Alert when reaching a Viapoint

[Gerd Heinzmann 0]

@Con-Hennekens
please read -->
https://forum.myrouteapp.com/post/17472

[Con Hennekens]

@Gerd-Heinzmann-0, Yes I have read that, but that does not mean it is not implemented. That it is not convenient enough for you is another discussion. Also in Next the alert will probably be generated by a waypoint on the route, so that will most likely also not be a solution for you, even if audible. As far as I am aware Basecamp / Garmin also has no option for waypoint alerts outside the route, but I am not sure of that. Maybe if it would have been implemented like some sort of speed-cam POI. I would hate to get notifications of all kinds of POIs at a distance from my route. Anyway, calling it a "basic functionality that simply has to be covered" is untrue for the vast majority of users, who probably never even heard of photo rally... Geocachers use specific apps for their game, maybe photo rallyers should too?

[Gerd Heinzmann 0]

@Con-Hennekens
As I said, I had the feature in Basecamp/Garmin and if MRA will not cover this functionality in the near future, I will definitvely use another software.

I would hate to get notifications of all kinds of POIs at a distance from my route.

I assume, you also have never heard of a Photo Rally and it's rules. I'm not talking about all kinds of POIs, I'm not talking of POIs at all. I'm talking about VIA-points and wherever they are, I want to get there to take a Photo.
Basecamp for example leads me to the closest point, that is rideable and in most cases that's the point that the Rallymaster has set. It's that simple.

Why do you think it is soooo extraordinary if I want to be guided to a special Coordinate and get an Alert when I'm there ?

[Drabslab]

@Con-Hennekens said in Alert when reaching a Viapoint:

. Geocachers use specific apps for their game, maybe photo rallyers should too?

I reached for my keyboard and started TYPING because I do not completely agree with this. To me, MRA should become the one-stop shop for all things navigation, and thus cover as many user requirements as possible.

Where I do agree is that these niche audiences should be served according to their potential customer base size, and according to ease of implementation, which puts them lower on the priority list than the "general" public.

@Gerd-Heinzmann-0 said in Alert when reaching a Viapoint:

As I said, I had the feature in Basecamp/Garmin and if MRA will not cover this functionality in the near future, I will definitvely use another software

To my understanding the feature is implemented in Navigation as a visible reference on the map. I accept that you prefer an audible message which is in my humble opinion indeed easier when driving.

@Gerd-Heinzmann-0 said in Alert when reaching a Viapoint:

Why do you think it is soooo extraordinary

I don't think that anybody finds this sooooo extraordinary, and it is a very good suggestion. The developers will most likely take it up similar to the audible messages one gets when approaching a speed trap. When implemented it has to be optional because if NEXT would give an audible signal for each and every event someone want to see covered by a sound then we risk riding around with a juke box.

In addition, being useful does not mean that it is important enough to alter the development path of NEXT to give priority to this feature, or worse, to delay NEXT and implement this in a hurry in the current navigation app.

The NEXT roadmap gives an implementation date of the first version by mid 2023. Up to you if this is "near future" enough or not.

[Tim Thompson]

@Con-Hennekens said in Alert when reaching a Viapoint:

@Gerd-Heinzmann-0, Yes I have read that, but that does not mean it is not implemented. That it is not convenient enough for you is another discussion. Also in Next the alert will probably be generated by a waypoint on the route, so that will most likely also not be a solution for you, even if audible. As far as I am aware Basecamp / Garmin also has no option for waypoint alerts outside the route, but I am not sure of that. Maybe if it would have been implemented like some sort of speed-cam POI. I would hate to get notifications of all kinds of POIs at a distance from my route. Anyway, calling it a "basic functionality that simply has to be covered" is untrue for the vast majority of users, who probably never even heard of photo rally... Geocachers use specific apps for their game, maybe photo rallyers should too?

I disagree. I find what has been suggested - as examples of MRA Navigations capability in this regard - totaly fail to meet the requirement/need. I don't consider this simply a need for games. It's a fundemental requirement for any worthwhile navigation app.

Sure you can set the shaping point/via color and have a nice big red hand displayed on the screen when you come up on it while navigating. This is practically useless for the purpose. Depending on your speed, auto zoom level, and orientation that pretty red hand may only be on the display momentarily. If you happen to not be paying attention when that red hand graces the display with it's momentary presence, well too bad sucker. Have fun pushing that hog to the gas station.

What boggles is that some don't see the necesity for the app to either display a persistent warning/notification or to navigate to stops (and/or shaping points). I can tell you the competition recognizes the need for this capability and handles this requirement adequately.

I'm aware that Next plans to address this. If that were not the case, I probably would have already moved on to other solutions because I consider this a fundamental requirement.

On a side note... Not that it matters for the OP's use case... CoPilotGPS does have a feature/option to display alearts for places (POIs). Proximity to the POI can be set form 0.2 miles to 25 miles. It can also be set for place (POIs) On or Near Route. You can multi-select from a list of POI categories (the only one I currently have selected is "Gas Station"). Unfortunately it doesn't support custom POIs or whatever.

[Con Hennekens]

@Gerd-Heinzmann-0 said in Alert when reaching a Viapoint:

I assume, you also have never heard of a Photo Rally and it's rules.

No, I had not, but checked it on google. Whats the point?

I'm not talking about all kinds of POIs, I'm not talking of POIs at all. I'm talking about VIA-points and wherever they are, I want to get there to take a Photo.

You were talking about points that cannot be placed on the road, and you would need to walk to. That is what makes a viapoint a POI. You stop at the viapoint, and walk to the POI.

Basecamp for example leads me to the closest point, that is rideable and in most cases that's the point that the Rallymaster has set. It's that simple.

I don't see any difference in how MRA works.

Why do you think it is soooo extraordinary if I want to be guided to a special Coordinate and get an Alert when I'm there ?

I don't think it is extraordinary at all. It was already established in this thread that Next will most likely have audible alerts.

[Con Hennekens]

@Drabslab said in Alert when reaching a Viapoint:

I reached for my keyboard and started TYPING because I do not completely agree with this. To me, MRA should become the one-stop shop for all things navigation, and thus cover as many user requirements as possible.

I agree, but I would hate to see MRA turn into a game-platform. However I think audible alerts are a good idea, and also appreciated bij non-photo-rally-people. A next possible thing would perhaps be a "forced VIA point". A special viapoint you have to manually check off in order to resume navigation, or else it keeps sending you back to it. It forces you to stop at the designated point (and take a picture if you do a photo rallye or for any other reason). There is a fine line between what is considered a navigation tool and what is leaning towards a game facility.

The reason I suggested a special app is because I think there are more facets to the game. What do you do with the pictures, do they need to get logged somewhere, is there a central registration where subscribers pick up published rallies. I can't compare, but looking at geocaching, it has a whole ecosystem of its own, that I really do NOT fancy to be implemented in my navigation tools... (although it would be nice to be able to load a pocketquery into the POI database )

[Con Hennekens]

@Tim-Thompson said in Alert when reaching a Viapoint:

What boggles is that some don't see the necesity for the app to either display a persistent warning/notification or to navigate to stops (and/or shaping points). I can tell you the competition recognizes the need for this capability and handles this requirement adequately.

I think MRA Navigation already has a reasonable userbase of people who do apparently see it differently. I have been riding with navigation for about 25 years now, and never missed that feature. If it already was in Basecamp and Zumo's, I never found it and was never looking for it.

Keep in mind that most users of MRA (and Navigation) are motorist that just want to ride a predefined route. From that point of view a lot of features will never be used.

I am not against broadening the feature set of Next at all. I think the idea of audible alerts is great, and will proof useful in many more scenarios than just photo rally. And those wil probably form a better argument then playing a game.

I'm aware that Next plans to address this. If that were not the case, I probably would have already moved on to other solutions because I consider this a fundamental requirement.

What you consider "fundamental requirements" is not necessarily shared by everyone. It boggle me that some don't see that.

[Tim Thompson]

@Con-Hennekens said in Alert when reaching a Viapoint:

I think MRA Navigation already has a reasonable userbase of people who do apparently see it differently.

You speak for them then? Or is it possible that many users accept this lack of capability as an acceptable compromise (for the moment - until this is addressed or something better is found) - choosing to live with it after considering the compromises of other options (none are perfect)?

I have been riding with navigation for about 25 years now, and never missed that feature. If it already was in Basecamp and Zumo's, I never found it and was never looking for it.

Good for you. Is it possible that others use/leverage the tool differently than ways you can concieve/consider?

Keep in mind that most users of MRA (and Navigation) are motorist that just want to ride a predefined route. From that point of view a lot of features will never be used.

Again, you speak for most users? If all that "most users" want is to simply slap together a simple custom route to navigate today, they can practically already do that with Google Maps. Sure, there would be compromises, but it's doable.

I am not against broadening the feature set of Next at all. I think the idea of audible alerts is great, and will proof useful in many more scenarios than just photo rally. And those wil probably form a better argument then playing a game.

I'm not concerned with games either. I interested in core/fundemental capability.

What you consider "fundamental requirements" is not necessarily shared by everyone. It boggle me that some don't see that.

I'm sure that it's not. But I don't claim to speak for everybody else. I simply stated what "I" consider to be fundemental requirements/capabilities of this type of app. If others don't see it that way, fine. But if that's the case, then it still boggles the mind - at least for me. I'm guessing that the folks at MRA also consider it a useful (if not absolutely necessary) capability or they wouldn't be including it in Next. The competition certainly do and have had this capability for some time. In fact I can't remember using an alternative that didn't do this. MRA Navigation may be the first app that I've used that lacked this ability - which kind of stunned me when I realized it was lacking this (seeing it as a gross oversight/omission).

Seems to me that a navigation app that is designed to navigate custom built routes/trip needs to have a core set of basic functionality. What that is exactly is debatable. But in my book, if a navigation app designed to navigate custom route/trips allows one to obliviously go zooming by carefully planned stops, then it's flawed/lacking.

[Nick Carthew]

I'm locking this topic now, The OPs question has been answered and arguments for and against have been made. The topic is turning into a playground squabble and we do not wish for that on this forum.
The new MRA Navigation Next will include alerts for via points.