MyGeocachingProfile.com "FTF" changes

[+PlasmaWave]

Just updated MyGeocachingProfile.com for my Geocaching Public Profile and noticed the list of "First-to-Find" caches (if >300) can no longer be displayed - only the total number of FTFs counted now show. The tick box giving user choice whether not to display the list is now pre-selected and greyed-out. I keep a separate list but many users will rely on this previously excellent facility as a stats record - that data now appears lost! I appreciate many players are not interested in FTFs but for those who enjoy the "FTF thrill", recording them is important.

 

Unfortunately Groundspeak have never acknowledged "FTF", so we have relied on MyGeocachingProfile.com (or similar) to count and record FTF stats. I would dearly like Groundspeak to include a separate "Found-FTF" choice in the DDLB when logging a cache find. This could then be used by Groundspeak to provide stats for users.

Edited January 21, 2013 by PlasmaWave

[+markcase]

Moving to the appropriate forum. Not and education topic

 

Mark Case

Education Forum Moderator

[AZcachemeister]

Short answer:

Ain't gonna happen!

 

Long answer:

Ain't gonna happen because (as you say), Groundspeak does not endorse the concept of FTF. "Geocaching is not a race. No leaderboard, trophies..."etc.

 

I generate my own statistics using GSAK, and I can check-off all my FTF in it and have them displayed on my profile page. I suggest you do the same if having your FTF shown to everyone is important to you.

[Mr.Yuck]

Short answer:

Ain't gonna happen!

 

Long answer:

Ain't gonna happen because (as you say), Groundspeak does not endorse the concept of FTF. "Geocaching is not a race. No leaderboard, trophies..."etc.

 

I generate my own statistics using GSAK, and I can check-off all my FTF in it and have them displayed on my profile page. I suggest you do the same if having your FTF shown to everyone is important to you.

 

I saw this the other day, and was shocked there was basically only one real response. I guess you can attribute that to everyone thinking "never gonna happen"?

 

It's well-known that GSAK can do this, maybe it's a cost, and hope for a lack of complexity thing for the OP? I could suggest a very simple and free program Cachestats which I think is pretty darn good, and still generates nice HTML output for profiles. Problem is, I don't think I've seen anyone using it in their profiles since Groundspeak bought out MyGeocachingProfile. Cachestats has definitely been relegated to total obscurity since then.

 

Oh, I said it's free, but he does accept donations, and I threw him 5 or 10 bucks in 2009 or something. Give it a try, you have nothing to lose. And personally, I think his HTML output looks nicer than MyGeocachingprofile.com's anyways (but not as good as Findstatsgen for GSAK).

[+PlasmaWave]

'MyGeocachingProfile.com' replied saying they are having problems with large FTF image files hence reason for restricting FTF list to 300 items, but will review situation and maybe split the images or find another solution. Interesting that they (and Groundspeak) replied saying 'MyGeocachingProfile.com' is developed & maintained independantly of geocaching.com. No comment of course from Groundspeak/geocaching.com regards me asking for FTFs to be included as a facility on cache webpages!!

 

Thanks for the valuable comments so far. I have downloaded the GSAK FindStatGen Macro mentioned and have run it ok, but can't get any output data/numbers for my FTFs, which I indicate in cache logs as: **FTF**. Can't see anything/anywhere in the GSAK Macro options form that defines what/where the macro looks for users FTFs. Can anyone help guide me how to extract FTF count/data from the FindStatGen Macro?

 

Thanks & Regards, PlasmaWave

[+Toa Norik]

'MyGeocachingProfile.com' replied saying they are having problems with large FTF image files hence reason for restricting FTF list to 300 items, but will review situation and maybe split the images or find another solution. Interesting that they (and Groundspeak) replied saying 'MyGeocachingProfile.com' is developed & maintained independantly of geocaching.com. No comment of course from Groundspeak/geocaching.com regards me asking for FTFs to be included as a facility on cache webpages!!

 

Thanks for the valuable comments so far. I have downloaded the GSAK FindStatGen Macro mentioned and have run it ok, but can't get any output data/numbers for my FTFs, which I indicate in cache logs as: **FTF**. Can't see anything/anywhere in the GSAK Macro options form that defines what/where the macro looks for users FTFs. Can anyone help guide me how to extract FTF count/data from the FindStatGen Macro?

 

Thanks & Regards, PlasmaWave

You must mark evey cache that you FTF on in the database

[+PlasmaWave]

Arrrh, thanks for that Toa Norik. So, for each new MyFinds gpx file imported into GSAK from geocaching.com you have to go through the 'new' database all over again marking your FTFs! Or can you import on top of the last one (say, where FTFs were marked-up) and existing DB is updated to the new gpx file whilst retaining the 'marked' FTF records?

 

Problem for me marking FTFs in a GSAK DB from scratch is going through ~4100 records (finds) and ~750 x FTFs!!! Big task that!! Must be an easier way than going through everything manually line-by-line, but maybe my PC skills are not up to that yet.

Edited January 24, 2013 by PlasmaWave

[+Toa Norik]

Arrrh, thanks for that Toa Norik. So, for each new MyFinds gpx file imported into GSAK from geocaching.com you have to go through the 'new' database all over again marking your FTFs! Or can you import on top of the last one (say, where FTFs were marked-up) and existing DB is updated to the new gpx file whilst retaining the 'marked' FTF records?

 

Problem for me marking FTFs in a GSAK DB from scratch is going through ~4100 records (finds) and ~750 x FTFs!!! Big task that!! Must be an easier way than going through everything manually line-by-line, but maybe my PC skills are not up to that yet.

If you click on this link:

http://www.gsak.net/board/MacroIndex.php

Search "FTF" and you will see nine macros. I guess any of the 2 first will help you.

 

//Toa Norik Swedish Reviewer

[+PlasmaWave]

Thanks to Toa Norik for the FTF GSAK macro info - I have run the macro, found & marked all 757 x FTFs (including two which had not been correctly designated in my original cache log!) and the output GSAK stats page now looking good.

 

I also ran a test to check whether "marked" FTFs retain that info if a later MyFinds file is uploaded/added - this answered my earlier question and yes the original FTF marks were retained. All set now!!

 

GSAK stats looks very good and thanks to Toa Norik and other respondants for their help and suggestions. Great to be in touch with helpful like minded plastic-box chasers (LOL).

 

Thanks again, PlasmaWave

[+Toa Norik]

Thanks to Toa Norik for the FTF GSAK macro info - I have run the macro, found & marked all 757 x FTFs (including two which had not been correctly designated in my original cache log!) and the output GSAK stats page now looking good.

 

I also ran a test to check whether "marked" FTFs retain that info if a later MyFinds file is uploaded/added - this answered my earlier question and yes the original FTF marks were retained. All set now!!

 

GSAK stats looks very good and thanks to Toa Norik and other respondants for their help and suggestions. Great to be in touch with helpful like minded plastic-box chasers (LOL).

 

Thanks again, PlasmaWave

Oh... Sorry that I forgot to mention that... Yes the marks for FTF will remain after update with new gpx, but you already discovered that.

Nice to hear that it worked out fine for you!

:-D

[+mjasko1]

Thanks everybody for the comments...as a new geocacher...who is not in a race with anybody , I still see the advantage of collecting information and if you can do it, someone will want to measure it and keep track of it.,..thats what makes the world go round and what makes it interesting...At 70 I just bought my first tablet and have decided that I no longer need a laptop or keyboard ...still learning how to do things faster and better and still have time to smell the flowers.

 

Just spent the last 4 weeks indoctrinating my fellow sailboat partner into what its like to go geocaching from a boat....lovely!

In the process I walked 4 miles down a sandy beach to the end of a spit in Baja California, Mexico to discover that a cache placed there a year before was still not discovered...it was in great shape and the view was spectacular ..thanks for the cache....

[Keystone]

Since this thread was last active, another resource has become popular for FTF fans. Check out the functionality for FTF statistics at Project-GC.com -- a Geocaching Live API partner. This is especially attractive for people who find GSAK's advanced features and macros to be a bit intimidating.

[+PlasmaWave]

"Project-GC.com" is an excellant stats facility generally and particularly for the FTF fancier. Users need to "tag" their FTF logs, e.g. {FTF} or {*FTF*} or use any of the specified characters, also be ultra consistant in their logs for the site to accurately count the FTFs. There is a system of bookmarking as an alternative: explained on the site page. The presentation of the stats, which can be added to your geocaching.com profile, is brilliant.