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Main Boards => Gear => Topic started by: emdaw on 20:14:28, 23/04/20

Title: OS Map App Help
Post by: emdaw on 20:14:28, 23/04/20
Help what am I doing wrong  :-[ 


Custom Routes created on PC and saved into my routes, all works OK.  However, when I open the OS Map app on my phone I can see all the routes I have created OK, I then download one of the routes for offline use.  I get the relevant map area but it does not show the actual route I plotted (no route line).  Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong??? 
Thanks in advance for your help.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: ninthace on 20:23:05, 23/04/20
Not seen that.  What happens if you "favourite" the route?


Have you checked the route styling in preferences?
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: emdaw on 22:35:38, 23/04/20
Not seen that.  What happens if you "favourite" the route?


Have you checked the route styling in preferences?


Thanks I will try that and let you know O0
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: pdstsp on 10:11:34, 24/04/20
Emdaw, I had exactly your issue when OS updated its app last year - I ended up uninstalling and reinstalling, but it still happens occasionally.  I have moved to Viewranger on the phone and have been taking my old Garmin GPS out again.  OS made a right c0ck-up of the update and have lost a fair amount of goodwill as a result, IMO.


(Hope Phononut doesn't look at this thread - he'll explode ;D )
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: gunwharfman on 12:01:57, 24/04/20
I've never tried OS products so I can't help but I do own an Android phone. I've used the app 'Backcountry' for a number of years now and their OS maps have never failed me. The app nowadays is a one-off cost of £14.99. There is a free Backcountry version if you just want to give it a try.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: Z3man on 09:33:53, 26/04/20
This is a link to the OS website, listing known bugs etc.

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop/os-maps-app-faq.html#bugs
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: GnP on 09:42:56, 26/04/20
"When I edit a route on web, why doesn’t it change on the app ? "
That question might answer why I am having problems with my phone. I thought it was lack of memory on my phone and it couldn`t take any more information on board.

There are way to many bugs now on OS for me now, so I am letting this years subscription lapse in three weeks time.
I am using Walklakes to plot routes and it has a nice clean interface.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: Toxicbunny on 19:15:15, 28/04/20
OS updated their app. I had same issues. I emailed them they got back to me within a few hours and sorted it for me. My advice contact OS. I tried installing and reinstalling nothing worked. They did something from their end and fixed it.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: ninthace on 19:52:51, 28/04/20
OS updated their app. I had same issues. I emailed them they got back to me within a few hours and sorted it for me. My advice contact OS. I tried installing and reinstalling nothing worked. They did something from their end and fixed it.
Same here.  A load of my routes disappeared all of a sudden,  I got in touch and they recovered them from a back up.  I even got an apology.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: Annie oakley56 on 19:58:31, 03/11/21
This is exactly the problem that I have, all 'custom routes' have no route attached.
If i open the same route from the non - offline listing then its ok. And it says its downloaded
BUT quite often this route loses the overlay after coming back to it after screen saver mode.
There is a button "Add a custom offline map" but where from? If i press the button it randomly goes to the last location i was using with not reference to a map and is has a button 'Download'
Any ideas anyone?
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: Mel on 22:20:33, 03/11/21
I think you have to scroll round the map to the area you are planning on walking then caching/downloading that.  Probably best to do that on wifi prior to the walk, mindst.


Despite numerous trials with the OS map app, I just can't get on with it so hopefully someone who does use it can confirm the above (or say I'm talking a load of old bunkum).
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: vizzavona on 11:53:45, 04/11/21
I didn't get very far with saving a map for use when the signal went awol...offline maps and then attempt to save for use on the hill on the following day. I guess that  I am a bit of a.dud with phone use.
I have Memory Maps that are available almost all of the time so not stuck but I do prefer using the clearer Ordnance Survey ones and perhaps more up to date than the five plus MM ones.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: Eyelet on 19:16:06, 04/11/21
AFAIK there are two approaches to downloading maps. On my iPhone OS App:

1. If you tap the 3 bars then Routes, then choose a new route it should say "Map available to download" at the bottom of its panel. Then tap the adjacent down arrow and the tap Download map. The app will automatically determine a rectangular area of map tiles which contain your route at all map scales and will download these to your phone either via a WiFi or mobile data connection. If you have an adequate connection to the OS tile server, you should see the the download complete fairly quickly. If the connection is poor/broken it will pause, but will let you resume if the connection is restored. So far, the only problems I have had with map tile downloading have been when my internet connection has dropped out.

To visibly check which map areas you have cached to your phone, tap the 3 bars then Offline Maps, then tap the slider next to "Show offline areas on map", then tap the < button top left , then Close to go back to the map screen. The areas of mapping that are cached are coloured green. Incomplete downloads are in grey. Pan and zoom the map to see where the green area are.

To check the list of cached map areas, tap the 3 bars then Offline Maps, then tap Custom offline maps at the top. Successful map downloads have an orange bar. The > panel can be tapped to see the downloaded map area (which will be tinted green if you enabled this as above). Back in the list of Custom offline maps, you can be tap to remove map. Failed or incomplete downloads are shown and have a grey bar on the left and can be tapped to Download map.  The list can be edited by tapping Edit and selecting maps for removal to free up memory if you need to.

2. The second way is to tap the 3 bars then Offline Maps, then tap "Add a custom offline map". Pan and zoom your map to display the area (i.e. full screen) that you want to download - this can be a portrait or a landscape rectangle depending on the orientation of your phone. When finished selecting the area, tap Download, then give the area a name and tap Save at top right. This area of map tiles will be saved to your phone memory. Check as above before setting out on the hill.

Hope this helps ...
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: vizzavona on 09:04:06, 05/11/21
Thanks for that Eyelet.  I have not have a chance yet to try what you have written.
The 'second way' is what I shall try since I don't do routes as preparation to going on the hill although of course I consult the map at home and then 'store away' an outline of where I want to go. For difficult terrain I do store a few Waypoints, for the day out, on a Satellite navigation device.
Will this also work when using a non iPhone device? 
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: Eyelet on 09:15:11, 05/11/21
You’re welcome. I use both methods as sometimes I want a larger area of map than just covering a route. I don’t have access to an Android phone, but would expect that the Android OS app will have the same functionality - I’m sure others can tell us O0
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: ninthace on 09:17:44, 05/11/21
Yes.  I use an Android phone.  Plot route on OS map on laptop, save route and Favourite it. Open app on phone, find route in Favourites.  Select download map.  Now you are good to go.  I use the Favourite function solely for active projects as I have hundreds of routes stored.  Once it is done, I remove it from Favourites.  It just makes it easier to find the route I want.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: Eyelet on 09:22:39, 05/11/21
I think Viz is asking whether the loading of off-line maps by method two above (ie not using a route) is the same in the Android app ;)
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: ninthace on 12:29:00, 05/11/21
If a route is deleted, the associated map stays on the phone until deleted separately.  So easiest way to get an off line map would be a dummy route to cover the area, download map for offline use then delete the route.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: alanbr on 13:50:52, 28/12/21
Just started using OS Maps Premium. Couple of problems:-

1. Is it possible to use OS Map's offline mode on a laptop using Windows 10, and, if so how? The blurb does say that it works seemlessly across all devices - laptop, phone, tablet. I don't use my laptop when I'm walking, but I do use it when I'm away from home and staying in my campervan - I have a mobile router, but, here in Scotland, the signal is often unsatisfactory.

2. I have a GPX file containing waypoints (POIs) for caves and mines, which I find useful. I've previously used it without problem on MemoryMap, MX Map and ViewRanger. The standard version of OS Maps won't load it, because it says it doesn't contain a route. You can also select their "current Version" to try, and this one will import the file, but treats it as a route and covers the screen with lines joining up the hundreds of waypoints. 
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: ninthace on 17:36:25, 28/12/21
Welcome to the forum


Q1.  Not directly from the website as far as I can tell, there are no buttons or menus for the operation. If you could get the app to work on the laptop, maybe but I have no idea if that is feasible.
Q2.  That would require a waypoint file.  The OS app is only designed for routes.  Each mine would have to be single point route which would be tedious


There may be other apps out there that will do what you want.


I use a Garmin combined with Garmin's BaseCamp.  When the unit is docked with BaseCamp on the PC, I do not think it needs an internet connection to read any maps I have stored in either the PC or the unit.  It will also happily accommodate waypoint files.
Title: Re: OS Map App Help
Post by: alanbr on 17:59:43, 28/12/21
Many thank for the quick reply.
Both answers are a bit disappointing, as I need both facilities to work really. My wife has MemoryMap, and I used to use MX Map, and both of these products can provide both these facilities. And, of course, a GPX file is only an XML file, so it is quite capable of holding waypoints, tracks and routes - the software is the problem.