Places Near Towns & Driving Directions
Submitted: Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 12:40
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ExplorOz - David & Michelle
HI all,
We have just updated
places with the first of a major load of new releases. This update has added a new section called 'Location' to every place in the database and what happens is that the system will automatically work out the nearest populated towns from every place and work out the straight line direction & distance and also driving time and distance. It displays this above the map - next to this table is a little animated icon of Australia with a little line moving across it - click on one of these and the system will show you the driving directions on the place map. You can also call up an from address to tell you how to get there from anywhere else in Australia.
To try it out have a look at
Birdsville or try any other place in the system. I have just run a number of data updates also aliging the
Places database with the latest GA topo data - so you will see a very active latest updates list in the place home page map.
Enjoy - I am working to update another load of data in the next few days also. As always if you have a photo or some text you can contribute to the
places system please add it.
DM
Reply By: Member - RFLundgren (WA) - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 12:50
Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 12:50
Hi David
When I go in using Opera I am unable to close the popup window with the icons on the map. This does not allow me to see the track on the map completely. It may just be an Opera thing, have not tried it with a different browser as yet.
Just an idea for another enhancement, which may or may not be too difficult to implement. When the driving directions are displayed would it be possible to have a choice of displaying sealed roads and unsealed roads. Most mapping and route direction sites always take you along sealed roads. Given that this site has much to do with 4 wheel driving, it would be great to have the unsealed roads and tracks come up as the primary option when a route or driving directions are displayed and the sealed road as a secondary option.
Just a thought :)
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Reply By: HeatherG - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 13:03
Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 13:03
Have just done as you suggested and had a look at
Birdsville, a place we are yet to visit but have been close to. It looks fantastic to me and all works smoothly from my end. Thankyou and Merry Christmas.
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Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 13:27
Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 13:27
Pretty Flash!
Gives directions from my front door.
Cheers
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Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 13:36
Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 13:36
Nice one David works
well.
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 21:31
Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 21:31
David
That's great the way it works. trouble is I'll have to bill you for the extra fuel for going the long way round every time I go for a sticky beak at Fenton......I guess it depends on how you have it set ,
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Follow Up By: Fiona & Paul - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 23:00
Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 23:00
G'day Doug
I reckon the admin area has done a great job here David & Michelle because I had just the opposite experience to Diug,
When I got the system to track a quick route from
Bathurst to
Nyngan, and, it found a shorter route than I normally take.
Well I know part of the road through Cumnock, so already I've found another petrol saving possibility.
Paul & Fiona
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:24
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:24
Fiona & Paul
It's OK , I was just having a little fun poke at him, that's all , I fully understand the time and effort David put's into the website for our enjoyment.
I might add it's like any GPS system that you do not do exactly as the gps says if you know better, not like some stories i have read,
.
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:33
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:33
No worries guys, Dougs point is an issue with the system. In some areas it is better than others. As written to Willem below the routing engine uses Google maps and this is overlaid on Topo250 or Google map layers (open the layer selection box to change to Satellite etc
views). I am working on a better routing solution however there is an huge amount of work. So I us Googles to gauge popularity of the system before I invest several weeks work on routing over our own road data network.
Have a great Christmas and Paul I am glad you found a shorter trip. PS: the timing is very generous I have found and as Doug says it is only a guide and should help someone who has never been there before because it will at least get you to the destination.
DM
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Follow Up By: Fiona & Paul - Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:54
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:54
It sure will guys and I just love to see all those little stars popping up all over the OZ map - that is pretty comprhensive and all we want to do is get to those
places that need a couple of photos.
Where are you and Dusty at now Doug?
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Reply By: Willem - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 22:11
Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 22:11
Hmmm..... David
Base maps are still a tad out of date. En route to
Hawker from
Orroroo the direction finder still takes the '
old road' which is no longer in existence as from 2003.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:27
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:27
Yeah Willem,
It is using the system calculation system as Google maps. I am working on building my own routing engine which will allow me to route over off road areas correctly also. It is a long, slow and painful job dealing with mapping data - the files are just so enormous and the number of positions attributes seems endless. it is all a work in progress.
DM
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Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:50
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:50
Thats OK, David
I have an issue with Geoscience (Natmap) and complained about their maps being out of date.
They did reply to my letter stating all kinds of excuses but thanked me for bringing it to their attention. Natmap 2008 is better but the road I mentioned previously is still not upgraded to bitumen and it has been there for 5 years now.
We have 2 x Tom Tom mapping in our cars and I would say that the base maps most likely relate back to the 1950's or 60's. They are OK in some cities but next to useless in the country areas...:-)
Cheers
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