Database of favorites, routes, tracks and profiles

[devemux86]

Next version will store favorites, routes, tracks and profiles in app database.

• Rewritten from the ground up for improved performance and reduced memory usage

• New description field in favorites, routes and tracks
  (description also participates in the search)

• Tracks store all the available data and timestamps

• Profiles are activated with a new menu

• All changes are saved in real time

• Transfer to database will happen when next version first starts

Before updating the app, please BACKUP your favorites, routes, tracks and profiles!

[devemux86]

In addition to the new description field, please let me know if you have any other suggestions for more features.

[printmaps]

Suggestion for improvement: In addition to the various administrative data of a track (title, duration, distance, time, ...) it would also be useful to save a ‘small’ map (image, thumbnail) of the track. The image should then also become part of the user interface.

It is often much easier to identify the track from the image than from the textual description.

Example 700x700 pixel:

Example 150x150 pixel:

[Ciutnik]

With the new database, will it be possible to synchronize it between devices like it is now? I.e. will it be in a file accessible to other applications? I remember you mentioned that the Media directory may no longer be available in future versions of Android. Maybe at least a simple export/import to/from some cloud?

[Ciutnik]

Because cloud can also be used to synchronize website and app.

Aaa, the "Classic" version did not use the www service!

[devemux86]

@Ciutnik This is already available.
e.g. export all favorites to a zip, transfer zip via cloud to other device, import zip to restore the favorites.

[Ciutnik]

Yes, it's true, it can be done, but it's not as convenient as specifying the cloud as the backup location in the app 🙂
Not to mention "true" synchronization, ensuring your data is updated to the latest version with just one click. I will miss it at first until I change the habit 😉

[devemux86]

@Ciutnik App uses the Android browser. Doesn't it work with Google Drive in your device?

Here, I see Google Drive in Android browser. It must be selected in the left drawer menu.

[Ciutnik]

Here, I see Google Drive in Android browser.

Oh yeah, thanks for the reminder! 👍 I use a different file manager and have gotten used to something else.
If I lose the ability to sync, I'll look into other options. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the last to come to mind 😀

Edit: Now I know why I forgot about it. Google Drive didn't show up as a destination for saving data exported from Cruiser. I think it's because I don't use the (Google) Drive app! But I only had to run it once and the option appeared.

[MotoUKRider]

Is there a facility to mass-import routes (preferably a GPX) into "Routes" either now or as part of this new database? I've tried a ZIP of several GPX files but it does not produce any results.

I appreciate the current route import workflow requires that I open a GPX, let it be calculated and then save journey into the "route collections"... so perhaps it would be a lot of work to load, calculate, save/load, calculate, save etc for every GPX within a ZIP?

Scenario: Importing en-masse my routes from the computer so they are searchable within Cruiser App. I have my "Search" set to Favorites+Routes so by typing 2 or 3 letters I can pretty much navigate to anywhere I want. This approach (when coupled with results that are sorted by distance) is almost unbeatable.

However, the default file picker on my S20(v13) involves me spinning the page until I get to the first letter of interest (but did I file that route under W for Wales Trip or C for Camping in Wales?). The in-built search function in the file-picker is not great.

[devemux86]

@MotoUKRider You probably mean import GPX tracks and calculate routes from them?

A GPX track is not a route ready for navigation. We must first calculate a route from the track.
Check the result, as the calculated route can be different from the track,
adjust it with extra waypints and when we are happy with the result, save it.

[MotoUKRider]

@devemux86 Not tracks but, specifically, a GPX route exported from BaseCamp which can be loaded normally, calculated and (optionally) saved into Cruiser's Collections. Essentially, replicating what a user would do for one item, for as many GPX files inside the ZIP. I appreciate it would not give the opportunity to review the route, as ingesting many items into the system is the ultimate goal.

This is a (GPX eXchange Format) example of what I load into Cruiser - 99% of the time the route is obeyed within Cruiser/BRouter as I have applied ShapingPoints at the most ideal points, so rarely do any routing rules conflict with my planning...
Hartside Trip.gpx.txt

For a file with 15 "entries" in the route list (Start, End, 10 ShapingPoints and 3 Vias) it is considerably "bloated".

The only other really fancy way of solving this - and it may benefit others - is your own File/Open dialog with a Cruiser-style "search" function, ie: type 3 letters and any matching result from that folder (root\GPX in my case) is presented.

[devemux86]

Not tracks but, specifically, a GPX route exported from BaseCamp

@MotoUKRider This is still not a real route for navigation, it does not contain turn instructions.
You need to import it, calculate a route with the active options, check it, adjust it, then save it.

What you ask is a new feature: multi convert tracks into routes (with unknown results).
Please create a new thread to discuss it. 🙂

---

GPX can only have routes ready for navigation, if they are stored in navigation track format:
(supported by Cruiser)

• GPX TBT navigation track (offline) #250

[devemux86]

Do we need a separate setting per favorite route / track for their width?
(similar to the existing separate color setting per favorite route / track)

Now the track width can be set for all track overlays in Routing / Appearance settings.

[WolfgangZ42]

I'm using "dashed line" for overlays but "solid line" for GPS recording (with different widths).
Separate color is enough for me.

[Ciutnik]

I also used the dashed line, but for the current GPS track. But I think I can also give it up if it would have a positive effect on the stability, or readability of the application.

[devemux86]

In the next version there will be direction arrows also on the tracks so we can easily follow them.

The dashed lines will be removed as they cannot work reliably or see them clearly on the map.

[WolfgangZ42]

Sure there is room for optimization. And I'll get use to it, but again a comparision:

This is the planning stuff for the next adventure. For my opinion the solid track is easily confused with roads or rivers.

[devemux86]

The thing is we cannot have arrows and dashed lines.

Track color can be changed. Maybe we should not have blue as default track color?
Although it should be a default that can be seen clearly together with default magenta route color.

[Ciutnik]

For me personally, I think a dashed line is more important than an arrowed one. Maybe give a choice: either dashed OR continuous-arrowed (I find it hard to imagine that someone might be bothered by arrows, so would want a continuous one without arrows)? In other words, leave the choice as it is now and only add arrows to the continuous line.

The only risk is that people will simply start asking why this is so... 🙂

[devemux86]

I understand about the dashed lines, let me see what is possible. 🙂

[devemux86]

• Let's keep both the existing dash line option and the new Show direction arrows on tracks #711
  and you can enable what you need each time

[devemux86]

Database for favorites, routes, tracks and profiles is available in:

• Cruiser 5.3.0 Beta 12 #734

See the link for instructions.

[bios4]

E.g. to batch-delete them.

In the example right now I wanted to see how My collection would behave/look like when "starting from scratch" after a fresh install, to be able to properly describe the features for the Wiki. So I wondered that I had to delete all my existing (favorite) groups one-by-one...

I don't know how often that would be really required by users, though.

[devemux86]

I don't know how often that would be really required by users, though.

Exactly, as it's not a frequent workflow, better not to miss the convenience of opening a group by tapping.

[MotoUKRider]

My Favorites are imported via single ZIP contained 9 GPX files that I create using a master GPX (from BaseCamp) - the Waypoint names trigger my own splitter utility into creating: "Bike Venue", "Fuel", "Photo", "Ports" etc. By habit, I have routinely swiped-away the existing Groups ready for a fresh import. On a rare occasion, I have moved a Waypoint slightly and that would create a duplicate inside Cruiser.

A warning dialog when you're about to perform an unrecoverable action is wise, although I'm wondering if a disk-save icon and X buttons would work better for people to understand that they can "Save" whatever they've done as well as "Exit" without changes?

[bios4]

[...] better not to miss the convenience of opening a group by tapping.

As far as this convenience is available by swiping-right any group/folder, I don't see how the suggestion would make things more difficult. 😉

I'm wondering if a disk-save icon and X buttons would work better [...]

A/the disk-save icon was available in previous versions of Cruiser, but it seems it was decided to get rid of it.
I don't recall if we discussed this somewhere...

[devemux86]

Swipe is not as "visible" gesture in the lists. Press is the first gesture that all users make.

[devemux86]

• Database for favorites, routes, tracks and profiles is available in Cruiser 5.3.0 #757

See the link for instructions.