Release Notes (Website: Copy Lists) - January 24, 2018

[+Geocaching HQ]

Release Notes (Website: Copy Lists) - January 24, 2018

With this release, Premium members can now copy a “public” or “shareable” List to their owned Lists on Geocaching.com. Lists labeled as “private” cannot be copied. Once a list is copied, you can access it from both the Geocaching® app and website.

You can access public and shareable Lists from a player's public profile or from cache details pages on the right hand side under “Bookmark Lists.” Additionally, if a player shares a list with you, you can now add it to your owned lists. Lists you own can be found on your Dashboard under "Your lists" on the left side menu.   

Dave W. (HiddenGnome) from HQ’s Web Team is watching this thread to answer questions whenever possible.
 

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

[+The A-Team]

I just tried this on a couple of lists, and it worked as advertised. I like how it also copies customized names and comments.

The one thing that seems to be missing is the list's description. That doesn't appear to get copied over. Sometimes there can be important and/or useful information in there, so it would be nice if that could be copied too.

Otherwise, this looks like a good feature.

[+HHL]

Hmm.
I've seen that "Copy" button here:

https://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.aspx?guid=811b6233-4dfc-4fdf-9f28-e4f53573f0be

Why can't we have those list in a neater look? IE: sortable and mappable. And been able to select just desired caches from that list to copy over to an owned list. Like this list view:

https://www.geocaching.com/play/search?ot=4&bm=BM4C477&f=2&sort=GeocacheName&asc=True

Also: we definitely need buttons to bulk delete "found" and "archived" caches from bookmark lists. This would turn them into real ToDo-Lists. ;-)

Happy Coding
Hans

Edited January 24, 2018 by HHL

[+dprovan]

I would find this feature very useful if I could make a copy of one of my own lists, but for some reason that isn't allowed.

[+noncentric]

I agree with The A-Team that "I like how it also copies customized names and comments".

The custom names and the comments under each cache are crucial, so I'm glad they are copied over. I assume that's possible because Viewing a list has not been redesigned. I certainly hope that comments are retained when/if the View List page is redesigned.

 

I also agree with The A-Team's comment that "The one thing that seems to be missing is the list's description."

The Description field for a bookmark list can contain explanatory info of what the list represents. More info than can be included in the list name. I assume that data isn't copied over because the List page was redesigned, and that redesigned page doesn't show the Description field?  I still default to using the "old" version of the Lists page, mainly because of the lack of Description and the sorting.

 

Overall, I'm glad to see this feature has been added. Thank you!

Now, I'm just waiting for the ability to copy/move caches from one list to another. I have a lot of Lists to clean-up, but I'm not looking forward to having to manually add each cache to another list and then delete those caches from the original list.

 

[+niraD]

1 hour ago, dprovan said:

I would find this feature very useful if I could make a copy of one of my own lists, but for some reason that isn't allowed.

I suppose two premium accounts could cooperate as a workaround:

• User A has List A
• User B creates Copy of List A by copying List A from User A
• User A creates Copy of Copy of List A by copying Copy of List A from User B

That's a pretty ugly workaround though.

[+The A-Team]

1 hour ago, noncentric said:

The Description field for a bookmark list can contain explanatory info of what the list represents. More info than can be included in the list name. I assume that data isn't copied over because the List page was redesigned, and that redesigned page doesn't show the Description field?  I still default to using the "old" version of the Lists page, mainly because of the lack of Description and the sorting.

I still use the old Lists page too due to the lack of user-friendliness and missing features (e.g. create a new list) on the new page, so I hadn't noticed that descriptions weren't there anymore. I'm trying to go there now to look at this, but unfortunately the My Lists list won't populate right now. It would be nice if the new Lists page could be made to be more reliable.

[+dprovan]

1 hour ago, niraD said:

I suppose two premium accounts could cooperate as a workaround:

• User A has List A
• User B creates Copy of List A by copying List A from User A
• User A creates Copy of Copy of List A by copying Copy of List A from User B

That's a pretty ugly workaround though.

I was going to point out that approach in my original post, but I started laughing too hard, so I left it out. I was even going to talk about creating a sockpuppet account to do it by myself...except lists are a premium feature, so I'd have to pay for my sockpuppet.

[+noncentric]

6 hours ago, dprovan said:

8 hours ago, niraD said:

I suppose two premium accounts could cooperate as a workaround:

• User A has List A
• User B creates Copy of List A by copying List A from User A
• User A creates Copy of Copy of List A by copying Copy of List A from User B

That's a pretty ugly workaround though.

I was going to point out that approach in my original post, but I started laughing too hard, so I left it out. I was even going to talk about creating a sockpuppet account to do it by myself...except lists are a premium feature, so I'd have to pay for my sockpuppet.

An easier workaround would be as follows, which is what I used to do to 'copy' a bookmark list created by someone else. It can be used to copy your own list, although having a Copy button on owned lists would be better:

• View the other List and click "Create Pocket Query".
• Schedule that PQ to run.
• View that PQ on the map using the official app (Lists --> View on Map).
• Zoom out a bit, select "Add all to List", and create a new list.

No need for a second account, but does require using both the website and official app.

[+Sherminator18]

15 hours ago, HHL said:

Hmm.
I've seen that "Copy" button here:

https://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.aspx?guid=811b6233-4dfc-4fdf-9f28-e4f53573f0be

Why can't we have those list in a neater look? IE: sortable and mappable. And been able to select just desired caches from that list to copy over to an owned list. Like this list view:

https://www.geocaching.com/play/search?ot=4&bm=BM4C477&f=2&sort=GeocacheName&asc=True

Also: we definitely need buttons to bulk delete "found" and "archived" caches from bookmark lists. This would turn them into real ToDo-Lists. ;-)

Happy Coding
Hans

I like your ideas there Hans. I totally agree that Lists should have to same interface as the search results. And it would be fantastic if you could view a list on a map.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Sherminator18

[+HHL]

Actually I don't have a need to copy over all the "archived" and "found by me" caches. Copying the list in a 1:1 manner is not very smart and renders this "feature" useless to me.

Hans

[+NYPaddleCacher]

On 1/24/2018 at 4:45 PM, dprovan said:

I would find this feature very useful if I could make a copy of one of my own lists, but for some reason that isn't allowed.

I haven't tried the new feature but that is someone that I requested a long time ago.  Specifically, I don't want to copy an entire list  to another new list, but want to be able to select caches from a list then bulk copy (or move) them to another list.  

[+thebruce0]

2 hours ago, NYPaddleCacher said:

I haven't tried the new feature but that is someone that I requested a long time ago.  Specifically, I don't want to copy an entire list  to another new list, but want to be able to select caches from a list then bulk copy (or move) them to another list.  

That would be doable if the advanced search functionality could show results from a bookmark list (or the bookmarklist view would use that result list functionality).

Couple of impromptu suggestions:
1. Imagine if the search results also noted which bookmark list(s) you had added the item to... 
2. or if you could select one of your lists as an additional search filter option?

But yeah I think the main request here is in the 'old' bookmark list page a button beside bulk delete called bulk copy would let you copy select items from the viewed bookmark list (any viewable list) to one of your own.

[+HHL]

56 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

That would be doable if the advanced search functionality could show results from a bookmark list ...]

Don't wait, it could be done just now:
Example is one of your list: "Challenges - Qualified (shared, public)"

https://www.geocaching.com/play/search?ot=4&bm=BM21A6F#Content

Hans

Edited January 26, 2018 by HHL

[+thebruce0]

27 minutes ago, HHL said:

Don't wait, it could be done just now:

Ooh, well if that works for any public list, then that's a great [workaround] way to copy from one list to another selectively. Just need to construct the url properly. Nice!

Edited January 26, 2018 by thebruce0

[+HHL]

1 hour ago, thebruce0 said:

Ooh, well if that works for any public list, then that's a great [workaround] way to copy from one list to another selectively. Just need to construct the url properly. Nice!

Yes. I do it with the help of a GSAK macro. ;-) This will also let me filter the BM list (say you only want the traditional caches with D3/T3 - you name it).
Unfortunately you can't filter the new list view because of the parameter &bm=BMxyz12 is getting lost. But filtering beforehand (actually a url building of filter parameters) could be done. :-))))

Hans

NB: For the curious little George

Edited January 26, 2018 by HHL

[+Sherminator18]

4 hours ago, HHL said:

Don't wait, it could be done just now:
Example is one of your list: "Challenges - Qualified (shared, public)"

https://www.geocaching.com/play/search?ot=4&bm=BM21A6F#Content

Hans

That's a helpful workaround - thanks for that!

[+HHL]

14 minutes ago, d4wmike said:

I copied a list but cannot find it a anywhere.

Go there: https://www.geocaching.com/account/lists

Hans

Edited January 26, 2018 by HHL

[+The A-Team]

57 minutes ago, d4wmike said:

I know where my list are. I copied one to share. But it is not showing up on my profile. 

Try clicking the option at the top of that page to switch to the old format. I seem to recall some members having issues with new lists not showing up on the new page, but showing up fine on the old page.

[+noncentric]

9 hours ago, thebruce0 said:

Couple of impromptu suggestions:
1. Imagine if the search results also noted which bookmark list(s) you had added the item to... 
2. or if you could select one of your lists as an additional search filter option?

I had been hoping that #2 would be added to the PQ page and posted the following mock-up somewhere in this forum last fall. Can't find the post now, but still have the image saved to my cpu. It would be great if a similar functionality could be used with the Advanced Search feature.

It would be great to be able to use a bookmark list as a base population, that could be filtered further. Without having to employ URL workarounds. Even being able to exclude Disabled caches from a list. That was my biggest pet peeve that prompted me to create the PQ mock-up. I load my solved puzzle list as a Bookmark List PQ, but that downloads all caches in the Bookmark List, even if they are disabled/archived. I'd like to be able to select the Bookmark List as my starting pop, then exclude disabled/archived, rather than having to delete the disabled/archived caches from the list entirely.

 

[+JL_HSTRE]

Would it be possible to have additional functionality to copy the contents of one list (including custom names and comments) to another existing list of the same user? In other words: to be able to merge lists.

[+frinklabs]

Is it a plan to extend this sort of functionality into the API?

 

[HiddenGnome]

Hello everyone! Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas and feedback. We are in the process of reviewing the ideas in order to continue adding incremental updates to the Lists functionality.

[+HHL]

It would be sweet if the HQ might consider to add a "RemoveGeocachesFromBookmarkList" to the Api.

Happy Coding
Hans

[+suedunkirkduo]

Love the sharing of lists. However, when I share a list of solved puzzles the solution and new coords do not transfer to the person that I am sharing the list with. 

Am I doing something wrong?

[+on4bam]

5 hours ago, suedunkirkduo said:

Love the sharing of lists. However, when I share a list of solved puzzles the solution and new coords do not transfer to the person that I am sharing the list with. 

Am I doing something wrong?

I can only hope that it's by design.

It wouldn't make sense to "give" corrected coordinates to anyone who can see your list (shared or public).

[+HHL]

7 hours ago, suedunkirkduo said:

[...] when I share a list of solved puzzles the solution and new coords do not transfer to the person that I am sharing the list with. 

Am I doing something wrong?

That's as expected. You are just sharing a list of codes - not the content (corrected coords etc.) itself. BM lists are just like links to the caches. If a recipient opens a cachepage from the BM list he will open it as he would do from the cache page. Youll have to create a GPX file to give away puzzle solutions.

Hans

[+suedunkirkduo]

Thanks for the info. Now I know what I need to do.

Thanks again and Happy Caching.

[+noncentric]

15 hours ago, suedunkirkduo said:

Thanks for the info. Now I know what I need to do.

Thanks again and Happy Caching.

FYI - Terms of Use

2. Use of Our Services

D.  Restrictions. Permission to use our services is subject to the following restrictions. Whether these restrictions have been violated shall be determined in our sole discretion. You agree not to:

iii.  se our services, including GPX files, for any purpose other than your personal use without our written permission.

[+HHL]

Creating a Gpx file by himself (with the help of BaseCamp, MapSource, GSAK, etc. ....) is not covered by the ToU.
But now we should stop being off topic. ;-)

Hans

Edited April 5, 2018 by HHL