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Geocaching.com site update March 27th 2012


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Read the last update's Release Notes

 

Release Notes

 

• Added CacheSense for Android to /Live

• Added GeoScout to /Live

• Converted cache details page map to Leaflet

• Challenge creators can now archive a Challenge they created at any time

• Challenge creators are now shown on a Challenge details page as the creator

• Modified the look of Challenge details pages by changing layout and increasing the type icon size

• Updated Geocaching brochures and added Bulgarian and Polish versions

 

 

KD0cp.png Geocaching Live API Beta

 

The beta launch of the Geocaching Live API continues!

 

8Am5R.png

CacheSense for Android

 

CacheSense for Android is a power-user app from the developer of the popular geocaching application of the same name on the BlackBerry. Features include multiple databases, Pocket Query support with syncing, advanced mapping and more. CacheSense for Android is under constant development with strong support from an active and friendly user community.

 

 

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GeoScout

 

GeoScout is designed to be the only software you need to go geocaching. You can download/import, view and manage all caches of interest. With a connection to a suitable GPS, GeoScout can also guide you to the cache waypoints with built in mapping.

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Placement of the geocache pins on the Leaflet maps is inaccurate. The cache is located at the top-left corner of the pin icon, not at the bottom center point as one would assume.

 

You summed it up well...

 

Now I just have to remember this when planning what caches to find. :huh:

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Great, so now we have to navigate away from the cache page to see a satellite view of the cache location.

 

Was that something that we were able to do prior to the update? I don't recall ever seeing a satellite view of the cache location on the cache page.

 

Yup. After you clicked "view dynamic map" the option came up to view it in satellite.

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Placement of the geocache pins on the Leaflet maps is inaccurate. The cache is located at the top-left corner of the pin icon, not at the bottom center point as one would assume.

Here too, even after a browser cache clear. Firefox 11.0/WinXP

 

The loss of Google Maps from the cache details map is more disappointing to me than their loss from the main maps; it was great to be able to quickly show the aerial maps and Street View. :( Here's hoping a Greasemonkey workaround is in the works.

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There seem to be a couple of other bugs with the new map, both relating to caches with Additional Waypoints:

1. Here's one of mine that has 2 waypoints fairly close to the posted coordinates. The map seems to zoom to a zoom level that fits the extent of all points, but in this case it seems to be zoomed in so far that there's no map displayed. There must not be any imagery available at such a close zoom level. If you zoom out one step, the map shows up. Here's another of mine that shows the same behaviour.

 

2. For GC3AMR7 and GC3BHKQ (both along the same trail), the map is centering on the trailhead waypoint, and the cache location isn't even visible. You have to zoom out or scroll the map to see the cache (to the SE for the first, west for the second). For GC3AMPQ (another cache on the same trail), it zooms such that you can see the same trailhead waypoint and another waypoint that this cache has. I assume if that other waypoint wasn't there, it would look like the others.

After going through more of my caches, I found this one that has only a parking waypoint. It's doing the same as the above caches are with trailhead waypoints.

 

I'm also seeing the same as others with respect to the icons being incorrectly placed. It isn't that big a deal for caches out in the bush, but for urban caches it's showing it as being a road or more away from the actual position. The icon either needs to be moved to the correct spot, or re-designed such that the icon points to the upper-left corner, rather than straight down.

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The loss of Google Maps from the cache details map is more disappointing to me than their loss from the main maps; it was great to be able to quickly show the aerial maps and Street View. :( Here's hoping a Greasemonkey workaround is in the works.

Seriously?

The way it was before this update, you had to click "View Dynamic Map". Total clicks = 1.

The way it is now (and possible before, too), you can click the "Google Maps" link just to the left of the map. Total clicks = 1. (Plus this one is full-sized and has more functionality)

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Stop caring about google maps; frustration = +ymmv

I think you mean:

Stop caring about google maps; frustration = -

If everyone just stopped griping about Google Maps and moved on, there'd be much less angst and frustration. Face it, Google Maps aren't coming back, no matter how long you hold your breath.

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Yes, but I was referring to angst. There will always be people who care about having google maps, and right now it's the best satellite imagery provider. So, in trying to convince those people to not care about google maps - frustriation = +ymmv.

IMO, removing it from the listing page was dumb. I don't care so much about it, as I use scripts on the site, and I use my mobile app more anyway, but the angst of the removal of google maps from the big map was at least assuaged by the fact it was still available individually for each listing. Now? ... bring on the angst, again...

 

(I've seriously never heard the word 'angst' more than just in these forums in the past year or so :P)

Edited by thebruce0
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(I've seriously never heard the word 'angst' more than just in these forums in the past year or so :P)

I don't think I had ever uttered or typed the work "angst" before coming to these forums! I think the only times I had heard it used was in reference to the "teenage angst" genres of music.

 

Actually, I think I'll add another point to your previous post:

Groudspeak adds/removes/changes/tweaks/edits/renames/discontinues anything on or relating to any of their services: Angst = +

 

It doesn't matter what they do, someone will have a problem with it.

 

snowman_more_angst_648175.jpg

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I was not aware that even though you can enter custom locations for "Unknown" caches, their icons appear at the original listed coordinates in the maps. Is that a new feature, or has that always been the case?

Not really a feature, but rather an incomplete feature. It will show in the corrected spot in the map on the cache page, but it still shows at the posted coordinates on the big maps. At some point in the distant future they will probably make it show in the corrected spot.

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Placement of the geocache pins on the Leaflet maps is inaccurate. The cache is located at the top-left corner of the pin icon, not at the bottom center point as one would assume.

 

Agreed. Unless there is some new location pointer upcoming that is not yet showing through on the maps, this is rather counter-intuitive and should really be corrected ASAP.

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I was not aware that even though you can enter custom locations for "Unknown" caches, their icons appear at the original listed coordinates in the maps. Is that a new feature, or has that always been the case?

Not really a feature, but rather an incomplete feature. It will show in the corrected spot in the map on the cache page, but it still shows at the posted coordinates on the big maps. At some point in the distant future they will probably make it show in the corrected spot.

 

I took a look at an unknown cache that I had updated the coordinates using the "Correct these Coordinates" feature (IMHO, probably one of the most useful features added to site). It appears to be in the corrected location on the map on the cache page just above the "Logged Visits" section when using the +/- zoom controls. However, clicking on the "View Larger Map" appears to use the published coordinates. Similarly, the "Geocaching.com Map" link (which uses the same URL as the "View Larger Map" link) in the "For Online Maps" section also uses the published coordinate. The rest of the links in that section appear to use the corrected coordinates.

 

I find the other map on the cache page (between the Navigation and Attributes blocks) to be essentially useless. All it really does is link to map further down on the page.

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I find the other map on the cache page (between the Navigation and Attributes blocks) to be essentially useless. All it really does is link to map further down on the page.

I just looked more closely at that one, and it seems to have the same issue as the map down the page, in that the top-left corner of the icon points to the cache. I've never really looked closely at that one because the level of detail is too low to be useful, so this might have been the case before the update. Regardless, it's a bug that needs to be fixed.

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Placement of the geocache pins on the Leaflet maps is inaccurate. The cache is located at the top-left corner of the pin icon, not at the bottom center point as one would assume.

 

Confirmed. GC302H7 shows it as the TOP LEFT corner of the icon, not the little "V" pointer.

 

Great, so now we have to navigate away from the cache page to see a satellite view of the cache location.

 

Was that something that we were able to do prior to the update? I don't recall ever seeing a satellite view of the cache location on the cache page.

 

Yup. After you clicked "view dynamic map" the option came up to view it in satellite.

Looks like dynamic map went away. Bummer. I used that alot on the android as it saved opening another screen.

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Placement of the geocache pins on the Leaflet maps is inaccurate. The cache is located at the top-left corner of the pin icon, not at the bottom center point as one would assume.

Here too, even after a browser cache clear. Firefox 11.0/WinXP

 

The loss of Google Maps from the cache details map is more disappointing to me than their loss from the main maps; it was great to be able to quickly show the aerial maps and Street View. :( Here's hoping a Greasemonkey workaround is in the works.

 

I just about went postal when I saw what they had done too, but the link for Google maps still exists on the the main menu to the left of the now useless map. If you drag GZ to the lower left corner of the frame and take a screen shot of just the area you need, there is the added bonus of a scale on the map. Looks like I can still cache.... at least until the next time they change it.

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The loss of Google Maps from the cache details map is more disappointing to me than their loss from the main maps...

Seriously?

The way it was before this update, you had to click "View Dynamic Map". Total clicks = 1.

The way it is now (and possible before, too), you can click the "Google Maps" link just to the left of the map. Total clicks = 1. (Plus this one is full-sized and has more functionality)

 

Huh. I could've sworn the Google link previously didn't have a pin, which made it less useful. Maybe that was a long time ago; I'd basically forgotten it was there.

 

Thanks. Sorry my expression of disappointment caused you distress or increased your exasperation or whatever you meant my "Seriously?"

Edited by JJnTJ
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Sorry my expression of disappointment caused you distress or increased your exasperation or whatever you meant my "Seriously?"

Don't worry, it didn't cause any distress. I've just seen a lot of griping about the loss of Google Maps over the last month, so you could chalk up my "Seriously" comment to frustration with what appeared to be yet another similar gripe. In the case of this most recent map change, there's a very viable workaround that should work for everyone, so there shouldn't be nearly as much angst.

 

About the Google Maps pin, the way it works now is how I remember it working for a long time, but it's possible that at some point in the past it didn't work like this, which is maybe what you remember.

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The loss of Google Maps from the cache details map is more disappointing to me than their loss from the main maps...

Seriously?

The way it was before this update, you had to click "View Dynamic Map". Total clicks = 1.

The way it is now (and possible before, too), you can click the "Google Maps" link just to the left of the map. Total clicks = 1. (Plus this one is full-sized and has more functionality)

 

Huh. I could've sworn the Google link previously didn't have a pin, which made it less useful. Maybe that was a long time ago; I'd basically forgotten it was there.

 

Thanks. Sorry my expression of disappointment caused you distress or increased your exasperation or whatever you meant my "Seriously?"

 

The old locater map had a giant square blob that covered all of GZ forcing navigation from more distant attack points. The pin is better.

Edited by edscott
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I fully understand the phasing out of google maps for the new terms of usage (pricing, etc.) but why is only the one Leaflet map available and no choice for OSM or OpenCycleMaps? This would be a very useful enhancement of the dynamic map display at the end of the listing. Unfortunately there is no aerial view available that is comparable to google maps :( Also a map scale bar would be very useful!

Hopefully we'll see another site update soon that solves/improves these issues.

 

Thanks in advance,

Didi

Edited by Anke&Didi
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If if wasn't for the link to a google satellite view of the cache on the cache page, I'd have no useful aerial maps now. What maps I can use do seems snappier though, so that's a plus.

 

I just switch over to Bing.com. Not sure what is available for satellite views in Australia but for the US, they can really help pinpoint the location.

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Great, so now we have to navigate away from the cache page to see a satellite view of the cache location.

 

Agreed! this is NOT an upgrade. I preferred to stay on the cache page to select a SAT view. The larger maps are useless considering how long they take to render.

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Membership due up soon, and with no google maps, don't think I'll be renewing.

Posts like this boggle my mind. First off, maps were never a perk of Premium Membership. Free and paid members have always had access to the same maps.

 

Second, none of the actual benefits of membership are valuable to you? PQs? Notifications? Bookmark lists? I paid for membership because I want to get PQs of large amounts of caches. They could take away everything else - even individual cache pages and every sort of map imaginable - and as long as I have my PQs, I'll continue to pay for membership.

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Membership due up soon, and with no google maps, don't think I'll be renewing.

Posts like this boggle my mind. First off, maps were never a perk of Premium Membership. Free and paid members have always had access to the same maps.

 

Second, none of the actual benefits of membership are valuable to you? PQs? Notifications? Bookmark lists? I paid for membership because I want to get PQs of large amounts of caches. They could take away everything else - even individual cache pages and every sort of map imaginable - and as long as I have my PQs, I'll continue to pay for membership.

 

Yes, why would anyone care about maps? Caching is all about bringing up your phone app to see what caches are nearest to where you are. You don’t need a map for that –you are already there. Crybabies! Play the game the way it was meant to be played.

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Yes, why would anyone care about maps? Caching is all about bringing up your phone app to see what caches are nearest to where you are.

Actually, caching is all about finding containers at some given coordinates using a GPS. Anything beyond that is just something that either expands on the hobby or makes something easier. Remember, all there was at the start was a mailing list. No maps. No fancy software. You punched the coordinates into your GPS and followed the arrow. At its heart, that's geocaching.

 

ETA: After posting, I brought up the profile of the user I replied to. It now appears that I replied to a sock puppet.

 

Shame on me. :cry:

Edited by The A-Team
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After this update, I've noticed on caches with additional waypoints, such as parking coordinates, that the small map above the logs shows the parking waypoint and not the cache location

I detailed this in my post above. I'm not sure anyone from GS is monitoring this topic, though, so I might submit a bug report in the other forum.

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Membership due up soon, and with no google maps, don't think I'll be renewing.

Posts like this boggle my mind. First off, maps were never a perk of Premium Membership. Free and paid members have always had access to the same maps.

 

Second, none of the actual benefits of membership are valuable to you? PQs? Notifications? Bookmark lists? I paid for membership because I want to get PQs of large amounts of caches. They could take away everything else - even individual cache pages and every sort of map imaginable - and as long as I have my PQs, I'll continue to pay for membership.

 

Yes, why would anyone care about maps? Caching is all about bringing up your phone app to see what caches are nearest to where you are. You don’t need a map for that –you are already there. Crybabies! Play the game the way it was meant to be played.

Oh dear, guess I'll have to give up geocaching. I did not realize you needed a *phone* to geocache. I've been using a GPS, guess until I get a phone I'll have to stop. Darn.

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After this update, I've noticed on caches with additional waypoints, such as parking coordinates, that the small map above the logs shows the parking waypoint and not the cache location

I detailed this in my post above. I'm not sure anyone from GS is monitoring this topic, though, so I might submit a bug report in the other forum.

Oh, I missed that! :huh: I looked, but apparently not close enough. -_-

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Membership due up soon, and with no google maps, don't think I'll be renewing.

Posts like this boggle my mind. First off, maps were never a perk of Premium Membership. Free and paid members have always had access to the same maps.

Well, that's not quite true. The following is marked as a premium member benefit on the registration page.

 

Maps

Use the map view filters to see only the types of geocaches that appeal to you or to remove your hides and finds.

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Membership due up soon, and with no google maps, don't think I'll be renewing.

Posts like this boggle my mind. First off, maps were never a perk of Premium Membership. Free and paid members have always had access to the same maps.

Well, that's not quite true. The following is marked as a premium member benefit on the registration page.

 

Maps

Use the map view filters to see only the types of geocaches that appeal to you or to remove your hides and finds.

I've read your quote several times. Some how I keep missing where it says that Google maps are a premium perk. It does say you can filter what is displayed on the maps, and that is still working.

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If if wasn't for the link to a google satellite view of the cache on the cache page, I'd have no useful aerial maps now. What maps I can use do seems snappier though, so that's a plus.

 

I just switch over to Bing.com. Not sure what is available for satellite views in Australia but for the US, they can really help pinpoint the location.

 

Nice. Those maps are pretty good.

Thanks.

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Membership due up soon, and with no google maps, don't think I'll be renewing.

Posts like this boggle my mind. First off, maps were never a perk of Premium Membership. Free and paid members have always had access to the same maps.

Well, that's not quite true. The following is marked as a premium member benefit on the registration page.

 

Maps

Use the map view filters to see only the types of geocaches that appeal to you or to remove your hides and finds.

I've read your quote several times. Some how I keep missing where it says that Google maps are a premium perk. It does say you can filter what is displayed on the maps, and that is still working.

Whether they are from Google or not is not a factor, but whether they are functional or not is.

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Ack!

 

I just went to log a note on a trackable, and the log date default problem showed its ugly face again!

 

It's not just geocache logs... I was fully (and logically) of the impression that going to log a note to a trackable would default the note to today's date (I don't remember the last time I went to post a note to a trackable item) but it still defaulted to, I suppose, the last time I manually posted a log entry to a cache. Wondered why my note wasn't the most recent for the TB.

 

That's really not right... there's no reason to default a new trackable note to the previous geocache log date. That default date is getting very annoying. I'm glad I mostly log caches via field note, with the date handled by my mobile app. <_<

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Membership due up soon, and with no google maps, don't think I'll be renewing.

Posts like this boggle my mind. First off, maps were never a perk of Premium Membership. Free and paid members have always had access to the same maps.

 

Second, none of the actual benefits of membership are valuable to you? PQs? Notifications? Bookmark lists? I paid for membership because I want to get PQs of large amounts of caches. They could take away everything else - even individual cache pages and every sort of map imaginable - and as long as I have my PQs, I'll continue to pay for membership.

Why does it boggle your mind? mapping is a BIG part of geocaching!

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Membership due up soon, and with no google maps, don't think I'll be renewing.

Posts like this boggle my mind. First off, maps were never a perk of Premium Membership. Free and paid members have always had access to the same maps.

 

Second, none of the actual benefits of membership are valuable to you? PQs? Notifications? Bookmark lists? I paid for membership because I want to get PQs of large amounts of caches. They could take away everything else - even individual cache pages and every sort of map imaginable - and as long as I have my PQs, I'll continue to pay for membership.

Why does it boggle your mind? mapping is a BIG part of geocaching!

I'm with 'Lil Devil on this one. We understand that mapping is a big part of geocaching, but everyone used the same maps whether PM or not and we still do, just different maps. PMs can still zoom and filter like before, it's just that the maps aren't nearly as good thanks to Google (unless you use Firefox with the greasemonkey scripts and then they're just like they used to be).

Like LD, I use my PM for PQs, caches along a route, instant notify, etc. If they had taken away a PM only feature, it might be different, but the maps weren't a PM feature. If you don't use any of the other PM perks, then I could see why someone might drop their PM membership. Otherwise, dropping PM because of this is like cutting of your nose to spite your face.

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So we should donate to an organization that is not responsive to what we need? I've kept my membership because I've seen some small improvements since the original downgrade and do have some faith that they will eventually fix the site, but can totally understand why others are dropping their membership. Why they are sticking with a source that only offers a hit or miss checkerboard map is beyond me.

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Is it just me or did navegating the maps on the cache page go in the dumper? I am a fairly new member but what I would do was locate a cache near home, transfer it to my GPS then I would scroll the map in the direction I wanted to take until I came to the next cache on my route, I would then click on that cache and a tab would come up and I could transfer that cache directly to my GPS on the spot, but I am unable to do this anymore. Am I doing something wrong or has this changed since yesterday? I need HELP.

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