Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Compass 55: Beta version 4.2 with OSGB and SK 42 (СК 42) converter is now available!

converter-latlon

Re-designed free-text coordinates converter is available from version 4.2 of the app. You’ll find it in several places:

  1. MENU > Coordinates converter.
  2. On the map, in the map search > Coordinates.
  3. In the point editor, to the left of the Done button or in Lat/Lon, UTM, MGRS rows.

New coordinates converter adds support for OSGB and SK 42 coordinate systems, in addition to current Lat/Lon, UTM, MGRS. More coordinate systems will be added with time.

We started with OSGB and SK 42 as they both represent some unique challenges that we wanted to solve before looking at more generic conversions:

  • OSGB. The app provides options for both approximate conversion and precise conversion with usage of a grid shift file. By default, approximate conversion is used (as in most online converters and apps). In the OSGB conversion settings section in the converter screen, if you switch to a precise conversion, the app will ask you to download grid shifts file (about 15MB). After that you can use the precise conversion and avoid error of 0..±5 feet which happens in case of an approximate conversion. OSGB settings also provide an option to insert space between coordinate components or not.

  • SK 42. Former Soviet Union standard (covering area from Germany to Japan) that a lot of Eastern European users still have maps for. The app provides precise zonal conversion for SK 42, where different parameters are used for each zone and thus accuracy corresponds to sources like EPSG iself or SK42.org.

This probably makes the app one of the rare ones that can provide offline precise conversion for OSGB and SK 42 systems.


You can enter free text in the top coordinate input text box and the app will do its best to parse it as a coordinate.

For WGS84 latitude, longitude (d, dm, dms), UTM or MGRS input you have an option to switch format between these coordinate representations. Use the Format button:

converter-format


For the point editor, converter button is available on top of the screen and in Latitude/Longitude, UTM, MGRS input rows:

converter-point

The above screenshot also shows that you can have different button colors from Version 4.1

The top converter button starts with coordinates in either Latitude/Longitude, UTM or MGRS - dependent on your choice of a default in Settings > Coordinate format.

Buttons in the Latitude/Longitude, UTM or MGRS rows start with respectively with Latitude/Longitude, UTM or MGRS.

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Still working on a new free-text coordinates converter (adding OSGB and SK 42).

A short preview for how this new converter will be used in the Point editor. This is recorded with the Compass 55 app, but will be available in the same way in GPS Camera 55.



Here is current documentation, work in progress:

Saturday, June 29, 2024

Taximeter 55: Added documentation page for the soon coming options for creating a taxi trip directly in the Fare Calculator.

 http://hdocs.blocoware.com/en/taxi/v42/

Adding support for creating a taxi trip directly in the Fare Calculator (MENU > FARE CALCULATOR).

  • In the fare calculator select the preferred route, tap on ‘Create trip’ button:

fare-estimator-trip

  • Now add/manage extras for the trip, use Receipt button to adjust the total, note or collect the payment.
  • If you don’t need the calculated trip, swipe on the delete button to delete the trip.
  • If you keep the calculated trip, you’ll find it later in the trips log (MENU > TRIPS LOG). This should enable new business scenarios when you need to give a fixed price estimate and issue a receipt exactly for the estimated price.

Fare calculator

Taximeter 55: Getting closer to releasing beta version with new options for creating a taxi trip from the fare estimator.

Recent focus was on getting extras management right for the estimated trip and adding swipe to delete button.



Sunday, June 9, 2024

Taximeter 55 app - version 4.1 - The first one with custom button colors, others to follow.

 Version 4.1 - What's new?



Custom color for buttons. (Settings > Advanced > Button colors).

This should provide more options for improved visibility of buttons in bright sunlight and potentially assist in cases involving vision color deficiencies.


buttons-color-picker


You can now pick colors for all of the buttons in the app with following exceptions:

  • Buttons in popups are having system blue color.

All other buttons will have the color that you pick here.

Integrating the latest version of SumUp SDK (5.0.0) as SumUp has the following important updates for you:

  • Support for the Solo Lite card reader.
  • Support for the Australian Dollar and Mexican Pesos currencies.

Miscelany

  • Bug fixes and optimizations.

Monday, May 20, 2024

Speedometer 55 - Version 4.7 - What's new?

 Free and PRO version.

  • Bug fixes and optimizations.
  • Google maps updated to version 8.4.0.
  • Mileage calculator adds ‘My location’ button to prepopulate start or end address with your current location:

Mileage calculator can be useful if you need to pre-estimate your travel routes and cost options.
In PRO app version, it can also be used to create tracks and even batches of driving records, based on start/end address, for remuneration or tax/cost reporting.
If you have not used Mileage calculator in the app yet, here is more information:
Mileage calculator


PRO version.

Rally computer advancements. (MENU > MODES > Rally mode).

rally-computer-plus-main

  • Top trip master panel now shows 4 customizable fields.
  • You can select background color and measurement type for each field.
  • Rally can run as a session, recording tracks for each split/segment and allowing the app to run in the background until you finish the rally session.
  • When rally session is active you can adjust all of the rally counters. Use ± button to enter the adjustment mode.
  • You can configure segments for your rally and split between these segments. If you set distance or target average speed for segments, the app will give you hints on distance left in the segment and will apply the target average speed automatically.
  • Rally settings, including segments, can be shared or backed up for later restoration, when you need to return to this particular rally.

This is it for version 4.7. Wishing you a great rally and travel season with the app by your side! We are already working on new features and improvements!