TTS voice instructions in Guidance mode not always willing to talk
Hi,
I have noticed an issue regarding guidance voice in GUIDANCE mode on Locus 3.20.1 and earlier versions. As I can recall, the issue is present on Locus for some time, a year or more. Here it is:
I prepare a route in GPSies web site on my PC, transfer it in Locus and load it from Map items screen. I don't import the route. Then I start Guidance mode with TTS voice instructions and I start recording.
What I have noticed is that sometimes the voice doesn't want to talk and keeps silent, either, for the whole trip/route or just a part of the trip.
Voice silent for the whole route/trip:
This is especially true and appears often (approximately in 30% of cases) if I start guidance mode when my current position is before the starting route point of the route (regardless of how many meters) or even after the starting route point but close to it (approximately from 0 to 30 m after the point). In that case, the voice doesn't start talking at all, from the very begging of the route. Furthermore, in that case, there is no way to force it to talk again for a longer period of time, hours and hours, even a day. An example of such a route with the corresponding recorded track is shown on the attached image A1.
I have tried everything possible to revive the voice: restart the route, restart the guidance, restart Locus, clear Locus cache, kill the task, restart the phone, reinstall Locus, reinstall previous version of Locus. No way to bring the voice instructions back and for that trip/route/day you are simply out of lack. On the next day, on a new route, the voice is back again by itself and you are again happy. It seems that Locus/voice somehow keeps memory of what (stupid) thing I did and punishes me by not talking instructions.
I really appreciate very much or better to say I am in love with the voice instructions in Guidance mode, either if I am hiking or biking. Particularly, if I am biking through a forest/wilderness with many turns and crossroads. It is much easier and helpful to listen to the voice than keep looking on the screen.
Question No. 1: is it possible to make that Locus, somehow detects that my position is before starting route point and doesn't attempt to start guidance instructions until I have passed the point ? If this question doesn't make sense for you, then, is there some other solution ?
Voice silent for a part of the route/trip:
There is also an additional issue with the TTS voice instructions in GUIDANCE mode. Let's imagine I am en route which I prepared in GPSies, and I have activated recording and TTS voice instructions in GUIDANCE mode. The route which I have drawn, is a two-way or a forward-and-backward route. To be clear enough, that means, the route is drawn from starting route point forward up to the ending route point and then backward in the opposite direction following the same path to the starting route point (see attached image B1).
When the guidance voice starts talking instructions, it works fine if I pass the whole route and visit all the route points, including the ending route point.
The problem is if I decide to go back before I pass all the way forward to the ending route point. In such an instance, Locus notifies me, with beeps, that I am out of route and afterwards, often (approximately in 50% of cases), the voice doesn't talk instructions at all on the way back to the ending route point. If that happened, I succeed sometimes (approximately in 50% of cases), in forcing Locus/voice to talk instructions again, by restarting the guidance mode and/or Locus (once or several times). An additional example of a similar, problematic route is shown on the attached image B2.
Of course, if I have a simple route, like the one shown by image B1, I can draw the route in just one direction. When I go back, I just activate reverse route guidance and I avoid the problem. However, if the route is a little bit more complex, and usually it is, like the one shown by image B2, the problem remains.
So, question No. 2: is it possible to make that Locus, when it detects my backward movement along the route (i.e. before I have reached the ending route point or before the farthest route point), assume that I have abandoned the rest of the route/trip and reverse guidance. I presume that Locus can decide on whether I have abandoned the rest of the route in three ways:
1. automatically by hard-coding a distance back (i.e. 200 m),
2. by detecting that my movement back has exceeded a value in user setting,
3. by asking the user (on-screen message/question plus a voice warning) whether she/he wants to abandon the rest of the route. Maybe there is some other solution ?
I have not tested above issues in Navigation mode, so I don't know if there is the same problem.
I have tested the issues on two different devices: LG G2 - D802, on android 4.4.2 and LG Optimus L7 II, on android 4.1.2. Exactly the same Locus settings on both devices.
From my viewpoint, those issues are of high importance since I am often in wilderness and always use Locus guidance mode. This is the reason why have I written a long story above.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
The same problem 
Hi Svjetlana.
Item 3: by asking the user (on-screen message/question plus a voice warning) whether she/he wants to abandon the rest of the route. Maybe there is some other solution ?
Locus navigation somehow recognizes a user return, not completing a track. Also have a look at app "Track Navigator". In TN a mobile user can change his track position with "Adjust Progress" function Behind or Ahead Button, changes are indicated by track color changes. Simple to use, more info at : http://www.thunkmonkey.com/ - Track Navigator tips. I hope helps to formulate a Locus proposal that works for you ? I had a similar question before until I found a Locus navigation solution that worked for me. As I did not use this function for a while, and many changes in Locus versions I can not confirm if still functional. http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/adjust-position-progress-function-any-similar-solution-in-locus-agree-rarely-needed
Hi Svjetlana.
Item 3: by asking the user (on-screen message/question plus a voice warning) whether she/he wants to abandon the rest of the route. Maybe there is some other solution ?
Locus navigation somehow recognizes a user return, not completing a track. Also have a look at app "Track Navigator". In TN a mobile user can change his track position with "Adjust Progress" function Behind or Ahead Button, changes are indicated by track color changes. Simple to use, more info at : http://www.thunkmonkey.com/ - Track Navigator tips. I hope helps to formulate a Locus proposal that works for you ? I had a similar question before until I found a Locus navigation solution that worked for me. As I did not use this function for a while, and many changes in Locus versions I can not confirm if still functional. http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/adjust-position-progress-function-any-similar-solution-in-locus-agree-rarely-needed
Hi Willy,
Thanks for your comment.
Yes, Locus somehow recognizes a user's movement backward and in most cases the guidance voice works fine and as expected. Yesterday, I have passed a semi-circular-shaped route with my two devices and both of them worked perfectly.
For testing purpose, I have activated the guidance mode on one of my devices 1 km before the starting route point. Locus correctly detected when I have approached and passed the point and started talking instructions afterwards.
Furthermore, intentionally, I have abandoned a part of my planned route and returned back before I reached the ending route point. Again, Locus correctly detected my intention to go back and guided me in opposite direction.
Even more, on a part of my trip yesterday I have intentionally deviated from the planned route for a kilometer or so. Locus, again detected my deviation, notified me by beeps and later on when I returned back to the route, continued the voice guidance correctly.
So, yesterday (as usual) the voice worked fine. However, this is not the case always, as I wrote previously. For example, for two days before yesterday, on some other routes, I had problems and in the mean time I haven't changed any settings. Voice on one of my devices didn't want to start talking at all for the whole route/trip. On the other device, the voice was dead after I abandoned the last part of the route. As I wrote previously, that was not the first time this happened.
As I said, I don't know how it works in navigation mode. This mode I use in car and seems all works just fine. However, I found guidance mode much more convenient to use when moving in lower speeds in wilderness, when either hiking or biking.
To those three possible ways in which Locus can decide on whether I have abandoned the rest of the route, I could add the fourth way (as Willy commented above):
4. Locus doesn't detect my movement (or it detects the movement but keeps silent). The user is the one who, when he/she wants to abandon the rest (or a part) of the route, selects from an onscreen menu (or tap on an onscreen button) that he/she wants to do that. Please note, that such a possibility is not the same as REVERSE GUIDANCE MODE which is already implemented in Locus. Reverse guidance mode is OK when the user goes along a simple, one-direction route. However, when the user is en route along a more complex route, like the one shown on the image B2 above, then the reverse guidance mode doesn't have a sense.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hi Willy,
Thanks for your comment.
Yes, Locus somehow recognizes a user's movement backward and in most cases the guidance voice works fine and as expected. Yesterday, I have passed a semi-circular-shaped route with my two devices and both of them worked perfectly.
For testing purpose, I have activated the guidance mode on one of my devices 1 km before the starting route point. Locus correctly detected when I have approached and passed the point and started talking instructions afterwards.
Furthermore, intentionally, I have abandoned a part of my planned route and returned back before I reached the ending route point. Again, Locus correctly detected my intention to go back and guided me in opposite direction.
Even more, on a part of my trip yesterday I have intentionally deviated from the planned route for a kilometer or so. Locus, again detected my deviation, notified me by beeps and later on when I returned back to the route, continued the voice guidance correctly.
So, yesterday (as usual) the voice worked fine. However, this is not the case always, as I wrote previously. For example, for two days before yesterday, on some other routes, I had problems and in the mean time I haven't changed any settings. Voice on one of my devices didn't want to start talking at all for the whole route/trip. On the other device, the voice was dead after I abandoned the last part of the route. As I wrote previously, that was not the first time this happened.
As I said, I don't know how it works in navigation mode. This mode I use in car and seems all works just fine. However, I found guidance mode much more convenient to use when moving in lower speeds in wilderness, when either hiking or biking.
To those three possible ways in which Locus can decide on whether I have abandoned the rest of the route, I could add the fourth way (as Willy commented above):
4. Locus doesn't detect my movement (or it detects the movement but keeps silent). The user is the one who, when he/she wants to abandon the rest (or a part) of the route, selects from an onscreen menu (or tap on an onscreen button) that he/she wants to do that. Please note, that such a possibility is not the same as REVERSE GUIDANCE MODE which is already implemented in Locus. Reverse guidance mode is OK when the user goes along a simple, one-direction route. However, when the user is en route along a more complex route, like the one shown on the image B2 above, then the reverse guidance mode doesn't have a sense.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Thanks for some extra experience info. Yes, agree, Locus indeed sometimes behaves as the weather forecast :-( Track colour change in combination with the blue next to visit waypoint in TN, no guessing what is going to happen next . Simple clear good and functional.
Thanks for some extra experience info. Yes, agree, Locus indeed sometimes behaves as the weather forecast :-( Track colour change in combination with the blue next to visit waypoint in TN, no guessing what is going to happen next . Simple clear good and functional.
Hello Svjetlana & Willy,
I just wants to inform You both, that I have this topic marked as "do something with it", together with four emails from Willy related to this topic, but I still miss enough power to start reading such loooooong texts ... :). More texts == longer time I need to start do something with it, sorry.
Hello Svjetlana & Willy,
I just wants to inform You both, that I have this topic marked as "do something with it", together with four emails from Willy related to this topic, but I still miss enough power to start reading such loooooong texts ... :). More texts == longer time I need to start do something with it, sorry.
To say, for me in standard navigation mode (no strict) works as before and ok.
Locus has multiple combination settings, can't be shown in sms style message ;-)
Only one combination reported as an issue. No research ? No problem.
To say, for me in standard navigation mode (no strict) works as before and ok.
Locus has multiple combination settings, can't be shown in sms style message ;-)
Only one combination reported as an issue. No research ? No problem.
Hello Menion & Willy,
Thank you both for your comments on the topic. Yes, I am aware that I wrote a book above, however, as Willy noticed, it is not easy to be short on words sometimes. Certainly, there should always be a balance between "being clear enough" and "being short enough".
Anyway, I am sure, Menion, that you will "do something with it" once you find a time.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hello Menion & Willy,
Thank you both for your comments on the topic. Yes, I am aware that I wrote a book above, however, as Willy noticed, it is not easy to be short on words sometimes. Certainly, there should always be a balance between "being clear enough" and "being short enough".
Anyway, I am sure, Menion, that you will "do something with it" once you find a time.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Good day Svjetlana,
let's move with this old issue little bit. I had two reasons why I have such delay here. Firstly I consider this as hard to simulate and fix, so I hoped for some additional information that may appear. But secondly, in few versions before, I was just fixing one bigger problem with TTS voice, that was terminated by system. In latest Locus Map versions, in case there is expected TTS output that is not hear in this end, Locus tries automatically to restart whole TTS system running on background.
So my question, did you tried Guidance + TTS with latest Locus Map versions in the field? If so, same experience?
Thank you.
Good day Svjetlana,
let's move with this old issue little bit. I had two reasons why I have such delay here. Firstly I consider this as hard to simulate and fix, so I hoped for some additional information that may appear. But secondly, in few versions before, I was just fixing one bigger problem with TTS voice, that was terminated by system. In latest Locus Map versions, in case there is expected TTS output that is not hear in this end, Locus tries automatically to restart whole TTS system running on background.
So my question, did you tried Guidance + TTS with latest Locus Map versions in the field? If so, same experience?
Thank you.
Hello Menion,
Sorry for delay in reply, but I was somewhat very busy with my job recently. However, I am back now.
Yes, I have tested in the mean time Guidance + TTS in Locus 3.21. I have passed/hiking many different routes in the off-road field, more than 15.
The Guidance + TTS in the mentioned version of Locus worked perfectly. I tried various stupid things (i.e. starting guidance mode 2 km before route starting point, while I am still driving the car, etc.) to provoke Locus to make mistake. However, Locus/Guidance/TTS just kept working perfectly.
The thing is that, you have changed something in the latest version (Locus 3.22.0) and the TTS again doesn't work correctly. In the last two days I have passed two different routes. One of them is attached below. Also, I attach here my Locus settings.
Although not exactly the same, the issue now is more related to the following topic:
http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/guidance-voice-incorrectly-states-number-of-meters-before-next-turn
Now, the TTS voice talks instructions (doesn't keep silent) but activates approximately 10 meters after I have passed a turn. Moreover, the voice than talks some funny small numbers, i.e. after 0.1m or after 0.5m or 2m bear/turn left/right.
It seems the voice now doesn't respect "Set next trackpoint" parameter which is in my case set to 100m.
I have tested these, with my both devices (specified in previous discussions).
Furthermore, I have one question, which is not related to above problems: When I change "settings-guidance-advanced settings-number of alerts" from Low to Medium to High, I am not able to hear any difference in number of TTS alerts/instructions per route. Even, if I set "Notify on every trackpoint", it seems to me, always approximately the same number of alerts for a route. I would sometimes like the TTS giving me instructions more often.
For example, I have tested this on the route attached bellow, in parallel with my both devices working on the same time, with different settings in "number of alerts". TTS on both devices talked exactly the same number of alerts (approximately 25 alerts/instructions for the route of 8.6 km). The same behavior I noticed on many other routes with previous versions of Locus. Is there something I am missing in the settings ?
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hello Menion,
Sorry for delay in reply, but I was somewhat very busy with my job recently. However, I am back now.
Yes, I have tested in the mean time Guidance + TTS in Locus 3.21. I have passed/hiking many different routes in the off-road field, more than 15.
The Guidance + TTS in the mentioned version of Locus worked perfectly. I tried various stupid things (i.e. starting guidance mode 2 km before route starting point, while I am still driving the car, etc.) to provoke Locus to make mistake. However, Locus/Guidance/TTS just kept working perfectly.
The thing is that, you have changed something in the latest version (Locus 3.22.0) and the TTS again doesn't work correctly. In the last two days I have passed two different routes. One of them is attached below. Also, I attach here my Locus settings.
Although not exactly the same, the issue now is more related to the following topic:
http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/guidance-voice-incorrectly-states-number-of-meters-before-next-turn
Now, the TTS voice talks instructions (doesn't keep silent) but activates approximately 10 meters after I have passed a turn. Moreover, the voice than talks some funny small numbers, i.e. after 0.1m or after 0.5m or 2m bear/turn left/right.
It seems the voice now doesn't respect "Set next trackpoint" parameter which is in my case set to 100m.
I have tested these, with my both devices (specified in previous discussions).
Furthermore, I have one question, which is not related to above problems: When I change "settings-guidance-advanced settings-number of alerts" from Low to Medium to High, I am not able to hear any difference in number of TTS alerts/instructions per route. Even, if I set "Notify on every trackpoint", it seems to me, always approximately the same number of alerts for a route. I would sometimes like the TTS giving me instructions more often.
For example, I have tested this on the route attached bellow, in parallel with my both devices working on the same time, with different settings in "number of alerts". TTS on both devices talked exactly the same number of alerts (approximately 25 alerts/instructions for the route of 8.6 km). The same behavior I noticed on many other routes with previous versions of Locus. Is there something I am missing in the settings ?
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
In my previous message, when I said Guidance + TTS worked perfectly, I meant in both Locus versions: 3.21.0. and 3.21.1.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
In my previous message, when I said Guidance + TTS worked perfectly, I meant in both Locus versions: 3.21.0. and 3.21.1.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hello Svjetlana,
complicated life of developer working on over-complicated source code for guidance/navigation.
Thanks for precise description. I made quick hot-fix with hope, it will help. I'll need to update it more precisely later ...
EDIT: btw. i'm glad that main problem with not working TTS is solved. This seems to be different issue, as you correctly mentioned, introduced in latest 3.22.0 version. 3.22.1 is just in preparation.
Hello Svjetlana,
complicated life of developer working on over-complicated source code for guidance/navigation.
Thanks for precise description. I made quick hot-fix with hope, it will help. I'll need to update it more precisely later ...
EDIT: btw. i'm glad that main problem with not working TTS is solved. This seems to be different issue, as you correctly mentioned, introduced in latest 3.22.0 version. 3.22.1 is just in preparation.
Hi Menion,
I am glad to assist and will check the new version/s.
Thanks for your quick response.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
I am glad to assist and will check the new version/s.
Thanks for your quick response.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
Just one more thing I have noticed:
Sometimes (accidentally), when the Audio coach is ON and the TTS guidance is ON at the same time, it may happen that one alert/instruction come at the same or nearly the same time as the other one, and overlap each another.
This happened to me, twice yesterday with Locus vers. 3.22.0 and twice the day before yesterday with vers. 3.21.1.
In that situation, since the TTS guidance has precedence over the other alert (as I have noticed), the TTS voice just cut the Audio coach alert. So, the Audio coach cannot be heard completely.
If one alert/instruction would wait for the other to finish and come with even additional few seconds delay, for the user to be able to distinguish the two alerts/instructions ... ...
Best Regards, Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
Just one more thing I have noticed:
Sometimes (accidentally), when the Audio coach is ON and the TTS guidance is ON at the same time, it may happen that one alert/instruction come at the same or nearly the same time as the other one, and overlap each another.
This happened to me, twice yesterday with Locus vers. 3.22.0 and twice the day before yesterday with vers. 3.21.1.
In that situation, since the TTS guidance has precedence over the other alert (as I have noticed), the TTS voice just cut the Audio coach alert. So, the Audio coach cannot be heard completely.
If one alert/instruction would wait for the other to finish and come with even additional few seconds delay, for the user to be able to distinguish the two alerts/instructions ... ...
Best Regards, Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
I have tested in the past two days, on two different routes, the TTS instructions in GUIDANCE mode of Locus vers. 3.22.1.
I can confirm that the TTS now is "back to normal", meaning it respects the "Set next trackpoint" parameter. Thanks for the quick solution to the issue.
However, I have noticed again the issue I wrote in my last message above: Audio coach alerts and TTS guidance instructions interfere with each other. I started to use Audio coach some ten days ago and immediately, on the first trip, noticed the issue. It is strange to me that no one reported it before. I have set the Audio coach alerts every 2km/walking and 4km/cycling, so not very often. For example, on a route of 12km, it happens once or even twice, almost regularly, that the two alerts/instructions come at the same time, cutting each other.
So, the obvious solution would be for one alert/instruction to detect and wait the other one to finish.
IMPORTANT: I tested all above in GUIDANCE mode only. I don't know how it works (Audio coach and TTS instructions together) and whether there is the same issue in NAVIGATION mode.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
I have tested in the past two days, on two different routes, the TTS instructions in GUIDANCE mode of Locus vers. 3.22.1.
I can confirm that the TTS now is "back to normal", meaning it respects the "Set next trackpoint" parameter. Thanks for the quick solution to the issue.
However, I have noticed again the issue I wrote in my last message above: Audio coach alerts and TTS guidance instructions interfere with each other. I started to use Audio coach some ten days ago and immediately, on the first trip, noticed the issue. It is strange to me that no one reported it before. I have set the Audio coach alerts every 2km/walking and 4km/cycling, so not very often. For example, on a route of 12km, it happens once or even twice, almost regularly, that the two alerts/instructions come at the same time, cutting each other.
So, the obvious solution would be for one alert/instruction to detect and wait the other one to finish.
IMPORTANT: I tested all above in GUIDANCE mode only. I don't know how it works (Audio coach and TTS instructions together) and whether there is the same issue in NAVIGATION mode.
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
Just an addition to above. Since the TTS guidance instructions, either in GUIDANCE and especially in NAVIGATION mode, are of higher importance than the Audio coach alerts, my opinion is that the Audio coach alerts should wait for the other one to finish. So, there would be sometimes, few seconds delay for the Audio coach.
(Again delay, sorry Taras: http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/audio-coach-reports-the-time-a-few-seconds-late)
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
Just an addition to above. Since the TTS guidance instructions, either in GUIDANCE and especially in NAVIGATION mode, are of higher importance than the Audio coach alerts, my opinion is that the Audio coach alerts should wait for the other one to finish. So, there would be sometimes, few seconds delay for the Audio coach.
(Again delay, sorry Taras: http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/audio-coach-reports-the-time-a-few-seconds-late)
Best Regards,
Svjetlana
Good day Svjetlana,
agree that priority of "Audio coach" should be lower that navigation & guidance commands. I've found method how to add "audio coach" information into queue, so they will play once navigation commands finish. On second side navigation commands will stop "audio coach" message. Thanks
Good day Svjetlana,
agree that priority of "Audio coach" should be lower that navigation & guidance commands. I've found method how to add "audio coach" information into queue, so they will play once navigation commands finish. On second side navigation commands will stop "audio coach" message. Thanks
Hi Menion,
Thank you very much for the solution and your consideration. You are the best.
Svjetlana
Hi Menion,
Thank you very much for the solution and your consideration. You are the best.
Svjetlana
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