[Feature] PQ System improvements

[+texasgrillchef]

The PQ system currently is very usefull, However as good as it is now. It could be better.

By being better with more filtering capabilities as well as with other improvements it would

help allieviate many other issues with geocaching.com and finding those caches you wish to attempt to find.

 

Here is my list of improvements. I am sure there are more. When I think of more. I will edit this post and add them. (Rather than just adding an additional post).

 

Maybe some on of you will like some of these, maybe some of you won't. Maybe some of these suggestions of you would not use, but please remember there are some of us other cachers would use them.

 

1. Monthly Timer - Instead of setting the PQ on a weekly "timer" run on a certain day each week. We need a monthly "timer". The monthly timer should have 2 options. Example: To set a PQ to run on the "5th" of every month. Or to run on the "Second Tuesday" of every month. It should also allow us to run the PQ more than once a month as well. So we can run it daily, or we can run it weekly, or bi-weekly as well. The 3 options of "Uncheck the day after query runs", "Run this query every week on the days checked" & run this query once then delete it should still remain as well.

 

2. Allow more than 1000 caches per PQ. We do understand about "server load", and if the servers can handle it, we would like this to be increased to at least 1500.

 

3. Event cache needs to be subdivided into Event, Mega, & CiTo.

 

4. In the "That & AND" section...

a. We need the option of "Updated in the last 7 days" changed to a user configurable date. so that we can select "Updated in the last 14 days", or "Updated in the last 9 days". The number of days should be user configurable.

b. Just like suggestion "A" above, the "Found in last 7 days" option should have a user configurable time frame as well.

c. Coordinates updated in last "X number" of days. This would show caches that have had their coordinates updated only. Yes "Updated in last 7 days" would show coordinate updates, but it also shows all other caches that have had OTHER updates as well. This option would show ONLY those caches that have had thier coordinates updated in the last "X number" of days.

d. Caches that have changed status in the last "X number" of days. This would return only those caches that have changed status from Disabled to Enabled, Enabled to Disabled, Archived to Enabled, Archived to Disabled, as well as Disabled to Archived, & Enabled to Archived.

e. Where the last log is: This would then have a sublist that could be checked for the various log types, & then would return those caches where the last log, is the log(s) that were checked in the sublist.

 

5. for the "Within" box. Add for the United States, Counties as an option.

 

6. Increase the radius from 500 to at least 1000 miles. 1500 miles would be better. While there are only 3 states in the United States that you can fly 500 miles or more without ever leaving the state, those of us in those states could use at least a 1000 miles for a radius. Alaska could easily use 1500 miles or even more! California & Texas both could very easily use more than 500 miles radius.

 

7. For placed during, Allow the option for Placed in the future. Currently you have "The last week", "The Last month" & the "last Year", Include "Next Week", "Next Month", & "Next 90 days". Why the future? To allow us to easily find EVENTS that we can consider attending. Yes we can choose the option below that, & manually put in a date range. However, addint this option would make it quicker. One could easily put in a date range for "last week", "Last month" & "last year" as well. But those options make it quicker & easier. Therefore... we need it for the FUTURE as well for those of us who are creating PQ's for EVENTS.

 

8. Caches from One or several CO's. This option would allow us to create a PQ of caches from a certain CO or CO's. The reverse of this option should be able to select as an option as well. That is, it would eliminate caches from a certain CO or CO's from the PQ we are creating.

 

9. Just like for routes... allow us to create a polygon box, rather than a circule, or a straight line route with a varrying border.

 

10. Instead of running 5 PQ's per day. Change the max from a daily schedule to a weekly schedule, or even better a monthly schedule. For a weekly this would allow us to run 35 PQ's per week, same as 5 per day. Yet on those days when we need/want to run more than 5 in a day, & other days none at all the option as well as the flexiabilty to adjust our PQ downloads to what we need. Sometimes, I really need to run 8-10 PQ's in a day, yet on other days I don't need to run any at all. Having 35 per week, would be better flexiability, where one day we could run 10, the next 20, & the following day 5, but then the next 4 days none at all. However if weekly schedules were to be implemented. It should run from Sunday to Saturday resetting Saturday night at midnight. So that if we wished, we could run 35 PQ's on Saturday (providing we didn't run any PQ's from Sunday to Friday previously) and then another 35 on Sunday, & thus preventing us from downloading any PQ's until the following Sunday. I don't believe this would put to much stress on the servers, as once someone runs 35 PQ's they won't be able to run anymore until the week resets. I believe the server load will remain the same on a daily basis.

 

11. Add an option for "KEYWORDS". This database field would have to be added to our cache pages. But then we could create KEYWORDS and then create PQ's based on those KEYWORDS.

 

12. Add an option to create PQ's based on Cache name containing or not containing certain words. As an example we could do a PQ creation for all caches that have the word "Challenge" in the cache name, or caches that DON'T contain the word "Challenge"

 

Thats all for now... but like I said, as I think of more I will add them to this post.

 

To those of you who say these aren't needed, just use GSAK. I say this:

1. GSAK doesn't run on an iPad, Linux, or MAC (Unless you use a windows option capability)

2. GPX files (as created by GSAK) CAN NOT BE UPLOADED or IMPORTED to iOS/Android Apps!

(without using major work arounds, if they still work at all, from what I have read so far, this capability no longer works????)

 

Adding these options plus more to the PQ system, would provide better caching capabilities to our smartphone/tablet devices that use the iOS/Android geocaching.com apps, as well as provide those cachers who don't have GSAK, or the capability to run GSAK with better capabilities as well.

 

TGC

[+L0ne.R]

The PQ system currently is very usefull, However as good as it is now. It could be better.

By being better with more filtering capabilities as well as with other improvements it would

help allieviate many other issues with geocaching.com and finding those caches you wish to attempt to find.

 

Here is my list of improvements. I am sure there are more. When I think of more. I will edit this post and add them. (Rather than just adding an additional post).

 

Maybe some on of you will like some of these, maybe some of you won't. Maybe some of these suggestions of you would not use, but please remember there are some of us other cachers would use them.

 

1. Monthly Timer - Instead of setting the PQ on a weekly "timer" run on a certain day each week. We need a monthly "timer". The monthly timer should have 2 options. Example: To set a PQ to run on the "5th" of every month. Or to run on the "Second Tuesday" of every month. It should also allow us to run the PQ more than once a month as well. So we can run it daily, or we can run it weekly, or bi-weekly as well. The 3 options of "Uncheck the day after query runs", "Run this query every week on the days checked" & run this query once then delete it should still remain as well.

 

2. Allow more than 1000 caches per PQ. We do understand about "server load", and if the servers can handle it, we would like this to be increased to at least 1500.

 

3. Event cache needs to be subdivided into Event, Mega, & CiTo.

 

4. In the "That & AND" section...

a. We need the option of "Updated in the last 7 days" changed to a user configurable date. so that we can select "Updated in the last 14 days", or "Updated in the last 9 days". The number of days should be user configurable.

b. Just like suggestion "A" above, the "Found in last 7 days" option should have a user configurable time frame as well.

c. Coordinates updated in last "X number" of days. This would show caches that have had their coordinates updated only. Yes "Updated in last 7 days" would show coordinate updates, but it also shows all other caches that have had OTHER updates as well. This option would show ONLY those caches that have had thier coordinates updated in the last "X number" of days.

d. Caches that have changed status in the last "X number" of days. This would return only those caches that have changed status from Disabled to Enabled, Enabled to Disabled, Archived to Enabled, Archived to Disabled, as well as Disabled to Archived, & Enabled to Archived.

e. Where the last log is: This would then have a sublist that could be checked for the various log types, & then would return those caches where the last log, is the log(s) that were checked in the sublist.

 

5. for the "Within" box. Add for the United States, Counties as an option.

 

6. Increase the radius from 500 to at least 1000 miles. 1500 miles would be better. While there are only 3 states in the United States that you can fly 500 miles or more without ever leaving the state, those of us in those states could use at least a 1000 miles for a radius. Alaska could easily use 1500 miles or even more! California & Texas both could very easily use more than 500 miles radius.

 

7. For placed during, Allow the option for Placed in the future. Currently you have "The last week", "The Last month" & the "last Year", Include "Next Week", "Next Month", & "Next 90 days". Why the future? To allow us to easily find EVENTS that we can consider attending. Yes we can choose the option below that, & manually put in a date range. However, addint this option would make it quicker. One could easily put in a date range for "last week", "Last month" & "last year" as well. But those options make it quicker & easier. Therefore... we need it for the FUTURE as well for those of us who are creating PQ's for EVENTS.

 

8. Caches from One or several CO's. This option would allow us to create a PQ of caches from a certain CO or CO's. The reverse of this option should be able to select as an option as well. That is, it would eliminate caches from a certain CO or CO's from the PQ we are creating.

 

9. Just like for routes... allow us to create a polygon box, rather than a circule, or a straight line route with a varrying border.

 

10. Instead of running 5 PQ's per day. Change the max from a daily schedule to a weekly schedule, or even better a monthly schedule. For a weekly this would allow us to run 35 PQ's per week, same as 5 per day. Yet on those days when we need/want to run more than 5 in a day, & other days none at all the option as well as the flexiabilty to adjust our PQ downloads to what we need. Sometimes, I really need to run 8-10 PQ's in a day, yet on other days I don't need to run any at all. Having 35 per week, would be better flexiability, where one day we could run 10, the next 20, & the following day 5, but then the next 4 days none at all. However if weekly schedules were to be implemented. It should run from Sunday to Saturday resetting Saturday night at midnight. So that if we wished, we could run 35 PQ's on Saturday (providing we didn't run any PQ's from Sunday to Friday previously) and then another 35 on Sunday, & thus preventing us from downloading any PQ's until the following Sunday. I don't believe this would put to much stress on the servers, as once someone runs 35 PQ's they won't be able to run anymore until the week resets. I believe the server load will remain the same on a daily basis.

 

11. Add an option for "KEYWORDS". This database field would have to be added to our cache pages. But then we could create KEYWORDS and then create PQ's based on those KEYWORDS.

 

12. Add an option to create PQ's based on Cache name containing or not containing certain words. As an example we could do a PQ creation for all caches that have the word "Challenge" in the cache name, or caches that DON'T contain the word "Challenge"

 

Thats all for now... but like I said, as I think of more I will add them to this post.

 

To those of you who say these aren't needed, just use GSAK. I say this:

1. GSAK doesn't run on an iPad, Linux, or MAC (Unless you use a windows option capability)

2. GPX files (as created by GSAK) CAN NOT BE UPLOADED or IMPORTED to iOS/Android Apps!

(without using major work arounds, if they still work at all, from what I have read so far, this capability no longer works????)

 

Adding these options plus more to the PQ system, would provide better caching capabilities to our smartphone/tablet devices that use the iOS/Android geocaching.com apps, as well as provide those cachers who don't have GSAK, or the capability to run GSAK with better capabilities as well.

 

TGC

Nice list. I'm especially keen on #1 - monthly timer; #4 - "That & AND" (all subpoints) ; #8 - include/exclude certain COs; #9 - polygon box and #12 - cache name contains because I'd like to search for caches with Cemetery in the name or RIP or Bone Yard

[+Bear and Ragged]

4. In the "That & AND" section...

a. We need the option of "Updated in the last 7 days" changed to a user configurable date. so that we can select "Updated in the last 14 days", or "Updated in the last 9 days". The number of days should be user configurable.

 

I'd like the option of Updated in the last 3 or 4 days...

Updated in the last 7 days is usually the time frame of my last PQ!

[+DumLuck]

A tip of the hat to TGC -- and a big thumbs up to all his suggestions!!

[+minkus316]

I would like to be able to PQ based on a friend's favorited caches. If I think that Cacher123xyz has good taste in caches, then I would like to PQ their entire favorite list.

[+texasgrillchef]

GS/GC.com....

 

Any word yet on when the PQ system might get improved or overhauled????

 

TGC

[+texasgrillchef]

At several recent events...

 

A few cachers have told me that these improvements to the PQ system would be nice. But they aren't needed. I asked why? Their reply...

 

"You can do all this with GSAK"

 

I agreed & said "Yes you can... BUT...."

 

Why we need these options as PQ's and shouldn't rely on GSAK:

 

1. Currently the official iOS app does NOT have import capabilities of GPX files. So even when you do create a GPX file that would be the same as having a PQ generate it. You CAN'T import those to your Official iOS Geocaching.com app. As far as I know you can't do that with the other platforms either on the official gc.com apps.

 

2. I don't use a MAC or Linux, but if your a MAC/Linux only type person. You can't use GSAK. Unless you have the "Windows" interface option installed on your MAC/Linux system. Many do not.

 

Those 2 reasons alone, IMHO are enough to need & warrant those extra featurs I have suggested for the PQ system.

 

TGC

[+DconBlueZ]

I'd like to see a tick box on whether to email results or not, or maybe add "no email" on the "email to" drop-down at the bottom of the PQ config page.

I use DeLorme's Cache Register to load caches in my GPSrs which downloads them from the site, don't need the files emailed to me.

 

Being a long-time networking geek, I hate to see wasted resources!

[+DconBlueZ]

I'll add a vote for "ignore caches by CO xxxxx". We have a couple of COs in my area who have a fetish for holly bushes, guard rails and lamp posts.

 

I would gladly risk missing any interesting caches they may ever do (unlikely as it seems) in order to not have their time wasters show up.

 

(I just added a couple of Curmudgeon points to my Karma score, I know.)

[+Totem Clan]

Not bad ideas.

 

Don't know that I would use/need all of them but I can see how they can help other cachers.

 

I like 2, 6, and 10 best of all.

[+papaj83]

All great ideas and a couple that i suggested under the old feedback system thingy...

 

But out of this list 1, 8 and 12 would be great

[+StarBrand]

I have long advocated an expansion of the criteria available for PQs. Particularly - keyword searches and include/exclude by user.

[+niraD]

The one enhancement that I'd really like to see is to have edited coordinates and/or the personal cache note in the PQ. That would allow me to just download my "solved unfound puzzles" PQ, and have all the puzzle solutions automatically. As it is, I need to send the PQ through an app that replaces the coordinates with the solutions, or I need to load the PQ and then refresh each cache listing by hand in Neongeo.

 

8. Caches from One or several CO's. This option would allow us to create a PQ of caches from a certain CO or CO's. The reverse of this option should be able to select as an option as well. That is, it would eliminate caches from a certain CO or CO's from the PQ we are creating.

Being able to exclude caches from certain COs would also allow people to hide numbers run trails (which are usually owned by a separate account that is used just for that numbers run trail). Thus, there would be less demand for an attribute for such caches.

 

2. GPX files (as created by GSAK) CAN NOT BE UPLOADED or IMPORTED to iOS/Android Apps!

(without using major work arounds, if they still work at all, from what I have read so far, this capability no longer works????)

For the record, Groundspeak's Geocaching app for Android still has a "Search for GPX files on the SD Card" option.