTC has built-in GPS it would be nice to have a button on the Find Caches page to insert the current location from the GPS.

 

A great interface - I look forward to it getting even better.

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You can use the same format for the WAP interface: just input your coordinates as DD MM.MMM - make sure you put a space between the degrees and the minutes and it will work!

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to give it a try. I love the WAP too and had been switching my GPS back and forth between Decimal Degrees and DD MM.MMM.

 

Is there a way to add a cookie so that we don't have to log back in each time we leave the site? That would be real handy.

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Also needed: the display of the additonal coordinates. More and more Multi-caches are using these to display the description/question that have to be done at this waypoint or the coordinates are not mentioned in the cachedescription. Without the additional waypoints some caches can not be completed.

like e.g.: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...2f-132079ec31e3

and http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...2a-df94d44c8c9f

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there have been some great suggestions. Another would be a way to use it directly from the url prompt:

 

wap.geocaching.com/default.asp?view=gchw64

Not likely to happen. See already posted reason above.

 

Then maybe they could give us access (via GPX file) to the WAP URL?

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I use WAP since I began with geocaching. It's very useful for a quick look for caches around my position, or for logging a FTF. The only thing I miss is the ability to search for cache by name instead only by gc-code.

 

WAP is FAST and EASY! Thanks!

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I'd just like to vote to have size, difficulty and terrain added. I just found the wap site and love using it w/ my Moto Q. I can finally go out paperless! That being said, knowing what I'm looking for and how hard it should be would be great helps.

 

Thanks for all your hard work - I think more and more people will use the wap site as their phones support it and as they find out about it!

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I too would like to add a vote for a direct url.I dont know what the screen scrapers are about but dont understand the difference how having a direct url to the main vs a direct link to the wap site would help or hurt them.If not like another user recently said a GPX download option.These would make it more useful to use with cachemate when you are in a new area or going after that FTF.

 

Thanks

CrazyOn2Wheels

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I have recently updated my phone to an HTC TyTN II and am busy discovering all the new things I can do with it. One of the most exciting is the ability to download from the GC WAP site which I find really useful.

 

My wish list is very similar to others already posted:

 

1. Fix the bug that causes logs containing '[]' to be encrypted

 

2. Add container size, difficulty and terrain

 

3. Provide a URL link. I use Memory Map and have cache details overlaid. It would be really nice to be able to click on a cache in Mamory Map and have the details of that cache displayed without having to tap in the coords

 

4. Option to filter out caches already found

 

5. As the HTC has built-in GPS it would be nice to have a button on the Find Caches page to insert the current location from the GPS.

 

A great interface - I look forward to it getting even better.

I was just about to post when I saw this and thought I already had posted - but it was someone else. This is exactly the same for me except I use Memory Map instead of Mamory Map. :laughing: I even use a TyTN II. Are you my long lost brother?

 

As an IT guy, many of these issues sound remarkably simple to resolve.

 

Does anyone use the Zip Code search? I can't see what use it could ever be.

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Please:

6. Fix the bug that malforms the TB/coin log when retreiving a TB/coin from a cache. Currently the description becomes:

6/13/2008 Kalkendotters retrieved it from [visit log]

leaving out the cachename and link where the TB/coin was retrieved from.

Edited by Kalkendotters
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Please:

6. Fix the bug that malforms the TB/coin log when retreiving a TB/coin from a cache. Currently the description becomes:

6/13/2008 Kalkendotters retrieved it from [visit log]

leaving out the cachename and link where the TB/coin was retrieved from.

 

This is a good bug find, thanks. I will record this and the other WAP site suggestions for review.

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I use it a lot for logging caches, as I travel quite a bit. I'd prefer that it stays with the minimalistic approach: that saves me quite a significant amount of money. No maps, no extra buttons, no graphics please. Even a tiny amount of extra bandwidth usage costs a great deal.

 

I absolutely agree . . . with a single caveat - being able to set and have a date held while the session is open. I use it for logging after multiple day runs and it holds the date of the day I do the logging. Does not always matter, perhaps, but the cache owner might want the actual find dates.

Edited by GRANPA ALEX
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