Search Question

[+AtwellFamily]

Is there a way to search for a cache that begins with a particular letter? When I try I just get caches with that as the name. I am trying to compete a challenge and need a cache that begins with Q. When I search for that I get about 5 cache with the name Q. Is there a wilcard character to use?

[+sTeamTraen]

Is there a way to search for a cache that begins with a particular letter? When I try I just get caches with that as the name. I am trying to compete a challenge and need a cache that begins with Q. When I search for that I get about 5 cache with the name Q. Is there a wilcard character to use?

 

As I understand it, the search by name will only do a wildcard search if the string which you typed is not an exact match for a cache name. I also find this frustrating sometimes - it would be nice if you could type "Q%" which is how you would expect it to work if what you were typing was being handed straight to a SQL database query. (There are very good reasons for the site not to to do that, of course.)

 

For most other letters of the alphabet I'd say that you would have a tough time coming up with a single letter which would give you a wildcard. But in this case, unless there's a cache called "Qu", I would guess that searching for "Qu" would give you a fair proportion of the caches beginning with "Q".

[+trainlove]

The search capability on the web site is so limited that it's better to use GSAK to do what you want, just type Q in that column header. And then you can see the Q*** caches that are close to you instead of all over the world. For example, just try to find a Delorme Challenge for your state by searching for the word Delorme, perhaps you wil have to scroll through 3 pages of results before you get the one closest to you.

 

I am not aware of any wildcards, but as a hacker and programmer in hundreds of languages, I'll try out everything I can think of.

[+AtwellFamily]

The search capability on the web site is so limited that it's better to use GSAK to do what you want, just type Q in that column header. And then you can see the Q*** caches that are close to you instead of all over the world. For example, just try to find a Delorme Challenge for your state by searching for the word Delorme, perhaps you wil have to scroll through 3 pages of results before you get the one closest to you.

 

I am not aware of any wildcards, but as a hacker and programmer in hundreds of languages, I'll try out everything I can think of.

TPTB stated there is no way onthe site. Guess I'll add this to the wish list.

 

Advance search options should give the ability to search on portions of multiple fields.

[+HarleyPiper]

If you are using GSAK or a similar program, just download the PQ of caches in your area, load them inot GSAK, then sort by title. Then you can just scroll down to the initial letter that you need.

[+MrCOgeo]

Good site suggestion,

and how about some your favorite search engine (a.k.a. SearchengineFu),

as a "workaround"?

 

For one example,

Google allows advanced operators such as site:, allintitle: etc...

 

References:

Complete List of Google Advance Operators:

http://www.google.com/help/operators.html

 

One example using a such a search :

A Colorado geocache by Greasepot called QZs Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC1DYMN

 

Now how about a power search that supports "geoRegEx" natively?...;-)