Add A 'release Cache At Date/time' To Create Cache

[+GeoTravis]

I was wondering if Groundspeak could add a special feature to the

'Hide A Cache' form: A 'release at date and time?' option.

We will be having an event in my local

area, and it would be nice to release to the world any new caches that we

made for the event at an exact date and time (as the event cache starts).

I realize any new caches need to get approved, but if

we were to turn our caches in early and get approved early,

before the requested date, then either the cache maker could release it to

the world, or the cache could be released at an exact requested date and

time (so no one would have an advantage before our event cache date). I

would also like this feature for all my caches so I could tell everyone to

be looking at your web site at an exact date and time for any of my new

caches. Right now, other cachers keep constantly scanning the GeoCaching

web site all the time for any new caches that show up so they can be first to find.

You might event have a 'Release Status List' that shows only the name of the

cache (not its location) and its release time and approval status for

caches in the state (or local area). That way, others could look at this

list and know when a cache was approved and going to be released. That

way, they would only scan the web site after the release date and time for

any caches that catch their eye. Thank you for your time.

[+flask]

huh. i'm a fairly prominent FFWhore, AND i often ask for one of my releases to be held until a certain date (most recently because the requested date is the first one where the weather forecast calls for enough snow to cover my tracks), but yet i do not like this idea.

 

i wish i could be more articulate about why.

[Keystone]

Your friendly regional volunteer should be glad to work with you on the timing for cache releases in connection with event caches or other good reasons. We do this all the time. Use the existing "Note to Reviewer" field and type a note saying "PLEASE HOLD for approval on Saturday morning when the XYZ event is being held at this park."

 

I would worry that, if a field were to be included, the volunteers would be overwhelmed with custom requests just because the field was there, waiting to be filled out.

[+GeoTravis]

I would hope that after approval, it would be put in something like an 'Out Bin' Where the web site computer would take over at that point. No additional work or things for the approver to do - this is a computer system after all.

Another field that might be usefull could be: 'EMail GeoCachers when appoved' field to the create form so that the web site computer emails geocachers that are put on this list. I would use this to email local cachers as to my new cache. Anyway, just an idea...

[+gallahad]

With full credit to the fact that a member can communicate with the cache approval authority to make certain special arrangements, it would seem that including a "cache release date - not earlier than xxx" would save a lot of email exchange and, perhaps, thereby reduce the workload of the approver and the member. I like the idea. Ya got my vote.

[Keystone]

uhhh, there is no e-mail exchange required under the current system as I described in my prior post. I've just finished approving a cache where the owner requested a hold until Monday evening. Zero e-mails were needed. Owner leaves private note on page. Reviewer reads note. Reviewer does what's requested in note. Note is automatically deleted when cache is approved.

[+planetrobert]

uhhh, there is no e-mail exchange required under the current system as I described in my prior post. I've just finished approving a cache where the owner requested a hold until Monday evening. Zero e-mails were needed. Owner leaves private note on page. Reviewer reads note. Reviewer does what's requested in note. Note is automatically deleted when cache is approved.

so, like monday morning just before work when nobody will be able to get the cache is a good time right?

 

The idea has it's merits BUT i think it has too many drawbacks. If you want a cache held I like keystones idea of leaving a note on the page. that way you can place it well in advance and it will all go off as planned. I think letting the approvers do it is a much better solution for now as i see it

 

UNLESS

 

it could be automated where the approver approves it and then the server puts it on the site at the appointed time

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Another option might be to get the cache approved. As soon as it is approved you can disable the cache until the time you would like to re-enable it.

 

Just a thought.

 

John

[+gallahad]

uhhh, there is no e-mail exchange required under the current system as I described in my prior post. I've just finished approving a cache where the owner requested a hold until Monday evening. Zero e-mails were needed. Owner leaves private note on page. Reviewer reads note. Reviewer does what's requested in note. Note is automatically deleted when cache is approved.

Sorry Keystone, I musta read over that part. My apologies as, it is now apparent, such a feature would be essentially redundant.

[+Prime Suspect]

Another option might be to get the cache approved. As soon as it is approved you can disable the cache until the time you would like to re-enable it.

 

Just a thought.

 

John

Except that disabled caches are visible in the list, and anybody can bring up the cache page (and log a find for it, for that matter).

[+Sissy-n-CR]

Add to fact that an approver had to be manning the ship at the particular time--and be aware of it--for the present system to work.

 

With an automated system, the approver simply selects "approve immediately" or sets a time for it to go online. An email is shot to the owner notifying him of approval and time cache comes online. The work load would be decreased on the approver if there was such a system.

 

Question is, is there enough of a call for this to warrant the work to implement?

 

CR

[Keystone]

Question is, is there enough of a call for this to warrant the work to implement?

CR, you put your finger on it. While I am all in favor of cool new time-savers and functions on the website, I think there are a whole lot of things that would be higher up on the list of programming tasks than time-released cache approvals. The addition of the "Note to Reviewer" field was a huge step forward in efficiency and better communication between cache hiders and cache reviewers. That part of the process seems to be working fine. I get a request for a timed cache release maybe once or twice a month, almost always in connection with an event cache. If I am traveling to the event cache in question, I ask one of the other volunteers to take care of releasing the caches for me. That has happened twice in nine months. From where I sit, the system is well-suited to the current volume of activity.

[+Mopar]

Ok, just playing devil's advocate here.

Gallahad hides a cache today in Anytown State Park, but seeing the new field for release date, decides to release the cache on Friday night, to give all the weekend cachers a fair shake at FTF. So far, so good.

Now, CR decides that since there are no caches he can see in Anytown State Park, he's gonna go over there Thursday at lunch and hide one, so it can be approved by the weekend. Whoops, Gallahad picked a great area, because CR's new cache is 50ft away.

Problem, huh? CR had no way of knowing, Gallahad's cache was there, but now CR's has to be moved or archived.

 

From what KA says, there is not much call for this feature now. Mostly just around events, where all the placements are probably coordinated anyway.

 

If you added a field to the approval page, I imagine most cachers would use it, just because it's there. You could have caches placed weeks before the release date, essentially blocking an area from other caches, but with no way for other cache hiders to know about it.

 

I see it creating way more problems then it solves.