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Measuring distances with two fingers on the screen

Sarychev Andrey shared this idea 7 years ago
Completed

For operational distance measurements would be convenient to use the touch screen with two fingers.


What do you think? Show how it works in Galileo Offline Maps .

Thank you ! Your Locus maps the best! d77ba632db2ce89c12fab0f780951615

Replies (23)

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Nice idea... it also needs to show altitude difference between the two points.

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Hello guys,

as a separate feature, there already exists "Add new route & measure" so what will be extra benefit of this? You will still have to tap somewhere to start this feature and then it's almost same, except this is extremly inaccurate.


Maybe the idea here is to automatically display distance on the map when two fingers tap it?

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Hello Menion,

Thank you for your answer!

This should be very simple and fast, so you should not "turn on" this feature. Just put 2 fingers on the scrin and in half a second you will see result. Its not very accurate, but good enough for fast measurement.

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Video how it works. Trust me, its very usefull. https://youtu.be/P9DPFo1t_bk


I will be happy if Locus can do this =)


Good luck!

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Great video. No "turning on", no dialogs, no windows, no menu items, no questions asked, no nothing. That's what snappy user interfaces are all about. Perfect implementation for such a feature.

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I thing that it will be very usefull! I want it!)

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Great feature, especially when you're on the move, you periodically want to measure some

distances in fast and simple mode.

And besides Locus is positioning itself as a hiking and etc app, so that kind of things ought to be at hand IMHO.

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Hi!


Good idea! I think it is really need for Locus!

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The "advanced" version of such a feature would be:

a) after half a second, do a point-2-point measurement like in the video.

b) after one second, display a calculated route between the two points and measure that (distance and climbing(!)).

Obviously you start route calculation after 0.5s quietly in the background already, so it is ready after 1s. You use the last configured route options, whatever they were. You do not ask any questions or display any dialogs (<- IMPORTANT). You just switch from point-2-point-measure to route-measure after a while.

When one of the two fingers moves, you switch back to point-2-point.

When the fingers are removed, everything goes away quietly.

Not sure if average route calcuation speed makes such a dynamic thing worthwile... but hey... you can try :).

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Thanks for support =)

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I think we have one moment - when we put 2 fingers on the scrin we usualy rotate them a bit. So thats why I think its not easy to calculate route.

1. Change distance between 2 finers = change zoom

2. Rotation fingers on the scrin = change position them on the map (if map rotation lock).

I hope you understand my english =) d850e6bef6781f306e573fc6faeb18ab

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Hello guys,

agree, nice, interesting idea.


For testing purpose will be enabled first "testing" version in next Beta version of Locus Map.

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Thank you, Menion!!!

Where I can find relieses of beta vesions of locus?

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Check this page please: http://docs.locusmap.eu/doku.php?id=manual:about:free_beta_testing , Beta was already published, so feel free to test this feature.

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Hello Menion,


Works fine. Do you think you will improve it with a colour setting ? (My opinion, but it is just my little opinion, dark orange is better viewed on most of the maps)


Cheers

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Hello Fifi, fine,

planned improvements are:

- checkbox in settings to enable/disable this feature

- apply same content & style settings as for lines in "Add new route & measure"


I'm not sure about automatic compute of tracks as mentioned by joeloc. Maybe limit it to BRouter & less then 50 km should be solution.

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Hmmm ... and display just an estimated time for the straight line between the 2 points at the actual speed or/and (maybe better) , at a predefined speed ?

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Works nicely... the basic version :-). I wouldnt make it appear initially while the fingers are still moving, because now you basically cannot zoom without measuring. Should only show up when fingers are still for a while. But thats probably a matter of taste.

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Simple and nice. Tnks Andrey for proposal.

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Works nice. I like this already since it shows you easily whats still ahead.

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Works smoothly. Very handy. Thanx, Menion!

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I wouldnt bother with a on/off settings item for this btw. It's smooth an unobtrusive and shouldn't disturb anyone. No need to make settings even more complex.


Just share color & font size & data with the guiding arrow setting... and maybe draw a little grey alpha 20% disc around the data in the middle to indicate the "temporary" nature.

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Hi guys,

glad it works fine for you. I've improved style so now it match style defined for "Add new route & measure" function (not guiding). I've also added settings to turn on/off this feature into settings as I believe there will be users who wants to disabled/enable it (btw. it will be for now disabled by default).


I was thinking about possible extensions to this feature and from my point of view, best should be colorize track by elevation or display tiny elevation profile above a line. Compute of track between two points should be quite complicated and for longer tracks it may take some time. Anyway I'll see after first feedback from public version.


Thanks for now Andrey for nice idea and all others for a useful feedback.

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(and compute and display just an estimated time for the straight line between the 2

points at the actual speed or/and (maybe better) , at a predefined speed

?) :)

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I think you may already now define this parameter for

  1. map_items_selection_line_value_above
  2. map_items_selection_line_value_below

parameters, so they will be used here as well.

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Coool ! Tk u !

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And a setting for a predefined default speed that let you get an estimated trip time on a straight line when you're not moving ? (If my speed is changing regularly, the time displayed actually by the function will depend of the moment i put my finger on the screen, making it not so practical if the speed change very often)

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Not planned for now sorry. I really more think about some easy method how to together with line, display also elevation profile where should estimated times make bigger sense.

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16b179b41233de6f73a24cc9efd404f9


^_^ ;-)

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Oh where is the altitude gone?I now only See the distance above the arrow.

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config.cfg

values above/below lines: nothing: '0', distance: '1', bearing:

'2', ETA: '3', elevation: '4', time to: '5', ETA & time to: '6'

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Thx, works fine :-))

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It may be a stupid question, but where in the settings can I turn this on? I spent 10 minutes looking, but couldn't find it. Thanks!

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Settings -> Maps -> Map Objects -> Quick Measurement. (Enable)

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Thanks!

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This feature is very useful, thanks! One small suggestion though. When I'm holding two fingers on the screen and the distance is displayed, moving one finger around updates the distance while also at the same time zooming in or out. It would be nice if zooming was turned off while the distance is being measured.

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Hello, thanks for a feedback. Unfortunately I cannot agree. Currently it takes 500 ms till this tool appear. Based on your suggestion, if you will zoom by fingers longer then 500 ms, pinch zoom stops working and this measuring tool appear. Solution should be to detect movement of fingers and decide if you are still zooming or already wants to measure. Anyway when you move, it should be then really hard to keep fingers calm on display.

Function should serve to quick measure of certain distance. If you tap on incorrect place, just tap once again. I believe that current solution cover basic needs and it's useful in all cases that may appear in the "wild".

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This is a very useful feature. Thanks!

But it is sometimes difficult to read it, if the text ends up behind something else (caches, height measurement, crosses etc.). It would be nice if you could put this text at the top. (Possibly with a square background too)

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Good day Fred, thanks, agree.


If you (and others) will agree, this feature should be on absolute top, it's quick and easy to use, so it is visible only for a moment you need it. I'll increase it's drawing priority so it will be visible on top.

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Yes, it sounds very good!

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I have an another idea:

is it possible to let this information remain a short time (maybe one second) after having removed the fingers from the screen? So that afterwards you can see a more precisely what has been measured. (I have a little too thick sausages).Yes, it sounds very good!

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Now I am testing this feature and my opinion 500 ms is too short time. Better - 1 sec before measure visible.


When you zoom with two fingers 0.5 sec turn on measure .

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But is it really a problem? You can continue to zoom even if the measurement is displayed.

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Its not a big problem, but not very beautiful ))

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I also agree it should be displayed on top and if the fonts can be a little bigger to be more visible would be nice

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in the last updates the measurement still comes below other objects in the map (ie below points as geocaches etc).


It would be great if the text is on the top.


Have a nice day!

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Cannot confirm. Are you using latest 3.20.1 version?

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I confirm on latest version, still measurement is displayed behind the POIs,waypoints etc.


Especially when zoom out you can see

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Ah maybe I've got it. You are probably using some kind of rotation of a map. In this case, I'm sorry, I have no simple solution for this problem for now. Thanks for information anyway.

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Even with map rotation off,the measure is displayed behind the rectangle with the name of the waypoint or the geocache

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Great! Thank you very much, Menion!

I have just came from two-weeks trophy by car in Caucasus moutians with Locus.

And this feature is present for me!

Perfect! Thank you!

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Can't make it working. Should I set something somewhere? I can't find where and what at all.

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http://www.locusmap.eu/news-version-3-19-0/


By the way, we added an option to measure distance really fast on the

screen with two fingers (settings > Maps > Map objects > Quick

measurement)

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Eh, I was searching for that in menu (or for the navigation you just provided) for 20 minutes. How could I missed that? Thanks.

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Because Locus does not yet have a free text search for settings.

Hierarchy is nice for power users. But for a number of settings you can argue easily that they should be in a different part of the hierarchy. And nobody would be right or wrong. Yet it creates the confusion that hit you.

Having a free text search function that grabs all matching settings titles and descriptions would end this problem. And it's not too hard to do, I suppose.

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Locus doesnt yet have proper search... at all... for anything... to be honest :-).


But yes... I miss text search in settings as well. There's just too many things meanwhile and impossible to know what is where... not even for power users.

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Change this message in topic idea and you'll have my vote.

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It should be Menion himself creating this idea. Why ?

It's in the vital interest of his company Asamm, first of all.

There is a choice:

1) being proud of having the most powerful App and only serve those who are not afraid of the intrinsic complexity

2) being proud of having the most powerful App and serve those who are not afraid of the intrinsic complexity PLUS reducing the hurdle for less technology savvy people, hence broadening its market. And this is definitely not about hiding some functions in "more" sub-menus, which is more annoyance than anything else ...


Asamm's call.

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PS: I recently helped a guy in US who got stuck for exactly above reasons; Menion made a remark in that thread which triggered my statements today ...

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I'm not sure whether I should open new ticket since this one is marked completed or to add new post here.


I have two thoughts about using this fancy feature.


It would be nice to lock (disable) two finger zoom when displaying measurement, so user could better adjust measured points. But sometimes I want to zoom and not to measure. I can't find a way how to distinguish those two activities. Maybe some some time offset without move (zoom).


It would be nice to offset map by approx 5mm after triggering two finger measurement, so it would be possible to check which points are really measured (the connected points wouldn't be under fingers but slightly over fingertips).


I'm using this feature to get vertical distance of two points that are ahead (ie: it is 450 height meters from walley to the summit). Than any inaccuracy could cause quite big mistake.


I know that both point interfere with zooming, that is more important to work smoothly, this is just brief user experience.

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Good day Hrabosh,

unfortunately I still do not know how to create such "mind reader" which will know what you wants to do. Currently, measured line at least stay on a map for a while, so you have this extra time to see what you had measured.

Anyway for more precise measurement, I can't give you better advice then to use "Add new route & measure" tool. This should be only fast, inaccurate replacement, nothing more.

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Suggested time without move doesn't work?


If you want to zoom or rotate map, you touch the screen and instantly swipe. There is no reason for any delay.


If you want to measure, you let your fingers still, you don't swipe at all, because you need some time to read the distance.


So what about "current" behaviour as default and "locking" map and offsetting after some time without finger move (say one second)? There would be needed to define what is "without move" and find a way how to evaluate that. I'm not sure if writing a such method would worth just because of this. But, if you already have something similar, implementation wouldn't be difficult.

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For now, I find this tool quite useful as is. Really suggest to use "Add new route & measure" if you wants some advanced features, like see values for longer time etc. I had negative experience with leaving line on map based on movement, because there is almost always some movement of map, so it needs to create some filter, etc etc. Thanks for understanding.

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Sure, it's pretty useful. I just wrote my thoughts. And, I can imagine how difficult would be evaluate "without move" state and I'm pretty sure that it doesn't worth to do that just because of quick measurement.


I'm using "new route" when planning. But when I leave for a trip I definitely don't remember all measured (vertical) distances. Quick measure is perfect way how to answer "how far is the top of that hill, we're climbing at?". But I have to be really aware of being inaccurate :-) . Using "new route" on the fly, when walking or riding a bike (there is no need to stop just because of measurment :-) ) in a such situation is a bit complicated since it requires more and longer attention.

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Leaving line for a while when fingers are off the screen is nice update. I can double check if I was correct and if not, I can take another try. After first try I'd prefer few hundred miliseconds more, but it's just first try.


Have you been thinking about leaving the line until next tap without any time limit? I'm not sure if it was better, just an idea.

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