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[REQUEST] Improve distance to cache reading


strontium87

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I've noticed that with pretty much all traditional GPS receivers, they display the distance to caches using two decimal points which is more and more useful the close one gets to a cache. But, in the mobile apps, the distance to cache shows only one decimal point. So for example, as I get close to a cache, the reading goes jumps from 0.2 miles to 0.1 miles away.

 

GPSr will show 0.21, 0.18 and so forth which is VERY USEFUL! Is there some reason the apps don't show this second decimal place? I'd really like to know if I'm actually 0.19 miles away or 0.1 but in both cases, the app only display 0.1.

 

Thanks,

-strontium87

Edited by strontium87
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Sir, you always seem to post the most negative and condescending comments in response to people in this community. If you don't have something nice to say, please don't respond to my posts. I would simply like to see mileage (or kilometer) readouts have two decimal places like other GPSrs. Most people would agree knowing whether you're 0.1 miles away or 0.19 is really helpful.

 

Given that that readout switches from miles to feet below 0.1, your point is moot. I can see it tick down from 528. Please go troll elsewhere.

 

-strontium87

Edited by strontium87
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What app are you using? The official Geocaching app for Android displays 2 decimal places. I'd assume it is the same for the iPhone version. If you are not using the official app, then you need to go to whatever website for the app you are using and make your suggestion there.

 

@ AZcachemeister: I can see why the OP would like the feature. If you are in the woods and have two winding paths to choose from, you could walk a very long distance on the wrong path before you get far enough for the display to click upwards another .1 mile.

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@TomToad, I'm using the official Groundspeak Geocaching app for iPhone, v5.1.1. It shows only one decimal place:

 

Groundspeak-official-geocaching-iphone-app-v5.1.1.jpg

 

My friend uses the official Groundspeak Geocaching app for Android, v 2.5.2 and confirms that does show two decimal points, but for some reason, iPhone does not :(

 

Thanks,

-strontium87

Edited by strontium87
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Sir, you always seem to post the most negative and condescending comments in response to people in this community. If you don't have something nice to say, please don't respond to my posts. I would simply like to see mileage (or kilometer) readouts have two decimal places like other GPSrs. Most people would agree knowing whether you're 0.1 miles away or 0.19 is really helpful.

 

Given that that readout switches from miles to feet below 0.1, your point is moot. I can see it tick down from 528. Please go troll elsewhere.

 

-strontium87

 

Although I don't always 'post the most negative and condescending comments in response to people in this community', I did have second thoughts after hitting the 'submit' button. :shocked:

 

But, your most recent post illustrates my point.

 

Why would it be important to know that you are 0.11 miles away when you can look at the map and see you are just one street over from the cache location?

 

Perhaps TPTB have decided that displaying an accuracy of two decimals implies an accuracy that doesn't exist with the iPhone? :P:unsure:

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@TomToad, I'm using the official Groundspeak Geocaching app for iPhone, v5.1.1. It shows only one decimal place:

 

Groundspeak-official-geocaching-iphone-app-v5.1.1.jpg

 

My friend uses the official Groundspeak Geocaching app for Android, v 2.5.2 and confirms that does show two decimal points, but for some reason, iPhone does not :(

 

Thanks,

-strontium87

Doesn't it show finer distance detail in the compass view?

 

If it is more finite decimal places you want, best to go with an actual GPS unit that is made for the singular use of marking and locating a set of coordinates on Earth.

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Hi NeverSummer,

 

No, the compass view does not show more detail.

 

Groundspeak-geocaching-app-iphone-compass.jpg

 

If the Android app is able to show two decimal places, it seems reasonable that the iPhone app should too. I disagree about using a GPSr (traditional device) for this purpose. I own two but most of the time, I'm out with my phone and I can see what caches are nearby in an instance using the cell network. As TomToad pointed out, if you're hiking and have multiple trail choices, knowing whether a cache is 0.19 or 0.1 (as is displayed in the app) would be very convenient.

 

This is a secondary point, but I think there is a lot of unfounded distrust and dislike for the smartphone caching apps from people who don't even use them. Smartphone GPS is phenomenally accurate as it is now. I have cached with my phone while others have GPSrs, and I have compared my phone's readings to both my GPSrs and they are very, very close, within 10 feet. Given that just about everyone says, "Once you're within 15-20 feet, put your GPSr away and start looking..." this is completely acceptable and usable. I have found caches in the middle of nowhere using offline mode and downloaded maps without a problem. The maps on the phone are soooooooooo much better than on the GPSr and I think having accurate satellite views far outweighs the benefits of being 10-20 feet more accurate. I do a lot of hiking and remote caching, not park and grabs, and phone works great.

 

-strontium87

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Hi NeverSummer,

 

No, the compass view does not show more detail.

 

Groundspeak-geocaching-app-iphone-compass.jpg

 

If the Android app is able to show two decimal places, it seems reasonable that the iPhone app should too. I disagree about using a GPSr (traditional device) for this purpose. I own two but most of the time, I'm out with my phone and I can see what caches are nearby in an instance using the cell network. As TomToad pointed out, if you're hiking and have multiple trail choices, knowing whether a cache is 0.19 or 0.1 (as is displayed in the app) would be very convenient.

 

This is a secondary point, but I think there is a lot of unfounded distrust and dislike for the smartphone caching apps from people who don't even use them. Smartphone GPS is phenomenally accurate as it is now. I have cached with my phone while others have GPSrs, and I have compared my phone's readings to both my GPSrs and they are very, very close, within 10 feet. Given that just about everyone says, "Once you're within 15-20 feet, put your GPSr away and start looking..." this is completely acceptable and usable. I have found caches in the middle of nowhere using offline mode and downloaded maps without a problem. The maps on the phone are soooooooooo much better than on the GPSr and I think having accurate satellite views far outweighs the benefits of being 10-20 feet more accurate. I do a lot of hiking and remote caching, not park and grabs, and phone works great.

 

-strontium87

 

You're right. I've never owned a smart phone and tried to stack it up against a simple dedicated Hcx with topo mapping. Maybe we should start with a battle of batteries first.

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Doesn't it show finer distance detail in the compass view?

Nope. I normally have mine set to metric, but I just switched units to see what would happen. It shows the same number in both map and compass view.

 

If it is more finite decimal places you want, best to go with an actual GPS unit that is made for the singular use of marking and locating a set of coordinates on Earth.

I never understand these "if you don't like it, use something else" responses. The OP has requested what is likely a minor change that they feel would benefit both themselves and others. Groundspeak is constantly (or is that infrequently?) making changes and updating the app, so what's wrong with requesting a change? It wouldn't affect me personally, because I don't use imperial units and don't normally use the app for caching anyway, but I'm not going to malign other users for wanting improvements made to the app.

 

The single decimal place doesn't really make much sense, so I fully support the OP's request. After all, if the handheld GPSr makers have decided that more than one decimal place is useful to their users, why should Groundspeak not follow suit?

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The single decimal place doesn't really make much sense, so I fully support the OP's request. After all, if the handheld GPSr makers have decided that more than one decimal place is useful to their users, why should Groundspeak not follow suit?

 

Thanks for the vote of support, The A-Team. Groundspeak makes and sells the app, so I'm just requesting that it be consistent across versions and emulate similar distance readings to GPSrs. What I actually find this to be most convenient for is seeking out new cache placement locations. It's super quick and convenient to do a search of the immedidate area and see what other caches are in close proximity. Given the likely degree of uncertainty for exact distance, I like knowing if a cache that is showing up as "0.1" miles away--that is, at the mandatory 1/10 of a mile cache saturation minimum--is it really 0.1 miles or farther?

 

-strontium87

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Wouldn't this be a technical upgrade to the phone's capability, as opposed to geocaching listing details?

It doesn't seem like a phone capability limitation to me. That number is just the result of a calculation determining the distance between two points (current location and destination). I would expect the app is doing this calculation and not the OS, in which case Groundspeak simply needs to modify the way this result is displayed. If it is a limitation of the phone/OS, then so be it and nothing will come of this request. If it isn't, then this request will possibly spur them to make the change.

 

...not that it's very likely Groundspeak will ever even read this discussion...

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Wouldn't this be a technical upgrade to the phone's capability, as opposed to geocaching listing details?

It doesn't seem like a phone capability limitation to me. That number is just the result of a calculation determining the distance between two points (current location and destination). I would expect the app is doing this calculation and not the OS, in which case Groundspeak simply needs to modify the way this result is displayed. If it is a limitation of the phone/OS, then so be it and nothing will come of this request. If it isn't, then this request will possibly spur them to make the change.

 

...not that it's very likely Groundspeak will ever even read this discussion...

 

Just wondering if the details I can currently download to my gps wouldn't already be available to phones provided they had software to chop it up and download for them. Is there something there that a gps doesn't use that phones do?

 

...not that it's very likely Groundspeak will ever even read this discussion...

 

You got that right.

 

But those that care keep trying.

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Hi NeverSummer,

 

No, the compass view does not show more detail.

 

Groundspeak-geocaching-app-iphone-compass.jpg

 

If the Android app is able to show two decimal places, it seems reasonable that the iPhone app should too. I disagree about using a GPSr (traditional device) for this purpose. I own two but most of the time, I'm out with my phone and I can see what caches are nearby in an instance using the cell network. As TomToad pointed out, if you're hiking and have multiple trail choices, knowing whether a cache is 0.19 or 0.1 (as is displayed in the app) would be very convenient.

 

This is a secondary point, but I think there is a lot of unfounded distrust and dislike for the smartphone caching apps from people who don't even use them. Smartphone GPS is phenomenally accurate as it is now. I have cached with my phone while others have GPSrs, and I have compared my phone's readings to both my GPSrs and they are very, very close, within 10 feet. Given that just about everyone says, "Once you're within 15-20 feet, put your GPSr away and start looking..." this is completely acceptable and usable. I have found caches in the middle of nowhere using offline mode and downloaded maps without a problem. The maps on the phone are soooooooooo much better than on the GPSr and I think having accurate satellite views far outweighs the benefits of being 10-20 feet more accurate. I do a lot of hiking and remote caching, not park and grabs, and phone works great.

 

-strontium87

Well, what's the rounding factor here? If we're talking normal mathematical rounding, we're only talking about ~260ft of error. On the move in a car, that's not much. Once you're within 0.1 miles, you get feet.

 

I don't distrust the phone apps. Rather, it's pretty much the only way I cache right now. But, I always have my GPSr along for the battery life, the accuracy, the better interface, the... Well, nevermind. I don't think it's worth continuing to point out things like that anymore.

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Groundspeak-geocaching-app-iphone-compass.jpg

 

Also, I'm not sure why you blacked out your "location" in the image. I can grab my GPSr and project a waypoint based on the information shown in that screenshot. :ph34r:

They dont want you to drive by their house with Street view on Google Map. :ph34r:

Not sure if I had accurate distance to coordinates for sure, but I was close enough to wonder if the tennis courts or pool are open to residents of the subdivision... :ph34r:

 

Perhaps if Google Earth provided better accuracy with their ruler tool...

Edited by NeverSummer
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At the risk of 'putting my foot in it' again, I wanted to point out that the last update to the ANDROID app involved adding support for the French language, and the ability for new users to create an account from within the app.

 

Not exactly improvements in functionality or ease of use, eh? :(

 

Perhaps the iPhone app is getting better treatment?

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