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Geocaching for Android 3.1 Release Notes


nkroy

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Ramp up your geocaching prowess with a new look and feel that helps make finding and logging geocaches easier (both are good things).

・ New geocache details screen

・ New, simplified, logging a geocache screen

・ More accurate compass

・ Edit and delete waypoints

・ New language support for Japanese

・ Bug fixes to stabilize the app

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I just loaded the update and took a quick look.

 

I can't say I am thrilled at the amount of real estate taken up by each cache in a cache list. I seems there is a good bit of wasted white space.

 

However, it seemed to load a bit faster and the cache detail pages are much more streamlined. The only concern I have about the new layout is the huge "Found It" button in the middle of the page. I am afraid that will encourgae noobs to log everything using a "Found It" log rather than the appropriate log even more than they already do. The menu button on the right of that bar was neither obvious nor intuitive. It took me a second to notice it as the way to get to other log types.

 

Overall I like the way this is heading. I'll have to try it out in the field this weekend to see how it really performs.

 

Thanks for working on it. Nice to see frequent updates on this. Looking forward to some of the other requested improvements (see user notes, map corrected coords, easier waypoint addition and navigation, etc.) coming in later once this redesign work is done.

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Still having to manually scroll the map to keep up with the my location dot :mad:

 

Its much better to keep the dot in the screen centre with the map refreshing with movement like the old app did and what the iOS app still does.

Edited by -OZZ-
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Still having to manually scroll the map to keep up with the my location dot :mad:

 

Its much better to keep the dot in the screen centre with the map refreshing with movement like the old app did and what the iOS app still does.

 

Are you referring to the map showing nearby caches, or the map seen when navigating to a particular cache?

 

If the former, keep in mind that the map is not a moving map - it will not refresh the caches as you move (either on the iPhone app or the Android app). If the latter, the map should be autozooming as you approach the cache to keep both your current position and the cache position in view.

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Have the other problems been addressed?

 

Does it use the local date as the date of the log or does it still use Seattle time?

 

Does it download the corrected coordinates from the cache page?

 

If not it is not going to be of any use to a lot of cachers.

 

The issue with timestamps on logs is not a problem with the app, but with the way timestamps are handled in general throughout the database (affecting web site, API, etc.). It is a much more complicated problem to fix than it looks like from the outside, but one that the team is very aware of and looking to address.

 

The issue of corrected coordinates is also one that the team is aware of and on which they are discussing proper implementations even as I write this. It requires API changes, and then changes to the app to properly consume those changes.

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Still having to manually scroll the map to keep up with the my location dot :mad:

 

Its much better to keep the dot in the screen centre with the map refreshing with movement like the old app did and what the iOS app still does.

 

Are you referring to the map showing nearby caches, or the map seen when navigating to a particular cache?

 

If the former, keep in mind that the map is not a moving map - it will not refresh the caches as you move (either on the iPhone app or the Android app). If the latter, the map should be autozooming as you approach the cache to keep both your current position and the cache position in view.

 

I don't mean to speak for OZZ, but I think what is meant is when you have the map up, the map does not move with your location, not that new caches don't show up.

 

If you pull up the map and you drive along for a spell and then look at the map, it has not moved and you have to scroll the map until you find your location represented by the little blue dot. Having the map move and keep your location in the center would be ideal. Then to find new caches, just hit the "search here" button instead of having to "find yourself" first.

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I tried using the app to locate a cache on my way home from work this evening. Unfortunately, the compass could not even come close to keeping up or maintaining proper orientation. For example, at one point I was driving straight north and the compass was showing I was headed southeast. When I got close to the cache in question, the distance looked about right, but when the cache was directly to my east, the compass was showing that it was to my northwest.

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Still having to manually scroll the map to keep up with the my location dot :mad:

 

Its much better to keep the dot in the screen centre with the map refreshing with movement like the old app did and what the iOS app still does.

 

Are you referring to the map showing nearby caches, or the map seen when navigating to a particular cache?

 

If the former, keep in mind that the map is not a moving map - it will not refresh the caches as you move (either on the iPhone app or the Android app). If the latter, the map should be autozooming as you approach the cache to keep both your current position and the cache position in view.

 

I don't mean to speak for OZZ, but I think what is meant is when you have the map up, the map does not move with your location, not that new caches don't show up.

 

If you pull up the map and you drive along for a spell and then look at the map, it has not moved and you have to scroll the map until you find your location represented by the little blue dot. Having the map move and keep your location in the center would be ideal. Then to find new caches, just hit the "search here" button instead of having to "find yourself" first.

 

That's correct, that's what the old android app did and what the iOS app still does :lol:

 

OK, after selecting a cache from the list, press the "navigate" arrow and wait for the GPS to lock. Tap the android soft menu button and tap the My Location button (Circle with dot in middle with marks at NSEW). The map will then zoom in to your location with the blue dot in the centre of the screen. Now here lies the problem, with the old android app and with the current iOS app the blue dot should remain constantly in the centre of the screen with the map updating as you move. As you get closer to the cache the cache marker comes into view. The new android app doesn't do this, the map stays fixed and the blue dot moves off the screen and disappears which is a pain when your trying to navigate to a cache on a bike or as a passenger in a car, you end up missing it!!

 

A quick demonstration of how it should work is the default android Maps app, the flashing blue arrow remains in the centre of the screen at all times and the map moves as you travel.

 

Hope this explains it!!

Edited by -OZZ-
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Hi. How do I add a cache to my offline list? There used to be a button to press to add a cache to a list and another button to remove a cache from the list. I've hunted high and low (but obviously not in the right spot) and cannot find where this function has been moved to. Please help! Thanks.

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Hi. How do I add a cache to my offline list? There used to be a button to press to add a cache to a list and another button to remove a cache from the list. I've hunted high and low (but obviously not in the right spot) and cannot find where this function has been moved to. Please help! Thanks.

 

You should see your menu icon in the upper right corner...most likely 3 vertical dots. Tap that. In the menu that appears tap on the 3rd item, "Save to Offline List".

 

To remove a cache from a list, go to the list, pull up the cache, tap the menu icon, and the 4th item is "Remove from Offline List".

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Hi. How do I add a cache to my offline list? There used to be a button to press to add a cache to a list and another button to remove a cache from the list. I've hunted high and low (but obviously not in the right spot) and cannot find where this function has been moved to. Please help! Thanks.

 

You should see your menu icon in the upper right corner...most likely 3 vertical dots. Tap that. In the menu that appears tap on the 3rd item, "Save to Offline List".

 

To remove a cache from a list, go to the list, pull up the cache, tap the menu icon, and the 4th item is "Remove from Offline List".

Thanks for the response but, when I tap on the triple dots (on the summary page of the cache that I want to add to an offline list which is not already in one of my Offline lists), my third option is "Add To Favourites". This option doesn't work if I just want to add a new cache to my Offline List.

 

I have just checked the summary page for a cache which is already in one of my offline lists and it has the menu item just as you have described! What about if I am viewing/adding caches that I do not already have in Offline Lists?

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Hi. How do I add a cache to my offline list? There used to be a button to press to add a cache to a list and another button to remove a cache from the list. I've hunted high and low (but obviously not in the right spot) and cannot find where this function has been moved to. Please help! Thanks.

 

You should see your menu icon in the upper right corner...most likely 3 vertical dots. Tap that. In the menu that appears tap on the 3rd item, "Save to Offline List".

 

To remove a cache from a list, go to the list, pull up the cache, tap the menu icon, and the 4th item is "Remove from Offline List".

Thanks for the response but, when I tap on the triple dots (on the summary page of the cache that I want to add to an offline list which is not already in one of my Offline lists), my third option is "Add To Favourites". This option doesn't work if I just want to add a new cache to my Offline List.

 

I have just checked the summary page for a cache which is already in one of my offline lists and it has the menu item just as you have described! What about if I am viewing/adding caches that I do not already have in Offline Lists?

 

Hmm. I just checked on mine again. I pulled up a cache, tapped the menu, and when the menu came up it was just as you said for a moment, then it changed so that the 'add to offline' appeared 3rd and the 'add to favorites' was 4th. It happened quite quickly and I never noticed that before.

 

All I can sugget at this point is to try the same thing and when the menu first comes up, wait a moment or 2 and see if it changes for you as it did for me.

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I don't mean to speak for OZZ, but I think what is meant is when you have the map up, the map does not move with your location, not that new caches don't show up.

 

That's correct Hunters of feral Tupperware (great user name), that's what the old android app did and what the iOS app still does :lol:

 

Sorry, I misread what you meant by "refreshing"! I understand what you mean now and will get a bug in on this.

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I don't mean to speak for OZZ, but I think what is meant is when you have the map up, the map does not move with your location, not that new caches don't show up.

 

That's correct Hunters of feral Tupperware (great user name), that's what the old android app did and what the iOS app still does :lol:

 

Sorry, I misread what you meant by "refreshing"! I understand what you mean now and will get a bug in on this.

 

Thanks, Moun10bike!

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Hmm. I just checked on mine again. I pulled up a cache, tapped the menu, and when the menu came up it was just as you said for a moment, then it changed so that the 'add to offline' appeared 3rd and the 'add to favorites' was 4th. It happened quite quickly and I never noticed that before.

 

All I can sugget at this point is to try the same thing and when the menu first comes up, wait a moment or 2 and see if it changes for you as it did for me.

 

That delay occurs as the app pulls in the site data. Only when fully loaded are you able to save for offline use.

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Hmm. I just checked on mine again. I pulled up a cache, tapped the menu, and when the menu came up it was just as you said for a moment, then it changed so that the 'add to offline' appeared 3rd and the 'add to favorites' was 4th. It happened quite quickly and I never noticed that before.

 

All I can sugget at this point is to try the same thing and when the menu first comes up, wait a moment or 2 and see if it changes for you as it did for me.

 

That delay occurs as the app pulls in the site data. Only when fully loaded are you able to save for offline use.

 

Cool. Thanks for the insight.

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Had a chance to check v3.1 of the app out on my Motorola Defy+ and my dads HTC Desire S phones on a 39 cache circuit today.

 

Vast improvement on GPS response. Locked to my location straight away, the distance to cache counted down quickly and the my location blue dot moved properly with my movement. Big thumbs up on this one as the previous version was ghastly! Compass accurate and pointed in the correct direction all the time too :)

 

Photos, trackables and favourites are easily accessible too.

 

Just a couple of niggles though:

 

A few force close issues on both mobiles when posting logs. Tap on the post log arrow then after a few seconds a force close message appeared.

 

The buttons for Send Later and Post log are too close together for my liking. Easy to tap the wrong button.

 

I saved the caches as an offline list and viewed them in map mode and list mode on the way round. In list mode all the found caches had smilies attached to them but in map mode none did until I exited to the main menu and then back into offline lists again.

 

Keep the improvements coming!

 

Thanks, Ozz

Edited by -OZZ-
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That delay occurs as the app pulls in the site data. Only when fully loaded are you able to save for offline use.

 

Cool. Thanks for the insight.

 

Thanks all for the responses. I have been testing these approaches and this is what I have found:

1. View a map of caches; tap a cache that I have not already loaded in an Offline List - cache summary page loads; tap 3 dots and wait a couple of seconds - "Add to Offline List" option appears - YAY!

BUT

2. Search for a cache ID that I don't already have in an Offline List - cache summary page appears; tap 3 dots - doesn't matter how long I wait - "Add to Offline List" does not appear.

 

My work around for #2 is that from the 3 dots, I tap Find Nearby Caches; tap the cache I'm wanting to add (hopefully I know which one it is) and then from that Summary Page I can add it to the Offline List.

 

Pretty sure #2 is a bug that needs to be fixed because the workaround is counter intuitive and only useful if I can identify the cache I want from the map..

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The issue of corrected coordinates is also one that the team is aware of and on which they are discussing proper implementations even as I write this. It requires API changes, and then changes to the app to properly consume those changes.

 

Really? GSAK and NeonGeo both use the API and both deal with corrected coordinates adequately. GSAK picks up the correction when the cache data is refreshed over the API.

 

It's not ideal, but asking users refresh the data the first time to pick up the corrections should be an adequate interim solution.

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I used the new v3.1 yesterday for geocaching and noticed three usability issues:

 

1. When viewing an Offline List in list view, the distance to the caches from your current location is no longer shown. I use Offline Lists a lot for when I travel in areas with no cell service. It's important for me to be able to tell, like in the older version, how far away these caches actually are.

 

2. When writing logs, the text doesn't wrap. It scrolls left-to-right, which makes it hard to see what you've actually written. Bring back text wrapping.

 

3. When you submit a log, there is no acknowledgement you've actually clicked the "Submit" button until the log goes through. If you're in an area with spotty cell service where it might take a while for the log to go through, you can't leave the log page unless you Save for Later. When I click the "Submit" button, it should work like the previous version and take me back to the cache page so I can continue on. When the log is actually submitted, just display the brief status note.

 

I do hope the corrected coordinates get fixed soon. The Groundspeak staff has been saying a fix was in the works for over a year. I'd rather see effort be spent on major usability issues like that than visual restyling.

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Hmm. I just checked on mine again. I pulled up a cache, tapped the menu, and when the menu came up it was just as you said for a moment, then it changed so that the 'add to offline' appeared 3rd and the 'add to favorites' was 4th. It happened quite quickly and I never noticed that before.

 

All I can sugget at this point is to try the same thing and when the menu first comes up, wait a moment or 2 and see if it changes for you as it did for me.

 

That delay occurs as the app pulls in the site data. Only when fully loaded are you able to save for offline use.

 

If you search for a cache by its GC code, you don't get the option to add it to an Offline List.

Edited by bitmapped
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Hmm. I just checked on mine again. I pulled up a cache, tapped the menu, and when the menu came up it was just as you said for a moment, then it changed so that the 'add to offline' appeared 3rd and the 'add to favorites' was 4th. It happened quite quickly and I never noticed that before.

 

All I can sugget at this point is to try the same thing and when the menu first comes up, wait a moment or 2 and see if it changes for you as it did for me.

 

That delay occurs as the app pulls in the site data. Only when fully loaded are you able to save for offline use.

 

If you search for a cache by its GC code, you don't get the option to add it to an Offline List.

 

Yep, you're right! Just tried it here and got the same results.

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Hmm. I just checked on mine again. I pulled up a cache, tapped the menu, and when the menu came up it was just as you said for a moment, then it changed so that the 'add to offline' appeared 3rd and the 'add to favorites' was 4th. It happened quite quickly and I never noticed that before.

 

All I can sugget at this point is to try the same thing and when the menu first comes up, wait a moment or 2 and see if it changes for you as it did for me.

 

That delay occurs as the app pulls in the site data. Only when fully loaded are you able to save for offline use.

 

If you search for a cache by its GC code, you don't get the option to add it to an Offline List.

 

Yep, you're right! Just tried it here and got the same results.

 

Yes, that issue was reported here and is in our bug queue now. Thanks!

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Hi, 1 week ago you could view online a cache and then save it to an offline listing on a new tablet. but this company decided to take this option off the updated version.

 

can anyone tell me how to use this app to find caches when you cant me connected to the internet.

 

i used to be able to saved the cache listing to an offline listing, then go out with my kids and bring up the offline saved caches to find the cache. but you cant do that now. why.? what good is this app if you cant use it to find caches??????????????????????

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1. When viewing an Offline List in list view, the distance to the caches from your current location is no longer shown. I use Offline Lists a lot for when I travel in areas with no cell service. It's important for me to be able to tell, like in the older version, how far away these caches actually are.

Not only that, when you view an offline list in list view, the GPS icon at the top of the screen disappears, indicating the app is not using your GPS at all in that situation.

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Ever since the update on my Adroid phone to Version 3.1 the other day, every geocache that I pull up does not offer the option to locate it because it says that I have already found it. What? My husband has the exact same problem on his Android. So for now, we cannot use our phnone apps to navigate to any new cache. Is there going to be a fix anytime soon for this?

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Ramp up your geocaching prowess with a new look and feel that helps make finding and logging geocaches easier (both are good things).

・ New geocache details screen

・ New, simplified, logging a geocache screen

・ More accurate compass

・ Edit and delete waypoints

・ New language support for Japanese

・ Bug fixes to stabilize the app

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As mentioned by bitmapped, I too played with the offline mode and experienced the non text wrapping.

I also however noticed that I could not log the cache as found, only write a note, then save for later.

Upon submission of found caches, I had to go to each page, and edit my note and change to found.

Will be playing with it again later today, and will see if I am overlooking something, but so far, it appears not.

EDIT TO ADD:

Today I was VERY careful as not to use the offline options. Of the 16 found, only 3 show as "found it" instead of a note.

Edited by trignet
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One issue I've noticed is that when using the android app to make a log entry or write a field note, there is no "return" key on the virtual keyboard. Thus requiring me to write everything in one long continuous string without the ability to start the next thought on a new line. Even with punctuation, this makes for some rather awkward reading. I can only assume that this is related to the app and not my device, since all the other apps I have do include a "return" key on the virtual keyboard. Is this actually the case, or am I just missing something?

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One issue I've noticed is that when using the android app to make a log entry or write a field note, there is no "return" key on the virtual keyboard. Thus requiring me to write everything in one long continuous string without the ability to start the next thought on a new line. Even with punctuation, this makes for some rather awkward reading. I can only assume that this is related to the app and not my device, since all the other apps I have do include a "return" key on the virtual keyboard. Is this actually the case, or am I just missing something?

Yep, it's a bug. Just checked with mobile and they have a fix for it in the next update...which should be coming out soon. :)

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One issue I've noticed is that when using the android app to make a log entry or write a field note, there is no "return" key on the virtual keyboard. Thus requiring me to write everything in one long continuous string without the ability to start the next thought on a new line. Even with punctuation, this makes for some rather awkward reading. I can only assume that this is related to the app and not my device, since all the other apps I have do include a "return" key on the virtual keyboard. Is this actually the case, or am I just missing something?

Yep, it's a bug. Just checked with mobile and they have a fix for it in the next update...which should be coming out soon. :)

Along those lines, how does one add characters [ and ]. Without them it's tough to add things like bold words, etc.

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