Author Archives: frogsparks

How do I join the beta?

The new Play Store rules prohibit MyTrails from self-updating, so while it can check for updates (including optionally beta versions) on startup, it can no longer download and install the update, but must instead wait for the Play Store to perform the update.

Google mandates the following process for participating in a beta program:

activate the beta program
wait for the Play Store to find the update (if there is a beta version more recent than the current release), or go to MyTrails’s page on the Play Store to force the update

This can be done on the web or a device, and it’s reversible: if you want to leave the beta program, just go back to the link in step 2 and deactivate the beta (if you’re currently using a beta, you won’t be automatically down-graded to an earlier release).

All users are advised to set the Play Store to auto-update all applications. If you like to keep track of updates, Changelog Droid is a great app for that (and more).

Getting back to the release track

If you need to go back to a stable version after installing a beta and are not willing to wait for a more recent stable version to be released, do not uninstall MyTrails unless you have made a backup of your current data. If you do, your settings and data will be lost (except tracks saved to GPX).

go to this page and choose Leave the test
make sure that you have no unsaved recording in MyTrails (a track you’ve been recording but which has not been saved to a GPX file)
make a backup:
- if you have rooted your device, you can use Titanium Backup or a similar tool
- if you have not rooted your device or are not sure what “rooted” means, you can use a tool such as MyBackup (you can install it from MyTrails > Preferences > About) or Helium
once you have a reliable backup, you can uninstall MyTrails, then reinstall it from the Play Store (you should be getting the release version instead of the beta)
and restore your backup!

MyTrails at the OutDoor show in Friedrichshafen July 11-14

We’re partnering with Giscover and Armor-x case manufacturers (they make hardened cases and bike mounts) to have a presence on this huge show.

Look for us on booth A7-207.

I won’t be there in person, but Massimo Nicolodi of Giscover will demonstrate MyTrails. We’ll announce a more in-depth partnership soon. OutdoorBannerGiscover

1.3.18-1.3.20

New map type: Layer maps (transparent layers: create in Map Manager > Add, then configure layers)
More flexible IGN subscriptions: Top100-only, on- and off-line combo subscription
Offline download: automatically resume download if it was interrupted by Wifi disconnect
Fixed missing speed in HUD when device clock is off
Improved map deletion
Fixed flickering with IGN maps configured with a fallback

1.3.19 and 1.3.20 are emergency bug fixes. Sorry for the trouble.

Can I extend the size (rather than the duration) of an offline subscription to a premium map?

You can extend the duration and/or extend the volume by purchasing another subscription within MyTrails.

When you purchase another subscription, if it is the same “size” as a current subscription, it by default extends the duration, but you can select the option to add to the current subscription area instead.

Purchasing a subscription of a different size always adds to the area rather than extend the time.

Can I only subscribe to (not own) premium maps?

MyTrails lets you freely define the locations you download offline, so you don’t have to select a particular map number or administrative division when you purchase a map. Also, when you no longer need to have a given map offline, you can remove it and download another map without any additional cost (like a map lending library), so you don’t have to pay for a very big subscription, only what you need to have access to simultaneously.

This flexibility does mean that we can’t offer perpetual licenses (similar to owning, but in the digital world actual ownership is getting scarce).

Support moving to Google+

I’ve created a Google+ community to consolidate support and discussion of MyTrails.

The support load has been increasing steadily, and any time I spend answering the same questions over and over via email is time I don’t spend improving MyTrails.

When I started developing MyTrails, I had hoped that the GetSatisfaction forum I created would be a thriving community where I could offer support and where other users would also help out. Unfortunately, GetSatisfaction as a whole never really took off and the tools they offered to end-users and developers remained limited and desktop-only.

So now I’m moving support to Google+ and I will make a concerted effort to encourage users who email me directly to post their questions there.

I hope experienced users will join this community and occasionally help me out by answering questions they are familiar with. Thank you in advance for your help!

1.3.17

Refreshed icons, added high resolutions icons
Fixed Dropbox authentication (API changed)
Improved compatibility with WMS 1.3.0 servers
On Android 3.0 and later, the cache is now stored on the main storage (not sdcard)
Added the ability to force the language
Fixes for reported issues
Added a work-around for IGN maps on some Android 2.1 and earlier devices
Added a warning of possible GPS unreliability if temporal resolution is greater than 1s

What’s a FrogSparks account?

First, what a FrogSparks account is not:

it’s not mandatory, even if you’re purchasing map subscriptions: you can use map subscriptions on one device, without an account
it doesn’t need to match your Play Store email address
it is not an account on this web site

A FrogSparks account does:

allow you to use your map subscriptions on multiple devices
make it easier to keep your device connected to your subscriptions if you upgrade your Android version or reset the device
give you access to the web administration page where you can see a summary of your map subscriptions and the offline maps you have downloaded

We will not spam your email address. We will only use it to contact you in the event of a serious and urgent need, as per our Privacy Policy.

Since MyTrails 1.4, you no longer have to create a FrogSparks account, you can just log in with your Google account.

FrogSparks accounts remain available if you’d rather not use your Google account everywhere, and can be created from within MyTrails only: MyTrails > Preferences > Accounts > Google (or FrogSparks) and tap on FrogSparks at the bottom of the screen.

New maps

In MyTrails 1.3.16 we added three maps: IGN Littoral, IGN Satellite and Map1.eu. Here are a few screenshots&hellip;

IGN Littoral

This is a map of French coastlines, with very detailed soundings (depth), reefs and other hazards.



<a href="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Littoral1.png"><img alt="Littoral1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-881" height="912" src="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Littoral1-701x1024.png" width="625" /></a> <a href="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Littoral2.png"><img alt="Littoral2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-882" height="912" src="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Littoral2-701x1024.png" width="625" /></a>This is a must-have for coastal navigation anywhere in France, and it&#39;s part of the IGN <a href="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/premium/ign/">online subscription</a> <span style="font-size: 13px;">(&euro;</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">15/year or &euro;4/month)&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">which also includes the Top25 hiking maps.</span>



If you&#39;d like to store the maps on your phone so that no matter where you sail you are guaranteed to have the maps, you can subscribe to an <a href="https://wp.paour.com/premium/ignlit/">offline plan</a> for just these maps.

IGN Satellite

This is a very up-to-date and beautiful overhead photography (referred to as &quot;satellite&quot; despite the fact that detailed coverage requires low-altitude airplane photography) covering all of France in crisp detail. It&#39;s also part of the<span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;IGN&nbsp;</span><a href="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/premium/ign/" style="font-size: 13px;">online subscription</a>, but there is no offline subscription.



Here are a few comparison shots alongside Google Earth which show IGN being just as detailed and a lot more natural-looking; it&#39;s also more up-to-date.

IGN Satellite	Google Earth

&nbsp;

Map1.eu

This is a very good-looking OpenStreetMap-based map, with detailed but subtle styling for tracks, nice fonts for place names and a traditional-looking&nbsp;road network.



The team behind this <strong>free</strong> map is asking for donations so they can pay for hosting. You&#39;ll notice that some areas are not covered and zoom is limited to level 15. If you like this map, please <a href="http://alpha.map1.eu/donation.html">help them out with a donation</a> (I did).



<a href="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/map1eu1.png"><img alt="map1eu1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-892" height="912" src="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/map1eu1-701x1024.png" width="625" /></a> <a href="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/map1eu2.png"><img alt="map1eu2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-893" height="912" src="https://wp.paour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/map1eu2-701x1024.png" width="625" /></a>

1.3.16

Added IGN Littoral and IGN “satellite” photography (premium maps)
Map1.eu map (a very pretty OSM-based map, please support the author)
Added la-trace.com as a track sharing community (download-only)
Fixed sticky notification when canceling an offline download
Added support for basic authentication for WMS servers; improved feedback
Fixed list of communities available for upload (restores Dropbox upload)
Added optional check for beta versions
Implemented lightweight analytics (disable update checks to prevent data from being sent)