Is it possible to change a published cache's name?

[pictom]

I have a series of caches that I numbered as I published them. But now I can't remember which order I published them in so when someone says they did cache number three, I can't think right away what cache that is. So today I decided to change the cache names to the name of the park they are located in as each one is currently in a different park.

 

I can go to my cache page and edit it, but the name field is not currently editable. Am I missing the link to change this or is it not possible to change the name of a cache once its is published?

[+Harry Dolphin]

Not sure I understand. If I go to my cache page, hit 'edit cache' on the right, I have the opportunity to change the cache name. No problem.

[+larryc43230]

I have a series of caches that I numbered as I published them. But now I can't remember which order I published them in so when someone says they did cache number three, I can't think right away what cache that is. So today I decided to change the cache names to the name of the park they are located in as each one is currently in a different park.

 

I can go to my cache page and edit it, but the name field is not currently editable. Am I missing the link to change this or is it not possible to change the name of a cache once its is published?

The cache name can be changed at any time, from the cache edit page. It's the third editable field on the page.

 

--Larry

[jholly]

I just looked at one of mine. It appears the name is editable. Go to the cache page, upper right, edit listing. Looks like the cache name can be edited.

 

edit: tried it, it worked.

[knowschad]

Yes you can, but should you? If your cache has been around for long, you may find people grumbling about the name change because they saw it and thought it was a new cache.

[AZcachemeister]

People generally expect the name/title of a cache to be 'stable'.

Sometimes they are not, and that is why we have the GCID to keep them straight.

 

You can change the name all you want, and as often as you like...but you will likely annoy some of the locals if you do. If you change them once, I doubt if anyone will get really worked-up over it.

[+wimseyguy]

I have a series of caches that I numbered as I published them. But now I can't remember which order I published them in so when someone says they did cache number three, I can't think right away what cache that is. So today I decided to change the cache names to the name of the park they are located in as each one is currently in a different park.

 

I can go to my cache page and edit it, but the name field is not currently editable. Am I missing the link to change this or is it not possible to change the name of a cache once its is published?

 

As already posted you can edit just about anything except the cache type on your cache pages from the edit page. But if you are talking about your Monkey See Monkey Do caches, I would advise against a full edit of the title as those have been listed for over a year and likely have many finds. But you could amend the title to read Number MSMD Number 3-Smith Park. That would keep the status quo for previous finders and locals who have been looking at them, and label them more effectively to keep you straight.

[pictom]

THANKS EVERYONE! I don't know how I overlooked that field . . . but somehow I did.

 

Yes, the name of the series is Monkey See Monkey Do so the first cache is Monkey See Monkey Do 1.

I was thinking of changing it to Monkey See Monkey Do China (It's at China Lake Park)

I hardly ever go back to a cache on the cache page, and on the map view, if someone already found it, their map would show a smiley. Yes, I understand changing the name to "Big Elephants" would cause some confusion but all I wish to do is change the number in the title to a one or two word phrase. (in the event I have two caches at China Lake Park, I would name one Monkey See Monkey Do South China (or maybe SChina) and the other North China. Monkey See Monkey Do would still be in the title.

[+Gan Dalf]

 

You can change the name all you want, and as often as you like...but you will likely annoy some of the locals if you do.

 

Really? Why? I suppose someone might get worked up about it but I can't imagine too many people caring. Unless the cache is remarkable I rarely remember the name. If someone calls me for a PAF on the cache, they usually have to describe where they are and what the cache description is in order for me to remember it at all. I could care less what the name is, again, unless it is a remarkable or otherwise somewhat memorable cache...

[AZcachemeister]

 

You can change the name all you want, and as often as you like...but you will likely annoy some of the locals if you do.

 

Really? Why? I suppose someone might get worked up about it but I can't imagine too many people caring. Unless the cache is remarkable I rarely remember the name. If someone calls me for a PAF on the cache, they usually have to describe where they are and what the cache description is in order for me to remember it at all. I could care less what the name is, again, unless it is a remarkable or otherwise somewhat memorable cache...

 

Once or twice I downloaded my 'Your Finds' PQ, and loaded it into GSAK.

I noticed a few caches that had names I didn't recognize, but I noted I seemed to have found them.

I was mildly annoyed.

I grabbed a fresh beer and got over it really quickly.

[+cache_test_dummies]

People generally expect the name/title of a cache to be 'stable'.

Sometimes they are not, and that is why we have the GCID to keep them straight.

 

You can change the name all you want, and as often as you like...but you will likely annoy some of the locals if you do. If you change them once, I doubt if anyone will get really worked-up over it.

Well said.

[knowschad]

You can change the name all you want, and as often as you like...but you will likely annoy some of the locals if you do.

 

Really? Why?

No fresh beers?

[Mr.Yuck]

You know, I never knew you could edit the name of a cache for about 7 or 8 years. Then someone put out a cache called "the bridge to nowhere". Then when a couple of the early finders (me included) gave a little history of the abandoned bridge, the cache name was changed to "the bridge to nowhere (that used to go somewhere)" I was amazed, who would have thunk you could edit that field? (but you certainly can).

 

One reason someone might do this, there was a small video game character series in my area published about a year ago. The cache owner totally hacked and misspelled the name of a famous video game character on one of them. I was about the 5th finder, and said in my find log that you could indeed edit the cache name and fix it. But they never have.

 

How would changing the name annoy someone, anyways? I don't get it.

[+Walts Hunting]

 

How would changing the name annoy someone, anyways? I don't get it.

 

Because no matter what you do someone will be annoyed by it. Several of the aforementioned beers will alleviate any concern you may have about their feelings.

[+The_Incredibles_]

If you think it should be changed, then change it. No matter what you do or do not, someone will complain.

 

I change the names of several of my caches recently, as they were part of a series, to make it more clear.

 

The format I am using is CacheName - Series Name.

Edited December 15, 2011 by The_Incredibles_

[+hydnsek]

The format I am using is CacheName - Series Name.

Kudos - putting the unique part first makes it so much easier to distinguish caches in a series when the names are truncated on a GPSr (or with GSAK's Smart Names).

[+The_Incredibles_]

The format I am using is CacheName - Series Name.

Kudos - putting the unique part first makes it so much easier to distinguish caches in a series when the names are truncated on a GPSr (or with GSAK's Smart Names).

 

Yes, this is exactly why I do it this way.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

How would changing the name annoy someone, anyways? I don't get it.

 

Because no matter what you do someone will be annoyed by it. Several of the aforementioned beers will alleviate any concern you may have about their feelings.

 

I just tried changing the name of one of my caches and nobody brought me a fresh beer. Am I doing something wrong? Will this be fixed in the next release?

[+BigChiefS4]

One reason you might not want to change a cache name is because there may be a challenge cache where you need two (or more) caches with the exact same name in order to complete the challenge and log the find. If the cache owner changes the name of it, you wouldn't be able to complete the challenge, or if you did log it, it would make your find null and void. There is one here in MN that I know of, and I'm sure there are more in other states.

[Mr.Yuck]

The format I am using is CacheName - Series Name.

Kudos - putting the unique part first makes it so much easier to distinguish caches in a series when the names are truncated on a GPSr (or with GSAK's Smart Names).

 

Yes, this is exactly why I do it this way.

 

Excellent, although most people unfortunately do it the other way. No one will ever top the guy I've seen who puts about 25 dots in front of his cache names though, so every one shows up in your GPS as .........................

[+bflentje]

Yes you can, but should you? If your cache has been around for long, you may find people grumbling about the name change because they saw it and thought it was a new cache.

 

A valid question perhaps but grumbling geocachers is not a reason to not update a cache, if needed. Especially when it comes to the difficulty and terrain ratings.

[+bflentje]

One reason you might not want to change a cache name is because there may be a challenge cache where you need two (or more) caches with the exact same name in order to complete the challenge and log the find. If the cache owner changes the name of it, you wouldn't be able to complete the challenge, or if you did log it, it would make your find null and void. There is one here in MN that I know of, and I'm sure there are more in other states.

 

See post #21. Challenges should NEVER be a reason to not update a cache in my book. And I am a cacher that has completed dozens and dozens of challenges.

[knowschad]

One reason you might not want to change a cache name is because there may be a challenge cache where you need two (or more) caches with the exact same name in order to complete the challenge and log the find. If the cache owner changes the name of it, you wouldn't be able to complete the challenge, or if you did log it, it would make your find null and void. There is one here in MN that I know of, and I'm sure there are more in other states.

 

See post #21. Challenges should NEVER be a reason to not update a cache in my book. And I am a cacher that has completed dozens and dozens of challenges.

 

Agreed... I would not allow myself to be restricted on what I wanted to do on my own caches because somebody decided to use my cache for one of their challenge cachess.

[+Gan Dalf]

The format I am using is CacheName - Series Name.

Kudos - putting the unique part first makes it so much easier to distinguish caches in a series when the names are truncated on a GPSr (or with GSAK's Smart Names).

 

Yes, this is exactly why I do it this way.

 

With this in mind, I just swapped the order of a three cache series I own...

[jholly]

The format I am using is CacheName - Series Name.

Kudos - putting the unique part first makes it so much easier to distinguish caches in a series when the names are truncated on a GPSr (or with GSAK's Smart Names).

 

Yes, this is exactly why I do it this way.

 

With this in mind, I just swapped the order of a three cache series I own...

 

Arggggh! why did you have to do it now!?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[+The_Incredibles_]

One reason you might not want to change a cache name is because there may be a challenge cache where you need two (or more) caches with the exact same name in order to complete the challenge and log the find. If the cache owner changes the name of it, you wouldn't be able to complete the challenge, or if you did log it, it would make your find null and void. There is one here in MN that I know of, and I'm sure there are more in other states.

 

You'd think the challenge owner would make an allowance, in that case.

[+BlueDeuce]

The day I can't update my cache page to properly list it just because I might mess up someone's stats is the day I don't care.

 

 

bd

Edited December 16, 2011 by BlueDeuce

[+Gan Dalf]

The format I am using is CacheName - Series Name.

Kudos - putting the unique part first makes it so much easier to distinguish caches in a series when the names are truncated on a GPSr (or with GSAK's Smart Names).

 

Yes, this is exactly why I do it this way.

 

With this in mind, I just swapped the order of a three cache series I own...

 

Arggggh! why did you have to do it now!?!

 

 

I checked, there was one guy that will lose his "N" cache for the Alphabet Soup challenge. It wasn't you. See ya at the LBCM!