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Default raster map tile size is too large on Locus 3.38.0

ta-ka shared this problem 4 years ago
Solved

On Locus 3.38.0, the tile size of raster maps on screen are expanded by factor of 4 with respect to that on Locus 3.37.x or below. It corresponds to 400% Increase map resolution in Locus <3.37.x and is too large. I usually use 150% or 200% Increase map resolution in Locus <3.37.x to have the best map look on screen. Is there way to show raster maps as same scaling as before 3.37.x?


EDIT:

After my first post, I found this topic and I understood the idea. But my devices got 400% scale which is too large.

Replies (18)

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Good day ta-ka

thanks for the feedback. I did not receive any negative feedback during quite long Beta testing. What device do you have? What about app settings "Increase map resolution" in settings > maps > Advanced features. Do you have disabled this settings? Should be by default after update.

It is also a good idea to compare the resolution of raster maps and vector LoMaps. They should be really similar in most cases.

And last: what raster map are you trying? It may be possible that certain raster online maps may have already little rescaled map tiles.

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Btw. main public topic where we discussed these changes is here on forum: https://forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=6471.0 . As you may see, it was tested for almost 2 months. Anyway, I'm of course open to some improvements.

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Hi menion. Thanks for prompt response. I've read the forum topic you mentioned. It was very difficult to follow but I learned that your intension is not to provide map scale settings less than 100% in new map core. It's hard to accept for me as a raster maps only user. I don't need 25%(original scale) but would like to have 50%.

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Hello ta-ka

let's talk a little about it. Raster-only is perfectly fine.

The intent is to offer the same map resolution no matter if you use raster or vector maps. All online maps that are offered in Locus Map now look quite similar to all vector maps ... the similar size of texts, symbols etc, thanks to this system. And this all across all devices, no matter how huge or small screen you have. It was the intent.

Now back to the problem ... what raster map you use? Are these maps some private self-made already optimized for high DPI devices? Am I able to test it on own device?

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Hello menion.


I properly understand the idea behind new map core to provide similar size of texts, symbols and etc. between vector and raster maps. It is really great progress. I have no objection on that.

My main map is RMaps sqlitedb offline map created by mobac without high dpi optimization. (I even don't know how to optimize it for high dpi.) I also have mapsOnline/custom/provider.xml for the same map source to display non-covered area/zoom by offline db map. I'll send you sample maps. Give me some preparation time.

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Hi. Sample maps has been sent via PM on forum.

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I think part of the problem is the rasters aren't one to one with the screen's pixels at each zoom level, where they used to be before. They are a little zoomed in. There doesn't seem a way to get this back- there's no zoom reduction, and the reductions would probably not get back to 1:1.


I happen to use vectors more and my main use case is navigation- I need to be able to read the screen from about 3 foot away through a rain soaked phone holding pouch on the bike. The vector themes don't accomodate this, so I apply some map zoom to thicken the lines and widen the roads. On the old Locus I was happy with the trade-off of the rasters being a little large.


The rasters I would use for more in my hand use.


Now, the rasters are all a little zoomed in and the vectors seem a little zoomed out and I can't find any happy compromise.


Granted the scale is correct, but the lines on a typical raster are thicker and less accurately scaled, because of the limitations of raster resolution, but the vector themes seem bent on being so fine as to be invisible.


Ta

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Hello Goosien,

I'll gladly improve the current system, just need some more exact information for test-case. For example, two screenshots how raster and vector map at the same zoom looks on your device (together with information which raster map you use so I can simulate it as well). Thank you.

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Ta-ka, thanks for PM with additional information, now we make talk about certain stuff.

I use Pixel 2 device for work and this is the result of your map visible in the new version (top) and old Pro (bottom), both in zoom level 12. Usually, a good checking mechanism is to compare texts on the map with a bottom scale bar. Scale bar set it's text size to value 14px, which is in Android world smaller readable text (body 2). So this scale bar is a good indicator if the text on the map is usable or not.

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Same results of older Nexus 7 with a lot lower resolution. Do you see it the same on your device? If not, what device you use so I can set the same parameters in the emulator to test it. Thanks

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Hi Menion.

Thank you for checking maps. I confirmed almost the same view as yours on Galaxy Note Edge and I understood your text size checking method by using bottom scale bar text size.

The text readability at zoom level 12 looks fine, for example while driving, although I personally don't like jaggy and blurry outlines of enlarged texts, road lines and etc. Anyway it doesn't matter while driving. ;) But the zoom level 12 is not for walking/hiking. We should talk at higher zoom level.

Please see the map view of Imperial Palace which is located about 1 km west from Tokyo station. Here, the zoom level is 15 on Locus 3.38.0 (left) and the zoom level is 16 with 200% increased resolution on Locus 3.37.2 (right). Both images show almost the same area so we can compare visibility of the map itself.

As we can see on the right image, detailed street lines are drawn everywhere. They are most important information we want to know from the map. But on the left image, the walking streets are almost lost. Please have a look at the same map area on your Pixel 2 by yourself. You will find more beautiful map view without jag and blur on Locus 3.37.2. I would like to have this map view quality with smooth browsing experience on Locus 3.38.0 and later as well.

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Hello,

understand. It's a nice example of how bad it is in old 3.37 version :).

You need a resolution set to 200% to be close to something usable. And even with 200%, I can't imagine to use this in the field when hands shakes a little or on the bike. Texts are still too small, roads are still too thin. The negative side effect is that rescale parameter was always applied on all maps, so in case you switched to any vector map, it was rescaled to 200% too, which is definitely wrong! Also, CPU and battery consumption was definitely higher than with the new system because with a setup we talk about, you need 4x more map tiles to load, display, draw ...

Your maps display same are so based on your parameters, your device has XXHDPI resolution so it scales even 4x, not 3x like on my device.

Check my recent post here: https://forum.locusmap.eu/index.php?topic=6579.msg55531#msg55531 and read the section below "---". What do you think?

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Hi there!

I'd like to add that some raster maps with zoom level 16 (e.g. Geodezie maps purchased from locus store) can no longer be used without scrolling, because the section displayed on smartphones is way too small. zooming out to level 15 is not an option, because this level contains much less information than level 16.

I really like the way vector maps are displayed and agree, that raster maps were too small in past, but the new scale makes the use of some maps really difficult.

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Good day guys,

I've just published new Beta version 3.38.0.1 so give it a try if you will have a free moment. Scaling is little bit reduced on some devices, so I would like to hear if this change is acceptable for the usage of raster map or not, thanks.

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Hello,

Thank you for new beta version. I've tested it from fresh installation and tried to find any diffrence from version 3.38.0 in map view by changing zoom level with bottom +/- button, pinch in/out by two fingers, zoom lock enable/diable and etc. but... I'm afraid I couldn't see the difference. I would like to know test results form other users, too.

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Hi Ta-ka,

no difference? What device are you using? I've changed rounding of used "scaling parameter" so it should be usually smaller, which means rescaled tiles should be also smaller. I've tested it on my three devices and it works on all of them, weird. Let me know what device you use and I'll create an emulator with same resolution for test, thanks.

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Hi Menion,

I've tested on my two devices. Is there good way to confirm difference?

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: 1600 x 2560, dpi 640 (xxxHigh)

UMIDIGI A1 Pro: 720 x 1440, dpi 320 (xHigh)

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Hello,

hmm, then you see no difference. Scaling factor is computed as DPI divided by 160, so in your case, it is really exactly 4x for Note device. Did you change DPI manually? Because Note should be otherwise 524 DPI = rescale 3x.

Oki, this has no simple universal solution. I still think that new rescale system is perfectly logical, but understand that some users preferer very badly readable, but the sharp, map. So in next version will be added an option to disable this scaling (probably in settings > maps > offline maps).

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Hello Menion,

Thank you very much for your decision even against your logical consideration. I really appreciate it. Will the disabling scale option affect only for offline maps? What about online maps? Hopefully, it will be applyed for both.

P.S. I don't change the dpi values. I checked the default values by Quick system info pro app.

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Hello ta-ka,

new system affects all raster maps, no matter if they are online or offline. So yes, it will affect them both at once.

New version 3.38.1 just published, so it will be available for the test within an hour or two.

Menion

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Hi Menion,

I've confirmed disabling "Select map resolution automatically" option in Locus 3.38.1 takes effect both for offline and online rester maps. Thank you very much again.

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