New Feature - Log Cache Find Time

[+LazyCat]

I would like to see a Time field added to the cache log along with the date. The logs are sorted chronologically in the order that they are entered. I think it would be nice if the logger could put in the approximate time of the find. That way, the logs would be sorted in true chronological order of cache find, by date and time. Of course, if the logger didn't enter a time, it would default to the current time.

 

Thanks.

[+pghlooking]

That would be very cool.

[+fizzymagic]

This is one of many, many "easy to implement" features that we have been requesting for (literally) years now. This one is especially annoying since the time and date of the logs is already stored in the database; it jut sets the time to midnight for every log.

 

This feature would be especially useful to those of us who would like to preserve the order in which we found caches. As it is, I have ended up building my own database of cache finds that includes the time of the finds.

 

I've never seen any evidence that this has any priority at all.

 

In other words, I wouldn't hold your breath.

Edited September 2, 2005 by fizzymagic

[+Markwell]

This is one of many, many "easy to implement" features that we have been requesting for (literally) years now.  This one is especially annoying since the time and date of the logs is already stored in the database; it jut sets the time to midnight for every log.

 

This feature would be especially useful to those of us who would like to preserve the order in which we found caches.  As it is, I have ended up building my own database of cache finds that includes the time of the finds.

 

I've never seen any evidence that this has any priority at all.

 

In other words, I wouldn't hold your breath.

Storing the time of the logs and the time of the finds are two different things. I wouldn't think it would be THAT easy to implement (adding a whole field, modifying PQs, contacting all of the developers like GSAK and Watcher, blah, blah, blah...)

 

PLUS there will be people always who do NOT fill in the time because either A they don't know the time, or B they won't care enough to fill it in.

 

And then what do you do with the hundreds of thousands (is it millions?) of cache logs that currently do NOT have a time? Make them all midnight?

 

What about time zones?

 

The benefits, don't seem worth the effort of programmers to me.

Edited September 2, 2005 by Markwell

[+BalkanSabranje]

What about time zones?

That's easy to answer (and - there is always the same answer to similar questions):

 

Let's use

UTC.

 

BalkanSabranje

[+Marky]

This is one of many, many "easy to implement" features that we have been requesting for (literally) years now.  This one is especially annoying since the time and date of the logs is already stored in the database; it jut sets the time to midnight for every log.

 

This feature would be especially useful to those of us who would like to preserve the order in which we found caches.  As it is, I have ended up building my own database of cache finds that includes the time of the finds.

 

I've never seen any evidence that this has any priority at all.

 

In other words, I wouldn't hold your breath.

Storing the time of the logs and the time of the finds are two different things. I wouldn't think it would be THAT easy to implement (adding a whole field, modifying PQs, contacting all of the developers like GSAK and Watcher, blah, blah, blah...)

Like fizzy said, the field is already a datetime field, no additional field is needed. As for the time of log and time of find, the datetime already refers to when you found it, not when you logged it.

 

PLUS there will be people always who do NOT fill in the time because either A they don't know the time, or B they won't care enough to fill it in.

Having it default to midnight seems like it would be fine. It doesn't seem to bother anyone right now.

And then what do you do with the hundreds of thousands (is it millions?) of cache logs that currently do NOT have a time? Make them all midnight?

 

What about time zones?

 

The benefits, don't seem worth the effort of programmers to me.

While I'm sure there are some considerations regarding the issues you raised about default behavior, etc. I still see this not being much effort. Whether it is worth the minimal effort is another story...

 

--Marky

[+fizzymagic]

Storing the time of the logs and the time of the finds are two different things.  I wouldn't think it would be THAT easy to implement (adding a whole field, modifying PQs, contacting all of the developers like GSAK and Watcher, blah, blah, blah...)

You are completely incorrect. Come on, dude! Surely you know better than this!

 

None of those things have to be changed. Unless the database designer was insane, the find date is currently stored as a date/time variable in the main database. It is sent as a date and time in GPX files. Take a look.

 

No fields need to be added.

 

No third-party applications need to be changed.

 

All that needs to be added is a field on the cache logging where you can enter the time of the cache find.

 

Seriously, this is a trivial change.

 

In response to the further points you made:

 

PLUS there will be people always who do NOT fill in the time because either A they don't know the time, or B they won't care enough to fill it in.

 

Default value. Already being used now.

 

And then what do you do with the hundreds of thousands (is it millions?) of cache logs that currently do NOT have a time? Make them all midnight?

 

That's how they are being stored right now. Pull up a GPX file and take a look.

 

The benefits, don't seem worth the effort of programmers to me.

 

Yeah. Those 15 minutes it would take to implement would seriously impede many other projects.

[+Wacka]

Of course you could always type them in like I do.

[+StarBrand]

I too would like to see this feature and I am sure it would be relitively easy to implement - however, there are some potential pitfalls to it. Just sort of brainstorming here:

• fudging the time on your log to "look" like FTF
  
• droves of people not caring to fill it in - default time would list thier logs first
  
• time zone issues - my time or your time
  
• Use militay time or civilian time - if civilan - many will forget to change AM/PM correctly if default is AM
  
• others??
  

I think the community could work through these issues but one or more of them may be the reason this hasn't been implemented.

Edited September 2, 2005 by StarBrand

[+Prime Suspect]

If this is simply informational, there's nothing stopping the people who want to, from including the time in their log. If it's about the sort order, unless everyone enters the time (which will never happen), the sort order will never be right. In fact, if you go under that assumption that "earlier is better" (for new caches, at least) people who enter the time are actually getting penalized, since their posts will seem to be after those where the time was not entered.

[+tozainamboku]

What about time zones?

That's easy to answer (and - there is always the same answer to similar questions):

 

Let's use

UTC.

 

BalkanSabranje

Seems like I would want to enter the local date and time where I found the cache. Of course, if I fly to Tokyo to look for a cache and forget to set my watch I may get it wrong . I don't really see a reason for storing the date and time in the database as UTC either. I'm not going to compare when I found a cache in California to when you found one in Slovakia.

[+Yamar]

If this is simply informational, there's nothing stopping the people who want to, from including the time in their log.

Informational items which are tagged-meta-data are much more valuable than the data before it was tagged. You can do a lot more with it and the formatting is fixed and thus is easily searchable, etc.

 

Otherwise, why do we have a date field at all? Why do we need all that data in the GPX file to be tagged. It's just informational right? Tag the tags out and pass it around as text, and you'd be just as happy?

[+robert]

If this is simply informational, there's nothing stopping the people who want to, from including the time in their log. If it's about the sort order, unless everyone enters the time (which will never happen), the sort order will never be right. In fact, if you go under that assumption that "earlier is better" (for new caches, at least) people who enter the time are actually getting penalized, since their posts will seem to be after those where the time was not entered.

I just click found and go to the next one in my GPS. I wouldn't pay any attention to the time. Can you imagine if Lep and Carleen had to enter in all the times for their GWII cache run?

[+Markwell]

No fields need to be added.

You're right. I was thinking of adding an additional field for time, as since the entry of the date found is a series of drop down menus, I didn't think that most people would know how to enter it. I have less confidence in end-users than most.

 

It would still need and additional form field on the cache log page, but of course, that's easy enough.

 

Can you imagine if Lep and Carleen had to enter in all the times for their GWII cache run?

 

The key words are "had to". No one is suggesting mandating the time.

Edited September 2, 2005 by Markwell

[+Amtraker]

I asked for this feature before too and really would like to have it! People who don't want to use it can continue to just select the date.

 

For me, my log entries in My Account would all be sorted correctly in reverse chronological order instead of the current order of reverse chronological order by date but FORWARD chronological order by time (all entries being midnight)

 

however, there are some potential pitfalls to it. Just sort of brainstorming here

Here's my 2 cents:

• fudging the time on your log to "look" like FTF
  People can already fudge the date so this is a non-issue.
  
• droves of people not caring to fill it in - default time would list thier logs first
  Set the default time to be 23:59:59.99. Those that don't bother to enter their time will be at the end of the date's list of log entries.
  
• time zone issues - my time or your time
  Should be the Date & Time of your find AT the cache location.
  
• Use militay time or civilian time - if civilan - many will forget to change AM/PM correctly if default is AM
  Similarly I often get the date wrong when I log after midnight. Simplest to use military time or a pop-up menu with times in say every 15 minutes with both AM and PM times in the pop-up menu. I'm sure we are all used to entering times like this for our appointments in Outlook, PDA, etc.