Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?

[Con Hennekens]

This is an interesting thought...
Since we are able in Navigation to download routes for offline use, we can be sure there actually IS a file type or portable database definition that contains ALL the info that goes into routes like it is in the routeplanner... I have been browsing my android filesystem but cannot find the folder that quickly. Could be that it is stored in database form, I don't know. But I think it is not difficult task to adapt the import/export function of the website to be able to use that filetype. I can imagine however that MRA does not like to disclose the exact file specification. In that case, sorry guys!

But like @Jack-van-Tilburg, do not feel the need to store backups of my routes. I almost never reuse them.

[RetiredWingMan]

@Con-Hennekens but the downloaded route does not appear to include everything he wants. Does not appear to include the icons (hamburger, fuel etc) or defined wait times.

[Jack van Tilburg]

@Doug-Robinson
That is correct. (unfortunately)

[Herko ter Horst]

@Doug-Robinson I think the point is that whatever format is being used to transfer the route between MRA Routeplanner and MRA Navigation Next includes all the information available. However, that format is not currently available to the user directly.

[Jack van Tilburg]

Again, I'm not worried about data loss. And in this topic I think it was hinted that MRA has no backup servers.
But that doesn't mean there won't be any data backup.
I assume that there will be a backup of, among other things, the route database. However, it cannot be restored on an individual level. (my assumption)

As for the application of a personal trash can.
That is of course a very desirable feature. But you can also organize this yourself.
I don't delete routes. Instead I move them to a special folder called............ <Deleted items>. And I delete the contents of that folder after a period that is not too short.

[Corjan Meijerink]

@Jack-van-Tilburg

However, it cannot be restored on an individual level. (my assumption)

Assumption correct
We run multiple backups but those are for all server / database storage and are only used on global level. Restoring individually is painstaking and not required.

We do wish to change deletion in the future to the exact way you do that now yourself Deleting items would then result in them being moved to another folder which removed the items after x days But that is for the future!

[Lynchy67]

@Doug-Robinson

The Icons for Fuel, Coffee, Viewpoints etc, need to be added at the planning stage in the Routelab.

[Con Hennekens]

@Doug-Robinson, I was not talking about downloading GPX, but about "make available for offline use" from within the app.

It must be stored somewhere and it contains the complete dataset for the route. But like @Herko-ter-Horst said, that format is not currently available for import/export through the webservice.

[Drabslab]

@Con-Hennekens said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

do not feel the need to store backups of my routes. I almost never reuse them.

Nobody ever needs a backup "until... "

and if you have ever been sitting in a data centre at 3 o'clock in the morning after a server crash wondering where that bl--dy data has gone, and how you are going to avoid being fired ... then you understand exactly what "until... " means.

I find it a real shortcoming that MRA does not have a convenient feature to download all routes in a folder in e.g. GPX1.1. I do understand that they want to keep their own data model a secret (that is their intellectual property) but a bulk download in a commonly used format, even one that contains less info than the MRA data model, should be possible.

[Jack van Tilburg]

@Drabslab said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

I find it a real shortcoming that MRA does not have a convenient feature to download all routes in a folder in e.g. GPX1.1.

We may still have something to look forward to in that regard.
The following is planned in the Roadmap of MRA Routeplanner 2.0:

Maybe it's time to stop adding new items to Next and pick up the Roadmap of the Route Planner again.
And I am very aware that the two (Next and Planner) will become more and more intertwined.
(oops, oops, oops, what am I saying now )

[Stefan Hummelink]

@Jack-van-Tilburg said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

Maybe it's time to stop adding new items to Next

Woa @Jack-van-Tilburg, how dare you even mentioning that! Haha! Jokes aside, I sure feel that the app needs more TLC than the planner at this moment. Many more improvements required to the app. The planner is already decent enough at the moment. But that's my humble opinion.

[Jack van Tilburg]

@StefanHummelink said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

Woa @Jack-van-Tilburg, how dare you even mentioning that! Haha! Jokes aside

But don't tell anyone

Many more improvements required to the app.

Further development of a number of points is certainly important for users.
In fact, there are only a few features that are still missing from Next's initial announcement:
Show next gas station
Add gas station to active route
Android Auto
Apple CarPlay
And of course they still have to be delivered. No doubt about that.

The planner is already decent enough at the moment. But that's my humble opinion.

There are still a number of things on the Roadmap that will greatly improve the Planner and the Forum.
And that is ultimately also very important for users of Navigation.

[Con Hennekens]

@Drabslab said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

and if you have ever been sitting in a data centre at 3 o'clock in the morning after a server crash wondering where that bl--dy data has gone, and how you are going to avoid being fired ... then you understand exactly what "until... " means.

As a IT administrator I feel this but I do separate corporate data from my personal route library. No one will get fired or die because of losing that

I don't think though it is very difficult to export data in an undisclosed format using hashed data. GPX would NOT be my prefered method of backup, since it contains only WP's without metadata and a track. It does not hold the complete route information.

@Jack-van-Tilburg said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

Maybe it's time to stop adding new items to Next and pick up the Roadmap of the Route Planner again.

I agree, but also without adding new things there is still a lot of work on Next
(Mainly AA/CP shit I don't use anyway...)

[Stefan Hummelink]

@Jack-van-Tilburg said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

There are still a number of things on the Roadmap that will greatly improve the Planner and the Forum.

Completely agree with that, but I feel like the app shall be on par to be the most advanced and feature rich nav app in the market now. After that the planner (and forum) can be brought up to equivalent level of the app. But that are just our two views.

[Jack van Tilburg]

@Con-Hennekens said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

I agree, but also without adding new things there is still a lot of work on Next
(Mainly AA/CP shit I don't use anyway...)

I absolute agree!!!!

[Drabslab]

@StefanHummelink said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

I feel like the app shall be on par to be the most advanced and feature rich nav app in the market now

should not be too difficult to look at all features of TomTom and Garmin and see if Next has a decent way of doing the same (or better)?

@StefanHummelink said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

I sure feel that the app needs more TLC than the planner at this moment.

As a new product, it may still contain bugs, and killing these should be the priority.

As for further development: exploiting the unique ability of integrating an advanced routeplanner with a capable navigation tool should leave the competition far behind.

With that I do NOT mean bringing the routeplanner to the phone. (I can't imagine preparing a route on a 6 inch screen while having a 23 inch PC available) but ensuring that all features of the next app are reflected in the routeplanner and vice versa.

Hence, in my humble opinion, there should probably not be "and now we will tackle the routeplanner and leave next aside for a while" approach.

Many improvements in the routeplanner will/should also influence the nav app and vice versa, thus developments should be synchronized.

[Jack van Tilburg]

@Drabslab said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

Many improvements in the routeplanner will/should also influence the nav app and vice versa, thus developments should be synchronized.

I very much agree with you!
And I said it before; There are still a number of things on the Roadmap that will greatly improve the Planner and the Forum.
And that is ultimately also very important for users of Navigation, and the consolidation with Navigation.

[Drabslab]

@Jack-van-Tilburg said in Is there a file format that is fully compatible with MRA?:

There are still a number of things on the Roadmap

yes, but that is another thing: if you don't plan to stick to a published roadmap, then do not publish one

[Jack van Tilburg]

This post is deleted!

[Con Hennekens]

@Drabslab, they do plan to stick to the roadmap, but sometimes plans change
If they had stuck to the roadmap, we would still not have track navigation for example. Part of the roadmap is constant refining things according to the input from the betatesters. We would not have such a great app if they would only stick to the roadmap. I for one am very glad they don't stick frantically to the roadmap.