Routing over online/internal BRouter

[Menion]

Another big separate topic in Locus Map 4 we work on, is the routing system.

Implemented since: Locus Map 3.50.0.1 (file: MapGooglePlay_3.50.0.1_981_beta.apk)

After a long discussion, the app now fully integrates BRouter based solution.

Online routing service
- in the app sources available as BRouter Online

Offline routing service
- in the app sources available as BRouter (inner)

Both services use identical routing profiles, so you should get identical results. Internal solutions offer few parameters in every profile. Should be anyway little slower, mainly on low-powered devices.

What do we want to do for now? Fine-tune current existing quite "general" profiles before we step forward in creating more

Responsibility in our team: big routing fan Radim (@Radim V)

[PawelS]

,,the app now fully integrates BRouter based solution"
I can't see an option to calculate alternative routes. I'm not going to use it without it. I don't remember how I've set BRouter in the Locus Pro, so I haven't tried it in the beta.

,,Both services use identical routing profiles, so you should get identical results."
I have 2 local BRouters 1 with map icon and second called inner. Both with different profiles, but without mine.
Inner and online have a different number of profiles
I've got timeout code 10102 when downloading routing segments for BRouter inner.

,,What do we want to do for now?"
Autorenaming profile according to the profile file name.
GUI to import custom profiles.
Too many taps to recalculate a route with a different profile, two confirmations are at least one too many.
In profile pop up a cogwheel next to ,,Settings" isn't obvious they are separated things. Put | at least.

[lor74cas]

Hi everyone,
generally if I have to plan some trips I usually do it with the PC which is certainly more comfortable than doing it on the small screen of the mobile phone. I do planning on my mobile only when I don't want to get up from the sofa and turn on the pc (sometimes I'm too lazy) or when I'm outdoors and I want to get an idea before taking a detour or lengthening the route I had planned previously. The online brouting service makes little sense to me also because often if I'm outdoors I don't have cellular network coverage. I think there are too many options in Locus that compromise its ease of use and scare the average user, it seems to become more and more an application for geeks / nerds (obviously I belong to the category). In my opinion, but it is only my opinion, we should cut, simplify and make what remains more reliable and in this specific case I would not activate the online brouting service, I would only leave the "inner" version with a specific function to notify the user to update the brouter database.

[Andrew Heard]

Sorry, but I don't agree with @lor74cas. I choose Locus exactly because of its extra functionality, otherwise what would distinguish it from the many many other GPS apps out there. The default LM4beta on/offline routing for me works well "out of the box", and the additional/ advanced settings are quite well "tucked away" from the "average" user. Just my 2 cents worth. I do generally use a PC for route planning too, but I don't think that would be any different for any Android GPS app, powerful or simplistic.

[0709]

I understand what lor74cas is saying. The worst thing that can happen to me is when a complete stranger asks me, what nice cards do you have on your phone, what website is that? No ma'am or sir it's an app called Locus. And then the difficult question, is it easy to operate? Then I get very quiet and this geek knows how difficult it is to escape this quickly ;-) Regarding online routing or offline, I don't think this is an extra difficulty, just not that.

[lor74cas]

I understand what lor74cas is saying. The worst thing that can happen to me is when a complete stranger asks me, what nice cards do you have on your phone, what website is that? No ma'am or sir it's an app called Locus. And then the difficult question, is it easy to operate? Then I get very quiet and this geek knows how difficult it is to escape this quickly ;-) Regarding online routing or offline, I don't think this is an extra difficulty, just not that.

This is what always happens to me out of 10 people I show locus maybe 1 or 2 don't get discouraged by too many options. For me, the coexistence of brouter's "inner" and "online" service is not a problem, but it was just one example of the many things that could be simplified. And if I had to choose I would prefer the "inner" service. Locus in fact is one of the few apps that guarantees operation even offline and is one of the reasons why I chose it.

[freischneider]

A lot has improved with LM4. I think it's very easy to use now. But I'll test that with my brother-in-law. Normally, things like that are not easy for him.
I don't know of any app that is easier than LM4. Since then it has been complicated to navigate as you needed the Brouter App. But now it's very easy. Locus even notices when offline segments are missing.
A big advantage is that there are operating instructions in 3 languages (maybe more will follow). So far, this is very understandable.
If there is already one for LM4, I can take the test with my brother-in-law.

[Menion]

I'll leave main comments here to my colleague Radim, but just my "two cents":
- offline routing in the app is used only in the app, but
- online routing, that uses exactly the same default profiles, will be used in the web planner as well!!

So we see testing and finding optimal routing parameters for various types (car, Mtb, gravel bike, etc) as extremely important, and generally, it is not about online/offline. It is about "how to make calculated routes better"!

My main reason for this topic was to find some clearly visible problems in routing, like "hey, car profile route in this one-way route" or "this bike profile ignore cycle route even it is obviously better" etc.

Thanks

[freischneider]

Example MTB:
Personally, I would like to go uphill on easy trails (no steep incline, max. S1) or gravel paths up to max. grade 3.
Downhill trails up to a maximum of S3. S2 would be optimal. I don't want stairs up a mountain. But downhill it can be short stairs.
Now it is so that everyone wants something different. Maybe you can edit some parameters in the profile.

[Andrew Heard]

You can anticipate in LM4 that Locus support staff are going to get tied up with endless questions & requests about customizing routing profiles for every personal preference. It will be a fine balance between enough user settings/ range of profiles & "keeping it simple".

[Radim V]

,,the app now fully integrates BRouter based solution"
I can't see an option to calculate alternative routes. I'm not going to use it without it. I don't remember how I've set BRouter in the Locus Pro, so I haven't tried it in the beta.

,,Both services use identical routing profiles, so you should get identical results."
I have 2 local BRouters 1 with map icon and second called inner. Both with different profiles, but without mine.
Inner and online have a different number of profiles
I've got timeout code 10102 when downloading routing segments for BRouter inner.

,,What do we want to do for now?"
Autorenaming profile according to the profile file name.
GUI to import custom profiles.
Too many taps to recalculate a route with a different profile, two confirmations are at least one too many.
In profile pop up a cogwheel next to ,,Settings" isn't obvious they are separated things. Put | at least.

Hi Pawel, thank you for your feedback. First of all we would like to sort the timeout problem. Does it happen always, even when connected to a reasonably fast network?

[starka]

Where routes profile "river"?

[poutnikl]

Where routes profile "river"?

As the names gives the hint, it routes along  OSM mapped waterways. But it is rather experimental and cannot be used for serious navigation in sense of desired navigation line.

Sent from my Xiaomi MI A2 / Android 10, via Tapatalk

[PawelS]

When I show Locus to others I focus on what is important to them or me.

Radim, timeout error happened all two times I tried the beta, so maybe 7 tries of downloading, even when connected to a reasonably fast network. Download bar grows quite fast and sometimes stops before ending.
A few days ago I had also timeout errors in Pro with code 12569 downloading a theme from Locus Store and OpenAndroMap like in https://help.locusmap.eu/topic/22122-fail-to-download-map-of-norway-from-openandromaps-org So far I haven't tried reinstallation because I don't want to risk to botch using a backup copy. Previous downloads form the Locus Store was successfull and the map is dated on 05.2020

[Erelen]

Please, block routing thru highway=construction in all profiles.