SlotCalc Help

I like to be ready for any caching opportunity that comes up and to that end I keep fairly current cache data in GSAK at all times. A single pocket query doesn't make 12 miles (20 not inculding found caches) out from my location. SlotCalc provides a solution.

By running multiple pocket queries with "Placed Date" ranges you can reach out greater distances and expand your caching opportunities.

How do you figure out the right "Placed Date" ranges? That's where SlotCalc comes in.

Getting Started

SlotCalc uses GSAK data to do it's calculations so you somehow have to get an initial load of pocket queries into GSAK. That means you will have to hand build a set of queries and load them into GSAK. I won't go into great detail here but the idea is to pick a distance and then select a date range that comes closest to 500 caches. If you are just starting out, pick 20 miles or 30 miles if you have some significant number of caches found. Here might be a good set of parameters to start with using a 30 mile range:

Query Number	Start date	End Date
1	01/01/2000	12/31/2005
2	01/01/2006	12/31/2006
3	01/01/2007	12/31/2007
4	01/01/2008	12/31/2008

The goal is to create a series of queries that each generate less than 500 results. Use any restrictions you might like on your query. For example, my queries do not include caches I have found or caches I have placed on my ignore list. Adjust the dates until you get a reasonable count in each of the queries. You may need less than 4 queries or you may need more - it all depends on your range and the cache density in your area.

Pick whole months - start on the first and end on the last day of the month. Don't get too fine with your hand-built queries, SlotCalc will help you fine tune them later.

Running SlotCalc

Once you have your initial load of caches in GSAK, you can use SlotCalc to fine tune your date ranges. The first time you run SlotCalc some default values will be set for the options. You can change these options and click on the "Save Options" button to save them so you won't have to type them in again next time.

Specify the distance for SlotCalc to use. This distance is measured from your CURRENT centerpoint so make sure you have it set for your home location. Remember that SlotCalc cannot know about caches outside the data that GSAK has so if you have 20 miles of caches loaded in GSAK then asking SlotCalc to use 30 miles won't give you useful results.

Pick if you want Found caches included. You don't really need to know details on stuff you've found do you? It's an option though.

Pick if you want SlotCalc to calculate to half months. Stick with whole months unless you really have a need for finer resolution later. I've seen 150 caches placed in my area within a single month (and over 250 in July 2009) and the half month option was added because of that.

Pick if you want SlotCalc to calculate exact dates. This is even more extreme than half months and will calculate the best possible dates for the slots. It overrides half month and keeps it's historical data separate from the full/half month calculations. Notepad display is forced.

You can select an owner name to ignore. If you don't include owned caches in your queries then put your owner name here. This uses the Owner Name which is your Geocaching.com owner name.

Pick if you want the results presented in Notepad instead of an OKMsg box. This will let the results remain visible even after the SlotCalc macro ends.

You can also select a slot size other than 500 if you want. Perhaps you want to use 499 or some day we might be able to ask for more than 500 from a pocket query.

Once you have your options selected, click on the "Save Options" button so you won't have to enter everything in again next time.

The First Run

The first time SlotCalc runs it will save, for reference next time, the "slots" that were calculated. The next time you run SlotCalc the results are compared to the last run's results and you are alerted if things have changed. This way you can run SlotCalc to see if you can change your date ranges for a better fit.

Future Runs

After the first run SlotCalc compares what it has calculated with what was calculated last time. If it is different you will see indications on the SlotCalc report. You can choose to make the changes or not. It's up to you. Either way, when you click on OK from the display SlotCalc will ask if you want to keep your old history data (if you don't change your queries) or switch to the new data (if you do change your queries).

Extending Your Range

There is just no easy way to do this. You will have to just somehow get data into GSAK. An additional series of queries, probably spread out over a few days, will be needed to get the data you need.

"I Can't Do This! It's Too Complicated!"

Yes, this sounds like a lot of work but the end result will be worth it! Take it one step at a time and don't try to rush it. All the effort is in setting things up and once you do, you'll wonder how you ever did it any way else.

Hints and Tricks

I personally have five different queries but I don't run them all every day. I run the first, third, and fifth one day then second, fourth, and fifth the next day. I do something different on Tuesday - a day I don't usually go caching.

An odd thing about pocket queries is that they like to be run only once per week. I've found out that if you have a separate query for each day of the week you run it it will run at the earliest possible time. I have three of the first four queries and seven of the fifth.

The run time for the queries will also "creep" and keep running later and later. Eventually it gets so late that you need to fix it. The only way I've found to fix it is to copy the query and get rid of the old one. I usually do this when the run time gets past 2:00 AM (PST). Fortunately this doesn't happen for quite some time and I can usually combine the copy with when I am adjusting date ranges.