Locus Map 4, discussion (beta)

Menion · January 08, 2021, 15:12:58

New version 3.50.0.1 just generated.

The main changes are related to the routing system. I've created a separate topic for it here.

Enjoy the coming weekend and again > big thanks for the help to all of you!!

john_percy · January 08, 2021, 15:21:48

Release notes refer to Brouter (internal), as previously discussed. App still says Brouter (inner), which is not good English.

Sent from my moto g(6) plus using Tapatalk

Andrew Heard · January 08, 2021, 21:55:57

Now we have BRouter (internal) & BRouter Online, should the terminology change to BRouter Offline?

Raddino · January 08, 2021, 22:14:22

Another comment regarding the logging cache experience.

I was expecting that if I have selected always log cache offline (menu>settings>geocaching>always log offline) then after clicking on Log icon/button Locus will directly jump to Field Notes draft. Now after clicking on log icon I got pop-up with 3 options where I need to select again that I want to log as draft. Is that intended? Video (czech language in locus) here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AWQdXcubzies3Xvd9

Erelen · January 09, 2021, 02:33:47

New overlay dialog - is a great step in usability! Thanks!

But, please, take a few more steps:
1) why do you need "Remove" in "Change map" menu, when there is switch to turn overlan on/off?

2) why do you need "Change map" menu with separate "Online" and "Offline"? I think, "Change map" button, that open standard "Maps" screen with "Online" and "Offline" tabs - it's a better way: stantard screen and one tap less in many cases.

2.1) another solution - show in "Change map" menu 3-4 last overlays. In many cases, that's enough to not open select map screen. For example, I active use about 5-10 maps, but only 2-3 overlays.

3) now, when I open select overlay map dialog, I see selected by red current main map, not current overlay map.

michaelbechtold · January 09, 2021, 10:54:28

Quote from: Andrew Heard on January 08, 2021, 21:55:57
Now we have BRouter (internal) & BRouter Online, should the terminology change to BRouter Offline?

Even "Internal", being a more technical term, is less comprehensible for average users than the term "Offline" that Andrew suggests. I also strongly advocate "Offline"

michaelbechtold · January 09, 2021, 10:57:15

Quote from: Erelen on January 09, 2021, 02:33:47
New overlay dialog - is a great step in usability! Thanks!
...

@Menion: an this would be the right place to offer a count (0 to 4, e.g.) for the number of excess magnifications beyond max available ZL.

Tapio · January 09, 2021, 14:36:05

"Center map" in presets does not apply and should be renamed to "hold map center".

balloni55 · January 09, 2021, 17:12:55

hello menion
when opening a geocache listing i miss the preview map with the possibility to show this cache centered on the map.
Currently, this is only very cumbersome possible if at least one waypoint is present

Andrew Heard · January 09, 2021, 21:18:54

Quote from: michaelbechtold on January 09, 2021, 10:54:28
Quote from: Andrew Heard on January 08, 2021, 21:55:57
Now we have BRouter (internal) & BRouter Online, should the terminology change to BRouter Offline?

Even "Internal", being a more technical term, is less comprehensible for average users than the term "Offline" that Andrew suggests. I also strongly advocate "Offline"

already improved!

slarti76 · January 11, 2021, 09:29:51

Negative experience from field test this weekend:
I went snowshoeing with new phone where only LM4 was installed (took my old one with LM3 Pro for comparison and as backup, so all safe

).
I synced the database before I left, of course, but when at the start of the tour I took the phone out, the track database was empty! I quickly exited Locus, copied a backup of tracks.db back and started Locus again. Now the tracks were back, but the points where empty. Did the same with waypoints.db and of course turned off autosync, which was still active from the start.

Naturally, this shouldn't happen. What could've caused this initially is either the bad reception where I started, or the fact that I just turned on Airplane Mode around then. Perhaps one of these happened during a running auto-sync and that threw Locus off?

Menion · January 11, 2021, 09:47:59

@john_percy, @Andrew Heard
thanks. We have to look at the naming of routers more carefully. There is also BRouter service available as an application from Google Play, so I wanted to somehow separate these two.

@Raddino
good point, fixed thanks!

@Erelen
very good points

.
1. agree, removed
2. I've first made a simple united button, but a quick switch to previous overlays sounds good, hmm...
3. quite a hard task for now and not so important I believe

@michaelbechtold
right place to offer re-scale option: right

@tapio
I think it works. It is really an action "Now center map", so in case you have enabled GPS, the map should be centered, and centering (no matter if hold map center is enabled or not) should be active.

@balloni55
You open a cache listing from the cache (point) detail, so it is one back press to the cache screen and one more to the map. I think I do not fully understand

@slarti76

... omg. Good old times with local/offline only problems.

Diddi · January 11, 2021, 09:50:29

Yesterday I saw that there is Locus 4 available for testing. For sure, I had to try

First impressions: Very nice and optimated for one hand use

Missing in my opinion:

top bar in map view: option to set a second information to the right corner - there is sooo many space next to the coordinates

geocache view: overall nice new look
- I love the "plan to" option

some things I don't like:
- arrow to open logs is too small - I would prefer getting to logs by clicking on the smileys and refresh (download the newest) by replacing the arrow with an sync button like it is next to GCVote
-missing the side menu from the right: the button on the top right corner ist far away from my thumb
- in this side menu there are some menus missing: no option to log + no option to the notes of a cache
--> only possibility to reach these things is a shortcut at the bottom
- I like the new clear look of the bottom bar in geocaches: maybe offer the option to set a third short cut - there is so many space available
- I miss the older option to show the cache or waypoint on map (EDIT:seen the solution above - nice!)
- I dont't like the view of the "More" button under the listing area - should look better with the arrow like above (waypoints + trackables)
- is it possible to not shorten the text in menu if it is to long?: geocache bottom bar: puzzle icon: 2 of the menu entries are shorten by "..." - mybe make the are bigger that all can be displayed
----

Thanks
Diddi

slarti76 · January 11, 2021, 10:41:59

Quote from: Menion on January 11, 2021, 09:47:59@slarti76
... omg. Good old times with local/offline only problems.

I should add that I overlooked there's a new beta, so I still used the one from end of December. So if you did improvements in between, perhaps it's good now.
But I take it from your reaction you will have a look at it?!

freischneider · January 11, 2021, 11:21:04

Is there already a user manual / manual for LM4? I would like to test LM4 with a new user and see what questions arise despite the instruction manual.
Perhaps one could open up a separate topic for this. Others could also take such a test. Or think about it. As a team, there are always better ideas. That's the only reason LM4 got so good so far. I have already made notes on what can be added. The aim is to ensure that as few questions as possible have to be answered in the helpdesk later on.