Order of finds?

[+Kurdogso]

Hello,

When I carefully log my finds in the exact order they were found they seem to get added in an inconsistent way. This weekend we had many to enter for the same day and wanted to hit a milestone with an "event" even though I carefully entered them in order we ended up with a different find as our milestone. What am I doing wrong? Can I fix it?

Thanks so much for any help.

 

Alicia

[+Great Scott!]

Looks like you logged the SCM event on Saturday and had your 400th find logged on Sunday. Could you have possibly logged the Sunday finds with the wrong date? If that is what happened, just edit the Sunday (8/10) logs to correct the date to Saturday (8/9). Then all should fall back into the correct order, if you logged them in order.

[+TotemLake]

The default sort is by aplhabetical order per day. Not much you can do about it with the current set up. Just remember which one was 400 and post it in your Found It log.

Edited August 11, 2008 by TotemLake

[+whistler & co.]

Some people manually number the finds as the first part of the log.

Link

[+Corey]

The default sort is by aplhabetical order per day. Not much you can do about it with the current set up. Just remember which one was 400 and post it in your Found It log.

No, it isn't. It's either backwards of the order you logged them or something else completely random.

[+ShowStop]

Where are you looking at to see what order your caches are that you logged? Same question about the milestone log. Different pages on the GC.com website display the information differently. Also external stats programs can interpret the date differently.

[AZcachemeister]

In the final analysis, YOU are responsible for keeping track of the sequence of your finds.

 

Since sometime in 2003 I began entering my logs strictly in the order they happened, and time-stamping each log.

 

As I look back on those logs today, they are completely out of order. In many cases, a day's logs are nowhere near in the order I entered them...apparently completely randomized.

 

Lucky for me, I have also been keeping an Excel spreadsheet to record my finds in order, by time and date...so I have a conclusive document to refer to.

[+BlueDeuce]

I always log my caches in order, but the fact is no one else can tell except for that my find count increases as I log.

 

If the number you wanted to hit wasn't on the cache you logged then I would suspect a logging error. However, since your find count will increase on every cache log you've ever posted anyway, just say that cache X was the milestone. Nobody will care that the log for cache 500 now shows that you've found 800 more.

 

 

edit: crazy talk

Edited August 12, 2008 by BlueDeuce

[+TrailGators]

Hello,

When I carefully log my finds in the exact order they were found they seem to get added in an inconsistent way. This weekend we had many to enter for the same day and wanted to hit a milestone with an "event" even though I carefully entered them in order we ended up with a different find as our milestone. What am I doing wrong? Can I fix it?

Thanks so much for any help.

 

Alicia

You can log them in the reverse order that you found them to get them to show in the right order. However, the first time you forget to log a cache or you find one after you have logged some others, the order will get messed up. So I've given up. I keep track of any milestones while I am out and note it in my log for that cache.

[+flask]

...or you can do what i do:

 

find some caches and never log them as found. then your count total will be permanently inaccurate. additionally, you should not keep track of how many you have neglected to log, so that even YOU don't know the number of caches you've found. if you still care about your find count, go out and find a few hundred caches but don't get around to logging them until a few months later.

 

then you will have a WILDLY inaccurate count, and you will learn not to care. it's great fun.

 

you can also sign physical logbooks on the very last page. date the logs "sometime in the future". write "i wasn't here. just try to prove that i was." don't log them online, ever.

 

smile.

[+BlueDeuce]

then you will have a WILDLY inaccurate count, and you will learn not to care. it's great fun.

 

you can also sign physical logbooks on the very last page. date the logs "sometime in the future". write "i wasn't here. just try to prove that i was." don't log them online, ever..

 

Sweet! I like it.

[+TotemLake]

The default sort is by aplhabetical order per day. Not much you can do about it with the current set up. Just remember which one was 400 and post it in your Found It log.

No, it isn't. It's either backwards of the order you logged them or something else completely random.

I wouldn't have said it if I DIDN'T LOOK first. That's the way it is on my profile.

[AZcachemeister]

...or you can do what i do:

 

find some caches and never log them as found. then your count total will be permanently inaccurate. additionally, you should not keep track of how many you have neglected to log, so that even YOU don't know the number of caches you've found. if you still care about your find count, go out and find a few hundred caches but don't get around to logging them until a few months later.

 

then you will have a WILDLY inaccurate count, and you will learn not to care. it's great fun.

 

you can also sign physical logbooks on the very last page. date the logs "sometime in the future". write "i wasn't here. just try to prove that i was." don't log them online, ever.

 

smile.

 

YUP!

 

Milestones, smilestones...you are probably the only one who cares (or possibly one of many who don't?).

[+TrailGators]

...or you can do what i do:

 

find some caches and never log them as found. then your count total will be permanently inaccurate. additionally, you should not keep track of how many you have neglected to log, so that even YOU don't know the number of caches you've found. if you still care about your find count, go out and find a few hundred caches but don't get around to logging them until a few months later.

 

then you will have a WILDLY inaccurate count, and you will learn not to care. it's great fun.

 

you can also sign physical logbooks on the very last page. date the logs "sometime in the future". write "i wasn't here. just try to prove that i was." don't log them online, ever.

 

smile.

I actually do a version of that now. When I get home to log, if I can't remember a cache then I won't log it. Instead I'll add it to my ignore list, so I don't risk not remembering again someday. To me logging was a chore when I found myself logging ones like that. However, I always enjoy logging the fun ones!

[+Corey]

The default sort is by aplhabetical order per day. Not much you can do about it with the current set up. Just remember which one was 400 and post it in your Found It log.

No, it isn't. It's either backwards of the order you logged them or something else completely random.

I wouldn't have said it if I DIDN'T LOOK first. That's the way it is on my profile.

That's odd because nothing is in alphabetical order on any of:

"My Account Details"

"All Cache Logs > Found it"

"Profile > All Cache Finds"

or even your "All Cache Finds".

 

So I looked too. Did you look somewhere else as well? Or is it something with the site?

[Mushtang]

The default sort is by aplhabetical order per day. Not much you can do about it with the current set up. Just remember which one was 400 and post it in your Found It log.

No, it isn't. It's either backwards of the order you logged them or something else completely random.

I wouldn't have said it if I DIDN'T LOOK first. That's the way it is on my profile.

Not alphabetical on mine either.

 

When I look at the list of Finds they're listed in the order I logged them with the most recent days at the top of the list, but within each day the most recent is at the bottom. That might be why it appears random to some folks.

[+TotemLake]

The default sort is by aplhabetical order per day. Not much you can do about it with the current set up. Just remember which one was 400 and post it in your Found It log.

No, it isn't. It's either backwards of the order you logged them or something else completely random.

I wouldn't have said it if I DIDN'T LOOK first. That's the way it is on my profile.

That's odd because nothing is in alphabetical order on any of:

"My Account Details"

"All Cache Logs > Found it"

"Profile > All Cache Finds"

or even your "All Cache Finds".

 

So I looked too. Did you look somewhere else as well? Or is it something with the site?

Yah I looked at it different ways. I slso used to believe it was last entered is top of the list as this is also the way I saw it happen. So it must be something with the site.

[jholly]

Hello,

When I carefully log my finds in the exact order they were found they seem to get added in an inconsistent way. This weekend we had many to enter for the same day and wanted to hit a milestone with an "event" even though I carefully entered them in order we ended up with a different find as our milestone. What am I doing wrong? Can I fix it?

Thanks so much for any help.

 

Alicia

 

The definitive answer for find order is the log ID's. That aside when you look at your account page they are in the order logged. Maybe not the way you expect. If you do 3 caches on two days and enter in the order found the listing would be

 

Day 2 cache 4

Day 2 cache 5

Day 2 cache 6

Day 1 cache 1

Day 1 cache 2

Day 1 cache 3

 

so if you want

 

Day 2 cache 6

Day 2 cache 5

Day 2 cache 4

Day 1 cache 3

Day 1 cache 2

Day 1 cache 1

 

then you will have to reverse the order in which you log your caches. Of course this will totally screw GSAK and FindStatGen (and other program/websites) for milestone order if you ever start using that and you have to re-order your entire list of finds. (GSAK and FSG and the others use logID's)

 

Jim

Edited August 12, 2008 by jholly

[+Kurdogso]

I want to thank you all for your helpful and thoughtful responses to my question.

I am not really that in to the numbers but I did the GSAK thing to log our finds and it was fun to see which ones were 100 and so on. So I thought this memorable event would be a great 400. But it isn't a really big deal I was just kind of wondering what I was doing wrong for the NEXT milestone.

For me it is more about the memories we are making and the "adventures" that geocaching takes us on. And some are just more memorable than others. Isn't it wonderful to have a game that can be played so many different ways? Cache ON!!!

 

Alicia

[+TotemLake]

Hello,

When I carefully log my finds in the exact order they were found they seem to get added in an inconsistent way. This weekend we had many to enter for the same day and wanted to hit a milestone with an "event" even though I carefully entered them in order we ended up with a different find as our milestone. What am I doing wrong? Can I fix it?

Thanks so much for any help.

 

Alicia

 

The definitive answer for find order is the log ID's. That aside when you look at your account page they are in the order logged. Maybe not the way you expect. If you do 3 caches on two days and enter in the order found the listing would be

 

Day 2 cache 4

Day 2 cache 5

Day 2 cache 6

Day 1 cache 1

Day 1 cache 2

Day 1 cache 3

 

so if you want

 

Day 2 cache 6

Day 2 cache 5

Day 2 cache 4

Day 1 cache 3

Day 1 cache 2

Day 1 cache 1

 

then you will have to reverse the order in which you log your caches. Of course this will totally screw GSAK and FindStatGen (and other program/websites) for milestone order if you ever start using that and you have to re-order your entire list of finds. (GSAK and FSG and the others use logID's)

 

Jim

Awesome. Thanks for the answer. That explains what I'm seeing and the alphabetical order is likely coincidental based on when I entered the logs.

[AZcachemeister]

Nope, sorry...not what I see.

Perhaps I am in some kind of 'log order purgatory'.

As I have stated multiple time in related threads:

I have kept an Excel spreadsheet, recording the date, time, and order of my finds...so I know what order my finds should be in.

As I look at 'My Geocaching Logs (All)', the logs for 2005, 2006, or 2007 are in no perceivable order, other than by date as a group.

Not the order entered.

Not the reverse order entered.

Not alphabetical.

Not reverse alphabetical.

In fact, the first cache find of the day occasionally is listed right next to the last of the day, but there should be 10-12 entries between them.

My conclusion is that the logs from a few years ago have been randomized within the date of posting. If you care about the actual order of caches found, don't rely on Geocaching.com to record it for you.

[jholly]

Nope, sorry...not what I see.

Perhaps I am in some kind of 'log order purgatory'.

As I have stated multiple time in related threads:

I have kept an Excel spreadsheet, recording the date, time, and order of my finds...so I know what order my finds should be in.

As I look at 'My Geocaching Logs (All)', the logs for 2005, 2006, or 2007 are in no perceivable order, other than by date as a group.

Not the order entered.

Not the reverse order entered.

Not alphabetical.

Not reverse alphabetical.

In fact, the first cache find of the day occasionally is listed right next to the last of the day, but there should be 10-12 entries between them.

My conclusion is that the logs from a few years ago have been randomized within the date of posting. If you care about the actual order of caches found, don't rely on Geocaching.com to record it for you.

 

Interesting, I have never seen the behavior you document. They have always been listed in the order logged. FindStatGen that uses logids is in order logged. Perhaps if you took careful note as you logged and viewed your account page you could figure out the what is going bad on the GC.com site and file a trouble report.

 

Jim

[+BigFurryMonster]

I made a nice puzzle out of it:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC1KKNE

 

(has English description at bottom of page)

 

Of course, all my logs contain time stamps.

[OpinioNate]

Sorry to say this BigFurryMonster, but the log order is currently being worked on by a dev and will hopefully make it in to one of the next two release candidates for the site. When that happens the "latest logs" will be in reverse chronological order by day.

[+BigFurryMonster]

No problem - the fix will do a lot of good for a lot of people. My cache is still challenging and does not depend on this 'feature' being around.

 

On the other hand ... I could deliberately log founds on the same day in the wrong order but with the correct timestamp ...

[OpinioNate]

No problem - the fix will do a lot of good for a lot of people. My cache is still challenging and does not depend on this 'feature' being around.

 

On the other hand ... I could deliberately log founds on the same day in the wrong order but with the correct timestamp ...

 

Everyone wins!

[+trainlove]

Sorry to say this BigFurryMonster, but the log order is currently being worked on by a dev and will hopefully make it in to one of the next two release candidates for the site. When that happens the "latest logs" will be in reverse chronological order by day.

Can all us people who use the existing "order" and simple toole like Excel opt out of this fix?

If not then it's only a simple progtramming fix for me to make to my spreadsheets.

[jholly]

Sorry to say this BigFurryMonster, but the log order is currently being worked on by a dev and will hopefully make it in to one of the next two release candidates for the site. When that happens the "latest logs" will be in reverse chronological order by day.

 

Does this mean that all my milestones based on logID will now be trash? Or is this just to make the listing on my account page look pretty? Which by the way I had no problem with since I understood how they were ordered.

 

Jim

[+KJcachers]

who cares about how the listings look when you view your account? What matters is that the order is correct when you run the "My Finds" Pocket Query. When you load that into GSAK or any other program/website to see your stats/milestones they are always correct based on the order that you logged them.

[+fizzymagic]

What matters is that the order is correct when you run the "My Finds" Pocket Query. When you load that into GSAK or any other program/website to see your stats/milestones they are always correct based on the order that you logged them.

 

Too bad you don't have complete control over the order you log them then, huh? (e.g. a log gets deleted, or you forget one, etc.) You can't go back and fix it.

 

I recommend that cachers include the time of each find in their logs so that the correct order is preserved.