Can you go back and change your old find logs?

[+RockstarMom]

I am curious if I can go back and change / edit my log on some found caches? I tried to click the smiley faces on my map and then on my actual log but it didn't offer me any way to change it.

 

I have been logging my finds with my phone so I wouldn't lose track of which one it was. However, I naively wrote something short like TFTC or "found it" because it asks for something when you log it and it's quicker when its a phone. After reading here and other geocaching forums, I realize that this can be a let down for the cache owner and some owners really enjoy reading about the experiences of the finders. So, I figure if they put out the effort of hiding it I can put the effort in to write something more substantial about my experience.

 

I have been designing my own puzzle/multi-cache and now realize how much time, thought and effort can go into these. I just don't feel like TFTC is enough to show my appreciation and plan to show that in my new logs, I was just hoping I might be able to fix some of the last ones I have found.

 

Thank you

[+kunarion]

You may edit previously posted logs on the website geocaching.com.  When I started caching, I edited my logs to provide more information, once I realized that people prefer more than just “TFTC”. 

[+MartyBartfast]

Yes you can, exactly how depends on where you're viewing the log but  if looking on the main cache page and find your log entry and click the "Edit Log" link at the bottom:-

 

[Johannis10]

45 minutes ago, RockstarMom said:

... and some owners really enjoy reading about the experiences of the finders.

Good idea, I like that, but notice that most of the cacheowners and the cachers from the watchlist, don't notice when you're changing your logs. If you like that they notice it, you can delete the old log an write an new one. Greetings Johannis10

[+cerberus1]

Only 25 corrections now, so if you feel you really need to, go for it.  

We never had that issue, sometimes folks saying we're  (okay...me...) too wordy..

 - But if me, I'd call it a learning experience and simply start anew the next day with a lengthy, happy log

The fact that CO will never see your fix until looking for something is the biggest reason...

[+Goldenwattle]

I like the idea of you making a better log. Nice idea. Even if the CO never sees it, others reading through the logs will likely see it, and think better of you for a good log, than just a TFTC log. Even if you decided to only write better logs from here on, that good too. I know some of my early logs, although never only TFTC (I don't think), were basic.

 

A question on log changing. If someone changed the type of log, say a note or DNF to a find, is the cache owner notified? It doesn't matter so much if they aren't when someone only changes the writing (and in fact, there's no need for the CO to get a notification for every spelling correction), but if someone changes the type of log it would be apt to notify the CO. Otherwise, this could be a back door for armchair loggers.

[+niraD]

56 minutes ago, Goldenwattle said:

A question on log changing. If someone changed the type of log, say a note or DNF to a find, is the cache owner notified?

No. The owner and watchers are not notified when a log is changed (either its content or its type).

[+Goldenwattle]

29 minutes ago, niraD said:

No. The owner and watchers are not notified when a log is changed (either its content or its type).

That's what I figured, but I have never tested it. Shame, as it should be notified to the CO.

[+The Leprechauns]

Paying members at Project-GC.com can choose to receive a daily notification email that alerts the CO to any edits on logs to their owned caches.  It's a nice feature.

[+Isonzo Karst]

I had a cache   unfound for 5 years.  Hiker/cacher moved into the area, and found it.

The original log was,  "tftc". 

Several months later,   finder deleted the original log, and correctly back dated a new log. It was a nice log, and included pics. Very pleasant.  He's now done this several times.  I assume the tftc log is just quick and easy out in the field from phone. sometimes he deletes later and posts more, sometimes not. 

 

But delete and then post new with the correct date is the way to go.

[+Hynz]

14 hours ago, RockstarMom said:

I just don't feel like TFTC is enough to show my appreciation and plan to show that in my new logs, I was just hoping I might be able to fix some of the last ones I have found.

Thank you.

2 minutes ago, Isonzo Karst said:

But delete and then post new with the correct date is the way to go.

I agree but more and more I think App user often don't know or consider that there is a webpage offering a bit more possibilities.

 

I just found out that when logging on the GC-App you are completely restricted:

*) you can not change the text

*) you can not change the date

*) you can not delete the log

*) when logging, the date is automaticaly set to the current date. No way of adjusting/correcting it.

*) you can not easily find you own log down the log history

*) not even the date of your own find is shown

 

This rigit frame of possibilities is unfortunately educating smartphone users to log quickly in the field, and write only short logs.

While I get it that you don't want to overload a GUI on a small screen with features rarely used it still should be possible to performe above tasks.

 

[+Jayeffel]

If you want,onn the phone app when logging a Find/DNF you can opt to make it a draft. This will allow you to at least get a log started and then when back in the coil, of your house at your main computer on the Geocaching.com locate Drafts- then you can edit all you want, correct spelling etc, then publish the log.

 

I do tend to forget that and make a log on the phone app then need to go the computer to edit the log. Either way works. You cannot edit the log from the phone app.

[+SamLowrey]

Yeah I use draft usually unless logging FTF.  

[+niraD]

1 hour ago, Isonzo Karst said:

But delete and then post new with the correct date is the way to go.

One downside of this approach is that you lose one tenth of a Favorites Point. The first Find log for a cache counts towards your Favorites Points. But if you delete that and log another Find, the second (and subsequent) Find logs don't count.

 

Or at least that's the way it used to work, unless they've fixed it.

[+kimsu71]

10 hours ago, niraD said:

One downside of this approach is that you lose one tenth of a Favorites Point. The first Find log for a cache counts towards your Favorites Points. But if you delete that and log another Find, the second (and subsequent) Find logs don't count.

 

Or at least that's the way it used to work, unless they've fixed it.

I've been geocaching since 2018 and deleted some logs, some by purpose and one by accident but never noticed that deleting and rewriting would affect favorite points. I suppose this has been fixed.

[+colleda]

On 6/30/2021 at 1:05 PM, Goldenwattle said:

That's what I figured, but I have never tested it. Shame, as it should be notified to the CO.

I think I posted that as an irk some time ago.

As a CO I anticipate the pleasure of reading logs, especially FTF, on new caches I put out. What spoils this pleasure is when finders, almost always FTFers, log a Found It "full log to follow" not realising that when they later update the Found It (some never do) the CO is not notified and has to search back through finds to see what happened. IMO it would be better if they logged a WN, which would alert others that the FTF has been had, then log the Found It later, after which they can delete the WN.

 

[+RockstarMom]

Thanks for all of the good tips. I have been making lists now and I do a printout of them so I can write notes and solve puzzles easier. This makes it easier to go home and sit down on the website and write things with all 10 of my fingers instead of my 2 thumbs =).

 

Also, I was not going to go back and fix all of them. LOL I'm nice but not that nice. Without meaning to be unappreciative or negative, not all of them were memorable enough to inspire me to want to write up something. At first I was just grabbing everything that was close to me not realizing that all caches aren't created equal. Now I know how to pick and choose the ones that the CO has put some thought into and will make sure I show that appreciation.

 

I didn't want to start winging it and clicking things without knowing what they did, so thank you to everyone...

 

( funny story a little off topic)

I've had to trial and error a lot. I tried to log a cache that was part of a series where you had to collect a letter at each one to spell something. A conservation district series where you got a cool coin. On the GC app, when you go to "log" it says 3 things. DNF, Found it and write note.  When you click found it, it automatically opens up for you to write a note with your log. So I assumed that "write note" would be a note to myself where I could save the letter "A" for the puzzle I solved. However, "write note" posts the same place the note for "found it" posts and I just put up the dadgum letter for everyone to see. So I had to google how to delete a log but I had no service for a web page. So I drove like a bat out of hell trying to get into service so I could google how to delete it. It was only up like 5 minutes but I got it taken down. However, even though I fixed it the conservation district still saw I put up the answer and I got a nasty gram from them.      (which I deserved) I felt like a total idiot.

 

Thank you all again!

RSM

[+thebruce0]

On 6/30/2021 at 12:51 AM, The Leprechauns said:

Paying members at Project-GC.com can choose to receive a daily notification email that alerts the CO to any edits on logs to their owned caches.  It's a nice feature.

Including the notification of uploaded images. That's wonderful.

[+Max and 99]

48 minutes ago, RockstarMom said:

( funny story a little off topic)

I've had to trial and error a lot. I tried to log a cache that was part of a series where you had to collect a letter at each one to spell something. A conservation district series where you got a cool coin. On the GC app, when you go to "log" it says 3 things. DNF, Found it and write note.  When you click found it, it automatically opens up for you to write a note with your log. So I assumed that "write note" would be a note to myself where I could save the letter "A" for the puzzle I solved. However, "write note" posts the same place the note for "found it" posts and I just put up the dadgum letter for everyone to see. So I had to google how to delete a log but I had no service for a web page. So I drove like a bat out of hell trying to get into service so I could google how to delete it. It was only up like 5 minutes but I got it taken down. However, even though I fixed it the conservation district still saw I put up the answer and I got a nasty gram from them.      (which I deserved) I felt like a total idiot.

That's hilarious. Lesson learned!