Provide more space for 'Creators Notes' and make these HTML

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• Martyn Sandford   Monday 17 Apr 2017 08:53:59

  Now that the 'Creators Notes' can be printed out as part of the cover sheet, there would be benefit in making the field larger and enabling it to be formatted, i.e., as HTML. The editor available for creating these Forum notes could then be used to maintain the 'Creators Notes' field also.

  While the ability to add highlights (bold/italics/bullets etc) would be useful, the main benefit in HTML would be access to active, i.e., clickable, links.  These could be used in many ways:

  • To provide a link to an event organiser's website to give quick access to, e.g., registration/joining details.
  • To link to transport information such as train/bus timetables or car parking locations.
  • To link to other Plotaroute routes to provide easy access to follow-on or alternative routes.  (See feature requests 55 and 17 which have requested this and recieved significant numbers of votes.)
  • To link to websites for cafes/pubs or overnight accommodation.

  For example, the following text might appear:

  "Follow route 12345 <link> to return to the start a different way or you can catch a No.99 bus - timetable here <link> - from outside the village store. If you wish to stay over-night, accommodation is available at the ABC Inn <link>."

  An additional benefit of HTML would be the ability to embed images.  These could be used to:

  • Show a charity or organiser's logo.
  • Post a plan of the event marshalling area to show the location of check-in desks, refreshment points, toilets etc.
  • Post a plan of the area near the start to show transport set-down points, car parking or refreshment opportunities.

  All in all, this one, fairly self-contained modification, has the potential to enable significant functionality.

• Martyn Sandford   Monday 09 Dec 2019 21:15:27

  Hi John,

  I'm returning to argue for this upgrade once more.

  It would be useful if the text editors were all the same and all (like this post editor) HTML.

  By 'all' I mean:

  • Direction text
  • Route information text
  • Forum posts
  • Comments editor
  • Annotation editor (OK there's no text but it would be useful to have it)

  They could all operate the same giving consistency for the route creator, the route user and you, the developer.

  I gave some reasons in my earlier post but, today, I've been working on a 'tree walk' in my neighbourhood (ID 969360).  I'm using the directions both for the intended purpose and to say somehting about the trees.  I'd love to be able to put the name of the tree in bold (and its latin name in italics).  When there is information on the web about the tree, it would be great to be able to add a link. And finally, I would like to put similar information into an off-route annotation.

  You have added some great functionality but there would be nothing lost if it was consistent across the various instances.  For example, annotations have a 'reposition' option but there is no way to drag a direction to a new location on the route when it's plotted in the wrong place.  The only way seems to be to copy the text to the clipboard, delete the old a recreate the new along with re-adding symbols and photos.

  Just some thoughts.  Happy to give more detail if it would be useful.

• plotaroute admin   Tuesday 10 Dec 2019 08:45:29

  Hi Martyn,

  Thanks for this. I do understand how this would be useful but migrating our route notes from text to HTML would be much more complicated than you would imagine.  There are also lots of other issues to consider, not least the potential for spam. Sadly spam content has become a growing issue that we are constantly battling against and while it is mangeable for us to monitor this on the route comments, I'm not sure it would be for the route notes, as the volume is so much bigger. We will keep this idea in mind though as we continue to develop the site, as I agree it would be very nice to be able to include more just text in the route notes.

  On the other point about repositioning directions, that one should be a bit eaiser for us to address.  I'll put it on the list and see what we can do.

  John

• Martyn Sandford   Tuesday 10 Dec 2019 12:49:52

  Hello John,

  Thanks for the prompt response. I understand. Sometimes changes can have wider implications than might first be apparent.  Isn't it sad when those who have selfish ends in mind make life so difficult!?

  If you are able to make updates short of a change to HTML, I would request:

  • Harmonising of directions and annotations, i.e., same features/editor(?) for both
  • A bigger box for editing the text (it's a tiny window if there is anything more than simply "turn left" to write)
  • The ability to drag directions around (may be even off the route, i.e., to become annotations?)

  The ability to drag directions around could provide a workaround for them getting deleted when reploting a section of route. Directions at risk of being deleted could be dragged to a 'safe' part of the route and then dragged back into place once reploting is complete.

  Best regards,

  Martyn

   

• plotaroute admin   Wednesday 11 Dec 2019 08:39:24

  Hi Martyn,

  When you say "A bigger box for editing the text" are you referring to the box to enter directions?  This shows 4 lines of text, so much more than just "turn left".  Maybe I've misunderstood which one you're referring to?
  
  By "annotations" I assume you're referring to the text labels you can add to maps.  We wouldn't be able to lengthen these I'm afraid, as they a short out of necessity for design reasons.

  I've added "Develop a way to reposition directions" to out To Do list!

  John

• Martyn Sandford   Wednesday 11 Dec 2019 12:36:34

  Hello John,

  I understated my case.  :-)  The text I'm wanting to edit is often significantly more than "turn left".  If you take a look at the route I've been working on you will see many exapmples of quite lengthy entries in the text area of the direction.

  https://www.plotaroute.com/route/969360?units=miles

  With regard to annotations, could the text not simply pop-up when one hovers, as it does for directions?

  Martyn

• plotaroute admin   Thursday 12 Dec 2019 08:33:31

  It's great to see routes that make use of lots of the website's features as you've done. I can see what you mean by the length of the notes you're adding. We'll look at adding an option to expand the directions text input box in the same way as you can with the route notes when you save a route. This should allow you to see much more of the notes as you enter them.

  We'll put the other suggestion on the list too. We could possibly add a tooltip field in addition to the label title, which would only be shown when you hover over the label or symbol. We do have a very very large number of suggestions to consider though, so I can't promise when this might be done.

  John

• Martyn Sandford   Sunday 22 Dec 2019 15:12:46

  John,

  Pending a potential update, do you have any suggestions for a workaround for modifying a section of a route without loosing its directions?  I'm wanting to make a minor change to the route I'm working on (969360) but it inolves a section with three directions attached to it.  They all have a significant amount of text, a specific symbol and a photo. I know there are at least two ways to modify a route but, as far as I can see, they both involving loosing the directions in their entirity... or am I missing somehting?

  (Apologies, I've strayed off the main topic of this post.  Do paste to a new topic if appropriate.)

  Martyn

• plotaroute admin   Tuesday 24 Dec 2019 07:28:57

  I can't think of a workaround Martyn, sorry. You'd need to copy the notes text somewhere like a text editor and then paste it back once you've amended that secrion of the route. If you're moving the point on the route though, wouldn't notes/directions no longer apply? If you're not moving the point, you can use the replot or reshape tools to alter the sections befoire or after the point.  Or am I missing something?

  John

• Martyn Sandford   Tuesday 24 Dec 2019 09:01:53

  Hi John,

  Basically, I've put the direction in the wrong place so I need to move it to the right place adjusting the route slightly as I do so.

  Best wishes of the season,

  Martyn