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.

Old-new map?

What? The title is boasting that all is just new! Yes and no, the truth is somewhere in between. We're talking about maps of renowned Czech publisher SHOCart that Locusers have known for ages, especially their awesome biking maps with surface classification and recommended bike routes. New is our contract with the publisher, owned by traditional Austrian publishing house Freytag-Berndt.

[caption id="attachment_9160" align="aligncenter" width="800"] SHOCart bikemap[/caption]

And what comes from the new agreement? All hiking and biking maps of SHOCart are frequently updated, we're linked directly to the publisher servers. What's more, we've got updated hiking maps of almost whole Europe by Freytag-Berndt. The worse news is that nothing of these data is free of charge:

• Online SHOCart hiking and biking maps of the Czech and Slovak republics, online hiking maps of Europe by Freytag-Berndt - you can subscribe the access to them either directly from the map manager or in Locus Store. The price is 320 LoCoins for a month or 1600 LoCoins for a year.
• Offline SHOCart hiking and biking maps of the Czech and Slovak republics, online hiking maps of Europe by Freytag-Berndt - you can define your own map crop, select map zooms and purchase the map tiles in a bundle for offline use. The price is 8 LoCoins for 100 tiles.
• Offline ready-made packets of biking or hiking maps of Czech and Slovak republics by SHOCart - they contain approximately identical map crops as the paper editions of the publisher, all in three zooms up to 1:50 000. The price is single for all packets - 230 LoCoins.

[caption id="attachment_9161" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Freytag-Berndt map, cycling paths in Antwerpen surrounds[/caption]

We wish you a lot of hiking/biking pleasure with these old-new maps and we sincerely hope you'll get used to their new terms of sales.

Simplified online map download

We reworked download from the scratch. It's much clearer and more intuitive now - a piece of cake even for the greenest Locus beginners. We threw away nothing, all your favourite settings and options are there, hidden behind magic buttons "Show advanced options".

Estimated time of travel for your trip planning

Locus offers another improvement for planning of your hiking, biking or family trips. We developed an algorithm that can calculate estimated time spent on your trip, including your snack breaks. It's based on the distance, elevation gain and selected type of your trip or workout activity. The feature can be found in the tool menu of a route:

You can select among three walking profiles, nine (!) cycling and two cross-country skiing profiles. We're sure you'll always find one that suits you best. We suppose to hear many useful ideas how to fine-tune these profiles from you and we are, as usual, ready:).

Minor changes and advanced gadgets

And as usual, the new version brings loads of minor adjustments and fixes and also improvements of more advanced features for our geeky users - at random - new presets for Quick WWW bookmark feature, support of BBox tags in the same feature, option to stop Live tracking directly from the notification bar, improved display of breaks and rests in track charts or a new system of work with geocaching waypoints.

Článek New Locus, new maps, new features se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.