Messages

1

Tools / Re: c-me live tracking

« on: March 22, 2019, 20:30:43 »

Hello Gynta

I am using cme as for the moment it is a far superior live tracking tool.

WHY?
1- Maps are better (can select satellite imagery, helpful in areas where the actual tracks are not mapped, but visible on the satellite imagery)
2- All the positions of the track are available and each position displays the point information. The people following the person tracked will have a better grasp of what was going on in case of problem. Locus live tracking only shows the last position. GPSies shows all the positions, but the information is only available for the last point, and no Lat Lon information is retrievable.
3- It is possible to save the track. Locus live tracking and GPSies don't provide this option. This can have many applications. In my case, I use this to map areas with poor mobile network coverage, by comparing the livetracking positions (or absence of position) to my actual track. It can also be used in case of emergency to provide this Live track to rescue teams.
4- The web interface is simple and neat, with nothing superfluous and no cosmetic niceties. The actions are giving the expected results (GPSies is sometimes an enigma).

So far I can have from cme all the information that I get from Locus live tracking, on a  better map, and with the possibility to save the track.
Therefore I am extremely happy that cme is still up and running.

Thanks again!

2

Discussion/New features / Re: auto load of maps should be polished

« on: August 26, 2018, 16:58:57 »

Hello
On version 3.30.2, same kind of problem: auto-load feature gives random results. Did anybody find a solution?

3

Maps / Spanish Marine Hydrographic Institute WMS maps available

« on: April 12, 2018, 15:35:43 »

Hello

The official up to date Spanish vector marine charts are now available for viewing as WMS services.
See "http://ideihm.covam.es/servicios_en.html".
It is possible to use either their own WMS viewer, or Locus.
Other non commercial options are presented in their site.

In Locus, just add the following 4 WMS services:
for scales 1:350.000 - 1:500.000
http://ideihm.covam.es/wms/cartaENCp2?service=WMS&request=Getcapabilities
for scales 1:90.000 - 1:350.000
http://ideihm.covam.es/wms/cartaENCp3?service=WMS&request=Getcapabilities
for scales 1:22.000 - 1:90.000
http://ideihm.covam.es/wms/cartaENCp4?service=WMS&request=Getcapabilities
for scales 1:4.000 - 1:22.000
http://ideihm.covam.es/wms/cartaENCp5?service=WMS&request=Getcapabilities

The 3 first ones cover all of Spain including Baleares and Canary island
The last one covers some spots.

In the parameters, little to do:
- keep the CRS as the default one proposed by Locus (EPSG 3857) which is WGS 84 and allows to see in Locus the information concerning lights and wrecks
- select the top layer: this will select all the other ones
You are done.

Once the map opened, in the upper left corner, two buttons, one allowing to modify the parameters (you just need to modify the opacity if needed, the rest has to stay the same), the other allowing to view the information concerning the light (photo and light characteristics) or wreck located at the screen center.

I tried this using Locus 3.30.2 on a rather slow Internet connection on an antique PC using Remix Android clone: it worked perfectly and quickly.
As for other WMS maps, no offline use possible with Locus.

4

Tools / Re: c-me live tracking

« on: August 15, 2017, 12:42:37 »

Many thanks for your fast reply, and sorry for my very late reply.
All clear, problem was on my side due to my own stupidity.
Locus was reporting that the position was sent, therefore I was not giving enough attention to Locus c-me setup.
I deleted c-me from Locus live tracking, added it again, and same problem, Locus apparently sending the position but nothing on c-me web site..
After several attempts I realized that a blank space existed in the Locus PID field before the first character of the default PID "your PID". Therefore replacing each visible character of this field by my PID was in fact letting this blank space in front of my PID, therefore invalidating it.
Thanks again and best regards

5

Tools / is c-me live tracking still active ?

« on: July 26, 2017, 08:54:03 »

Hello Gynta

Many thanks for c-me. It has helped me a lot.
During the last few days I have been trying c-me live tracking. Although Locus shows that the position has been sent, on the c-me web site I have always the message "Your database is empty!".
I had no problems with c-me in May.
GPSies works fine, therefore I suppose that the problem is not my phone.
Any suggestions ?

Thanks and regards

6

Live tracking / Locus - Live tracking service: display Lat Lon on the web page map

« on: February 19, 2017, 12:10:26 »

Hello

Many thanks for this live tracking.
It is fast (no need to wait a long time between the start of live tracking in Locus) compared to GPSies.

A feature that I have been unable to figure out is how to display on the Locus live tracking web page map any information other than the user name (for example the latitude and longitude of the user).

As the map doesn't seem to display the coordinate grid, I have not been able to find a way to know the coordinates of the displayed user position.
It is highly possible that I am an idiot and cannot figure out how to display the coordinates.

But if this is not the case, will it be possible for a future implementation of the web page to display the coordinates when pointing to the position icon ?

This will be very useful in the following case:
The locus user is considered by the user follower as injured (the follower has no news, the user has not arrived to destination, etc...)
The user-follower (wife, son, friend...) is able to use the Locus live tracking  web site and see the last known user position on the map.
The map doesn't really give a clear and obvious hint about the user coordinates (for example, the user is on an area with little markers like large water body or a vast snow plain).
The user-follower wants to give the last known user position coordinates to rescue services,
If the user-follower had a displayed grid on the map, or if the latitude and longitude were displayed together with the user name, the user-follower will then be able to give the latitude and longitude of the last user position to the rescue services.

Thanks and regards

Alf

7

Tools / c-me live tracking: display Lat Lon

« on: February 19, 2017, 11:46:16 »

Hello Gynta

Many thanks for this fantastic live tracking.
It is fast (no need to wait a long time between the start of live tracking in Locus) compared to GPSies.
It allows to display satellite imagery (which is not the case with Locus live tracking and GPSies).

A feature that I have been unable to figure out is how to display the latitude and longitude.
On the c-me web page map, the position shows date, time, elevation and comment (I have attached a screen dump).
The only way I have found to get position coordinates  is to download the KML track file and open it to read the coordinates.
As the map doesn't seem to display the coodinate grid, I have not been able to find an easier way to know the coordinates of the displayed position.
It is highly possible that I am an idiot and cannot figure out how to display the coordinates.

But if this is not the case, will it be possible for a future implementation to display the coordinates when pointing to the position icon ?

This will be very useful in the following case:
The locus user is considered by the user follower as injured (the follower has no news, the user has not arrived to destination, etc...)
The user-follower (wife, son, friend...) is able to use the c-me web site and see the last known user position on the map.
The map doesn't really give a clear and obvious hint about the user coordinates (for example, the user is on an area with little markers like large water body or a vast snow plain).
The user-follower wants to give the last known user position coordinates to rescue services, but the user-follower is not very computer literate (he will not realize that he can download the track and open it), although he understands geographical coordinates.
If the user-follower had a displayed grid on the map, or if the latitude and longitude were displayed together with the rest of information, he will then be able to give the latitude and longitude of the last user position to the rescue services without having to rely on any other computer skill.

Thanks and regards

Alf

8

Free chat / Locus on Windows PC

« on: February 16, 2017, 22:01:24 »

I didn't know where to share this information in case it could be of use to anybody, so I decided that this forum section could be the less misguided location.
I use Locus on my phones, all with small screens as my outdoor activities will not allow a large screen phone to survive longer than a few days!
I wanted to have the benefits of Locus at home on a much larger screen, preferably on my Windows PC.
I could not find any Windows application that could compete with Locus (GMapCatcher is quite good , but definitively less user friendly and with less possibilities than Locus).
I have been using for several months Bluestacks (several versions with several Locus versions) with success. The only complain being a rather sluggish Locus on my rather old dual core 2GHz Windows PC (windows 7 at first and now 10).
I came today across Remix, an Android based operating system for PC.
I gave it a try and I was nicely surprised. Locus runs very smoothly.
Comparison of Bluestacks (version 2.5.90.6347) and Remix (version  3.0.207):
- Installation: both very easy
- Performance: Remix much better on an old PC, on all applications, including Locus.
- Interface: both are OK, but Remix has a better compatibility with AZERTY keyboards.
- Usage: Bluestacks runs within Windows, and therefore the user can work on Android applications and Windows applications within the same session: Bluestacks in just an other application window. Remix is an independent OS, the user must decide to boot to Windows or to Remix (the choice is available on the Windows 10 startup screen once Remix has been installed) and therefore can only work with Android or with Windows applications, not simultaneously on both.
- Access to the PC files: although Bluestacks has significantly improved the access to Windows files, it is still necessary to modify Windows registry to personalize the Windows folder that can be accessed by Bluestacks. Remix being and independent OS has complete access to all Windows directories.
- Update: I never had a problem when installing a newer version of Bluestacks atop an old one: applications, network parameters and Google credentials were kept. Remix being an independent OS, I believe that installing a newer version of Remix will imply to reinstall all Android elements, similar to changing a phone.
If anybody has questions, don't hesitate, I will perhaps be able to answer.

 

9

Add-ons / Re: GpsTrace

« on: April 03, 2016, 11:16:51 »

Hello

Thanks for sharing this application.

I loaded it on my two phones, both running Locus Pro.

I tried to understand how to use one of the phones as SMS transmitter and the other one as the receiver of the positions sent by the first one.

I tried several of the options of GPSTrace with no success.

Is there any form of guide or manual describing how to achieve this ?

Thanks and regards

10

Troubles & Questions / Re: Magnetic declination model

« on: December 22, 2015, 15:53:43 »

Many thanks for your reply.

I understand that Locus uses the magnetic declination model integrated in the Android version of the device.

Suggestion for future Locus versions:
Give the possibility to the user to load in Locus the latest model data file (by just copying the coefficient file to some subdirectory of the Locus directory).
The coefficient file is tiny (5 KB) and can be downloaded by the user from "http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/WMM/wmm_ddownload.shtml"
In this way, even old devices with old versions of Android will be able to be up to date concerning the magnetic declination.

Merry Xmas and happy new year

11

Troubles & Questions / Magnetic declination model

« on: December 10, 2015, 10:38:58 »

Hello

Please, what is the origin of the magnetic declination shown by Locus in the compass window?
Does Locus uses (for example) the latest World Magnetic Model (WMM2015) to establish the declination?
Is the magnetic declination data stored on the phone for offline use ?
Does it update the model automatically (for example in 2020 with WMM 2020) when the Android device is online ?


Thanks for your help and best regards

Alf

12

Wishlist / BSB marine charts

« on: April 07, 2013, 08:48:05 »

Hello
One of the topics of the forum viewtopic.php?f=10&t=503&p=5441&hilit=BSB#p5441 (see the PDF link at the bottom of the discussion) mentions the possibility to use marine BSB calibrated raster files within Locus through a complicated process involving a CPN utility, an Oruxmaps utility and Ozi Explorer (ouf !).
This issue is also mentioned in the forum topic viewtopic.php?f=10&t=244&p=930&hilit=BSB#p930 (see last 2 posts in the topic).
It will be nice to be able to import BSB charts directly to Locus.

Thanks

13

Wishlist / CM93 marine vector charts

« on: April 06, 2013, 22:24:06 »

Hello

It would be nice if Locus could read marine vector charts in the format CM93 ed 2.

Thanks

14

Wishlist / Text to speech for waypoint notification

« on: February 28, 2013, 16:58:18 »

Hello

Presently the waypoint notification settings allow to use a sound or a frequency.

It will be useful to add a text to speech option when the "Notify on distance" option is selected.
The spoken text will be the name of the waypoint.

Example of use:
Can be used to improve the guidance notification when following a complicated or dangerous track.
The user can give as name of the way point the text he wants to hear when approaching this way point.

Thanks and regards

15

Wishlist / Re: Merging SQL databases

« on: February 28, 2013, 16:34:25 »

Sherman, hello

Thanks for the advises.

I was not able to get any usable result from GemfTool after several attempts (sometimes it plainly crashes, sometimes it generates a GEMF file with errors, sometimes the file is generated but unreadable by Locus, I could not find a consistent pattern of the software behavior).

What did work:

SQLite command:

insert into target.tiles select * from source.tiles where not exists (select * from target.tiles where (target.tiles.x=source.tiles.x and target.tiles.y=source.tiles.y and target.tiles.z=source.tiles.z))

"target" being the name of the database where the new tiles from the database "source" will be copied.
It is necessary to eliminate the tiles with duplicates x y z, if not the command will come with errors as the combination x y z  constitutes the unique key of the databases.

I used the software SQLite2009 (free for home users) to run the command after opening the "target" database and attaching the "source" database.
I did try the command in other SQlite packages, but it failed (perhaps due to the non-supported type of the image file).