SMP updates

Yes, this has now been implemented - use the “CT” (CalTopo) button to activate the CalTopo map type. You’ll probably need to refresh your browser (F5 or Ctrl+F5) when viewing a SMP mapping page to load the new functionality.

Rob

Whoops! - I hadn’t noticed that :frowning: . I think I’ve fixed it now - could you take a look to see if they’re no longer being displayed?

Thanks, Rob

looked up the map again and only tracks to valid summits are shown now :slight_smile:

@DM1CM Thanks on behalf of all the USA activators! :smile:
RJ // N2GBR

Well, you’re all of you welcome! :relaxed:

Rob

So, a small update to the range and tracks pages. As some may have noticed in the ON7DQ Mallorca Trip thread (or just by using the main page), the SMP main page now features small labels next to the summit markers: the labels show the summit code, making it easier to identify individual summits in a large group.

This functionality has now been ported to the range and tracks pages. Further details about these labels can be found in the link above.

Rob

Feature request: Ability to reverse the order of an uploaded .gpx file. (or more obvious method if this function exists already)

Example: I recently activated Eagle Bluff (W9/WI-040), which requires a bit of bushwhacking. A GPS track of me wandering through the woods would be of little use to future activators, so I recorded a track of my decent using the best route that I found. I then found a site online (made for bike enthusuests) that allowed me to upload my track, reverse the order, and download the new track. This generated the proper ascent route for this summit.

-Doug, ND9Q

The new map backgrounds are fantastic. They have shown some access to a few summits I assumed were inaccessible. I’ve started posting some tracks as well, so hopefully people can enjoy having those.

Thanks for all that you do.

Hi Doug,

I use GPS-Track-Analyse.NET for editing the gps tracks prior to loading them into SMP. Editing means cutting out side-trips, spots where you took a rest or any erratic points that show up when GPS signals get reflected. This software has an option to reverse the track. I assume other editing software would also have this feature.

In general I think that the original hiking direction should be maintained in a track. This is valuable information and there are routes that are better suited to ascend than descend and vice versa. You discovered the best ascent late in the day. Why not comment your track “This was my descent which is also recommended to ascend”

73 Heinz

Heinz,

I reversed the track because the SMP help page says the uploaded tracks should only show portions of the trip that are under human power, and should only show the ascent. The reasons given for this are to assist future users in navigation, as well as enhance the presentation of the track (proper elevation profile, for example).

Leaving the track as a decent route would also require future users who wish to use the track to aid in their ascent to find a way to reverse the track themselves. May be trivial for some, but others may not immediately know how to accomplish this. Plus, it’s usually better for one person to do the work once than many people to do the work several times.

While an ability to fully edit .gpx files within SMP would be a great feature, I’m sure that would take more time and effort to implement. A simple “reverse track” button would be useful for instances such as the example above, or for times when an activator may forget to enable logging before ascent but may still be able to record a decent.

In the end, it’s up to Rob what he wants to put his time into, and there are 3rd party methods of editing .gpx files as it is. I figured it would be useful to bring it up on the reflector to gauge interest.

-Doug, ND9Q

One word… one tool…

gpsbabel

https://www.gpsbabel.org/capabilities.html

Doug,

I wouldn’t worry too much about it if I were you - quite a few users have uploaded tracks which record the descent only. There are still those (and you know who you are :wink:) who upload tracks with both ascent and descent, where the ascent and descent portions follow the exact same line: these are the people who either refuse to read the help, or are too lazy to follow it if they do. Fortunately, I have tools to edit out “bad” sections of routes.

As it happens, I did build some track-editing tools into the SMP tracks page last year, but got distracted by other, more pressing issues. Perhaps I should finish that task? At any rate, as others here have pointed out, several options for editing .GPX files exist out there, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one which suits your purposes and pocket…

Rob

Rob has there been a mapping update? I keep getting an error alert “ReferenceError: enableZoomOnFuzzyBorderDblClick is not defined”. This is on Firefox 53.x, Win7-64.

Select OM/BA with all the layers active. Zoom out a little and double click a neighbouring region rectangle , say OM/TT. I get a wait cursor followed by the map greying and the error box. Click OK and I get another error box. Click OK and the summit markers for the new regions are drawn but there are no region borders etc. shown. If I select a new region from the drop down menu then everything looks fine until I double click another region rectangle.

Everything else seems to be working fine… planning some Central Europe bagging for this October.

Thanks for the error report Andy; but I have to say that you’ve here made the same basic mistake ALL the other good folk make when reporting an error, which is to neglect to tell me on WHICH PAGE the error occurred. :older_man:

Nonetheless, I’ ve been able to repeat the error (it was the MAIN page!), and fix it. Just do the usual (sacrifice a chicken - tandoori will do in a pinch - while chanting the SOTA User’s Manual backwards), and hey presto - whiter than white!

To be fair, he did give you a really good set of reproducer steps there.

Seriously?

Yup. My work laptop is due for replacement next April when I’ll get a 7th gen i7 with a 4k touch screen and Win10 Enterprise. Till then Win7 Enterprise 64 is used. Of course, it only runs Outlook and Office and web browsers & X displays, I’m not allowed to develop on it any more. Development is done on farms of servers here and in Germany/US. So many machines running so many versions of Windows (7/8/8.1/10) and Linux (RHEL, Centos, Ubuntu) that I lose track of what I’m using a lot of time!

Absolutely, I’m just pulling Andy’s leg. It’s more a gentle reminder to others to please include more information when reporting errors, because virtually none do so.

Well, I’ve received no indication that the rectification to the problem mentioned above actually produced the desired result, so I’ll assume the fix has worked for everybody. So I can delete the ticket…

Good Morning Rob

I don’t think you have announced this, but I see a really good enhancement has been made to the mapping pages.

Bill G4WSB is currently activating in the FL/NO region where a number of summits have never been activated before. I notice that the unactivated summits (such as FL/NO-053) from where he now is, are now splendidly picked out in red, thank you. Red Highlights

73 de Phil