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Release Notes (Website: New Search) - March 11, 2015


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Wow, reading all of this is depressing.

 

I am new to Geocaching so I guess I was not really attached to the old way of searching. Actually I think the old way of searching was VERY limited.

 

I really like this new search as you can do so much more with it. So I think it is better and I am happy with it.

 

Reading the complaints it seems either people spent 5 minutes with it and decided they could not figure it (they might have spent more time writing complaints in this form then learning/using the new search) or react like most people when it comes to change (it sucks because it is different).

Edited by MersonMonkeys
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Wow, reading all of this is depressing.

 

I am new to Geocaching so I guess I was not really attached to the old way of searching. Actually I think the old way of searching was VERY limited.

 

I really like this new search as you can do so much more with it. So I think it is better and I am happy with it.

 

Reading the complaints it seems either people spent 5 minutes with it and decided they could not figure it (they might have spent more time writing complaints in this form then learning/using the new search) or react like most people when it comes to change (it sucks because it is different).

 

explain how you think it was limited?

 

 

cause guess what when 9 out of 10 people say its bad guess what its probably bad

Edited by Redn3ck
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Hopefully I can figure out how to use the new geocache search tool. So far I do not like it - not one little bit! Why should I need to read the six pages of 2.1. Advanced Search FAQ or a set of instructions that may or may not be forthcoming? I did not need to before. It was simple and did everything that I wanted it to do. Signed, a very frustrated PM.

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I'll be the first to admit that the interface is less than ideal and that it's not intuitive, but in terms of functionality...I think the 'new' search is better than the 'old' search. I've actually used the 'new' search to find things that I couldn't find with the 'old' search. It's not better for basic members of course, since they cannot use most of the filters...so my comments about better are referencing PM's only.

 

  • For example, when using the 'old' search and looking for caches with "challenge" in the name, then I geet ~3600 results from all over the world. I can't filter for just Mystery caches, or for caches that are in my state. That type of search can easily be done with the 'new' search.
  • Another example, if I want to find caches where I have entered corrected coordinates or added a personal note, then there's no way to do that with the 'old' search. Those options are now possible with the 'new' search.
  • Other functionality that is new with the 'new' search...if planning an outing with multiple cachers, then the 'new' search allows filtering for caches where up to 5 other cachers also haven't found the cache. It also allows searching for caches with a minimum count of FP's. The various results sorting options are helpful, and the

The biggest complaints about the functionality (besides the intuitiveness/appearance) seem to be the 30mi/50km distance limits, the 'found by' capabilities, and downloading capabilities. As has been mentioned in several posts...the distance limits are at a state (US/Germany) or country limit if queried in the 'add filters' only. And the 'found by' can be accomplished, without any geographic limitations, by looking at the user's profile. The downloading could be done with PQ's, but that's not as easy as just checking some boxes. These are things that the devs could work to improve upon.

 

If someone wants to use the old search, then you could try this: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?country_id=0

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Yes it is GC5M7Y4 that I logged yeasterday.

The only thing I searched on was Norrbotten, Sweden. No other filters in advanced search. I just notised that I got the same result again. The only cache in this area that shows is GC1ZD6C. Several is still missing.

 

Have you tried clicking the Distance header to sort and show closest first? Perhaps you're searching by another parameter, getting the top 1000, and that's not including some caches you want.

 

If you search with the input box as Norrbotten, Sweden with the radius at 30km and there are no other filters set, and the result is sorted by Distance ascending, then you should get all the caches you need...

 

If not, I'm not sure what's wrong. Someone would need to help while watching you do the search... =/

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I'll be the first to admit that the interface is less than ideal and that it's not intuitive, but in terms of functionality...I think the 'new' search is better than the 'old' search. I've actually used the 'new' search to find things that I couldn't find with the 'old' search. It's not better for basic members of course, since they cannot use most of the filters...so my comments about better are referencing PM's only.

 

I would not mind if the new search was not better for basic members - I do not expect any extra or new features. The old search was fine and I do not need more.

 

The issue is however that the new it is much worse for basic members to the extent of not being of any use at all. In my opionion this is not a very fair way of dealing with basic members who contribute in the same way by hiding and maintaining caches to the success of this site than PMs.

 

An issue for both basic members and PMs apart from the interface is the horrible look of the output which is uniquely optimized for phones.

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An issue for both basic members and PMs apart from the interface is the horrible look of the output which is uniquely optimized for phones.

 

I seriously doubt that the output is optimized for phones, too much valuable space is wasted in my opinion, especially on phones. With the old search you had all information there (except the marker for 'corrected coordinates' which is shown only for the new search) and you could choose yourself to zoom in/out as you needed it. Now only very little information is visible, zoom out doesn't give you the other colums (Favorites, Size, Difficulty, Terrain, Last Found, Placed on), you have click around to replace distance with one of the other columns.

 

Screenshot (Samsung S3, search: Unknown I don't own, I haven't found starting from given coordinates)

 

21327507lz.jpg

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Is adding the "send to gps" button next to the standard search list entries going to be added in at some point?

 

Also, looking at the new method of listing caches after making a search, I think one of the biggest problems is that the lines are not separated. They're all somewhat spaced out text on a white background. Simply giving the text alternating backgrounds would help to make the text more readable. I don't think it would be as instantly accessible as the symbols from the old method but it would help to prevent searchers from confusing information between adjacent search results.

 

In the image above you can clearly see that the different searches use alternating background colors which, at a glance, allow you to see what information belongs with which cache.

 

Also, I found it very helpful that the old search method allowed you to see not only when a cache was last found (at a glance) but when it was last found by myself. That way if I was checking in on local caches I would know when they have new visitors. I can't always remember the exact day that I found a cache so this was a helpful feature.

Edited by Trotter17
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An issue for both basic members and PMs apart from the interface is the horrible look of the output which is uniquely optimized for phones.

 

I seriously doubt that the output is optimized for phones, too much valuable space is wasted in my opinion, especially on phones. With the old search you had all information there (except the marker for 'corrected coordinates' which is shown only for the new search) and you could choose yourself to zoom in/out as you needed it. Now only very little information is visible, zoom out doesn't give you the other colums (Favorites, Size, Difficulty, Terrain, Last Found, Placed on), you have click around to replace distance with one of the other columns.

 

Screenshot (Samsung S3, search: Unknown I don't own, I haven't found starting from given coordinates)

 

21327507lz.jpg

 

Wow, this is really bad!

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Well, many would argue the left is not optimized for phones. It depends on what you consider 'optimal' for mobile device reading. Now if the right were a tablet, that's pretty bad... and if the left were on a small smartphone, and zoom is locked, then that's bad. There are many factors. In this case it's more about preference of how much information you see on the screen and the ease of access to that information. Some people don't mind very small content that can be zoomed as desired, many don't notice and might find large content immediately accessible and quite visible more enticing. Who knows.

 

Nonetheless, the overhelming opinion here it seems from desktop users is that it is very much not optimized for quick & easy dekstop browser use balancing user experience with quantity of information. It really should be looked at, and I'm hoping Groundspeak's relative silence on the state of this search feature means they are actively working on a solution......

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An issue for both basic members and PMs apart from the interface is the horrible look of the output which is uniquely optimized for phones.

 

I seriously doubt that the output is optimized for phones, too much valuable space is wasted in my opinion, especially on phones. With the old search you had all information there (except the marker for 'corrected coordinates' which is shown only for the new search) and you could choose yourself to zoom in/out as you needed it. Now only very little information is visible, zoom out doesn't give you the other colums (Favorites, Size, Difficulty, Terrain, Last Found, Placed on), you have click around to replace distance with one of the other columns.

 

Screenshot (Samsung S3, search: Unknown I don't own, I haven't found starting from given coordinates)

 

21327507lz.jpg

 

 

 

^^ atleast im not the only one

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As too many people have already indicated, the new search format is terrible. In fairness, I do like the ability to perform some of the additional filtering but the resulting output is terrible when coupled to the 30 mile limits. I realize the work around for states is to ignore the distance box, but then the resulting list appears to be a random compilation of the first 1000 caches that the database spits out for a given state. Add to that the poor use of screen space for the output indicated in the above posts and we have a software mess worthy of Microsoft Windows 8.

 

My bigger concern is the next sections that will be changed will be maps and pocket queries. Maps are already poor resolution for a rural cacher like me since I cannot really filter out my finds and still see a reasonable area to select for a query. In other words, where are the areas with a reasonable amount of caches to seek within 150 miles. The output list from a pocket query is currently easy to read. My concerns is that this too will look like the new search screen output.

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Well.. the new search does something that sites like Project-GC don't do, and I'm really happy about it! I only needed a few clicks to get a map of all caches not found by me yet. I'm glad to see that the search honors the ignore list, which means that 50 or so caches hidden on a military base just out of town don't show up. Now I can look at the map and decide where to drive to on this lazy Friday.

 

I did get a DNF though as I forgot to enter the country at first. Maybe it's an option to add this as default and if you want to search elsewhere you need to delete it (btw, I prefer a list of countries I can scroll through: activate the field and type in the first letter of that country is much faster). On the other hand, you'd not be able to see this filter when you're on the first search page. Hmm.. another vote for everything on one page here.

 

Now if I could draw a polygon around some of the mapped results and load those caches per pocket query: that would be really cool! Pretty please! :grin:

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Is there a way to search all caches within 100 miles of my zip code, then sort by hide date? The previous search this took two button clicks... Now I can't figure out how

 

Not with the search tool, but you could do this with PQ's. The most caches you can retrieve is 1000, but you can then sort the results by clicking on the "Placed" column name when you preview the PQ results.

 

If there are more than 1000 caches in your 100-mile radius, then you could create multiple PQ's. For example, have 1 PQ be Traditionals and another PQ be all other cache types...or have 1 PQ be caches placed before 2011 and another PQ be caches placed in 2012-2013 and another PQ be caches placed in 2014-2015.

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I'm not digging the new search. It's not as user friendly. I don't care for the 30 miles limit and I sadly miss my pull out screen which allowed me to change my search with just a click instead of going back and resetting my search. :( Boooo!

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Well.. the new search does something that sites like Project-GC don't do, and I'm really happy about it! I only needed a few clicks to get a map of all caches not found by me yet. I'm glad to see that the search honors the ignore list, which means that 50 or so caches hidden on a military base just out of town don't show up. Now I can look at the map and decide where to drive to on this lazy Friday.

 

I did get a DNF though as I forgot to enter the country at first. Maybe it's an option to add this as default and if you want to search elsewhere you need to delete it (btw, I prefer a list of countries I can scroll through: activate the field and type in the first letter of that country is much faster). On the other hand, you'd not be able to see this filter when you're on the first search page. Hmm.. another vote for everything on one page here.

 

Now if I could draw a polygon around some of the mapped results and load those caches per pocket query: that would be really cool! Pretty please! :grin:

 

sounds like they should be archived....i don't really mind bending the rules a little, but that sounds almost dangerous. i assume you would be trespassing to go get them....unless military bases are somehow actually public property and public usable and i just assumed otherwise :P

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So now, instead of clicking on what we want we have to remember which things to click on and then hopefully find what we want. You've got to be kidding me. We're not techie and this is terrible. When we travel we like to look for the older caches in a state. Before, we clicked on the state and looked at the oldest page and we were ready to go. Now we apparently have to click on this that and the other thing and filter out who knows what and then we do it wrong and have nothing that we want. This is awful, please bring back what we had before and let the techie people have the new way as an option.

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So now, instead of clicking on what we want we have to remember which things to click on and then hopefully find what we want. You've got to be kidding me. We're not techie and this is terrible. When we travel we like to look for the older caches in a state. Before, we clicked on the state and looked at the oldest page and we were ready to go. Now we apparently have to click on this that and the other thing and filter out who knows what and then we do it wrong and have nothing that we want. This is awful, please bring back what we had before and let the techie people have the new way as an option.

 

Absolutely ... PLUS ONE !!!

 

***********************

Edited by nevadanick
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First, I'd like to thank NYPaddleCacher for calling me on some sarcasm. It must have been "crowd effect" from reading initial posts, the first 10 minutes I spent coming up with DNF results (because of the choice of initial primary category) and lack of impulse control. But that we agree and disagree on some points is good and the way people work. :)

 

In defense of Premium review - even though I asked if novices got a look at this interface, I do understand this reality - people are seldom a "novice" forever and what might initially seem like helpful handholding soon becomes "nuisance" once a little experience is gained. When I started, I was happy to just put in my home location and from my profile, search for Nearby Caches I haven't found. This is still my primary starting point, but less so as I now look around an area I might visit.

 

My biggest issue with the original Find/Hide a Cache engine (from Play menu) was it didn't sort from my home location. So search results would most often start with pages of matches in other countries rather than what was just down the street.

 

It looks like the new search will give me the results I looked for in the past - and sorted near to far.

 

I wasn't asking for a challenging cache to be less so when asking to be able to filter on First Finder potential. You know, after you've done something 800 times or more, you look for new aspects. So feeling the adrenaline of going after a first finder is fun and the effort of reviewing page after page after page of caches to find one, does not, for me, contribute any "effort reward" to the process.

 

The same "added novelty" applies to finding caches that haven't been found for a long time - for example, measured in years. The effort to seek them out scrolling down page after page after page does not, for me, contribute anything to the "fun of the find". Having some way to select "nearby"caches that haven't been found since MM/YYYY or X months would provide candidates and also help as forgotten/abandoned caches might more frequently be culled out.

 

Yeah, the comments are pretty tough on the programmers but we usually can take it and User Feedback is necessary. Once I worked for a company that made CD authoring software for Mac. The programmer launched from an icon on the desktop and when the CD was finished, the program returned immediately to the desktop - not to a "Finished" screen the user could quit out of. Five of us, all with decades of computer experience tried to tell this young pup - who asserted that as the program had started from the desktop it should return to the desktop when done - that if he returns there, the user will think the program just crashed - because that's where crashed programs terminated. I could see his, "Start from here, return to there" logic. But "logic" isn't King. Expectation is King.

 

The user is presented with choices and as close as the results match her expectations, the smoother the software seems to run.

 

Because initial category choices influence additional filter results, and those initial choice are several mouse clicks removed from the final Search (or Submit) button, I think it is important to remind the user of the accumulated effects - especially of one that is not on the Filter page. By category choices, I mean Home Location, Current Location, and top Rated Caches.

 

I understand that being able to select what one wants is the first step. Being able to download that selection to a GPS and/or Print out the pages of selections as one task is a second stage.

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So I want to check out what my buddies have been up to lately. Before we got the new whiz bang search feature, and lost the old one :cry: , I simply put their name in the "Found by:" box, hit "Go" and voila, there were all their finds with the most recent one at the top. Pretty darn easy if you ask me.

 

Maybe I'm missing something now though because to get the same info, I have to (from the search page):

 

  1. Either click on my own name up in the top right hand corner or click on 'Quick View' on the 'Your Profile' drop down.
  2. Click on 'Your Friends' (this, of course, assumes that they have 'friended' me along the journey)
  3. Click on the friend whose recent activities I want to see (this takes you to their profile page)
  4. Click on the 'Geocaches' tab on their profile page
  5. Click on the 'All Geocache Finds' link and voila the same info that took some writing and 'Go' before (and the writing bit is probably unnecessary after the first time you've entered their name if you have Autofill on).

 

Of course, if the person you wish to see recent activity of isn't a 'friend', I've got no idea how you'd find their info. (For example, someone might say to "you should read some of joebloggs123's logs, they're fantastic" but gives you no more info than that, you're pretty stuck.)

 

Really GS, just bring back the old search function and have the Advanced search function on there for Premium Members as you did during the testing phase. That should make everyone happy!

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Of course, if the person you wish to see recent activity of isn't a 'friend', I've got no idea how you'd find their info. (For example, someone might say to "you should read some of joebloggs123's logs, they're fantastic" but gives you no more info than that, you're pretty stuck.)

 

 

For this you go to your profile page (here http://www.geocaching.com/my/default.aspx ) and over on the right hand side under the "Community" header there's a link to "Find another player" which you can use to bring up anyone's profile as long as you know their name.

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You know, I've honestly tried. I've spent more time than I should have trying to get used to the new search. And you know what? It still really sucks.

 

I hate it. I hate the 30 mile limit, I hate the lack of information that I get in the search results, I hate the format of the results, so much harder to read, and I hate that it's not flexible, intuitive, or even useful.

 

I hate that it has no helpful hints or instructions with it. I have to go digging for answers. I work full time and have a lot going on, and changing geocaching from a fun hobby to enjoy when I found a bit of free time to something unrewarding, frustrating and time consuming just really sucks.

 

I most often use the search function when I'm traveling, and really liked how the old one showed the favorite points. That helped to quickly narrow down which caches are worth going for when I'll be in that town for a limited time.

 

And now I can't even download the results!

 

Bah humbug. Please, for the love of geocaching, don't go messing up the pocket queries or cache pages!

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still no search by attribute :(

 

side note: about time pocket quarries where updated to 10,000 cache limit or higher. my gpsR can handle 100,000 caches saved....most can handle 10,000 if not all now a days.

 

I can't think of any practical reason why someone would need to have 10,000 caches in their GPS. If a GPS could handle 5 million caches should GS just provide a single link that will download every cache in the database to a GPS?

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Guide to using the new search...

For those that missed it in all these posts, "The A-Team" assembled information from various forum posts and webpages to create a detailed guide to using the 'new' search. There's a link to that guide in this post.

 

 

I hate it. I hate the 30 mile limit, I hate the lack of information that I get in the search results, I hate the format of the results, so much harder to read, and I hate that it's not flexible, intuitive, or even useful.

Were you able to get statewide results? I know you asked about searching beyond 30-miles in page 6 of this thread, but if those answers didn't work for you then feel free to ask again. Or perhaps the guide that "The A-Team" created (mentioned above) will be helpful.

 

And now I can't even download the results!

Using the old Advanced Search page (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?country_id=0) may help if you need the downloading option, but there's no guarantee on how long this page will remain available.

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Well.. the new search does something that sites like Project-GC don't do, and I'm really happy about it! I only needed a few clicks to get a map of all caches not found by me yet. I'm glad to see that the search honors the ignore list, which means that 50 or so caches hidden on a military base just out of town don't show up. Now I can look at the map and decide where to drive to on this lazy Friday.

 

I did get a DNF though as I forgot to enter the country at first. Maybe it's an option to add this as default and if you want to search elsewhere you need to delete it (btw, I prefer a list of countries I can scroll through: activate the field and type in the first letter of that country is much faster). On the other hand, you'd not be able to see this filter when you're on the first search page. Hmm.. another vote for everything on one page here.

 

Now if I could draw a polygon around some of the mapped results and load those caches per pocket query: that would be really cool! Pretty please! :grin:

 

sounds like they should be archived....i don't really mind bending the rules a little, but that sounds almost dangerous. i assume you would be trespassing to go get them....unless military bases are somehow actually public property and public usable and i just assumed otherwise :P

 

Some people in the military are geocachers too. Caches on military bases allow those that are stationed on some base in Kuwait to play the game too. So, the general public can't go find those caches, but they're still getting found by those with a proper ID required to access the location.

 

Those caches should absolutely *not* be archived.

 

 

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I appreciate those who have done the work to post links and how-to info. I really appreciate the link to the old search, as I was able to plot out some caches for my upcoming road trip.

 

Despite following the instructions, I have yet to be able to get a useful, state-wide result from the new search, nor have I been able to get a list of the event caches. It seems no matter what, no matter which computer or browser I use, I can't ever get past the 30 mile limit.

 

I still say bah humbug to the whole mess. :(

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I appreciate those who have done the work to post links and how-to info. I really appreciate the link to the old search, as I was able to plot out some caches for my upcoming road trip.

 

Despite following the instructions, I have yet to be able to get a useful, state-wide result from the new search, nor have I been able to get a list of the event caches. It seems no matter what, no matter which computer or browser I use, I can't ever get past the 30 mile limit.

 

I still say bah humbug to the whole mess. :(

 

As a premium member, you should be able to do a state-wide search. Leave the initial search box empty (very important) and click the Add Filters button. In the "Search Only In" box, type your state. Add any other filters you want (for example, unselect all cache types except event caches) and click the Search button.

 

If you've already tried this, sorry to repeat it.

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I appreciate those who have done the work to post links and how-to info. I really appreciate the link to the old search, as I was able to plot out some caches for my upcoming road trip.

 

Despite following the instructions, I have yet to be able to get a useful, state-wide result from the new search, nor have I been able to get a list of the event caches. It seems no matter what, no matter which computer or browser I use, I can't ever get past the 30 mile limit.

 

I still say bah humbug to the whole mess. :(

If you're still having problems with the statewide search, then the image in Post #138 on Page 3 might help. Sometimes pictures can be easier to follow than the word instructions.

 

Good luck!

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I like the search, but I am used to it from using it on my phone.

 

Is there a way to search on an attribute? Specifically, wheelchair accessible caches. We have a new cacher in our area that is in a chair, but she would have to open all the terrain 1 caches to search for one that has the attribute. We realize that hiders often don't actually know what makes a wheelchair accessible hide, but it would make a good start for her.

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I like the search, but I am used to it from using it on my phone.

 

Is there a way to search on an attribute? Specifically, wheelchair accessible caches. We have a new cacher in our area that is in a chair, but she would have to open all the terrain 1 caches to search for one that has the attribute. We realize that hiders often don't actually know what makes a wheelchair accessible hide, but it would make a good start for her.

I believe you can do that with pocket queries.

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I cannot tell you how much I hate the new search function. Yes, there are some nice new features that I might use once a month or so, but my daily searching has now become a nightmare so bad that I no longer use the search engine, I just try and find the cache on the map. Except sometimes I can't - an archived cache that I know the name of, the GC code for and the cacher who hid it, yet it does not come up on a search. To look for a cache I just found 5 minutes ago, I have to do an advanced search because nothing I put in the search engine comes up with anything but a DNF. Unknown cache logging is now a total pain because the original coordinates are up to 3 km away (in Adelaide that's a thousand cache icons to check on the map). Multis are impossible to find unless they are next to the starting coordinates.

 

You either need to issue a users' manual to tell us how to do the things that we used to be able to do so very easily on the old search engine, give us the option of using the old search engine instead of the new one or just admit you stuffed up in a seriously major way and get rid of this turkey of a search engine and give us the old one back.

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I cannot tell you how much I hate the new search function. Yes, there are some nice new features that I might use once a month or so, but my daily searching has now become a nightmare so bad that I no longer use the search engine, I just try and find the cache on the map. Except sometimes I can't - an archived cache that I know the name of, the GC code for and the cacher who hid it, yet it does not come up on a search. To look for a cache I just found 5 minutes ago, I have to do an advanced search because nothing I put in the search engine comes up with anything but a DNF. Unknown cache logging is now a total pain because the original coordinates are up to 3 km away (in Adelaide that's a thousand cache icons to check on the map). Multis are impossible to find unless they are next to the starting coordinates.

 

You either need to issue a users' manual to tell us how to do the things that we used to be able to do so very easily on the old search engine, give us the option of using the old search engine instead of the new one or just admit you stuffed up in a seriously major way and get rid of this turkey of a search engine and give us the old one back.

 

+me and countless others !!!

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I cannot tell you how much I hate the new search function. Yes, there are some nice new features that I might use once a month or so, but my daily searching has now become a nightmare so bad that I no longer use the search engine, I just try and find the cache on the map. Except sometimes I can't - an archived cache that I know the name of, the GC code for and the cacher who hid it, yet it does not come up on a search. To look for a cache I just found 5 minutes ago, I have to do an advanced search because nothing I put in the search engine comes up with anything but a DNF. Unknown cache logging is now a total pain because the original coordinates are up to 3 km away (in Adelaide that's a thousand cache icons to check on the map). Multis are impossible to find unless they are next to the starting coordinates.

 

You either need to issue a users' manual to tell us how to do the things that we used to be able to do so very easily on the old search engine, give us the option of using the old search engine instead of the new one or just admit you stuffed up in a seriously major way and get rid of this turkey of a search engine and give us the old one back.

 

+me and countless others !!!

 

+me too!!!

 

Seriously, does Groundspeak (or whoever the shadowy characters are behind the scenes) even acknowledge that this is a problem? Have they responded at all to the complaints? I haven't seen anything but stone cold silence....no change to make the search results more readable, no change to the ridiculous 30 mile limit, not even a link on the search page to a list of instructions on how to use the darn thing, nothing!

 

At the very least, they could simply leave a link up to the old search.

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I cannot tell you how much I hate the new search function. Yes, there are some nice new features that I might use once a month or so, but my daily searching has now become a nightmare so bad that I no longer use the search engine, I just try and find the cache on the map. Except sometimes I can't - an archived cache that I know the name of, the GC code for and the cacher who hid it, yet it does not come up on a search. To look for a cache I just found 5 minutes ago, I have to do an advanced search because nothing I put in the search engine comes up with anything but a DNF. Unknown cache logging is now a total pain because the original coordinates are up to 3 km away (in Adelaide that's a thousand cache icons to check on the map). Multis are impossible to find unless they are next to the starting coordinates.

 

 

+me and countless others !!!

 

+me too!!!

 

Seriously, does Groundspeak (or whoever the shadowy characters are behind the scenes) even acknowledge that this is a problem? Have they responded at all to the complaints? I haven't seen anything but stone cold silence....no change to make the search results more readable, no change to the ridiculous 30 mile limit, not even a link on the search page to a list of instructions on how to use the darn thing, nothing!

 

At the very least, they could simply leave a link up to the old search.

Have you read actually read the release notes? Included in them is a link to the FAQ on the new advanced search? They answer most of your questions and provide a link to the old search. In addition there are many ways to search the site. I rarely used the old advanced search for anything because I found other options easier to use. My home page for the site is my profile page. This provides a link to my nearest unfound caches and my saved pocket queries that show me the 1000 oldest caches, all virtual caches in the United States, etc. It also allows me to search for other cachers. The new search page allows me new functionality which I appreciate.

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I cannot tell you how much I hate the new search function. Yes, there are some nice new features that I might use once a month or so, but my daily searching has now become a nightmare so bad that I no longer use the search engine, I just try and find the cache on the map. Except sometimes I can't - an archived cache that I know the name of, the GC code for and the cacher who hid it, yet it does not come up on a search. To look for a cache I just found 5 minutes ago, I have to do an advanced search because nothing I put in the search engine comes up with anything but a DNF. Unknown cache logging is now a total pain because the original coordinates are up to 3 km away (in Adelaide that's a thousand cache icons to check on the map). Multis are impossible to find unless they are next to the starting coordinates.

 

 

+me and countless others !!!

 

+me too!!!

 

Seriously, does Groundspeak (or whoever the shadowy characters are behind the scenes) even acknowledge that this is a problem? Have they responded at all to the complaints? I haven't seen anything but stone cold silence....no change to make the search results more readable, no change to the ridiculous 30 mile limit, not even a link on the search page to a list of instructions on how to use the darn thing, nothing!

 

At the very least, they could simply leave a link up to the old search.

Have you read actually read the release notes? Included in them is a link to the FAQ on the new advanced search? They answer most of your questions and provide a link to the old search. In addition there are many ways to search the site. I rarely used the old advanced search for anything because I found other options easier to use. My home page for the site is my profile page. This provides a link to my nearest unfound caches and my saved pocket queries that show me the 1000 oldest caches, all virtual caches in the United States, etc. It also allows me to search for other cachers. The new search page allows me new functionality which I appreciate.

 

This forum first topic isn't the place that Groundspeak had to add the FAQ's!!! They had to add a link on the starting page so it was clear for everybody. Now it's only clear for those who use this forum but I'm guessing most of the geocachers don't.

One other thing. Since this whole upsetting topic came to live Groundspeak didn't even change that on the home searching page. So many complaints and even then they refuse to add a help button on the page! Once again Groundspeak fails to meet his users half way!

 

Why is that, I ask myself the question. Is it that hard to place a link to the FAQ's for everybody to see?

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I really feel for all those poor saps who don't even realize they need to come to the forums to find out how to work the search and the multitudinous workarounds. I would think that those who are expressing frustration here are a miniscule sampling.

 

I think most every geocaching FB group I've seen has an ongoing thread about the 'advanced' search.

 

Few replies that amount to anything other than more frustration !!

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Please, please, please, give me at least a QUICK link to the old search back!!!!!! It was working fine. The new one is hard to use. Maybe I'm just dense, but I can't seem to find a way back to my profile page from the search page. Also, I often search for caches by name or GC code - and I can't find any way to use either one of those. I had to go the long way around of mapping my locations, and clicking on multiple caches until I found the ones I was looking for. Tedious. I did read the FAQs and I did read the forum conversations.

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Please, please, please, give me at least a QUICK link to the old search back!!!!!! It was working fine.

The old Advanced Search page (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?country_id=0), but no guarantees on how long it will remain available.

 

The new one is hard to use. Maybe I'm just dense, but I can't seem to find a way back to my profile page from the search page.

You should be able to click on your name at the upper right corner of the webpage. Next to your avatar where is says "Hello, ON-THE-LOOSE (Sign Out)".

 

Also, I often search for caches by name or GC code - and I can't find any way to use either one of those.

Both of those options are available and have been answered in several posts, across several forum topics. Refer to this post regarding searching by GC Code, or this post regarding searching by cache name.

The various posts have also been summarized by "The A-Team" into this Guide. You may want to take a look at that.

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Far as I can tell, the original search feature cannot be accessed by ANY link. (dumbest thing I think I've ever seen GS do :( )

 

The link in the first reply to your post (above) is the only one I know of ... A-team link

 

I've kept an eye open to see if a link to the old search would pop up, but none so far.

Groundspeak included a link to the 'old' search on the Advanced Search FAQ page, albeit at the bottom of that page.

 

oldsearch.png

 

Several folks, including myself, have posted that a prominent link to the 'Advanced Search FAQ' would be nice to have on the Search page.

 

Hope that helps.

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Several folks, including myself, have posted that a prominent link to the 'Advanced Search FAQ' would be nice to have on the Search page.

 

Hope that helps.

 

The link to the FAQ is certainly helpful for those who did not find it on their own.

However the information that Groundspeak will provide the old search a bit longer does not solve any real issues - it just delays the essential problem.

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Now I understand the complaints even more. It is not so much a matter of choosing to be a premium member as being compelled/required to be a premium member in order to do basic searches. Calliopal and I just got back from finding two of the closest caches and she tried to find them to log them - something she's done nearly 800 times in the past. She couldn't get anywhere. Up comes the new screen and she put the name of the cache in the first center field - but it wants the GC Code. So we went to filters to put in the name - like she could do with the old search window. But now all the filters seemed blocked unless she becomes a premium member. So We look around some more and find she now has access to the Map page - something that used to be only accessible to Premium members but now is given to everyone - with the exception that they can't filter out their previous Finds.

 

Using the map and knowing approximately where, on the map, the cache was, she was able to get to it that way.

 

So Groundspeak has given the main reason I became a premium member - the map with geocaches on it - to everyone. And they have taking away, from basic members, the ability to find a cache by name or partial name. Amazing.

 

Now I could be wrong about the above; there might be some links that would allow her to find/log her cache in a more direct fashion. But that was not her experience and this wasn't her first rodeo.

 

It might be that Groundspeak is seeking to increase their coffers by requiring premium membership in order to find caches with the convenience non-premium members had before. And that is "hidden" in the guise of "Here's our new search page with NEW features." If so, how clever. Sometimes companies get too clever and their revenue schemes backfire. I'm just say'n.

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