topic Re: Using Map Share Reporter in Map quality

Map Share Reporter suggestions for improvement

Shorty — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:30:10 GMT

I've created this topic to reach out to our Owner Community to note and discuss your experiences, questions and suggestions for improvement and any other aspect in the use of Map Share Reporter. Would appreciate any input here relevant to MSR and most certainly from experienced users but not only.

Please keep the topic clear of data queries and the like; we can deal with these much easier in a separate topic or continuing posts in a relevant topic in the list. Reason why I ask this is that the topic title will be immediately recognisable to another member here and browsers and I hope the posts here will be able to assist where assistance is needed.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

Zsolt — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:55:22 GMT

@Shorty: Under Opera browser the MSR acts up a bit. You start to type the comment, and each time you press a key, the comment field grows bigger. Depending on the amount of text you input, at some point the SUBMIT button disappears and you have to zoom out to be able to submit.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

fof — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:44:40 GMT

it also doesn't play nicely with Safari on Mac. I use Firefox instead, without any problem.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

fof — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:00:21 GMT

I already wrote it in some other thread, but as this is now the place to collect our ideas and suggestions, I copy my wishes for MSR here:

1. It should always use the latest maps PLUS the accepted changes coming from other users.
2. It should show where other users have made corrections which are "pending" or have not been accepted
3. For the instances where corrections have not been accepted, a short note WHY this happened would be very useful.
4. Map details such as speed limits, POIs etc. should be visible on the Mapshare Reporter map, so that we can correct the easily
5. For countries using non-latin alphabets for street signage, the Reporter must allow the input of street names/POIs in local alphabet AND with latin characters. For example, I could easily provide many street names in my region in Greece, but cannot do it because the Reporter does not have a second field for street names in a different alphabet.
6. There should be an "express lane" for critical changes, where Tomtom guarantees the verification within a week, so that the change will be incorporated into the next map update.
7. the Reporter should allow users to upload data that allow for a quick verification - such as gpx tracks.
8. the reporter should show coordinates, and allow users to put their report to exact coordinates.
9. if at all possible (legally, that is), the Reporter should offer overlays of aerial/satellite images on the maps, to make reporting (and verification!) easier.
10. the Reporter should issue a receipt of each report, if the user wants it, that contains a reference number and details of the report (coordinates, type of correction...)

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

Zsolt — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:08:09 GMT

@fof: It does show the coordinates in the bottom right corner.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

fof — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:47:34 GMT

true, thanks for pointing it out. I'd like to input coordinates to place my report, but ok, that's a minor point then.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

fof — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:48:56 GMT

I just stumbled over two more points that should be changed in MSR:

1. Street categories should be shown, and we should be enabled to correct them. Sometimes dirt tracks are categorized as paved streets or vice versa, or small roads are categorized higher than bigger ones that are signposted as the "official" way to go from A to B.
2. "Blocking" or "unblocking" streets MUST be possible at any point on the street. Quite often roads are blocked at one specific point, e.g by a security fence or a physical constriction, making them kind of dead-end, but NOT one-way streets. Thus, we should be able to pinpoint the block exactly, rather than "blocking" or "unblocking" the whole street.

re: Map Share Reporter suggestions for improvement

Shorty — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:31:30 GMT

Yes and on your second point, it is VERY important to locate such closures at exactly the real boundary fence between properties and (advise or) comment as such. One would not like to place such a point in a manner that a house owner be routed into the closed-off section on the opposing side of the closure if you get my drift :smileyhappy:.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

fof — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:28:32 GMT

"in a manner that a house owner be routed into the closed-off section on the opposing side of the closure"

This happens in the street I grew up, in Germany. All kinds of delivery services, plus twice an ambulance and once a firetruck got stuck in this street because they were routed wrongly and could not pass a constriction. The street is narrow, so the trucks had to drive back in reverse gear - people could die because of the time lost in this way...

Re: Map Share Reporter suggestions for improvement

Shorty — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:31:57 GMT

Have a look at my reply to TomTomista - covers this particular issue - this comment is, strictly seen, out of the topic here so let's try hard to list improvements and/or suggestions as to how Map Share Reporter can be improved based on your experience-in-use.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

mammoth — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:48:11 GMT

Usually when I use Map Share the map image is not displayed. The map area is just pink. However the browser has completed loading the page. The blue spots that indicate my previous reports are displayed correctly. I use Windows XP SP3. The problem occurs in Firefox and in IE 8.

Is this a known issue, or something specific to my system?

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

Megalos — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:00:18 GMT

I have never seen that before. Have you tried refreshing the website by pressing Ctrl + F5? You could also try another computer. I'm pretty sure it has to do with your computer.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

Zsolt — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:07:14 GMT

@mammoth: Do you have the latest JAVA installed?

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

Zsolt — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:15:24 GMT

@Shorty: May I ask what sort of data is collected by just opening the Map Share Reporter? Just had a look at the source, and found some stuff that I try to work out:

"




<script src="mso/webtrends.js" type="text/javascript"></script>




<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
var _tag=new WebTrends();
// _tag.fpcdom=".tomtom.com";
// _tag.onsitedoms=".tomtom.com";
// _tag.dcsid="dcs8ld60kvz5bd7q2p04wyec6_8s3x";
_tag.dcsGetId();
//]]>
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
_tag.dcsCustom=function(){
// Add custom parameters here.
//_tag.DCSext.param_name=param_value;
}
_tag.dcsCollect();
//]]>
</script>
<noscript>
<div><img alt="DCSIMG" id="DCSIMG" width="1" height="1" src="http://statse.webtrendslive.com/dcs8ld60kvz5bd7q2p04wyec6_8s3x/njs.gif?dcsuri=/nojavascript&WT.js=No&WT.tv=9.3.0&WT.dcssip=www.tomtom.com"/></div>
</noscript>
"

Re: Map Share Reporter suggestions for improvement

Shorty — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:23:01 GMT

I had a quick look at topics in Discussions in the News and Announcement sections that will also be relevant to this discussion.

@Zsolt - I'll have to get back to you on that. Do you have a few suggestions for improvement in the scripting?

Edit: Fixed the link :: Shorty

Edit: Note to self - include as a suggestion ..... language use ... precision

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

Zsolt — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:13:57 GMT

@Shorty: I am not good at JS, but the company name WebTrends was familiar:

"Webtrends answers the who, what, when, and where of corporate websites. Customers use the company's software to analyze, manage, and report on who is using their site, what pages visitors view most, and when problems are about to occur. Its software also monitors security, determines how users access a company's website, and analyzes e-commerce functions. Webtrends' customers come from a wide range of industries and have included Renault, Emap, and eMarketer. It has offices across Europe and Asia, in addition to the US. Webtrends also offers industry-specific versions of its software for such vertical markets as government, retail, financial services, media, and telecom. The company is owned by Francisco Partners."

Why would the MSR analyze that what pages I am looking at? Nothing to do with Tomtom.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

mammoth — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:49:56 GMT

Zsolt wrote:
@mammoth: Do you have the latest JAVA installed?

To be sure, I downloaded and installed the newest Java, with no improvement. Refreshing with Ctrl+F5 does not help.

When I log in to http://www.tomtom.com/mapshare/tools/, the browser says that it's connecting to routes.tomtom.com -> d.routes.tomtom.com -> b.routes.tomtom.com. So for me this seems that downloading the map fails or is very slow, and it tries different mirror pages. Sometimes a part of the map gets downloaded, but usually not. However the internet connection is fast and all other TomTom pages download quickly.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

mammoth — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:57:58 GMT

mammoth wrote:
Zsolt wrote:
@mammoth: Do you have the latest JAVA installed?
To be sure, I downloaded and installed the newest Java, with no improvement. Refreshing with Ctrl+F5 does not help.

When I log in to http://www.tomtom.com/mapshare/tools/, the browser says that it's connecting to routes.tomtom.com -> d.routes.tomtom.com -> b.routes.tomtom.com. So for me this seems that downloading the map fails or is very slow, and it tries different mirror pages. Sometimes a part of the map gets downloaded, but usually not. However the internet connection is fast and all other TomTom pages download quickly.

I tested this with another computer (Mac) in the same internet connection, and the problem is exactly the same. But in my work computer the problem does not exist. So the problem seems to be down to my ADSL connection or ISP.

Re: Using Map Share Reporter

Zsolt — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:02:17 GMT

That's odd. Try to contact your ISP to check. Maybe they filter the site for some reason?

Re: Map Share Reporter suggestions for improvement

Shorty — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:33:08 GMT

@ mammoth and those who replied, while your question and the answers are valid they are Off Topic under this title please go create or join another

@Zsolt

Agreed it's web amalytics stuff and I would submit that it's valuabnle knowledge for Tom Tom. More or less activity in a particular zone (compared to some norm) could indicate a problem in the map at that site. Equally so if a large public event was about to take place and so on

Guys (and Dolls) let me emphasise once more PLEASE,only post in this topic if you have a suggestion to make stemming from your experience in using Map Share Reporter This topic is not the place to discuss issues you may have with MSR unless it concludes with a suggestion. If you post issues here these could mask a valid suggestion tucked away in the post itself.

So far (up there now in this thread) we've had a list of valuable input from fof and Zsolt in essence asking that MSR be tested on ALL browser programmes before being put out for use.

So, let us have your & more experiences of the MSR product in use.that lead to suggestions for improvement..