New Mapping Software

We have just updated the GPS mapping app so that it is now running on the latest version of our mapping software. This is a complete rewrite to use the Leaflet mapping library in preference to OpenLayers which previous iterations of the software have used. Leaflet provides a much more stable, and more lightweight, foundation for the app. The aim in writing it was to produce a new app which looked similar to the old one - to make it easier to move over to using it - while adding new functionality.

You should find it very similar to the old app but there are some significant changes:

• The biggest change of all is that there's a new "2 maps" checkbox in the top bar which you can use if you're logged in. If you check that then the map is divided into two parts and you can have different map tiles on the left and right hand maps so probably OS or WayMaps one side and aerial photography the other. Tracks or routes are displayed on both sides and the maps automatically follow each other as you drag them around or zoom in and out. Here's an example of a route¹ up Catbells.

• As part of this change you now select the map tiles being displayed by putting your mouse over the new "layers" icon in the top left corner of each map. We are currently offering you:

  • WayMaps - our own British Isles mapping, which we continue to update and improve.

  • Ordnance Survey - these are now sourced directly from OS rather than Bing so it's correctly oriented with north being straight up. We're also now getting two levels of zoom (8 and 9) at 1:25K rather than one as well as two levels (6 and 7) at 1:50K. As before these tiles are only available to users who are logged on.

  • NLS Historic OS - these tiles are based on Ordnance Survey maps from 1919-1947 and are provided to us by the National Library of Scotland map service. These tiles are only available to supporters and can be interesting when you're researching a route you're intending to walk, especially to see where roads and railway lines used to run. Be warned that the register is sometimes less than perfect so don't plan your route directly on these tiles, instead use "2 maps" mode and put WayMaps or OS on one map and this on the other.

  • OpenStreetMap - this is OpenStreetMap's own tile server. Probably not that useful in general as our WayMaps has most of their relevant geodata on it but you might want to refer to it occasionally.

  • Bing aerial photography - only available to users who are logged on.

  • ESRI aerial photography - only available to users who are logged on.

• We have a new feature called route snapping which essentially "snaps" points you add to a route to the nearest path, track², or road if it's close by. This works on zoom 7 or higher on all map tiles except Ordnance Survey's but if you prefer not to use it you can turn it off once you're logged in. For more on this see this forum post.

• The top bar functionality has changed slightly in other ways too so for example:

  • clicking on the WalkLakes icon top left takes you to the site home page rather than hiding the top bar. This seems more intuitive for new users however we've retained the ability to hide the top bar and you now click on the icon in the top right hand corner to do that.

  • We've removed the "track mode/route mode" button and replaced it with a more intuitive pair of radio buttons for editing track or route.

• The settings dialogue has changed in some ways. The first time you use the new app your settings are copied over from the old app so your settings are preserved. In setting the colour selection for both tracks and routes we now use your browser's own colour selector so it should be more familiar to you.

• There also a host of smaller changes. For example:

  • When viewing WayMaps tiles then for zoom 7 to 9 the grid squares are numbered on the left and along the top (in the same style as OS's blue numbers every 10km, but drawn dynamically so they're always in view).

  • Talking of zoom levels the level number is now displayed top right between the '+' and '-' zoom buttons rather than in the top bar as in 2 map mode one map may sometimes be in a different zoom level to the other.

  • Layers (water levels, OS benchmarks, photos, and tops) are now called "overlays" but work exactly as before.

  • When displaying a track then if you've turned on direction arrows these are rendered rather more elegantly.

  • Printing has been improved (and we've also fixed a bug where printing didn't work at all on Apple Macs, iPads, or iPhone).

  • If you are logged in then you can choose, in "Settings" to have ascent and descent in both the route and track summary boxes to be displayed in feet rather than metres.

As usual we welcome any feedback you have on our software or tiles. You can do that either directly or posting on this forum, perhaps as a comment to this very post.

1. A route describes where you are intending to go, point by point. For more information click here.
2. A track records where you have been and when you were there. For more information click here.

maadrox and Chris Mac like this post

By Chris Mac on 10/03/22 at 8:41pm (last edited 10/03/22 at 8:42pm)

I Just wanted to say how much I have been enjoying your changes to the map. Zooming in on the cursor instead of the centre of the map is just how I like it, Waymaps is superb and the option to switch between it, OS maps (of which your zoom views are perfect for 1:25k and 1:50k) and two satellite imagery ones is so useful for how I use it. Waymaps showing a more topographic higher zoom, compared to OS, is also great. I also love your mid-zoom which still has lots of details and finding specific forests on Waymaps is much easier than OS. Not to mention that you have so many more tracks/paths that are not on the OS.

I use your map as my default one now for doing various tasks, plotting, research, or just having a nosey, so thanks for all the hard work you have put into it. I only have one minor improvement I would add, the ability to save a route you have plotted as a kml in addition to gpx. Cheers!

TallPaul likes this post

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By TallPaul on 10/03/22 at 9:17pm

Thanks for the praise. Always welcome.

As for download as KML I think we used to have this. I suspect we replaced it with the "View in 3D" link because we discovered it wasn't being widely used but if you'd find it useful I'll look at the code. If it's still there it should be fairly easy to resurrect.

Chris Mac likes this post

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