Pocket Query Question

[+Cherokeecacher]

I may be missing something simple so be kind. I am trying to run a PQ for ALL caches found. This takes my search area to about 1500 miles, and covers 6 or so states. I would think I could run the search/PQ for “caches I have found”, not select a “cache type”, and not select an origin e.g.: my state or zip code, and the query would return ALL caches that I have found. I looked at the “Country” list, and noticed that U.S.A. is not an option nor is America, or any other reference to it.

 

I am “forced” to select an origin, so I selected my zip code and a 2000-mile radius. The query only returned 59 results; at this time we have 90. What am I doing wrong, or am I expecting the system to do more than it will?

 

Thanks for any knowledgeable replies.

[+beejay&esskay]

so I selected my zip code and a 2000-mile radius. The query only returned 59 results; at this time we have 90. What am I doing wrong, or am I expecting the system to do more than it will?

 

Thanks for any knowledgeable replies.

Check your PQ. Even though you didn't get an error when you said 2000 miles, it saved it as 500 miles (I bet.)

 

I don't think you can do what you want with one PQ (but if you figure out how, let me know. )

[+Cherokeecacher]

<snip>

Check your PQ.  Even though you didn't get an error when you said 2000 miles, it saved  it as 500 miles (I bet.)

 

I don't think you can do what you want with one PQ (but if you figure out how, let me know.  )

Thanks for the quick reply. I was afraid of this, especially with the 5 PQ per day limit. I will leave this topic open for a few days, just incase some others have figured out how to do it, Or one of the TPTB post something saying it cannot be done at this time.

[Keystone]

Don't specify a zipcode or coordinates as your point of origin. Construct your pocket query(ies) based on the state(s) where you have found caches. To select multiple states, hold down the ctrl key and click on states where you have finds. For example, if you had 400 finds in your home state, and 250 finds scattered among six other states you've traveled to, you could construct one query for "caches I've found" in Home State and a second query for "caches I've found" in the other, multiple states.

[+Cherokeecacher]

That’s the kind of “work around” I was hoping for. Thanks KA; I had not attempted to select multiple states by holding the control key and clicking multiples.

 

I will leave the topic open for a day or so, just to see what other replies come along. How ever, if a mod thinks it has worn out its welcome, by all means close it. I am not sure if it is worth “pinning”, but others might be after the same info.

 

Thanks again for the fast replies

 

edited to add:

 

While we are at it, are there any other "tricks" for running PQ's?

Edited June 16, 2004 by Cherokeecacher

[+martinp13]

Don't forget that archived caches aren't included in your PQ.

 

I have 300+ finds. I ran one where I clicked States and selected the whole list (click, scroll to end, Shift-click), which generated 230. I ran one where I clicked Origin and my home zip code @ 2000mi, and it generated 198. Strange.

[+BuzzKill]

Excellent! This is the answer I was looking for as well. Thanks KA!

 

I've done the "Found" query too, but end up getting an odd number that doesn't match my true finds, plus some caches I haven't even found yet.

[+YeOleImposter]

Yes, since all my finds still are less than 500, I clicked the first state on the list, scrolled down to the last state, held down the shift key, and clicked it. Now all the states are selected.

Then I put 500 mile radius.

Now as long as I don't travel to Europe or South America, all my caches show up - even the ones I have done in Canada and Mexico since they are within 500 miles of one of the border states.

 

Once I have over 500 (still active) finds, I will need to break it into 2 PQs.

[+Cherokeecacher]

This is very cool, and useful info. Come on folks...what other tricks are there. Do not keep the "good stuff" to yourself, share with the class

Edited June 17, 2004 by Cherokeecacher

[+WCoaster]

I was wondering does anyone know a way to get archived caches to appear in a PQ. Our family trip to Disneyland comes up blank as all the caches we found are now archived.

 

Thanks

[Keystone]

WCoaster, at this time you can't obtain archived caches in pocket queries. Jeremy's list of possible future enhancements includes an ability to obtain a special pocket query of all caches that you've found - including archived caches.

 

In the meantime, the only way to get the data is to go to the cache page for each archived cache you found, download the individual GPX file from the page, and then merge them into your main pocket query of caches found.

[+IV_Warrior]

In the meantime, the only way to get the data is to go to the cache page for each archived cache you found, download the individual GPX file from the page, and then merge them into your main pocket query of caches found.

Just an extra point on this. Once you do this, when you run a new PQ for your finds, make sure you merge the new and old files together, then do a "save as" whatever your "found" file name is. If you just replace your old file with the new one, you'll lose any caches that were archived before the new one ran.

[Deego]

Jeremy's list of possible future enhancements includes an ability to obtain a special pocket query of all caches that you've found - including archived caches.

 

That would be cool

[+SnoWake]

I try to keep my eye on the various threads that seem to discuss this topic, and always try to weigh in on new ones.

 

Having just come back from an epic road trip up to Oregon, I was again faced with the task of "filling in the gaps" from incomplete PQs. Now, in theory, a simple "OR_found" query should have returned all the caches I found up there, and the latest run of my "CA_found" query should return my last 500 California finds, including all the ones from this recent trip.

 

Sadly, this is not the case. I'm fully aware and don't except archived caches to show in these PQs, but for some reason I can't figure out (and have described several times in other threads) - some caches simply don't get returned from these queries. There's no rhyme or reason - it's not a matter of distance, cache type, or anything I can detect. To get a complete history, I have to identify the missing caches (roughly 15 from the 74-find road trip), and download individual GPX files.

 

So, I'll continue to watch the threads, and throw in my vote (and pleading) for the "all caches found" query. I'd be satisfied with a query that accurately returned all currently active caches - but the option to return ALL finds, regardless of status, would be fantastic.

 

Any update on the feasibility or status of such a feature?

 

Thanks!

Billy

[Dosido]

Cherokeecacher,

 

Regarding 'tips'...I don't know how many people use PQs to get all caches in a particular State, but I do, and was doing inefficiently to start off...

 

Many people would just pick, say, 3 cities and run a 3 PQs each having one of the cities as the center, and grabbing 500 caches per PQ. That might get most, but probably not all of the caches in a state, plus you'll have lots of duplicates if the areas overlapped.

 

The bets way to run the PQ for an entire state is to collect the caches by date placed. To do this, do a search by state, and see how many caches are in the state. For example, NY has 2838 caches (on 142 pages). If I divide that by 500 (max caches per query), I can see I'll need 6 pqs to cover the entire NY database.

 

Then set up PQs to grab those caches by DATE. This assures that you'll get all caches with no dupes. So, now to determine the date ranges...

 

Each cache page lists 20 caches, so the earliest 500 will be listed on the last 25 pages of the state listing. So take the last page (142) and subtract 25. So, goto page 118 and pick a date off the page when a cache was released.

 

That's your first PQ. From that date (in our example, perhaps 6/1/02) back to the beginning (you can use 1/1/00)

 

You second PQ starts after that (6/2/02) and goes until a date on page 93 (118-25) say, 2/1/03.

 

Continue with 3-6 and you're done. Make sure that you select 'New York' from the state list so that you only get NY caches with the query.

 

It's a long process to write down on paper, but it takes about 5 minutes to do in practice. I often do this when I'm travelling across states, and then import this data into a mapping program so that I have all caches on my laptop.

 

In addition, I update the PQs for my home state each week so that my maps dump the archived caches and grab any new ones.

 

As a double check, you might want to preview each PQ you set up and verify that there are less than 500 caches per query, just to make sure you're not missing any...if it's 500, you might want to tweak the date - decreasing it by a day or two.

 

BTW, thanks to GrizzlyJohn for pointing me in the right direction!

 

Brian

Edited July 9, 2004 by Dosido

[+GrizzlyJohn]

Wow glad that was able to work out for you! I knew what I was trying to explain I just am never sure if I am clear. I had not thought of using the state page as trying to do a check on the date ranges. I think I just suggested doing previews of trial and error to get a date range. Good addition to the steps of getting it done.

 

It is a pain but once its done its done. You may want to just go back and run them every so often so you can refresh your list to drop out any that were archived. Yes and don't run the PQ right up to 500 on the nose leave a little bit of wiggle room in case some that were inactive come back to life. But using the preview is a good check.

[+IV_Warrior]

Having just come back from an epic road trip up to Oregon, I was again faced with the task of "filling in the gaps" from incomplete PQs. Now, in theory, a simple "OR_found" query should have returned all the caches I found up there, and the latest run of my "CA_found" query should return my last 500 California finds, including all the ones from this recent trip.

 

Sadly, this is not the case. I'm fully aware and don't except archived caches to show in these PQs, but for some reason I can't figure out (and have described several times in other threads) - some caches simply don't get returned from these queries.

I've heard before that sometimes recently logged finds don't immediately show up in a PQ for found caches. Not sure why, but sometimes it happens. Try running the PQ the day after doing all your logs, and see if it picks them all up. After you get past 500 finds in a state, I think you'll need to break it into multiple PQ's to make sure you get them all. Say one PQ for traditional caches, and another for everything else, or something similar. Perhaps even splitting the PQ's by "date placed".

[+SnoWake]

EUREKA!!

 

This is EXACTLY the answer I've been looking for. You seem, I was foolishly a**uming that my CA_found PQ was returning my 500 most recent finds - but not so! I guess they're sorted by date placed, or perhaps CacheID - so I was finally able to figure out why my query often had huge gaps, even a week after caches were found.

 

So now, I've got two PQs: CA_found_old and CA_found_new, and selected a date that has each of them returning between 300-400 caches - obviously I'll have to adjust that date over time, but at least now - I'm getting them all!! WooHOO!!

 

Thanks so much to all - but especially to IV_Warrior for holding my hand and showing me what I kept blindly overlooking.

 

Now - I'm STILL a big fan of the feature request for a single, "all caches found" PQ, which would include archived caches. Unfortunately, I don't have log data for some of my finds (in GSAK) as a result of downloading them by way of GPX files individually, long after my log entry had aged off the page. Being able to run a single query for all finds, including locationless, disabled and archived caches of all types, would be INCREDIBLE!!

 

Thanks again for all the help,

Billy

(aka SnoWake)

[+Moosiegirl]

PUT ME IN LINE FOR THE BIG ALL-INCLUSIVE-EVERY-CACHE-I'VE-EVER-FOUND-INCLUDING-ARCHIVES POCKET QUERY!! LOL

 

Happy Trails!

Candy

[+planetrobert]

PUT ME IN LINE FOR THE BIG ALL-INCLUSIVE-EVERY-CACHE-I'VE-EVER-FOUND-INCLUDING-ARCHIVES POCKET QUERY!!

ditttos