Edit a route after saving (or importing) it

Menion ●

Good day,

I'm glad to announce, that after few months of testing/playing/discussing etc. in latest 3.26 version of Locus Map app, we introduce new "Route planner" screen, that allows this desired feature > re-loading already saved route into this planner for later modifications. For tracks created before this new version, usually only start/end points will be correctly loaded. For best usage, it is needed to load routes created also with this latest Locus Map version. Hope you will enjoy it.

For new ideas related to new route planner, please use correct tag "route planner". Your idea then appear here: http://help.locusmap.eu/search/tag%3Aroute+planner . Of course, most wanted ( as usually ) is voting ( also negative votes! ) to existing ideas instead of creating new! Thanks all.

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Alan Budden ●

I couldn't agree more that the "Add new route and measure" route creation process is very VERY good - I find it easier to create routes on Locus than I do on a computer and that's saying something given the normal ease of complex use comparison of a touch-screen compared to a mouse!

I see this as three ideas, one of which I would like to think is easy to implement, one that should be relatively straightforward and one that is very hard and probably pointless:

When creating a route with the "Add new route and measure" UI, save the "control points" in some form of metadata with the stored track. Probably also save metadata for which legs had "directions service" turned on and which directions service was used. Then for those routes created in Locus (that have this metadata) allow the user to go back into the superb "Add new route and measure" UI and edit the route. It would still be worth saving the actual path so you don't have to have access to the directions service to view the path.
Allow the user to edit routes such as those imported from a GPX file containing <rte> tags. This probably requires Locus to assume that navigation was turned on on all segments and recalculate the route between each <rtept> in the GPX file.
Allow the user to edit tracks such as those recorded in Locus or imported from a GPX file containing <trk> tags. This probably requires Locus to assume that navigation was turned off on all segments, but is likely to be a bit messy and temperamental as tracks often have a lot of points (e.g. they may come from a GPS logger that stores the position every second and has been recording for 8 hours!)

From my point of view, item 1 is by far the most important and the one feature I would put at the top of my Locus wish list (probably even above offline navigation). I use Locus for route planning a lot, but if I create a route, save it, then decide I want to tweak a small portion of it, I have to start again, which is very tedious.

By contrast, if I use Google Maps or my Garmin GPX creator, I can save the URL of the route and then come back and edit it using the same interface as before.

I can see that item 2 could be useful for routes planned with other tools that you then want to edit with Locus and I guess it shouldn't be that hard to implement. It would be really cool (from my point of view) if it would cope nicely with importing Garmin format GPX routes with the path between rtepts defined in gpxx:rpt bits, but that's a separate idea again I guess.

Personally, I don't really see the point of item 3 and for these tracks I'd suggest just disabling the ability to edit them in this way.

I couldn't agree more that the "Add new route and measure" route creation process is very VERY good - I find it easier to create routes on Locus than I do on a computer and that's saying something given the normal ease of complex use comparison of a touch-screen compared to a mouse!

I see this as three ideas, one of which I would like to think is easy to implement, one that should be relatively straightforward and one that is very hard and probably pointless:

When creating a route with the "Add new route and measure" UI, save the "control points" in some form of metadata with the stored track. Probably also save metadata for which legs had "directions service" turned on and which directions service was used. Then for those routes created in Locus (that have this metadata) allow the user to go back into the superb "Add new route and measure" UI and edit the route. It would still be worth saving the actual path so you don't have to have access to the directions service to view the path.
Allow the user to edit routes such as those imported from a GPX file containing <rte> tags. This probably requires Locus to assume that navigation was turned on on all segments and recalculate the route between each <rtept> in the GPX file.
Allow the user to edit tracks such as those recorded in Locus or imported from a GPX file containing <trk> tags. This probably requires Locus to assume that navigation was turned off on all segments, but is likely to be a bit messy and temperamental as tracks often have a lot of points (e.g. they may come from a GPS logger that stores the position every second and has been recording for 8 hours!)

From my point of view, item 1 is by far the most important and the one feature I would put at the top of my Locus wish list (probably even above offline navigation). I use Locus for route planning a lot, but if I create a route, save it, then decide I want to tweak a small portion of it, I have to start again, which is very tedious.

By contrast, if I use Google Maps or my Garmin GPX creator, I can save the URL of the route and then come back and edit it using the same interface as before.

I can see that item 2 could be useful for routes planned with other tools that you then want to edit with Locus and I guess it shouldn't be that hard to implement. It would be really cool (from my point of view) if it would cope nicely with importing Garmin format GPX routes with the path between rtepts defined in gpxx:rpt bits, but that's a separate idea again I guess.

Personally, I don't really see the point of item 3 and for these tracks I'd suggest just disabling the ability to edit them in this way.

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1

Andrew Heard ●

I've always thought it a shame that Locus has one way for creating a track, then a completely different way of editing the same track. I understand why, but it's still a shame. It would be nice to unify the tools, and have greater consistency, in each phase.

Alan your scenario #3 could be a common use-case. For example if I had an existing track (with lots of computed or recorded track points) and wanted to reroute part of the track through a new waypoint, I could just delete (using existing Locus track editing tools) that sequence of points, and then drag the straight-line-1/2-way-point to the new location.

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druki ●

I'm currently planing an south-england-roundtrip (with navigation) and found that it is not satisfying if I want to change the planned route afterwards (adding a sightseeing-point to visit in the middle of the whole trip). So here is my vote for this feature.

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Alexander Hrncir ●

and my vote too... more than just not satisfying... =/ editing routes afterwards should get much more easier, even those you make on locus

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Gerald Schmidt ●

I agree in this point and which me a tool for editing like the tool for creating a route.

When is it available?

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Andrew Heard ●

The original Rubber Band route planning topic from 4 years ago received 45 votes, and this topic which grew out of that topic from 2 years ago has 34 votes. Clearly lots of interest...

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Christian Teufel ●

Hello,

I also agree. For longer tracks it would be helpful to add a point and recalculate the track.

The workaround is a bit nasty: split the track, delete the unliked section, create new section, merge the tracks.

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Alfonico ●

Hello

I possibly misunderstand the issue, but I do not see where is the problem mentioned.

If I am not completely beside the issue, the following could be perhaps of help for the users above.

From at least version 3.19.0, once a route is created and saved, it only has the waypoints that were manually made when the user created the route. There are no additional points on the saved track.

If the user wants to edit or delete or insert a point, the procedure that I use is the following one (works on manually created or GPS recorded tracks, even long ones):

Visualize the track on the map.

Tap on the track.

Select "Edit on map". A task bar for track edition pops up at the bottom of the screen. The active waypoint is the one where the track was tapped. It is possible to change this active waypoint with the arrows.

Once on the desired waypoint, to edit delete or insert, click on the button with a wrench icon. There many options. To edit or insert, select "insert/edit trackpoint".

The track shows now the waypoints in green and additional intermediate points in red. These can be dragged hence achieving edition or insertion.

To use the edition options rather than the dragging option, long click on the desired waypoint, and select "edit". The "SELECT LOCATION" window pops up with the usual options (GPS, select on map, points, coordinates, projection, etc...). Up to version 3.21.0 the option "select on map was buggy (see the topic "Locus 3.19.0: track point location modification possible glitch"), but from version 3.21.0 this has been corrected.

I hope this helps.

Merry Xmass and happy new year to all.

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Alan Budden ●

Hi Alfonico

I might be missing something but I've just tried this (with my own understanding of the issue) and I couldn't get it to work.

What I did was:

1. Select "Add new route and measure"

2. Click the third icon (a zig-zag line and a "turn right" arrow) to enable route computation (I have it configured for "YOURS" routing)

3. Press the plus icon

4. Move to a new location and press the plus icon

5. Move to a new location and press the plus icon

I now have a route with three (green) control points with pink direct lines (with red mid-points) joining them and a blue line following roads between those points.

6. Press the tick icon and give it a name

7. Tap the track

8. Select "Edit on map"

Expected behaviour now is that I have the route as at step 5 and I can move any of the three green control points or the red mid-points and the route will be updated appropriately. Actual behaviour (as of version 3.20.1) is that I have a blue route with blue control points on all of the junctions on the route but I can't edit it in the way I expect.

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Alfonico ●

Hello Alan.

All OK up to point 8.

You cannot move the points at this point.

You must tap on the wrench icon that appears on the tool bar that has appeared at the bottom of the screen. A menu with a lot of options will appear.

Select "Insert/edit trackpoint".

Then you are back to your 3 green points and 2 red points, and you can drag any of them. If you drag a red point it will become green and additional red points will appear on each side of this new green point.

When you are done editing, tap the tick mark at the top of the screen.

You will then be back to your point 8.

To get out of the edition, tap on the X at the bottom of the screen.

Regards

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Andrew Heard ●

Your map editing experience is also influenced by a number of settings which may vary from user to user. I have BRouter selected as the compute engine. This results in blue "points" at turns along your route. Any green and red points you mentioned are no longer displayed once the track is saved. Also, if you have offline address data, and "address display" enabled, then a long tap on any of these points will result in popup label with address of the position instead of possibility to move that point.

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Alan Budden ●

I can confirm Andrew Heard's experience. I have YOURS selected as the compute engine. When I click the spanner icon and select "Insert/edit trackpoint", I get two green points and a mid-red point on one of the (very short) sections between turnings - no relationship at all to the original 3 green points from when the route was created.

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Bucky Kid ●

Now, when track editor has been improved, is this feature still considerable?

Allowing routing service in track edit mode that would apply between any moved/inserted waypoint and it's neighbours should be sufficient and effective (cut off any part of edited saved track is relative easy), together with auto recompute the segment of cut off part (if enabled). IMO the implementation is very easy.

Also the new style of editing track could be adapted to edit mode - remove the pink line between adjacent waypoints and just tap anywhere on the track to insert new point.

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Menion ●

Good day guys,

any news here? Hmm .. suggest to try latest 3.25.2 Beta version ( just uploaded on Google Play ).

Have a nice weekend.

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Bucky Kid ●

That looks really promising. Will track planner and track editor in future stay separated? I think they would be better unified into one function. Here's couple of remarks to the route planner:

- In opened route planner for once saved track (computed) with inserted middlepoints I get some error messages about computing the route, inserted middlepoints aren't shown and Locus draws two different paths, one ignoring the middlepoints and one taking middlepoints into account. After closing the planner the middlepoints do count.

- please make the red handler for inserting middlepoints easier to find, and possibly for long computed segments, offer more them to avoid excessive zooming and moving through the map

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Menion ●

Thanks for feedback.

Michal also asked me if I plan to merge them, but on one side, they have something in common, on second side, they both serve different purpose. Editor is made mainly to after edit or recorded track, where you needs to do some fine-tunning. Route planner on second side is for creating new routes/tracks.

I still think, that merging will be only confusing because of huge number of features on a single place.

You issues

- two tracks ... maybe one is original track you used to "Add to route planner"? Should not be visible then, agree.

- middle points .. here comes a problem. In final saved track are stored only via points ( points in planner marked with blue dot now ), but not "configuration points" ( points marked with green color ). So it is not possible to restored these green points. What I plan is an option to insert these "green points" where you need on existing route.

- red points ... because even red, green and blue dots are not clearly visible, I plan to prepare for them some smaller, a lot better visible icons

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Alan Budden ●

Hi Menion,

Thanks so much for giving this feature some love: for me it's the thing that would make Locus the ultimate app and stop me needing to go back to web page services when I'm travelling.

For what it's worth, if there is any way that the final saved track can store the "configuration points" so they can be restored when editing, then this would be be so much better. I realise that probably requires a fairly significant change to what metadata is stored, but I thought it was worth giving my vote anyway.

Thanks again for the best app on the Google Play store.

Al

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Bucky Kid ●

Thanks menion for explaining, I understand the concept of two different modes, it has some logic.

To better demonstrate the issue with missing middlepoints (configuration points), I attach a short screen capture showing it. My thought is that once I drag the red handler point and place a configuration point anywhere between existing via points, it should be stored as regular via point (added by the + button), because it's essentially via point, just placed in different order. If I manually alter the path of computed route, then default computed variant without the control points (on screen drawn as solid line) should not be showed anymore - just my view how it should work.

https://goo.gl/photos/fGSMUb1C9Z7z5cis6

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Andrew Heard ●

@menion said "Route planner on second side is for creating new routes/tracks."

...but as we see in 3.25.1.5 it is now possible to invoke the Route planner with an existing track. So the separation of functions becomes more blurred. Try existing track > Modify track, or existing track > Route planner.

I like the new functionality (although its a work in progress) and does seem to be progressing in a logical manner:

use Route planner for new or existing tracks to modify at a "high level" including rubberbanding of the track. This satisfies Alan's suggestion;
use Track editor for editing existing tracks to modify at a "low level" with point-by-point control.

However I also feel like the two modes could or should be merged. The distinction seems unnecessary.

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zossebart ●

@Bucky Kid:

I don't agree, the configuration points should not be stored as a via points!

Reason is: via points are used in point priority recalculation! If all configuration points are treated as via points, recalculation would be messed up!

However, I support the idea of saving the configuration points (green) IN ADDITION to the via/priority points (blue) with the track (maybe also in exported gpx?). This way it would be much easier to edit an already completed track later!

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Ype Poortinga ●

There is a http://www.afstandmeten.nl/index.php?lang=uk you can upload a gpx, maintain it and export to KML GPX

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Jan-Gerard van der Toorn ●

The route editor is very good, but I miss one feature: to undo dragging a control point (red or green dot). Sometimes, more often than I like, I drag a control point by accident while I intend to pan the map. The routeplanner adds a point, and recalculates the route. I can delete the point, but then the section is recalculated again. This is not a problem for fully autorouted routes or routes that are point-to-point, but for mixed routes (with some autorouted sections and some direct lines because there was no proper junctions connnection on the map of the autorouting server), it messes up my route.

This is where a simple UNDO button would help a lot, to undo dragging the control point. At least, I would appreciate that a lot.

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Menion ●

Good day Jan,

undo/redo feature is already implemented in latest Beta version. We are currently working on new route planner experience. It's planned to be published till end of year so stay tuned ;).

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Menion ● ●

Good day,

I'm glad to announce, that after few months of testing/playing/discussing etc. in latest 3.26 version of Locus Map app, we introduce new "Route planner" screen, that allows this desired feature > re-loading already saved route into this planner for later modifications. For tracks created before this new version, usually only start/end points will be correctly loaded. For best usage, it is needed to load routes created also with this latest Locus Map version. Hope you will enjoy it.

For new ideas related to new route planner, please use correct tag "route planner". Your idea then appear here: http://help.locusmap.eu/search/tag%3Aroute+planner . Of course, most wanted ( as usually ) is voting ( also negative votes! ) to existing ideas instead of creating new! Thanks all.

URL

Edit a route after saving (or importing) it

Replies (13)