Locus Map 4, discussion (beta)

[freischneider]

@tapio
interesting idea! ... hmm, isn't there missing the "Set custom GPS position" feature from Locus Map Pro? It depends on how much is this feature usable and if "toggle" should replace it.

I don't know the 2nd function either. Since nobody has missed them yet, I think very few use them. I think it's good to switch automatically with a long click.
If somebody wants the function at some point, we'll find a solution.

[auric]

These are some issues that I noticed and which I can consistently reproduce at the moment
Issues during navigation
These issues were noticed during a navigation using a GPX file or a previously created planned route using Route Planner

• During navigation we decided to take a slightly different route than originally planned. Then I used the Stabilized GPS function to mark a missing landmark. The point was added on the current "navigation"  position (see the arrow in the screenshot) in stead of the real GPS position (the red dot). This is only an issue during navigation using stabilized gps. When I was too much off route, the stabilized GPS added the point on the actual gps position (see screenshot 2)
  
• The Time To Target was too optimistic. I might have walked 4km in 5 minutes, but the kids were with me so it took two hours  This isn't an issue when you select a point on the map, then choose "navigate to" this point.

Intents/API
I'm using Tasker to automate recording tasks. Starting track recording is working. However, stopping the recording behaves differently: in stead of stopping the recording, it is now paused.
Steps to reproduce:

• Tasker "Send Intent" action is configured as follows:
  
  • Action: com.asamm.locus.ACTION_TASK
  • Cat: None, Mime Type (empty), Data (empty)
  • Extra:  tasks: { track_record: { action: "stop", name: "(name of track recording profile)"} }
  • Package: menion.android.locus
  • Target: Broadcast Receiver
• Start a recording using the configured track recording profile
• Send the intent using the Tasker action

Previous behaviour: the track recording was stopped and saved (depending on the configuration of the recording action
Current behaviour: the track recording is paused.

Track recording button
When a track was started (using API or using the menu) the button at the bottom left doesn't appear, so the only way to open the recording menu is to go to the menu and open the track recording, or a short-cut in the side panel. However, when you double tap on the screen, the button appears (along with the zoom buttons since I configured them as "auto-hide") and then it stays on the screen (which is good)
To reproduce:

• Open the menu
• Select Track Recording and start it

Expected result: the record-in-progress button is visible in the left button
Current result: the record-in-progress button isn't visible
Work-around: double tap the screen. The button appears. After a timeout (when the zoom buttons are auto-hidden) the record-in-progress button stays visible

Interface

• Track recording profile changes aren't immediately propagated
  
  • Modify / add track recording profiles
  • Go to Presets and edit one. Make sure that Track Recording -> Active recording profile is enabled
  • Select the track recording profile to be activated
  • The unmodified profiles are displayed, not the new version
  Work-around: close Locus Map and re-open it.
  
• Edit a Track Recording profile. The description of Auto-pause reads "Pause reording automatically"
• The old "rotate" button had three options: don't rotate, rotate the map, show view direction. The last option seems to be missing, or I didn't find it yet. I know that with the central position button you can trigger map rotation, but not the view direction indicator
• Settings aren't transferred from Locus Map Pro to Locus Map v4. It caused some confusion, thinking I found a dozen other issues only to find out that the settings were reset to their defaults, at least for me, as I don't use the free version

[Menion]

@tapio
hmm, nice and clearly readable bottom popup menu on the center button . Oki, let's try with toggle ...

@slarti76
interesting. By checking the code, all looks correctly regards the remaining track after sync. I'll be watching it ...

@Raddino
thanks for the file. The best should be if the link is directly clickable, but I have usually quite problems with this behavior on Android. At least selectable by long click > should be fixed in next version, thanks.

@auric
seems you had a long evening, nice, thanks!

Navigation
1. very good observation, thanks, fixed
2. Time to target heavily depends on the selected navigation profile. Anyway, it is not too reliable, I know. Definitely needs a major rewrite.

Intents/API
This happens even in the case, the screen is turned on? Because recording should really be only "paused", but there should appear a screen for editing track details. It looks like this does not happen in your case. What about auto-save defined in profile or in intent, no difference?

Track recording button
Problem with visibility > should be fixed now.

Interface
1. correct, thanks, fixed
2. auto-pause, ah thanks. This feature needs some more testing, I've completely forget on it.
3. correct. "Show view" may be currently found little hidden in settings > Maps > Auxiliary graphics menu.
4. not automatically, but with the backup manager, it should be easily doable. Did you try it?

[Menion]

New update version MapGooglePlay_3.49.1.11_979_beta just published!

Hey, and the new year is coming? Hope you are all healthy and enjoy at least little nature and wind in your hairs instead of sitting home with Locus Map (like me)  .

[freischneider]

@freischneider
Thanks for the description, but I'll need more precise steps as I'm unable to follow it ...
- turn on centering & rotation
- move with map, map stop rotate
- long click on the GPS icon in the toolbar and turn GPS off
- map is still rotated by the last value. I also see "centering active" (hold center) and a small compass icon above
- when I then turn GPS back on, it immediately starts center & rotates like at start ...

I've made a video now. Maybe then it will be easier to understand.
1 Start: GPS - on, turning - on, map fixed to GPS - on
2 Then I move the map and then click on the GPS symbol circle.
3 Now GPS is switched off,    map fixed to GPS - switched off      and rotate map - switched off.
Unfortunately, the map turns to the north. Now I have to look where I was.
4 Now I click again on the GPS symbol circle. GPS is switched on,   map fixed to GPS is switched on. But card rotation is not activated. I expected that the state as in 1 would be restored.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rdaNLUguleISkqvh2yy30VC-1NokLz2l/view?usp=sharing

[slarti76]

@slarti76
interesting. By checking the code, all looks correctly regards the remaining track after sync. I'll be watching it ...

I just remembered I forgot to mention: On that device, Locus was first logged in to another Google account and syncing with it. Then I changed the account and did the overwrite from server operation. But perhaps that may have had an adverse effect...

"Guten Rutsch" as they say in German, and a great year 2021!

[auric]

@auric

Intents/API
This happens even in the case, the screen is turned on? Because recording should really be only "paused", but there should appear a screen for editing track details. It looks like this does not happen in your case. What about auto-save defined in profile or in intent, no difference?

I didn't specify auto-save in the intent, as I specified it in the profile.
With the screen on, there's no difference. Track recording is paused, no save screen is shown (which is expected as I enabled the auto save in the profile itself)

When I set auto_save:"true" in the intent, the recording stops as expected. So this would solve my "problem" but I guess this would also mean that the parameter isn't optional anymore...

I found the "show view" parameter. I have it enabled, most of the time, so it's ok. It would be a nice improvement however if it would be possible to put this option in the "quick settings" menu though. Most of the auxiliary graphics can be put there, but the "show view" option is missing

I'm going to try the new beta asap, during a walk in the woods with the wind in my hair ...
You should try it, it's relaxing

[Andrew Heard]

3.49.1.11: not sure if bug/ feature/ not important but, if I am displaying a map Y, and map screen content panel also shows map Y, but then I go to my points & tap a point which auto-loads map Z, should the map screen content panel be refreshed to display the new map Z instead of old map Y? Isn't the map screen content panel supposed to list the current map?

[slarti76]

Kinda disconcerting experience:
Two devices, database synced on both. Now I did some track edits on Dev A, synced them to the server, no problem. Started sync on B - omg, it's uploading (the old stuff) instead of downloading! Afterwards, started sync on A again, as expected downloaded the old stuff and overwrote the edits. I exported the track before sync (I know, it's beta, better safe than sorry), so no harm done.
But that is a dealbreaker - should not happen.

As you can imagine, wasn't able to reproduce. In fact, the sync after importing the correct track and deleting the wrong one, worked ok.
But please check your code again if there's any situation where this might happen. Because that definitely must not happen...

[Menion]

Small promo: Petr and Radim invested an enormous amount of time & own passion into creating an online version of LoMaps (will be used as default map after the start of the app and also mainly on the web in Route planner) and an online version of LoPoints. If you find some time and test it, or better use it and will have some feedback, they will appreciate it: https://forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=7191.0

And now back to Android

@freischneider
ah, now it's clear. You use the "GPS button" (where I use rather "centering button") so it confused me. Good point! Improved.

@slarti76
thanks for the additional info. Can't imagine now, how this change of accounts may cause any problem. Anyway, as I wrote, I'll be watching it.

Sync problem: hmm, this really should not happen. Are you 100% sure, there were no edits on the mentioned track on device B before sync? Even a simple refresh of the track preview image in data manager causes "edit" > sync, or just change of name, style of track etc...

@auric
hmm, the "auto-save" parameter is optional, I just double-checked it.
What a weird problem. I've just set a task with Tasker with exactly same parameters as you wrote, then I split screen on the device with Locus Map & Tasker and the test was correct, no matter if auto-save is enabled in intent, in profile or disabled. To be true, I can't imagine what may be a problem here ... 

@Andrew Heard
it currently does not work exactly like this. Original selected map remains active as "base map" and auto-loaded maps are only attached to it. In the case of vector maps it is a little more complicated, but the active map (not the original selected) should appear as "active" after some time.

Hmm, hard to describe as I even don't exactly remember this .

[slarti76]

@slarti76Sync problem: hmm, this really should not happen. Are you 100% sure, there were no edits on the mentioned track on device B before sync? Even a simple refresh of the track preview image in data manager causes "edit" > sync, or just change of name, style of track etc...

Well, I did open the track details of that old version of the track, to see if it was already updated (I added a waypoint, among other things). So perhaps the preview image got renewed then. But that is nothing the user could prevent, so I think something like that must not touch the track "last updated" timestamp.

[tapio]

@tapio
interesting idea! ... hmm, isn't there missing the "Set custom GPS position" feature from Locus Map Pro? It depends on how much is this feature usable and if "toggle" should replace it.

I don't know the 2nd function either. Since nobody has missed them yet, I think very few use them. I think it's good to switch automatically with a long click.
If somebody wants the function at some point, we'll find a solution.

Menion has implemented it, thx. Personally I'd prefer a green toast msg here instead of the vibration.
Shouldn't it also toggle to that center lock state, if the map is currently dragged somewhere else? Except vibrating, it does nothing in that case.
Also I am thinking, the lock icon is not clearly understandable. As for that center icon - Maybe the outer ring should have 4 small, to the center showing arrows. Or alternatively, the letter A (for auto center) could be easier to understand. If I see a lock icon, rather "you can do nothing here" comes to mind, not "the map will auto center every couple of seconds". Just thoughts.

Thanks Menion, Team and Forum - I wish you a great and healthy 2021!

Best regards - Tapio

[slarti76]

Just noticed that the Galaxy Watch plugin doesn't work with the LM4 beta. It complains that it only works with Pro. Any way to activate that so I can betatest the watch connection? I don't have LM Pro installed on the phone my watch is connected with and would like to avoid in order to avoid problems with the database sync. Or should that be safe, if the db is accessed by both Locus instances?

[john_percy]

Dark mode, overlay, change opacity: background goes white but text stays white. Hence illegible.

Sent from my moto g(6) plus using Tapatalk

[freischneider]

@freischneider
ah, now it's clear. You use the "GPS button" (where I use rather "centering button") so it confused me. Good point! Improved.

Thanks.
What is the centering button?