use old search not showing up on Geocaching Site

November 18, 2016

I use the "Old search"feature all the time to see more than 1000 caches at a time...I'm not seeing that feature anymore..wondering why

1.3k · November 18, 2016

You may have noticed the addition of the “Gift The Gift…” banner to that page. With that design change, the Take Me To The Old Search link was not showing up well. That's why it was removed.

I can’t say for certain whether the link will return after the promotion ends. Fewer than 1% of visitors to that page click on the Take Me To The Old Search link. For that reason, it’s not one of the higher prioritized functions of the page.

That said, there are no imminent plans to retire the old search page. But it’s best to bookmark it if you want quick access: https://www.geocaching.com/seek

November 18, 2016

Fewer than 1% of visitors to that page click on the Take Me To The Old Search link. For that reason, it’s not one of the higher prioritized functions of the page.

You may not get an accurate count since lots of people may have the old search as a favorite in their web browser. I do.

13.8k · November 18, 2016

Thanks for the info. Have it in favorites now.

November 18, 2016

Fewer than 1% of visitors to that page click on the Take Me To The Old Search link. For that reason, it’s not one of the higher prioritized functions of the page.

You may not get an accurate count since lots of people may have the old search as a favorite in their web browser. I do.

In which case they wouldn't need the link.

As rockchalk said.... "it’s not one of the higher prioritized functions of the page"

He's not saying the old search isn't used just that that particular link to it isn't.

1.3k · November 18, 2016

You may not get an accurate count since lots of people may have the old search as a favorite in their web browser. I do.

Only around 11% of traffic to the old Search page gets there the way you do, via direct link. An overwhelming majority of the traffic to the old Search gets there via the link on the new Search page.

He's not saying the old search isn't used just that that particular link to it isn't.

Currently, around 10x more searches are executed via the new Search than the old one.

6.8k · November 18, 2016

Currently, around 10x more searches are executed via the new Search than the old one.

In any case all my searches use the old search (via bookmark or typed in url) as the new search is much worse for basic members than the old one (for my personal use the new one is completely useless). Please keep this in mind when it comes to considering to retire the old one.

1.3k · November 18, 2016

I'm one of the fewer than 1%.

2.7k · November 18, 2016

You may not get an accurate count since lots of people may have the old search as a favorite in their web browser. I do.

Only around 11% of traffic to the old Search page gets there the way you do, via direct link. An overwhelming majority of the traffic to the old Search gets there via the link on the new Search page.

He's not saying the old search isn't used just that that particular link to it isn't.

Currently, around 10x more searches are executed via the new Search than the old one.

What percentage of cachers have been hanging around here for, 13 - 14 - 15 years? We already seem like a forgotten minority. What percentage do we have to drop to until we are totally irrelevant?

7.8k · November 18, 2016

What percentage of cachers have been hanging around here for, 13 - 14 - 15 years? We already seem like a forgotten minority. What percentage do we have to drop to until we are totally irrelevant?

I don't know about a percentage, but the number 200 has come up in the past.

It seems very odd to remove the link simply because it didn't show up very well. Surely it should be as easy as changing a bit of CSS to have it show up differently, no? I understand that sales can be important at this time of year, but surely there's a way to put out the marketing message without removing functionality.

November 18, 2016

Thanks Rock Chalk. I'm old. I like the old stuff.

10.1k · November 19, 2016

What percentage of cachers have been hanging around here for, 13 - 14 - 15 years? We already seem like a forgotten minority. What percentage do we have to drop to until we are totally irrelevant?

Only twelve years, but, yeah, it looks like we're irrelevant.

November 19, 2016

Currently, around 10x more searches are executed via the new Search than the old one.

Because people don't know better. And Groundspeak is deliberately hiding the better one.

Edited November 19, 2016 by FunnyNose

1k · November 19, 2016

PLEASE don't retire the Old Search!!! I'm a semi-old 1%er as I started Caching in March 2009. My preference is to adventure, get into nature and out of the daily grind. I think many of the changes are geared toward newer folks and those who have been caching for years are forgotten about. WE COUNT, TOO!!! And, we will be around longer than most of the newcomers.

5.7k · November 19, 2016

Truthfully, I use phone apps and seldom ever use either search features but I prefer the old one.

7.5k · November 19, 2016

Currently, around 10x more searches are executed via the new Search than the old one.

Because people don't know better. And Groundspeak is deliberately hiding the better one.

Only 10x more? One out of 11 people go out of their way to find the old search and use it? I assume Rock Chalk was using that number to suggest "no one" uses it, but actually that indicates an astonishing popularity.

(Off topic, but personally I think after the kinks were worked out, the new sort is better than the old one. Oddly, the only thing I miss about the old search was the ability to search cache names by prefix, that misfeature they added to it just before they junked it.)

4.5k · November 19, 2016

What percentage of cachers have been hanging around here for, 13 - 14 - 15 years? We already seem like a forgotten minority. What percentage do we have to drop to until we are totally irrelevant?

Only twelve years, but, yeah, it looks like we're irrelevant.

I've been saying that for a while now. Us old timers, people who have stayed dedicated to the site for many years, are all but forgotten. Just like geocaches, the push now is for quantity of players. The phone app is what's in and because of this, the website and its functionality are not as important.

November 19, 2016

I use the old search and was disappointed when it did not show up. Luckily, I read the forum and now have it bookmarked. Please keep it active.

11.7k · November 19, 2016

The "Old Search" results page (my home location plus 100 miles or so) is my start page. I have the new search bookmarked, but the results are badly formatted on a couple of my devices. The columns for dates and therefore sorting by date are missing on them.

Edited November 19, 2016 by kunarion

November 20, 2016

I rarely use the new search page, the old one is so much easier and user friendly. Like a lot of people I access the old search page off my favourites on my browser.

November 20, 2016

You may have noticed the addition of the “Gift The Gift…” banner to that page. With that design change, the Take Me To The Old Search link was not showing up well. That's why it was removed.

I can’t say for certain whether the link will return after the promotion ends. Fewer than 1% of visitors to that page click on the Take Me To The Old Search link. For that reason, it’s not one of the higher prioritized functions of the page.

That said, there are no imminent plans to retire the old search page. But it’s best to bookmark it if you want quick access: https://www.geocaching.com/seek

I only use the old search. Really hate the new one as it takes much longer to use the search the way I use it. It may be better for some but not me. I also saw I could no longer hit the old search link so have bookmarked the old search.

3.8k · November 20, 2016

You may have noticed the addition of the “Gift The Gift…” banner to that page. With that design change, the Take Me To The Old Search link was not showing up well. That's why it was removed.

I can’t say for certain whether the link will return after the promotion ends. Fewer than 1% of visitors to that page click on the Take Me To The Old Search link. For that reason, it’s not one of the higher prioritized functions of the page.

That said, there are no imminent plans to retire the old search page. But it’s best to bookmark it if you want quick access: https://www.geocaching.com/seek

Please leave the old search. In this case, I am proudly one of the 1%-ers.

1.2k · November 20, 2016

Another 1 percenter.

November 21, 2016

You may have noticed the addition of the “Gift The Gift…” banner to that page. With that design change, the Take Me To The Old Search link was not showing up well. That's why it was removed.

I can’t say for certain whether the link will return after the promotion ends. Fewer than 1% of visitors to that page click on the Take Me To The Old Search link. For that reason, it’s not one of the higher prioritized functions of the page.

That said, there are no imminent plans to retire the old search page. But it’s best to bookmark it if you want quick access: https://www.geocaching.com/seek

Please leave the old search. In this case, I am proudly one of the 1%-ers.

Next thing they will do is get rid of is pocket queries.

Edited November 21, 2016 by FunnyNose

4.5k · November 21, 2016

You may have noticed the addition of the “Gift The Gift…” banner to that page. With that design change, the Take Me To The Old Search link was not showing up well. That's why it was removed.

I can’t say for certain whether the link will return after the promotion ends. Fewer than 1% of visitors to that page click on the Take Me To The Old Search link. For that reason, it’s not one of the higher prioritized functions of the page.

That said, there are no imminent plans to retire the old search page. But it’s best to bookmark it if you want quick access: https://www.geocaching.com/seek

Please leave the old search. In this case, I am proudly one of the 1%-ers.

Next thing they will do is get rid of is pocket queries.

I started to laugh but then realized you could be right since i doubt most phone app users ever use them.

2.7k · November 21, 2016

I'm one of the "old ones" nudging 70. I rarely use the search but when I do it's the new one. Once I'd gotten used to its features it didn't seem, to me, to be any better or worse than the old one. Anyways, I do most of my searching on the GC map.

November 22, 2016

I follow old friends on the old search. Have a heart, put it back.

6.8k · November 22, 2016

I'm one of the "old ones" nudging 70. I rarely use the search but when I do it's the new one.

I guess old in this thread does not refer to one's age, but when one started to geocache. You apparently signed up for your account in 2012, much later than the majority of those

who have mentioned that they prefer the old search.

5.1k · November 22, 2016

I'M old in years (63) and account age (14).

Actually I prefer the NewSearch as it does things that the Old Search is not able to do:

Search for Caches not found by up to 5 cachers

NewSearch: yes Old Search: no

Search for a minimum of given FavPoints

NS: yes OS: no

Search for caches with part of a name

NS: yes OS: no

Directly bookmark caches from the search result

NS: yes OS: no

Search for specific cache sizes

NS: yes OS: no

Searching without a location

NS: yes OS: no

Searching for caches with corrected Coords

NS: yes OS: no

Searching for caches with a Personal Note

NS: yes OS: no

Sorting the resulting search page by Geocache Name Distance Favorites Size Difficulty Terrain Last Found Placed On

NS: yes OS: partly yes

The NewSearch is pretty cool and powerful. The only annoying issue is the lack of download capabilities to GPSr and the 1000 limit for lists and mapping.

Hans

Edited November 22, 2016 by HHL

1.3k · November 22, 2016

I'M old in years (63) and account age (14).

Actually I prefer the NewSearch as it does things that the Old Search is not able to do:

Search for Caches not found by up to 5 cachers

NewSearch: yes Old Search: no

Search for a minimum of given FavPoints

NS: yes OS: no

Search for caches with part of a name

NS: yes OS: no

Directly bookmark caches from the search result

NS: yes OS: no

Search for specific cache sizes

NS: yes OS: no

Searching without a location

NS: yes OS: no

Searching for caches with corrected Coords

NS: yes OS: no

Searching for caches with a Personal Note

NS: yes OS: no

Sorting the resulting search page by Geocache Name Distance Favorites Size Difficulty Terrain Last Found Placed On

NS: yes OS: no

The NewSearch is pretty cool and mighty. The only annoying issue is the lack of download capabilities to GPSr and the 1000 limit for lists and mapping.

Hans

HHL, those are fantastic features that I haven't given a chance in the new search. Thank you for highlighting them.

6.8k · November 22, 2016

The NewSearch is pretty cool and mighty.

Of course depends on what you want to do with the search. There is no doubt that the new search can do things the old can't but at the expense of not offering some things the old offers which includes the

main thing for which I use the search (I do not have corrected coordinates, bookmarks, do not wish to filter with respect to size etc).

What I need is a reasonable form of "Nearest unfound caches" and "newly hidden caches in ...." which lists the result list in a compact manner (and well appreciated and unchanged

manner) on the computer screen. The new search is not able to do that for me (even if I were a PM it would suffer from serious defects due to the layout of the new list

which is not what I expect).

1.3k · November 22, 2016

The NewSearch is pretty cool and mighty.

Of course depends on what you want to do with the search. There is no doubt that the new search can do things the old can't but at the expense of not offering some things the old offers which includes the

main thing for which I use the search (I do not have corrected coordinates, bookmarks, do not wish to filter with respect to size etc).

What I need is a reasonable form of "Nearest unfound caches" and "newly hidden caches in ...." which lists the result list in a compact manner (and well appreciated and unchanged

manner) on the computer screen. The new search is not able to do that for me (even if I were a PM it would suffer from serious defects due to the layout of the new list

which is not what I expect).

Yes. I use the old search for the same reasons.

5.8k · November 22, 2016

Sorting the resulting search page by Geocache Name Distance Favorites Size Difficulty Terrain Last Found Placed On

NS: yes OS: no

The old search does sort by all of these but name and size. But I do take your point that the new search is more versatile.

5.1k · November 22, 2016

[...]

What I need is a reasonable form of "Nearest unfound caches" and "newly hidden caches in ...." which lists the result list in a compact manner (and well appreciated and unchanged

manner) on the computer screen.[...]

Do the New Search centered by your Home coords

and either sort by Distance or by Placed On date.

Hans

5.1k · November 22, 2016

We may even search in regions (not by GS's gui design but with creating an appropriate search url - I use a GSAK macro for that):

Seaching for caches with keyword "Tower" in the name:

located in West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina:

Search Url

Result as List:

Result on map:

Searching by regions might be very handy whilst planning geocaching on cruises or the like. (ie: all scandinavian countries or all

mediterranean countries)

Hans

Edited November 22, 2016 by HHL

November 22, 2016

We both hate the new search. Most of the time we cannot figure out how to use it. The old one was so much simpler

5.1k · November 22, 2016

We both hate the new search. [...]

... because you're not able to hit the "Add Filter" button? You're kidding, aren't you?

Hans

1.3k · November 22, 2016

I don't think they're kidding. I believe they are saying it's not as user friendly. I agree.

6.8k · November 22, 2016

Do the New Search centered by your Home coords

....................

and either sort by Distance or by Placed On date.

First, note that I cannot come up with only unfound caches in this manner as I'm not a PM - getting all caches including the many I have already found turns the new

search in something useless for me. For the old search &f=1 works for any coordinates

and search nearest unfound is also available per default around my home coordinates (which I rarely use for searches).

The sorting option does not provide me with anything even close to be useful.

My most commonly used searches are that one

https://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?country_id=227&State_id=263

and the

type of search

https://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?lat=47.382367&lng=15.571700&f=1

(for any set of coordinates)

and I like the way the result list looks like which brings me to the second point I have mentioned before.

The format and the layout of the result list (one of the central weaknesses of the new search in my eyes) cannot be influenced by what you suggest.

The new list needs much more space and for basic members also unfortunately hides some very basic information about PM-only caches that are available in the map view

and in the old search.

There will always be cachers who prefer the old search to the new like there will always be cachers who prefer the new one - let's accept it and hope

that the old search will stay so that everyone can make their own choice.

Edited November 22, 2016 by cezanne

3.5k · November 22, 2016

I'm one of the "old ones" nudging 70. I rarely use the search but when I do it's the new one. Once I'd gotten used to its features it didn't seem, to me, to be any better or worse than the old one. Anyways, I do most of my searching on the GC map.

I also rarely use either search and use the GC map for most of my searching. And I use PQs extensively.

Old in both real years and caching years.

November 22, 2016

We both hate the new search. [...]

... because you're not able to hit the "Add Filter" button? You're kidding, aren't you?

Hans

Not kidding. We do not find that the filter button helps us.

Tell me how I would get a liting of all the caches on PEI that I havent found

6.2k · November 22, 2016

Not kidding. We do not find that the filter button helps us.

Tell me how I would get a liting of all the caches on PEI that I havent found

Assuming PEI means Prince Edward Island then:

Go to the search page, type "Prince Edward Island" into the search box, click the "Add Filters" button, on the next page click "I Haven't found" over on the right, click the Search button.

It will give you =Ma%20%26%20Pa&f=2"]This search

If you click this link then click the "Change Filters" button you can play with some of the other options, e.g. cache type, favourite points, enabled/disabled etc....

Edit to add: Just noticed that the search I did above defaulted to within 16km (of the centre of the island), so if you want the whole island then you will have to change the filter to increase the distance (top left corner of the filters page), whack it up to 100+km or thereabouts.

You could also enter "Canada: Prince Edward Island" into the "Limit Search to" box at the bottom.

Another example using the added info: =Ma%20%26%20Pa&r=70"]This Search

Edited November 22, 2016 by MartyBartfast

5.1k · November 22, 2016

[....]

Tell me how I would get a liting of all the caches on PEI that I havent found

Pardon my ignorance. I'm not a native English speaker. So, what do you mean by liting? Actually a typo with listing? And was does PEI mean?

Typing "Prince Edward Islands" and than click the regional search from the dropdown seems to be more accurate:

=Ma%20%26%20Pa&nfb[1]=HHL&f=2"]PEI Regional search (click here)

Hans

Edit: cross posted with MartyBartfast.

Edited November 22, 2016 by HHL

November 22, 2016

Not kidding. We do not find that the filter button helps us.

Tell me how I would get a liting of all the caches on PEI that I havent found

Assuming PEI means Prince Edward Island then:

Go to the search page, type "Prince Edward Island" into the search box, click the "Add Filters" button, on the next page click "I Haven't found" over on the right, click the Search button.

It will give you =Ma%20%26%20Pa&f=2"]This search

If you click this link then click the "Change Filters" button you can play with some of the other options, e.g. cache type, favourite points, enabled/disabled etc....

Edit to add: Just noticed that the search I did above defaulted to within 16km (of the centre of the island), so if you want the whole island then you will have to change the filter to increase the distance (top left corner of the filters page), whack it up to 100+km or thereabouts.

You could also enter "Canada: Prince Edward Island" into the "Limit Search to" box at the bottom.

Another example using the added info: =Ma%20%26%20Pa&r=70"]This Search

Edited November 22, 2016 by Ma & Pa

3.1k · November 23, 2016

Edit to add: Just noticed that the search I did above defaulted to within 16km (of the centre of the island), so if you want the whole island then you will have to change the filter to increase the distance (top left corner of the filters page), whack it up to 100+km or thereabouts.

You could also enter "Canada: Prince Edward Island" into the "Limit Search to" box at the bottom.

Your 16km mistake is a good example of how the new Search page isn't as intuitive as it could be. I (and many others) also ran into this issue when first using the updated page. I eventually figured it out from experience and from reading the forums, but I can see how many people would simply give up in despair.

Also, it would be much easier if one could provide the search location and the search filters all on one page instead of the current two-step process.

Now I just need to deduce how one adds the filtered search caches into a new (or existing?) bookmarks list. Despite the Search page not having a Help link, I did find the Help Center's New Search FAQs article. Unfortunately, that doesn't offer anything about adding to a bookmarks list.

After climbing the learning curve, I found I use the New Search more often than the Old Search for my purposes. I just think the New Search could be so much better with some revisions.

2.8k · November 23, 2016

Now I just need to deduce how one adds the filtered search caches into a new (or existing?) bookmarks list. Despite the Search page not having a Help link, I did find the Help Center's New Search

Is what you are looking for the following:

1) Click through to the previous example search link

2) Select the check box next to 1 or more caches and you should see the heading above the checkboxes change to "Add x to a List"

3) Click "Add x to a List" and enter a new list or select an existing list

3.5k · November 23, 2016

Assuming PEI means Prince Edward Island then:

Go to the search page, type "Prince Edward Island" into the search box, click the "Add Filters" button, on the next page click "I Haven't found" over on the right, click the Search button.

It will give you =Ma%20%26%20Pa&f=2"]This search

If you click this link then click the "Change Filters" button you can play with some of the other options, e.g. cache type, favourite points, enabled/disabled etc....

Edit to add: Just noticed that the search I did above defaulted to within 16km (of the centre of the island), so if you want the whole island then you will have to change the filter to increase the distance (top left corner of the filters page), whack it up to 100+km or thereabouts.

You could also enter "Canada: Prince Edward Island" into the "Limit Search to" box at the bottom.

Another example using the added info: =Ma%20%26%20Pa&r=70"]This Search

Typing "Prince Edward Islands" and than click the regional search from the dropdown seems to be more accurate:

=Ma%20%26%20Pa&nfb[1]=HHL&f=2"]PEI Regional search (click here)

Interesting approaches. Both of you entered something in the first search box, which is something I rarely do anymore. I just clicked directly to "Add Filters", leaving the search box blank.

Then, I selected "Canada: Prince Edward Island" in the 'Limit Search To...' box. Gives results for the entire island. It gives me the same result as HHL got, but just seems easier to see all the 'criteria' close together in the 3rd column of the filters page. Several ways to get the same result:

=Ma%20%26%20Pa&r=70#"]my search

Not kidding. We do not find that the filter button helps us.

Tell me how I would get a liting of all the caches on PEI that I havent found

6.2k · November 23, 2016

Your 16km mistake is a good example of how the new Search page isn't as intuitive as it could be. I (and many others) also ran into this issue when first using the updated page. I eventually figured it out from experience and from reading the forums, but I can see how many people would simply give up in despair.

Interesting approaches. Both of you entered something in the first search box, which is something I rarely do anymore. I just clicked directly to "Add Filters", leaving the search box blank.

Actually I hardly ever enter anything into the first search box either, and hence I'm not used to the 16km default limit. I almost always go straight to the filters box too, but in this case I didn't initially realise PEI was a state, so the I entered it in the initial search as I had no idea where it was.

I find the new search very flexible but as with many things on the site it's poorly documented and less than intuitive and I can see that there can be a steep learning curve.

I also agree that it makes no sense to have the filters on a separate page, and I can see how a lot of people would not realise it was there or not realise that the filtered search can be used without specifying a location.

14k · November 23, 2016

Your 16km mistake is a good example of how the new Search page isn't as intuitive as it could be. I (and many others) also ran into this issue when first using the updated page. I eventually figured it out from experience and from reading the forums, but I can see how many people would simply give up in despair.

Interesting approaches. Both of you entered something in the first search box, which is something I rarely do anymore. I just clicked directly to "Add Filters", leaving the search box blank.

Actually I hardly ever enter anything into the first search box either, and hence I'm not used to the 16km default limit. I almost always go straight to the filters box too, but in this case I didn't initially realise PEI was a state, so the I entered it in the initial search as I had no idea where it was.

I find the new search very flexible but as with many things on the site it's poorly documented and less than intuitive and I can see that there can be a steep learning curve.

I also agree that it makes no sense to have the filters on a separate page, and I can see how a lot of people would not realise it was there or not realise that the filtered search can be used without specifying a location.

One of the biggest complaints about the new search since it was released was that it was not very intuitive. I also agree that it would have been better if the Filters screen was not an overlay over the search box. Pretty much every online shopping site or travel booking sites puts Filters on the left of the screen where one can change filters and immediately see the results in the main body of the page.

Bring up the New Search page and you won't see a "Help" link anywhere. Instead much of the screen real estate is taken up with some "canned searches" that many have found give odd results. For example, the first cache on the "Newest Caches Near You" example is 145 miles from me. Instead of canned search I have thought we would have been better served if these examples brought up short screen casts which demonstrated how to conduct common searches.

One of the biggest barriers was that there wasn't a explanation about the two basic types of searching one can do: a proximity search and/or a regional search. If one understands that a proximity search will show caches within a specified distance of a center point (and that center point is determined by what one puts in the search box) and a regional search will show caches within a specified region (.e.g. within the state of New York) it becomes a bit easier to understand. One can even combine the two and do something one can't do with the old search. For example, one can do a proximity search for caches within 30 miles of Buffalo, NY *and* that are in the state of New York (don't show any caches in Canada in the results).

To me, the biggest missing piece is that we still can't view search results on the map *with* filters available with the new search and subsequently download the results as a PQ. Sure we can create a list, then create a PQ from the list, but it would be nice to go directly to a PQ page where, for example, one could do additional filtering based on attributes. Better yet, we should be able to filter based on attributes from the New Search filters screen.

2.7k · November 23, 2016

I'm one of the "old ones" nudging 70. I rarely use the search but when I do it's the new one.

I guess old in this thread does not refer to one's age, but when one started to geocache. You apparently signed up for your account in 2012, much later than the majority of those

who have mentioned that they prefer the old search.

Granted, I see that now. But I still used the old search enough to make a comparison. I don't miss it.

BTW, I was one of few who liked Windows 8 over 7. People get used to something then when its changed they can't cope regardless of improvements or enhancements.

use old search not showing up on Geocaching Site

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