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Messages - svartbjorn

#136
Test results of release Pro 1.6.0:
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- GPS elevation error: the GPS filter that I understand was introduced in version 1.6.0 completely screwed up the altitude. I ran Locus, GPS Status, and MyTracks at the same time to verify the results. I parked the car at elevation 890m according to MyTracks. GPS Status showed 840m. Locus Pro 1.6.0 reported 187m. From the parking lot I hiked to the top of the top of the mountain. MyTracks reported 1700m, GPS Status reported 1650m, Locus reported 341m. On my way down I switched to Locus Free 1.5.1. I checked the reported elevation at several points: Locus Free 1.5.1 and MyTracks always reported exactly the same elevation, and both consistently 50m higher than GPS Status. I know that there is a Settings/GPS/"Adjust Altitude" in Locus that I can use for calibration, so I use that now.

- Phone hangs while recording: earlier on this trip I used Pro 1.5.2.2 a lot at the same time as Co-Pilot. I had one incidence of hangs, but I have no proof that is because of Locus. On my hiking up to the mountain today (see above), I had no incidences of hang even though Pro 1.6.0 was running at the same time as MyTracks. However, on my way down with Free 1.5.1 and MyTracks, the phone hang completely 3 times within one hour and I had to take out the battery. Question: are there any changes from 1.5.1 to 1.6.0 that could explain this? Having two GPS programs running at the same time, can that cause any trouble?

- Sorting tracks by creation date doesn't apply to MyTracks: the sorting works perfectly for Locus tracks (I have reported this before). However MyTracks tracks are always listed with the newest at the bottom, and the Reverse command has no effect on those.
#137
Hi Menion!
What makes Locus so unique, is the fact the the developer (you) is so responsive to user's requests and questions. This is why Locus has become an application that blows away any competitor. I discovered Locus March 4, and look at what improvements have happened to Locus during only these last 7 weeks! I have other apps where I have emailed the developer and asked for just a small change, e.g. a web browser where I suggested to change the text color in unselected tab headers simply to make them readable. The response I got was that they would look at that. That is 3 months ago, and nothing has happened! And that was just a request to change a font color! I just gave up. You and Locus are a different planet. Extremely responsive and interested in user feedback. And look what we got!

I worries me that it took me a long time to discover Locus on Android Market. I am pretty sure I had been through all map apps on the market and was about to give up to find a really good app that supported offline maps, track creation, track logs and some other basic features, when I happened to find Locus. Are there more labels you could attach to Locus so people easier will discover it when searching the market? Any other ways you could advertise Locus?

Keep up the excellent work, Menion!
#138
Regarding the accumulated uphill/downhill elevation error: One important detail to add: For the reported example, I used Settings/GPS/"Time between GPS locations" = 60 to save battery while hiking. So I guess this caused the inaccuracy in vertical position (elevation) to be higher than if this parameter =0 (GPS receiver is tracking continuously). A track from driving by car and GPS on continuously, has a much smoother chart. I can see this is a challenge for Locus when GPS is turned on with intervals and how to smoothen the calculated elevation. Maybe accumulated uphill/downhill only will make sense with GPS receiver continuously on to get sufficient vertical accuracy?
#139
Ok, I understand. I must admit I haven't read that text carefully enough. Anyway, I thought an online map and the same map downloaded and used offline were exactly the same thing. Ok, so it isn't.
#140
How to recreate the problem:
- turn off all internet connections (both GPRS and WiFi).
- select an offline map
- create a track. Two points is sufficient. Tap the "Compute route" button (3rd button from left on the track creation menu)
- Locus then complains: "Problem with internet connection"

If I enable internet connection, the "Compute route" completes.
Requirering internet connection when using offline maps can't be correct?
#141
Hi Menion!
Always a pleasure to test new Locus versions!
Thank you for a great test version 1.5.2.2. I have used it a lot, both by car and as hiking. Test results:
- POI: now fantastic! Works perfectly in all respects. I love your new red STOP button that pops up on the screen when the alert triggers. Perfect! Also great menu choice: Play once, or Play until stop.
- sorting criteria: now remembered correctly and survice a Locus restart. I notice new tracks are visible at the top of the list. Perfect!
- uphill/downhill accumulated elevation: there is definitely something wrong here. I had a 3 hour hike today in a not very hilly area. But still the track status reports 2130m uphill over distance 6500m. About same for downhill. That is completely impossible. Min altitude was 1246m, max altitude 1503m. I think I have an idea why this goes so wrong: when I look at the chart, I notice the altitude is very "noisy". I am pretty sure this is due to the inaccuracy in the GPS vertical position. Hence Locus is adding up uphill/downhill changes all the time, while there are no altitude changes in the reality. I think you need to add some sort of smoothness filter. The day after tomorrow I am going on an extremely tough hike to a very high peak. I will then compare the results of Locus and MyTracks.
- I found an issue with creating tracks: even though I have selected offline maps, Locus requires internet connection. I have posted this separately under "Troubles and questions"
#142
Points are organized in categories, which is very convenient. It would be just as convenient to have tracks organized in categories.
#143
Some test results of 1.5.2.1:

- new guiding icon upper left corner when guiding is enabled: great! Very useful to have quick access to these commands during guiding. Before you had to tap the track, and that was ok too, but you have to hit it. So I think this new icon is great!
- POI alert:
       Fixed: continues to play while moving closer to POI. Great.
       Issue: no quick way to stop it. Have to go through the POI alert menu, tap edit, uncheck the Play sound box. That is a long process. The POI alert menu should include a "Stop" command. When alert is enabled today, the menu has two commands: Edit and Cancel. Should have a 3rd one: "Stop". Cancel doesn't stop the playing today, and also Cancel is a different thing - that is to disable the POI alert function. Would a "POI alert" icon in upper left corner similar to the Guiding icon be useful?
- elevation: when driving to work today, I turned on track recording on Locus and on MyTracks. They showed very close results, so it seems your vertical information is correct (not doubled as someone indicated).
- point on track: great new feature! Works great!
- sorting choice is not remembered. I choose "sort by create date" and then "reverse order". When I restart Locus, the sorting criterias are not remembered, and I have to redo both to get my latest track on top of the track list. Also, I would think most people would like to see the latest track on the top so they do not have to scroll down to the bottom of the track list, so default "sort by create date" should have latest on top, not at the bottom as it is today.
- Compass button back on the GPS menu: thank you very much!!!
#144
- Menion, if you prefer to put it in the GPS screen, that's fine too. I just thought the other solution was better from a user point of view. May be you just could include the description that today is in the Settings/Sensors/"Use hardware compass".
- "North up" = no rotation. Correct (just as this is used in car navigators)
- Question: who wants this rotation by hand feature? I have looked at this, but can't think of why I would ever want to do that. The phone is never fixed to something that doesn't move or turn, so why rotate maps by hand?
#145
I keep my suggestion of putting this into the rotation button on the main screen, because this is where you make the descission to change the mode. Also, there is a nice posibility to show the chosen mode by changing the rotation symbol. Today this is an arrow symbol in the middle with two curved arrows around it. What about:
- "North up": a big "N" in the symbol with an arrow pointing up
- "Rotate by bearing": a track symbol with an arrow pointing up
- "Rotate by compass": a compass symbol with the two curved arrow around it (like the two arrows today)
- "Show view": an eye with the two curved arrow around it (like the two arrows today)

Maybe this isn't easy to implement? Just an idea.
#146
I understand Menion was forced by the map source providers to remove certain map sources from Locus, and that this is the reason behind the new release 1.5.2.
==>  But this is a disaster for Locus! What is left of map sources? Nothing - only OSM!

Is this going to be the future too? Aren't there any solutions to this? This is really, bad, bad news.
#147
@Betonar: I am not following you. May be I am missing something here.

When you create a waypoint, it is stored in one of the POI categories and as such is available as a POI.
What do you mean by "Go to the POI menu. Tapping the waypoint brings up a pop-up menu with four command buttons -> first button -> second button from left ...."
2nd button from left pops up a submenu with Guide On as one option. I guess this is not what you are referring to?

Are you talking about how to remove the waypoint from the screen? You tap the waypoint, pops up a submenu with 3 commands: Edit, Hide, Delete. Tap Hide.

I do not understand where you are in the menu system.  Please elaborate more precisely your steps.
#148
Go to the POI menu. Tapping the waypoint brings up a pop-up menu with four command buttons. Tap the 2nd from the right (the one with the tools symbol). This pops up a new menu with two commands : "Edit" and "Delete". This is what you are looking for, right?
#149
- "North up": map north aligned with top of you phone ("up")
- "Bearing up": you bearing/heading aligned with top of your phone. Some systems use the term "Track up".

I do not think it is a good idea to have limits for automatic switching between the different modes. I have never seen that before, and have problems seeing the usefulness of the map suddenly switching to a different orientation mode. It will be only confusing, since you don't know what the current mode is without really studying the map's behavious. With the menu and commands I suggested, it would have been very quick to change mode and you would know the actual mode.
#150
Ok.
"North up" and "Bearing up" are terms used in all car navigation programs, so they should be common terms at least.
I can live with the settings menu. Just an idea.