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Read Thread: My find map is "wrong"

My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Jul 23, 2017 11:09am
Thread (disabled) Board
I just became a premium member and was looking at my map and noticed it shows that I have finds in 4 states in which I have never found boxes. I understand why it is: the boxes have moved around, been replanted in a new states since I found them. This is especially true of night boxes that go to different events.

My question is this: could the coding be changed so that the original location (that I found the box) stay the same in my logbook even if the box gets a new location later on?

I know it's nitpicking, but my map is wrong and I don't like it. LOL

Thanks for your consideration!
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948974 by Colorful Caterpillars
Jul 23, 2017 11:21am
Thread (disabled) Board
Add custom locations to the finds and it fixes the map. AQ has no way to know about that detail of box history to do it automatically.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948974 by Colorful Caterpillars
Jul 23, 2017 11:33am
Thread (disabled) Board
I have finds in several states I've never been in also.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948975 by Eidolon
Jul 23, 2017 11:34am
Thread (disabled) Board
But there's no way to know which boxes have been moved.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948974 by Colorful Caterpillars
Jul 23, 2017 11:47am
Thread (disabled) Board
Go through the finds in your logbook. Find the ones in states you have never been to and change the location. I had this happen. Someone brought traditional boxes to an event and passed them around like table tops. I found them in my state but they were listed as traditional in a different state. It messed up my map and I was able to fix it.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948977 by Topcollector
Jul 23, 2017 12:11pm
Thread (disabled) Board
If you look on your statistics page, it lists finds by state with a link to the boxes you found in that state.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948974 by Colorful Caterpillars
Jul 23, 2017 1:44pm
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Thanks everyone for the suggestions!
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948978 by christmas6
Jul 23, 2017 4:29pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Wow! That worked perfectly. Having California on my finds map has bugged me for a long time. Thanks Christmas6.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948979 by Angel and Demon
Jul 23, 2017 5:30pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I was using this page to reconcile my numbers of states in my plants and finds. Noticed that Mystery is listed as a state under Finds (but not Plants) so my total Finds were 1 state off. Creating a Custom Location corrects that, as Eidolon has already said.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948974 by Colorful Caterpillars
Jul 23, 2017 6:45pm
Thread (disabled) Board
could the coding be changed so that the original location (that I found the box) stay the same in my logbook even if the box gets a new location later on?

I don't know why I didn't think of that before but... yes! And it's not even really that difficult to code. Basically, I can just add a custom location for all of the finders of a box whenever the location is changed. Most people wouldn't even likely notice the addition of a custom location to a box they found months (or years!) earlier, but it's not actually hard to implement so that's just what I did. =)

In the future, nobody will ever be able to "move" your finds to another state! I can't fix boxes that have moved in the past since there's no record anywhere on AQ about the original location of boxes or where the box was located when a found was recorded so it doesn't fix past changes. But future changes to box locations shouldn't cause your maps to go awry.

I'm adding custom locations for all finders for a box that moves states, but since custom locations are a premium member only perk, only premium members will actually see the old location. But if anyone who is not a premium member later upgrades to a premium membership, the custom locations that have been recorded will magically appear. =)

Thanks for the suggestion! =)

-- Ryan
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948988 by Green Tortuga
Jul 23, 2017 6:48pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I should also point out... it only adds a custom location if you haven't already specified a custom location yourself. It won't override one of your existing custom locations! So if a box moves from Washington to Oregon, it'll record Washington as a custom location. But then if the box moves again--this time to California--it'll record Oregon as a custom location only for the people who found the box but have no custom location associated with it. If you have Washington set as the custom location (whether you set it manually or not), it'll stay in Washington.

-- Ryan
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948974 by Colorful Caterpillars
Jul 23, 2017 7:52pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Thank you for bringing this issue up and thanks go to Ryan for fixing the issue for the future.

I enjoyed reviewing the 1300+ finds I have to this point and making them accurate...no more do I have a New York or Pennsylvania find (though I want to sometime in the future!!!).
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948988 by Green Tortuga
Jul 23, 2017 10:57pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Thanks, Ryan!
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948988 by Green Tortuga
Jul 24, 2017 7:32am
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I don't know why I didn't think of that before but... yes!

Customer service like this is a rare thing today. Thanks Ryan.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948974 by Colorful Caterpillars
Jul 24, 2017 9:34am
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I understand the premise. Could someone please explain step by step HOW to change a find in a state I have never been to.

Thank you,

phynstar
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #949012 by phynstar
Jul 24, 2017 9:41am
Thread (disabled) Board
Could someone please explain step by step HOW to change a find in a state I have never been to.

Go to the box listing. On the left you'll see a listing of basic info: Clue, Planted, Modified, etc. It will list the location of the box according to the official listing. Right under that you'll see "Custom: None specified." Click on the pencil icon next to that. In the screen that comes up, enter the location where you found the box. Click "Store." That should do it.
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #949012 by phynstar
Jul 24, 2017 2:34pm
Thread (disabled) Board
OR go to your finds in your logbook and tap on the find you want to change. Under the name of the box is the location with a pencil icon next to it. Click on the pencil icon, change your location and click on "store"
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #948974 by Colorful Caterpillars
Jul 25, 2017 6:08am
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I just went and found boxes in those states - problem solved!! LOL
Re: My find map is "wrong"
Board: Letterboxing Help Desk
Reply to: #949037 by Sudoku Crazy
Jul 25, 2017 8:51am
Thread (disabled) Board
That's what I thought! "I guess I'll just have to get to those states and find some boxes in them to fix this problem"!!! Great minds think alike. LOL