Automatically zoom in, at navigation instruction

freischneider shared this idea 5 years ago
Completed

I drive normally with a zoom, with which I can see the distance about 1km ahead. So I have a better overview of what's around it. Now when a navigation instruction comes, I do not see the turn right. Especially if several ways turn. Now I would like to have the following function:

At the navigation instruction the screen goes on (already exists)

Now Locus zooms in 2 to 3 steps (number of levels adjustable)

After 10 seconds, the old zoom level is reset. (Time adjustable)

Replies (32)

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We have already discussed in the German forum

https://forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=6740.0

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+1 Vote

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+1

I suggest to zoom in not by a number of steps relative to the current zommlevel, but to a fixed (configurable) zoomlevel instead. This way you would always get a consistent view when nearing a nav instruction, regardless of the previous zoom.

Also, it would be nice if this could also work with enabled autozoom feature.

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I totally agree and I would like to have a configurable zoom level (according to the zoom, one needs).

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Hi guys,

I've always wanted to integrate something similar to existing auto-zoom feature, so thanks for bringing this here.

Does anyone have an idea for some automatic system based on current defined auto-zoom parameters? We have 7 votes here and already two ideas (increase zoom by 2-3 levels or change to a specific value). Both needs configuration and I definitely prefer as the first step settings-free option.

From my point of view, I see as ideal to really improve the scale of the map based on the distance to navigation point (defined in seconds) and also based on auto-zoom value.

So this means: for speed 100 kph is zoom defined as 14, for 50 kph it is 16. You start to slow down from 100 to 50 kph before turn left the order. When you will be 30 seconds before the cross, app will start to increase zoom in value up to next two levels so 10 seconds before cross it will be defined zoom + 2 levels. In this case for speed 50, it will be 16 + 2. Maybe complicated on explanation, but it should work I believe :).

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What you described here is the relative approach I think. You want to increase zoom by 2 levels from the current level (may be dynamic because of autozoom) 10 seconds before crossing.

I think a distict "target zoomlevel" would be better, because with autozoom on, your approach is dependand on the current speed (and corresponding very configurable autozoom setting) when nearing a crossing. Also speeds may vary very much (for example on a bike...~5-10 kph uphill but sometimes 30-50 kph downhill). This would result in inconsistent views of the crossings.

I think we should try to find a zoom where crossings are nicely visible with most maps (Z19?) and use this as a "target zoomlevel" when nearing a crossing. Maybe in the future this setting could be made configurable (expert mode?).

The zoom would have to return to either the defined zoomlevel (without autozoom) or to the autozoom level according to the then current speed (may be different from before the crossing).

I wonder how the experience would be with many turn instructions shortly one after another, though.

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I abe with autzoom no experience. I never use it. I have set navigation instruction and screen at 15s before. Zoom I have set so I see what I want. Times so and times so. If you program it as write, what happens in case (autozoom is off)

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Fixed values ...

Advantage: No matter what zoom I have before. It is ensured that I see the turn exactly.

Disadvantage: If, for once, I am very fast, it may be that I am still too far away (15s before) and I still do not see the turn at this zoom.

I like both ideas. Can not decide for me, because I could not make any experience.

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Auto zoom according to speed, I do not use. Navigation instruction and screen @ 15 s. Short auto zoom when near a command and than back to previous zoom level I know from the car gps.

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The idea is very good. +1 from me. I am for the variant with a fixed zoom level. Whenever an instruction comes for example. zoom 18 use. No matter which zoom was before.

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also for the Variant with fixed zoom level

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Great suggestion. I like the fixed zoom level idea. When I come to some complex roundabout I don't want to zoom in by 2 or 3 steps, rather I just want to see all of the exits maximized within the screen. Especially while driving when there is very little time to make a decision.

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I like the idea "zoom in x steps, but you can also implement both variants, because one wants it that way and another wants it differently.

1. nothing

2. zoom in x steps

3. fixed zoom level

Best in presets or even better in the navigation profile.

Because I do not want to go hiking. When MTB I want xx step and quad yy steps.

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Yes, this would be a wonderful improvement! Locus could become almost perfect for car navigation!

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This idea is very good. Google Maps does that too. Will the idea be implemented in the near future? If not, is there a way through Tasker?

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I agree this option of fixed autozoom in function of the distance you are from the next crossing is just essential! Especially when you cycle.


Especially for a suscribtion paid app...

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I have seen that on Tasker, when Locus Tasker Add-on is installed, when you edit a task selecting 'Plugin', 'Locus', 'Request sensors', there are options that could let you know that when you are from, for example, 40 meters from a crossing point, you could command to Locus to zoom map at, for example, value 24!


But how to do that with Tasker?

I am sure there is a way...


If someone can help :)

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Profile: LocusNextTurnSay (34)

Restore: no

State: Media Button [ Button:Previous Held Down:Off Grab:On Stop Event: Off ]

Enter: Anon (58)

A1: Beep [ Frequency:2000 Duration:101 Amplitude:50 Stream:3 ]

A2: Variable Set [ Name:%Say To:1 Recurse Variables:Off Do Maths:Off Append:Off Max Rounding Digits:3 Structure Output (JSON, etc):On ]

A3: Profile Status [ Name:LocusReadNextCMD Set:On ]


Profile: LocusEndRouteSay (59)

Restore: no

State: Media Button [ Button:Next Held Down:Off Grab:On Stop Event: Off ]

Enter: Anon (60)

A1: Beep [ Frequency:2000 Duration:101 Amplitude:50 Stream:3 ]

A2: Variable Set [ Name:%Say To:2 Recurse Variables:Off Do Maths:Off Append:Off Max Rounding Digits:3 Structure Output (JSON, etc):On ]

A3: Profile Status [ Name:LocusReadNextCMD Set:On ]


Profile: LocusReadNextCMD (46)

Restore: no

Event: Notification [ Owner Application:Locus Map Pro Title:Tracking Text:* Subtext:* Messages:* Other Text:* Cat:* New Only:Off ]

Enter: Anon (51)

A1: Variable Set [ Name:%prf To:%evtprm3 Recurse Variables:Off Do Maths:Off Append:Off Max Rounding Digits:3 Structure Output (JSON, etc):Off ]

A2: Variable Split [ Name:%prf Splitter:, Delete Base:Off Regex:Off ]

A3: Say [ Text:Via %prf2 %prf1. Engine:Voice:default:default Stream:3 Pitch:5 Speed:5 Respect Audio Focus:On Network:Off Continue Task Immediately:Off ] If [ %Say eq 1 ]

A4: Say [ Text:Until the end of the route %prf3. Engine:Voice:default:default Stream:3 Pitch:5 Speed:5 Respect Audio Focus:On Network:Off Continue Task Immediately:Off ] If [ %Say eq 2 ]

A5: Profile Status [ Name:LocusReadNextCMD Set:Off ]

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Is that a Tasker profile to automatically zoom in on navigation announcements?

If so, you could share the profile as a file on Drive.

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Thanks a lot Vyacheslav, but yes, could you share the profile file please ? To test it

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Friends.

These profiles are not designed to automatically scale the map. This is a hint on how to implement it.


I published these profiles in response to the topic under discussion, because based on the LocusReadNextCMD profile, through intent management, it is possible to implement scaling of the locus map depending on the distance to the maneuver point. This is an interesting idea and I will definitely implement it in the near future and share the result with you.


I am almost sure that publishing the profile file will not be useful, since it will certainly not work "out of the box". Because we all have different versions of the Locus and different languages. And the operation of the profile is based on reading the status line, which the Locus updates in route mode about 40-50 times per minute. I have a Locus PRO version 3.53.1 the language is Russian. The profiles are quite simple, you need minimal knowledge of the tasker and you will be able to write them yourself, taking into account all the features of your Locus implementation.


I have tried to describe in detail why these profiles are needed below.


Profile: LocusNextTurnSay:

When you press the Media Button, "Previous" gives a short signal to attract attention,

Sets the global variable %Say=1

Activates Profile LocusReadNextCMD


Profile: LocusEndRouteSay:

When you press the Media Button, "Next" gives a short signal to attract attention,

Sets the global variable %Say=2

Activates Profile LocusReadNextCMD


Profile: LocusReadNextCMD:

Reads the "Tracking" message from the status bar from the "Locus Map Pro" application and saves it to the %prf variable. Then divides the text variable into parts using delimiter: ", " (comma space)

Then, depending on the condition variable %Say says a phrase such as:

"In 500 feet, turn right"

Or

"Until the end of the route is 5 kilometers and 200 meters,"

Then this profile disables itself until the next power buttons.


Now the need to turn on the screen to find out when and what the next turn will be has disappeared. This is very important in winter, when the phone is in a warm pocket. 😊

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What is the 'media button' ?

In profile LocusNextTurnSay, do I have to set 'Application' and select 'Locus'? Or iwhat do I have to set corresponding to this profile?

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Even though I've written a lot of Tasker code, it's clearly obvious it would be a lot easier/ more reliable if Locus provided the zoom rather than Tasker ;-)

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Ok, I tried to test your profile, but I have no zoom during navigation.

Not sure neither having understood what button I have to press (volume / etc. ?)

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> What is a "multimedia button"?

https://aliexpress.ru/item/1005001388320314.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.1e787192IJwkmy

634e6485f3339054043d58b75bf68cf6

> In the LocusNextTurnSay profile, do I need to install "App" and select "Locus"?


If you are using a remote control to control the Locus screen, then this is not necessary. The algorithm of operation will be as follows: When the Locus screen is turned on, the buttons will control the screen. When the screen is turned off or the Locus is not an active application, the LocusNextTurnSay and LocusEndRoute profiles will work.


> could you please share the profile file?

I decided to publish them anyway. But again, you'll have to figure out how it works and edit it for yourself.


> it would be much easier / more reliable if the Locus provided scaling, and not Tasker ; -)

Yes, I agree with you,


> I am not sure and did not understand which button to press (volume / etc.?)

you need to press the button that you have set in the profile. I use the remote control, the link to it is above. Try, for example, to work with the buttons of a Bluetooth headset.


> This is an interesting idea, and I will definitely implement it in the near future and share the result with you.

Unfortunately, it turned out that there are no intentions that allow you to control the scale of the map, so, alas, it is impossible to do this. ☹

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Well... Thanks a million Vyacheslav for your help.


You made LocusMap at long last usable when cycling!! :D

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I'm sure I wrote a similar help topic suggestion a year or so back, but now can't find it - the # votes would be even higher if the topics were merged. I recall Menion saying the current zoom will increase 10% at an upcoming navigation instruction, but I think this is much too small.

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Thanks for your reply Andrew. Was this solution held with Tasker?

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No it was a Locus suggestion. It may have been in the "forum" rather than the "help system", and maybe not it's own topic/ subject. It's confusing having two separate systems to search across.

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I can not do that with tactor. Better if Locus is power.

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Last week I used Locus as a car navigation and I really missed that feature. Especially in the cities where roads a close to the next one can easily go wrong if not zoomed in.


+1 from me.

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I think the map zoom should depend on the distance to the rotation. Time dependence will not work well at different speeds.

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Until Locus offers a solution here, there is a solution via Tasker.

https://forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=8047.0

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Hi guys,

this idea is already implemented in recent app versions. Does anyone already have experience with it? App currently should noticeably zoom in when approaching to any navigation point. It may need some fine-tuning so feedback is welcome.

Also in the bug-fix version, I'm just preparing, will be an option to disable this behavior so it will be optional (enabled by default).

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I didn't notice the note in the change log. sounds great. what settings are needed to enable it? setting(s) in presets?

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Can't test it right now. Later
Is it possible to set a fixed zoom level ? Or which zoom level is stored ? Presets would be great. Since I use it only when cycling.

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It works automatically. App currently detects that you are 40 seconds to the command and since then, starts to increase the computed expected scale. And closer to the point you are, a higher rescale is applied up to 400% (so two zoom levels).

So there is no fixed zoom level (this is also an interesting idea). The current solution is more flexible because it just increases the expected zoom level based on current speed.

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interesting, will give it a try

to minimise battery my strategy is mostly not to use navigation at all, this reduces power by 50%

i just turn on the screen before possible turn to check against displayed route, with Android 6s display timeout

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My experience looking at the turn is at zoom level 20.
If I had 17 or 18 before, that's still ok. But if I had previously set An overview at 14, 2 levels are too little.
Maybe this works with automatic zoom. I have not set automatic zoom. The problem is: When I want to look at the environment, I zoom out. But when I look at the surroundings I drive very slowly or stop. But then automatik zoom zooms in.
It would be very helpful to be able to set a fixed level.

How long does this zoom stay until it jumps back to the old value ? I have stored a value in seconds here (currently 7s).

You start 40 seconds before to increase the zoom. I think this is too early. But this is only my opinion, for others it might be ok.
I have set so that it zooms when the announcement. This is currently set to 15s before. I would make it 2 s before the announcement. But I can't, because the announcement is my trigger in Tasker.
Maybe my experience will help to improve it.

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This feature should be in Locus since 3.63.1 - but I can't get the function to work now in 3.66.2... I have tried to use the function with different navigation profiles (bike and car)...

Is there an option to switch the function on? Is there anything I need to be aware of?

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I think so that it was integrated only in LM4. It is in the autozoom settings. Activate at the bottom. But with Tasker you can realize it also in LM3. I am currently working on a new solution, since Android 13 no longer allows Logcat in Tasker.

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Thanks, this is correct. The feature is available in the Locus Map 4 version.

a8492ba09951fe963b7162e3e8cc3bde

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Ok, thank you. I thaught, it's available in 3.xx, because it's mentioned in the release notes of 3.63.1:

55fb906f4412d3bf3cc7113017d9b506

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Ah, second issue in news. I'm trying to simplify the writing list of news and this is the result. So sorry, it is incorrect and this auto-zoom system is really implemented only in the Locus Map 4, thanks for understanding.

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No problem, it's not essential for me, it would be nice to have. And I could refresh my knowledge in the depths of the settings after a long time again... ;-)

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@Menion - "Extra-Zoom" is interesting for me even though I don't use Auto-Zoom at all.

Can you make it independent from other zooms and allow assign it its own zoom level? That would make it more versatile. It should be called "Auto zoom on navigation command" and can stay where it is and be a checkbox, but get additional ZL property - and maybe.. time in seconds, after which it returns to prior zoom level.

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Agree

"@Menion - "Extra-Zoom" is interesting for me even though I don't use Auto-Zoom at all.

Can you make it independent from other zooms and allow assign it its own zoom level? That would make it more versatile. It should be called "Auto zoom on navigation command" and can stay where it is and be a checkbox, but get additional ZL property - and maybe.. time in seconds, after which it returns to prior zoom level"

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I voice Tapio also tu. I used to have this solution via Tasker.

I do not use autozoom. But would like to zoom to zomlevel 20 for navigation instructions. After xx seconds back to original level. Or when you are past the turn.
If within 2s the next instruction comes then do not zoom out.

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I am also in favor of Tapio's idea. I have this function though just in the Tasker profile of Freischneider. But I want to buy a phone with Android 13 and I read that there Logcat in Tasker no longer runs.
I will miss the function then very much and be very happy if it is integrated directly into Locus Map.

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The solution with Tasker should no longer work under Android 13 ? Is there an alternative ?

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Check out this excellent "demo" video by @0709 for another auto-zoom idea whereby the zoom is set based on current location & next POI to maximize detail. I had a similar idea years ago, but can't (with this help-search system) now find it.

https://youtu.be/AocXlD2s89o


...but maybe it is already possible according to this related auto-zoom topic https://help.locusmap.eu/topic/automatic-zoom-according-distance-to-some-poi-or-geocaching-cache? Does it apply only to geo-caching or also to conventional navigation?

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The zoom for navigation instructions should be improved.
I do not normally use the automatic zoom. Therefore, I cannot use the zoom for navigation instructions.
Therefore, please enable the zoom for navigation instructions without automatic zoom.

Since I prefer to have a familiar zoom image when turning, a fixed zoom for navigation instructions would be very helpful. Otherwise I always have different zooms based on the current zoom when turning. And on the bike, I have to concentrate on the route and not focus on a new zoom every time.
Therefore, please also enable the option of a fixed zoom for navigation instructions.

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Hi guys,

so make it more clear how this currently works.

Based on the definition in the "Automatic zooming" preference, the app computes (interpolates) the expected zoom value. You may define a single zoom value here to have a fixed base zoom.

40 seconds before the navigation command, the app starts to zoom in a little more (if "Extra zoom.in on navCom is enabled). This zoom scales up to two map levels and after passing a navigation command, it then quickly returns back to the computed zoom level.

If there is a need for minor improvements, please let me know here. If there is a need for a completely new auto-zoom functionality (like @freischneider wrote), this is maybe on another new idea. But I'm not a big fan of it to be true.

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That's all clear to me. But I don't use autozoom but still want to zoom in on navigation instructions. And I occasionally have a large and a small zoom while driving. Regardless of the speed. Sometimes I just want to see a bit more of the surroundings.

It makes sense to have a fixed value for navigation instructions. To see the turn correctly. If I was very far out before and then zoom in 2 levels, this may not be enough to see it accurately.
If there is only one road, it is enough. But if there are several, possibly at a distance of 2-3 meters, then you need a defined zoom.
It's very dangerous to look at the screen for any length of time on a bike.
Do I now have to create a task or can it be done like this?

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

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Understand. I would still like to keep the current system and improve it, instead of making additional settings in the app. To make it "simple", it makes sense to have only a single preference that controls zoom automatically.

The current system is easy > the app is always able to compute the required zoom level at a certain moment. So no matter if you zoom in/out manually during it, the app is able to restore the expected zoom level. Solution with hardcoded zoom level for navigation point will loss flexibility in higher zoom (low zoom to see far away) etc.

I have no clear idea in my mind for now ...

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I have implemented automatic scaling in Tasker. Scaling is controlled not by time, but by the distance to the rotation. Time control is very inconvenient. The scale is selected so that the rotation is always displayed at the top of the map. I have been using it for several years now and am very pleased with this decision.

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