[APP] - version 3.5.X+ (updated 12.12.2014)

[jusc]

issue with semi transparent maps and rescaled icons of vector maps should be solved in 3.5.1 version, ok?

  in 3.5.1 my scaled svgs are very small. compared to Pro version 3.4.0 .

[ta-ka]

Please add a new word for 'Show labels (Tracks)', for example 'Do not show', instead of using 'No', The Japanese translation here gives strange meaning but can not be changed the translation since 'No' is used somewhere else for proper meaning.

'Hold center method' function is broken. Map is centered immediately without delay time,  'Center cross' and 'Line to GPS' is not shown. It happens only when the map is moved to north-west after map is once centered. Please see attached video.

[menion]

@jusc: and how looks your theme in different app that use new MapsForge that support SVG as well as Locus? It should be same as in new Locus version, is it?

@ta-ka: I'll improve it. And "hold center" - I know, I noticed this today also during field test. Fix version during next week, thanks

[jusc]

@menion,
I can't use this specialized Locus themes with other apps.
There are to many special tags for Locus inside the theme up since version 3 of mapsforge.

[menion]

At least there should be a possibility to test sizes of icons. If this is a problem, I'll do it during monday with Peter.

Because I'm more then sure, that sizing of icons was incorrect in previous versions of Locus. Now Locus correctly rescale all icons (no matter if PNG or SVG) in all cases and I'm sure that in all cases correctly.

Shortly for now: if icon has no size parameter, it is used as is in theme. So png 24x24 px icon will be sizes really 24x24 px (which is on big devices really small)! When you use any symbol-width or symbol-height parameter, icon will be sized by this parameter. You may specify pixels exactly like symbol-width="24" or you may use symbol-width="24dp" which will say Locus to rescale icons based on device DPI parameter.

Previous Locus version used automatically one parameter to scale SVG icons, but it was not correctly implemented and in some cases (mainly for an areas) it causes unexpected behavior. I'm now slowly trying to improve Locus theming to be as close to original MapsForge V5 as possible to save you guys some work with themes that you wants use also for different apps.

Anyway feel free to open discussion on changes that cause you a troubles, I'll gladly answer/help/improve.

[eldron]

I´ve got a question regarding the new POI feature.
I used it ages ago in some old beta version and remember having to download the POI database. I installed the latest version but I can´t download the database anywhere. Or is that information now included in the vector maps? Do I have to download a new map from the locus store?
I usually use the andromaps map and the POI list is empty.

[john_percy]

Download a new map from the Locus store. The download now includes the POI database (as a separate file).

[eldron]

So there is no way at the moment to just download the database as a standalone file?
As i mentioned before, i don´t use the locus vector maps, but the freizeitkarte or andromaps maps.
I don´t mind paying for the POI database, but I don´t see why I need to download maps for several countries just to get the POI databases...?

[menion]

Eldron, no sorry. This option is not there and is not even planned. Oflfine POI database is currently bonus feature for vector maps.

[Christian]

Thank you for new version!
First of all... I have no problems after update and enjoy all the new things:
: widget is great, especially the Locus button
: new themes are nice. Finally the hiking way symbols are readable now. Colours and contrast are fine
: poi.db is a hit and a big step forward.
Good job!

The arrangement of the poi labels can still be improved. ..

Christian

[eldron]

Hi, I have just downloaded a new vector map from the locus store to be able to try the POI feature.
I used the Locus free to download the map (I always wait for the first bugfixes before upgrading my Locus Pro). After downloading the map I was asked whether I´d like to download the height information and map shading, but after pressing ok I was told that I needed the Pro version for this and couldn´t download the extra data.
I changed into Pro but wasn´t asked again. Can I somehow get back to that dialog to download the extra data in Locus pro without having to download the 1,5GB Map again?
And a few questions about the POI feature itself:
Can I somehow select POIs from different categories to be shown on the map?
Are the POIs always loaded around the map center? Or can I somehow choose (e.g. map center, GPS location, certain point on map)?
How can I set the amount of POIs I want to have displayed? It seems to autoselect about 100 POIs to be shown.
Can I choose the distance (e.g. show all POIs in a 10km radius)?
It also takes quite a while to load the list of POIs once you open a category, although it seems to be a lot faster than it was when I last tried the feature in some old Beta.

Don´t get me wrong, I love the new feature and am looking forward to trying it in the field :-)

Another thing I would like to mention is that the loading speed of the latest map (Germany complete) from the locus store is extremely slow. Zoom level 8 took almost a minute to load. Also higher zoom levels (9,10,11) took forever to load. I tried 2 other maps (freizeitkarte and Germany map from andromaps, both for the whole of Germany as well) and loading speed is normal. In all three cases I used the locus hiking theme).
If this does not change - can I somehow use the POI database with another map? Maybe by renaming the map file?

[menion]

Hi, I have just downloaded a new vector map from the locus store to be able to try the POI feature.
I used the Locus free to download the map (I always wait for the first bugfixes before upgrading my Locus Pro). After downloading the map I was asked whether I´d like to download the height information and map shading, but after pressing ok I was told that I needed the Pro version for this and couldn´t download the extra data.
I changed into Pro but wasn´t asked again. Can I somehow get back to that dialog to download the extra data in Locus pro without having to download the 1,5GB Map again?

No sorry, bonus for a Pro users only right after download of a map

And a few questions about the POI feature itself:
Can I somehow select POIs from different categories to be shown on the map?

No

Are the POIs always loaded around the map center? Or can I somehow choose (e.g. map center, GPS location, certain point on map)?

Poins are dynamically loaded on map for current visible screen, no more. And which points? It's based on your current vector theme.

How can I set the amount of POIs I want to have displayed? It seems to autoselect about 100 POIs to be shown.

There is no need to select anything. As my answer above about vector theme. Only in case you use some online/personal map, you have to display points manually, there is no other chance now.

Can I choose the distance (e.g. show all POIs in a 10km radius)?
It also takes quite a while to load the list of POIs once you open a category, although it seems to be a lot faster than it was when I last tried the feature in some old Beta.

Some requests should be little bit slower, some faster. If you use database for whole Germany, it should be problem as it's biggest database we created and we are still not sure if that was a good idea .


Don´t get me wrong, I love the new feature and am looking forward to trying it in the field :-)

Another thing I would like to mention is that the loading speed of the latest map (Germany complete) from the locus store is extremely slow. Zoom level 8 took almost a minute to load. Also higher zoom levels (9,10,11) took forever to load. I tried 2 other maps (freizeitkarte and Germany map from andromaps, both for the whole of Germany as well) and loading speed is normal. In all three cases I used the locus hiking theme).
If this does not change - can I somehow use the POI database with another map? Maybe by renaming the map file?

New map tiles are four times bigger then older map. So you cannot compare one tile with one tile, but try to compare time to draw whole screen with old map and whole screen with new map. New maps should be same, maybe a little bit faster.

[eldron]

So if I download the map again in Locus Pro I can download the additional data after the download has finished, right? The additional data is the height data and mapshade data (isn´t that within the same .hgt file anyway)? If that´s all there is then I wouldn´t need it, as I have already downloaded all .hgt files for Germany a while ago.

Is a feature planned to allow us to select POIs from different categories?

So do i understand this correctly - POIs are loaded for the current screen (around map center)? And it´s always the closest ~ 100 or how does it work? Because I always get 98 - 100 Pois displayed, regardless of which zoom level i use.
And all POIs are being displayed until i "delete" them from within the POI screen....? So I can´t just delete/hide the last POIs? As an example - I choose hotels, then campsites and then toilets. Now I only want to see the toilets - I have to hide all and then select toilets again - or did I misunderstand something here?
Is it possible to somehow see when a POI was added to the database, or when it was last updated? Like that one could spot a possibly outdated entry.
On example: I went to Madrid not long ago and used Google Maps to look for a restaurant, but the first two I went to didn´t exist anymore. In that case it would have been helpful to see that the entry was very old.

About map loading speed - when using the locus store map it took 25 seconds to display the map on screen (whole screen) on zoomlevel 9. Using the Andromap it took 5 seconds to display the whole screen (exactly the same area).

[menion]

Yes, you download in Locus Pro HGT files, nothing more. They are used for hillshade and all other stuff around altitude. So if you have own HGT files, there is need for this step.

"Is a feature planned to allow us to select POIs from different categories?"
Currently there are no plans on improvements. So all depend on interest of users (suggest votes on help desk)

About loading ... I probably missunderstand previously. There are two options how to load data -

1. automatically - in case you have vector maps with same name as database and you display these maps, points are loaded automatically on a map based on current selected vector theme. If you move with map, new points are loaded once you stop scroll. Automatically without any extra settings.
2. manually - you may display and category of points and thanks to top icons, you may display 100, 200 etc. points on map. There is also no settings, so no ability to hide just part or automatically display just any categories, is possible. Main purpose of this database is addition to vector maps.

[eldron]

Now I am a bit confused. When using the new map no POIs are being loaded automatically with the hike theme selected. Can I / do I have to configure somewhere, which POIs I want to have displayed automatically? I am assuming that it should work "out of the box", so without having to rename the map or database? I am,of course, using the map i downloaded from the locus store.
Any idea on the slow map loading speed? Even on zoom level 12 it takes 5-10 seconds to load the map, where my old maps load almost instantly.

EDIT:
Sorry, I was trying the map in low zoom levels, that´s why no POIs where being displayed. The other question remains - can I configure which POIs I want to see or do I have to edit the theme (in an editor)?