Open Canal Map ANDROID app Beta testers

[toms1]

12 hours ago, Jim Riley said:

Just got the beta, had a look. How do we add comments/info to points on map? Eg summit pound is highest broad canal 600ft 183m . I made a comment about summit west standpipe, using the Google map layer, is that the only way? 

Currently it is just via the website. I'm working on a way to add points to the map in the app and via a web interface using the Mapbox map so it will feel less disjointed when that is up and running.

[toms1]

15 hours ago, reg said:

TESTED

Moving app from Internal Storage to SDCARD-GOOD all works

Tried download cancel feature-Good

But still cant find where app is located and files stored either on Internal or SDCARD, if you could let me know the naming convention of the downloaded maps I could do a search by linking into Android to Linux. Tried it but little success as insufficient info to do a search

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Reg. It doesn't let me move the app to SDcard on my phone. I think I need to set a permission up in the manifest file to allow this. It might allow it on some tablets etc. The data has to be either on the phone or the sd card - can't be over both. All the data is stored in a single database so far as I can see. Not sure if this is accessible via the filesystem. I'm just using libraries to build this - this is the plug-in I've used for offline mapping: https://www.mapbox.com/help/mobile-offline/

[Dr Bob]

Just downloaded the beta. It looks really good. I do like the ability to see the details of the canal and the details of the surrounding areas. Not used it in anger out on the cut yet - but will do next week. Only comment to date is the winding holes are all marked - and some of the much smaller ones, but no lengths are quoted. There's one marked at bridge 104 on the Napton/Braunston section of the GU/Oxford which from memory would only allow a 40' boat to wind (if that).

Well done Tom.

[toms1]

9 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Just downloaded the beta. It looks really good. I do like the ability to see the details of the canal and the details of the surrounding areas. Not used it in anger out on the cut yet - but will do next week. Only comment to date is the winding holes are all marked - and some of the much smaller ones, but no lengths are quoted. There's one marked at bridge 104 on the Napton/Braunston section of the GU/Oxford which from memory would only allow a 40' boat to wind (if that).

Well done Tom.

Cheers Bob. The winding holes are from the CRT open data. Unfortunately they haven't included any data about boat lengths, and they've missed quite a few out. I want to make the map more interactive so you can tap on a marker to suggest an edit - then perhaps a system where users can give edits and markers a thumbs up or thumbs down by means of a voting system to verify the accuracy of the data. Kind of want the whole thing to manage itself by the people using it. Thanks for testing.

[Dr Bob]

39 minutes ago, toms1 said:

Cheers Bob. The winding holes are from the CRT open data. Unfortunately they haven't included any data about boat lengths, and they've missed quite a few out. I want to make the map more interactive so you can tap on a marker to suggest an edit - then perhaps a system where users can give edits and markers a thumbs up or thumbs down by means of a voting system to verify the accuracy of the data. Kind of want the whole thing to manage itself by the people using it. Thanks for testing.

No problem. The interactive nature sounds really good. I will keep tuned to this (and subsequent) threads.

[Rob-M]

There is a plug for the map and android app in this week's CRT Boaters Update.

[reg]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

There is a plug for the map and android app in this week's CRT Boaters Update.

Thats good, just checked and it looks like the second time crt have done a plug which can't be a bad thing. 

[reg]

8 hours ago, toms1 said:

It doesn't let me move the app to SDcard on my phone. I think I need to set a permission up in the manifest file to allow this. It might allow it on some tablets etc

It might be an OS version thing I can do it on my version 

LOLLIPOP MR1

VER 5.1.1

I Know Android put some silly Restrictions on writes to SDcard in VER 4 Kit Kat but got a lot of flack for it, so earlier and later version might be ok if they have removed these restrictions in 5.0. 

Just done a quick check and found this

https://www.androidcentral.com/lollipop-brings-changes-way-your-sd-card-works-kind-youll

Which may explain it

[reg]

BETA Testing Offline usage

Testing downloads and find it very easy to create large downloads

Following download shown below comes in at approx 65mb, not sure how many tiles that equates too.

OK for me, on a selfish level, if I am aware of it and they are going to SDCARD.

Might cause problems if I was to use main storage as that is limited.

Would be very easy to create a large download file and chock up Android if files were going to main  storage, as I believe Arthur found out in post 19.

At the moment I'm getting premium quality maps for free (would be happy to pay for premium in a live version much as I do with Locus)

My be worth looking at other map sources before going fully live. Locus have a number of options from free to paid e,g LoMaps maps for offline usage covering all of England is a once of download of 835 MB I also purchase premium OS maps for areas when I need them.

I do like the Mapbox maps though and would certainly be happy to have them as an option.

Just a thought, is it more efficient for you in terms of serving tiles and your Tile usage count for me to download for offline usage or for me to use the online tiles. I believe the online tile cache is a max of 50mb which gets overwritten as new online tiles are required

No need for an instant reply Tom just some thoughts for your Todo list.

 

 

Edited January 12, 2018 by reg

[Arthur Marshall]

Android 6 lets you amalgamate the built in storage and the card in its own peculiar way, but I found that the download filled up the local memory first.  Some apps give me the option of where to store them but this (and several others) doesn't.

ETA Interestingly, Android 4 lets me move it to the card. 

Edited January 12, 2018 by Arthur Marshall
More info

[Jim Riley]

Seeing comments on android version, storage etc, I'm using pixel2xl 128mb android 8.1, everything works fine.

[reg]

16 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Android 6 lets you amalgamate the built in storage and the card in its own peculiar way, but I found that the download filled up the local memory first.  Some apps give me the option of where to store them but this (and several others) doesn't.

ETA Interestingly, Android 4 lets me move it to the card. 

Found this looks like it's down to the developer to implement it (glad it's not me) 

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/data/data-storage.html

Personally I think having the ability to store the large offline map datasets on  SDcard  is a future must have feature, interested in others thoughts on this. 

Another related observation is that when I install the update it installs to main and I have to move it to SDcard each time. 

Not expecting an instant response to this as it Appreciate it may take some working out

 

Edited January 13, 2018 by reg

[Dr Bob]

48 minutes ago, reg said:

Found this looks like it's down to the developer to implement it (glad it's not me) 

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/data/data-storage.html

Personally I think having the ability to store the large offline map datasets on  SDcard  is a future must have feature, interested in others thoughts on this. 

Another related observation is that when I install the update it installs to main and I have to move it to SDcard each time. 

Not expecting an instant response to this as it Appreciate it may take some working out

 

Just got a new phone with Android 7 on it - and that has integrated the SD card into the memory so I cant tell what is what. I would certainly look to be able to download maps for use off line as cruising the canals requires expensive data and likely a 4G phone. I bought a cheap amazon fire tablet for my 'live' cruising which are now loaded with "waterwaysroutes" maps and this then can be slipped in a pocket and used whilst helming. The maps are downloaded to the tablet and it does not have 4G - its cheaper that way. Tom's mapping is significantly better as it combines the 'actual' canal map with the google map detail but you need it on the device. You cant get 4g everywhere on the canals. You would only need to download the local area though.

Edited January 13, 2018 by Dr Bob

[Dr Bob]

Tom, not sure how you want comments back - on here or via the website.

I have just downloaded a map of the Napton area for use offline. A couple of comments.

- The map seems to have downloaded very well but the locks have vanished. I think most of the other canal stuff is there.

- the area loaded is quite small, ie I would be off the map in 3 hrs cruising. Not sure if you can alter the area to be downloaded or if you can actually see what is downloaded so you can go to the next area and grab that as well.

Enjoying playing with it.

[Arthur Marshall]

40 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Tom, not sure how you want comments back - on here or via the website.

I have just downloaded a map of the Napton area for use offline. A couple of comments.

- The map seems to have downloaded very well but the locks have vanished. I think most of the other canal stuff is there.

- the area loaded is quite small, ie I would be off the map in 3 hrs cruising. Not sure if you can alter the area to be downloaded or if you can actually see what is downloaded so you can go to the next area and grab that as well.

Enjoying playing with it.

I got the impression it downloaded whatever was showing on the screen at the time, which is why I ended up in panic mode with a huge download threatening to eat not only the tablet but most of my arm as well when I accidentally expanded the view to the whole country before clicking.  Do the locks not reappear when you zoom in?  they do on mine.

[Dr Bob]

3 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I got the impression it downloaded whatever was showing on the screen at the time, which is why I ended up in panic mode with a huge download threatening to eat not only the tablet but most of my arm as well when I accidentally expanded the view to the whole country before clicking.  Do the locks not reappear when you zoom in?  they do on mine.

Ah, you may be right on whatever was showing at the time. I will try again.

I am looking at Napton (GU/oxford) at the centre to Stockton (west) and braunston (east) and cant see any locks at calcutt or Napton at any zoom value. New Android 7 phone.

[reg]

37 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Ah, you may be right on whatever was showing at the time. I will try again.

I am looking at Napton (GU/oxford) at the centre to Stockton (west) and braunston (east) and cant see any locks at calcutt or Napton at any zoom value. New Android 7 phone.

Can confirm that, Coincidentally I had also downloaded a similar area. 

Only Lock that appears in thar area is the Calcut Weired Lock 3 i.e not the main lock. Might help in analysing this problem. 

Tom has mentioned to me that he is temporarily  using 2 layers at the moment, maybe one layer is downloading but not the other? This is supposition though. 

ETA

Back  online interesting behaviour when zooming in and out around Calcut locks in that lock 3(not the Weired LOCK) disappears and reappears independent of the Weired Lock 3.

The opposite behaviour happens with Calcut locks 2. 

Edited January 13, 2018 by reg

[toms1]

If you can give me steps that recreate an error consistently then I can try and debug it and see if I can fix or at least submit an issue on the github mapbox repo.

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll be looking into the storage stuff next.

[Dr Bob]

1 hour ago, reg said:

Can confirm that, Coincidentally I had also downloaded a similar area. 

Only Lock that appears in thar area is the Calcut Weired Lock 3 i.e not the main lock. Might help in analysing this problem. 

Tom has mentioned to me that he is temporarily  using 2 layers at the moment, maybe one layer is downloading but not the other? This is supposition though. 

ETA

Back  online interesting behaviour when zooming in and out around Calcut locks in that lock 3(not the Weired LOCK) disappears and reappears independent of the Weired Lock 3.

The opposite behaviour happens with Calcut locks 2. 

That's weird. The downloaded map for me shows no locks - not even the number 3 weired lock.

Tom. I saved the map centred on Napton with about 3 miles either side. Isolated phone from wifi and 4g. Selected map from downloads and it displays ok - except I cannot see any locks. On enabling wifi and 4 g and going to the live maps, I see the same interesting behaviour of the 3 calcutt locks with number 3 disappearing first as you zoom out then number two disappearing (at a different zoom level) and then finally only number 1 visible. As Reg says, the lock3 and weired lock 3 disappear at different zooms. Happy to provide further experimentation tomorrow -bit tied up  now. I will try downloads on other areas. Let me know if there is anything specific you want me to try.

[reg]

Disappearing Lock icons whilst online

Tried this in another area Stourton locks 1 and 2 (west of Stourbridge near A449) this shows similar behaviour 

Looks like one labeled item will disappear when zoom takes it near to another labeled icon. Think topmost icon and label obscure other label and icon. 

Tried again on Calcut locks and the behaviour appears to be the same I. E one icon and label takes precedence over a lower level icon and level when in close proximity. 

Not sure if this is affecting the offline down loads or not will require further testing but I suspect there must be some rules on label precedence 

ETA 

Did a bit more testing on Calcut locks looks like one set of icons and labels will disappear as soon as it touches another set if icons and labels

E.G Zooming in and out slowly on Calcut lock 3 shows this behaviour

Edited January 13, 2018 by reg

[toms1]

Ok, this sounds like it's just marker collision. The Mapbox library hides markers when they overlap. I just tried adjusting the SVG icon and changing the font size based on zoom. Have managed to get the 3 locks to appear where they would not before. I'll tidy it up and update the main map.

Edited January 14, 2018 by toms1

[reg]

21 minutes ago, toms1 said:

 

Ok, this sounds like it's just marker collision. The Mapbox library hides markers when they overlap

 

Thought it would be something like that, makes sense. Just. Wondering how this relates to the offline version, will wait until you have made the changes and try downloads again see if it makes a difference to the offline maps. 

[Dr Bob]

2 minutes ago, reg said:

Thought it would be something like that, makes sense. Just. Wondering how this relates to the offline version, will wait until you have made the changes and try downloads again see if it makes a difference to the offline maps. 

Ditto. Not sure there is anything on the downloaded map that would cause a marker collision. The key issue is the missing locks on the downloaded map and the effect is different for Reg, Arthur and myself who are all seeing different things.

[toms1]

1 minute ago, Dr Bob said:

Ditto. Not sure there is anything on the downloaded map that would cause a marker collision. The key issue is the missing locks on the downloaded map and the effect is different for Reg, Arthur and myself who are all seeing different things.

I had some transparent space around the lock icon - removing that and scaling the icon down with the stylesheet seems to reduce the number of collisions.

[reg]

1 minute ago, Dr Bob said:

Not sure there is anything on the downloaded map that would cause a marker collision

I'm just wondering if the marker collision occurs before the download so that the icons don't get downloaded with the map? Just pondering at the moment. Will be interesting to retry when changes are made