How to use a BRouter personnalized profile?

Hi,

yes, our main development activity regards our own router LoRouter (which is technically based on BRouter) but it is still possible to use BRouter within the app, including its customized profiles. More info at https://docs.locusmap.app/doku.php?id=manual:faq:how_to_navigate_offline#brouter

Hi Michal,

Thank you for the link. I can now actually use more parameters integrated in Locus Map. As a developper, you may know the Git versionning app with its Plumbing and Porcelain commands concept aka low level and high level commands.

I have not found yet if it is already possible in Locus Map: being able when BRouter is selected, to choose a true and complete .btf profile. When I install BRouter, there are several profiles in its file tree. The idea would be simply to be able to link a Locus Map profile to a true .btf BRouter profile, and to configure automatically BRouter with this profile before calculation. If there are several segments with specific profiles (multi modal), then the nav app would call the router for each one.

By the way, it would be nice to be able to choose the router per profile and make the nav app communicate with all the big towns public transport routers because they update in real time taking into account delays and accidents. But this is more a commuter need.

The main feature I am looking for in a navigation app is to be able to use the best routers with all their fine tuning without compromise when riding, not only BRouter, but also Valhalla, etc. I configure once and forget. Then I have a powerfull nav app with all its ergonomics and when I need (all the time) to improvise, I know it won't be a nightmare: adapted to my power, my wishes, my security concerns.

The idea is that simple : the combination of navigation app / router has to propose me the best routes, at least better that if designed manually by someone who knows the area.

I have tested several routes with Locus Map 4, with LoRouter and with BRouter, and I have better results with the true and complete BRouter.

I hope you will welcome my proposal. But once again, possibly it is already available?

Hi, I will try to answer a few of these questions, one at a time :-). But first I have a question too: Now, when you tested built-in LoRouter, what do you miss? What do you mean by "true and complete" Brouter ?

Hi Radim,

I mean for example smoothness, tracktype, surface criteria, boolean conditions. I can access only in Locus Map to: Allow steps/ferries/motorways, Consider traffic/noise/river/forest/town/elevation, down/up-hill-cost/cutoff, totalMass, maxSpeed, SCx, Cr, bikePower, turnInstructionMode/CatchingRange/Roundabouts, processUnusedTags.

It looks like I have mixed-up BRouter and OSM keys ! So my remarks have to be understood for OSM keys, sorry for my mistake. Possibly other routers exploit them more deeper?

For BRouter complete profiles, I have found this link.

What we call LoRouter is extended "true and complete" Brouter, just not the latest greatest version of it (as of 10.2024). Extended, not substantially re-written or simplified internally. What are these extensions? System of warnings. Adjusting walking ETA based on surface. Estimating surfaces not mapped in OSM, based on areas (like continents). Simplified and we believe more user-accessible system of customization (See difficulty for MTB). Simple sliders replace number of parameters present in some .brf profiles. Yes, we hide many of the params you name from users (like maxSpeed, totalMass, costs e.t.c). (And also in the background introduce more parameters controlled in a way that would be impossible or not-practical by using many input fields). This hiding of parameters is completely intentional in Locus, because we believe most users don't know e.g what their

Drag coefficient times the reference area (in m^2)

is. I am a keen cyclist and I have no clue about my S_C_x.

However, if you put "true and complete" brouter profile ".brf" in Locus (meaning you place the file in /Android/data/menion.android.locus/files/Locus/router/profiles2), then Locus will give you all configurable parameters in simple UI. The nasty limitation is (as of 10.2024): new profiles from Brouter web don't work out of the box. Older profiles should work. Update on our side is planned.

All this simplified: using external .brf files in Locus is possible, all those params will be exposed to user, we just do not see value in it.

External .brf profile in Locus

Now this Valhalla router mention. That would be possible using Locus Api. But one needs to write a Locus Api plugin, which is Android programming. No rocket science, no trivial task either.

Thanks Radim.

> However, if you put "true and complete" brouter profile ".brf" in Locus (meaning you place the file in /Android/data/menion.android.locus/files/Locus/router/profiles2), then Locus will give you all configurable parameters in simple UI.

Very nice for me.

It looks like I have no access rights to /Android/data/menion.android.locus/files/Locus/router. I even don't see this folder but Androïd tells me it exists if I try to create it. Any clue?

Yes, this is expected (security concerns). Some file managers perhaps still allow access to /Android/data folder, but connecting to PC may be easier option.