enhancement to field notes

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mtrax
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enhancement to field notes

Post by mtrax » 23 January 12 7:58 am

just a small one I hope, but useful when logging alot of fieldnotes

Can the default option on the fieldnotes be "Save" and then automatically set to "Create" when user types something into Log Description.
that way if I want to just add logs for a few I can return to the field notes to complete the rest.

also can the notes about not importing GC caches be silent.

thanks

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caughtatwork
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by caughtatwork » 23 January 12 8:32 am

For most people the default will be to post, so by setting it to save, most other people will need to change. Field notes are uploaded, so again for most people, they won't be typing anything, so they would need to change from save to create manually. Not the way I would like to have the field notes behave. i.e. I want to upload, hit the go button and have the default be to create the log. I don't want to faf around like GC does.

As far as suppressing the note about non-GCA caches, that's a part that lets the cacher know they have something that did not get loaded. i.e. If they are creating a field note manually, they may have gotten in wrong. If I just say 10 of 20 field notes loaded, which ones didn't get loaded? I prefer to have the site help me rather than hide stuff and make me look for what may not be as I expected.

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Big Matt and Shell
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by Big Matt and Shell » 23 January 12 1:38 pm

You beat me by that much...

The few times that I have used the field notes, I just want them to post not to have to select another option.

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mtrax
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by mtrax » 23 January 12 2:57 pm

The situation I have is about 50+ caches and I don't think I will want to Create a note for ALL these until I enter a description.
ie the point about field notes is enter some, exit then return and enter some more.
with GCA I have enter all or individually select Save for all the ones I don't want to log

Perhaps option somewhere to change ALL fieldnotes to Save so I can choose which ones to Create

edit:
at present I assume I have to enter or select Save for ALL caches in the list right?
ie if I have 62 GCA caches I have to select SAVE for 60 if I just want to log 2 from Field notes ?

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caughtatwork
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by caughtatwork » 23 January 12 8:00 pm

Then you're using field notes for the wrong reason. You're using it as a holding place for logs until you want to let the log go live. That's not the purpose of a field note. The field notes are for logging caches "in bulk" from your GPS.

If you want to play around with the cache logs, then create a file in the field note format. Perfect it. Load it. Log it.

http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Fieldnotes
http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Imports#Fieldnotes

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mtrax
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by mtrax » 23 January 12 8:22 pm

caughtatwork wrote:Then you're using field notes for the wrong reason. You're using it as a holding place for logs until you want to let the log go live. That's not the purpose of a field note. The field notes are for logging caches "in bulk" from your GPS.
well thats a interesting way to put it..
so your saying if I load 500 logs on GC then according to you I should log them all at once.
I'm not sure about making it easier it seems this makes it harder...

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caughtatwork
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by caughtatwork » 24 January 12 6:54 am

At GC you get to click every single one of the field notes. Then you get to click the log button on the log page. 2 clicks per field note.
At GCA you don't have to click any field note if you want to log them. Click the log button for them all. One click for everything.
So your example of 500 field notes is 1,000 clicks at GC and 1 at GCA.

If you want to load 500 field notes at GCA and not have them log, but just save, you click each field note. 500 clicks.
Either way, there is less clicking at GCA than GC.

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mtrax
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by mtrax » 24 January 12 7:08 am

caughtatwork wrote:At GC you get to click every single one of the field notes. Then you get to click the log button on the log page. 2 clicks per field note.
At GCA you don't have to click any field note if you want to log them. Click the log button for them all. One click for everything.
So your example of 500 field notes is 1,000 clicks at GC and 1 at GCA.

If you want to load 500 field notes at GCA and not have them log, but just save, you click each field note. 500 clicks.
Either way, there is less clicking at GCA than GC.
Perhaps I should have added I would be filling description 50 at a time so how many clicks then?
eg day 1 50 logs, day. 2 50 logs. Etc
I would have thought it would be several thousand clicks
I am still assuming that if I don't fill the log description it will default to create even though I didn't want that


edit: just started my logging of the BMPT and it was not quiet the one click experience. I just about 10 then proceeded to click about 40 saved button so it would be ready for my next session, and I missed one or two so had to click and edit those empty logs with some descriptions
so all in all I think over 40 clicks just for 5-10 logs. I should reduce the more I complete but this demonstrations my issue.

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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by Facitman » 24 January 12 11:38 am

My 2c

I capture my finds including date and time of day on a PDA, the only text I enter in the field is related to swaps and TB grab/drops using an inventory feature on the PDA.
I write my logs in GSAK using the FieldNote macro to load from the PDA and prepare for loading into GC and GCA.
So once I get to loading FieldNotes into GC and GCA I'm ready to create the log, not save, edit and submit.

So in GCA today I have a very easy time, load and "one click" to create then all. In GC I have to "compose" each one. Now as I sometimes have TB activity this needs action in each log but otherwise GC is more work.

So today GCA is generally easier in my setup than GC, your suggestion would make it the same as GC, more actions required.

Swings, roundabouts, options it all depends on your workflow!

PS. I've found my workflow is flawed for moveables at GCA as it really doesn't support find then move and doesn't support hint updates in fieldnotes. After having a bad logging day with some frogs I've reverted to manual log creation for all frogging activity to ensure I get the find/move/hint right!

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mtrax
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by mtrax » 24 January 12 11:47 am

I agree the GCA method is good for small numbers and also if you prefill data using GSAK but AFAIK that wasn't what and how most people use fieldnotes and in any case it adds another step to the whole process, not to mention more complex for the average user.

So all I'm asking is some way to preserve some of the fieldnotes or configure the default.
eg have some button to set default for all to Save and then I can set save as I go, and I admit this is adding extra clicks but far less than I have now.
but ideally a button and some javascript setting the option to Save after updated.
Note I can supply said javascript if required.

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caughtatwork
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by caughtatwork » 24 January 12 2:47 pm

I use GSAK or notepad for my field notes once they're off my GPS. Then I edit them until I'm happy that the log if what I want and bam, one click, one hit. I hate the GC 'compose' then 'submit' too many clicks. This was kind of discussed to be the default option back when we started discussing field notes. If there are enough people that want a different workflow, then we can look at what do do.

In terms of your request, I understand exactly what you are saying, but to be frank, you are looking at this from your one personal viewpoint and as far as I can tell, is unique to the volume of logs you have for one series.

You are asking the site to create an option that works only when the count of logs to be saved is greater than the count of logs to be logged. In a situation where there are many logs to get through vs. most peoples dozen or so logs at a time.

Your point is valid only when the count of items to be saved is greater than the count of items to be logged.

Load 50 logs.
You want to save 30 and log 20.
You have to click 30 'log' to 'save'.

Load 50 logs.
You want to save 30 and log 20.
You click the "change 'log' to 'save'" button.
You now have to click 20 'save' to 'log'.

For the vast majority of people the 'log' default is the best option as the default. As Facitman says. At GC you need to 'compose' each log one by one. At GCA, with the default of 'log', one click for the majority of people.

As you're generating the field note file anyway, why don't you just create the field note file for the ones you want to log. Then you can load you file, click the "go" button and log the ones where you have perfected the text. The ones that you are still perfecting, don't go into the field not file to load.

I could have gone the GC way when we created the field notes. Each field note would require a "compose" then a "save". For 100 logs, that's 200 clicks. At GCA, if your field notes are log ready (remember you can create them off line and perfect them as much as you want), one click and it logs them all. If you want to log 10 and "save" 90 for later, then the field notes are not for you.

If you are generating many "yet to be perfected" logs, then the GC version may be preferable. Except that the "yet to be perfected" logs is far, far outweighed by the "log it now" one click function.

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mtrax
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by mtrax » 24 January 12 3:40 pm

caughtatwork wrote:In terms of your request, I understand exactly what you are saying, but to be frank, you are looking at this from your one personal viewpoint and as far as I can tell, is unique to the volume of logs you have for one series.

As you're generating the field note file anyway, why don't you just create the field note file for the ones you want to log. Then you can load you file, click the "go" button and log the ones where you have perfected the text. The ones that you are still perfecting, don't go into the field not file to load.

If you are generating many "yet to be perfected" logs, then the GC version may be preferable. Except that the "yet to be perfected" logs is far, far outweighed by the "log it now" one click function.
FYI I didn't generate the fieldnote it came directly off GPSr.
and agree this is not a normal situation for so many logs but thought it might apply for people who want to spend time crafting logs rather than copy/paste log text and then click GO
so are you saying if we had a vote then such a feature would be available? or if two or more people agree than that's enought?

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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by caughtatwork » 24 January 12 5:09 pm

It's not about a vote, really, it's whether the investment of time for the capability is warranted. As you know, being a free developer, sometimes your effort can be applied to many areas but there are some areas that benefit many and some areas that benefit few.

I'm still in Hawaii at the moment, so post the JS for the capability to turn all radio buttons to "log", "save" and "delete" and I'll see what can be done when I get back to Australia.

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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by mtrax » 29 January 12 7:08 pm

caughtatwork wrote: I'm still in Hawaii at the moment, so post the JS for the capability to turn all radio buttons to "log", "save" and "delete" and I'll see what can be done when I get back to Australia.
yes just on a little break myself when I get some time I will PM/email you the code

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mtrax
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Re: enhancement to field notes

Post by mtrax » 30 January 12 11:50 am

Craig, I've posted the Javascript and html code, so over to you or C@W

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