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Author Topic: "Time spotted" feature Topic is locked Back to Topics
DI

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Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 1:18:28 AM

I like the new "Time spotted" feature. Unless you happen to have a laptop and be in some place with WiFi, looking out at a station, it's not likely you're going to have spotted the price "now". As with the MSL, I'm sure some members will ignore it (and they'll usually be rather easy to spot by the non-:00/:15/:30/:45 time).
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DI
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Mar 24, 2008 10:57:31 PM

AFOS - I just tried posting a station as a visitor. I chose an earlier time, thinking it might be reversing the a.m. & p.m. but didn't see the problem. My next thought is if it might happen over the date change (e.g., selecting 5:45 p.m. after midnight gets posted as the next day). I'll try to test that later.
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AFOS
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Mar 24, 2008 10:26:56 AM

At 8:00 am today I noticed a price with a posted time of 5:45 PM today. I don't see this option in the time spotted feature. Wonder how that happened. It was a visitor post.
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Mar 21, 2008 9:20:48 AM

An increase from 6 to 12 hours for time spotted. This will be helpful for the stations I saw last night, but can't post until this morning.



[Edited by: Zimcity at 3/21/2008 10:22:25 AM EST]
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DI
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Mar 21, 2008 12:47:48 AM

Looks like they've made several changes to the "Time Spotted" feature:

- The time "Now" has been replaced by the actual numeric time (and that time updates until you submit the prices).
- The time increments in the pull-down menu are in 15-minute increments for the first 2 hours, 30-minute increments for the next 4 hours, and hour increments for the next 6 hours.
- A second "Time Spotted" pull-down menu has been added at the botton of the FSL.
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DI
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Mar 6, 2008 2:12:08 AM

goldieolds - When you enter a price of "0" for a station, you're deleting that station's pricing entry from the list. By deleting that entry, there won't be a conflict when you then turn around and repost the station with the correct "time spotted".

As way of background, until recently when using entries from the Master Station List became the norm, it was not uncommon for the same station to be posted as many as four times because of variations in the way individuals posted the station (address, name). So zeroing out a station's price to delete the entry and, hence, remove duplicates was quite common.

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goldieolds
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Mar 5, 2008 11:46:08 PM

Thanks silverstreaker. I'm not quite sure I understand what putting in a 0, but I'll try it and see.
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SilverStreaker
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Message Posted: Mar 4, 2008 8:37:47 AM

goldieolds asks "Is it possible to change the time spotted after it has been submitted?"

I think that the only way to do this is to enter "0" for the price, then on the next screen enter the real price with the time stamp.
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goldieolds
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Mar 4, 2008 1:50:15 AM

Is it possible to change the time spotted after it has been submitted? Sometimes I forget to do it until just as I have hit the submit button. I clicked on the stop button, and resubmitted with the correct time, but it didn't catch it in time, and the new (corrected) listing didn't count, as it look like an old listing. So the incorrect listing took precedence, because it was the later time.
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SilverStreaker
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 26, 2008 8:33:54 AM

I submit in 2-3 batches and this morning, the time spotted button was not there at first. Out of habit, I submitted after the first batch and I noticed that the button was back. I zeroed out my first entries and then resubmitted using the time stamp. Was the time stamp missing for anyone else, or was it a glitch?
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DI
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 21, 2008 11:43:43 PM

AFOS mentioned "According to a response on the Chicago web site, older posts (as indicated by using the time spotted button), will overwrite posts with newer times. That should not be."

And DC responded "We belieive that it is working properly now."

I can confirm that it is. Last night posted three prices using the "time spotted" feature that were about 15 minutes earlier than posted prices (which didn't use the "time spotted" feature). Each of those prices had a double asterisk with the note:

"There has already been a newer price reported for this station and fuel type. You have still received points for this posting. This price will not be updated on the website."
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Alpha_Pup
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 8, 2008 7:50:12 AM

I've a whopping 3 or 4 depending on the day and blocks of 1 and 3 don't make much sense to me.

We've a few application at work were column values in the previous row are brought forward to the current row if nothing is entered, I wonder if something like that would work.
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rodking3
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2008 4:18:45 PM

I post them in blocks like Zim and SS. This works well for me and is fairly simple. If it stays this way, great. If not, I can live with it.
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SilverStreaker
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2008 2:22:22 PM

Like Zimcity, I enter about 10 stations in the morning in blocks of 2 or 3. I would rather keep it in blocks than clicking each one individually. How about this:
Have a time spotted next to each favorite, but also a group time feature on the top and the bottom of the favorite list, so you could enter them either way. Also put the "Submit Prices" button on the top and bottom of the list.
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2008 1:18:33 PM

Initially I thought a time spotted by each FSL entry would be good, but I really don't want to enter the time once for each station.

I've been entering them in blocks using the two or three pertinent times (i.e. Elk River stations at 7:00AM, Rogers stations at 7:15AM).

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Kleen Kar
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2008 12:20:29 PM

I would vote as Alpha_Pup suggests, a Time Spotted next to each of your favorites listed.

It would make it clear that we are serious about both the accuracy of the price and the time in which you saw that price.
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Alpha_Pup
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2008 9:22:56 AM

I vote that a put a Time Spotted next to each of your favorites listed.

I see a price when I leave home, travel across the parkng lot known as the Wakota Bridge, and then see a price when I get to work.
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SilverStreaker
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2008 8:52:49 AM

I vote that they put both the time feature and the "enter gas prices" to the top and bottom of the favorite station lists.
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DI
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2008 11:38:03 PM

I personally wish they'd re-add the feature to the bottom (in addition to the top). I spotted it right off at the bottom (as witnessed by the presence of this topic) and started using it immediately but since it was moved, I haven't used it once.
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CostcoKid
All-Star Author Minnesota

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2008 10:38:59 PM

This is a great feature! Nice going guys!
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Woe
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2008 11:33:25 AM

Oh Cool, Zim.. I saw you had posted about correcting prices after
I posted my comment. That's a little different than my gaff!
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2008 11:31:51 AM

"Do you just hit the enter key after entering prices? "

Yes, scrolling to the bottom takes longer.

Sounds like they will be expanding the backdating to 12 hours in the future too.

I used it to correct a duplicate posting this morning. The newer posting had a non-MSL address so instead of just scooping it, I updated the correctly addressed one to the time of the bad one.
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Woe
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2008 11:27:19 AM

I am liking this feature...
There is another application for it.

I messed up and posted a price for the wrong station.
Of course the price was wrong.
The price that WAS there was about 4 hours old. Without the pulldown,
you can't really "fix" the price because 4 hours later, who knows what you
have. But here, I was able to delete my bad price, and then add back the
old price at the time it was posted.

neato.
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praises7
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 2, 2008 10:42:00 AM

Zimcity wrote: "It would also be nice if the time spotted box was at the top of the FSL page, since I usually don't scroll all the way down to the bottom. Never saw it this morning."

Do you just hit the enter key after entering prices?

Personally I liked it at the bottom of the page since it was next to the "Submit" button.

But since I know were its at, its fine were it is.

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johnwinger
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 2, 2008 7:31:34 AM

This is a great feature!
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rjgimp
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 1, 2008 9:48:08 PM

JT, you're the tops!
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ms4nqueen
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 1, 2008 4:15:25 PM

Just used it (after I found it at the top!). Nice!
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GRUMPY49
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 1, 2008 1:16:30 PM

I LIKE IT
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 1, 2008 8:22:32 AM

This could be a nice tool for those prices that need "fixing" rather than scooping too.
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 1, 2008 8:21:37 AM

Yeah, I loved that too jakester, when it's been on the request list for years. Maybe the I-team report helped get it added a little faster.
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jakester
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 1, 2008 2:13:58 AM

I see 'CCO is taking credit for the new feature.

ΘΣ
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goldieolds
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 1, 2008 1:17:09 AM

This feature makes sense, but it'll take some getting used to, since I tend to just go out of habit.
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DC
Moderator
Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 9:33:48 PM

We belieive that it is working properly now. Please let us know if you find otherwise.
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 2:15:48 PM

Yes for sure, has anybody contacted the mods?

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AFOS
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 2:01:04 PM

Zim...
Lots of stuff gives jman apoplexy. :-)

I like this new feature but that bug needs to be fixed pronto.
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 1:57:54 PM

Oh Lord, I see poor jman83 is apoplectic over this improvement. *shakes head*
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AFOS
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 12:57:45 PM

JT...
According to a response on the Chicago web site, older posts (as indicated by using the time spotted button), will overwrite posts with newer times. That should not be.
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andidolphin
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 12:42:41 PM

OOOO!!!!

I like! Thank you!!!
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Zimcity
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 11:59:39 AM

Great, thanks JT!
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JT
Moderator
Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 11:56:59 AM

We've now moved the time spotted feature to the top of the favorites list, since many members did not see it at the bottom when posting prices from their favorites.
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mnlen
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 10:46:42 AM

Didn't even notice it, thanks for mentioning.

[Edited by: mnlen at 1/31/2008 11:46:56 AM EST]
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ms4nqueen
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 10:30:43 AM

I noticed it this morning but didn't know what to do with it (LOL). I'm glad somebody started a thread for it.
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djvang
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 9:57:04 AM

"It would also be nice if the time spotted box was at the top of the FSL page, since I usually don't scroll all the way down to the bottom. Never saw it this morning."

I agree. I missed it too.
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Zimcity
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 9:45:56 AM

Right, I just figured out the bug too.

I would think updating a post should take the spotted time too.

It would also be nice if the time spotted box was at the top of the FSL page, since I usually don't scroll all the way down to the bottom. Never saw it this morning.
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djvang
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 9:34:49 AM

I edited my post while you were posting Zim. When I click on an individual station to update it shows the time entered on the listing. When I update from my FSL it shows the time spotted.
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Zimcity
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 9:31:02 AM

As far as I can tell it doesn't, djvang.

"I'm guessing that it defaults to the oldest time posted. If so, you would have to zero out the existing price, then enter the time that you wanted to post."

I tried that and it still posted with the current time, rather than the time spotted.

MODS?
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djvang
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 9:27:36 AM

Never mind.

[Edited by: djvang at 1/31/2008 10:31:05 AM EST]
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RasOne
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 9:10:25 AM

I like this feature!

I drove by 7 stations in about 20 minutes on my way into work, but immediately had a meeting. So about an hour later, I was still able to post the prices I spotted at 8-8:15 without affecting any newer posts.

Much easier to keep the prices accurate!
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praises7
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 9:04:47 AM

Hummm....It worked for stations in my FSL.
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SilverStreaker
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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 8:49:48 AM

Zimcity says "I tried it but it didn't change the time of the stations I had just posted from my FSL."

I'm guessing that it defaults to the oldest time posted. If so, you would have to zero out the existing price, then enter the time that you wanted to post.

I post 10 prices in the morning and do it off of my favorites list. It would be a pain in the rear to post them individually. They need to get this feature onto our favorites lists.
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Jan 31, 2008 7:52:59 AM

I tried it but it didn't change the time of the stations I had just posted from my FSL.

It will definitely need to be added there, or it won't be used very much.
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