Can I use the official Geocaching App and log drafts for multiple accounts?

[+psubrian]

Starting to get back into the swing of things after a bit of hiatus and family all have their own accounts.  Doing draft logs works great for me, but my boys don't have their own phones so I'm wondering if there's a way to "download" the drafts so I can upload them into their accounts?  I used to use another app called Geosphere that would allow this and it was great - unfortunately that's died off a long time ago now.

 

If there's not a way to do this, any recommendations or tips & tricks of how to allow my boys to log their caches more efficiently than doing a continual compare to my logs to make sure they capture all of the same caches?

[+Smitherington]

I should think you could save it as a note on other software using cut and paste.  Then another cut and paste for logging in another account.

 

For instance there is a Notes app on my iPhone that I use to type my basic log and then I can cut (copy) and paste to customize the log for each cache.

[+peter-tvm]

It you are using an other app than Geocaching® there might be an option to export field notes, if you yourself have saved them as drafts/off-line. That file includes all caches and their log status and can be imported to other accounts draft pages.

 

There might also be one app that can handle multiple accounts at the same time, but I have forgotten wich app it was.

[+IAmTipy]

As of September 2021, the official Geocaching app does not have a built-in feature to log drafts for multiple accounts and share them between devices. Each account is meant to be managed individually with its own set of logs. Therefore, you won't find a direct way to download drafts and then upload them into your boys' accounts.

However, there are some workarounds you can try to help your boys log their caches more efficiently:

 

1. Shared Device: Since your boys don't have their own phones, you can designate one device (a tablet or a family phone) specifically for geocaching. When you go geocaching together, you can log the finds and draft logs for all of you on this shared device, and then later, when you have access to your individual phones, you can log them into your respective accounts.

 

2. Offline Lists: The Geocaching app allows you to create offline lists of geocaches. You can create separate lists for each member of the family and add the caches you find to the appropriate lists during your geocaching outings. Then, when you have access to their accounts, you can log the caches from the corresponding lists.

 

3. Take Photos: While geocaching, take photos of the found caches and any memorable moments during your outings. Later, when you have access to their accounts, you can use these photos as a reference to help your boys log their finds accurately.

 

4. Note-taking: Encourage your boys to keep a small notebook or use a notes app on the shared device to jot down the cache codes and brief notes about each find. This way, they can quickly log their caches into their accounts when you have the opportunity.

 

5. Future Developments: Keep an eye out for any updates or new features introduced by the Geocaching app. Developers may add functionalities in the future based on user feedback and demands.

 

If you find that the Geocaching app's limitations are hindering your family's geocaching experience, you might consider reaching out to the app's support team or exploring other third-party geocaching apps that could potentially offer the features you need. Always be cautious when using third-party apps and ensure they comply with Geocaching's terms of use to avoid any issues with your accounts.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Nilebb

[+psubrian]

4 hours ago, Nilebb said:

As of September 2021, the official Geocaching app does not have a built-in feature to log drafts for multiple accounts and share them between devices. Each account is meant to be managed individually with its own set of logs. Therefore, you won't find a direct way to download drafts and then upload them into your boys' accounts.

However, there are some workarounds you can try to help your boys log their caches more efficiently:

 

1. Shared Device: Since your boys don't have their own phones, you can designate one device (a tablet or a family phone) specifically for geocaching. When you go geocaching together, you can log the finds and draft logs for all of you on this shared device, and then later, when you have access to your individual phones, you can log them into your respective accounts.

 

2. Offline Lists: The Geocaching app allows you to create offline lists of geocaches. You can create separate lists for each member of the family and add the caches you find to the appropriate lists during your geocaching outings. Then, when you have access to their accounts, you can log the caches from the corresponding lists.

 

3. Take Photos: While geocaching, take photos of the found caches and any memorable moments during your outings. Later, when you have access to their accounts, you can use these photos as a reference to help your boys log their finds accurately.

 

4. Note-taking: Encourage your boys to keep a small notebook or use a notes app on the shared device to jot down the cache codes and brief notes about each find. This way, they can quickly log their caches into their accounts when you have the opportunity.

 

5. Future Developments: Keep an eye out for any updates or new features introduced by the Geocaching app. Developers may add functionalities in the future based on user feedback and demands.

 

If you find that the Geocaching app's limitations are hindering your family's geocaching experience, you might consider reaching out to the app's support team or exploring other third-party geocaching apps that could potentially offer the features you need. Always be cautious when using third-party apps and ensure they comply with Geocaching's terms of use to avoid any issues with your accounts.

Umm, you're awesome!  Thanks for the detailed follow-up and understanding exactly what I was looking to accomplish.  I'm interested in more about this shared device concept.  I'm not really sure how it would be any different than me drafting logs on my own phone.  How do you propose the draft logs on this "shared device" end up in each respective device?  With a former app, I could export out the drafts, then upload them to each account individually and fill out the rest of the log.  I'm attempting to save time from having to go back and type in the GC code and the date for each cache.  When its just a few geocaches, no big deal, but after our 2 week road trip, 60+ caches x 4 family member is a lot of repetitive "search for the GC code, get the right date" that I used to be able to eliminate with importing draft logs.  (No issue with typing new/unique logs each time - just trying to save effort on the initial part.)

[+cerberus1]

8 hours ago, psubrian said:

  When its just a few geocaches, no big deal, but after our 2 week road trip, 60+ caches x 4 family member is a lot of repetitive "search for the GC code, get the right date" that I used to be able to eliminate with importing draft logs.  (No issue with typing new/unique logs each time - just trying to save effort on the initial part.)

 

We know a lot of parents that have a Trackable in each child's name.  They use them to "visit" each cache their child was with them on.

It's the "Visit" option on the Trackable dropdown you access for your "Found It" log.

Most cases it's kids not having their own account yet, for recordkeeping when older (if interested), but this should work the same. 

Using the Trackable's page, simply access each cache by the link to every cache it visited.                   Not sure that helps...