Jump to content

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


Recommended Posts

I saw a Forum Post that you could access the results of the old "Found By" Username search via a direct URL... but the Post didn't provide the URL itself. Does anyone know what it would be?

 

If you're viewing the webpage of a cache hidden by the user, then you can just click on the link for "other caches found by this user". Otherwise, construct a URL like this:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?ul=Nylimb

Replace "Nylimb" by the name of the cacher you're interested in.

 

If the name has any spaces in it, replace them by plus signs; e.g.:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?ul=Angelic+Relic

Other special characters in the name may have to be changed also. For example, an ampersand (&) should be replaced by "%26":

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?ul=johnny%26cher

 

If you want to see caches hidden by a user instead of those found by the user, change "ul=" to "u=" in the URL.

 

Great points, Nylimb!

 

I know a few of these 'URL tricks' to search for what I want, yet I am definitely not sure if I know them all.

 

Is there any list compiled to show most of these geocaching.com and coords.info "URL Syntax"?

 

I have written a couple of convenient Apple Script applet Contextual Service Menus for personal use on my Mac, that utilize these URL text, though.

Select text, right-click, and jump right to the appropriate webpage for the cache/TB.

 

http://coord.info/[GC code or TB number]

 

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?tracker=[trackable's tracking number]

Link to comment

When using the website, an easy way to search for a particular GC Code is to go to the homepage (for logged-in users) and enter the GC Code in the search box on the right-hand side of the page.

 

I've noticed a few times you have provided the solutions for how to use the search feature. I will wager that you are not a part of the development team to know all these answers. Can you provide a link to the instructions, or help file that you must be using? The search FAQ (that someone linked to elsewhere) is not helpful.

Link to comment

The concept behind an "Advanced" search feature is that it is *OPTIONAL* --- and implies that the "Standard" search feature is still available. Perhaps that is all Groundspeak needs to do in the short-term to fix this situation... make both Search features available: Standard Search and Advanced Search.

 

I participated in the trial-period for the Advanced Search and provided my feedback. This whole issue however is due to the fact that people's expectations were that the Advanced Search would be ADDITIONAL to the Standard Search - and NOT REPLACE it.

 

You nailed it, Doug. I had no idea the "test drive" search would replace the standard search tool. The old one should be re-established and give the paying members a choice as to which search tool they want to use!

Link to comment

This is the worst idea since stopping victuals. The search tool is good for it's purpose but to take away the old way of searching is terrible. There is no way to search by GC code, Hidden by, Found by. What have you done. This is a large community and this is a drastic change. Changing some of the features is fine but why take away the ability to search other things,

 

When this was brought to premium members to test and then we were asked what we think, there was no mention that this was taking the place of anything. It was sold to us as more of an enhancement. I and most I have spoken to don't like it.

 

It should be change back.

Link to comment

The old search was mildly annoying and occasionally frustrating. This new search is unusable. Everything about is it limiting. I have had to resort to google to search geocaching.com. That is sad.

 

Thankfully I've bookmarked several useful searches (mostly mapped results) that I now have to use to replace the New search. Otherwise, I'd have to exclusively rely on my GPSr searches. This new search is not an option for me; it's simply a broken part of the website that I gain no value from.

 

Additionally, when I map after a search, why am I limited to only the filtered results? This is useful every once in a while, but NOT the majority of time. For example, in the old search, once you moved to the map, you could continue your discovery journey and see what else is interesting in the area you plan to cache in. Now, you hit an invisible barrier with no further caches outside your search criteria (usually distance). Why not provide a link to "Map results" (ie: filters on) and another to "Map all caches" (ie: no filters)? That would be substantially better, no?

Link to comment

So how does one search by zipcode?

 

you don't you just type in the city name (which is the only improvement this new search has brought but then they nerf it cause of the 30 mile/50km limit)

 

1 step forward and 2 steps back

 

Redn3ck, it's obvious you don't like the new search, but please stop posting inaccurate and inflammatory content or else you will be removed from these threads.

 

To search on a Zip Code, simply enter it into the main search field. For example, here are the results for 98103: https://www.geocaching.com/play/search/@47.67101,-122.3401?origin=98103

Link to comment

So how does one search by zipcode?

 

you don't you just type in the city name (which is the only improvement this new search has brought but then they nerf it cause of the 30 mile/50km limit)

 

1 step forward and 2 steps back

 

Redn3ck, it's obvious you don't like the new search, but please stop posting inaccurate and inflammatory content or else you will be removed from these threads.

 

To search on a Zip Code, simply enter it into the main search field. For example, here are the results for 98103: https://www.geocaching.com/play/search/@47.67101,-122.3401?origin=98103

 

 

Then why wasn't zip listed on the search bar ? That would of been a simple and people would of seen it.

 

Im not posting "inaccurate" statements cause if it was "inaccurate" then people wouldn't be flooding your boards with complaints

Link to comment

Then why wasn't zip listed on the search bar ? That would of been a simple and people would of seen it.

 

Im not posting "inaccurate" statements cause if it was "inaccurate" then people wouldn't be flooding your boards with complaints

 

The ellipsis at the end of the listed examples implies that there are other items that work.

 

If you cannot be constructive with your comments, then you will removed. Your choice.

Link to comment

When using the website, an easy way to search for a particular GC Code is to go to the homepage (for logged-in users) and enter the GC Code in the search box on the right-hand side of the page.

 

I've noticed a few times you have provided the solutions for how to use the search feature. I will wager that you are not a part of the development team to know all these answers. Can you provide a link to the instructions, or help file that you must be using? The search FAQ (that someone linked to elsewhere) is not helpful.

Thank you for noticing - I love helping people, which is why I'm a reviewer and forum moderator.

 

Your wager is correct - I had no special involvement in the new search feature apart from being a beta tester like all the other reviewers. (One of my feedback items was acknowledged and implemented, and another was promised for later!)

 

There is no "secret help file" that I'm relying on to give answers. Rather, these alternatives to the search feature -- things that have always been there -- are known to me because I've been a power user of the site for many years.

 

It's actually not a bad idea to collect all those tips in one place, whether a search feature is available on the home page, from the profile page, from a dropdown menu, from URL manipulation, or whatever. Help Center editors, take note! (It may already be there; I don't have the Help Center memorized like Pup Patrol does.)

Link to comment

As far as I know Zip Codes are only usable for US cities.

They are not usable elsewhere in the world unless something has changed I don't know about.

Am I wrong?

Well over in the UK we call them postcodes, they're a different format but serve the same function as a zip code, I think many other countries have their own version by various other names.

Link to comment

My thoughts exactly - this was one of the best options so you could see what TB's were nearby :(

 

Why take away the ability to see if a cache has a travel bug in it also.

 

When i go out of town i try to swing by all caches that have bugs listed to see if anyone needs a ride....

Link to comment

Redn3ck, it's obvious you don't like the new search, but please stop posting inaccurate and inflammatory content or else you will be removed from these threads.

 

I do understand that inflammatory content is not welcome in this forum. I wonder however whether Groundspeak has thought how deeply they have affected the way many cachers used to use this site.

 

It is true that there has been a sneak preview for PMs, but it has not been mentioned that the new tool would replace the old one. I guess that among those who tested the system and provided feedback those who are quite computer literate and are used to changing interfaces etc have been the large majority. But even for people with an IT background aspects of the new system have been confusing and they reported this back. If Groundspeak had announced their intent to change to the new tool, I guess that more of the non tech people would have looked into the new tool and Groundspeak would have realized that they should not make the replacement in the form they happened to do.

 

rock chalk suggested that the posters in this and related threads should take into consideration how the developpers of the new tool feel when reading the feedback. I suggest to take into consideration also how the many cachers feel who are despaired and cannot cope with the new tool. From one day to the other they lost the access to doing searches in the way many of them used in this form for many years and once learnt how to use it in the early stage of their cacher careers. I think that Groundspeak forgot about the needs of this user segment in their attempt to add a few new features and a smartphone look of the result page. I believe that the proportion of young, tech affine cachers is overestimated by Groundspeak.

 

Some of the replies to questions about the new search make the persons who asked those question feel that something is wrong with them while what's wrong is the user interface of the new search tool and the fact that people have been deprived of what they relied on and got used to from one day to the other. I guess the last time that that many cachers who rarely visit the forums came to this place was when challenges had been created.

Edited by cezanne
Link to comment

Spent the morning with my muggle son who happens to work at the local aerospace company as a computer geek. He currently is working on a new small version search engine for a single department that the company. Showed him the new search and he had some thoughts... First SHAME on GS for limiting some folks ability to find things. I was lead to believe caching was open to ALL to search and find a cache not just those who payed extra for the privileged to search, hense the not so secret backdoor to log PM caches. He added a Shame for not adding some type of instructions. He understands the it's not usually the developers fault for no instructions he'll tell his own TPTB to add instructions to the new stuff BUT they rarely do, it's like they know how it works 'nuff said. He went on to say he wonders if the person who developed the new search is even a cacher who used the old search in the same ways we all do. He speculated that the things we are missing in the new search are because the things we are searching for were written in a language the OLD search used and understood but the one the new search can recognize... example the old search is speaking english and the new one is looking for stuff in japanese and everything is lost in translation... it's problem he runs into all the time. He thinks that GS is worrying more about developing a smartphone search app then one that functions like our old search. He says more and more companies are gearing towards smartphone apps to the dismay of all else. THEY WANT THE YOUNG PEOPLE with smartphones... BUT look at any event... it's not the college age, 20 somethings holding or attending these events, it's families and older people.... He has been kind enough to help my caching partner and I to set up events and he'll be the ONLY person there in his age bracket in attendance. I don't facebook, tweet, own a smartphone or even text on my phone... I don't mind change but when something I use to be able to do in a click or 2 is changed to the point I can no longer do it and if I could it's NOW a 10 step process... that's not a change for the good.

Link to comment

Today I was trying to check if I could logg a challenge. I checked my founds in GSAK and then I needed to take a look in loggingdates for some archived caches. I wrote the GC-number and nothing happened. I could not find it. It is possible that I could find it if I first searched it among my found geocaches in my profilepage. But that is getting difficult (takes a lot of time) if you have more than 5000 founds.

 

How am I supposed to find an archived geocache if I cannot use the GC-code?

Link to comment

As far as I know Zip Codes are only usable for US cities.

They are not usable elsewhere in the world unless something has changed I don't know about.

Am I wrong?

Well over in the UK we call them postcodes, they're a different format but serve the same function as a zip code, I think many other countries have their own version by various other names.

 

Yes, I know what Zip Codes, postcodes, Postzleitzahlen are ;). My post is there to point out that this kind of search is only available for US Zip Codes for US cities) and not for any others in the world (as far as I know). I know GS is an US company. But I think that Geocaching has become an international activity. Therefor there must be "international thinking" as well, when implementing new options on geocaching.com. There are already some "international" things like changing the display language to other languages than english, choosing units in US standards or European standards (ok, UK is different as well ;) ). But using Zip Codes for the search is reserved to US Zip Codes. The same applies to the handling of daylight saving time settings. But maybe this is a little bit of topic and should not be discussed here.

Link to comment

As far as I know Zip Codes are only usable for US cities.

They are not usable elsewhere in the world unless something has changed I don't know about.

Am I wrong?

Well over in the UK we call them postcodes, they're a different format but serve the same function as a zip code, I think many other countries have their own version by various other names.

 

My post is there to point out that this kind of search is only available for US Zip Codes for US cities) and not for any others in the world (as far as I know).

 

No it isn't it works for UK postcodes too, and Australian, and German, and probably many others.

Link to comment

Today I was trying to check if I could logg a challenge. I checked my founds in GSAK and then I needed to take a look in loggingdates for some archived caches. I wrote the GC-number and nothing happened. I could not find it. It is possible that I could find it if I first searched it among my found geocaches in my profilepage. But that is getting difficult (takes a lot of time) if you have more than 5000 founds.

 

How am I supposed to find an archived geocache if I cannot use the GC-code?

Perhaps the fastest way is to enter the GC Code in the search box at the right of the main homepage for logged-in accounts.

 

If you know who hid the cache, you can also look through the list of caches hidden by that geocacher.

 

There are other shortcuts based on using a URL shortcut, like coord.info.

Link to comment

Then why wasn't zip listed on the search bar ? That would of been a simple and people would of seen it.

 

Im not posting "inaccurate" statements cause if it was "inaccurate" then people wouldn't be flooding your boards with complaints

 

The ellipsis at the end of the listed examples implies that there are other items that work.

 

If you cannot be constructive with your comments, then you will removed. Your choice.

I wonder why GS's servants find the statements of Redn3ck ininaccurate. He is only saying the same things like hundreds of others.

I think that it's very clear by now that this whole new search isn't what we were waiting for. A lot of users aren't happy with it. That goes especially for BM'S as for many PM's.

We can only hope that whoever wrote this thing reads this forum thread and starts acting upon what he can read here. Many things can be done much better then the way it is now. Hell, I'm a small programmer myself and even I should not have done this the way it is now

I can't believe that this is all what the programmers of GS can come up with. Please take our comments in consideration and start working on something better. Or just give us back the old way along the new one.

Link to comment

Why take away the ability to see if a cache has a travel bug in it also.

 

When i go out of town i try to swing by all caches that have bugs listed to see if anyone needs a ride....

Thanks for that. I was wondering if I'm the only one who's missing the TB info in the search result list.

 

After trying the new seach I have to say, I only like few things, mostly I dislike the reformation. The only step forward is that mystery icons now are shown at the right position on the map if coords are corrected.

 

The use is not intuitive as many others said. How can one know, that you have to add a region when looking for a cache by its name? I was looking for one special cache only knowing the exact name so I typed that in... and got that ridiculous DNF message - very nice. It would be way more helpful to say in that message WHAT field I should additionally fill with information! So one can only guess... or leave in anger.

 

I also miss the information at the search results when did I find the cache? Needs the cache maintenance? And most important of all - the "send to GPS" button. As we in Germany still have much problems with loading the GC website for some strange reasons it's really annoying to do more clicks now for the same results that we got with only one click at the old search. And as the send to GPS button is gone we need to open up every single listing! Needs a lot more time and ends up in "time out" error message. This is not an improvement but some steps backward.

 

So please bring back the old search!

Link to comment

I am not a computer geek. The old system was almost easy to use, and semi-intuitive. The new system is not. I have no idea how to make it work. According to the moderator, you only have to click on four buttons, where ever they are. We only used to have to click on one.

Geeks love clicking on lots of buttons to refine their search. I do not, and have no idea where to find them. I guess the geeks have resolved the problem with too much band width being used in searches. I am one of many who have no idea now to use this system. Completely counterintuitive. Completely user unfriendly. It is of no use to me.

After ten-and-a-half years of using "Search", I'm done. I typed in the name of one of my caches, and was given a list several hundreds of miles south. Okay, I guess I need to use my Ouija board to find four new buttons to click on? I don't think so. The new Search is completely useless!

I do know that if I want to find a cache by GC Code, I can find it using "Log a cache". (At least until I mentioned that. That will probably disappear soon.) And if I want to search for "caches found by" I can click on that users name.

Please bring back the old Search. I could use that. I could find what I want. This new one is completely useless to me.

Geeks! You have succeeded! The search bandwidth will drop considerably, when many, if not most, users stop using it.

Link to comment

RockChalk says the interface is 'intuitive'. I beg to differ. It is not intuitive to leave the only data entry point on the page empty in order to obtain results. ? ? ? ? ? ?

 

If only the developers had spent at least a little time on an easy-to-underatand set of instructions.......for those of us who are have low levels of intuition.

 

Now THIS ... :rolleyes: ... is an intuitive reply ... !! [applause]

 

The concept behind an "Advanced" search feature is that it is *OPTIONAL* --- and implies that the "Standard" search feature is still available. Perhaps that is all Groundspeak needs to do in the short-term to fix this situation... make both Search features available: Standard Search and Advanced Search.

 

I participated in the trial-period for the Advanced Search and provided my feedback. This whole issue however is due to the fact that people's expectations were that the Advanced Search would be ADDITIONAL to the Standard Search - and NOT REPLACE it.

 

[lengthy applause ...]

 

Why take away the ability to see if a cache has a travel bug in it also.

 

When i go out of town i try to swing by all caches that have bugs listed to see if anyone needs a ride....

 

Maybe it's because GS refuses to address the issues about 'ghosting' trackables that don't exist in the caches as represented. See Feature Request, first posted November2011 It seems the way to avoid fixing a problem is to eliminate the cause instead of fixing it.

 

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

Edited by nevadanick
Link to comment

I'm very upset with the changes in the advanced search, it's impossible to see the latest caches, it's impossible to have a view of all the caches in a small country, there are a number o errors in the search, for example some places have the same name and the results are very different from what they should be, as a result in the last days i reduced a lot the time i spent playing geocaching.

Link to comment

Since my last post here is already read by many, let me just add a few thoughts.

 

The original 'simple' search should be made available to all. It WORKS for those of us who do not want to WORK at searching. I used the simple search rarely, but it was EZ-PZ like a P&G.

 

I'm a member of a few other non-geo sites but even they have never been so inconsiderate as to make things more difficult than they need to be. Give the BM's and those of us who desire a search response easily the BASIC type search functionality. For those so inclined to get deeply involved in Geeking Geocaching .... give them the 'Advanced Search'. Site designers that I've seen everywhere else are happy to give the 'simple' folks a simple 'search bar', and then an [Advanced Search] option. Why is it so hard to understand that simple users appreciate simple features ??

 

Needing to leave the first and only bar you are faced with BLANK is pure GIGO. I have NEVER in my (70 year) life left a single bar search line BLANK.

 

If GS's ultimate intent is to satisfy programming requirements for strictly smartphone users and 'apps' in the future, then my geocaching future is doomed. I have now, and always will have a dumb phone - for a dumb operator. I can make calls and receive calls. That's all I want and need. Making a simple search very difficult for me (and many others) is not my idea of having a good time nor a friendly hobby.

 

If you folks want to geek it up .. have fun. You will do it without many of us.

 

I'll repeat one word of advice I posted much earlier in this thread ... K I S S. You won't do that by insisting that your high-tech search feature is GOOD for us.

 

-------------------------

Link to comment

I bet no one here started their Caching life as a PM we all started as a basic lets NOT forget our roots.

 

Actually I was a premium member before searching for a single cache, mind you I had a few beer, I was on the bus and I was bored.

 

Originally I liked the new search, today i ws out finding a few caches before a PI event and wanted to check on my iPhone when it started, I then saw a note on the cache page that due to the heavy rain they moved it to a nearby shelter and gave a GC code of a cache for coordinate so I hit the search. Not thinking I entered the GC into the main text box and of course got the DNF then I went into the filter and entered the GC code, another DNF, guess I forgot to reset something. At this point I went into the app and used the search there to get me the coordinates of the cache so in my one real life experience with the new search I'd say it's a fail.

 

When using the website, an easy way to search for a particular GC Code is to go to the homepage (for logged-in users) and enter the GC Code in the search box on the right-hand side of the page.

 

My point was that I searched for a cache in a way that was natural and made sense to me only to be thwarted and as a result I had to resort to the app to get the info I needed.

 

I believe this is constructive feedback, I do not need alternative methods, I figured them out, point is, why did I have to?

You have the potential of a great search, there are some nice features, fix, don't defend the shortcomings.

Link to comment

Please, please, please (etc) bring back the "Found by:" as a search function. This was the search I most frequently carried out on the whole site. I used it to see what friends had been up to and even used it to see if recent finds of mine had been found since my log. I know I can go through my or friend's profiles to get to those results but really, why remove that functionality in the first place?

Edited by EuDes
Link to comment

When using the website, an easy way to search for a particular GC Code is to go to the homepage (for logged-in users) and enter the GC Code in the search box on the right-hand side of the page.

 

My point was that I searched for a cache in a way that was natural and made sense to me only to be thwarted and as a result I had to resort to the app to get the info I needed.

 

I believe this is constructive feedback, I do not need alternative methods, I figured them out, point is, why did I have to?

You have the potential of a great search, there are some nice features, fix, don't defend the shortcomings.

 

Well... I wouldn't say he 'defended the shortcomings'. He merely provided an alternative, and not being of the programmer team and being a forum moderator the best he can do is help. Everyone loves to jump on moderators as if they are somehow responsible, a representative of Groundspeak Proper... more than likely a 'power' in this forum that replies is a volunteer forum moderator just trying to help. Whether they agree or disagree with users' opinions on Groundspeak products is irrelevant (and they'll likely not comment on the matter in order to remain neutral) - they're just trying to help as best they can. Keep that in mind! ;)

Edited by thebruce0
Link to comment

So how does one search by zipcode?

 

you don't you just type in the city name (which is the only improvement this new search has brought but then they nerf it cause of the 30 mile/50km limit)

 

1 step forward and 2 steps back

 

Redn3ck, it's obvious you don't like the new search, but please stop posting inaccurate and inflammatory content or else you will be removed from these threads.

 

I've just reread all of Redn3ck's posts to this thread, and I've reread the Forum Guidelines. I can't see that he's violated any of the rules, so threatening to remove him seems unjustified.

 

There's certainly no rule against posting information that turns out to be inaccurate. That happens a lot; usually someone will point out the inaccuracy and we'll all learn something new.

 

And I don't see anything inflammatory in Redn3ck's posts. He's just expressed the frustration that he, and I, and many others, feel with the new search system. Groundspeak should listen to its users, instead of resorting to threats.

 

Moun10Bike, I think you owe Redn3ck an apology.

Link to comment

When using the website, an easy way to search for a particular GC Code is to go to the homepage (for logged-in users) and enter the GC Code in the search box on the right-hand side of the page.

 

My point was that I searched for a cache in a way that was natural and made sense to me only to be thwarted and as a result I had to resort to the app to get the info I needed.

 

I believe this is constructive feedback, I do not need alternative methods, I figured them out, point is, why did I have to?

You have the potential of a great search, there are some nice features, fix, don't defend the shortcomings.

 

Well... I wouldn't say he 'defended the shortcomings'. He merely provided an alternative, and not being of the programmer team and being a forum moderator the best he can do is help. Everyone loves to jump on moderators as if they are somehow responsible, a representative of Groundspeak Proper... more than likely a 'power' in this forum that replies is a volunteer forum moderator just trying to help. Whether they agree or disagree with users' opinions on Groundspeak products is irrelevant (and they'll likely not comment on the matter in order to remain neutral) - they're just trying to help as best they can. Keep that in mind! ;)

 

The final sentence was not directed at Keystone but rather at GS, I should have made that clearer.

Link to comment

Can someone make a list of all the work-arounds and alternate ways (like those provided by Keystone and others) to get the desired search results and put it in one location? Frustrated users need some way to get results while we wait for a set of instructions for the new search feature.....or just let us revert back to the old search page.

Edited by K13
Link to comment

It would be really useful to have a filter box to click on that would give you oldest or newest in a State or Region.

 

old system could do that with 2 clicks

 

It takes 5 clicks to do it now. One of those clicks is to select the "Search Only in" box which can be used for States, Regions, or Countries (instead of separate select lists) and will auto suggest location rather than scrolling to find it. With the new search, once you get results you can switch between "oldest" and "closest to ones home coordinates" with a single click.

 

Yes, it takes more clicks, but there is more functionality.

 

 

Link to comment

As far as I know Zip Codes are only usable for US cities.

They are not usable elsewhere in the world unless something has changed I don't know about.

Am I wrong?

Well over in the UK we call them postcodes, they're a different format but serve the same function as a zip code, I think many other countries have their own version by various other names.

 

Unfortunately, this may not be anything that GS can do anything about.

 

I've speculated on how this works in the past and so far haven't been corrected by any of the GS developers so take this with a grain of salt...

 

The main search box is basically a front end to a geocoding service. A geocoding service takes a "place name" and resolves it to a set of lat/long coordinates. The search recognizes a few patterns such as "Home", GCcodes and explicitly defined lat/long coordinates and can resolve them to lat/long coordinates without calling the geocoding service. Unless something has changed, the geocoding service is a third-party service such as geonames or the google geocoding API. If the backend code to the search service doesn't recognize one of the patterns it's just going to send whatever was entered into the search form and send it to the geocoding service. If the service can resolve the location it will send back a set of lat/long coordinates that will be used for the proximity search.

 

However, the geocoding service might *not* recognize UK postal codes or other similar codes from other countries. It also might not recognize every city in the world, and in some cases a "place name" might be ambiguous (e.g. Springfield) so the the service may guess to most likely place and return lat/long coordinates based on a best. For example, if you just type in "Springfield" it the service resolves to Springfield, Illinois. If want you really want is Springfield, Missouri, you need to include the state, as well as the city.

 

There seems to be some inconsistency for what the geocoding service will understand and what it doesn't. For example, it won't return lat/long coordinates for Iran but it will for Iraq, and there isn't anything that GS can do about that other than use a more robust (which may mean spending a fair amount of money) geocoding service.

 

 

Link to comment

If you only have a hammer... everything is a nail?

 

In offering the new search feature, you've removed the most useful (to us) feature of the Geocaching.com website. I submitted this to Groundspeak support, and was redirected here, though it's not a search problem. Apparently Carly, Community Manager, feels that *everything* is a search question these days. So here it is:

 

The updated web site looked good... until I tried to use it. I carry my PC in the car because it's the best way to explore our routes as we travel, to find nearby caches before we get where we're going, especially while we're driving and we have no idea where we are (and some days, no idea where we're going). I just bring up my Geocaching.com map, and scroll along the route we're heading for...

 

But as of the update late last week, the map no longer loads geocaches! Instead, it works like a phone app, loading only a limited number of caches surrounding the address I type in (the new "my location" feature doesn't work on a PC with mobile hotspot). So as I scroll along our route our possible route, looking for caches, all of a sudden (far less than 30 miles out!) they just aren't there. NONE. After whatever number of caches Groundspeak decided to display around my starting point, I'm out of luck.

 

I can no longer navigate caching trips. If I had some idea of the address / town I was in, I could type in that address, but hints are hard to find. And signs like "Welcome to South Whitehall Township" (the sign we just passed) are useless, as I can't enter the township name into the address field: "We couldn't recognize that location. Please try again."

 

Although having all that advanced search capability is nice, if it's at the expense of being able to use the map to search for caches, it's NOT worth it!

 

Thanks for considering restoring a functional, useful geocaching.com website.

Edited by Mrs.Hoagie
Link to comment

Mrs.Hoagie, you're looking at the search results map and not the regular geocaching map, although they look virtually identical. Under the Play menu at the top of the page, click on 'View Geocache Map'. That will give you the map that can be scrolled around to view all the caches.

Link to comment

Mrs.Hoagie, you're looking at the search results map and not the regular geocaching map, although they look virtually identical. Under the Play menu at the top of the page, click on 'View Geocache Map'. That will give you the map that can be scrolled around to view all the caches.

 

Looks like they've tried to separate the two functions, but done so incompletely. I clicked on "view Geocache Map" and got my scrollable map. Yippee! Except... it only starts at home. I started 2 hours from home Saturday, and often start many states from home; hopefully in the future I'll be starting countries from my U.S. home!

 

How do I get the "View Geocache Map" to start at another location, if the Search result map no longer works?

 

Thanks!

Link to comment

Open the control panel at the left hand side of the Geocaching Map -- look for the little arrow halfway down, and when you hover your mouse over it, the arrow says "toggle side panel" -- do that. There, you can filter on cache types, filter out your finds AND... to answer your question... you can enter another location in the map's search bar. I travel a lot, and just enter what I know in the search box -- a city, a park name, etc. I am traveling to Israel in two months. Yesterday I found out that one of our overnight stops will be at a resort on the shore of the Dead Sea, and I bet there were some earthcaches there. So, I typed "Dead Sea" in the search box, nothing else, and it zoomed right to the traditional cache nearest to my hotel. There's an earthcache right AT the hotel!

Link to comment

I am not able to get a search to properly sort by date placed. It will not put them in ascending or descending order. It looks good for the first 15 then it is all over the place! Help!! Did they put a limit on how many caches you can look at in a search? Also, Iphone/Ipad new app download keeps crashing and when not crashing, I have to resign in every time I open the app???

Link to comment

I have also been frustrated, even after finding the old style listing of geocaches...but only for my home area. Here is a solution.

 

Go to main geocaching page: https://www.geocaching.com/

Note that on the right it has: Search for Nearby Geocaches with coordinates below

 

Next select Play/View Geocache Map

Shrink the map and move to the location that you want to search

Zoom in on that area, select a cache site and open it

Select the coordinates (i.e. N 51° 37.585 W 120° 49.560) and copy them

 

Go back to the main geocaching page: https://www.geocaching.com/

Paste the coordinates in on the right – below Search for Nearby Geocaches

Click on the search (Magnifying glass) and you will have a list of geocaches in the old style

 

You should then have a list of the caches you desire – 20 to a page which can be selected and downloaded. These can then be loaded on the GPS through something like EasyGPS.

Link to comment

What about the fact that when I copy a cache name and paste it into the search it comes up with nothing found? Where is the old way where I can go down the list of caches putting them in my GPSr without opening each page? So far I am very unimpressed with this "new" search.

 

AGREED the new search feature seems to not beable to find much of what Im looking for namely GEOACHES by name!

Edited by Indiana Kung-fu Jones
Link to comment
What about the fact that when I copy a cache name and paste it into the search it comes up with nothing found? Where is the old way where I can go down the list of caches putting them in my GPSr without opening each page? So far I am very unimpressed with this "new" search.
AGREED the new search feature seems to not beable to find much of what Im looking for namely GEOACHES by name!
The main search field does only one thing: it specifies the center of your search radius. That is the only thing it does. That is what it does with anything that you enter into it.

 

If you want to do anything else, then leave the main search field blank and click the Add Filters button below it. Then you can enter other search criteria in the form that appears.

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...