KML error, filename bug, and some feedback about 1.34

[whiskers]

Hi, first I wanted to say that RouteConverter is a hidden gem of a program with so many useful features, that I couldn't even imagine that someone would think of them, let alone implement them in a free program. I just started using it but I am already amazed at what it offers.

With that out of the way, I have a couple of things to report:

First, there is a bug in saving filenames containing dots. When I save a file and put a date in the filename, such as (24.06.10), the last part - ".10)" will get stripped off. Not sure if that's a 'feature' of java or what...

Second - version 1.33 has trouble reading .kml files, saying "an error occurred while opening 'file.kml' : null". Now, these are from Google Earth 5.2.1.1329 (beta) Build Date Jun 10, 2010 and the prerelease version, 1.34, fixes the problem and loads the files - but sometimes it detects them as a Garmin POI database (.xcsv) - see attached.

Third - the elevation retrieval in 1.34 is excellent! It's much faster and more accurate than in 1.33 (different server?). Good job with that.

Fourth - this might be just a personal pet peeve, but from a usability viewpoint, it's easier to access features through tabs rather than through menus and right-clicks. Thus, the removal of things like "plan," "analyse," tabs and the "open" button is detrimental to the workflow. Now, instead of switching to the "analyze" tab and clicking "complete missing elevations" - two clicks - I have to select all positions (CTRL+A), right-click "complete", find the "complete" menu with the cursor, then click on "elevation", which is much slower than the previous method. This may be a personal preference, but I really do find that tabs are a better way for accessing/organizing features as opposed to drop-down menus or right-click menus, as new users may not be able to easily find items or will not be encouraged to explore the options of the software.

So with that said, I am very much looking forward to where RouteConverter is going and hoping to be of help.

[routeconverter]

Hi, first I wanted to say that RouteConverter is a hidden gem of a program with so many useful features, that I couldn't even imagine that someone would think of them, let alone implement them in a free program. I just started using it but I am already amazed at what it offers.

Thank you.

First, there is a bug in saving filenames containing dots. When I save a file and put a date in the filename, such as (24.06.10), the last part - ".10)" will get stripped off. Not sure if that's a 'feature' of java or what...

The program tries to be nice and replaces the file extension with the one appropriate for the chosen format. It fails in your case, but if the file is called 240610 or 24.06.10.kml this magic should work.

Second - version 1.33 has trouble reading .kml files, saying "an error occurred while opening 'file.kml' : null". Now, these are from Google Earth 5.2.1.1329 (beta) Build Date Jun 10, 2010 and the prerelease version, 1.34, fixes the problem and loads the files - but sometimes it detects them as a Garmin POI database (.xcsv) - see attached.

That is weird: the file you've sent me contains a Track encoded like this

Code:

            <gx:Track>
                <when>2009-07-25T17:45:25Z</when>
                <when>2009-07-25T17:50:49Z</when>
                <gx:coord>-72.93847 42.721797 335.0000000000001</gx:coord>
                <gx:coord>-72.938855 42.72168 327</gx:coord>
            </gx:Track>

But this not defined in Google's XML Schema Extension http://code.google.com/apis/kml/schema/kml22gx.xsd

Did you produce that file with Google Earth?

Third - the elevation retrieval in 1.34 is excellent! It's much faster and more accurate than in 1.33 (different server?). Good job with that.

Local files are the reason. The 1.34 first tries to download and use HGT files and then falls back to geonames.org and earthtools.org

Fourth - this might be just a personal pet peeve, but from a usability viewpoint, it's easier to access features through tabs rather than through menus and right-clicks. [..]

Thank you for your feedback, actually there have been quite emotional discussions in this forum about the UI and its usability after the 1.32 release. In conclusion I've decided to go with a more classic UI design that is implemented in the prereleases.

So with that said, I am very much looking forward to where RouteConverter is going and hoping to be of help.

I have a lot of users from Germany - do you have an idea how to increase the visibility in other parts of the world?

[hvdwolf]

I have a lot of users from Germany - do you have an idea how to increase the visibility in other parts of the world?

There are quite some GPS forums around the world as well as GPS magazines. Next to that there are some Opensource/Freeware sites which could display/describe your program with a direct linkt to your site. Maybe you could start a "sticky" thread asking users to advocate for your program on these forums and with these magazines.
The users could then volunteer and register(!) for doing so for a specific forum or magazine. If you simply ask and a lot of enthousiastic users would start promoting your program at one and the same forum, you could easily be banned for spamming and that's the last thing you would.

I wouldn't mind to do so on some Mac related sites as soon as the port error is solved on Mac (and Linux).

[whiskers]

That is weird: the file you've sent me contains a Track encoded like this

Code:

            <gx:Track>
                <when>2009-07-25T17:45:25Z</when>
                <when>2009-07-25T17:50:49Z</when>
                <gx:coord>-72.93847 42.721797 335.0000000000001</gx:coord>
                <gx:coord>-72.938855 42.72168 327</gx:coord>
            </gx:Track>

But this not defined in Google's XML Schema Extension http://code.google.com/apis/kml/schema/kml22gx.xsd

Did you produce that file with Google Earth?

Yes, from an imported GPX file. Then I just went to export the track into KML and Google Earth gave me that file. I'm not sure if they changed anything... I will try some other random GPX files at some point.

I have a lot of users from Germany - do you have an idea how to increase the visibility in other parts of the world?

My problems started by attempting to import a GPX file into IGO8 so that I could follow a hike and not get lost. Unfortunately, IGO8 only recognized the TRK format and after a bit of searching and not finding anything about the format, I found your RouteConverter and was amazed at how many features it had, given how niche GPS stuff like this is.
With that said, most people are not as geeky as I am and will not be interested in logging their hikes and gathering statistics about them, although the marketing in regards of "track your running/training progress" is increasing. For importing tracks into a GPS there's no other way than converting using your program.

Everytrail is starting to become more popular and in several of the cases I had much trouble getting it to accept my tracks without using your reduction features - there would be just too many points. Also, RouteConverter is great for getting elevation - I have not found any other easy way to complement elevation. Perhaps, try to get into the Everytrail community.

Photo geotagging has not taken off very well, but I imagine that it will get a bit more popular with more built-in GPSs in cameras. I've been using Microsoft Pro Photo Tools to align the photos from my camera to my tracks and let me say, that program is nowhere near "pro". This requires lots of work, but maybe adding the ability to sync/geotag pictures would draw users to the program.

But how does all this relate to other parts of the world and how to expose the program to potential users? Perhaps, start a blog in which you document features or show how to perform certain tasks in tutorials so that if users search for things like "convert gps path", they may be lead to the blog post about using GPS converter to do that.

[routeconverter]

Did you produce that file with Google Earth?

Yes, from an imported GPX file. Then I just went to export the track into KML and Google Earth gave me that file. I'm not sure if they changed anything... I will try some other random GPX files at some point.

In the mean time, Google has (silently) updated the XML schema and I have updated the RouteConverter prerelease to read the new track elements. Please try it and report.

[routeconverter]

I have a lot of users from Germany - do you have an idea how to increase the visibility in other parts of the world?

My problems started by attempting to import a GPX file into IGO8 so that I could follow a hike and not get lost. Unfortunately, IGO8 only recognized the TRK format and after a bit of searching and not finding anything about the format, I found your RouteConverter and was amazed at how many features it had, given how niche GPS stuff like this is.
With that said, most people are not as geeky as I am and will not be interested in logging their hikes and gathering statistics about them, although the marketing in regards of "track your running/training progress" is increasing. For importing tracks into a GPS there's no other way than converting using your program.

Good I was thinking about simple ways how to spreed this news. Thank you for your ideas!

Everytrail is starting to become more popular and in several of the cases I had much trouble getting it to accept my tracks without using your reduction features - there would be just too many points. Also, RouteConverter is great for getting elevation - I have not found any other easy way to complement elevation. Perhaps, try to get into the Everytrail community.

I've tried this with CrossingWays, OpenStreetMap and GPSies. But only the GPSies page brings some users to my site.

Photo geotagging has not taken off very well, but I imagine that it will get a bit more popular with more built-in GPSs in cameras. I've been using Microsoft Pro Photo Tools to align the photos from my camera to my tracks and let me say, that program is nowhere near "pro". This requires lots of work, but maybe adding the ability to sync/geotag pictures would draw users to the program.

Yes, I already had some users with this use case.

But how does all this relate to other parts of the world and how to expose the program to potential users? Perhaps, start a blog in which you document features or show how to perform certain tasks in tutorials so that if users search for things like "convert gps path", they may be lead to the blog post about using GPS converter to do that.

Good idea, I'm redoing the website to allow RouteConverter users to edit pages. So I can focus on ideas like yours.