Messages

I just noticed a change in the Track Editor (aka "Fine-Tuner"): When clicking on a point, the date/time is not shown anymore in the pop-up. Could you please bring that back, at least the time? I really think it's a big step back, I need the time all the time (no pun intended), e.g. to find out where the rest was in a track. Now I need several clicks for the details for every point! The time only takes 5 characters, so I don't really see any reason to get rid of it...

These no go areas are very important to force the route algorithm not to route through Italien villages. Very dangerous in the Alps.

Off topic, but why are Italian Alpine villages dangerous?

This will not change route length (still 84.4km) but
calculated time dropped to 1:47h. This should not happen bcs route doesn't changed.

Well, technically the time should be at least a few seconds longer, because a waypoint is supposedly a stopping point, so you have to break and afterwards speed up again.
Ok, joke aside, at least I can understand why the result of the underlying algorithm would not be exactly the same. Of course it makes no sense that it's shorter.
(and yeah, I'm working in the train business, where stop-or-no-stop is quite a factor...)

Got two small observations:

• The new "minimized point/track pull-up" is nice, but I would prefer if that flag is "sticky". Let's say I have several tracks close to each other and click one, then click the pull-up title to make it small, to just see the name. Now I click another track, but I get the big pull-up again. It would be nicer if the pull-up stayed minimized while clicking through points and tracks. Once I unselect everything, the flag is cleared, so next time I click something I get the full size again. In short: "When track/point clicked && already a pull-up shown && pull-up minimized => show new pull-up minimized"
• I never before saw this "Show View" function. It's nice, but - at least on HD screens - basically useless, because it's so small. On my screen the >50% transparency part is ca. 3x3mm, and when I'm e.g. on a motorway, which is usually yellow or orange, it's almost invisible. Could you add a %-size selection in settings? Btw, when I long-click the button in Quick Settings and chose "Information", an empty message is displayed.

"_themes" is an ugly name, also having all user content beside each other (themes, vectormaps, srtm...) is good for external backup. Better order, easier to find...

Theme attached.

I agree. It's more complicated to set up automatic backups (e.g. with FolderSync) if data like this (that I want to backup) is in different base directories, together with other data like maps (that are too big for regular backups). Same applies for mapsOnline/custom directory. Why not put all this under "data", and only the actual maps under "maps*" ?

Menion, I was wondering:
You're not the first to suffer under Google restrictions. I know quite some apps that offer a "Google-impaired" version on Google Play, and another without those restriction on their website.
I mean, I'm not an expert on Android development, but if I remember correctly, you can request any Android right from the user if the app is sideloaded. So you could tell the user: "Play version only allows to store map and other extra data in internal app dir. If you need to access data stored anywhere on your system, please install the version from the website (sideload): <link here>".
Wouldn't that be a compromise to appease Google and the power users at the same time?

But it would be up to Menion to always look at int SD mapsVector for themes, even if the maps are on ext SD.
@Menion: what is your judgement, pls. ?

Sounds reasonable, and I additionally think the theme folder name is just a historical, but ugly thing (mapsVector\_themes). I'd even drag them up one level, so that we may have all extra content on one level...

Maps\
MapsOnline\
MapsVector\
MapsVectorThemes\
SRTM\
..

+1
It's always a pain to set up syncs (e.g. with FolderSync) that sync the themes but not the (big) map files.

You are right, Tapio. But a lot of flexibility is lost, isn't it? It is no longer very pleasant.

If I have to decide between performance and still-being-able-to-use-all-my-maps, that's much more than "flexibility". For the first time since I'm active in Locus testing-and-giving-feedback, this could be a make-or-break-moment for me. My outdoor phone (XCover Pro) is neither the fastest nor has the most internal memory. I'm not gonna use my "good" phone for outdoor stuff, so I'm not gonna say it's a no-go, will have to see how it performs, but I'm really anxious...

Menion,
[snip]

I really have to agree with Michael here. I have no problem to open a Help Desc topic, that's not the point. But this is too slow for this important topic. I have friends for whom I am the "Locus guru", but who would never take the time to log in on the help desk or whatever. And they all have big maps on extSd that they can't move to internal.
And I'm still not even sure from the Manual entry: Does Locus even offer to move all data to extSd instead of intSd on first start with new version? The manual is not explicit on this. I'm honestly not willing to try out Beta this time (even though I always do), because this is obviously a one way street. I would be ok if you say "Google forces my hand, for now you'll just have to do it, and you can move to extSd, but next I will implement way to divide big and small data between intSd and extSd". But making this dependent on a lengthy voting process is very disappointing - and potentially p***ing off many users. As Michael says, don't underestimate the amount of users with cheap phones with small internal SD, slapping a big MicroSD into the slot...

"Is it then possible to divide app and data over private directories in internal memory and SD card" - not yet. If there will be bigger interest, I may work on it and this is definitely a doable task.

1000% supported! I have very big non-vector maps (OruxMaps format) on extSd, which won't fit on intSd, but also don't want to take the performance hit to database operations on extSd.
I don't want to spend lifetime getting angry at Google for this change, we few people won't be able to change it. And I don't really care about the actual paths to data (I would care about inability to share this data, but I don't need that, so I'm fine). But if there's any way to make use of the data on int and ext SD at the same time, that would be a big improvement! I would probably wait with updating Locus if you now tell us, you'll tackle this... Thx for considering!

I like the new Distance Markers, but disagree with removing the unit. Now they look like tram or metro line numbers. I really liked Josef's proposal with a big number and the unit small in a second line. That looked nicely like a milestone. Please consider...

I think that new track screen is a bad idea. First of all previously user has choice between small pop-up and roll down, configurable list of options or full screen info. Now it is gone. This huge, half screen has less usefull info than previously smapp pop-up. No info about distance at selected point of track or distance to the end of the track. This data are available four click later at track analyzator. New screen works very bad for me, especialy when accidently tap sany track on screen. Scroll up animation and map shifting is anoying, track planer hidden in 3 dots menu etc. Is there Any chance to get back choice between new and old track detail info?

While I enjoy the new screen, especially the quick availability of a track chart, I understand your point. Menion said he first wants to implement the screen and then think about customization. Imho the customization should have the following aspects:

• Parts to show/hide
• Order of parts (below title, of course)
• Up to where the screen scrolls up initially

With that, you could customize a screen that only shows title and current position info initially, taking much less space, but still offers all the other info with an additional scroll.
Would you agree that'd be a solution?

PS: About the point info: I also proposed that the track chart should spell out the values for distance/altitude of current point in numbers. However, you only need one click on the icon in the lower left to get to the track point details, not four.

Menion, do you plan to overhaul the waypoints-in-tracks screen? For one thing, I'm definitely not the only one missing bulk delete. Also, I noticed that sometimes deleting doesn't work. Not sure how to reproduce it, but directly after I restarted Locus it's always OK. I think it's more likely to happen on tracks that I just copied.
Anyway, that dialog has some issues, so if you're planning to do something here anyway, please consider adding multi-delete and check the code for deletion... Thx!

[@slarti76]

@slarti76
Currently, it is ... correct. App by default specifies a background color that matches the current mode (dark/light). Anyway, there are maps (mainly vector maps with "theme") that have their own definition of the background color. And this is used no matter if dark/light is selected. I was thinking about working with this color as well, but I'm sure that preserving defined background color for vector map is the ideal solution.

Ok, as I said, it's fine with me, was just confusing at first.

1sec delay ... always? There was no change in the latest versions ...

Yes, on my S9 and Tab S5e the speed is normal, but on the XCover Pro it's always a lag of around 1s. I know it's a slower phone - but it's only the main menu... I think it's not new as such, may have been like that since Locus 4 (don't have LM3 installed there anymore, but I'm sure it was never that slow). Could it have to do with the "Gold" Status? Perhaps there's an additional query every time the menu opens?

Also, the "Map-screen content" sidebar visibly first opens a narrow white strip before the whole thing opens. Perhaps 50px wide. It's definitely not a "move-in effect", it's not smooth, and it's noticable on all my device (with differing speed, though).

I tried to do a screen recording, but you can't see when I tap anything, so it's not that helpful...

[MapGooglePlay_4.0.2.3_1007_beta]

Hi guys,
new version MapGooglePlay_4.0.2.3_1007_beta ready for weekend testing.

Well, played around with the syncing, back and forth, Route Planner, Track Editor - couldn't find any wrong behaviour whatsoever! 
Thx a lot, happy you could squash this bug!

Just one tiny thing about auto-sync again: Somehow my tablet doesn't always notice there were changes. Two situations:

• Locus stopped on tablet, editing a track on phone, syncing; then start Locus on tablet: No auto-sync, have to sync manually. This I can reproduce on the tablet, but the other way round it seems to work.
• Locus running on both devices, screen on. I edit on phone, sync, but no auto-sync on tablet. I think it worked once or twice, but I'm not sure. The other way round, it always works.

No idea what could be different. Only thing that comes to mind: My tablet is always in flight mode (no SIM), but with WiFi active (I know, it probably makes no difference, just superstitution that might save some battery). So if auto-sync doesn't run when flight mode is on, not looking at the WiFi state, that might explain it.

But apart from that, I'm happy now