I wonder how to use "Use Ordnance Survey Maps"? Thanks
Just check Use Ordnance Survey Maps in settings. There is nothing else needed. The setting only shows for UK users since those are UK only maps.
thanks
I'd like to use the more detailed 1:50000 annd 1:25000 Ordnance Survey Maps. I have a personal key, but can't get the URL recognised.
I suspect this may be because Bing uses a quadkey rather than {z}/{y}/{x).
I presume Geooh uses this to display OS maps, so what should it look like?
The URL format that works in similar apps is https://t{s}.ssl.ak.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{q}.png?g=3440&productSet=mmOS&key=PERSONALKEY
Geooh is using their {z}/{y}/{x) server with a key assigned to Geooh and Android's tile server mapping software. Google doesn't have anything like the format you listed to retrieve tiles. What is {s} and {q}? How do they relate to zyx? The format you provided doesn't have a zoom level?
I forget where the syntax came from originally, but one source is from GME (Geocaching Map Enhacements)
https://geo.inge.org.uk/gme_maps.htm#os
which specifies
{"alt":"Ordnance Survey","tileUrl":"https://t{s}.ssl.ak.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{q}.png?g=3440&productSet=mmOS&key=PRIVATE_KEY", "subdomains": "0123", "minZoom":10, "maxZoom": 17, "attribution":"Ordnance Survey imagery from <a href='https://www.bing.com/maps/'>Bing Maps</a>", "name":"osbing"}
The {q} represents Bing's quadkey value which combines {z}/{y}/{x}. I dont know what the s means, but it may be a server as my GCDROID phone app uses http://ecn.t(l-0,1,2,3}.tiles.vitualearth.net
There must be a virtualearth URL format documented somewhere that allows {z}/{y}/{x} instead. I'll keep looking
should have been l=0,1,2,3
I have read that Bing doesn't support x,y,z tile format. Conversion is possible using a java routine like
function tileXYToQuadKey(xTile, yTile, z) {
var quadKey = "";
for (var i = z; i > 0; i--) {
var digit = "0",
mask = 1 << (i - 1);
if ((xTile & mask) != 0) {
digit++;
}
if ((yTile & mask) != 0) {
digit = digit + 2;
}
quadKey += digit;
} // for i return quadKey;
return quadKey;
Not sure if I can incorporate this into my own server in any way, but it would be interesting to try.
You mention Google. I assume this doesn't provide access to the OS maps I'm after?
I can try to made a variation of the OS map setting in Geooh to use the Bing implementation by entering a personal key and then Geooh converts zxy to the sq equivalent. The function you showed... how are the sq parameters obtained from QuadKey? If you can provide a link to a reference source where you got the function, I could research more.
OK, I found the Bing reference to all the above. {s} is a subdomain and {q} is the quadkey using the function you provided. I also found that in Bing's documentation. I'll get my own personal key and give it a go. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!
I was able to implement Bing OS maps. Let me know if this is what you are looking for. The first 2 screenshots are using the OS tile server and the last 2 are using the Bing OS tile server.
Thanks for investigating this
The Bing OS server sounds like the right place, but the map should look like this.
What URL are you using? It might need an approved key appended
The Bing OS server is like you provided and is the copy of what Locus supposedly uses: "http://ak.t{subdomain}.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{quadkey}.png?g=3455&lbl=l1&productSet=mmOS&key="
The image you showed is what I typically get when NOT using Bing's OS tile server.
I can't follow that. My understanding is that it is the productSet=mmOS option that sets the map display I use elsewhere.
I don't see that form when I select your OS map option.
The mm may relate to the MemoryMap application.
I'm now slightly worried about the Bing tiles article stating that apps must use Bing Maps Imagery REST service first to get the latest tile URL as I have 3 apps for which I have defined the same URL that I specified earlier so it seems they could stop working!
Anyway, it would be far better for me if you can embed the required links in your code rather than me having to type in the URL I want to use. There maybe an issue in that I can use my key an unlimited number of times for personal use, whereas a key you obtain is likely to have usage restrictions
If you can produce a quadkey parameter option, then it would be the best of both worlds.
ps Locusmaps was one of the apps I used with that URL format.
There is some confusion... I did all that. The new implementation uses an internal tile server URL (like the one you gave and what Locus uses) with a key assigned to Geooh by Microsoft. I am calculating the quadKey. There is nothing you need to provide. See how settings will look in the new release.
Many thanks. I look forward to trying it out.
Meanwhile, I have all the existing options to explore as I only recently obtained your app and haven't yet used it in the field
OK, I created a Bing Maps key instead of using the Azure one I have for the previous screenshots above. Now when I show the OS map it looks more like what you showed. But, honestly it looks bad to me! Is this really how Bing OS maps look on mobile? How can anyone use them?
Am I missing something? The tile server URL is exactly what Locus maps app uses. Something seems off to me.
OS maps are best used for showing footpaths etc in the countryside. Your screenshots, while they don't look great as they are showing a city centre, are fine. Presumably, when you zoom in they will switch to 1:25k?
They are exactly what the OS Bing raster maps show and they don't switch resolutions once you get to a certain zoom level. There is some problem in getting the official OS Leisure raster maps to even work and I'm waiting for OS tech support to resolve it before I can add Leisure maps to Geooh.
If you've got comparison screenshots showing footpaths in Leisure versus Google maps, that may help in understanding.
Did you get anywhere with implementing the Bing / Locus format of OS maps?
As I said before if you made the use of quadkey available, then I could use my personal licence
Nope... it got way too messy for what's it would be worth for small use cases. I strongly encouraged the OS group they needed to make it easy to load the 27700 tiles (which you were looking for) using a normal tile server like they do for their other tile sets. The last email months ago said they were looking into it, but my guess is development there doesn't care and really aren't doing anything. Someday they may.
I'm struggling without a Geocaching app that has a Bing OS tiles layer. Is there definitely no way you can allow a quadkey parameter {q} in a tile server URL in the similar way that we can use {x}, {y} and {z}?
As we discussed, the generation of {q} from (x}, {y} and {z} is a relatively simple calculation.
Obviously, I do not know how your code works - maybe you just link to some API that handles all the URL parameters and map tile display?
It's not the quadkey that's the problem, the app can calculate it. It's the OS group that hasn't provided a way to use their 27700 maps in a tile server.
My apologies for persuing this, but I do not understand the OS group issue.
I have successfully used Microsoft's Bing OS map tiles by just specifying the virtualearth.net URL in three applications:
Geocaching Map Enhancements:
https://t{s}.ssl.ak.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{q}.png?g=3440&productSet=mmOS&key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
GCdroid:
http://ecn.t{I=0,1,2,3}.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{Q}.png?g=3440&productset=mmOS&key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
LocusMaps*:
http://ecn.t3.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{c}.png?g=41&productset=mmOS&key=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
where {Q} is a parameter that the app replaces with the quadkey and xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx is my personal Microsoft API key
*locus maps is slightly more complex in that the url is specified in a providers xml file where {c} is the map coordinates, and the need to calculate a quadkey is specified by specifying a map type of 5
see https://docs.locusmap.eu/doku.php?id=manual:advanced:customization:online_maps
I have had to reinstall all my phone apps and I'd like to use Geeoh GO as a replacement for GCdroid which is no longer available on PlayStore. I don't think GME is available for Android devices and Locus Maps Geocaching option is too cumbersome.
I've said this before... I tried to use OS Bing maps and it got very messy internally to support for minor usage. I have an outstanding OS group ticket for them to resolve (on their end) the ability to use their 27700 maps (what Bing and others use) via their tile server API (which Geooh uses). If/when the OS group responds to the ticket, I'll be able to implement 27700 maps.
Thanks. I imagined that it was just a question of generating the appropriate tile's URL and displaying the result but now realise that it's also necessary to be able to move around that tile and fit the required section to the screen size (along with other functionality).
I'll wait hopefully. Is there any enquiry/pressure I can apply to the OS group as a user?