CanalPlanAC

[The Maestro]

The brilliant route planner has been unavailable for ages now, and the displayed page says it usually takes 10 mins.

 

Has anyone any news?

[Liam]

I thought that... not 10 minutes but 10 days later, seems to be still the same.

 

There are other versions, but they are more slimmed down.

 

Try this one,

 

http://canalplan.eu/

 

Or,

 

http://canalplan.tty.org.uk/

[The Maestro]

I thought that... not 10 minutes but 10 days later, seems to be still the same.

 

There are other versions, but they are more slimmed down.

 

Try this one,

 

http://canalplan.eu/

 

Or,

 

http://canalplan.tty.org.uk/

 

Thanks. Both links go to what looks like an updated version.

[StephenA]

There are memory corruption problems on the server for the main site which is why it was taken off line. But I understand the problem might have been fixed so I've reminded Nick about opening it up again.

 

The version on canalplan.eu and canalplan.tty.org.uk is a completely re-written version running under a 64bit O/S and using a backend database to allow much more dynamic data editing. On the old version if a place was added it couldn't be used properly until Nick rebuilt the data structures, on the new version the minute one person adds a place its available to everyone. Also you can add text for places, and vote on their suitability for moorings. Some of the features in the old version are not fully implemented on the new version but don't forget that Nick does this as a hobby and with a full time job and a family sometimes things take a bit to get done. The new version also supports waterways in mainland Europe too (but there isn't a lot of data there yet)

[stewey]

but don't forget that Nick does this as a hobby and with a full time job and a family sometimes things take a bit to get done.

We certainly understand that Nick is doing this as a hobby and a fantastic job he does too. It's just that it seems like your right arm has been cut off when it is unavailable. For all canal users it is an indispensable resource and we thank Nick for all his hard work on this project.

 

Stewey

[Swallowman]

For all canal users it is an indispensable resource and we thank Nick for all his hard work on this project.

 

Stewey

 

Hear, hear. Saves me a lot of time working things out from Nicholsons, etc.

[DHutch]

Hear, hear. Saves me a lot of time working things out from Nicholsons, etc.

Ditto.

- Its not a replacment for a nicholsons on the slide, but for route planning its invaluable!

[clovey]

Is it me or if I try to use the versions of route planner given in one of the earlier posts (cnalplan.eu/ or canalplann.tty.org.uk/ there apperars to be no way of adding a string of places to the route, you seem to be able to add 1 plus the start & finish.

Any ideas?

[DHutch]

I think i might be you?

- You can enter a quick route on the home page by typing a list of places separted my commas.

- Or you can click 'plan a route' which gives you a page with feilds for a start, finish, and upto six intermedate places.

 

 

Daniel

[clovey]

Not as far as I can see on the versions as given previously

[adam1uk]

Is it me or if I try to use the versions of route planner given in one of the earlier posts (cnalplan.eu/ or canalplann.tty.org.uk/ there apperars to be no way of adding a string of places to the route, you seem to be able to add 1 plus the start & finish.

Any ideas?

 

 

I found this too. But looking now, there's once again the opportunity to put lots of intermediate places in.

[alan_fincher]

I think part of the problem is multiple URLs for accessing, and the fact that one URL can toggle between one version of CanalPlanAC, and back again, on a fairly regular basis.

 

Whilst we were away, I stuck with the same

 

http://canalplan.org.uk

 

link, but could never be certain which version of the software would pop up.

 

Both that I got were superb, but one, (the older one, I think), seemed to be able to hold my personal settings as a cookie, but that used another day would not, resulting in longer timings for the same trip.

 

I think Nick does a truly marvellous job with this thing, and as a free resource it's truly excellent - that's obvious by just how much so by how we miss it when it's down.

 

Over time it gets better and better, so who can complain about a bit of uncertainty as it upgrades from one version to another.

 

Alan.

[CanalPlanAC]

OK, here's where we are. The server that the "old" version (version 8.x) runs on has been very sick. It's been nursed back to health but is running on limited memory and has limited life. I'm therefore not going to point any of the canalplan.... urls at it, but those of you who have bookmarked mihalis.net will be able to use it for the time being.

 

When a new server is installed there it won't be capable of running that version, instead I'll be porting the version you can see at canalplan.eu and all the other URLs (the "new" version, version 9.x) to the new server.

 

Version 9 is a lot better in a lot of ways, it's easier to edit, the code is much more stable, and it's much more configurable and easy to expand (did you know you can now plan a route from Calais to Koblenz?). If there is anything that the "old" version did that the "new" doesn't, you can use the link on the home page of the "new" version (called "project page") to say what you want me to do next, and to vote for ideas that others have suggested, as well as to report bugs.

 

Very soon that will have a friendlier name ("bugs & ideas") and will be available from every page of the site.

 

In the meantime, I seet that e a couple of people have commented on not being able to save options between sessions. Well you canl, but you have to be logged on before you save the options. Once done, then the next time you log on your options will be restored. This is better than cookies if, say, you are travelling and using Internet cafés, or if you've planned your route on your home computer and want to look things up on a mobile device when travelling.

 

Anyway, I don't intend to be regular here, but I'll try and pop in from time to time to keep you posted.

 

Nick

[NB Alnwick]

Nick,

 

Thank you for that and a very warm welcome to CWDF.

 

Like many others, we find CanalplanAC to be an extremely useful piece of kit and are most grateful for your efforts in providing it.

[alan_fincher]

In the meantime, I seet that e a couple of people have commented on not being able to save options between sessions. Well you canl, but you have to be logged on before you save the options. Once done, then the next time you log on your options will be restored. This is better than cookies if, say, you are travelling and using Internet cafés, or if you've planned your route on your home computer and want to look things up on a mobile device when travelling.

Thanks Nick,

 

I'm a huge fan, but losing my personalisation was causing some funny estimates!

 

Now you have explained that, I'll investigate the logging in thing.

 

Excellent.

[DHutch]

Welcome to Canalworld forums from me too Nick, ive been using the website for a long time and recomending it to many.

- I too got a bit of a supprise between versions when the default crusing hours changing from 7 to 9 caused me to think two days boating had got me further from my detination, but i understand that as always the site is work in progress, and geting better for it.

 

I agree that the ablity to log in and remember settings/routes/detinations would be very usfull and more reliable than using cookies.

 

 

Daniel