New Maps on Mobile AppFORUMS HOME SEARCH FORUMS

Following our announcement last month about the introduction of Ordnance Survey and AccuTerra maps on the desktop route planner, we're pleased to announce that we've now rolled these maps out to our mobile app and desktop route viewer. The maps are available to Premium members and can be used when plotting or viewing routes in the UK or the US.

We've also upgraded our Locate Map feature in the route planner to accept Ordnance Survey Grid References, so you can now search the map using the standard OS grid reference format e.g. TQ 12345 67890.

Lastly, as part of this release we've tweaked the way that the Map Inspector works on our mobile route planner. Previously this was accessed by tapping the crosshair on the map, but some users were reporting that this was causing it to be triggered accidentally, so we've now changed this to require a double-tap.

For further information about Premium membership, please visit our Membership Options page.

Having the Ordnance Survey map to view whilst walking is very handy.  Now if I need to update the directions - and I can see exactly where I am on the map - the Map Inspector not only tells me the coordinates but also enable copying to the clipboard.   Very good !

Aah - except I can't see the Map Inspector on the mobile app ...

The Map Inspector can be accessed on the route planner in the mobile app - double-tap on the crosshair.  

Are you sure ?  Firstly, there is no crosshair on the Ordnance Survey map on my phone.  Secondly, while the other maps have the crosshair, double-tapping on it just zooms in closer ...

Am I missing something ?

Thanks Colin, we hadn't spotted that the crosshair was missing on the mobile route planner when using OS maps. The problem was caused by OS maps using a different map projection than all the other maps we use. We've put in an urgent fix for this, so it should be there now. The double-tapping issue is one we'll need to look into next week. This works fine on iPhones but there does seem to be a problem with it on Android devices.

We've implememted a fix for the problem with accessing the Map Inspector in the route planner on Android devices, so it should be working OK now.

OK - the Map Inspector now works when plotting on Ordnance Survey and others on my android phone.

I'm not sure how much I would use the app for walking, so it's best you listen to others' comments on how it is in practice, but something I imagine could be useful was being able to readily copy the coordinates in the Map Inspector, as you can on the desktop version. 

However, at the moment, the Map Inspector is only available in plotting mode.  If it were available in the View / Interactive  mode ie guiding through the route, and I wanted to make a note for next time about how to proceed from a specific location (which might or might not be quite on the plotted route), being able to copy and paste the coordinates to a notepad app would be handy.  Then I'd be able to edit the route later ...   Or maybe simply mark a point on the map with a number 1 - then mark number 2 etc - and make notes in reference to those numbers (assuming it saved the marks).

Or maybe not.  As I say, best to see what other think ...

Brilliant John. The addition of the OS maps is a big step forward. From your loyal distance horse traveller in Scotland. I did a 10 day / 200 mile ride round the Cairngorms in 2018 using Plotaroute challenge to share daily including photos. Loosely based on journeys on horse back done by Queen Victoria. I later learn a member of the royal family was following me on Plotaroute! So you have a royal user!

Thanks for sharing that story David. Good to hear you're still making good use of the site. We appreciate all loyal (and royal) users!

John

Hi, I see there's been an issue with double tapping the crosshairs to bring up the map inspector, which was addressed. I'm now able to get the map inspector dialogue with a double tap, but the box does not show the link to open Google maps, at the bottom, as I get when using PC. I'm running mobile android. Am I missing something please? Thank you. Colin

Hi Colin - we deliberately didn't add the Street View link to the Map Inspector in the mobile route planner, as we were worried that this could be clicked on accidentally and lead to people being swapped into another tab, as it would necessitate opening a new tab. We can certainly have a look at it though. 

No problems, could be useful, but I understand your concerns re swamped with tabs! I thought I was missing something

Thanks

Colin

Hi Admin.

I note from the thread below that one can (now) search for a grid reference in the Route Planner, so ... 

... for the mobile app, would there be any possibility of adding the grid reference (in all map categories) both:

1. immediately below the existing corresponding lat/long data at the top-left of the main menu's Map and Compass view;
2. in the Map Inspector text-panel data that appears when double-tapping the cross-hairs in the Route planner view?

I think this would be a very useful addition to your already-phenomenal app. Many thanks.

While I'm here, the graphic simplicity and navigation of your desktop and mobile sites is to be lauded. Keep up the great work.

Thanks

Mark

PS Re my comment immediately below, I note that requested item '2' is indeed available on the desktop site, but not on the mobile app, where it would be a very useful addition for, e.g., informing emergency services of one's location.

Thanks for the feedback Harp. I don't think we'd be able to do number1 but we'll add number 2 to the list.

Thanks, Admin.   I'm assuming that the Grid Ref would then appear in the Map Inspector through double-tapping the location blob in both the Map and Compass (no cross hairs) and Route Planning (cross-haired) views? Since my app defaults to the first of these upon opening, that'd be great, thanks.

While I'm here, is there a way that one's current location can appear as a blob (with the same tappable Map Inspector as above) on the View Route option? Doing this, rather than using the full Navigate Route, might be less demanding on the mobile-device battery?

Thanks, as always.

Thanks again for your feedback Harp.  I've added your suggestion of making the Map Inspector available on the Route Viewer and Compass Map pages to our Feature Requests list (number 147), where people can vote for it. As you can see, we have a very long list of requests, so I can't say when this might happen. Our focus right now is on the ones at the very top of the list!

Which of the OS map series are available on Premium?

Hi,

all maps included in premium account are detailed on this link. 

Kind regards