[APP] - version 0.9.7.X

[Menion]

Hi guys,
  this is just my personal testing build and also for few of you that helps me find unwanted bugs and problems

28.1.2011 - Locus 0.9.7.3
looks like long time since last version ...

• added handling with geocaching waypoints (adding, deleting, editing)
• added support for geocaching field notes (stored in /Locus/gcFieldNotes.txt file)
• new try of parking service - menu -> tools
• improved quick access to points database from right quick panel
• question on app exit (when no action like track record or parking is running. In this cases, app only hide but do not close)
• many improvements by your feedback here or by email ... you'll see ...

24.1.2011 - Locus 0.9.7.1

• fixed problem with huge icons on some My Maps maps (force close after you checked map and wanted to go back on map)
• you can now set default track with relative (actual) in pixels, or absolute (in metres) - mainly for berkley
• some fixs of track style
• few improvements with adding pois to category (mainly adding from address and contacts)

[berkley]

Hey.  

I just spend the last few days in Austria. snowboarding, drinking and having fun.

Locus did a pretty good job. but i'll tell you later when i'm back at home.

Thanks a lot for the last update. i'll sure gone test it. ;-)

bye for now. greetz from snowy powdered Austria,
berkley

[superscout03]

I must say you are amazing! 6 stars for you my friend! You added the ability to draw a new route manually while offline and show the names of the POI's on the map! modifications to track style are awesome along with making everything user friendly! too many options is never a bad thing as long as they are controllable. Now if I had MGRS as a coordinate format then that would be all i need personally for what I use this for. Once again your making a great application here, and making changes and adding new features based on what your users are saying shows well on your character my friend!    Thank you and I will continue to test this out for you and let you know what I think. I use it daily so you will be hearing back from me.

[Menion]

hehe, thank you scout  and don't worry, I have MGRS system on my TODO list ...

testing is very welcome. Actually I'm interested if anyone have similar problem as we discuss here (last two posts). I also have some issues with viewing some simple My Maps. So anything unexpected from you is welcome.

thanks guys

[Menion]

Hmm bad news for me ...

http://googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com ... ement.html

I'm currently trying to fix some problems with My Maps and during search I founded this. Seems that My Maps will not be accessible and available since 31. January ...

so seems that big part of work move to trash and fusion tables comes in foreground! ... achich ...

[vpa]

Hmm bad news for me ...

I have been tried convert My Maps into Fusion tables. Google has wizard to convert it, but only 1 of 5 maps has been converted with data.    It is not right, converted was only 80% of data from one map.  :roll:  Founded addresses has not been converted, items with such specific characters too. Formated data with picture has been transfered but not at all. All graphic icons has been saved but Fusion tables has different icons than My Maps.
Google wants remove My Maps API after 31.January 2011? Funny.  :ugeek:

[berkley]

Back at home, finally...

Bad news, that's true... hmm...
@menion: I truely hope that you don't give up the work and learn how to use fusion tables. Please check your PayPal account.  8-)
@vpa: You're talking about a converting wizard from my maps to fusion tables. can you please provide a link, can't find it.

I converted my maps this way:
- Go to My Maps.
- Click on the map you'd like to convert.
- Click on "View in Google Earth".
- Download the *.kml.
- Go to fusion tables.
- Click "New Table".
- Click "Import Table".
- Choose your downloaded *.kml.
- Done.
All the points, polygons and informations are now in fusion table. But I am missing the different colours I set up in My Maps. Perhaps I have to play around and find some options to do this.

Back to Locus.
As I told before, I was in the Alps for some days. Before the trip, I downloaded the OpenPisteMap of the ski resort. So I didn't have to have a mobile internet connection while roaming! Very nice. All of the ski routes were in there. With the bluetooth GPS receiver I didn't even have to let the phone being awake. Locus recorded all my rides down the hills. And I always knew where I was and where I parked my car. Battery life was still great (I lost about 50 % for 6 hours of track recording while outer temperatures were about - 10°C.). So nice work, menion, Thanks again!!!  
:mrgreen:

______________________________________________________________

In version 0.9.7.1 I found some bugs. Not heavy ones, but still bugs

In the upper left corner is the small symbol of Locus. If you tap on it, it shows you a little menu. If you tap "Co-apps", another menu appears. The menu has 2 entries. I just see the symbols of these apps on black background. I have to scroll a bit, untill I see the text for these Co-apps. The links are working fine. They connect to the market. Great. But as I have already installed them, I don't want to see the market information page. I want to open these Co-apps. Know what I mean?

It's the same menu in the upper left corner. This time choose "Basic info". Scroll down to the point "Warning" in Map handling. I guess you ment to write "onE solution is working..."?

Another spelling mistake is in the menu of "Map manager" -> "Download map". In section "This screen" is missing the final point. Staying at the Map manager / Download map. Tap download this screen. The last point of the "Download map" dialog (Older download mode (TAR)) has also a spelling mistake. Count three words from behind. I think it should be not "it" but "in"?

Small bug in the settings section. Settings -> Global -> Screen -> Light theme (Invert colors [isn't it "coloUrs"] of screens) doesn't work for me, even after restarting the device.

Settings -> Global -> Screen -> Advertisement. Doesn't show advertisements at all...

Settings -> Track -> Default values -> Track color and transparancy: I think this popup menu needs some explanation for people who can't handle with that, like me

That's all with the bugs. As I said, not heavy ones

_________________________________________________________________________

The GPS options can be kinda confusing for new users. I figuered out how they work and I am now used to them. So I don't need any improvement at this point.
But I tell you anyway...

Tapping on the little satelite in the top panel opens the gps menu. In the lower left corner is the button for gps on and off. I think it would be better, if this options turns on the devices "real" gps receiver, not the approximate wlan or cell phone location. But I am not sure, if you need root access for this? So the real problem with this option is this one:
- First start an app that uses a gps signal like maps or mytracks and wait for the gps fix.
- Let this app activated, start Locus.
- Locus tries to find a new GPS location. Wait for the gps fix.
- Go back to the app you started before (Maps or Mytracks).
- A small information window tells you, that gps is disabled now.
- Maps or Mytracks tries to find a new gps location.
- Go back to Locus.
- Locus tries to find a new gps location.
- and so on...
Know what I mean. Not very user friendly I think? Perhaps it would work better, if Locus let's the devices gps running in the background as long as Locus runs. And even if you close Locus.

Almost the same thing with the bluetooth receiver option. Difficult to describe, let's try...
I connect my gps bluetooth receiver via "Bluetooth GPS" (it's an app) to my device. All works fine with other GPS apps using gps, like Maps and so on. But if I start Locus, it doesn't even connect to the gps receiver. Perhaps because it's already connected and Locus can't find a unused gps receiver. So Locus tries to connect for hours and never finds it. It's the same the other way. First start Locus. Connect to the bluetooth receiver. Works fine. But I'm never getting a gps fix with other apps.
Don't know if this one is called bug, but its surely a kind of dispute to other apps. Can you make Locus use the gps signal like every other app does?

_____________________________________________________________

Also I made some brainstorming about the UI... just suggestions... perhaps you like some of them...

A "Quit Locus" in main menu would be nice. Also an option or kinda a warning if you press the back button too often. I hate apps exitting I do this. So include a little popup screen, that asks the user, if he really wants to exit Locus.

The very left button in the lower panel is the ability to keep the current location in the middle of the screen. Nice. But if you have this toggled on, you can move the map with your fingers. Move and zoom and move untill you find the place you have been looking for. And then after about 5 seconds it switches back to your current location. I hate this... GRRR! I suggest two ways to improve.
First: If this option is toggled on, you can't move the map (just zoom).
Second: If you move the map, the option toggles itself automatically off. You then can go back to your current location by tapping on the very left symbol on the lower panel.

About menu and panels and rearranging them:
Locus has a lot of features. I think all of them are great. As I follow the development for months, I know how to handle and work with them. But I don't know if new users recognize the full power of your app as some of the features are hidden too far in menus of menus...

Current features (from upper left to lower right):
Sorry for this long list. It's easier for everybody to read and discuss about...

1.0 Basic application infos
1.1 About application
1.2 Basic info
1.3 Online Manual
1.4 News
1.5 Co-Apps
1.6 Donate

2.0 Locus

3.0 GPS Manager
3.1 GPS on/off
3.2 Compass on/off
3.M Settings // GPS

4.0 Data Manager
4.1 Categories
4.2 Points
4.3 Tracks
4.4 Import Data
4.5 Export Data

5.0 Map Manager
5.1 Online Maps
5.2 User Maps
5.3 Download Map

6.0 Right panel
6.1 Quick Points handling
6.2 My Maps
6.3 Track Recording

7.0 Map "handling"
7.1 Current Location on/off
7.2 Lock layer
7.3 Rotate map by compass
7.4 Zoom in/out

8.0 Hardware menu button
8.1.0 Tools
8.1.1 Move Map
8.1.2 Share (map center)
8.1.3 Add new route
8.2.0 Settings

As I told above this is just my personal opinion. Everybody has to have a very good phantasy to understand as I can't draw pictures...

About point 1: I like it the way it is

Point 2: I think it uses too much space. But I don't have any suggestion what too do with this space...

Point 3: As mentioned above at the GPS buggy thing, I think you don't need to have this button always be there. Wheter you have GPS activated by devices default or not.

Point 4 and 5: Why don't you put these points in the main menu? I don't think that you are changing maps all the time. You work with one map and thats it. It's the same with Data. Wheter you import or export or edit some data, you don't do this all the time.

Point 6: The right panel is kind of quick access for some features. I like it But if there's a user that never uses track recording he sure doesn't want to see it all the time.

Point 7: I like it. Just the way it should be.

Point 8: The main menu. Well, too less points in there. Settings are ok. Tools too. But I think "Move Map" (Point 8.1.1) should be on top of the main menu and it's name should be "search".

Conclusion: Move GPS Menu, Data Manager and Map Manager to the Main Menu and replace them with the entries from the right panel. Throw out the right panel.
So new main menu has three rows:
First row: Search
Second row: GPS Manager, Data Manager, Map Manager
Third row: Tools, Settings, Exit
Forth row: You can think about placing your adds there...

And what about customizing the top panel? Every user could set 3 to 5 shortcuts for quick accessing his favorite tools...

_________________________________________________________

So that's all for now. I hope I don't confuse everbody too much. Just made my thoughts and told them with the goal trying to help to improve.

Bye for now,
berkley

P.S. @Menion
Have a look at your PM's at xda-devs!
And are there still no texts to translate into German and French?

[Menion]

Welcome home
  what a long story. I had to create good tee, comfortable sit into chair and slooowly read all you wrote! so ...

I truely hope that you don't give up the work and learn how to use fusion tables. Please check your PayPal account.  8-)

After some fast search, I think that support for fusion tables will be possible. I'm just interested what will be now with my maps. We'll see at start of february.
PayPal checked ... thanks Matthias!

As I told before, I was in the Alps for some days....

good to hear! You're welcome ...

In the upper left corner is the small symbol of Locus. If you tap on it, it shows you a little menu. If you tap "Co-apps", another menu appears. The menu has 2 entries. I just see the symbols of these apps on black background. I have to scroll a bit, untill I see the text for these Co-apps. The links are working fine. They connect to the market. Great. But as I have already installed them, I don't want to see the market information page. I want to open these Co-apps. Know what I mean?

Good tip ... done

It's the same menu in the upper left corner. This time choose "Basic info". Scroll down to the point "Warning" in Map handling. I guess you ment to write "onE solution is working..."?

No it's correct. Solution with txt file do not work. Currently there is no solution!

Another spelling mistake is in the menu of "Map manager" -> "Download map". In section "This screen" is missing the final point. Staying at the Map manager / Download map. Tap download this screen. The last point of the "Download map" dialog (Older download mode (TAR)) has also a spelling mistake. Count three words from behind. I think it should be not "it" but "in"?

Nice, thanks ...

Small bug in the settings section. Settings -> Global -> Screen -> Light theme (Invert colors [isn't it "coloUrs"] of screens) doesn't work for me, even after restarting the device.

Search for color, or colour (http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues ... erican.htm). Both are correct, one for British, another for USA! And did you saw all screens? It works only on any of them, points, tracks, maps for example. I don't like the black design much so it not change all to invert colors (too much work)

Settings -> Global -> Screen -> Advertisement. Doesn't show advertisements at all...

It just send question on server and if no advertisement is available, I hide that panel. Set it enable and I believe that sometime ... maybe

Settings -> Track -> Default values -> Track color and transparancy: I think this popup menu needs some explanation for people who can't handle with that, like me

Hmm, I'm using this color model http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSL_and_HSV but seems that you're not the first one who have problems with this, so I'll probably change this to any simplier model, red, green, blue, alpha maybe ....

The GPS options can be kinda confusing for new users. I figuered out how they work and I am now used to them. So I don't need any improvement at this point.
But I tell you anyway...

I do not agree with you. Locus use standard model of GPS handling. Did you tried My Tracks? Run them -> GPS enable (satellite in top panel), press back or home, gps disable. Run them and start track record, press back and gps remain enabled. Same do Locus. To keep GPS running when you not need it, it's nonsence. I'm using Locus this way in nature. Enable phone from sleep, Locus wake up, enable GPS and after a while I see where I am ... then I pres just hardware power off, phone goes to sleep. Locus run but gps is disable now! If Locus use gps for anything important, it remain running. Track record, guiding, ....
I think it's correct behavior.

Second question is GPS screen. When you run it for first time, GPS is enabled as in any other mapping software so you do not have to worry about that. later, when you're Locus expert, you find that this mechanism is great. You should use Locus offline and also without GPS! It saves so much battery and you do not have to still do to some system menu and search for enabling/disabling system gps!

A "Quit Locus" in main menu would be nice. Also an option or kinda a warning if you press the back button too often. I hate apps exitting I do this. So include a little popup screen, that asks the user, if he really wants to exit Locus.

Completely agree ... done

The very left button in the lower panel is the ability to keep the current location in the middle of the screen. Nice. But if you have this toggled on, you can move the map with your fingers. Move and zoom and move untill you find the place you have been looking for. And then after about 5 seconds it switches back to your current location. I hate this... GRRR! I suggest two ways to improve.
First: If this option is toggled on, you can't move the map (just zoom).
Second: If you move the map, the option toggles itself automatically off. You then can go back to your current location by tapping on the very left symbol on the lower panel.

Hehe ... in the same way, you can disable it manually when you do not need centering. I think that this is more useful then you second choice. This do, that almost everytime you click on map (you miss any button, you select any point), centering will be disabled!

About menu and panels and rearranging them:
Locus has a lot of features. I think all of them are great. As I follow the development for months, I know how to handle and work with them. But I don't know if new users recognize the full power of your app as some of the features are hidden too far in menus of menus...

You created very nice list, may I use it later for any manual?? Nice

Point 1: ok ...

Point 2: I also have no idea ... maybe later ....

Point 3, 4, 5:  all these things have it's sence. They are most useful thing in app and I as user really want to have them available as fast as possible! I was at google developer day 2010 in Prague and I one discuss we talked about using bottom menus. Suggestion from google engineers is to use them only on secondary functions. They are slow, most users don't even know about them (on first see) and I completely agree with them! If anyone need more space, use hiding feature and panels after 5sec dissapear. On double click, you should see them again. So I really do not want to move any items from top panel to bottom menu!!

Point 6: Yes yes, I know about it! I have plan that this panel will be modifiable by user, later, so this will solve this!

Point 7: fine ...

Point 8: I'll have to rearrange this little bit later. In tools, there will be more options and most useful of them, I'll place as you say, directly into menu!

And what about customizing the top panel? Every user could set 3 to 5 shortcuts for quick accessing his favorite tools...

This will be in right panel later ...

Have a look at your PM's at xda-devs!
And are there still no texts to translate into German and French?

Looked, thanks ... I need 10 posts on XDA to add some pictures so later. And about translation. Thank you very much for this offer. Locus is still in relatively rapid developing and texts are changing quickly. For 1.0 version, I'll prepare all texts needed for translation. Take a coffee for a while

Thanks berkley for you loooong feedback and don't forget to test absolute track width value

[Menion]

just a post to tell you, that new version for testing is out ...

[berkley]

Hey,

We keep on testing, supporting and feedbacking as long as you develop, so no problem

Absolute track width value is working great. I would have mentioned it, if not.
Well I thougt about some improvements helping to make my work with Locus more easily. But I was not brave enough to give you more homework for a very small fraction of users.

Send more updates, almost no bug. I found one existing in two places, but maybe it's just me. I described it already...

In the upper left corner is the small symbol of Locus. If you tap on it, it shows you a little menu. If you tap "Co-apps", another menu appears. The menu has 2 entries. I just see the symbols of these apps on black background. I have to scroll a bit, untill I see the text for these Co-apps.

Now the same thing happens in quick access to points on the right panel.

Greetz from Bavaria,
berkley

[Ronin9]

Menion,
I tested the new features in version 0.9.7.3, and things seem to be working as expected. The only unsual behavior is that, when you try to create a new POI from contacts, Locus doesnt show contacts in a straight alphabetic order. It seems to be alphabetical, but as you scroll down, the list restarts at a different point. It's like it is grouped by categories or something, but I couldn't figure out exactly how.
[]'s
Rodrigo

[Ronin9]

In the upper left corner is the small symbol of Locus. If you tap on it, it shows you a little menu. If you tap "Co-apps", another menu appears. The menu has 2 entries. I just see the symbols of these apps on black background. I have to scroll a bit, untill I see the text for these Co-apps.

Now the same thing happens in quick access to points on the right panel.

Berkley,
This behavior also happens when you have to select an option when downloading maps. It is related to the very first setting, Light Theme. If you turn it off, it works ok.
[]'s
Rodrigo

[berkley]

Thanks Ronin for the hint.

But the problem remains in quick access of points in right panel.

And 2 features from other apps I could imagine they'd work for Locus too:
- long clicking the hardware menu button opens a function, for example "move map".
- function "click add once to hide it". it guarantees you more income from adds and users only see adds just as long as they don't hit the add.

[superscout03]

Everything seems to be working great with the new additions to the app. Having the screen that pops up and askes if you would like to exit "just incase you hit the back button too many times" really helped out alot. User interface is very simple and self explanitory in the application, and having such a wide variety of settings and functions makes this great.
 One more quick opinion, the POI's are very easy to keep arranged and in seperate catagories so they are easy to find and keep clean, i have over 400 POI's lol. But the one issue i am seeing with somebody that creates new tracks or records multiple track files is that it becomes very very difficult to keep the tracks in order, I have over 200 tracks on this application now and trying to find the one I need is becoming very very difficult. its just one giant list of tracks that i need to scroll through, so if I have routes in multiple cities or specific types of tracks that I want to keep seperate it takes me quite awhile to find what i need. why not make a track function like with the POI's that you can make multiple folders "catagories" to keep your track logs nice and organized. Or just add the ability to create a new catagory under POI's and allow the track files to be moved there.

[Menion]

Hi guys,
  version is on market. I hope all main problems are fixed. Feedback is welcome as usual

  about tracks, it's on a longer discussion. Maybe we should open new topic ("Tracks handling"?) and discuss this a little. My quick opinion is that I don't want to do any categories like for points. Now you can set type of track (in track edit screen) and then filter this type. It's just one solution and I'm still open to another