Date Range Tool Request

Discussion about the Geocaching Australia web site
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roundcircle
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Date Range Tool Request

Post by roundcircle » 09 March 12 7:51 am

For a long time now I've populated Gsak by running a collection of queries that pick up all the caches in a date window within a radius of 300km of "Southbank". I used this method rather than looking at the state as I wanted to ensure I picked up caches over the border. To be effective this now needs more than a dozen queries, so time to scale back. I'm thinking I'll use 150km from home as this should cover me most of the time. But working out the date ranges is a time consuming hit and mis affair.

I do a similar thing if I'm traveling. Say going to Sydney, but not really sure where in Sydney I'll be. Again, working out date ranges that maximize the coverage and minimize the queries is time consuming. And usually I'm doing it at the last minute, so only have limited slots for queries.

Which brings me to my request.

Could GCA provide a tool that allows me to set up a query criteria and then show me the appropriate date windows to use to capture all the caches that meet the criteria. I would like to be able to filter the cache types, the distance, found or not, centre point, etc. Also nominate the query size, though I guess that'd be 500 or 1000.

What do you reckon? Doable??

(I get that this is GCA request for a tool that really supports GC)

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caughtatwork
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Re: Date Range Tool Request

Post by caughtatwork » 09 March 12 8:15 am

I think I understand what you mean.

Set a centre point from an area.
Set if to (say) 200km.
Set it to 1000 caches.
Set a criteria (type, size, unfound, etc)
Show the date ranges (broken into 500 and 1000 PQ limitations).

That should be easy enough. I have access to a machin on an ad-hoc basis (and hopefully again this weekend), so I'll have a look and advise as whether its easy or hard and a possible timeframe.

When did you want it by?

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roundcircle
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Re: Date Range Tool Request

Post by roundcircle » 09 March 12 9:12 am

I guess I'd really like to set up the query in the query page, with all of the filters that are already there. Then as output, a report that shows date ranges needed be able to return the result in blocks of 500 or 1000. In line with PQ limitations.

As for time frame, when it suits you.

Cheers..

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Re: Date Range Tool Request

Post by caughtatwork » 09 March 12 9:20 am

I'm thinking that it will be another "selector" on the MyQuery page, like GPX, ZIP, Count, etc, etc, Range. Then whatever you set up as your query we pull the ranges.

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roundcircle
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Re: Date Range Tool Request

Post by roundcircle » 09 March 12 5:01 pm

caughtatwork wrote:I'm thinking that it will be another "selector" on the MyQuery page, like GPX, ZIP, Count, etc, etc, Range. Then whatever you set up as your query we pull the ranges.
Perfect.

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Re: Date Range Tool Request

Post by caughtatwork » 10 March 12 2:49 pm

All ready to go.
Head to the My Query page, set your query and save it.

Please note
Ranges apply to only Groundspeak caches.
You must tick Include 3rd party site Caches in your My Query selection.
You must not select any crtieria which forces only Geocaching Australia caches to be returned such a Elevation Data.
Caches which have been recently archived may still be accumulated in the list of counted caches.

Now select the Ranges link. That should do what it is you're looking for.
Let me know whether it works for you or not. It's been well tested, but sometimes things that I don't think of go wonky.

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roundcircle
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Re: Date Range Tool Request

Post by roundcircle » 10 March 12 8:16 pm

Works a treat. =D> \:D/ =D>

I've optimised my pocket queries from 16 to 7. Obviously I've reduced the area I'm watching in the process, dropped a lot of area I've not got round to visiting any way and freed up query slots that can be used at the last minute if I do get to go. :mrgreen:

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Re: Date Range Tool Request

Post by caughtatwork » 10 March 12 8:27 pm

Excellent.

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