GPS Log 'Folders'

[Buzby]

Wasn't there going to be some way of using the tags to set up parallel logs for different purposes? Did I miss something? Or is this for
a later release?

[divzero]

It's coming.

I call them 'groups'. Not as ridged as hierarchical "Folders" (as an entry can belong to multiple groups).

It's one of my current 3 top priorities. Due to the amount of work on my list however, it is 1-2+ months away. I want to do it right...

For now please use tags as quasi-groups. Tag support was massively improved in 2.5, so hopefully it's now easier for you to search your tags.

Will

[Buzby]

No problem - I love the functionality in 2.5, it was just that it's nice to start a new project with a 'clean sheet'. I jst didn;t want to struggle on, and then have you tell me I simply hadn;t turned the option to 'On'!

[Derring Do]

Oooh, looking forward to the group idea, too, Will. That could be quite helpful, although the tags do let us do many similar things.

[divzero]

Cool yeah, groups are designed to enhance, not replace or duplicate tags.

Here's the current design, tell me what you think (still time to change it!):

A group is basically like a fancy saved search (incidentally in 2.5.1, the search history is saved... useful hey?). A group can have a date range (e.g. 1 Jan 2010 to 1 Feb 2010). This is useful to create "trips". A group can have a list of INCLUDED and EXCLUDED tags. E.g. (includes) coffee, good (excludes) bad, expensive. This can be used to create "categories".

("trips" and "categories" are something people are always asking for. I'm hoping this one feature can solve both!)

You can have either tags, a date range, or both.

Currently it isn't even possible to search by date-range. Sorry for that...

As well as tagging an entry, you will be able to "Add to group". That essentially adds all the tags in the group. In the case of a date-range group, if the entry you are adding is outside the group's range I will prompt you to extend the group range to include it.

I'm NOT planning to actually store the group membership. So if you change the conditions of the group, it will dynamically change the membership. This is why groups are basically fancy saved searches.

Groups will have a prominent place on the front screen for easy selection.

There will be some "special" groups. Favourites, Destinations and Recents. These may have special handling (e.g. maybe an entry in Favourites gets a star icon). "Destinations" design is a work-in-progress – maybe these are not even displayed on the main timeline?


That's it. To all users reading this: If you want to be able to do something that doesn't seem possible with this design, please let me know! If you have any other feedback, please tell me that too.


So, what do you think?

Will

[Buzby]

Pretty comprehensive, but for clarification..

In my usage pattern, I pre create tasks I have to complete - with a Reference Number, Code, Tag and Note - these are entered in the orderI need to complete them. The GPS Location and Date/Time is ignored at this point, as (a) it's wrong (b) ditto.

Once out in the field, I visit the location in the order listed, taking pictures, then updating the GPS location and Date/Time to reflect the actual data captured at the location. I then work through the list of blank camera icons, populatingf the data as I go, until I can scroll down the list of locations to spot any I've missed (as they would have no picture showing).

The following week, I'll do the same sequence, but at present, I still have to wade through all the previous captrures, which can be a pain if there is 80 of them. What I need is some way to make them vanish, so they can still be accessed in a search (say) but only the new range of locations is shown.

I tag my locations as "1020" where the first 2 digits are the year, ad the last two the Week Number - So I'd love some way of only looking at the Week 20 captures alone, or the pre-prepared 1021 (Week 21) locations I have still to visit.

I'm assuming what you describe will cope with that...?

[Derring Do]

For us the "trip" concept is a great one, I've been using some of the location tags for that, but as you mentioned, adding a date range would be much better, and dump previous visits to the same location. Will cogitate on any other needs we might have and post back. It sounds wildly useful!

Buzby, fascinating use of the app, I had never thought of pre-populating the app with locations. Can definitely see the use of that in some instances, if we have a good idea of where we're going to be. Do you have a use-case posted somewhere on the forum, so I can read how you use the application? Sounds interesting...

EDIT: Imm'ed The Man about this idea, and he's enthusiastic as well. He mentioned the idea of being able to grab any spike (love the idea of that term going viral, Will, LOL) within a given area, like all spikes within a 10 mile radius? That would grab reviews regardless of whether you remembered to tag them or group them correctly. So... something like grabbing them based on the GPS coords. Or perhaps that's already there, as I'm finding so much is!

[divzero]

Buzby,

I believe my planned "Destination" feature (as part of Groups) will achieve this. Essentially the places you have not yet visited are "destinations". My plan is to make it so you can tap the group->destination feature in GPS log to view just the destinations.

When you visit a location, you then simply remove it from the "destinations" group. I might add something to make that specific function easier. All part of the destination "special" group idea


Erika,

Can you elaborate a bit on this? Something like a feature to show "surrounding" spikes for a given spike?

I have toyed with the idea of being able to sort the main list by distance-to-current-location (instead of time, as it is now). But it sounds like you want something like being able to sort by distance-to-given-spike (and then maybe create a group based on the radius?). Good idea! If I add distance-to-current, it's fairly easy to add distance-to-spike as well. It's not trivial to do the initial distance-to-current sort feature though.

Hehehe so that one isn't already there

[Derring Do]

Will,

I included some thoughts in the survey response, but briefly we'd love to be able to sort spikes by distance from current location. The other (distance from a spike) would be useful too.

The former would be great on a 2nd trip to a locale, kind of "we're here in this coffee shop, where's that cool restaurant we tried last time?" sort of thing, since I may not remember the name. Searching by group or tag might bring it back as well, but if it were possible...