Jump to content

Release Notes (Website, Geocaching Classic iPhone app: Mapping updates) - July 8, 2016


Recommended Posts

Read previous Release Notes

 

Release Notes - July 8, 2016

 

Late last month, we announced that on July 11 our mapping provider will end support for the method we use to provide two mapping options on Geocaching.com, as well as OpenStreetMaps in the Geocaching Classic iPhone app.

 

The guidance we provided then regarding the Geocaching Classic iPhone app remains the same. You can read it here.

 

An update on Geocaching.com:

 


  •  

  • The test period with MapBox ends today. If your map preferences were set to one of the MapBox options during the test period, then they will revert to MapQuest OSM or MapQuest Aerial. (These are the same options which were in place prior to June 28, when the test period began.)
     
  • Sometime on Sunday, July 10, all Geocaching members whose maps are set to MapQuest OSM or MapQuest Aerial will switch to Google Maps.
     
  • Google Maps are typically only available to Premium Members. If you’re a Basic Member, woo-hoo, bonus! At least for a period of time as we continue testing.
     
  • As always, if you don’t like the new map, you can choose a different mapping option by going to View Geocache Map and clicking the Set Map Preferences button. Then tap the tile icon in the upper right corner of the map.

 

e1bcad6d-73ff-491b-8dd3-d6fb8f91249f.jpg

 

We’ll keep you updated as the test period continues.

 

David P from HQ’s Product Team will monitor this thread and answer questions when possible.

 

Any questions/comments should be related to features in this release. Any unrelated comments should be directed to other appropriate threads. Thank you!

Link to comment

  • Google Maps are typically only available to Premium Members. If you're a Basic Member, woo-hoo, bonus! At least for a period of time as we continue testing.

I can see a day when Google maps are the default for Basic members, but a good OSM-based map (cough MapBox Outdoors cough) is a perk for Premium membership...

 

Hopefully we won't be stuck using Google maps for tooo long. :lol:

Link to comment

[*]The test period with MapBox ends today. If your map preferences were set to one of the MapBox options during the test period, then they will revert to MapQuest OSM or MapQuest Aerial. (These are the same options which were in place prior to June 28, when the test period began.)

 

The question has been raised already in the previous release note thread but did not get addressed there. So let me ask again.

 

I have found no way to set map preferences in the way described in this and the other post by Geocaching HQ. When I click on map preferences I'm left with a choice between Google (not active as basic member) and Leaflet.

 

What I can do is to choose a different map than the default map for the geocaching.com map that I can select on each cache page by clicking on the right top icon where then all available maps show up in a list from which I can choose. However this choice has to be made for every single time I look at the geocaching cache map (and it also has no effect on the map shown on the cache pages). This then cannot be seen as changing the map default.

 

Could someone from GS please be so kind and explain how a default map setting can be changed. (I read the post above carefully it just does not work in the described manner and I found no alternative approach that works either. Maybe I'm just too stupid.)

 

BTW: I get the same behaviour if I use the mapping tool linked with the new search (which I normally never use as for a BM with many finds it's almost unusable). I first thought that we maybe just talk about different maps.

Link to comment

 


  •  
  • Sometime on Sunday, July 10, all Geocaching members whose maps are set to MapQuest OSM or MapQuest Aerial will switch to Google Maps.
     

 

 

Since Leaflet preferences aren't sticky, anybody who has Map Preference set to Leaflet is always reset to Mapquest OSM. So this means that EVERYBODY gets switched to Google Maps on July 10?

 

How's chances of taking this opportunity to allow us to save our Leaflet preferences?

 

I really can't understand why Google is a Premium member perk anyway... it's an inferior map to OSM IMO. <_<

Link to comment

The MapBox Outdoor maps were exceptionally good - and I was rather disappointed when they disappeared over the weekend. The maps were so easy to read, visually, and the detail in mountain areas were even more helpful than the ever wonderful open Cycle Maps.

 

Please bring them back! :huh:

 

And thanks for all the wonderful developments of late! B)

Link to comment

 

I really can't understand why Google is a Premium member perk anyway...

 

maybe license costs?

 

https://developers.google.com/maps/faq#usage_pricing

 

I guess you misunderstood the point made by skramble. The question raised was rather why to sell Google maps as a goodie for Premium members when in many areas they are much worse for offroad usage (hiking and cycling far away from roads) than some OSM based maps. Google maps are doing fine in cities and they offer satellite view but when it comes to hiking and biking trails, OSM based maps have overtaken Google in many areas some time ago.

 

I would think that the answer to skramble's question might be that OSM is good in many areas, but bad in some others (where there are hardly or no mappers).

 

For those interested into areas where OSM coverage is good, it might be better to invest money to get a OSM based map (that is not free of charge) and offer it to PMs.

Link to comment

The MapBox Outdoor maps were exceptionally good - and I was rather disappointed when they disappeared over the weekend. The maps were so easy to read, visually, and the detail in mountain areas were even more helpful than the ever wonderful open Cycle Maps.

 

Please bring them back! :huh:

 

And thanks for all the wonderful developments of late! B)

Ditto. :)

Link to comment

OpenStreetMap data is becoming so good that, to be honest, I don't even use Google Maps at all while searching for geocaches anymore.

 

I really liked the Mapbox Outdoors map for the city. Thunderforest Landscape remains my favourite for trails and hikes outside of town. I was a little sad to see Mapbox Outdoors exchanged back for MapQuest the other day!

Link to comment

The black on dark green logo and text in the top left corner of the map page is almost invisible to my old eyes, I thought it had disappeared at first. Didn't it used to be white? Can it be changed back? Once you know it's there it's no biggie, but it's a poor design choice.

 

{Edit}... looks OK this morning... was just the screen angle I guess... :blink:

 

Default map choices still aren't sticky. <_<

Edited by skramble
Link to comment

[*]As always, if you don’t like the new map, you can choose a different mapping option by going to View Geocache Map and clicking the Set Map Preferences button. Then tap the tile icon in the upper right corner of the map.

 

This is NOT practical, it's annoying.

 

My map is set back to default (in my case "google") whenever I open the map. It doesn't matter which map I chose the last time.

 

I'm using Win10 and Firefox.

Edited by Jiver78
Link to comment

[*]As always, if you don’t like the new map, you can choose a different mapping option by going to View Geocache Map and clicking the Set Map Preferences button. Then tap the tile icon in the upper right corner of the map.

 

This is NOT practical, it's annoying.

 

My map is set back to default (in my case "google") whenever I open the map. It doesn't matter which map I chose the last time.

 

I'm using Win10 and Firefox.

 

My map defaults to Mapquest OSM as set in GM script GC little helper v11.6. Win7 + FF 47.0

Link to comment

[*]As always, if you don’t like the new map, you can choose a different mapping option by going to View Geocache Map and clicking the Set Map Preferences button. Then tap the tile icon in the upper right corner of the map.

 

This is NOT practical, it's annoying.

 

My map is set back to default (in my case "google") whenever I open the map. It doesn't matter which map I chose the last time.

 

I'm using Win10 and Firefox.

 

My map defaults to Mapquest OSM as set in GM script GC little helper v11.6. Win7 + FF 47.0

 

We shouldn't have to need greasemonkey scripts to provide what is really a pretty basic functionality. Seems to be another example of simple coding mods that for some unknown reason meet with major resistance from TPTB. Like text mode new cache notifications. What's the big bother, Dear Frog, owner and watchlist notifications get them?

Link to comment

We shouldn't have to need greasemonkey scripts to provide what is really a pretty basic functionality. Seems to be another example of simple coding mods that for some unknown reason meet with major resistance from TPTB. Like text mode new cache notifications. What's the big bother, Dear Frog, owner and watchlist notifications get them?

 

I agree but in the 10 years I've been caching I've learned not to wait for things on GC that will work the way I want it to work. Hence, GM scripts, GSAK... all in order to keep "normal" website use to a minimum.

Link to comment

This is a real shame i and run firefox with greasemonkey and the gme script with allowed me to be able to to use the os map for the uk now just have to go back to basic not happy :(

 

There's a temporary fix to get GME back, have a read of the last few posts in http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=291102&st=700

and JRI, the developer is hoping to fix it properly tonight :)

 

For anyone else who's thrown into turmoil by the latest mapping changes I can thoroughly recommend the GME Greasemonkey addon - available here http://geo.inge.org.uk/gme.htm

Edited by MartyBartfast
Link to comment

This is a real shame i and run firefox with greasemonkey and the gme script with allowed me to be able to to use the os map for the uk now just have to go back to basic not happy :(

 

There's a temporary fix to get GME back, have a read of the last few posts in http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=291102&st=700

and JRI, the developer is hoping to fix it properly tonight :)

 

For anyone else who's thrown into turmoil by the latest mapping changes I can thoroughly recommend the GME Greasemonkey addon - available here http://geo.inge.org.uk/gme.htm

 

 

yes i did see this and it does work but i did have to update my gme first

Link to comment

What's going on here? I tried to create a "Caches along a route" query and the form comes up with no map and no option of how many or what radius to use so I get no caches. When is this going to be fixed? We want to use our vacation to hunt geocaches not fumble with a phone and a crippled app!

Link to comment

What's going on here? I tried to create a "Caches along a route" query and the form comes up with no map and no option of how many or what radius to use so I get no caches. When is this going to be fixed? We want to use our vacation to hunt geocaches not fumble with a phone and a crippled app!

 

We are aware of the bug with the caches along a route form. The engineering team has already fixed the issue and it will be released ASAP.

Link to comment
...in the 10 years I've been caching I've learned not to wait for things on GC that will work the way I want it to work. Hence, GM scripts, GSAK... all in order to keep "normal" website use to a minimum.

Absolutely true. Groundspeak provide the site but GSAK & scripts like GME make it much more usable.

 

 

Link to comment

The MapBox Outdoor maps were exceptionally good - and I was rather disappointed when they disappeared over the weekend. The maps were so easy to read, visually, and the detail in mountain areas were even more helpful than the ever wonderful open Cycle Maps.

 

Please bring them back! :huh:

 

And thanks for all the wonderful developments of late! B)

 

+1

 

MapBox is exceptional. Please bring it back!

Link to comment

What's going on here? I tried to create a "Caches along a route" query and the form comes up with no map and no option of how many or what radius to use so I get no caches. When is this going to be fixed? We want to use our vacation to hunt geocaches not fumble with a phone and a crippled app!

 

We are aware of the bug with the caches along a route form. The engineering team has already fixed the issue and it will be released ASAP.

 

as it is "already fixed" ... what does "ASAP" mean is this Particular situation? ... since it still isn't working

Edited by two bison
Link to comment
as it is "already fixed" ... what does "ASAP" mean is this Particular situation? ... since it still isn't working
It means that the fix is working on their internal development/test systems, but that they haven't deployed the fix to the production systems yet, and that they intend to deploy the fix to the production systems as soon as they can.
Link to comment

I can repeatably lock up the (currently Google) map on a cache page. This is using Firefox 47.0 on Linux Mint, with NoScript temporarily disabled globally, and Privacy Badger disabled for geocaching.com. (EDIT: Likewise with Privacy Badger disabled completely.)

 

  • In a new Firefox browser tab (don't just reload), open a cache page. I used https://coord.info/GC5ZFA4 .
  • Scroll down to the map.
  • Click the minus button once to zoom out.
  • Click the Mega icon and try to drag it. Only the icon drags.
  • The map is now dead to interaction.

Edited by Viajero Perdido
Link to comment

What's going on here? I tried to create a "Caches along a route" query and the form comes up with no map and no option of how many or what radius to use so I get no caches. When is this going to be fixed? We want to use our vacation to hunt geocaches not fumble with a phone and a crippled app!

 

We are aware of the bug with the caches along a route form. The engineering team has already fixed the issue and it will be released ASAP.

 

Any idea when ASAP may be? Still having the same issues here.

Link to comment

I can repeatably lock up the (currently Google) map on a cache page. This is using Firefox 47.0 on Linux Mint, with NoScript temporarily disabled globally, and Privacy Badger disabled for geocaching.com.

 

  • In a new Firefox browser tab (don't just reload), open a cache page. I used https://coord.info/GC5ZFA4 .
  • Scroll down to the map.
  • Click the minus button once to zoom out.
  • Click the Mega icon and try to drag it. Only the icon drags.
  • The map is now dead to interaction.

 

drags around just fine with Chrome

Link to comment
I can repeatably lock up the (currently Google) map on a cache page.

More generally, on a wide selection of random cache pages, I can usually lock up the map by zooming it out between 1 and 5 times.

 

The number of zooms required to lock it up seems to be fixed for a given cache page.

 

Note that this zooming-out action is now likely to happen a lot, to display an overview, to replace the functionality of the now-removed tiny map.

Edited by Viajero Perdido
Link to comment

When opening a cache page in IE11, I get a "geocaching.com is not responding due to a long-running script" error message.

The page is unresponsive until I stop script. This repeats on each cache page refresh or when I load another cache.

 

Is this due to recent changes to maps? Seems to coincide with recent changes.

Edited by Khoda
Link to comment

I can repeatably lock up the (currently Google) map on a cache page. This is using Firefox 47.0 on Linux Mint, with NoScript temporarily disabled globally, and Privacy Badger disabled for geocaching.com. (EDIT: Likewise with Privacy Badger disabled completely.)

 

  • In a new Firefox browser tab (don't just reload), open a cache page. I used https://coord.info/GC5ZFA4 .
  • Scroll down to the map.
  • Click the minus button once to zoom out.
  • Click the Mega icon and try to drag it. Only the icon drags.
  • The map is now dead to interaction.

I am having the same problem with Chrome on Windows 7. After pressing the zoom button a few times the maps will freeze and become unresponsive to any further interaction.

Link to comment

More generally, on a wide selection of random cache pages, I can usually lock up the map by zooming it out between 1 and 5 times.

 

The number of zooms required to lock it up seems to be fixed for a given cache page.

 

Note that this zooming-out action is now likely to happen a lot, to display an overview, to replace the functionality of the now-removed tiny map.

 

I am having the same problem with Chrome on Windows 7. After pressing the zoom button a few times the maps will freeze and become unresponsive to any further interaction.

 

We released a couple fixes this morning for other issues that we believe should have fixed this problem as well. Are either of you still having trouble with the cache page map becoming unresponsive?

Link to comment

[Crickets]

 

How's the test going? Is it still on? Google maps on the cache page are still temporary?

 

BTW, I remember reading how Google is all about speed; that's why their search landing page is bare, bare, bare: for maximum speed and overall peppiness. I think they'd be mortified to try out their maps on a cache page. If you want to zoom out five times, you have to click the "-" button five times of course, but also wait for each intermediate view to load before clicking again. Clicking five times really fast won't do it.

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...