Naming Caches -- somethign to think about..

[+jollybgood]

This isn't a flame or a gripe. Nor is it a proposal for some new rule.

 

I thought I'd mention somethign I've noticed and give cache placers something to think about when they name their caches.

 

I've noticed a LOT of enthusiastic people like to give ALL their caches the same name.

 

For example, TOM'S BIG A$$ CACHE #1, TOM"S BIG A$$ CACHE #2, TOM"S BIG A$$CACHE #3, and so on.

 

Here's the problem. I like to use GeoBuddy to rename all the caches I download as a pocket query and replace those annoyuing GXXXXX code names with the actual name of the cache.

 

Now Geobuddy truncates the cache name so TOM'S BIG A$$ CACHE#1 ends up looking like "TOMSBIGA"

 

When it runs into a series of simililarly names caches it adds a letter at the end so in the example above "TOMBS BIG A$$ CACHE#1" becomes TOMSBIGAA and then next nearest Tom's Cache becomes "TOMSBIGAB" (which, mind you, isn't neccesairly Tom's Cache #2. It could be Tom's cache #4, #5 or whatever).

 

What this all means is that trying to find the right Cache Report on my PDA for the correct TOMSBIGA cache can really become a chore in itself.

 

So think about us poor saps who use Pocket Querys the next time you name those 15 caches you placed. How bout some unique names for each?

 

 

Oh, and another, perhaps better reason for unique cache names. A good cache name gives the finder something to pin his experience on and remember the hunt later.

 

For example is you tell me you logged Monster Sokie Island cache I'm immediately flooded with memories of that cache and the day I found it.

 

But if you tell me you logged Mystery Tube C, even though I logged that one I haven't a clue which cache it was. Even after going back and reading my log I'd bee hard pressed to tell you which Mystery Tube you're talking about.

 

Jolly R. Blackburn

http://kenzerco.com

"Never declare war on a man who buys his ink by the gallon."

[+Lil Devil]

You can use GPX Spinner to rename your caches and it will keep the numbers on the end and only truncate whatever comes before the numbers.

 

Lil Devil

[robertlipe]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jolly B Good:

 

For example, TOM'S BIG A$$ CACHE #1, TOM"S BIG A$$ CACHE #2, TOM"S BIG A$$CACHE #3, and so on.

 

...

 

Now Geobuddy truncates the cache name so TOM'S BIG A$$ CACHE#1 ends up looking like "TOMSBIGA"

---

 

Easy. Use software that doesn't suck.

 

GPSBabel will look for trailing numbers and preserve them. This covers 95% of the rambling named caches in my experience. (Two percent use roman numerals, two percent just use words and one percent has the number in the middle.) If you have mulitiples in the list that still can't uniquified after being given short names with trailing number preservation, GPSBabel will give them a serializing number and try to get the unique stuff into your waypoint description field in your unit. This was you can see you're at "Star Wars Episode 47: attack of the killer tomatoes" even though the waypoint name might be "StarWr.2" if you have a unit that only does eight character waypoint names.

 

Other programs do similar tricks, though they likely differ in the details.

 

But I agree with your wish that placers be more creative in their names, but good software makes it not a deal-breaker if they don't.

[+BeachBuddies]

I agree Jolly. I just looked back at my list of favorite caches, and they all have good names :-) Probably not a coincidence. If you're going to take enough time to hide a good cache, please take a few more minutes to think of a decent name!

 

Normally I'd like the name to have something to do with the hiding spot. Though I just violated that rule. We hid one on the 21st (the day the latest Harry Potter came out) called Order of the Phoenix. Then we used trivia questions from the books to determine the coordinates. I thought it might slow people down a little, but it was found within 24 hours hehe. Ah well, you can search for almost any answer on the internet nowdays. I'll have to resort to riddles next time :-)

 

-BeachBuddies

 

ps. Thanks very much for introducing geocaching to me. I keep meaning to write a letter to KoDT praising your work; it just keeps getting better and better!