Release Notes (Website only) - April 27, 2017

[+Geocaching HQ 359]

Release Notes (Website only) - April 27, 2017

 

With this release we are introducing a new logging page for creating a new log. A new look and improved usability create the foundation to support more features in the future. In addition, you can now add a favorite point and photo to a draft on the web.

 

For players looking for Markdown and emojis, please reference this Help Center article. Both of these features are supported in the new logging page. Additionally, you will have the option of returning to the old logging page when creating a new log for a period of time. For more information on the new logging page, please visit this blog post.

 

We’re committed to continually making enhancements to the new logging page and adding more functionality. Future updates to the page can be expected.

 

In every release, we also fix bugs and make other small improvements:

 

• Visit All/Drop All functionality now included in new logging page and Drafts
  

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

 

 

Nadja from HQ’s Product Team is watching the thread to answer questions whenever possible.

 

Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

[+barefootjeff 3828]

Good to see all our feedback has been completely ignored. I wonder why I bother, and will think twice about hiding any more caches that take seekers on a long scenic adventure with logs now restricted to one uncaptioned photo.

[+thebruce0 2487]

To discourage comments like the above, perhaps update threads can include (just as many other apps and websites do) a list of "issues we're aware of" and/or "what we're working on" so it doesn't look like most all feedback has been ignored.(presuming it hasn't and many of the outstanding concerns are in the process of being addressed)

Edited April 28, 2017 by thebruce0

[ChileHead 24]

I'm assuming part of this release was to address the previously announced prevention of duplicate logs on the same cache. The site attempts to prevent you from doing so as if you log a find, then try again, you can't.

 

But if you open 2 or more log pages in separate tabs before you log your find, you can still log multiple finds. This also means that using a script like tampermonkey would easily allow cachers to log finds multiple times, or by apps that scrape the site. Maybe more is to come in this area, but the security to prevent "illegal" logs shouldn't be in the web page.

[ChileHead 24]

For players looking for Markdown and emojis, please reference this Help Center article. Both of these features are supported in the new logging page.

 

I assume you know this, but the help center article is now wrong. It refers to the helpful formatting buttons that are no longer there. The "button" column in the help article should be removed so people know to format using wiki-ish style formatting.

[+Team DEMP 130]

Wow

[Rock Chalk 247]

To discourage comments like the above, perhaps update threads can include (just as many other apps and websites do) a list of "issues we're aware of" and/or "what we're working on" so it doesn't look like most all feedback has been ignored.(presuming it hasn't and many of the outstanding concerns are in the process of being addressed)

 

Most people don't assume that all feedback is ignored because their feedback wasn't implemented in a release. That kind of overreaction is unique and most people are discouraged from posting that sort of overreaction when they see the sentence that we include at the bottom of every release notes thread. Unfortunately, three forum veterans have ignored that guidance right out of the gate here.

 

We appreciate that some other websites and apps publish a list like you've described, but it's not something that we're planning to do right now.

 

Any further comments not related to the features in this release may be removed. We want this thread to be a place where the product team can monitor feedback that is relevant to the features in this release.

[+TeamRabbitRun 526]

Several recent forum threads have discussed a general displeasure with the practice of 'visiting' all of the TBs in your possession into every cache you find, whether it's physically with you or not. Some third-party apps have or had this ability.

 

Many people don't like 'visit' logs and many do (I among them), but I think most people agree that a good compromise is that if you're going to use the feature, just 'visit' the TBs you have with you.

 

There are well-reasoned arguments against this practice of 'dipping' everything in your inventory and how it muddies and minimizes the meaning of a TB visit.

 

I see with some dismay that this release contains a "Visit All" feature.

 

Sigh.

[+noncentric 810]

I see the 'Opt Out' option is available when choosing to log from a cache page, but there's no such option when logging through Drafts. I would appreciate my choice to 'Opt Out' of the new logging experience to apply to logs I compose through Drafts. Please? Hopeful for this because I have a large backlog of Field Notes to go through and I'd prefer using the 'old' logging page to do so. EDIT AFTER READING BLOG ARTICLE: Sounds like there won't be a way to use the 'old' logging method for Drafts.

 

Regarding the new logging page, here's my 2-cents:

 

BAD:

• No preview of the log entry while composing it. The new experience makes any formatting, even bold or italic, more difficult for cachers that don't have the tags memorized or have the Help Center article bookmarked. Could a link to the Help Center article be placed on the new logging page, maybe up above the date?
  
• Can't see log entry after submitting the log and have a quick link to go back to Drafts. Instead, we have to scroll down the cache page to find our log entry, and then scroll back to the top of the page to click on the 'back to drafts' link OR click to 'view log', which goes to a page where there's no direct link back to Drafts. I wouldn't feel the need to see my log entry if the new logging experience showed a preview (see item above).
  
• The 'Encrypt log entry' and 'Add coordinates to log' options are gone.
  
• The narrow work area that leaves a lot of unused space on the margins.
  
• Removing 'Needs Archived' as a separate log type. It's more like a subset of 'Needs Maintenance' now. NM and NA have been separate log types on the website and are separate log types in the app, under 'Report a Problem'. To be consistent, I'd suggest changing the "! Needs maintenance" label on the new logging page to read "! Report a Problem", which then pops up the window with maintenance and archive options. EDIT AFTER READING BLOG ARTICLE: The Blog article says "Simply, select the “Report a Problem” icon while logging the cache, choose the problem (ie wet logbook), and continue composing your log as normal." - so it indeed seems that the "! Needs maintenance" label needs editing to read "! Report a Problem" instead.
  
• Editing pictures, like adding captions and changing dates, requires more clicking. The new logging page requires 2 more steps now, if the photo's date doesn't need to be changed. If the photo's date does need to be changed, then the new experience is still 1 more step than the old logging page. Some photos may not require date changes, but I think many cachers want to include captions.
  

OLD LOGGING PAGE:

1. compose log text

2. submit log

3. click photo icon

4. attach photo and add caption

5. If necessary - click edit image to change date

 

NEW LOGGING PAGE:

1. compose log text

2. attach photo

3. post log

4. click view log

5. click edit image

6. add caption - if necessary, then change date too

GOOD:

• The actions for the TB's are easier to select as buttons, rather than a drop-down menu.
  
• It seems that the 'NM' options were tailored to what's reasonable for the log type.
  

Edited April 28, 2017 by noncentric

[+fraggle_[DE] 50]

Hello,

 

I just had a quick look at the new log page (but didn't log something) and got a few comments:

- It needs more time to load. Pleeease, whyy?

- There is no preview function any longer? How do I know what my text looks like? Send it first, then edit?

- Favorite hearts are now green on the log page, but blue on the rest of the pages? This seems inconsistent.

- Why don't always show the TB list? If necessary the 'Post' button can be moved above the TB-list

- NM: what if 2 or more options are needed?

- for what do I need the travelled distance under the TBs?

 

greetings, fraggle

[+thomfre 198]

With this release we are introducing a new logging page for creating a new log

... you will have the option of returning to the old logging page when creating a new log for a period of time.

Thank you for giving us the option to opt out

 

Could you please let us know if it will be possible to add more than one picture in the future? (or at least that you won't be restricting the number sent when logging through the API)

I regularly post pictures with my logs, and a lot of times I post several pictures. I would really hate to see that possibility disappear.

 

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

Thank you! This is a nice improvement

 

But I can't actually see it anywhere. I've checked trackables in my inventory, trackables I own and trackables I have recently discovrered. None of them show this.

[+baer2006 791]

Ok, so the TB support has been improved (i.e., back to the standards in the original logging page). The other drawbacks are still there :

- No "help" whatsoever with text formatting (buttons, preview, link to mark-down reference)

- Bad support for photos (no captions, no multiple photos)

- No option to post "stand-alone" and meaningful NM/NA logs

- Lots of wasted space to the left and right of the screen

I'm waiting for the results of the next development sprint ...

 

Anyway, what about updating/editing existing logs? I assume you will keep that feature, right? When the "opt out" option is removed from the new logging page (as you said, this will happen soon), editing an existing log is the only way to work around some drawbacks of the new page, most notably the missing support for multiple photos per log. Do you plan to "upgrade" the page to edit exiting logs as well? If so, PLEASE don't do it before the most problematic flaws of the new page have been corrected. Could you do that? Thank you !

[+hcy 314]

... improved usability ...

Not really. Especially NM / NA is very confusing compared to the old solution.

Only one thing I like: it seems to be that it's not possible to log the same cache as found twice.

[+Gillala 14]

 

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

 

 

Good idea, too bad it doesnt work...

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce 3]

I use a somewhat older browser on an even older computer and can not log my finds through the new logging page. When I go to the new logging page, everything is grayed out or empty.

 

Even if I've filled in a draft from my phone, it does not show on the logging page on the web site. I cannot type into the text box on the web site, I cannot select "found," "did not find," etc. I cannot click the button to submit.

 

I cannot update my browser due to the age of my computer nor replace my computer due to the fact essential software will not run on newer platforms. Nor would I like to spend the money on a new computer and new software. A new hobby would be cheaper.

[+noncentric 810]

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

Thank you! This is a nice improvement

 

But I can't actually see it anywhere. I've checked trackables in my inventory, trackables I own and trackables I have recently discovrered. None of them show this.

Yep - it seems this improvement hasn't been activated yet? I tried in both Firefox and Chrome, even after clearing browser cache and logging in/out.

 

Ok, so the TB support has been improved (i.e., back to the standards in the original logging page). The other drawbacks are still there :

- No "help" whatsoever with text formatting (buttons, preview, link to mark-down reference)

- Bad support for photos (no captions, no multiple photos)

- No option to post "stand-alone" and meaningful NM/NA logs

- Lots of wasted space to the left and right of the screen

I agree with all of these points. I noted the first/last in my earlier post, but hadn't even thought about the issues that I bolded.

Not being able to upload multiple photos would be very unfortunate and not being able to add details or explanations to accompany NM/NA entries seems problematic.

 

I haven't needed to log a NM/NA in the new logging experience yet, and the Help Center doesn't really explain how the new 'Needs Maintenance!' action works, so I'm not sure what the workflow looks like. If a cacher click 'Needs Maintenance!'->'Cache should be archived', then will they be able to add any details about why they think the cache should be archived? It seems this would be essential, especially for Reviewers, to see what the issue is (landowner disagreement vs 'i didn't find it so it must be gone'). The video in the Blog article shows a simple Found It log, without reporting any problems - so that video isn't much help on this.

[Hynz 199]

I'm incredible disappointed by this changes. There was numerous good and constructive feedback regarding the issues when the page for editing drafts were changed. While some where taken into account (and the returning of the option to let all trackables visit a cache is not something I appreciate ) the main issues seems not being understood by GS. Having now this changes imposed also to the logging page without further explanations or reasonings it feels like a pinch in my stomach.

 

We’re committed to continually making enhancements to the new logging page and adding more functionality. Future updates to the page can be expected.

So far I think there might be workarounds so I can continue to write logs which makes sense to me and for those I want to address with my logs. But currently I'm honestly feeling threatened by this sentence......

[+Isonzo Karst 937]

I absolutely could be wrong about this, but I think "log visit" for events is new with this release?

 

 

Event listing, "Log a new visit"; image from an event where I've logged a Will Attend. I haven't visited yet, why is a log here, "a new visit?"

It doesn't make sense in English, must be even more confusing for non-English speakers.

Can I log attended (visit) more than once? (I bet not....)

 

 

Event listing, "Log your visit"; image from an event where I've NOT logged a Will Attend, and event date is in the future. I'm most probably going be logging something other than a "visit", like a Will attend...

 

(In all instances I recall where GeocachingHQ has applied special logic to events, it's been wrong to me (limiting available attributes, not allow DNF or NM logs) and it seems wrong to me again here. And confusing as well.)

 

I have to "opt out" every time I log. Anyway to make that sticky?

 

Don't like the canned NA log. I tend to think in terms of guideline violations, and put those into an NA log.

This might as well be empty. If it's going to be a canned no info log, I prefer " cache is deader than the proverbial doornail", used by a local.

Won't mean much to non-English speakers, but neither does the current log...

Edited April 28, 2017 by Isonzo Karst

[+Sherminator18 14]

Release Notes (Website only) - April 27, 2017

 

With this release we are introducing a new logging page for creating a new log. A new look and improved usability create the foundation to support more features in the future. In addition, you can now add a favorite point and photo to a draft on the web.

 

For players looking for Markdown and emojis, please reference this Help Center article. Both of these features are supported in the new logging page. Additionally, you will have the option of returning to the old logging page when creating a new log for a period of time. For more information on the new logging page, please visit this blog post.

 

We’re committed to continually making enhancements to the new logging page and adding more functionality. Future updates to the page can be expected.

 

In every release, we also fix bugs and make other small improvements:

• 
   
  
• Visit All/Drop All functionality now included in new logging page and Drafts
  

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

 

 

Nadja from HQ’s Product Team is watching the thread to answer questions whenever possible.

 

Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

I am so glad you've added the feature to allow us to see if we have discovered a trackable before! I have been wanting this for a long time. Thank you!

[ChileHead 24]

I posted the below in the older release thread. Reposting here where it belongs:

 

The log page is a bit slower to bring up than the old one. I measure a pretty consistent 3400ms on the new page vs 2200ms on the old page. It's a bit unsatisfying to see the spinning circle while the page is loading resources or doing some ajaxy thing. Will performance measurements be taken and acted on? Thanks!

[+Viajero Perdido 874]

You guys are so confident you're doing the right thing. I see that opting out is done via a session cookie, meaning you have to opt out every day for the rest of your caching career (ahem), or finally give in.

 

Opting out should be a permanent cookie please. Or even better, stored in preferences on the Groundspeak servers so that you, Groundspeak, can see in aggregate how many people are opting out. It might be useful to know.

[+lodgebarn 92]

It would be helpful to have a Post button under the text as well to avoid the pesky scrolling for a simple log.

[ChileHead 24]

You guys are so confident you're doing the right thing. I see that opting out is done via a session cookie, meaning you have to opt out every day for the rest of your caching career (ahem), or finally give in.

 

Opting out should be a permanent cookie please. Or even better, stored in preferences on the Groundspeak servers so that you, Groundspeak, can see in aggregate how many people are opting out. It might be useful to know.

 

From the release notes, it would appear opting out is a short term option. So it doesn't make sense to make this an option.

[+Viajero Perdido 874]

From the release notes, it would appear opting out is a short term option. So it doesn't make sense to make this an option.

That's why I'm posting here instead of throwing up my hands and going for a walk outside in the fresh air.

 

I'm trying to change their minds.

[+Viajero Perdido 874]

I see the pages for viewing and editing haven't changed. So maybe all is not lost.

 

I'm going to start logging one-character logs ".", then going back and editing in the story and pictures as always. (Sort of like how I always bypass the similarly dumbed-down process for hiding a cache.) Cache owners will get rather useless notification emails from me (a ton of HTML surrounding a single "."), but hey, times are tough and that's the price we've got to pay.

 

Groundspeak, do you have a plan to change/remove those pages for viewing and editing a log? Where are you going with this?

 

You're messing with some of the key ingredients in the special sauce recipe that made this game so addictive.

Edited April 28, 2017 by Viajero Perdido

[+Raine 0]

I think the new logging page looks good, but there are a few quirks that might need to be addressed.

 

 

At first glance it looks like the log needs maintenance. There is no indication that this is a clickable element. If you're going to use dropdowns in the UI for other types of selectable options, could this be a dropdown instead of a totally different selection method? Also when selecting/deselecting, it makes the heart icon throb, which has nothing to do with the action.

 

 

What exactly is the calendar popup pointing to? Probably can do away with that.

 

Overall I think its great logging page, and a welcomed change. Good job peeps!

 

-Raine

[+dprovan 1564]

I think making maintenance logs a check box is a mistake. Unfortunately, it is consistent with what seems to be a broader, deliberate move to end the idea of problems being reported from within community and, instead, requiring reviewers to constantly sift through geocaches looking for caches to delete. I find that change in direction sad and unnecessary.

 

I can't "opt out" from other people being told that NMs and NAs are minor actions requiring no more thought than clicking a button.

[+hostanut 15]

Thanks for the "opt out" on logging new caches.

 

I might be enticed to use the new logging page IF it retained the ability to go to the next cache to be logged by entering that next cache's GC# instead of clicking to go to another page.

[+Isonzo Karst 937]

Tried an Update Coordinates log, a HUGE improvement over the old logging page.

Coords pane ABOVE the text box!

If there were a bit of instruction on "how to do it right" instead of a red warning after it's been tried wrong, it would be perfect.

 

 

this form of calendar makes back dating logs more than a few weeks painful. A person with unlogged finds from 2006 and 2007, like myself, is probably not going to make the backdating effort. (Realistically, I'm not going to make the logging effort at this point regardless). But there are people who routinely log a year two behind, and from time to time, logs from people who split off from an old account logging stuff from years ago.

Edited April 28, 2017 by Isonzo Karst

[+Team DEMP 130]

From the release notes, it would appear opting out is a short term option. So it doesn't make sense to make this an option.

That's why I'm posting here instead of throwing up my hands and going for a walk outside in the fresh air.

 

I'm trying to change their minds.

 

With the 3rd party inclusions on the web page, they can easily determine how many people are clicking the link to the old site and really every action on the web site.

 

My take is that anyone new or logging a couple caches a month won't care what the UI/UX & functionality is. Maybe that's 99% of the people that log through the web UI. Anyone who really uses the web site for logging and doesn't rely on 3rd party tools (eg GSAK) or a productive mobile app like Cachly, are the ones that look at this and think WTF is someone thinking.

 

I started to use field notes from cachly to correct typos on the phone, enhance the logs from my notes, etc because directly posting from Cachly and then seeing a reason to edit on the site completely f'ed up the time. So now I never edit a log that is posted as the date/time issues on the site are so impactful. Now, with the change to field notes/drafts, I'll just say screw it and post a crappy log live from Cachly and never look at it again. Sorry to the cache owners that now read typos or abbreviated logs.

 

It's like the page went from v4.3 to v 0.3 .

[+Sherminator18 14]

Release Notes (Website only) - April 27, 2017

 

With this release we are introducing a new logging page for creating a new log. A new look and improved usability create the foundation to support more features in the future. In addition, you can now add a favorite point and photo to a draft on the web.

 

For players looking for Markdown and emojis, please reference this Help Center article. Both of these features are supported in the new logging page. Additionally, you will have the option of returning to the old logging page when creating a new log for a period of time. For more information on the new logging page, please visit this blog post.

 

We’re committed to continually making enhancements to the new logging page and adding more functionality. Future updates to the page can be expected.

 

In every release, we also fix bugs and make other small improvements:

• 
   
  
• Visit All/Drop All functionality now included in new logging page and Drafts
  

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

 

 

Nadja from HQ’s Product Team is watching the thread to answer questions whenever possible.

 

Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

I am so glad you've added the feature to allow us to see if we have discovered a trackable before! I have been wanting this for a long time. Thank you!

Okay, I am not happy anymore. I went to check out this feature and none of the trackables I've discovered or moved have this. Has this actually been implemented? Is it appearing for anyone else?

[+SwineFlew 77]

You guys are so confident you're doing the right thing. I see that opting out is done via a session cookie, meaning you have to opt out every day for the rest of your caching career (ahem), or finally give in.

 

Opting out should be a permanent cookie please. Or even better, stored in preferences on the Groundspeak servers so that you, Groundspeak, can see in aggregate how many people are opting out. It might be useful to know.

 

I feel the Opt out is only for temp...to be use as a roll back if something goes wrong. I think they are still testing the new layout.

[Frau Potter 327]

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

Thank you! This is a nice improvement

 

But I can't actually see it anywhere. I've checked trackables in my inventory, trackables I own and trackables I have recently discovrered. None of them show this.

Yep - it seems this improvement hasn't been activated yet? I tried in both Firefox and Chrome, even after clearing browser cache and logging in/out.

 

 

Apologies - this was my communication error. I was so excited about the update to the Trackable page. I could see it on my screen (Lackey screen), but didn't know that it wasn't live yet to the community. I had recommended that we add it to the Release Notes.

 

But good news - it's on it's way to you right now! Check it now!

 

Cindy / Frau Potter

[+PnavE_81 18]

I posted the below in the older release thread. Reposting here where it belongs:

 

The log page is a bit slower to bring up than the old one. I measure a pretty consistent 3400ms on the new page vs 2200ms on the old page. It's a bit unsatisfying to see the spinning circle while the page is loading resources or doing some ajaxy thing. Will performance measurements be taken and acted on? Thanks!

At least you get a result after 3400ms. For me the spinning circle just stays there and I can't do anything

 

Windows 7

firefox 53.0 (32-bits)

[+NYPaddleCacher 1827]

You guys are so confident you're doing the right thing. I see that opting out is done via a session cookie, meaning you have to opt out every day for the rest of your caching career (ahem), or finally give in.

 

Opting out should be a permanent cookie please. Or even better, stored in preferences on the Groundspeak servers so that you, Groundspeak, can see in aggregate how many people are opting out. It might be useful to know.

 

I disagree. Supporting two separate Logging methods (or Search functionality) forever just doesn't make sense.

 

When the "New Search" first came out, a lot of people had some major issues with it (much of it, because it was poorly documented and non-intuitive) but most of those issues have been addressed and I suspect that fewer and fewer people are using the old search page. At some point it should be retired so that GS developers can backup the code and never have to look at it again.

 

[+noncentric 810]

Anyone who really uses the web site for logging and doesn't rely on 3rd party tools (eg GSAK) or a productive mobile app like Cachly, are the ones that look at this and think WTF is someone thinking.

That would be me. I've submitted about 99% of my logs via the website, mostly via Field Notes. I tend to get a backlog of drafts and then go through them in chunks. Right now, I'm kicking myself for procrastinating on logging my finds from a caching/camping weekend mid-month. I have 60+ drafts and the prospect of using the new logging page leads me to procrastinate even further on them. Ugh!

 

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

Thank you! This is a nice improvement

 

But I can't actually see it anywhere. I've checked trackables in my inventory, trackables I own and trackables I have recently discovrered. None of them show this.

Yep - it seems this improvement hasn't been activated yet? I tried in both Firefox and Chrome, even after clearing browser cache and logging in/out.

 

Apologies - this was my communication error. I was so excited about the update to the Trackable page. I could see it on my screen (Lackey screen), but didn't know that it wasn't live yet to the community. I had recommended that we add it to the Release Notes.

 

But good news - it's on it's way to you right now! Check it now!

 

Cindy / Frau Potter

Cool, I see it now. I think this is a good update to the site and it's something that's been requested before. Thanks!

Question: What date is used for Trackables that we've grabbed, retrieved, or discovered more than once? I don't have any examples of my own to test this, but I'm sure it's possible for cachers to come across the same TB more than once. Will it show the most recent date of our interaction with the TB or the most distant? I'm guessing the page won't show multiple dates.

Request: Can the date be in the format I've selected in Account Settings->Preferences? It seems the date is currently Mon/DD/YYYY, but that is not my selected date preference (MM/DD/YYYY).

[+NYPaddleCacher 1827]

Don't like the canned NA log. I tend to think in terms of guideline violations, and put those into an NA log.

This might as well be empty. If it's going to be a canned no info log, I prefer " cache is deader than the proverbial doornail", used by a local.

Won't mean much to non-English speakers, but neither does the current log...

 

It's not just the canned NA log. Including "Other" as an option for a Needs Maintenance, but not providing a form element to describe what "Other" means doesn't make sense. There are a lot of "Other" reasons why a cache might need maintenance (and not just limited to the physical container) and we should be able to help out the CO by describing *why* the cache needs maintenance.

 

 

[+noncentric 810]

When the "New Search" first came out, a lot of people had some major issues with it (much of it, because it was poorly documented and non-intuitive) but most of those issues have been addressed and I suspect that fewer and fewer people are using the old search page. At some point it should be retired so that GS developers can backup the code and never have to look at it again.

A bit off-topic, but I think many users wanted to use the old search because it provided some search options that weren't available in the new search (area code, found by) and provided more functionality to Basic Members. The new search, which I like much better than the old search, doesn't allow BM's to set many filters. The old search allowed BM's to use filters for hidden by, found by, cache name starts with.

 

How does this relate to this thread? The new logging page reduces functionality, or makes it more cumbersome to utilize some things. For example, no preview of log entry, no reference for markdown, no photo captions, no additional photos, no log encrypt, no corrected coord entry, no view of 5+ tb's. Yes, some of these things do still exist, but it takes more steps to get to them with the new logging page. Some of these things are just gone completely.

 

I don't think it's unreasonable for users to be upset when functionality is removed, or made more difficult. Especially when the users don't see a benefit. If there was a tangible benefit that we're gaining by giving up some functionality, then maybe the pill would be easier to swallow, but so far I'm not seeing it.

[Frau Potter 327]

Cool, I see it now. I think this is a good update to the site and it's something that's been requested before. Thanks!

Question: What date is used for Trackables that we've grabbed, retrieved, or discovered more than once? I don't have any examples of my own to test this, but I'm sure it's possible for cachers to come across the same TB more than once. Will it show the most recent date of our interaction with the TB or the most distant? I'm guessing the page won't show multiple dates.

Request: Can the date be in the format I've selected in Account Settings->Preferences? It seems the date is currently Mon/DD/YYYY, but that is not my selected date preference (MM/DD/YYYY).

 

The date is the most recent time you have grabbed, retrieved, or discovered a trackable.

 

Thanks for letting us know about the date configuration. We'll get that fixed soon.

 

Cindy / Frau Potter

[+The A-Team 1861]

Anyone who really uses the web site for logging and doesn't rely on 3rd party tools (eg GSAK) or a productive mobile app like Cachly, are the ones that look at this and think WTF is someone thinking.

That would be me. I've submitted about 99% of my logs via the website, mostly via Field Notes.

You can file me under that category too, as well as many of the long-time cachers in my area. I always log from my desktop, which logically would be the same for the vast majority of those who log through the website. Tailoring the website to smartphone usage just seems nutty to me. It would be like tailoring a smartphone app to look good when run in an emulator on a desktop. That isn't how the product is being used, so it just doesn't make sense to tailor it to that platform.

 

I'll be going out to find some caches tomorrow (using Field Notes/Drafts from my Garmin), and will give the new process an honest try when I log them through the website. However, considering what I've already seen and heard about the new experience, I'm fairly confident I'll have to abandon it and spend a while figuring out how to log from GSAK. If that seems to be a reasonable process, I can see the need for a "Logging with GSAK" training event for the local caching community in the near future.

 

Like someone else said, I'm concerned what will happen when this rolls out to the edit page too. I upload lots of photos and wouldn't want to lose that ability.

[+The A-Team 1861]

You will also notice an improvement to Trackable pages. If you have grabbed, retrieved or discovered a Trackable, the date of that action is now noted in the upper right hand corner of the Trackable page.

Even if it wasn't originally intended to be released to production today, it's nice to have. Thanks for adding this. There have been many times when I've wondered whether (and if so, when) I had previously seen a trackable, and this makes it easy.

[+LivingInNarnia 16]

I posted the below in the older release thread. Reposting here where it belongs:

 

The log page is a bit slower to bring up than the old one. I measure a pretty consistent 3400ms on the new page vs 2200ms on the old page. It's a bit unsatisfying to see the spinning circle while the page is loading resources or doing some ajaxy thing. Will performance measurements be taken and acted on? Thanks!

At least you get a result after 3400ms. For me the spinning circle just stays there and I can't do anything

 

Windows 7

firefox 53.0 (32-bits)

 

Thanks for letting us know - we've received other reports of this as well. We're looking into this now and will provide a status update as soon as possible.

[+LivingInNarnia 16]

For players looking for Markdown and emojis, please reference this Help Center article. Both of these features are supported in the new logging page.

 

I assume you know this, but the help center article is now wrong. It refers to the helpful formatting buttons that are no longer there. The "button" column in the help article should be removed so people know to format using wiki-ish style formatting.

 

Thanks! Yes we are aware and are making updates.

[+BBosman 0]

I think the ideas behind the new interface are good, but the implementation could use some work.

 

My issues:

- I logged a cache earlier today after which it correctly told me I received two Souvenirs for it. I liked the way it's shown with the slide in, but my issue is that with each new cache I've logged since it keeps showing those same two souvenirs as being awarded. Looks like a bug to me.

- An option to preview the log would be appreciated.

- The date selector could use a black box around it for consistency and to make it more recognizable as an input field. Same for the "Needs Maintenance".

- Favorite icon should be blue for consistency with the rest of the site.

- I'd rename "Needs Maintenance" to "Report a Problem".

- On my girlfriend's computer and iPad the new logging interface doesn't work at all. It's stuck at a green spinner.

- A Needs Maintenance log of "Other" without option to specify what the "other" is seems useless.

- People not used to Markdown will have trouble adding formatting and smileys.

 

And maybe others, but that's it for now.

[+The A-Team 1861]

I just found a bug. When I was looking at the trackable options on the new logging page, I realized I had forgotten to move one of my recently-activated trackables to my collection. I proceeded to do so, but it's still being shown in the list and available to visit/drop on the logging page. No amount of refreshing or leaving and going to the page again will get rid of it. It's definitely been moved to my collection and no longer shows as being in my inventory on my Dashboard page.

 

Edit to add: I also just noticed that the icon for the trackable in question isn't displaying. In IE11, it's showing as a black box with an X in it, indicating a broken image link. On the trackable's page, the icon is the generic trackable image "images/wpttypes/23.gif" and displays correctly, but on the logging page it's trying to display "images/wpttypes/9318.gif", which doesn't exist.

 

Edit again at 4:20 pm PDT: I just checked, and the offending trackable is still listed at the bottom of the logging page. It doesn't seem like it's just a matter of things being slow to update, but rather something seems stuck or broken.

Edited April 28, 2017 by The A-Team

[+barefootjeff 3828]

I'm not your typical cacher; my preference is for adventure style caches like the one I did last week that took me three days of hiking and kayaking to complete. I make a lot of use of photos to relate my experience (this one had eleven in total) and something like this simply can't be done justice with only one picture. Likewise as a CO I enjoy seeing the collections of photos others have posted on my own adventure caches and removing this functionality will negatively impact this side of the game too.

 

I'm guessing this new restriction of one photo per log is due to the app being limited to one photo per log. If that's the case, and the goal is to "streamline" the website to mimic the app, I don't hold much hope of this restriction being removed.

 

I accept that I'm very much in the minority and that for most, caching is all about urban roadside hides with little need for multiple photos, but does it have to be exclusively so?

[Frau Potter 327]

Cool, I see it now. I think this is a good update to the site and it's something that's been requested before. Thanks!

Question: What date is used for Trackables that we've grabbed, retrieved, or discovered more than once? I don't have any examples of my own to test this, but I'm sure it's possible for cachers to come across the same TB more than once. Will it show the most recent date of our interaction with the TB or the most distant? I'm guessing the page won't show multiple dates.

Request: Can the date be in the format I've selected in Account Settings->Preferences? It seems the date is currently Mon/DD/YYYY, but that is not my selected date preference (MM/DD/YYYY).

 

The date is the most recent time you have grabbed, retrieved, or discovered a trackable.

 

Thanks for letting us know about the date configuration. We'll get that fixed soon.

 

Cindy / Frau Potter

 

The date field on the Trackable page has now been updated. It is set based on the Date Format you have selected in your Preferences.

[+dprovan 1564]

A bit off-topic, but I think many users wanted to use the old search because it provided some search options that weren't available in the new search (area code, found by) and provided more functionality to Basic Members...

I'm not going to quote the whole post, I'll just say I could have written it myself. When the new search came out, I noticed it lost some stuff, but it did other stuff better and had some advantages, and I was willing to try it out. Personally, I thought the people complaining were overreacting since for every lost feature there was an improvement.

 

I just logged my first cache since the change, and I was actually surprised to find that it's the exact opposite: there's nothing whatsoever to recommend the new logging. It provides no new ideas or new abilities at all. I typed two words just to discover it didn't even have the WYSIWYG feature, and I hit the opt out button. I love playing with new stuff, so you really have to be entirely old for me to opt out of playing with it.

[+thomfre 198]

What freightens me the most, is that there's no response from Groundspeak on the question if both website and API eventually will be limited to one picture per log. I tried emailing them as well, and were told they didn't share details like that.

 

Please Groundspeak, don't take away the possibility to upload multiple photos! I'm willing to pay ten times the PM fee just to keep that functionality!

[+geodarts 77]

I'm not your typical cacher; my preference is for adventure style caches like the one I did last week that took me three days of hiking and kayaking to complete. I make a lot of use of photos to relate my experience (this one had eleven in total) and something like this simply can't be done justice with only one picture. Likewise as a CO I enjoy seeing the collections of photos others have posted on my own adventure caches and removing this functionality will negatively impact this side of the game too.

 

I'm guessing this new restriction of one photo per log is due to the app being limited to one photo per log. If that's the case, and the goal is to "streamline" the website to mimic the app, I don't hold much hope of this restriction being removed.

 

I accept that I'm very much in the minority and that for most, caching is all about urban roadside hides with little need for multiple photos, but does it have to be exclusively so?

 

I couldn't agree more. At one one point, Groundspeak was dedicated to the "language of location" and people were encouraged to describe their adventures. For me, for the caches that inspire me and keep me in the game, this has always meant photos. It has always meant support for tools that allowed me to write not only what I want, but how I wanted it.

 

Sadly, when Groundspeak decides to introduce a "new style" I have to hold my breath and wonder what is being taken away. Today, I went to log a couple of caches. They were challenges, and since my stats are hidden I wanted to link to the proof that I completed the tasks. The new logging style did not allow me to do what I wanted. I had to leave the "drafts" page and opt out -- but that is not a permanent solution.

 

What freightens me the most, is that there's no response from Groundspeak on the question if both website and API eventually will be limited to one picture per log. I tried emailing them as well, and were told they didn't share details like that.

 

I am hoping that I will continue to have much of the old functionality by editing my logs from the profile page. That at least still has the markdown options and appears to let me add photos. I can only wonder what new "improvements" are in store for us. Groundspeak certainly is not telling us. Sometimes I play this game in spite of the company that runs it, in spite of their secrecy. But sometimes I wonder why.

Edited April 29, 2017 by geodarts