Locus Map 4, discussion (beta)

[balloni55]

@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

in LMP or earlier versions of LM4 the small map preview was always present, so you could easily center the cache on the map.
In the current version of LM4 this is only cumbersome possible
https://www.dropbox.com/s/klolrihut54xnmj/preview%20map.mp4?dl=0

[Menion]

@Diddi
thanks for the feedback.

- top bar > maybe later. Agree that on bigger devices, there is enough space for the second panel

- cache logs: button has standard size, so clickable area is the same as for e.g. refresh button. Refresh of logs is problematic because it is not done by Locus Map directly, but it's done over 3rd party app (G4L) > complicated.

- GC side menu: hmm it was opened by a slide from the right. Right, good point. You are this first after a few months of testing who point on this problem, so definitely not a serious issue ... how to solve it, hmm 

- missing options in the GC menu? Should not be. You may define two quick buttons to the bottom panel. If defined, these functions are then missing in the top-right menu, so maybe this is your case?

- third shortcut > added to TODO list, thanks

- "more" below listing. Well, as you wrote above, "arrow is too small". I consider listing as very important and also app display longer part of it, so the button below makes sense to me.

- short text in popups > it is a global problem across the whole app, not just here. I'll look at it, thanks.

@slarti76
hmm ... I wrote it somewhere, not clearly, that since the new public Beta test version, we cleared the server database and switched the whole infrastructure to the final production-ready system. So now all data remains on the server like with the regular final version. But, your old app communicates still with a testing server that is already empty. Maybe from here comes a problem? I'm sure it is, there is no other explanation. So please use the new version, thanks.

@freischneider
I'm not sure if Michal wants to be already public, but yes, the work-in-progress manual is already in preparation here.

@balloni55
hmm, I was thinking about this problem before as well and agree, it may be a little more complicated. As you clearly display in the video, the map is visible only in case, point detail is not shown by click on the point directly on the map. This was previously solved by the "map" button in the bottom panel ... so return it back? Hmm ...

[jonny.blue]

Today I tried the 'inner" version ... and had some problems.
Steps:
- touched a geocache (it was on landing bridge only to reach by foot the last meters) and press "navigate to" with profile CarCrusing -> an error occured "Cannoc reate path-model: ...exception:btools.router.KinematicModel "
- switched to profile hiking -> message: "Fehlende Daten für das offline routing herunterladen"
- switched to  brouter offline - profile "car crusing" ... and all worked well:
   + no missing profiling data (are they on a different place?)
   + brouter offline "knows" that he has to stop at the last drivable point and created a route to this point.

- loaded the "missing" data ... and started calculation inner brouter:
   + profile car crusing = same error as above
   + hiking = worked, but I found no easy way to  drive with car and just walk the last meters ...

[Diddi]

@Diddi
thanks for the feedback.

- top bar > maybe later. Agree that on bigger devices, there is enough space for the second panel

- cache logs: button has standard size, so clickable area is the same as for e.g. refresh button. Refresh of logs is problematic because it is not done by Locus Map directly, but it's done over 3rd party app (G4L) > complicated.

- GC side menu: hmm it was opened by a slide from the right. Right, good point. You are this first after a few months of testing who point on this problem, so definitely not a serious issue ... how to solve it, hmm 

- missing options in the GC menu? Should not be. You may define two quick buttons to the bottom panel. If defined, these functions are then missing in the top-right menu, so maybe this is your case?

- third shortcut > added to TODO list, thanks

- "more" below listing. Well, as you wrote above, "arrow is too small". I consider listing as very important and also app display longer part of it, so the button below makes sense to me.

- short text in popups > it is a global problem across the whole app, not just here. I'll look at it, thanks.

Thanks for quick reply.

You're right: option to log is only available, when not selected as shortcut.
I'm not sure why this GC side menu is located on the top right corner behind this icon, that looks like a printer to me  --> Maybe it would make more sense in bottom bar instead of the third shortcut?

Some more small things:

-the 4 "new" attributes are still missing https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2020/09/four-new-geocaching-attributes/ - also in "old" Locus
- geocache icon on map is no more  moved to corrected coordinates, when final is solved with MultiSolver addon

map view:
-in full screen mode, the scale is next to the right corner; when double tapping to show the side bars, it walks to the rightern middle
- I would love to set in geocaching tool wich type off "load all waypoints of visible caches" will be shown on map. Example: When I load all of them, Locus is showing a "final point" additionally to the corrected cacheicon of a mystery cache. So I get everytime I tap on a mystery Cache the option to choose between the cache itself and its final waypoint. Hiding all waypoints is no option, because I like to see possible stages of a multicache next to me.

geocache points data:
If I try to refresh all geocache points in a list, I get this error everytime: "Cannot pass in more than 50 values in the referenceCodes parameter". That's depending to Geocaching4Locus AddOn, I think.
Worked in old Locus Pro like a charm.


Thanks
Diddi

[slarti76]

@slarti76
hmm ... I wrote it somewhere, not clearly, that since the new public Beta test version, we cleared the server database and switched the whole infrastructure to the final production-ready system. So now all data remains on the server like with the regular final version. But, your old app communicates still with a testing server that is already empty. Maybe from here comes a problem? I'm sure it is, there is no other explanation. So please use the new version, thanks.

Yes, I remember that comment of yours and I did a full resync after that "switch date" you mentioned. I also thought the "old" app version was already after that switch. Well, anyway, I now updated and will keep an eye on it. If it ever happens again, you'll be the first to know

[Menion]

@jonny.blue
thanks. The issue with offline car profiles found and fixed.

@Diddi
icon of the printer, heh . But, yes, you are probably right  .
Most of the code between the old and new Locus app is shared so yes, new attributes are still missing. I've already on my GC-TODO list, thanks.

Scale bar > it should be moved based on the visibility of the right part of the "functions" panel.
Load only selected type of waypoints > interesting idea, agree. TODO list is growing ...

@slarti76
Ondřej wrote to me that on the server are your data from the 27. 12. I do not have any idea what you did, but the app really should not completely delete all data. watch it please carefully, thanks.

[Menion]

Menu in the point screen for geocaching

1. design
The current popup menu is a little cumbersome. It has scrolling on smaller devices, it may shrink some texts if too long, it is not too flexible ... generally, these popups are problematic.
What about the whole menu as a simple dialog instead of a small popup?

2. button to display it
Diddi has an idea to put it into the bottom buttons bar. It may be also placed as an optional button into two custom geocaching bottom buttons. Any additional idea or you are fine with the current solution? Thanks.

[balloni55]

What about the whole menu as a simple dialog instead of a small popup?

is your attached screenshot an example of the "simple dialog" ?
would be ok for me
and if, where are "pictures" now hidden?

Diddi has an idea to put it into the bottom buttons bar

on my 6" device there is no place in portrait mode for a additional button

It may be also placed as an optional button into two custom geocaching bottom buttons

both custom geocaching buttons are already used by me (hint and log visit) and i don't would like to do without them

[Doggy]

[CZ] Předem se omlouvám, že sem napíšu v češtině, nenašel jsem český topic. Testuji beta verzi a je to super, dokonce tmavý režim funguje i na Androidu 6.
Našel jsem jednu maličkost, po rozkliknutí keše jsou v místě náhledu listingu odkazy neklikatelné. Odkazy fungují až po zobrazení celého listingu. Pokud by to šlo jednoduše opravit, bylo by to super. V Česku jsou labgpx, kdy v listingu labky na začátku jsou odkazy na jednotlivé série labek.

[dim]

Hello, Menion,

Could you reduce the size of the sidebar buttons so they look like in LM3? they take up too much space.

Could you add folders to the sidebars? So that other shortcuts can be added to folders. Space on the screen and in the main menu is limited, but the number of functions in LM seems to be unlimited)) When I first used LM, this thing seemed strange to me: if I need function that is not on the side panel I need to do a lot of clicks, for example "Main menu -> All features -> Tracks & Routes -> Tracks & Routes manager", it's 4 clicks!! As far as I remember, Orux maps have several main menu buttons on the map screen (e.g. Map Tools, Track Tools) with a submenus, so "Track Tools" (button on the main screen) -> "Track manager" (submenu item) - takes only 2 clicks!! Current LM system, when some random functions are in the quick main menu, some random functions are in the sidebars, some functions are in the quick action menu, and some functions that I didn't placed in the sidebar are so deep in the main menu that I forget about they existance, this is a mess for me, I would make my own oruxmap-like menu based on sidebars if it will be possible to create folders on the side panels. By the way, what do you think about oruxmap-like menu (with 2 clicks to every function)?

[freischneider]

@Dim: There is space for 14 functions in the main menu and another 17 in the lower and right bar. Then there are the quick settings where 12 functions fit.
So that should be enough normally. For functions that I rarely need, I can also do 4 clicks.
I automatically hidden the sidebar, then I have the whole screen. Then fade in with a double click.

[dim]

Yes, I can set up quick access to lots of functions in LM. But there is no order in that. When I used 3-4 functions, they were on the sidepanel, it was very convenient. But when the number of functions used increases, it is difficult to remember, whether I put them in the main menu, or in the quick action menu, or maybe on the sidepanel, but I forgot what it looks like its icon. Oruxmap has all the track-related functions under Track button, navigation-related functions under Navigaion button, so you don't need to memorize anything.

[auric]

Menu in the point screen for geocaching

1. design
The current popup menu is a little cumbersome. It has scrolling on smaller devices, it may shrink some texts if too long, it is not too flexible ... generally, these popups are problematic.
What about the whole menu as a simple dialog instead of a small popup?

I think that could help a lot. It seems that Didi has a large screen. My screen is "only" 5.5" and it scrolls. So yeah, that is a disturbing little menu.

I'm not sure I like a popup aesthetically, but it's definitely more functional, more user friendly. I have no other or better suggestion, which is why I didn't report it in the first place. But I definitely agree that some improvement would be nice :-)

2. button to display it
Diddi has an idea to put it into the bottom buttons bar. It may be also placed as an optional button into two custom geocaching bottom buttons. Any additional idea or you are fine with the current solution? Thanks.

Personally I'm fine with the current solution. That icon is there in several situations:

• When you open the GC using the Data > Points listing, it's right under the map (not at the top right)
• When you tap the GC on the map, the bottom menu opens and the icon is on the top of that menu, not at the top right.
• Only when you enlarge this menu, then the icon is entirely at the top.

Remember: in LM3, it was always at the top. From that perspective, the current solution is an improvement ;-)

However, I like the idea of allowing it as an option for the customized buttons. This way, it's up to the user: keep the current behaviour or move it to the bottom bar. Solutions for everyone!

[Tapio]

I remember the width of the sidebar has been discussed. I also like the LM3 size better. IIRC Menion said it will stay as it is. Personally not an issue for me, I have all stuff I need on it... and I have the right sidebar usually hidden.
The oppossite problem would apply for me: more room for icons would leave an ugly gap because the sidebar ends with the last icon. Which is rather unusual.

[Menion]

@balloni55
yes, it is an example. And now it's reality, implemented and tested. Pictures (previous tabs with internal, external images, and spoilers) will be available over this menu as well. In case, any images exist (for example from GC offlinizer), it will appear here for now.

The number of buttons: currently bar has a limit set to 5 visible buttons. Buttons above this limit are placed under the three-dot menu. You may see it for example if you disable any of these quick buttons.
I'll think about it and if, I'll do it as optional.

@Doggy
[CZ] český topic věnovaný LM4? Jen EN zde.
Nicméně dobrá připomínka, děkuji. Podívám se na to.

@dim
size of the sidebar: no sorry, intent for better usability in the field
folders: huh, quite a big task. Till now, I never read about this request. With new version, the main menu with up to 14 buttons and the function bar are a lot closer to finders, so as @freischneider wrote, you should be fine with it. You may also try the "Quick action menu" that is now available. This is some kind of one quick folder that may add another flexibility.

@auric
I have the same experience on the Pixel 2 device. Sofa-testing and it really seems to be better usable now. Thanks.

Right, it is an improvement. The only difference is that previously you were able to slide from the left to open this menu (I forget this method exists because I never ever used it).