Messages

inspiration from Solid Explorer > I saw it too and like it  , was just lazy to do something like this

@Menion - so you use Solid Explorer? A few random rambling thoughts comparing the SE & LM user interface, and more general wacky ideas:

• general comment - MyLibrary is becoming like a file explorer - Windows Explorer, Android Solid Explorer - I like it!
• Locus uses Select items > Move or Copy > Select Folder, whereas most? file explorers & other UI, use Select > Cut or Copy > Paste - the latter a more conventional & familiar paradigm to all users? Copy/Paste is more generic/ general purpose/ can be used in more tasks/ ways. For Copy/Paste you "end up" in the destination folder, which I like, whereas for LM4 Move you stay in the source folder & don't see where the items have "gone".
• Example for a new user - current folder displays 4 subfolders and wants to rename one - my first idea is to long-tap the folder > dot-dot-dot > Edit folder, or "^" (Tools) Edit folder - similar to Windows. But actual correct method - have to tap to change into the folder > dot-dot-dot > Edit folder.
• Similarly to edit folder | track | point "properties" there are different methods - for LM4 > tap track | point > Edit Info, where as current list > dot-dot-dot > Edit folder
• Actual name "My Library" - a mouth full - "My Data"? Is the word "data" more meaningful than "library"?
• Extending the file explorer analogy - file types - folders, tracks, points - could all be treated consistently. Now extend to no-go areas - expose these as items in the folder for proper management. And with multiple folder levels - could have folder & item "shortcuts" like Windows - a folder shortcut moves you quickly to any other place in the hierarchy; a track | point | no-go shortcut is treated the same as tapping/ long tapping the actual track | point | no-go instead of duplicating the item & risking data inconsistency. The same mechanism could possibly extend to other "data types" in future without having to have new special buttons or menus in "Tools". At least the "Edit Properties" command.

Some ideas could simplify the UI rather than making it more complex.

LM 4.0 released 21st March 2021. I guess/ hope this will be 5.0 as I have trouble counting past 26?

scroll breadcrumbs when new folder is added > when you add a new folder, you do not directly jump into it. So new folder is not visible at the top breadcrumbs so there is nothing to scroll.

@Menion - the new folder is not entered or made visible in the list. If I find a long list of points or tracks > add new folder > the breadcrumb doesn't show the new folder, and the new folder is at the top of the list so not visible because no scrolling happens.

All other questions answered - thanks & all good.

But how to return to the main map without tapping Back (say) 6 times to go back up the folder hierarchy? The only way I know is

X?

@Tapio - if I am in the "leaf" folder "sub3" of say tracks>sub1>sub2>sub3, then to get back to the map is Back>Back>Back>Back, but then when I go back to MyLibrary I'm in root "tracks" again. There is no way to quickly switch between sub3 & map & sub3.

Below 2 screencaps from Solid Explorer. 1st I'm in the "BIKE" folder:
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Then I've tapped Back>Back>Back to the "DOWNLOAD" folder, but the whole "path" is still retained, so I can still change directly to the "BIKE" folder again.
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multi-select and "move" of more folders > currently only "delete" is possible. Working with multiple folders at once requires a different approach, so it was not yet a priority for me. Later ...

@Menion - at present it is possible to move selected points & tracks, but not whole folders, or a folder & sub-folders. Is that your comment above? I hope it will become possible as consolidating points & track folders is tedious at present. For the moment I have to create a new folder, select points or tracks, move them, then delete the now empty folder.
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I really like the new "breadcrumb" navigation hint/ path at the top of MyLibrary.
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Should the list be scrolled to make the new sub-folder visible when it is added?

And maybe a little less between folder names so that more can be viewed at the same time without dragging left & right, or allow to extend onto the next line like descriptions?
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But how to return to the main map without tapping Back (say) 6 times to go back up the folder hierarchy? The only way I know is to tap on a track or a point in the folder. A good feature is that when MyLibrary is re-entered, the same folder is then restored. But unfortunately not when Back was tapped <N> times.

In the Android Solid Explorer app, the "breadcrumb" navigation hint/ path is kept even when the Back button is tapped, until another part of the tree is navigated to. Which is very convenient. Current in RC11 when I tap the "root" folder, any path is lost.
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Picking all the points and tracks, even from sub-folders, and export them to a single file > not a big problem. Is this enough? Someone will want to keep the structure of the folders right? Maybe also for import, right? And here problems start

@0709 - you seem to be the expert on GPX file formats, any thoughts for standard round-trip format?

- start, the app will do a database conversion

it didn't offer the conversion for me, and no suggestions from @Menion why

[Method no 1 (recommended)]

Method no 1 (recommended)
- separate device, where this version may be installed and tested
- immediately after installation, restore the backup from your main device
- after re-start, the app will do a database conversion

@Menion or anyone - 2nd step "immediately after installation, restore the backup from your main device" - clarify "immediately"? After a clean install of RC10 > open LM4 > grant permissions > map of Prague displayed (when Wifi enabled), exactly what steps are used to "restore the backup"? I tried main menu > all features > setup > settings > Backup & filesystem > Backup manager > Restore from backup > restore my complete ZIP of all tracks & POI > restart > crash. LM always crashes then @ startup. I then found it impossible to fix except with delete Locus/data/database/* and the Android settings > apps > Locus > Storage > Clear Data.

Thanks for any help. sigh...

BTW the # steps required to perform a Restore of a backup ZIP are pretty well "buried" - SEVEN steps!

Beta RC10 uploaded.

@Menion - startup now working - thanks!

While trying to locate the "Backup" "setting", performing a Search & typing "b.a.c..." I got the impression that LM4 RC10 was using 100% CPU because Android asked whether to close or wait, and the UI was e.x.t.r.e.m.e.l.y slow to respond until it displayed Backup in search results.

Android 8 is definitely not old. This happens right after installation, so even before restoring a backup? Simple clean install and start?

@Menion

>right after installation
yes

>so even before restoring a backup?
yes

>Simple clean install and start?
1st install was upgrade from 4.26.2

2nd install was after uninstall of 4.26.3.1_1149
------------

3rd attempt (testing with Lenovo Tab 4 tablet running Android 8.1, portrait orientation, nothing much special I can think of):

• deleted folder: internal memory/Locus
• installed MapGooglePlay_4.26.3.1 MyLibV2 RC9_1149_beta.apk
• open
• Android displays "Locus Map has stopped, open app again"
• full bug report on its way - I hope it helps so I can do some testing

In my 1st post I should have included the 2 below screenshots. I tapped "Restore from backup" and you can see grayed out "Backup manager" displayed behind the 2nd screen.
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thanks @freischneider - this time I uninstalled the app, installed new beta, run > displays opening 4 jigsaw pieces then a few seconds later Android messagebox says "Locus Map has stopped, Open app again". So this is even worse than my first attempt. Android 8.1. I can't "afford" to test on a newer device sorry.

"Sub-Folders" is enough IMO.

@tapio - I guess everyone manages their data differently. I've always found the 2 level Group/ Folder system too inflexible.

There's no possibility to sort tracks by their length.

@tapio - I'm assuming these are just (relatively) minor small-picture details compared with the overall design concept; will have to resurrect an old device so I can have more constructive suggestions.

+6 hours: I installed MapGooglePlay_4.26.3.1_1149 MyLibV2 RC8_beta.apk > displays release notes > tap OK > below - can't do anything else ;-(
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zzcrk, code: 11556
@menion - maybe old tablet with Android 8.1 is too old??

It was also mentioned to have a point in several folders. This can of course be done by copying.

@freischneider the problem is: modify point in 1 folder, now inconsistent with any other copies

Btw. I forgot to mention one important info  ... this version has disabled "Cloud sync" because our web server is not yet 100% ready!!!

@Menion - you did mention "Cloud Sync".

Exciting but I may wait for a week(s) because I can't dedicate a device as isolated test device. Looking forward to "Cloud Sync" version!!

A pity no tags being considered. When (a decade+ ago) I moved from Microsoft email client Outlook (with strict folder hierarchy similar to LM) to Google Gmail (with tag based system) life became a lot simpler/ more flexible for organisation & search. BTW I know there is a recent discussion in the Help system re tags with quite a lot of votes, but the search facility https://help.locusmap.eu/ is pretty hopeless & I gave up trying to find the link ;-(

you gain that from some kind of Java function?

@tapio - gee question from the Tasker guru ;-)
I use the built-in "Get Battery Info" function which has 22 (!) output variables including %bi_current_average (amps)

@Neoaliphant - yes - screen off, airplane mode, all other foreground apps "killed"
FWIW ~70mA for track recording; just started testing with audio coach & BT heart rate & BT earbud - appears to rise to ~100mA though more testing required

ANYONE NOTICED SEVERE BATTERY DRAIN

@tapio - I always have a Tasker profile with device current (mA) appended to CSV file every 2 minutes. I have not seen any change in average current.