Locus Map offers a lot of maps for your outdoor fun. Over 150 online maps that can be downloaded or cached (not all of them, though :(), offline maps, raster (e.g. SwissTopo) or vector - our LoMaps. Each map has its properties, covers a certain area, has its price, downloading or caching limits so almost everybody in the world can choose one.

But this is not all. There are also WMS maps. Myriads of them around the world, just add them to Locus. In the newest 3.44, we completely overhauled the way WMS maps are offered, searched, or added. But before we get to our new Web Services Library, let's make clear what it is all about.

What is WMS?

Web Map Service (WMS) is a standard protocol for serving georeferenced map images over the Internet. These images are typically produced by a map server from geo-information data. Such a definition sounds quite geeky, right? Take it easy, WMS is just another channel of many interesting map sources.

WMS can serve almost any type of map. Beginning with topographic maps, historic maps, satellite, and aerial images, cycling routes, town plans, ending with various data layers like cadastral maps, weather services, environmental layers, etc.

Advantages and drawbacks

The biggest plus of WMS is the range of content you can get, switchable layers, metadata in some sources displaying even more information. Drawbacks - WMS maps and data can be viewed online only with no option of downloading or caching so they are not the choice for remote areas with weak or no internet signal.

Check this practical example of using WMS maps when pinning a friend's land plot >>

How do I get WMS maps into Locus?

Browse and search the Library

Originally, we maintained a website with a list of recommended WMS links. Some time ago we found out most of those links don't work or are not updated. Therefore, we created the Web Services Library containing only verified links. You can find it in the WMS tab of Locus map manager. When you open it, Locus offers WMS maps surrounding your GPS location:

To narrow your selection, use full-text search:

When you choose the source you like, tap it - Locus Map automatically uploads the source and inserts it in your WMS list. You just select the needed layers and confirm.

On the main map screen, notice the special button in the upper left corner. With it, you can switch among visible WMS layers and control their opacity:

Enter link of a specific WMS source

If you don't find the right WMS channel in the library but you know its URL address, select Add manually in the WMS tab and insert the link into the dialog:

Locus adds your channel to the WMS tab.

If you think other users would enjoy the WMS link too, you can add it to the Library:

We'll just check the link is functioning and activate it.

Flexible function panel

Web Service Library is not the only improvement brought to you in this version. A few of you had an idea of flexible shifting of buttons between upper and right function panels when rotating the phone:

You can select this option in the settings of the panels:

Beware of memory cleaners

Some phone producers, especially Xiaomi and Huawei, equip their devices with very aggressive memory cleaning software. Such a cleaner can wipe out all your Locus data - points, tracks, maps, even settings. Please, always exclude Locus Map from these cleaners' to-do list. If you forget to do so, Locus Map will prompt you after some time.

These are, in a nutshell, all major improvements in Locus Map 3.44. (actually, there are much more minor changes and fixes all over the app, as usual). In the meantime, we are working on features for Locus Map 4.0 - new design, a built-in router, user database, cloud sync, etc.etc. Keep your fingers crossed :)

Článek WMS maps in Locus Map 3.44? Not just for experts ! se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

You know we didn't hang around in summer - your mobiles and tablets were given several new Locus versions since last "big" update. However, they weren't versions in the main 3.X line but in the subsidiary 3.18.X line and those we call just "additionals" or "revisions". In order to issue the new 3.19 we waited for something really special. And as it is a tradition in Locus team, again there is quite a lot of it.

USA: maps, maps, maps!

We must boast a bit... we are happy to announce we have partnered with the provider of NeoTreks maps(ex-AccuTerra) that belong to the best you can get for your outdoor adventures in the area of the United States. You can find them now in our Locus Store - NeoTreks Land Cover maps and NeoTreks Land Use maps. While the first one depicts in detail the character of the terrain  and vegetation coverage of the land and provides a clear and easy-to-read background for your further mapping, Land Use displays a layer of land property owners and managers. That might come in handy in many situations. Both maps, of course, contain detailed network of trails for all possible outdoor activities, counting more than a quarter million miles. American National parks with their amazing nature and landscape await you and look forward to being thoroughly explored now with Locus. And don't worry about the internet connection -  NeoTreks Maps can be used offline only.

[caption id="attachment_9854" align="aligncenter" width="800"] NeoTreks Land Cover[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9853" align="aligncenter" width="800"] NeoTreks Land Use[/caption]

After saying goodbye to MapQuest we had to solve quickly the demand for a quality satellite map for U.S. users. We found it in the aerial map of  USGS agency. The map is available online in zooms up to 18, it can be cached and also downloaded for offline use within the limit of 10000 tiles a day. You can find it in the online tab of your Locus map manager.

[caption id="attachment_9857" align="aligncenter" width="350"] The Golden Gate bridge in USGS Satellite map[/caption]

Brotherhood with BRouter

We've written about BRouter routing service a few times here - it's officially the only one offline router working with Locus (not mentioning geek-friendly GraphHopper) and your offline navigation and fast route drawing can't live without it. Its interconnection with Locus has proceeded to another level - we succeeded to implement much more BRouter profile setting options to Locus. And right the amount of options of navigation profile settings is BRouter's most appreciated property and that's why many users had the route calculated on the BRouter website and then imported it to Locus which is quite complicated. There's no need for this any longer - Locus offers a whole range of navigation profiles that can be selected when navigating  by BRouter:

Another improvement of navigation

Many of you wished Locus navigation displayed not just one but two navigation commands at once - two voice commands weren't enough. Therefore, we inserted another small box with navigation command, its distance and junction shape under the main "arrow" box. The navigation is smoother now and you know about the direction changes in proper advance.

Improvement in track recording

As you probably all know, Locus records tracks within pre-defined recording profiles. Each profile has different parameter values depending on the activity it represents - recording of MTB track is different than of walk, hike or morning run. Quite often there was a mess in the records when users forgot to switch profiles and the track wasn't recorded as they wanted or it was stored in a different folder or a wrong training scheme started with the recording. That's why we simplified the approach to switching profiles.

If you use the sliding record panel, now a selection menu appears before recording start, offering selection of profiles and other options - now you 'll never mess up your records:

Many of you start the track recording by the widget. From now on you can see your actual active profile on it. If you need to change the profile, tap the icon and you'll get into the settings part.

Users of the compact bottom control panel got better view of their profile too - just tap the tool button and they see the icon of the profile on the place of settings button. Tapping it, again, gets you into the profile settings.

Items Tab is dead, long live the Map items screen!

Management of the Items, i.e. autonomous files KML and KMZ that can be visualized above a map in Locus and also in Google Earth, has always been a hassle. And not only for our users but also for ourselves. As a result we abandoned the original solution in the data manager tab and implemented a brand new Map items screen that manages items much more intuitively.

[caption id="attachment_9867" align="aligncenter" width="350"] New Map items screen can be found in menu > Functions[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9871" align="aligncenter" width="350"] The Map items button can be inserted also to the function panel on the main screen[/caption]

Files are sorted into folders, they can be easily visualized or hidden or added from your phone memory, from SD card, from Dropbox... In the previous version we introduced Active items in the left action panel that cooperates with the new screen:

[caption id="attachment_9869" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Files in folders sorted by their origin and meaning[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9870" align="aligncenter" width="350"] You are well aware of your items and their details. "Home" button puts you quickly on the main screen, "plus" adds new items[/caption]

And, of course, that's not all yet...

We can't end the new Locus version blogpost otherwise. Again, we fixed a lot, revised a lot, improved a lot... Locus Map is a very complex software and the Android environment provides much space for its development but also it brings a lot of threats in the means of thousands of makes and sorts of devices and also versions of the OS itself, on which Locus must run flawlessly. And that means really loads and loads of work for us.

By the way, we added an option to measure distance really fast on the screen with two fingers (settings > Maps > Map objects > Quick measurement):

[caption id="attachment_9855" align="aligncenter" width="800"] The Golden Gate is cca 1.2 miles long[/caption]

What else? It is possible to edit style of multiple tracks, to display absolute time of sunset and sunrise in the topbar, guidance displays also ETA and time to target etc. etc. The complete list of changes is available as always in menu > About application.

Enjoy the new Locus, the autumn is here in full scope!

Článek NEW maps, NEW improvements, NEW Locus Map 3.19 se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Well, I must admit that the title may appear a bit misleading, however, the fact is we are releasing two apps or, to be more precise, an app and a brand new add-on. Anyway, let's not hurry, the add-on will come as the icing on the cake. For now, the question is, what news does Locus Map 3.11.0 bring?

Better communication of Locus Map and SD card since Android 5.0

As is commonly known the Android 4.4.2. screwed us a little bit when it radically limited the applications permission to write on SD card. We wrote about it in our blog, we dedicated an individual chapter of our User Guide to it.

Android 5.0 brought a couple of changes that allowed us to get back the SD card writing permission to Locus Map at least partially. From now you can move the folders with vector maps (MapsVector), SRTM data (elevation data useful for e.g. map shading - data/srtm) and backups (backup) to SD card. Unfortunately, that's all, more is not possible so far. All the same, Menion spent whole week by looking for workarounds outwitting this peculiar idea of Google. Therefore, we still recommend to keep Locus root directory in internal memory as well as the main map directory Maps where Locus writes downloaded maps from online (the downloaded maps can be moved manually to SD card afterwards and then added as "external" maps back to Locus).

[caption id="attachment_8699" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Menu > Settings > Miscellaneous > Default directories[/caption]

Simple field notes directly in Locus Map

And now some treat for geocachers! Insiders know that field notes enable to log caches offline "in the field" and after coming across a wifi spot they can be logged in a bundle to Geocaching.com. For this purpose our friend Jarda Kvapil developed an awesome, complex and still improving Locus Addon FieldNotes.

However, the necessity to download and install the add-on discouraged many geocachers and they rather abandoned the idea of using field notes. And for these we returned a few simple field note features into Locus Map - creating field notes, their export to a file and their logging. The advanced field notes actions like filtration, sorting or statistics remain a part of the elaborate FieldNote Add-on.

Simple field notes can be managed in a new Field notes manager that can be found in Menu > Geocaching tools.

Detailed aerial map of Austria for FREE

Finally you can admire the Alp giants from the birds perspective on a quality aerial map for FREE! Basemap.at, a project that is based upon data provided by the nine Austrian provinces and their partners, has been added to our Locus Store offer in two versions - standard base map and aerial map. The maps can be displayed online, can be cached without limits, can be downloaded to offline for free, the only limitation is 25 000 map tiles a day. Together with hiking Outdooractive map the trip planning in Austria can be quite fun, what do you say?

[caption id="attachment_8696" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Hallstatt[/caption]

Our website news directly in Locus Map

We've connected our Locusmap.eu website with the app by a simple built-in RSS reader so that you are kept informed of the latest news directly in-app. The news can be found in the main menu right below the Store link.

Set your GPS marker position as you like

Upon your frequent requests we've enabled custom definition of the GPS marker position on the map. For example you are traveling northwestward - therefore it's useful to place the GPS marker in the opposite position in the lower right corner of your screen so that you see bigger stretch of the map in front of you. It's simple - long tap the centering button, select "Set custom GPS marker position" and confirm. To return the marker to its default position, double-tap the centering button.

Quick www bookmark

And now something for advanced users. We've added a feature enabling to create parameter URL of your favorite map websites that can transfer you to Locus Map defined location by a single button tap e.g. for downloading tip for trips. The function can be found in the Menu > More at the bottom. You can define coordinates, zoom level or time in the URL.

Locus Map in a wristwatch?

Now we are getting to the promised icing on the cake that, however, probably will not be for everybody - it concerns owners of Sony's SmartWatch2 wearable device only. It had been lingering on Menion's table for a while so he resolved to develop an add-on for it that communicates with Locus Map in the phone via Bluetooth. The watch can display your position on a map, it can guide you to a target on the map or with compass, you can start, pause and stop track recording with it, switch among recording profiles or add a waypoint. All "work", i.e. GPS position fix or track recording lies upon the full Locus Map in your phone or tablet that you have in your pocket or rucksack. The watch works as an external display.

Please take this as a sort of predecessor of the more universal Android Wear, on which we can test the feedback of our users and also possibilities of further development of Locus Map for wearables.
And that's it for today! We wish you a beautiful rest of the summer vacation!

-ms-

Článek One release is not enough? What about two? se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.