Locus Map 4, discussion (beta)

[Menion]

@Andrew Heard
thanks for the tests!

- trackpoint timestamp: just scroll down, values should be at the bottom of the dialog

@john_percy
This is a correct observation. Online LoPoints are always included in the online search. We are trying to create a single united search across addresses/points in a single window. Online for now, offline later.

Option not-to-include LoPoints into search > I'll have to think about it ...

Thanks for the info about the crash > you are right, fixed!

Problem with restoring the state before preset was activated > unfortunately, I'm unable to simulate this issue. Does it happen always on your phone?

@flyingman_ch
good point, it was not intended. Re-added, thanks.

@tapio
I'll try to integrate it better with the currently visible map screen, which should cover the need for zoom & work with the map.

Interesting idea with swiping between interesting points on the track. I'm writing to "consider" list.

The small "i" button is only for testing purposes in the test version, no worry.

@joeloc
positive results, hmm nice, thanks too 

Mini maps are (still) not yet rendered automatically after import, only when the track is created (route planner, track recording) directly in the app. Or manually by a long click on the preview.

Problem with the rendering of the recorded track .. good point > results of the optimizations. TODO

@slarti76
Thank you for the nice and precise report!

- not-synced points? Ah thanks, hopefully, get it.

- "synced tracks are sometimes not displayed after a sync" > visibility of points & tracks is not synced

- Track editor Insert/edit: Cannot select point exactly > as a fallback, still possible to move by the left/right arrows, right?

- Track editor: Insert/edit not working after 1 or 2 edits > I'm unable to simulate this issue in track editor, so video will be needed, thanks.

- Minimum zoom out factor not working > hmm, it has to be a really old problem. This parameter was completely ignored. So test it please in the next version.

- Display hiccups after startup/inactivity > not visible track recording should be fixed now. Do not know about the "Not visible active tracks" problem. How to simulate this? And the problem with "Nothing to display" in map content was already reported by @john_percy, but I was also not yet able to simulate this.

Different size in DB > It's possible. Can't say the exact reason without investigation.

Feature request > multi-export, sorry, not possible now. Too much work.

[slarti76]

@slarti76
Thank you for the nice and precise report!

- not-synced points? Ah thanks, hopefully, get it.

- "synced tracks are sometimes not displayed after a sync" > visibility of points & tracks is not synced

I know, but these tracks were displayed before. So track displayed -> sync -> track not displayed anymore. May also be related to experience after startup, see below, so will try again with next version.

- Track editor Insert/edit: Cannot select point exactly > as a fallback, still possible to move by the left/right arrows, right?

It's not the selection of the point where to start Insert/edit, it's about the moving of the points. Hmm, I think the video is necessary.

- Track editor: Insert/edit not working after 1 or 2 edits > I'm unable to simulate this issue in track editor, so video will be needed, thanks.

Will do. Perhaps I can do both in one video.

- Minimum zoom out factor not working > hmm, it has to be a really old problem. This parameter was completely ignored. So test it please in the next version.

Thx, will do!

- Display hiccups after startup/inactivity > not visible track recording should be fixed now. Do not know about the "Not visible active tracks" problem. How to simulate this? And the problem with "Nothing to display" in map content was already reported by @john_percy, but I was also not yet able to simulate this.

That's what I meant, the "Nothing to display" bug was reported before, but happens very rarely. Not that important.
The thing about not visible track during recording was reported by @joeloc as well, just a few posts before my post. Anyway, didn't find a way to reproduce it, will watch it.

Different size in DB > It's possible. Can't say the exact reason without investigation.

Nevermind, just weird, because synced two other devices before, and there the sizes were the same.

Feature request > multi-export, sorry, not possible now. Too much work.

Yeah, sorry, had this on my weekend's list, but really don't belong here. Will write an idea on help desk.

[Tapio]

Re:

"I'll try to integrate it better with the currently visible map screen, which should cover the need for zoom & work with the map.
Interesting idea with swiping between interesting points on the track. I'm writing to "consider" list."

I am currently thinking
a) trackpoint details could be displayed like waypoint or geocoded pictures, in the new bottom area
b) in any of the above mentioned there should be a possibility to navigate fore/back. See attachment.
c) not sure about the future of the old fullscreen info pages

[joeloc]

Locus notification bar icon is "Rec with a small button", even when no track is actually being recorded and only guiding and/or live tracking is active.

[joeloc]

On Android 11 (at least Samsung Variant), when an app asks for Location Permission after first install, you can only allow "while app is being used". This will prevent Locus from recording a track when the display is off, for example. You have to actively enter Android Settings and enable "always" for the location permission.

It would be nice if Locus could check the state of this permission when a user starts track recording and open those settings for him in case they are wrong. Otherwise users will not be able to properly record tracks unless they keep display on and Locus in front.

[Tapio]

Longtap anywhere on map brings up place Information. But it does only stay if I do longtap+dragUp - it's a bit strange.

[Andrew Heard]

- trackpoint timestamp: just scroll down, values should be at the bottom of the dialog

@menion - thank you

In the track point editor mode (1st attached) it is now possible to long-tap the < and > buttons to go to first & last point. Nice.

Would it be possible to have same long-tap feature in Point Detail screen (2nd attached) for << and >> buttons? Also, as already mentioned, it would be good for these 4 buttons to be a little larger.

[Andrew Heard]

Different size in DB > It's possible. Can't say the exact reason without investigation.

Nevermind, just weird, because synced two other devices before, and there the sizes were the same.

@slarti76 if there has been lots of deletions (eg. tracks) on one device/ SQlite database, the file space is not immediately compacted for performance reasons. There is a VACUUM command but not of importance to non-programmers.

[slarti76]

@slarti76 if there has been lots of deletions (eg. tracks) on one device/ SQlite database, the file space is not immediately compacted for performance reasons. There is a VACUUM command but not of importance to non-programmers.

Thx, I am a programmer and should've assumed something like this.
So far I always used FolderSync to sync my databases, so I'm getting cautious if two files are suddenly different even if they should contain the same data. I was also always unsure whether to sync the db-journal files, too. Well, not important anymore, now that built-in sync is (almost) ready to go.

[slarti76]

- Track editor Insert/edit: Cannot select point exactly > as a fallback, still possible to move by the left/right arrows, right?

- Track editor: Insert/edit not working after 1 or 2 edits > I'm unable to simulate this issue in track editor, so video will be needed, thanks.

Ok, I uploaded a screen rec: https://web.tresorit.com/l/wK20Q#_nYQV5MhsBAegc98tyEAHw
The GPX is here: https://web.tresorit.com/l/iaPXe#0droDLmY3akKEnHm3OxnfQ

The second problem can actually also be solved by zooming out/in, but still a bug, you can see it in the video. Thx!

[Menion]

@slarti76
visible track > sync > track updated and no longer visible ... good observation, this probably happens. Little more complex to solve, but added to my to-do list, thanks!

The problem with the not visible track during recording should be fixed in the next version. App now uses more aggressive optimization for drawing content on the screen and the track was incorrectly detected as "not visible".

Thanks for the video, appreciate it!
- selection improved: the app will first try to find the nearest active point (green dot). If none is found, the nearest middle point (red dot) will be used. In the current version, sorting by distance from click was not correct.
- invisible handling points > hmm another side-effect of new optimization. Thanks, fixed!

@tapio
a) yes, that's what I tried to wrote > already implemented

A simple long-tap on the map screen does not display the bottom dialog?

@joeloc
I've never seen a recording button in the system bar when the recording was not active. It technically does not make sense. Any steps to reproduce it?

Permission to "Always use GPS even in the background" is complicated. What you see is best what the app can do. The app should not force users to enable "Use in background" settings, anyway, you should already see a warning dialog with "To navigate or record a track with the display off ..." text. Do you see it when starting recording and this option is disabled?

@Andrew Heard
long tap in point detail is not so simple like in Track editor, I was already looking at it. Anyway, I'll maybe improve it a little bit ...

[Tapio]

Longtap map, yes, sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. Does not appear at all or only a small part which disappears if you lift finger. Does not seem to be related to fullscreen or display of toolbars. Device is 1920x2244
https://youtu.be/v46UVcPWQUo

[joeloc]

Locus crashes and quits hard when I click on one of the POIs in the attached image. I believe those are online POIs or some such, at least their not my own points and they don't appear when I'm offline.

N28.1614 W17.2680 Map is latest CanaryIslands from openandromaps.

[Tapio]

Locus crashes and quits hard when I click on one of the POIs in the attached image. I believe those are online POIs or some such, at least their not my own points and the don't appear when I'm offline.

Seen such hard crashes on online poi usage as well. But I typically do not use them.
Yup,tried now. Show online poi, tap on a summit icon, boom crash.

[joeloc]

I always have a Locus rec button in the system bar, regardless if I'm recording or not. See attached images.

Nope, Locus did not warn me when starting track recording and the gps permissions were wrong. That was the very first start after the very install of the very first Beta Version for me. Will try again to get that warning by playing with gps settings.

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Also, the Live Tracking notifications seem to hang around forever and never go away, long after Locus is quit (by pressing back two times). Something is fishy there. Pressing STOP on those notifications doesn't do anything either, obviously, because Locus is no longer running. They just seem dead, but still hang around.

That's nothing new though, I had that with Locus Pro from store as well.

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Locus is apparently doing networking again on main UI task. I suspect address query for new point dialog on long click. See attached picture with empty UI that I must stare at for plenty seconds before something happens.

Older Pro versions were already better at this. UI must never be blocked by networking... all buttons should immediately be visible and operational. Nor must the layout change, when the network query finally returns.

I know... 1gbit-wifi-couch-users-with-5g-backup will never ever realize anything is wrong. Unfortunately, 90% of this worlds land mass doesn't have those features... .

Ps, nope...
if phoneisonline() donetworking()
is also NOT allowed on main UI thread.

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Long Tap to add a point, tap + to actually add it, edit the points name from the auto-queried address to something you want, tap Save. The new point is saved, but the screen popup still shows the auto-queried address instead of the new name. It should be updated to the new point name, in case you want to immediately do something with it (sharing etc).

Also, something is wrong with long tapping somewhere while gps centering is enabled. Long tap somewhere to add a point, the map centers to the long tapped spot, but then moves back to gps position after a while. You cannot see where you tapped any longer.