Summer holidays have passed like nothing, autumn is slowly knocking on the door, but the outdoor sports season is far from over. On the contrary, we are all looking forward to walks and rides full of autumn colors. So here we are again with a new version of your favorite outdoor navigation. It is full of major or minor improvements, of which we would like to highlight a few of the most important.

The map rotates, the names and labels remain

You all know how to rotate the map according to the compass or direction of movement, it's a basic feature of the map in the app. If you have rotation turned on and your phone has a built-in compass, the map rotates according to it, even when you're standing still. If you don't have a compass, Locus Map rotates the map in the direction of motion detected by GPS and other sensors. Until now, everything that was part of the map data rotated too, including local names and labels.

By updating some parts of the machine that renders offline vector maps in Locus (LoMaps and OpenAndroMaps, for example), we were able to apply the option to keep the titles in a horizontal position so that they are perfectly readable in any orientation of the phone:

The labels of objects such as streets, hiking or cycling routes are still aligned with their lines, but when flipped over vertically they switch to the other side, again for better readability.

The only labels that do not change their position are the elevations on the contours, as they are always written "top to bottom" to convey the direction of the slope.

Texts in online maps continue to rotate - online maps are technically different, being composed only of raster images in which the text is part of the map layer.

Search 3 in 1

Locus Map's main plus (and some say minus) is its lavish selection of features and settings. Even many advanced users used to get lost in the plethora. That's why you can search the functions and settings in full-text - you can find the "magnifying glass" both in the menu of all functions and in the main settings menu.

Now we've made this search even more accessible - we've linked it to the main online search for places and addresses. So when you enter the first few characters into the general search, toggles appear with results in the functions and settings categories, if Locus Map finds a result for the query.

But the work on the search doesn't end here - we are preparing a new Library for you, which will include a new search in your routes and places. We'll also add the results to the main search results list.

Even better planning and navigation

More accurate route time estimation

When planning a trip with the family or a brisk ride with friends, estimating the time spent on the route is always very useful. For example, we still need to catch a visit to grandma's or we don't want to return in the dark. However, general estimates of return time do not always correspond to the actual reality, which can be very individual.

That's why we've added to the LoRouter profile settings the ability to define a custom average speed on a flat surface, typical for a given activity or bike type. This allows Locus Map to calculate a much more accurate estimate of how long you will be on the route. We've added this option to both walking profiles and to all bike types except road bike - road cyclists have a setting based on wattage, which our research shows they track more.

The setting ranges vary by activity type. So, for example, for walking you can set a time corresponding to a relaxing walk to a fitness run, for gravel you can choose between relaxed and sporty riding, etc.

Two routes at once, why not?

Until now, you have only been able to generate alternate routes using the GraphHopper online router. Now our offline LoRouter can do this without needing to be connected to the internet, and offers many more activity profiles and personal settings. Just turn this option on in the router configuration.

You can easily switch between the options by tapping directly on the map in the planner. Of course, the variations are not just for the complete route, but for segments of it, so you have a little more room to experiment when planning, and very quickly choose the most optimal route for your trip or training.

Are we going uphill for a long time?

This intrusive question is familiar to every parent who has ever gone on a bike trip with their kids. However, the remaining elevation figure is also of interest to more sporty riders, who can better distribute their forces according to it. You can now insert it directly into your favorite dashboard that you use for navigation:

Finally, something for Garminers

For Garmin smartwatch users, we have a great add-on to quickly get a Locus Map route to the device on your wrist. However, it's not available for all devices. If you have a Gamin Edge or other device that is not on this list and you want to get routes planned in Locus Map into it, just tap Share > Share as GPX in the route details and then tap "Open". Garmin Connect is also in the apps menu. Select it, choose an activity on your route, save and sync with your device. And you're ready to go!

Článek New Locus Map 4.26 – Dynamic offline LoMap rotation and other features not only for cyclists se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

We've taken our time with the new version of your favourite outdoor navigation app - we wanted to give it a proper polish and bring some major improvements before the start of the 2024 season. And we've done it - we've got a brand new route planner with an integrated dynamic itinerary linked to the route navigation, the ability to put the app directory in a freely accessible storage area, and lots of other nice touches.

Navigate with the planner

Sophisticated route planning is one of the cornerstones of Locus Map's features. That's why we've done a lot of work in recent months on the planner as well as routing, profiles and other setup parameters. However, the "Navigate to" function could not use this potential in its original design and defacto duplicated the planner function in a somewhat clumsy way. So we decided to combine these two functions into one. 

So how does it work now?

• Choose a destination - via "Navigate to", by direct selection on the map (point of interest, your own user point, long-tapping any place on the map...), in your library, from a search result...
• Tap on the navigation button - the route planner will start and a route will be generated in the last used profile from your current location to the selected destination. Now you can change the profile (activity, means of transport), add waypoints on the route, check the elevation graph, and surfaces, and just take full advantage of the comprehensive route planner. Or don't, and go straight to the next step:
• Start the route navigation - the button in the top bar starts the selection between navigation and guidance, and then you're ready to go.

What are the advantages?

• Removing a redundant route planning interface for navigation
• Simplification of the user interface
• Linking fast navigation from A to B with a comprehensive planner while maintaining the speed of its launch
• Quick possibility to edit the route, add waypoints, recalculate in another router or profile (large selection of profiles and their customization through many parameters) plus other benefits of the route planner (elevation graph, types and surfaces of roads...)

Plan routes with an itinerary

The itinerary has been part of the route planner for a few years now. However, until now it has been somewhat neglected, with extra input from the top bar. And since it is a live part of the UI in the web planner, we decided to make it more visible in the app as well. 

How is the itinerary in the planner used now?

• The bottom slide-up panel, the so-called "bottom sheet", now contains two tabs that are switched by a button on the top right: charts and itinerary. The default is to display the itinerary, even though there is nothing in the planner yet. This is because you can also select the start and finish directly in the itinerary.

• You can choose the start as before directly on the map or in the itinerary - tapping on start will display a menu of all options: 

• You can add additional waypoints (shaping or via) either directly on the map or in the itinerary:

• Use the itinerary to reorder, delete or reposition waypoints quickly.

• Tap between waypoints in the itinerary to see intermediate route segments that can be recalculated in another profile:

• Of course, on the map you have a fully editable route in addition to this.

So what are the advantages?

Route planning options are now more handy (they used to be hidden in menus), there are "more" options and something different suits everyone. You can plan on the map, in the itinerary, or combine both. The Itinerary is now an equal planning tool to the map.

Plus a little bonus - you can view a detailed route graph directly from the planner:

Photos from Locus Map in Google Photos? YES!

And not only there, and not only photos. Thanks to the new option to move the app's main directory to the Android/Media sector, the system gallery gets to them too. And you can easily access other app data, the geocaching folder, local exports of geocaching logs, and so on.

It's a refreshing breeze of freedom since the fateful moment in Android 4.4 when apps were forced into the impenetrable private Android/data sector. While Android's recommendation is still to use the Android/data sector, you can easily set your main directory to "Private folder in Android/Media" in Locus Settings > Backup & File System > File System Manager and forget about the nightmare of inaccessible app data.

You also have this option on an external SD card, but we don't recommend it due to data vulnerability and unreliability of the cards.

GPS auto-off is back

This feature, which made life easier and saved the battery for long-distance travelers and wanderers, had to go, as it didn't work properly on many phones - a lethal combination of battery optimization and a number of system permissions for location access made it impossible to exist.

Fortunately, we've managed to discover a way to restore the feature so that it's fully functional on Android 12+ phones. However, you still need to have Locus Map excluded from all battery optimization options (but Locus Map can't do without that now anyway). If you don't know how, this site will give you the details directly on your phone.

However, we've placed the option in the Expert settings section. Its use is really specific and has no justification for normal day trips.

More improvements for geocachers

In the previous version of the app, we've made a lot of geocaching features available that were originally only accessible through the Geocaching4Locus add-on. However, experienced cachers immediately threw a few things at us that we had forgotten in the rush. We hereby apologize and add the missing options to the app:

• the ability to update a cache directly in its details
• filtering of owners’ caches
• filtering of unpublished caches
• badge for downloaded caches

And don't worry, it'll get to the labs one day too, we're working on it!

So we wish you all a beautiful spring and a nice start to the new season with your favorite outdoor navigation!

Featured photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Článek New Locus Map 4.22 combines navigation with route planning and shares photos to the gallery se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

We have the summer season in full swing, and despite the fact that some of our team are enjoying a well-deserved holiday (we greet Radim to the Baltics :), the rest are working tirelessly to constantly improve your favorite navigation app.

Hooray for Switzerland!

The latest update brings one quite fundamental news. The publisher of the Swisstopo maps, traditional quality maps of Switzerland, recently decided to provide its maps and aerial photographs free of charge. Not only on their own platforms, but also through third-party applications.

Not so long ago, the French IGN decided to take a similar step. And so we are very happy that we can offer our users some more available map materials in unprecedented quality. We now have Swisstopo available online - topographic, aerial maps and maps for paragliders - and we have uploaded the latest Swisstopo offline packages to the Locus Store. In addition, winter maps with ski trails will be added later for the winter season.

WMTS - even more maps than you expected

Many of you could not wait to get full access to WMT services. WMTS provides access to a myriad of maps of all kinds and purposes around the world. So it's finally here!

In order to be able to quickly navigate among so many resources, we have also modified our library. It is now possible not only to search it in full text, but also to filter maps by categories. So we've added tagging for better map sorting. The possibility of user rating will also contribute to a better orientation between resources according to quality.

Use Locus always with unlocked screen

The possibility of deactivating the system screen lock for returning to Locus without the need to unlock has been in the app for many years. Nevertheless, new system solutions and increasingly "unbreakable" locks of some phones forced us to rework the original solution over time. The result is a simple system that (perhaps) handles all blockages. It allows you to work with navigation comfortably while maintaining all current safety standards.

Navigation panels to your liking

Panels with navigation commands, with the name of the street you are riding along and with statistics have been fixed so far without any possibility of editing. Starting with version 4.3, you can reduce the size or remove the box with the intersection shape indicator, and the statistics and street name panels can be hidden, according to your needs.

The original navigation options panel, located in the center of the screen, unnecessarily obscured the route map, so we moved it to the bottom edge:

Transparent system bars - more map on the screen

Owners of devices with Android 9+ can get now a much wider view of the map. Beginning with this version the operating system allows you to display content below the system bars, so you again get a little more space for the map. And what's more, it looks great:

You won't lose your data anymore

System cleaners in some phones (we don't want to point the finger at Xiaomi) are a threat to many applications, including Locus Map. They often delete user data quite arbitrarily, in our case especially routes and points (caches). Therefore, we strongly recommend setting up automatic backup to external storage (SD card or even better to the cloud).

However, Premium Gold subscribers have an extra advantage - we have modified our synchronization service to make it even easier to recover data that you did not lose through your own fault. Just start the synchronization after starting and detecting the loss of data - and everything will return to its place from the backup on our server.

Android 11 is coming … and with it the change of Locus storage again

At the beginning of the ages, Android gave us complete freedom in deciding where to store our routes, points or maps. It went to the internal memory, it went unlimited to the SD card, nothing was a problem. Then, Android 4.4.2 arrived. And with it a ban on writing to the SD card. Locus Map was suddenly almost impossible to use. Somehow we struggled with that, Android 5 brought a partial release of conditions, and vector maps, elevation data and backups could be stored on the SD card.

Now, however, another limitation is coming - from October 2021, it will not be possible to use the main branch of the internal memory for the Locus working directory in Android 11. This will be allowed only in the private folder Android/data/menion.android.locus/files, which is located either in the internal memory or on the SD card.

In this new version, it is now possible to test transferring the main directory to a new folder, including all the data contained in it. You can find the switch in Locus settings > Miscellaneous.

So, update quickly and get outdoors to test everything!

Článek Free Swisstopo maps and other news in the current Locus Map 4.3 se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

by Andreas Woithon, Matsch&Piste

There are a few demanding terrains for navigation on this planet. Deserts belong to them. Deserts are regions of our planet with poor or no vegetation. They have a few things in common: the lack of clearly identifiable marks we can use for orientation. At least for people who don't need to navigate and move around there daily, for us, the untrained. In the worst cases, the desert changes over time. All that doesn't help to make navigation easier.

[caption id="attachment_12127" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Where to go?[/caption]

However, people cross these life-threatening places on Earth for centuries. So as not to fail, one needs some special knowledge and skills. Regarding navigation, these are the knowledge of the place you are in and you want to go, where the tracks (earth roads), the oases and water wells are and the skill to orientate oneself among less obvious structures. Pros with pro-equipment are better suited than most of us. The natives, who are used to move in deserts often use invariable natural features, like special dunes or mesas that we don't recognize.

As most of us stay in deserts for a too short time, we can't train these skills nor buy pro-equipment. We need different tools to aid us. Thanks to satellite navigation and digital global maps it has become easy for everyone to find our way through the desert. However, that doesn't mean that we can move around actually as easily as we can navigate with these modern systems. But we know where we are and in which direction to go, after all. But only as long as the satellite systems and our gear works. That is important to respect, as this is not self-evident.

[caption id="attachment_12122" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Even from higher points structures for orientation are not easy to recognize.[/caption]

It's a fact that there always have been ways to navigate in deserts. Since at least the Second World War it became important for a larger group of people without love or interest for deserts, to find their way through. The classic way to achieve this was a compass and a map. But the compass meant limitations and difficulties the user needed to know about and to handle that correctly. Because of the missing orientation marks you could keep direction to you have to control your direction otherwise. The need to controlling your direction with a magnetic compass meant to stop the vehicle, leave all metal behind, move away from it far enough, coming back, continue to drive every few meters. That was impractical and a waste of time. In flat deserts, you could do that for quite some distance, but in the middle of dunes, where you can see only a few hundred meters ahead and you change your direction very often, that was even harder, if not impossible.

A guy from Switzerland, Mr. Bagnold, invented the sun compass for the British Army. This was used in conjunction with tables for times and places to allow navigation while driving. But only by day. During the night it was useless. What a relieve satellite navigation systems are!

Satellite navigation and you're done?

Is it enough to have your GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) equipment and a few maps with you while crossing a desert? Yes and no. The App should be capable of a few functions which really support you and it should provide selected maps. However, regardless of your equipment, finding the best path through in the desert will only work by looking and checking when you are driving. Depending on the surface and its condition you need a lot of experience to complete a noteworthy distance. Without that experience, your daily legs will be short and your effort huge. Without the skills to "read the sand" you'll get stuck often, resulting in digging and recovery operations.

[caption id="attachment_12130" align="aligncenter" width="800"]Not understanding the surface means you often have to dig. Or you just had bad luck.[/caption]

Most of the time you can't follow the line-of-sight. That only works in large, obstacle-free areas, like the Jebel National Park in Tunisia. And even there you have to be aware of nearly invisible brims of a wady or other harmful obstacles. You don't want to turn your car into a crashing plane or to get stuck in a chott. A chott is a large sediment plain, with only a thin crust. Below that is deep, wet, salty sand without any capability to carry load. If you get stuck there you're in trouble. Fech-Fech is another surface you better not try to drive on. This is very, very fine sand (like powdered pepper), also with no capability to carry load and which heavily dusts. A car will sink down to its chassis very quickly.

[caption id="attachment_12124" align="aligncenter" width="800"]Even in flat areas without dunes there are no remarkable structures.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12129" align="aligncenter" width="800"]Overlooking a Ghazi, no real points for orientation.[/caption]

Maps

Let's return to digital navigation and what an App needs to provide if you want to cross a desert. The first thing which comes to my mind is maps. In general, you need two kinds of maps. A good topographical vector map, which shows all streets, tracks, oases, villages and all that stuff. Second, an up-to-date satellite map.

I prefer to use the OpenAndroMaps topographical vector maps, as their themes are detailed and very granular. Height data for these maps can be downloaded from the Locus Map store or at http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/Coverage%20map%20viewfinderpanoramas_org3.htm. You need to select the appropriate section, download it, unzip the ZIP-file and copy the .HGT files to "/Locus/data/srtm".

For satellite images, I like the ESRI hybrid maps, which you can use with Locus Map. Who used the already gone Locus Map Tweak in the past should have listed this map server in the Online section of the map manager.

It should be noticed here that maps that are based on OpenStreetMap (OSM) not necessarily show all existing tracks in deserts. Some can only be found on old military maps or maps from professional map providers. They usually have access to other map and geographical sources that don't rely on contributions from a community (like OSM). That's why paper maps, like the Michelin 953 North Africa or digitized paper maps like the ones from mapstor.com, are a meaningful addition. Besides an unfolded paper map can be studied and discussed much better in the sunlight with a group of people, than doing this around a 10" display.

The topographical maps show me the details, tracks and paths and the remarkable waypoints, POI's, etc. The satellite maps are fine for locating and estimating dunes. At least for me, the presentation of dunes on OSM maps is something I don't really get used to.

[caption id="attachment_12131" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Area of Lac Ereched Houidhat, Tunisia, as a satellite and topographical representation[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12133" align="aligncenter" width="800"]Area East of Afassa, Niger, as a satellite and topographical representation[/caption]

That is one of the important functions an App should be capable of: provide several map types and maps from different sources, vector, and image-based.

Offroad navigation functions useful in deserts

Regarding the navigation itself, many people are satisfied with seeing where they actually are. Ok, that is nothing special, any navigation App will do that. However, I prefer to have a supporting visual reference to the destination which can be captured by one glimpse. Especially if you're sitting alone in your car as the driver. This is a great help because most of the time your eyes should be focused on the way in front of your car than on your navigation device. At this point, many Apps fall behind. Locus Map provides this by offering two functions: "Guide on" and the "Route planner". Both provide a very good visual reference while you are concentrating on driving.

But why are these functions so helpful? There are two main reasons. First, the visualized line of sight between you and your destination guides you, even if the destination is not visible on the map because you have to travel over a longer distance and the landscape lacks visual reference structures or landmarks you could use for guidance. Second, you have no visual contact with your destination most of the time while driving in dune fields.

[caption id="attachment_12125" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Locus Map Pro in action.[/caption]

Offroad navigation with Locus Map function "Guidance"

While you're driving over plain tracks you could mark the destination and start the guidance (Guide on). You'll receive information about the line-of-sight distance and direction immediately. While you're driving you can roughly estimate if you're still driving in the right direction, even if the target is not visible on the map. That's good for routes that do not have many turnoffs, junctions, etc. and where the route is mainly straight (but doesn't have to).

[caption id="attachment_12137" align="aligncenter" width="800"]"Guide on" while driving a track (the track is below the guidance line).[/caption]

Offroad navigation with the Locus Map Route Planner

If your way has many junctions or runs over longer distances or which is far from being straight, you can use the Locus Map route planner and the "Guide on"-function while following your planned route. Draw your route into the map. You can decide on how detailed you plan it and how close you stick to the actual tracks visible on the map. You should set a route waypoint at least where you have to decide about where to drive (like junctions and turnoffs). By doing that you receive detailed information about your route right while you're planning it. While driving, you can easily follow your planned route without the need for continually zooming in and out or moving the map around. That lets you concentrate on your way and driving, especially when it becomes somewhat harder or you have to focus on not losing the momentum. Despite the increased effort, the route planner is very helpful. At that point, only a very small number of Apps are left.

Within dune fields, this function is even more helpful. The condition of the sand dictates where you can actually go in your car. Using the "Guide on" and Route planner" allows you to stick to the route or the guidance line, while you meander around, always looking for the best way to cross a dome or to drive around a gap. Or while you're following the skid marks of some local experienced guys, who know how to read the sand, while at the same time you try to keep the general direction.

The route planner and the guidance function become even more important if you're driving without native experts. The problem is the lack of landmarks you can easily recognize, like a mesa or very high dune. Even if you find one, just by changing the position with a different view, that landmark can make itself unrecognizable to you, as its look can change very much. If you're standing on a summit looking at a high dune in the far, you can very easily lose that mark while driving around in the dune fields. You constantly dive into gaps and holes, cross summits, dig a car out, etc. and when you're back on the top after a few hundred or thousand meters it seems to be gone. That's where the visual guidance line of Locus Map is a great help. It's still pointing to your destination.

[caption id="attachment_12126" align="aligncenter" width="800"] A mesa can be a landmark.[/caption]

The same applies if you see high mountains or a mountain chain in the far, something you really can't miss. Again, the guidance line is a perfect help, while moving through dune fields. You can't keep the mountains in your eye all the time while driving because you're below the summits of the dunes you're in and you change your direction very often while following possible ways. And when you get a sight to the mountain again, you suddenly realize that you have moved away from it instead of towards it. That wastes fuel, water and time. The Locus Map guidance always shows you the right general direction, so you can easily detect if your general direction leads you to that mountain.

[caption id="attachment_12128" align="aligncenter" width="800"] In between the dunes you can't see far.[/caption]

If you want to drive around dune fields, the planner is your friend, again. Using it together with the satellite maps you can find flat areas to circumvent higher dunes. Draw your route and simply follow it as general guidance. If you have to drive around smaller obstacles, the guidance line to the next waypoint will always guide you back to your route. If it takes you too far from the next waypoint, just skip it and head to the next one.

[caption id="attachment_12135" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Choosing more leveled areas for your way.[/caption]

After planning the route you can switch the map to a higher zoom level to get more details and follow your route. Where and how to cross these fields exactly is always a matter of checking out the actual conditions while driving.

[caption id="attachment_12136" align="aligncenter" width="800"] A more detailed view of your way.[/caption]

Scared by handling the App or the technical stuff? Matsch&Piste guides you!

Most offroad navigation Apps don't provide all these options and functions discussed here. However, some users are satisfied with that, as they don't want to cope with all that stuff. Besides other things I appreciate Locus Map because of the possibility to get rid of all the things you don't need and to focus on the few important functions I need and which are easy to learn. But some people either don't have the time or the will to dive deeper into these things. Or they are scared of technology in general.

If you want to get quickly and easily your hands on Locus Map you can book our live Webinar-Sessions about offroad navigation with Locus Map Pro. If you plan to visit really far-away places, where navigation is no fun anymore but essential, our weekend workshop about classic and digital navigation is exactly suited to you. You learn how to handle maps, compass, digital navigation (with Locus Map) and how that all fits and works together. Knowing how to handle paper maps and compass is vital in really offsite places. You should acknowledge that all this comfort of digital navigation can end immediately. Just think about the accident, where your gear is destroyed or if you have to leave the vehicle behind. At our weekend workshop, you also have a practical session with your car, where you can practice what was learned before.

All webinars and trainings are in German.

Find more information about our trainings here: https://www.matsch-und-piste.de/shop

Here's a short video of our desert driving in 2017:

Článek Offroad-Navigation in Deserts with Locus Map Pro se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

The autumn is here, the main season is over. Nevertheless, we haven't given up our jobs. On the contrary...

During the last weeks and months, we've been working on the huge tasks we had set in the spring of this year. At that time, we couldn't have imagined the amount of work that was awaiting us. Together with some changes in our team, some new colleagues came, some left, the work hasn't been proceeding as fast as we had expected. Nevertheless, we are moving forward. Slowly, but steadily.

What are we working on now?

There are a few essential projects we are running through. At the moment, if everything goes smoothly, we are planning their release for the next spring/summer season 2020.

Route database

We are building a database of routes that you can use as an inspiration source for your hiking or biking trips. You will be able to select among hundreds or thousands of tips for trips in areas you don't know or in your neighborhood. In the beginning, the public database will be filled by renowned publishers. Among others, e.g. the German guide publishing house Rother. This database will be available, of course, in our Locus Store.

New design and user interface

Locus Map's design has changed a few times but always just slightly. The main UX elements have always stayed almost the same. The reason was, a typical Locus Map user is a conservative person and each alteration going deeper into Locus functionality resulted in many controversial reactions. Nevertheless, building the new Locus Map 4.0, we resolved to make more significant changes. We made some inner surveys, did a few ergonomy analyses and comparations with competitive apps. Recently, we are beginning to see the first results of these efforts (just wait a few more weeks for them :).

What comes in the latest version?

Simultaneously, the "old" Locus Map development is going forward too. Implementing the new map core completely changed the internal app work with the map data. It enabled overlays of various map formats and coord systems, improved legibility of many maps on current full HD screens with automatic resolution optimization.

In this newest Locus Map version, we polished the app UI - we unified details of screens, panels, and colors all over the app. And, we added an option to link app presets to navigation:

Navigate with your favorite app preset automatically

Imagine: you're sitting in your car setting out to hunt for some caches. You've just selected the first treasure box and want to start navigation to it. But, Locus Map is set to your hiking preset - hiking map theme on, cursor centered, display automatic turning off, etc. Never mind, tap the cache on the map, select Navigate to, then choose a car profile and GO. Locus Map resets itself to your car preset - road map theme on, the screen always on, cursor down, map rotation on, hardware compass off, etc. Of course, when you get to your target and the navigation stops, Locus Map re-sets itself back to your original preset. Fast and easy, isn't it?

How to set it up?

Go to Locus navigation settings > Link to presets. There are three options for the three most common ways of transport - walk, bike and a motor vehicle. Tap Motor vehicle and select an appropriate preset from the list. Do so with the walk and bike as well. Easy peasy. And how it works? See the short video:

Goodbye GPSies!

All of you, who used GPSies.com (a great public route database), have been informed by its provider that the service was merged with Alltrails.com. Unfortunately, this merger means the end of GPSies integration in Locus Map. The new provider isn't interested in such integration. Understandably, they need to push their own app forward.

As the saying goes, everything bad is good for something. This is another motive and inspiration for us, to put more energy into our own route database project mentioned above. So, keep fingers crossed for us!

Photos by Wilfried Santer and Helloquence

Článek New Locus Map 3.40 starts navigation with your favorite app preset se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

The development can’t be stopped, not mentioning that one of Locus Map. We admit that not much has been seen for over two months from us, except for a few bug fix versions published right after the last “big” app release. Still, we did not sleep during all those days. So – a lot of work has been done mainly on two of Locus Map’s cornerstones – map-rendering core and route calculation.

New Map Core

The largest chunk of development, coding, and testing was consumed by the rebuilding of the very heart of Locus Map – its map rendering core. It was necessary. The old core started to become obsolete and unsuitable to follow all current requirements for map control, speed, and flexibility. The new map rendering guts bring a lot of unexpected features:

Automatic map scaling

Map zooms, as you were used to, are slowly flowing away with the stream of time and progress. Newly, the app chooses the best map resolution according to the device screen DPI and selected raster or vector type of the map. Resulting display experience is fluent and the map is crisp and well contrasted. Including crossfading effects between zooms when zooming in and out. EDIT: this feature can be turned off if the result is not satisfactory

Mapsforge V4+ support

The new generation of the vector map rendering engine is coming into Locus. It brings more options for work with map themes:

• support of multiple vector themes per directory and V5 themes
• faster autoloading of neighboring maps
• overall pleasanter experience, e.g. improved running of world maps in upper zooms or optimized map sorting in the quick map switch.

No limits for map overlays

Until now it was possible to overlay only some types of maps. Others couldn’t be overlayed due to different properties. Now, actually, all kinds of maps can be put one above another. Online over raster, raster over the vector, maps of all possible systems and datums. Just select the background map and then any from the vast map portfolio Locus offers. Or, even better – your own custom map.

Route calculation for navigation and planning

Over the last months, we collected a pretty wide list of improvement suggestions about this topic. Locus Map 3.38 comes with a lot of them implemented. First of all, we improved the route recalculation system behavior when the route priority is set:

• when you need to navigate from a custom starting point, the app will try to navigate you to this point as the first option
• when you ignore 2 following recalculations, routing backward is blocked
• when you make a shortcut of your original route, the recalculation no longer pushes you back to the last visited part of the route

Automatic route drawing in the route planner uses the same processes. We updated work with the via points - now you can set the planner so that it places via points directly without the need to change shaping points first.

And more...

As usual, the new version is full of other minor improvements. Among others, we added 7 new activities for track recording, e.g. handbike, canicross or snowmobile. Sports freaks will appreciate multiple track export to Strava. We also adjusted online map download. And more...

Test it and see!

Článek New Locus 3.38 comes with a new map core and enhanced navigation se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Using your favorite hiking navigation via a wearable device is welcome by more and more outdoor fans. There are, unfortunately, loads of wearable platforms and each needs its own add-on to communicate with Locus Map running on a mobile phone or tablet. We have already released Locus Map Watch add-on for Android Wear/Wear OS and for Samsung watches running on Tizen operating system.

Now, here comes the long-awaited result of our cooperation with guys from Wearsoft - an add-on for Garmin!

What can I do with it?

Navigate...

Select a place to go in Locus Map. Plan your own route comfortably on the smartphone big screen or import a trip from GPSies. Start navigation - the main process is running in Locus Map in your mobile, you see navigation instructions on your Garmin.

Guide to a geocache...

Hunting for a hidden treasure? Pick your geocache on the map and start guidance to it. Your Garmin will lead you to the very spot.

Plan the route in Locus, export it to Garmin...

...and leave your smartphone at home! Enjoy the freedom of being without the phone for a while and go for a ride just with your rugged Garmin on your wrist (not all Garmins, however, support import of courses).

Monitor your Locus track recording...

Do you like Locus track recording with all its options of setup and recording profiles? Then run and monitor it directly from your Garmin. When your trip is finished, export it directly to Garmin Connect. Or, if you prefer recording your activities directly by Garmin, do so. You can simultaneously be navigated by Locus.

How does it work?

So that you can enjoy all of these features you just need to install Locus Map for Garmin in your mobile phone or tablet running OS Android 4.1 and higher:

Download Locus Map for Garmin >>

When you launch the add-on it takes care of everything else you need:

• Locus Map Android outdour navigation (if not installed)
• Garmin Connect Mobile Android app
• Garmin Connect IQ application Locus Map installed on your watch

Does it run on my Garmin?

Garmin produces a vast range of devices with many levels of functionality. Locus Map for Garmin is compatible with a lot of them and many are still under consideration to be added.

Check the list of compatible Garmins >>

How much does it cost?

Download and install Locus Map for Garmin for free - you can try it in Preview mode. To unlock all its features, go to Locus Store (part of Locus Map Android app) and purchase Premium functionality for cca 4 €.

Enjoy!

Článek Navigate with Locus Map on your Garmin! se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Článek Browse maps and control track recording with HW buttons in new Wear for Locus se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Článek Navigate on your wrist with brand new Wear for Locus Map se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Last time here we presented tips how to set notifications of leaving a route, switch to the guidance mode or timing of the automatic route recalculation. Today we have a couple of use cases displaying various settings of strict navigation with or without auto recalculation. All of them have their advantages and vice versa. Examples were again created by Willy Van Driessche.

1. 'Free' navigation without automatic route recalculation

Possibly the most used settings for activity in free terrain when we have opportunity to look at the map from time to time. When we deviate from the original route Locus just switches to guidance to a nearest routepoint without necessity to go through it. It doesn't recalculate the route, just adjusts the guidance according to our movement and after re-joining the original route it goes on with navigating along it. This setting is useful for hiking, running or nordic walking. All settings and a demo can be seen in the following clip:

2. 'Strict' navigation without auto recalculation

If for some reason you want to go along the route and not omit a single routepoint, select this variant. It's useful e.g. for race circuits, for competitions when the participants must go through all required points without need of route recalculation (you can go to a point across free terrain) etc. Check the video:

Keep in mind that in case of unwanted switching on of this settings for navigation Locus is quite bothersome and stubbornly directs to the missed routepoint.

3. Free navigation with automatic route recalculation

The most ordinary navigation settings, used mostly in cars. The route is defined only by its starting and final points or contains also a few via points to which Locus automatically recalculates the route when you deviate from the original one. It may happen that a via point is placed behind a turn shaped T. If we miss the turn as in the following example Locus doesn't navigate to it any longer because it prioritizes the via point. In this case it's rather the user's fault when he didn't place a via point on the end of the T turn:

4. Strict navigation with auto recalculation

If you'd like to go through all routepoints and, at the same time, be quite flexible, try this settings. This way the mistake from the previous example when Locus didn't navigate to a turn won't happen. However, if the user changes his decision, Locus isn't so strict and after a few seconds goes on navigating along the route:

And now an example of a user fully respecting navigation commands:

We hope the weather during this weekend will be fine and you'll be able to test our examples outdoors. Looking forward to your ideas!

Článek Another playing with Locus navigation settings se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.