Lobby: New Version of Mapping Tool

Dood.  The new version is totally awesome.  I am pleased.

Loved the ease with which I was able to move the white boxes to alter a route, thus making it very easy to create a route of a certain length. Took some playing around with at first, but I love it.

 

I use firefox, btw.

I simply can't upload routes from my Garmin Nuvi 550 using the new mapping tool. I know the problem isn't the Garmin - since I can upload using the old tool - but the dialog box that pops up once I plug in the Garmin contains a lot of options that are simply grayed out. I can't click 'search for device,' 'select route' or anything else. I'm using a Macintosh and it won't work in either Firefox or Safari. I really - really - hope there are no plans to discontinue the old map tool anytime soon. Edit: I just read Chimene's comments and I agree with her. Frankly? This website is kind of difficult to figure out. There are often two or three ways to do things, and it can be really bewildering until you figure it out. For example: The map of the route I hiked today is called a "route" under my profile and on several places on the website, but to get to it and all my other maps? I have to click "my runs" from the homepage. "My runs"? You really need to find one term to call these things and stick to it. It took me FOREVER to figure out and then remember what to do to find all my maps, all in one place. Couple other issues: The Facebook app is similarly bewildering. When you go to install it, you're given three different places you have to sign in: Here, then on Facebook - and then again, you're asked 'enter username and password,' which looks just like standard procedure on Facebook - you often have to log in two or three times. It took me at least three days to figure out I was being asked to enter my MMR information again - by which time I was totally frustrated. I wound up uninstalling the app anyway, after I realized it was displaying my weight for the world to see - a little more information than I want to share with my boss and coworkers. (There's no way to track your weight privately without it displaying in the Facebook app - since I can't keep it private I've uninstalled the app.) Also had trouble with the IPhone program not working, because I simply didn't know I had to click the 'lock' button at the top of the screen to make the application not quit and lose all my data. After one hike I had to save and upload data literally every two minutes, I was ready to give up on it as well. A simple mention of the lock button? Or some documentation or other directions? Would have saved me a lot of frustration. You really, really need to make these applications easier to use if you want to attract new users. They're great, and when they work, they really work - but there are issues that are severe enough to make the casual user give up unless she's in the mood to put in what can be sort of a lot of work to get your technology to cooperate. That said, I've upgraded to Premium and am using the site a lot. Just trying to give you folks some feedback since I'm enjoying seeing all my workout stats at a glance, and I really like having one login for both MMR, MapMyFitness and MapMyHike.com. I also like how easy it is to save routes, store info, then export it, and a lot of other things about the site. Not meaning to be totally negative, just to provide some feedback. Thanks. - likelite

I was under the impression that I could choose a start point and an endpoint.  Then a route would be mapped (like MapQuest or whatever.)  Then each day, I can enter how many miles I rode, ran, walked, etc and I could see it mapped out.

 

Does it work this way?

 

I tried to use my Garmin and it would use my tracks, but not my route.  I removed all my tracks and used the route and it draws a straight line and not the street in the route.

 

 

Generally good, but a few problems on initial use.

It seems to default to the follow roads option, which I almost never want to use. Not sure about other users.

 Not sure if it's just me, but it's changed from an arrow pointer to a hand most of the time. I don't like the hand, doesn't feel right somehow.

 I half mapped out a route, then clicked "clear all points". When I restarted it wouldn't display the total distance as I went. 

 

I was able to import route but not time data from my Garmin etrex vista hcx today using the new mapping tool. I tried a second time, but all options were greyed out. I'm going to try again with the old tool. Looks like some progress is made?

The older version isn't getting removed, we're currently working on improving all the issues that users are having and our own (way too long) bug & issues list. As for ambiguity and difficulty of the user interface, we agree with you, in fact we have a new member on our development team whose prerogative is to make our site easier and more intuitive to use. We're hearing you :)

The new mapping tool seems great so far. I have a few questions/comments.  At one point in the ride, I'm trying to map back over a route I rode earlier in the ride in the previous direction. I was hoping that there was now (with the new version) a way to map a ride that is partially out and back. (Is there a way to do this?)

When I tried to connect back up with the route I had already traversed in the other direction, I get this error message: "This is not a valid point on the route. It is a placeholder for a mid-point. To make it a valid point on this route, you can drag it. Once you move it then you'll see that it becomes a solid square. Once it is a valid point, you can edit the marker type and notes, etc."

 This note doesn't mean anything to me. You guys are using jargon that doesn't make sense to  the non-programmer. I tried clicking on the square and dragging it and that doesn't do anything either. Please clarify.

 Also, as soon as I went to the new mapping tool in Safari, it crashed Safari. Firefox works OK.

 Susan

 

The new tool also runs very slowly on my newish computer.  Also, it failed to continue updating the total distance as I mapped it out.  The mile markers would pop up on the map, but the distance box was inaccurate.

Maps are not up to date. I went on a walk today and the area is not shown.

I like the larger map, and didn't have any speed problems.

I think the 'follow' option should be off by default. I was a bit surprised to see my route jump to roads nowhere near where I had clicked the map.

But my biggest problem - it wouldn't save the route! Clicked the save option and nothing happened. XP, FF 3.0.5

I am commenting without reading previous threads, so might bug reports might be duplicated.

1.  Works not very well at all with IE8.  Jumpy mapping, "auto-pan" is just flaky, and considerably long lag times when clicking a route point.

2.  I didn't save a route successfully so when I tried to create a new one it popped up a window to reload the unsaved route - great!  However, the window did not have a clickable "ok" button or any buttons at all, so the function could not be used.

For now I'm going back to the old tool.

To MMR,

 

Awesome site, uploaded data seamlessly from Garmin forerunner. Thank you very much for the tool.

 

Dave

Odd; I had the impression the new site worked once a few days ago with my Garmin Vista Hcx, but not tonight. Firefox on Windows XP. The old site stills works. The site is also giving me valuable feedback on my progress, and that is motivating me to work out at more appropriate levels of intensity, too. Thanks.

Using IE7 on Vista.  Undo crashes IE every time.  Says script causing it to run slowly.  Stop Script?  Say yes then route disappears or IE never unfreezes.  For road running I like that it automatically follows the road, however, I don't like that it forces you to run on the road rather than having the option to run on paths or trails.

I use the new mapping tool on several different browsers (internet explorer at work, firefox via ubuntu on my husband's computer, and safari on my macbook).  Each browser seems to have it's own quirks & I've had only one "common" problem between the 3 - the distance doesn't always update while I'm plotting the course.  I've read that others have the same problem & changing units seems to work for me too.  I've also noticed that if the distance isn't shown when plotting an out & back, as soon as you actually hit "out & back" the total appears.   

The only complaint I have is the little markers (white boxes w/ red outline) that appear with each point you  plot.  I've deselected the options for showing markers, but they still appears.  I find these to be terribly annoying - I have to retrace my steps on several courses, but they're not true "out & back" routes, so I have to enter each point manually - the little boxes make this nearly impossible as if I inadvertently click on/near one the system assumes I want to make a note.  Is there any way I can turn this off? 

Otherwise, I really like the new mapping system - no problems & I like the bigger map!  Once I scroll towhere the new large map is fully on screen, I can see my entire route on our monitors, which is great! 

Keep up the good work!  

 

 the "Follow Roads / Auto-Routing:" check box does not toggle.

nor do the ones above and below in the settings menu.

lirpa939:

I am excited to hear that we will be able to edit mid route!  that will save so much time!  Will we also be able to save these as new routes?  Also if we coudl edit other peoples routes so that they become our own that would be fantastic!!! -April

I also wanted to know if there is a possibility to create a loop mid ride.  I ride to the start of a circuit then do 3 circuits then home again.  it takes a long time to map this.

Thanks

 

Alan

I have always had a very difficult time mapping any run. My runs always start at my home and end at my home. Every time I try to return the route to home - I click at home (origin of the run also) to try to finish the route. In either version of the map it always just tries to add a marker - I have to finally give up on getting an accurate measure and click before my home.

I have spent 10-15 minutes several times just trying to map myself to home.

I even uncliked the option to auto add messages, and it still does this.

 

I wish you had an option to just return to the start by shortest route, or some such thing - or when you click on the origin, ask if this is the finish. I really would like to use this and hav even purchased the premium option. But I rarely use it because of this problem.

 

Every time I try to import from my garmin device it tells me that I need the garmin communicator, which was working fine in the old mapping tool.  I downloaded it again and it still won't work and it removes the usb drivers from my computer so I have to reinstall all of them again.  Bottom line is I can't import from my device am I doing something wrong?

I just joined as a premium member, but I keep getting the annoying ads that say "become a premium member so you don't see this ad". Any tips on how to get rid of these? I am logged in and it get the "welcome back" message. I also activated my account. I use Mozilla Firefox 3.0.7.

 Thanks for any tips you can provide.