Locus Map 4, discussion (alpha)

[balloni55]

first test during a short geocache walk.

i do not find it practical to control with one button "rotation of the map" as well as the "centering"

Screenshot:
1. rotating compass needle is missing
2. icons in the side panel are partially hidden
3.0 when the map is moved, the rotating arrows on the button are no longer displayed, although the map continues to rotate
3.1 the same behaviour also occurs when preset is changed.
3.2 if a map with shifted map center is displayed and then the center button is pressed, the map jumps to the real map center
3.3
- dispay a rotating map
- switch off the GPS
- click this button (several times)
- there is no possibility to return to the rotating map

[Menion]

I do not want to create some new system regards this center/rotate button. What I would like to do is replicate an existing system that already uses Google Maps on Android. This answer on part of your question.

1. will be most probably included in "centering" button itself in case, rotation is active
2. ah thanks
3. all these points should be solved ... but I'll rather double check it so thanks for the points! Just short: if you won't be centered or GPS will be off, the rotation should be temporarily disabled

[Saturo]

How disable rotation without centering?
I do not think one button is a clever step.

Where i have to put the theme files?

[Menion]

Oki, understand. No more comments related to this button needed. I'll create a working updated version to the next app version.

Theme? Please specify, not sure I understand.

[Saturo]

Where do I have to copy the OSM render themes to use them with the alpha version?

[freischneider]

There is no possibility to completely hide the zoom buttons.
The menu always remains displayed. For me it is enough to pull the menu from the left.
Top bar makes no sense. I would like to hide them. Fade in only when needed. You can also expand the right bar at the top when it is full.

[john_percy]

Map Screen Content button > Auxiliary Graphics > Coordinates Grid gives a pop up  apparently for Map Shading that does nothing useful and has to be dismissed by tapping its X.


Sent from my moto g(6) plus using Tapatalk

[Andrew Heard]

>Fewer configuration options? Do not understand
you are correct sorry, was my incorrect 1st impression

>very important control buttons are too far away (whole top panel, main menu)
I previously had *less* important buttons on top panel - more for visual status (color of the button) than needing to tap - GPS, track recording, POI alert, live tracking
the only change has been to swap top for bottom buttons - so why not just make top AND bottom buttons *all* configurable?

>Zoom buttons are "close"... it's the same as in the current version versus distance to bottom system navigation panel
not sure I understand - zoom buttons are now further away from bottom of screen, and easier to tap another button by mistake

> Not sure if will be to be true as it will contain some unique features not available on any other place in the app
so why not allow those unique features to be configurable/ displayable from the main menu or as function panel buttons for those that want them? so also nicely integrated with presets
you could have the zoom buttons an options for function panel buttons so they are right at the bottom of screen like current pro/ beta, or any place the user decides, and allow hiding of current zoom buttons

>By the poll I made, most of people wants to keep it and add some more customization options
I can't recall - did the poll ask what option is most important to a user for top panel? just curious
3 people incl. me on this topic page want to hide the top bar/ panel; that doesn't seem like most want to keep it

>Allow to add more than 8 user def. main menu entries
the main menu could serve same purpose as the Quick Actions menu button; the Quick Actions button becomes a bit redundant

can someone please explain how the new single map center button replaces the functionality of the previous two map center/ rotates buttons? I like the concept, just don't yet understand how it works; tried double & long taps but not obvious; maybe lack of compass didn't help either

[joeloc]

@joeloc
nope, sorry. The inner rendering system was rewritten half year ago, but still uses a combination of hardware (for maps) and software (for visible points/tracks) rendering.

Ok... will keep my fingers crossed for Locus 5 then. Maybe we can handle more than 10 tracks gracefully in 2025 :-).

[Žajdlík Josef]

How do I activate the zoom lock now?

[balloni55]

When starting locus the +-zoom buttons are visible on map although the zoom control switch is off.
During locus operation the switch works

[Viajero Perdido]

If you mean "Show view", this is as well as "magnifier" in Map-screen content > Auxiliary graphics settings

I came here to ask, where did the magnifier go?  Now I know.  But I only use it for a few seconds at a time, then turn it off.  Hopefully there'll be a way to anchor a magnifier button in a panel, like there exists in Pro now.  (Couldn't find a way in 4 Alpha today.)  I'll never use the magnifier if it's buried three taps deep.

Also, I really really would like to continue using centered zoom buttons.

Is this new UI aimed at newbies, or will existing users have to adapt as well?  I've read somewhere, a significant UI change needs to be noticeably better - some percentage was mentioned - to convince people to switch.  At the moment, I see more things that worry me, than things that please me.

PS, Pro is almost perfect now!

[Menion]

@Saturo
this Alpha use the same directory as Locus Map Free/Pro, there is no difference.

@freischneider
- hiding of the zoom buttons: map-screen content > Panels & buttons
- always visible menu: you mean the button in the bottom left corner? Correct, it will be visible always without an option to hide it. The left menu will be removed (it is still there, I know)

@john_percy
ah thanks. My testing feature, but because "Grid" is still not yet fully working > removed, thanks.

@Andrew Heard
- top panel is really planned only for status messages. The problem with more and more devices is it's height and top part of the screen simply going to be unreachable with average finger length. So no, sorry, no customizable functions in the top panel.
- zoom buttons: as I wrote before, it needs some field testing. I was already a few times on the bike and seems not to be a problem, but more tests needed.
- zoom buttons as "functions": this idea was here some time ago and I cannot say I'm 100% against, but I still hope, it won't be needed . Problem is that zoom buttons should look like same and work the same on all screens and with this approach, it won't be true (route planner, editor, various screens with map....)
- configuration of the top panel: no, I just needed to know if there is interest in the existing top panel or not.
- main menu & Quick actions menu: agree
- center & rotate button: I've spent a big part of yesterday on this with the hope it may really be covered by a single button ... but it can't. So please wait on the next alpha.

@joeloc

Ok... will keep my fingers crossed for Locus 5 then. Maybe we can handle more than 10 tracks gracefully in 2025 :-).

Keep them. Till then, I hope I'll finally receive (in some of your posts) promised bike for some real biking .

@Žajdlík Josef
finally someone . I started to worry that really no-body use this feature. Well, it is removed in LM4. It belongs to the most problematic features that the app has and with a new map core that does autoscale for raster maps, I believe it is no longer necessary.

@balloni55
ah, thanks, fixes!

@Viajero Perdido
well, it is one more tap and together with show view, removed two very rarely used features from the main screen = so a win for me. Anyway, we may discuss some configuration here. One possible, and already for some time wanted option, is to place these on/off actions directly into functions panel.

This UI design will be used in LM4 without the option to switch to the layout used in the current Locus Map Pro. We have time till half of 2020 to make it perfect . (it is our deadline for LM4 release).

And "Pro is almost perfect now": well, sure. We all use it for many years and once people get used to something, it is always easier to use. I personally have to find the best compromise for all users & attract new users and the current layout is simply too complicated & too outdated for modern devices. We see it daily on our support web ...

[Andrew Heard]

@freischneider
- hiding of the zoom buttons: map-screen content > Panels & buttons

@menion - very minor I know...
Map-screen content > Panels & buttons > Zoom control exists
but main menu > Settings > Controlling > Panels & buttons > Zoom control not displayed

[Saturo]

@Saturo
this Alpha use the same directory as Locus Map Free/Pro, there is no difference.

Then i have to report that i could not see/choose an other map theme than general.