Offline maps on Android in China

[danielski]

Hi everyone!

This is very interesting thread! I am planing the route for October holidays. I've exported google maps route to gpx/klm (via gpsvisualiser website) but after I load it to OruxMaps on android phone as klm overlay, it's all shifted :/

It's 2+ years since last update to this thread so I was wondering if there is any easy way to shift whole gpx/klm track by "China offset" in Shanghai/Zhejiang area? I'm imagining some neat mapping website where you can load gpx/klm file and then drag and drop it where it should be (or at least enter [x] and [y] shift) and export it again :) If no such thing exists I will dive into editing sqlite xml as Felix described years ago!

thanks for any tips and wish everyone safe travels during the holz !
Daniel

[bluppfisk]

Try Here maps (formerly Nokia Ovi Maps). I haven't given it a shot yet, but if it's anywhere near what Ovi was, then we've got ourselves some great offline navigation app here.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...app.maps&hl=en

[bikerdoc]

I haven't paid much attention to this thread, despite being a long time user of GPS software/apps in PRC and elsewhere. Mainly this is due to the fact that I have used such GPS apps on Window Mobile based smartphones (namely HTC's). I developed a fondness for Garmin XT on WinMo, and have been using it for many years. GarminXT managed to get me from Ningbo to all manner of locations in and round PRC, and most recently from Ningbo to Chiang Rai, Thailand albeit the PRC map being 2012 is fairly out of date in places (I have more recent maps but 2,2GB for PRC is an intensive RAM consumer - over the 750MB map I've been using, so I sacrifice the up-to-date larger RAM hungry map for the older map that works more cleanly and quickly on the HTC HD2). However a couple of issues forced me to look at my Samsung Galaxy Note which I had not used for more than a camera alternative, ebook reader, and watching the odd video etc.

Since being in Thailand I have had to look at GPS options for the Android (JB 4.2) based Samsung, and have been utilising both Sygic and OSMand+ - both of which provide offline map and routing like true GPS devices/apps do and not the data connection dependant (revenue driven) aGPS like G00g.le maps et al., offer. I am aware that G00g.le offer the ability to download tiles of maps for offline use, but routing like a true GPS is not a strong function IMO. That and the issues with G00g.le in PRC lessen any mild enthusiasm I might have for G00g.le. I have been playing with CityMaps 2Go Pro, which offers a full range of downloadable offline maps including PRC. The maps for PRC though are only offered as either cities or provinces etc, there's no one full map of the whole of the country. Great if one has a specific place to navigate in mind, but a when one has to cross numerous jurisdictions it can be a little tedious getting all the maps needed. CityMaps 2 Go, doesn't offer any routing ability (like G00g.le maps), but instead working like a true map, with the added advantage of using satellites and not data (Simcard/Wifi).

OSMand & OSMand+ offer a full suite of offline maps, including PRC. I've downloaded a full range of OSMand maps for Asia and Australasia and have found the functions and mapping features of OSMand+ in Thailand to be very good. Sygic offer offline maps however don't have maps for PRC, - so despite having the map for Thailand loaded, I have used Sygic far less. The Sygic map also does not have many if any, dirt tracks mapped - which the OSMand Thailand map does. Sygic does have the ability to link photos with GPS locations though which seems like a very worthwhile feature. Still I have hardly used Sygic.

My only concern is whether or not there will be any issues with map 'offset' on the OSMand PRC map when I ride back from Thailand to PRC via Laos in the next few weeks.

I've been attempting to install Navigon onto the Samsung Android phone, but can't seem to get Android Market or Google play to link/work to fully install and therefore download (Garmin) maps. My thinking was to utilise Navigon and work on reformatting and composing the Garmin PRC map to work with Navigon (owned by Garmin) since Navigon only offers EU maps at this moment in time. I give up on Navigon.

[bikerdoc]

Further to post #43 above, I used OSMand+ loaded with a bunch of maps including Thailand, Laos & PRC and navigated from northern Thailand through Laos and into PRC via the Boten border crossing all the way up to Ningbo successfully. The OSMand map of PRC is incomplete which does impact (offline) routing as I discovered in Southern Zhejiang when I got escorted off the Expressway riding my GS. I soon discovered some of the secondary roads on the OSMand map were not mapped fully (either with some minor roads missing, or not joined to other roads, wherein reality the road does).

OSMand+ worked flawlessly without any offset inside PRC!

I have bought a Garmin Nuvi 2805 (¥880) complete with maps of NZ, Australia, Thailand & PRC for my next big trip on my GS end of 2015. I've also made a Garmin compatible map of Laos which I've put onto the Nuvi micro-SD card. The Nuvi finds and recognises the Laos map which I made routable. Fingers crossed that I'll be able to plan a route all the way from my house near Ningbo, south to the Boten Border crossing (PRC & Laos) then navigate southwest through Laos to the Chiang Khong crossing into northern Thailand again near end of December. Basically same trip I completed 1 January-5 March 2015. This will make the third trip to northern Thailand in 2 years (inclusive of Jan & Feb 2014, Jan-Mar 2015). Planning to hop on the Expressways and hang on for the ride... again



I bought the Garmin Nuvi as a backup mainly for using here in PRC. I plan to continue to use the Samsung / Android with the offline navigating apps as mentioned in my post #43, as well as using GarminXT on my HTC HD2 (WinMO) phone.
I was able to copy my 900+POIs over from GarminXT to the Nuvi.

[bikerdoc]

Have installed "Offline Maps+" as well as "TomTom Go" onto my Samsung (Android JB 4.2) phone and plan to check these nvigation apps out. Offline Maps+ allows map tiles or cache which can be downloaded and saved from multiple sources including Goog.le and B!ng maps amongst about 8 different source options buitl into Offline Maps+ which can then be utilised for offline navigation without the need for data (simcard or wifi) connection. Still getting familiar with the app at the minute.

Another Android navigating map I might try out is Back Country Navigator Pro...

[aquilegia]

Try OsmAnd+ with china maps, but you have to compile the source code.
https://github.com/swkim01/osmand

[billeuze]

What do you mean "Have to compile the source code"? OsmAnd+ works perfectly out of the box on android phones. Unless you mean compiling it to use a different map source. It currently uses openstreetmap.org as map source. openstreetmap.org have great maps, and are very complete in Europe and N. America. In China though, many of the smaller tertiary roads are missing or incomplete. What is there though is not affected by offset issues. Further, Osmand+ works quite well as a turn by turn navigation tool. I used it daily in Canada as a service technician getting to addresses all over my territory. In China it is all I use and it gets me where I need to go. For backroads and hiking trails, there is not much listed but I turn on tracking and upload all my tracks to the openstreetmap.org servers so it is there for the next user. Osmand+ links to updated openstreetmap.org maps about once per month so what you download is pretty up to date.

Try OsmAnd+ with china maps, but you have to compile the source code.
https://github.com/swkim01/osmand

[bikerdoc]

What do you mean "Have to compile the source code"? OsmAnd+ works perfectly out of the box on android phones. Unless you mean compiling it to use a different map source. It currently uses openstreetmap.org as map source. openstreetmap.org have great maps, and are very complete in Europe and N. America. In China though, many of the smaller tertiary roads are missing or incomplete. What is there though is not affected by offset issues. Further, Osmand+ works quite well as a turn by turn navigation tool. I used it daily in Canada as a service technician getting to addresses all over my territory. In China it is all I use and it gets me where I need to go. For backroads and hiking trails, there is not much listed but I turn on tracking and upload all my tracks to the openstreetmap.org servers so it is there for the next user. Osmand+ links to updated openstreetmap.org maps about once per month so what you download is pretty up to date.

^Ditto to that.

I've used OSMand+ in Ch!na, Laos & Thailand & found it to be equally as good as either GarminXT on my WinMo HTC HD2 (Leo) T8585 devices or dedicated Garmin Nuvi device. The China mapping is pretty darn good on the OSMand+ IMO with the Openstreet maps despite some roads being incomplete. In NZ, OZ, Laos and Thailand OSMand+ maps are so good that many dirt tracks are also mapped, even single tracks. The Ch!na mapping being a little less complete simply reflects the decreased number of users that upload new tracks to the Openstreetmap server - something I'm also guilty of...
The positive aspect is that there are no areas in Ch!na affected by any map offset issues.
I've used Osmand+ three times to navigate from Zhejiang province through Ch!na, Laos and Thailand very very successfully, including extensive riding through Yunnan province this past March 2016.

[prince666]

Works for me as well on my little ride I am on now Shandong to London with most EU country's and then back to China.

[aquilegia]

What do you mean "Have to compile the source code"? OsmAnd+ works perfectly out of the box on android phones. Unless you mean compiling it to use a different map source. It currently uses openstreetmap.org as map source. openstreetmap.org have great maps, and are very complete in Europe and N. America. In China though, many of the smaller tertiary roads are missing or incomplete. What is there though is not affected by offset issues. Further, Osmand+ works quite well as a turn by turn navigation tool. I used it daily in Canada as a service technician getting to addresses all over my territory. In China it is all I use and it gets me where I need to go. For backroads and hiking trails, there is not much listed but I turn on tracking and upload all my tracks to the openstreetmap.org servers so it is there for the next user. Osmand+ links to updated openstreetmap.org maps about once per month so what you download is pretty up to date.

That version is not just same as original. I revised to support commercial chinese maps such as baidu, sogou, and so on, which have offset issues with their own map coordinates, and even 3d viewing with dem data. Please read that link, especially advanced feature and east asia map sections. But note that the source code is old dated more than one year.