Needed found dates tool for loops does not include lab-caches, can they be added?

Question

Needed found dates tool for loops does not include lab-caches (which statistics at geocaching (.) com does) is there a reason? If not, can this be changed to include lab-caches?

This mean a challenge needing for example 10 finds on each day can not be fulfilled with lab-caches using a Project GC checker (which is required on all challenges). It would be fulfilled according to statistics at geocaching (.) com, but that statistics would be “overruled” by the Project GC checker.

Answer 1

This is quite questionable. The challenge caches rule 10. speaks about source of criteria and explicitly lists lab cache finds as not acceptable. Given that, I would read that for qualifying for a challenge cache, lab cache finds can not be used. If this is not how the rules are understood by groundspeak, reviewers and in agreement between Project-GC about checkers, they will need to be updated and rules adjusted.

There are more issues with lab caches (such as they have weird timezones and actually might not land in the day you log the cache) and much more, so I believe not including them in checkers is a correct thing.

Comments

Could you at least add an option in "Needed found dates" that creates the same data that is provided in "Profile stats"?
In "Profile stats" in section "Finds by found date" there even is a link with the test "Generate a calendar overview with filters using the Needed found dates tool" and the tool currently is not able to provide the same data.

---

The issue is that they ARE included by Geocaching HQ, the Geocaching App, the Geocaching webpage, and Proj-GC Personal Stats.
This is the ONLY place that I still see an inconsistency.

There should at least be a selection to be able to include them.

---

According to HQ....

Todd,
What point 10 means is that you cannot specify Lab Caches in challenge criteria. For example, a challenge to find 100 Lab Caches would not be permitted. Similarly, a challenge to complete a 365 Grid with only Lab Caches would not be permitted.
However, a challenge to complete the 365 Grid where all cache types are accepted could include Lab Caches as qualifiers because they are not specified.
Best wishes,
Chris
Geocaching HQ