Author Topic: Map problem on viewranger  (Read 3760 times)

April

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Map problem on viewranger
« on: 12:58:14, 11/10/18 »
Today I've had a problem with opening the Lake District map on viewranger saved on my tablet. It is asking me for the license key! The map is already downloaded, I am offline. I can't do anything until I get home. I have no map to look at. This is slightly worrying. If I was out on a fell and this happened you would have no map unless you took a paper one or another device. Has anyone else had this happen?
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jimbob

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #1 on: 18:14:06, 11/10/18 »
That sounds like the actual VR software has decided that it is not activated on that device ( Clearly you know that it is)

Is it possible that you have left you VR account open on another ( or more than one other) device and have breached the number of devices in use at any one time? I agree with you that the worry is that a glitch has occurred which could be extremely dangerous in the wrong time/place scenario.
VR themselves are usually available so hopefully you'll be able to let us know the cause. The effect is not a good an advert for them.

Too little, too late, too bad......

April

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #2 on: 19:07:12, 11/10/18 »
Hi jimbob

The software was working, I just couldn't open the map. We don't have the map on more than 4 devices.

Viewranger was asking me to go online to access the license key for the map (Lake District) before it would open the map. Or I could have supplied the license key offline, not sure if this is the same as the serial number?

Once I got home and had access to the internet with my tablet, it got the license key from my account automatically and I can now access the map again and also offline as normal.

Perhaps people should take the license key/serial number with them in case this happens on their device if they don't take a paper map (or another device) as backup?

I normally have the tablet as backup and prefer to use a paper map for nav but this is still slightly concerning, I wonder why it happened?

Edited to add
I've just been looking at our Viewranger account on the pc and it seems the license key wasn't for the map it was for Viewranger to work on my device. It is still worrying, I've used Viewranger on that tablet for a while, why would it ask me for the license key now?  :-\

 
« Last Edit: 19:30:05, 11/10/18 by April »
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jimbob

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #3 on: 22:53:05, 11/10/18 »
It would be worthwhile contacting VR.

I have found their customer service to be excellent.   They may explain it easily or find you have discovered a glitch.
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sussamb

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #4 on: 23:08:02, 11/10/18 »
Even without the licence key though you should have access to the OSM maps.  Having said that whenever I'm out walking I have a GPS and VR on a phone so am covered if one fails, on a LDW I even have a spare phone with VR also so 3 devices  O0

Will be interesting to hear what the VR team say.
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jimbob

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #5 on: 12:15:48, 12/10/18 »
Even without the licence key though you should have access to the OSM maps. 
But in April's situation only if they were downloaded to the actual device?????
 
I thought you could download to any device but then they have to be re-downloaded (possibly synchronised?)
to the actual device you are using for off line use.

I use my pc for planning then ensure the maps required are downloaded to my smartphone and my dedicated gps smartphone. I use a memory card in each phone also. As time goes on I need to do this less and less because the OS tiles once saved rarely need to be resaved.


Too little, too late, too bad......

April

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #6 on: 13:29:45, 12/10/18 »
The map was already downloaded to my tablet, I've been using it for ages. I haven't had time to ask VR yet why I would need to input the device license key. I'll see if I have time later.

The long and short of it was: I could open Viewranger but it wouldn't allow me to open the Lake District map without being online to access the device license key automatically or I could input the license key offline. The only trouble is I didn't know it!
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ninthace

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #7 on: 15:27:10, 12/10/18 »
I am using ViewRanger at the moment dumping over 400 routes into it.
I have noticed that in the My Account section there is a button marked  "manage devices". If you click on that it will list your active devices.  Next to each device there is a button to generate a licence key for that device.  Don't know if this helps as the only tablet I have that uses ViewRanger is an I-pad Air and ViewRanger is horrid on it.  I use the OS app on my phone with ViewRanger as my alternative.
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Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #8 on: 17:51:45, 12/10/18 »
By what i can remember when using a Microsoft Windows programme, if the user has purchased the software, they are allowed to download it only a small number of times, using the unique provided licence key.
Its quite possibly you have exceeded your download limit, if this is the case, then contact Viewranger to purchase a new licence code.

All this may be totally unnecessary, and there may be another reason for the tablet error, but every software provider for a Microsoft driven product, will only allow their product to be downloaded a certain number of times.

If the owner could download the software as many times as they wanted, on as many PCs as they chose, then the provider who make no money.



« Last Edit: 17:54:48, 12/10/18 by Dyffryn Ardudwy »

sussamb

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #9 on: 18:08:16, 12/10/18 »
While interesting that really has nothing to do with VR  ;)
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Mel

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #10 on: 18:17:51, 12/10/18 »
April - a long shot maybe but is it possible that you pressed another button opening the premium maps (subscription) option by accident?  That asks for an activation key.


I've just been updating my maps on my "gps phone" and noticed a new little map icon on the screen.  Tapping that brings up a premium maps option and pressing again brings up a request for activation code.


Other than that, another thumbs up for contacting VR's helpdesk.  They're really helpful and respond really quickly.


Hope you get sorted .... wouldn't fancy wrestling with a paper map this weekend  :D



jimbob

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #11 on: 19:15:58, 12/10/18 »
By what i can remember when using a Microsoft Windows programme, if the user has purchased the software, they are allowed to download it only a small number of times, using the unique provided licence key.
Its quite possibly you have exceeded your download limit, if this is the case, then contact Viewranger to purchase a new licence code.

All this may be totally unnecessary, and there may be another reason for the tablet error, but every software provider for a Microsoft driven product, will only allow their product to be downloaded a certain number of times.

If the owner could download the software as many times as they wanted, on as many PCs as they chose, then the provider who make no money.
I take it you did not read April's original posting then. She had bought,  downloaded and used the map on the device previously. Nowt to do with windows licences at all. Just so as you know for the future Viewranger is FREE software. They make their income by selling downloadable map tiles which once purchased and downloaded  can be used ad infinitum as can the FREE maps that they also  provide. So she was certainly NOT trying to avoid paying the provider
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Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #12 on: 18:09:50, 14/10/18 »
No software is free, i should know, because ive written individual programmes for barcode scanners.
Software for whatever application takes considerable time and effort to develop and get right for its intended use.
When the user downloads the Viewranger software, they are given permission to use that application for a set number of times, that's what licence keys are designed for.

If anyone here is under the apprehension that the Viewranger software is free, then they know little or nothing about software development.

I designed my own and in conjunction with my partner, wrote and designed individual software applications, for different bar code scanners.

No software is free, the user somewhere down the line has to pay to use it, when their licence key has expired.


How on earth does the likes of Microsost and Apple make billions in revenue from their software, if they designed the software and allowed everyone to use it for nothing, they would be soon out of business.
« Last Edit: 18:13:39, 14/10/18 by Dyffryn Ardudwy »

ninthace

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #13 on: 18:42:06, 14/10/18 »

No software is free, the user somewhere down the line has to pay to use it, when their licence key has expired.


How on earth does the likes of Microsost and Apple make billions in revenue from their software, if they designed the software and allowed everyone to use it for nothing, they would be soon out of business.


So how much is your web browser costing you? Or your email?


Of course it is not free but that does not mean that you are paying for it. There are other commercial models.  If you are not paying for an app, you are not a customer - you are a commodity.  Thus the software is free to you because data about you are what  they are selling. The more users they have, the more they make.


The ViewRanger app will use this plus of course if you want to use its products you will need to buy credits to buy maps and routes and they make money. Also, by making it free, people like me will store our routes in it, others will buy these routes. If it cost me money, I wouldn’t use it and they would have nothing to sell.


Licence keys have precious little to do with it.
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Rob Goes Walking

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Re: Map problem on viewranger
« Reply #14 on: 18:53:55, 14/10/18 »
Some software is completely free like Ubuntu Linux or Firefox web browser. You even get the source code. I don't know about April's problem though, sorry.
« Last Edit: 20:40:30, 14/10/18 by Rob Goes Walking »

 

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