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The new search function


Derb522002

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1) This 30 mile radius needs to stop. It's limiting in so many ways. I heard a rumor that server space was an issue and that was why the limit. But, I also know that Groundspeak uses the cloud heavily. Server space shouldn't be a problem. Server access should be anticipated and planned for. Bad juju.
You can search an entire state (USA or Germany) or an entire country (everywhere else), with no 30mi radius. The details are in A Guide to Searching on Geocaching.com by The A-Team.

 

And the limiting factor is neither server space nor server access/bandwidth. It's server processing capability. Using the cloud doesn't solve that problem.

 

2) The search function filters just can't do much. The ability to find caches to fit challenge requirements requires some serious thinking. I used to be able to pull up all the caches in my state, adjust by placement date, distance, or D/T. Nope! Not any more!
You can still pull up all the caches in your state, filtered or sorted by various criteria. See the link above.
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2) The search function filters just can't do much. The ability to find caches to fit challenge requirements requires some serious thinking. I used to be able to pull up all the caches in my state, adjust by placement date, distance, or D/T. Nope! Not any more!

Yep! You certainly can. So you don't have to go back and read the many explanations in this thread -

1. Leave the initial search field blank so you don't provide a center point (and thus no radius distance is applied)

2. Open the filter, select your state to search within...

3. Go.

All the caches in your state will be listed. Then:

A. Sort by placement date.

B. Sort by distance (default is your home location)

C: Sort by D or T

 

3)Not all the caches inside the 30 mile radius show up. Why does this problem still exist? It happened on the old search engine as well. Why?

What are you sorting by? How many results do you get?

 

If you search for, say, caches within 30 miles and you get more than the 1000 max, then if you sort by date placed ascending, you'll get the oldest 1000 caches first - and not every cache within 30 miles (if there are more than 1000). If you then sort by date placed descending, you'll get the newest 1000 caches first - and not every cache within 30 miles.

Same goes for favorite points, or any other sortable property.

If your filter gives you under the maximum search count, then you'll have every cache within that radius regardless of your sorting.

 

If this isn't the case for you, then which caches are you not getting with your filter results that you think you should? Because if you get less than the max, your results should include all caches that match your currently selected filters.

Edited by thebruce0
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Commented about this idea in the friend/follower thread, but felt it was more applicable to the search page...

 

Having thought about it a bit, I think I agree now that actually having a filter to only display caches found by select users really is an inverse (a good inverse) to collaborating with friends - this is more like solo caching while keeping friends in mind. Only show caches that have been found by selected individuals so that you can target those on your own outings, and leave caches you can both/all find together. It's a sort of catch-up. I can see couples or families with multiple accounts making heavy use of the feature if each gets out caching at different times.

 

Displaying caches no one has found - great for collaborating on a caching trip with them.

Displaying caches they have found - great for planning personal outings to save mutually unfound caches for when caching with them.

Edited by thebruce0
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Commented about this idea in the friend/follower thread, but felt it was more applicable to the search page...

 

Having thought about it a bit, I think I agree now that actually having a filter to only display caches found by select users really is an inverse (a good inverse) to collaborating with friends - this is more like solo caching while keeping friends in mind. Only show caches that have been found by selected individuals so that you can target those on your own outings, and leave caches you can both/all find together. It's a sort of catch-up. I can see couples or families with multiple accounts making heavy use of the feature if each gets out caching at different times.

 

Displaying caches no one has found - great for collaborating on a caching trip with them.

Displaying caches they have found - great for planning personal outings to save mutually unfound caches for when caching with them.

 

In one of the many threads about the new search page I am pretty sure I recall one of the lackeys posting a URL (amending a search URL with an additional parameter) that would produce a list of caches foundBy a specific user. If my memory is correct that would indicate that the backend code for handling that parameter exists and it's just a matter of adding a form element which allows users to enter a user name. I suspect that in a future iteration of the new advanced search engine we'll see this form element and this issue will be resolved.

 

 

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In one of the many threads about the new search page I am pretty sure I recall one of the lackeys posting a URL (amending a search URL with an additional parameter) that would produce a list of caches foundBy a specific user. If my memory is correct that would indicate that the backend code for handling that parameter exists and it's just a matter of adding a form element which allows users to enter a user name. I suspect that in a future iteration of the new advanced search engine we'll see this form element and this issue will be resolved.

 

...multiple usernames would be the better implementation. :) A single user on the search form would be a half step towards viewing a user's profile. Multiple user cross-reference, just like 'not found by', would be the better implementation for the search function. But yes, the capability to do that already exists - both by what you said above and the fact that the search does the inverse of that with the 'not found by' parameter.

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I didn't read the whole thread but in general, I'm OK with the new search. It does some things that were really hard before and I'm sure it will get better as time goes. However, I would like the search box on the geocaching.com home page to be the same as the search page. Lots of times I go to the home page and want to do a quick search. Now I have to click Play > Search every time to get the full search.

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However, I would like the search box on the geocaching.com home page to be the same as the search page.

The one on the home page does things you can't do with the new Search, such as look up a specific GC code regardless of its status (ie. even if it's archived). I wouldn't want to see that go away.

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i would love to use the search function to find a cache but i can't even find a cache I know exists. every search comes up with the same "Oh no, a DNF" response. Not impressed.

 

I have the same problem. And, yes, I use the filter function. Sorry guys but the new site is unusable and it´s neither improved nor intuitive! :mad:

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I typically download caches into GSAK via pocket query for an area, and then do all my searches there as the GSAK search function works while the "new advanced search" function doesn't.

Here's a simple example: Weston Memorial Park Cache (GC5JB6R) is listed on geocaching.com as being in "Massachusetts, United States". Entering the full name in the filters and entering any combination of MA, Mass, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, US (USA, United States) returns only a dnf result. Entering "Middleboro, MA" gets you the cache. So the search by state function clearly doesn't work.

In GSAK entering "w" in the "name search" gets you the short list containing the cache.

Who's bright idea was it to exchange the ability to search for a cache by name for this nonsense?

Edited by edexter
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It took me about 10 seconds to input "Weston Memorial" in the cache name filter and "USA Massachusetts" in the region filter. It returned only the desired cache.

 

I'm guessing you were entering a location filter on the front page box of the search tool. Use the "more filters" page.

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I'm guessing you were entering a location filter on the front page box of the search tool. Use the "more filters" page.

The problem with this particular issue isn't that the functionality is absent, it's just that it's completely unintuitive, as evidenced by the parade of people in here suffering the exact same problem....

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Within certain limitations the search can do a heck of a lot of great things, but ONLY if you know how to do them. That is the crux of the problem. There is no reason lackeys or mods or other members should have to keep coming here to explain the steps to frustrated users who have managed to find the multiple forum threads on the subject. Fix it at the front end.

Edited by cheech gang
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I do not like the new search for the site. I like it when all the events would come up and the new caches came up. Now if you cant remember an event you wont be able to find it. I dont know if I will continue my premium membership if they don't change it back :mad:

 

I think the search features took a backseat to an "oh so cool looking website," Looks cool but the functionality is gone. Needs to go back to the way it was.

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This new search has some cool features but man is it lacking in others.

Searching for events is a hassle. You better know what 30 mile radius it is in.

Also I like to bring up the map and not be restricted to the 30 mile circle of caches. Even the phone app has a feature where you can repopulate the screen if you "drag" the map to a different area. I know different people cache differently but I like to see the big picture on my map. If I am on a 100 mile road trip I sure as heck don't want to have to pull up 3 or 4 different 30 mile circles so I can see every cache. I live in Oklahoma and things are pretty well spread out. #0 mile circles are going to be hard to deal with when you are jusr persusing the map for fun or for trip planning. I know you can do a route but some of my routes are not quite a straight line! :)

 

I agree with you. I like to move around on the map in order to print an overview of what caches are available in an area. Or as you said I also like to drag the map around to see what is available. The 30 mile circle needs to go away!

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I like the site the way it was. I could see the newest caches and upcoming events published in my state, but now I am not finding them. It is hard to find something that I don't even know is there. Give us the option of searching for what we want the old way.

 

"Why not resolve this all by just adding the new features to the old search tool for us computer users and give the new look to those with tablets and phones?" by Zop

 

I'm with ya Zop!

 

You pretty much said it all. Go back to the way it was, and design a different platform for the other devices. Leave the website alone.

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I have no problem with the new site. The search is the best around because I have way too much time on my hands as it is. The new search has solved that issue by now requiring me to spend hours on the very same search or searches where I could do it minutes before the downgrade. That single fubar cuts way down on my caching time, idle time, and time I could devote to other things like housework, etc. Thank you Groundspeak for developing such a retro-type search function and taking me and others back many years in technology usefulness to near uselessness. I can understand now DNF can mean "Does Not Function" or "Did Not Function". :wacko:

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I do not like the changes that occurred today to the search function. My biggest issues is that the listing of your search no longer shows if there are trackables in inventory. We like to go around to the caches and trade or discover trackables so we would regularly watch for caches near our house that would have trackables in them. If we were going into an area, I would make the caches with trackables a priority and it was easy to see what caches had trackables wthout having to go into each individual cache.

 

The other think I do not like is that the searches lists 1,000 caches on the first page. I personally prefer to have it separated by only the 20 or 30 that were on a page prior as I could then click out 10 or so pages for a group of caches in a area I knew I was going to be near.

 

Overall I do not like the new search function.

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This new search has some cool features but man is it lacking in others.

Searching for events is a hassle. You better know what 30 mile radius it is in.

Also I like to bring up the map and not be restricted to the 30 mile circle of caches. Even the phone app has a feature where you can repopulate the screen if you "drag" the map to a different area. I know different people cache differently but I like to see the big picture on my map. If I am on a 100 mile road trip I sure as heck don't want to have to pull up 3 or 4 different 30 mile circles so I can see every cache. I live in Oklahoma and things are pretty well spread out. #0 mile circles are going to be hard to deal with when you are jusr persusing the map for fun or for trip planning. I know you can do a route but some of my routes are not quite a straight line! :)

 

I agree with you. I like to move around on the map in order to print an overview of what caches are available in an area. Or as you said I also like to drag the map around to see what is available. The 30 mile circle needs to go away!

 

If you want to see all caches in an area, then click on the orange "CLEAR SEARCH FILTERS" box in the upper-left corner of the results map. That will remove the circle and restore the left panel that let's you apply some cache-type filtering.

 

gc-search-clearfilters.png

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This new search has some cool features but man is it lacking in others.

Searching for events is a hassle. You better know what 30 mile radius it is in.

Also I like to bring up the map and not be restricted to the 30 mile circle of caches. Even the phone app has a feature where you can repopulate the screen if you "drag" the map to a different area. I know different people cache differently but I like to see the big picture on my map. If I am on a 100 mile road trip I sure as heck don't want to have to pull up 3 or 4 different 30 mile circles so I can see every cache. I live in Oklahoma and things are pretty well spread out. #0 mile circles are going to be hard to deal with when you are jusr persusing the map for fun or for trip planning. I know you can do a route but some of my routes are not quite a straight line! :)

 

I agree with you. I like to move around on the map in order to print an overview of what caches are available in an area. Or as you said I also like to drag the map around to see what is available. The 30 mile circle needs to go away!

 

If you want to see all caches in an area, then click on the orange "CLEAR SEARCH FILTERS" box in the upper-left corner of the results map. That will remove the circle and restore the left panel that let's you apply some cache-type filtering.

 

gc-search-clearfilters.png

 

I keep geocaching.com/map bookmarked in my browser. I've never even used the search function - the map and pocket queries are all I need.

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The new search function that came out today is missing the column that shows if there are any trackables in the inventory. My son and I regularly do a search of the caches in our looking for these trackables so we can either go discover or trade. We enjoy finding the trackables as much as finding the various caches back. I wish they would add this column back to the search results.

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Australia is a big country with big gaps between [Groundspeak recognised] towns and a lot of geocaches in those gaps. The new search menu doesn't allow more than 50km radius from towns. This leaves a lot of geocaches out of search zones. Some of the best things to see are outside of a city and that is what I love most about geocaching. Why can't we encourage more of that???

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Australia is a big country with big gaps between [Groundspeak recognised] towns and a lot of geocaches in those gaps. The new search menu doesn't allow more than 50km radius from towns. This leaves a lot of geocaches out of search zones. Some of the best things to see are outside of a city and that is what I love most about geocaching. Why can't we encourage more of that???

You can search for nearby caches from any cache page. You can also use a pocket query centered on any set of coordinates to find the nearest 1000 caches using most of the same criteria as on the advanced search page. If you do not want to run it so you can download the caches, just don't select a day to run. Then you can preview the results and select caches you especially want to find and add them to a bookmark.

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I'm not going to read all the comments about the new website, and especially the search. There's just too much. I'll simply add my comments in the hopes Groundspeak will finally pull theie heads out and listen to their customers.

 

It is awful! I can't even search across the city where I live. I have almost 20K finds and I have to look beyond the 30 mile limit of the search feature in order to find enough caches to make a trip worthwhile. With the 30 mile limit, the search gets more DNF's than me!

 

I've had a problem with my "Friends" list for quite a while which they are not even working to fix. If they are similarly responsive to pleas about the ineffectiveness of the new website, I'm going to let my premium membership expire. If I can't get any caches to go find, why should I pay for that inability? I can not get caches for free!

 

Please get it together Groundspeak!

 

--

 

Cliff

a.k.a.

City Slicker

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I've had a problem with my "Friends" list for quite a while which they are not even working to fix. If they are similarly responsive to pleas about the ineffectiveness of the new website, I'm going to let my premium membership expire.

Sure they are.

There was just a User Insights set up (Friends/Followers) for a week, started Apr 2, asking for input on what needed fixin'.

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The new map search is a huge step backwards! Now you can't drag the map and have it repopulate with icons if you drag it out of the area it opened in. The way it was,was just fine. They way it is now is useless to me. Also if I click the clear search filters button all I get is a "page not found".

Edited by scottyw
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I've discovered that if I open the web site with chrome the clear filters button works, but if I open it with IE it doesn't. I can't use chrome because it no longer supports the Garmin plugin for my Gps units. I could use some help because this is screwed up.

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I've discovered that if I open the web site with chrome the clear filters button works, but if I open it with IE it doesn't. I can't use chrome because it no longer supports the Garmin plugin for my Gps units. I could use some help because this is screwed up.

Do you really need the plugin? Try just dragging a GPX file into the Garmin/GPX directory on the GPS.

 

(There's rarely a good excuse for anyone to ever use IE. :ph34r: )

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I've discovered that if I open the web site with chrome the clear filters button works, but if I open it with IE it doesn't. I can't use chrome because it no longer supports the Garmin plugin for my Gps units. I could use some help because this is screwed up.

Do you really need the plugin? Try just dragging a GPX file into the Garmin/GPX directory on the GPS.

 

(There's rarely a good excuse for anyone to ever use IE. :ph34r: )

 

You're right about the GPX files, but I'm old and set it my ways. I just don't understand why they have to change what works. Thanks for your comment.

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So glad there is a link to the "old search" method now. Not sure when that appeared since the new search page debuted. Now I can see all the upcoming events for a state on one page.

You could also go to the US subforums and click on any State there, showing events and latest caches.

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I've discovered that if I open the web site with chrome the clear filters button works, but if I open it with IE it doesn't. I can't use chrome because it no longer supports the Garmin plugin for my Gps units. I could use some help because this is screwed up.

Do you really need the plugin? Try just dragging a GPX file into the Garmin/GPX directory on the GPS.

 

(There's rarely a good excuse for anyone to ever use IE. :ph34r: )

 

You're right about the GPX files, but I'm old and set it my ways. I just don't understand why they have to change what works. Thanks for your comment.

 

One of my GPS units doesn't support dragging GPX files to it. The other one does, but my wife and I like to use both. I can load both gps units from IE but the clear filters button doesn't work so the new search map is very limiting to the way we geocache. Someone mentioned a link that has popped up to go back to the old search, but I don't see it. I wish the site could fix this problem that they created. A simply fix for me would be for the Garmin plug in to work with Chrome like it use to. They seem to be doing everything they can to take the fun out of Geocaching.

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Is it just me, or did Groundspeak change anyone else's search options from Kilometers to miles? I've always searched using Kilometers before now, but suddenly everything is in miles. I found how to change it back, but why would they change it on me? Are they trying to make me hate their new search engine more?

Edited by No_Tomorrow
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Is it just me, or did Groundspeak change anyone else's search options from Kilometers to miles? I've always searched using Kilometers before now, but suddenly everything is in miles. I found how to change it back, but why would they change it on me? Are they trying to make me hate their new search engine more?

I believe this is a reported bug and that they are working on that.

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Not sure if this has been covered:

 

First, there is a learning curve to every new system. I had just gotten used to some of the features of the old system - so it took a few tries. Most of the complaints I see on this thread appear to be from folks who must not be trying to use the system (events in my state, not changing sort order, etc.). I feel my bug report is completely valid.

 

The initial search field clearly states 'City, State, GC code' - HOWEVER when I enter a valid GC code it returns a 'DNF' result. I have to take the extra time to go into the old advanced search and enter it into the 'GC Code' field. Any fix in the works for this?

 

I know Groundspeak/Geocaching.com has taken a lot of negativity towards this new system (among other decisions), however I believe that the modern search tool can be very intuitive and clean - as soon as all of the bugs are shaken out of it.

 

"If you continue to try to make everyone happy, then you will fail at making anyone happy"

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Not sure if this has been covered:

 

First, there is a learning curve to every new system. I had just gotten used to some of the features of the old system - so it took a few tries. Most of the complaints I see on this thread appear to be from folks who must not be trying to use the system (events in my state, not changing sort order, etc.). I feel my bug report is completely valid.

 

The initial search field clearly states 'City, State, GC code' - HOWEVER when I enter a valid GC code it returns a 'DNF' result. I have to take the extra time to go into the old advanced search and enter it into the 'GC Code' field. Any fix in the works for this?

 

Can you give an example? I've entered just a GC code quite a few times and it always returns a list of caches with the cache with that GC code at the top of the list.

 

 

I know Groundspeak/Geocaching.com has taken a lot of negativity towards this new system (among other decisions), however I believe that the modern search tool can be very intuitive and clean - as soon as all of the bugs are shaken out of it.

 

"If you continue to try to make everyone happy, then you will fail at making anyone happy"

 

I agree. The new search has a lot of issues, especially related to intuitiveness, but nothing that can't be fixed and improved. Although we still have a link to the old search I always try using the new search, and understanding how it's supposed to work, it almost always gives me the results I'm looking for and does a lot of things that old search can't do.

 

 

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Not sure if this has been covered:

 

First, there is a learning curve to every new system. I had just gotten used to some of the features of the old system - so it took a few tries. Most of the complaints I see on this thread appear to be from folks who must not be trying to use the system (events in my state, not changing sort order, etc.). I feel my bug report is completely valid.

 

The initial search field clearly states 'City, State, GC code' - HOWEVER when I enter a valid GC code it returns a 'DNF' result. I have to take the extra time to go into the old advanced search and enter it into the 'GC Code' field. Any fix in the works for this?

 

I know Groundspeak/Geocaching.com has taken a lot of negativity towards this new system (among other decisions), however I believe that the modern search tool can be very intuitive and clean - as soon as all of the bugs are shaken out of it.

 

"If you continue to try to make everyone happy, then you will fail at making anyone happy"

Was the gc number that resulted a DNf archived or did you have any other filters set? Archived caches don't show up in that search.

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The initial search field clearly states 'City, State, GC code' - HOWEVER when I enter a valid GC code it returns a 'DNF' result. I have to take the extra time to go into the old advanced search and enter it into the 'GC Code' field. Any fix in the works for this?

Can you share the GC code which is resulting in the DNF message so we can attempt to reproduce the error if there is one?

 

Right now, if you enter a valid GC code in the search box the tool will return search results centered around the location of that cache. As long as the GC code you searched for is not archived, that cache should be the top listing in the results. We realize this is not quickest solution for directly looking up known GC codes, so we are currently working on an update that will give users the option to choose between the current results or instead navigating directly to the page for the GC code entered (including archived caches). That update should be ready for release soon.

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Add my name to the list of people who wan the 30mi limit problem fixed. I just missed an event b/c the "Find events in my area" won't expand beyond 30mi. The event is definitely within my metropolitan area and should have shown but didn't b/c it is closer to 50mi away.

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Add my name to the list of people who wan the 30mi limit problem fixed. I just missed an event b/c the "Find events in my area" won't expand beyond 30mi. The event is definitely within my metropolitan area and should have shown but didn't b/c it is closer to 50mi away.

You can setup up notifications for a 50 mile radius.

 

You can also go to the new search and put Virginia in the location box and then add filter for event only and get all the ones in the State. Seems like getting to know the new system better will help. It also shows how far from your home location they are.

Edited by Walts Hunting
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y2kcompliant: "If you search for a cache using the full GC code, and only the full GC code, why do the search results list a different cache before listing the cache you requested?"

rootee2t: "You are asking about GC.com?"

y2kcompliant: "Doh! you are right, I forgot...silly question..."

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y2kcompliant: "If you search for a cache using the full GC code, and only the full GC code, why do the search results list a different cache before listing the cache you requested?"

rootee2t: "You are asking about GC.com?"

y2kcompliant: "Doh! you are right, I forgot...silly question..."

 

Maybe you'd see that before, but if you search for a cache using a specific GC code today, it will ask if you want to see caches within 10 miles of that GC code or view the page for that GC code directly.

 

Who fixed that?

Why, it was GC.com...silly question.

 

 

 

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