Display track/route name on map

Started by joeloc, December 02, 2011, 21:12:50

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joeloc

Would it be possible to display the name of a track on the map? Best place for this would probably be at the first track point. You could also include distance and total climbing if you want to be fancy.

Why? Trail network gpx files are quite common. The attached file for example contains about 40 tracks with all worthwile mountainbike single tracks on Gran Canaria. When I'm on the island, I simply want to see all these tracks on top of whatever map I use. With names and data. Right now, Locus only gives me a bunch of pretty blue lines... which isnt really enough.
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Menion

#1
hi joe,

- I think that instead of panning map to first point, is much better to tap on single track and check name there
- anyway second point is nice idea, so I added similar small on map dialog as is on highlighted waypoints ...
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joeloc

#2
Clicking a track to find out about the name is fine. But it would still be nice if the name was shown on the map right away. And why not? POIs are displayed with names as well, after all :).

See attached screen shot for example... it doesnt help much for an overview. It's basically only funky modern line art. But which track is which? Where are the starting points?

When I import a trail network gpx file with PathAway/PPC, it shows the names on the map so you know immediately what you're dealing with and where the starting point is. PathAway also modifies the color for each new track in an imported gpx slightly, so you could easily make out the differences.

If you dont want to make it default, how about some little options:
x   Display Track & Route names on map.
x   Slightly modify track colors when multiple tracks are displayed.


Btw, I tried to have a trail network as KML file mapItems/ directory. Locus tells me it "imports" tracks when i click this kml file in map item manager. However, nothing is displayed on the map.
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joeloc

#3
On a related note: the track popup menu shortens the track name into oblivion. Should be much wider imho, 8 chars dont tell me anything :-). See attachment.
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joeloc

#4
I must correct myself a bit on the issue of mapItems/ folder. See the attached archive:
GranCanariaSingleTrack.gpx <- all is fine when in mapItems, everything is displayed.
GranCanariaSingleTrack.kml <- same data, works in googleearth, not displayed when in mapItems.

little bug: those files do not remain checked in the mapItems list and thus can not be deselected.
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Menion

#5
ah, I forget to look on last post. Anyway mapItems category purpose is for overlays (currently supported GroundOverlay from KML and aero files). Rest will be loaded but do not currently appear in items list ... check new version, I'm sure, you'll like it ... viewtopic.php?f=25&t=1250#p7349
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joeloc

#6
Cool... funky start & finish icons and mouseovers... but still no proper overview. It seems you're trying to avoid track names on the map at all costs :-)

Hey... idea... how about you replace the "start" text in the start icon with the track name?
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Menion

#7
hehe, track name in icon? first three letters? :) I'm not avoiding ... when you hover start or end icon, it will display track name together wuth main parameters. I think, good enough ;). Anyway I should apply on this same settings as on POI's so these labels (probably only on first points) should be visible always ...
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joeloc

#8
Hm... yes! A track's starting point could just be handled as a POI, settingswise. Then we get the name on the map immediately. Good idea.

As for the hovering... it's a very good method to display more information on mouse-controlled devices. But I'm not sure if it really works well on touchscreens. Tapping might be more intuitive. Oh well, maybe it's just me. Might need some getting used to.

Btw, instead of Start & Finish icons, you could also try to add some tiny arrows along the track, indicating the direction. A bit like what you use in your "guide mode". That would also work nicely with roundtrips, where start & finish is the same. Might be a bit more difficult to implement though.
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Menion

#9
new testing version (btw, direction arrows are visible when tracks is highlighted)
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joeloc

#10
I know I'm a pain in the a*... sorry :)

Anyway... permanent display of track name is good! However, I see now that the additional Data (Distance & Climb) is a bit too much really even for the Galaxy Note (1280x800). It might work for one or two tracks on screen, but not for a trail network. So I'd remove that info from the label and only leave a one-line track name for now.

I'd also kill the "START" icon completely because it's obviously at the same place as the label.

The font in the label box should use the same color as the track itself.

Later, you can make it an option to please everyone out there:

Display Tracks...
o  ... without any labels or icons.
o  ... with start & end icons.
o  ... with title.
o  ... with title & additional data.

Btw... labels can apparently overlap now. How complex would it be to store position and dimension of all boxes on screen and try to shift overlapping boxes a bit to prevent overlapping? That should work for track names as well as POIs.

Btw2... this is about item selection with finger tapping. It's quite nice that you present a list of things "close" to the tap to choose from. However, if the tap coordinates can directly be connected to a specific label box on screen, I meant to select exactly this track and not any other one.

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gynta

#11
i dont know if there a bug in this new feature
but since 1.14.6.2 sometimes flashing the screen (like the trackcolor)

[attachment=1:3i4ku92s]SC20111208-181026.png[/attachment:3i4ku92s] [attachment=0:3i4ku92s]SC20111208-181039.png[/attachment:3i4ku92s]

Menion

#12
hehe, you've discovered for you secret function. Do you know how you can create 3D view in google maps? Just move with two fingers up and down on map. It's also working in testing version of locus. Unfortunately 2D canvas I use for drawing maps cannot handle a lot of transformation and do this mess on screen
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gynta

#13
can i disable this?
setting ->simple muli-tuch doesnt work.

Menion

#14
just slide down with two figers (or up) ...
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