Viewranger being discontinued.

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Jurassic
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Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Jurassic »

Well as we suspected, Viewranger is being shut down at the end of February '22 (I just received an email notification to that effect). It says if you've paid for map tiles on Viewranger you'll be able to access them on Outdooractive but we'll have to see how that pans out........ :roll:
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JackT
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by JackT »

I've been trying hard to find a workable replacement for Viewranger. One that allows:

* provides OS base maps and allows bulk downloads to phone for use without a data connection or in Airplane mode.
* provides other useful basemaps too, esp Open Street Map / Open Cycle Map
* has snap-to-road GPX drawing as well as simple straight line drawing
* has easy syncing between GPX files on phone app and desktop app.
* can import GPX files from cloud storage on Dropbox
* allows the upload and viewing of multiple GPX files at the same time (not inexplicably limited to one at a time like the OS official all)
* allows printing of maps from desktop app.

I've tried OutdoorsActive, Anquet, MemoryMap, Footpath Route Planner, footpathmap.co.uk, Back Country Navigator XE, cycle.travel. I've paid for premium memberships and had a poke around. None of them does it all.

:cry:
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Dave Barter
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Dave Barter »

I started building something similar Jack but the massive problem is the phone/desktop bit. It is so time consuming to get something working in all environments that deals with offline well

OS cripple you with their ToCs which don't allow caching outside of their app for more than 24 hours.

In the end I wrote a plugin for QGIS that will do almost all of your desktop requirements as long as you have an OS developer key. QGIS has a high learning curve but the editing and snapping tools are sublime as are the map printing options. It will do all of these:-

* provides other useful basemaps too, esp Open Street Map / Open Cycle Map
* has snap-to-road GPX drawing as well as simple straight line drawing
* can import GPX files from cloud storage on Dropbox
* allows the upload and viewing of multiple GPX files at the same time (not inexplicably limited to one at a time like the OS official all)
* allows printing of maps from desktop app.

But I stress it is not designed as a simple map editor. My project will make this all easier by building an interface on top of QGIS. But I have a lot of work to do before it is ready for those unfamiliar with QGIS and GIS technology in general

https://github.com/citizenfish/qgis_gpx_track_manager

The phone app side is harder. Sorry!
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Richard G
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Richard G »

Terrible news. :(
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fatbikephil
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by fatbikephil »

I've had an OS subscription for nearly 2 years after I got fed up with viewranger....
The desktop bit is pretty good with a handy 'snap to path' feature in national parks and a generally easy to use menu. Problems are around its tendency to suddenly scroll off 50k and to insert a POI randomly when you are trying to drag the map around.
Downloading maps to a phone is crap and this is where view ranger scored. Its designed for hill walkers who will only want a small area. Where view ranger shaded in the map so you could see what you had downloaded OS doesn't so its guess work and you usually end up with gaps typically at key bits. Best way is to just download a route and allow it to download the relevant tiles for you. Although when I did this for the Highland Trail it crashed....

It also has a habit of going in the huff when you open a map to view resulting in a blank screen.....

It's up to you Dave!
Al
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Al »

Any idea what happens after February?

Will the app just stop working or will it stop updating but continue to function if you have it installed??
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Jurassic
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Jurassic »

Al wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 3:32 pm Any idea what happens after February?

Will the app just stop working or will it stop updating but continue to function if you have it installed??
The email that I received says that they're "switching off the app and websites" so I'm guessing it'll just disappear or not function at all.
redefined_cycles
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by redefined_cycles »

At the bottom of the email it states
Once your account is connected, a free subscription will be started automatically. When this subscription expires your account will default to basic and you will not be charged anything
and somewhere near the start it states
One-off payments in ViewRanger
If you made one-off payments to access maps of an area within ViewRanger, then you will be able to access maps of those areas via the free version of the Outdooractive app and website. The maps will be from the same map data provider or from an alternative map data provider depending on the map region:
Doesn't that sound like a bit of a play on words whereby you'll automatically be on the free version once over on OutdoorActive but then, "when this subscription expires your account will default to basic and you will not be charged" implies that I'll then lose all my £100 or £300 of OS tiles :sad:
Al
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Al »

Just tried to ‘seamlessly migrate’ my map tiles and tracks across as instructed.

Didn’t work. Says I am registered and need to click the activation email. No email, and the ‘resend email’ button in the outdoor active app doesn’t work.

So first impressions are pretty shoddy :oops:
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barney
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by barney »

Soon to be ex-ViewRanger user here as well

I've just found Komoot on the play store, seems similar anyone got any knowledge of it?

Cheers
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Ian
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Ian »

I use a combination of Komoot and Route Buddy. Komoot is very handy for plotting long routes very quickly, especially on roads (e.g. I planned my APN route in less than 20 mins, 1091km).

I use Route Buddy for all my off-road stuff, having amassed a large library of routes over the years. I bought the OS maps years ago for the whole UK, which I have on the phones companion app, to which I can sync tracks etc. RB doesn’t support snap to tracks, roads and wotnot, and is quite archaic compared to more recent apps. They stopped developing it years and years ago, but everything still works.
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barney
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by barney »

Ian wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 8:34 pm I use a combination of Komoot and Route Buddy. Komoot is very handy for plotting long routes very quickly, especially on roads (e.g. I planned my APN route in less than 20 mins, 1091km).

I use Route Buddy for all my off-road stuff, having amassed a large library of routes over the years. I bought the OS maps years ago for the whole UK, which I have on the phones companion app, to which I can sync tracks etc. RB doesn’t support snap to tracks, roads and wotnot, and is quite archaic compared to more recent apps. They stopped developing it years and years ago, but everything still works.
Thanks Ian, will look into having a proper play, seems to tick a lot of the boxes I'll need.
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woodsmith
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by woodsmith »

barney wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:32 pm Soon to be ex-ViewRanger user here as well

I've just found Komoot on the play store, seems similar anyone got any knowledge of it?

Cheers
I've played with Kommot a lot but only the free version. I've found it useless for plotting off road routes regardless of whether I choose mtb, gravel, touring etc. Tested it in my local are where there bridleways as a fairly direct route between A and B and it always just routes me down roads. I've been a long term user of RWGPS and find it excellent generally.
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Chrisps
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Chrisps »

https://www.plotaroute.com/ is really good for route planning. Unfortunately no offline mobile capability.

But I use it to plot routes and then send them to my Garmin (Plot a Route supports auto-sync with Garmins). If you want it on your phone, you could install OruxMaps (excellent free GPS app for Android) with OpenAndroMaps free mapping. It works well for following a route on trails, but isn't any good for proper mountain navigation where you need an OS maps
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JackT
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by JackT »

For everything that doesn't require an OS map, RideWithGPS is very good, the best of the bunch in my opinion. I've had some dealings with the people who run RideWithGPS and they've been really good, in responding to feature requests and generally open to ideas and engaging as fellow enthusiasts. If only it had a paid-for OS maps option.

I don't do an awful lot of machine routing as I prefer to plan routes myself, but I consider that the algorithm used by cycle.travel is considerably better than komoot, particularly for roads and rideable gravel type routes (as opposed to MTB). Richard, who runs cycle.travel, is based in the UK, and makes use of a wider range of data sources than komoot for determining routing (e.g. real traffic counts on roads). Komoot's algorithm is one-size-fits-the-world. I have seen komoot publish some really shoddy route guides. So many mistakes that I was doubtful that the author had even ridden the route. I also dislike the way komoot doesn't allow users to download another user's shared GPX files unless they're paid subscribers. In that respect it's a bit of a walled garden and not really very good for sharing routes. Plus there's the whole PR machine that komoot has going, and the paid 'social media influencers'. Then again, it is sponsoring the Torino-Nice Rally so can't be all bad. :-bd
Al
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Al »

So I finally managed to register and asked what was going to happen to all the map times I’d paid for - got this reply, which sounds encouraging (don’t get me wrong I prefer they’d just left well alone)

“ Hi Alistair,

As part of connecting to Outdooractive (OA) via ViewRanger, your account now has a free year of the Pro+ subscription in OA. This includes all the OS GB Maps, as well as the topo maps for various other countries. (There are no tiles in Outdooractive.)

On any map screen use the map layers button, the stack of 3 squares to the right. Choose Topo. Zoom in and you'll see OS GB maps.

Save areas to use offline with the down arrow, top right.

After the year of Pro+ (which will not renew automatically), you'll retain access to your legacy maps in ViewRanger, including the whole country OS GB maps in Outdooractive.”
redefined_cycles
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by redefined_cycles »

That does sound promising Al and thanks for sharing their response. What I've translated that as, is that I'll get all the OS maps via Outdooractive for a year and am able to save what I please. Them when the years subscription expires I can continue using my Viewranger app which will still have the OS tile I've bought in the past... :smile: !?
Al
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Al »

I don’t think you’ll be able to use viewranger after your free year, but they will give you access to any map tiles you purchased on viewranger via their app
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faustus
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by faustus »

I moved from viewranger to Outdooractive a while ago and it's been fine. But it has the same annoying routing gremlins that VR had, making it a longer job. For me i'm not asking much from an app as I only really care about access to OS maps and I very rarely follow a route or track, even if i've planned one, i'm such a GPS idiot.

Al/Shaf - I wouldn't get that excited i'm afraid, as all they are saying is that pro membership gets you access to OS maps for the whole country, as it did with viewranger. But you don't get to 'keep' those maps like the tiles, and once the subscription ends, so does your access (unless you renew). Viewranger as an app will cease to function, so you won't be able to keep maps from outdooractive...

EDIT - it's basically a move to ongoing subscription to maps, rather than buying a digital version one-off. It's crap that even though you did buy them in good faith, that rug has effectively been pulled from under you :roll:
Al
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Al »

That’s how I’d ready it too - but the email they sent seems to contradict it:

“After the year of Pro+ (which will not renew automatically), you'll retain access to your legacy maps in ViewRanger, including the whole country OS GB maps in Outdooractive.”
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Ray Young
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Ray Young »

I use bought tiles only and have heard nothing from them.
redefined_cycles
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by redefined_cycles »

Ray Young wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 1:46 pm I use bought tiles only and have heard nothing from them.
I thought I hadn't aswell Ray but then checked properly/SPAM and the email was there that the original post refers to. :smile:
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Ray Young
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Ray Young »

redefined_cycles wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:25 pm
Ray Young wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 1:46 pm I use bought tiles only and have heard nothing from them.
I thought I hadn't aswell Ray but then checked properly/SPAM and the email was there that the original post refers to. :smile:
Better go through my bin then.
Al
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by Al »

I didn’t bother looking for the email - I just downloaded the outdoor active app - there is an option to transfer your viewranger account
frogatthefarriers
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Re: Viewranger being discontinued.

Post by frogatthefarriers »

I thought I’d better get to grips with this Outdooractive before ViewRanger gets switched off. Transferred ok but now :-

GGGRRRAAAHH - what a piece of ship it is. The help files are completely useless - almost never giving a useable answer. T'internet is no help either pointing to items that don’t exist in the app. I’m at my wits end just trying to put in the grid refs for the Winter Event.

I’ve been using ViewRanger for a few years now, though I’ve not got too much paid-for stuff on there. I don’t remember it being such a PITA to learn. I suppose it’s one of these situations where it’s easy once you know how, but is some understandable/useable help too much to ask? But even so, the bits I have figured out are so klunky to use..

I can see myself looking for alternatives very soon.
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