Folder view
Planned
So I'm starting to try to understand folders - and I see in the folder view that all the "gpx" files that I downloaded are really folders! With waypoints and tracks. So I want to have some sort of hierarchical structure - but in the folder view it shows the files all the way down the hierarchy, unless I hide them. Then they are archived? it's so confusing.
I wish that the view was similar to a O/S filesystem view - something we're used to. I want drag and drop, right-click on a folder to make all it's contents visible (or not), hierarchical viewing. Just mimic Windows. It is SOOOOO clumsy right now it's worthless - and when you have hundreds of items it's unusable.
-
Hi David,
Sorry for the confusion.
We are actively working on a major overhaul of the folder system. It's been one of our big projects for a while, and it will make many of things you mentioned easier. I don't have a timeline for when it will be finished, but please know that we are working on it.
In the meantime, you can file the items in the imported GPX folders to a new folder with these steps: Managing Folders on gaiagps.com
If you have any further questions, please contact Support here. -
@bernk
The current overhaul is just for the folder system on the website, not in the app.
If you have any further questions, please contact Support here. -
I found this thread while looking for answers to the same questions. The current file management system is incomprehensible. If you can't fix it, can you at least explain it?
I have multiple projects, each with large numbers of waypoints. I need to be able to load my current project data set and unload all other folders. Adding the obvious separation of tracks and waypoints would also be very useful, there's a reason these have different names.
-
@simonkc66, not exactly. The website and the app display folder relationships differently. Specifically nested folders (folders within other folders) are displayed in the same view, next to each other, on the web. Understandably, this can be confusing. We're fixing this.
In the app, nested folders display as you would expect. A nested folder is hidden until you open its parent folder.
@HermitWorkshop, I hope my reply above helps explain a bit. Let me know if you have any other questions. For your projects, it sounds like your best bet is to archive the folders you're not working with in order to hide them from the map, then unarchive them when you want to see them again.
Just make sure you're toggling the "Sync" status, and not deleting anything. That's how you permanently lose data.
As always, if you have any issues, reach out to support.
-
Ah, I see that this is even more confusing than I thought it was. Doesn't help when you send me a help file with less than 50% helpfulness rating. The archive/unarchive help file starts out with "If you accidentally deleted something from the app", this is part of the problem, as I have not found a reliable way to delete waypoints. Especially those troublesome duplicates that seem to pop up when I try to edit the location of an existing point. I've been using the archive button on the waypoint edit screen for this because it has a red trash can icon, which in my experience universally means delete. Apparently Gaia GPS uses a novel interpretation of archiving which has not been adequately defined.
I've read the archive/unarchive "help" file six times and still don't have a clue how to make it work for my purposes. The following statement even seems to contradict itself twice "Toggling sync to OFF will remove the selected data from all devices synced with gaiagps.com. It will not be deleted. It will also remove the data from the main map on gaiagps.com."
-
@HermitWorkshop, the intersection of archive, delete, and sync is complicated and can be a bit confusing, even when things are working properly. Let me see if I can clarify.
Sync:
- When you have sync enabled on mobile, everything you see in the app, you can also see on the website.
- Deleting something from the app doesn't permanently delete it. It archives it. This un-syncs it, removes the item from your device, and hides it on the web (but doesn't delete it permanently)
- You can quickly sync/unsync anything from the web by clicking "on/off" in the Sync column. "Off" will hide the item from the web and remove it from your device (but doesen't delete it permanently).
Archive:
- Archived files are hidden on the website unless you click the "show archive" button.
- Archived files are removed from the app and also unsynced.
- When you unarchive an item you will need to sync from the app again to pull it down from the cloud to your device.
Delete:
- Deleting an item from the app doesn't delete it permanently. Instead, it's archived.
- Permanently deleting an item can be done from a datasummary page (like https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/tracks/) by selecting an item, then clicking "delete" at the top of the screen.
- Or from the details page for a specific item
- Deleting data is permanent and can't be undone.
Our UX is a bit all over the place at the moment as we finalize the updates to the main map sidebar project. Part of that project will overhaul/fix/update the way deletion/archiving works so that it's easier to understand and harder to delete things on accident.
I hope that clears up your confusion, but if not, just holler. I can email you directly if you would prefer. -
Chris,
Thank you for helping an old geezer like me. I did my first computer programming in 1980, using Fortran, on paper punch cards. I learned how to use GIS and CAD software under classic Windows, so I'm accustomed to a more defined menu and command structure. Having some difficulty with the current trend of touching random locations on the screen, sets of dots, or indiscernible icons to find command options.
For me, the help files would be much more helpful if they were separated by platform instead of by topic. If I'm trying to learn how to use the Android App, I'd like to read one document that describes all of the app functions. Once I've mastered that I could read a separate version for the web. I think that would make more sense to me than trying to slog through some stream of consciousness on how everything works differently on three or more platforms.
-
Any updates on this? I just submitted a ticket asking about how to clean up Folders. It really is a mess! Please tell me you guys are making progress on the update. I just need a way to view files/folders like virtually every other software I own. I have so many different trips with a lot of information and it's impossible to try and clean all that up effectively, even on the website. Help!
Thanks!
Austin
-
I agree with AustinJH. Clicking through 173 pages of my waypoint listing is not effective use of my time. I suspect that the Gaia GPS team may not be to blame for this sloppy programming. The user interface looks too much like the US Topo app from ATLogis that I was using previously. Lack of progress on this issue and the dysfunctional position tracking leave little reason to renew my license.
-
It's been a year since I gave up trying to fix folder issues. Just tried it again and it's as broke as it's ever been.
I file a folder or other items into a folder. Come back 5 minutes later, it's un-filed. No matter how often I force-refresh.
My top level should have only three folders in it - History, Plans, and Ref. plus any new items recorded during the last hike. And yet subfolders and other items keep bubbling back to the top level. I shove them back in, and then - they're ba---ack!
I've even once rebuilt the entire directory structure in order to rid the system of any potentially corrupt folders. No joy.
In all these years Gaia has never once lost an actual piece of data (route, waypoint, etc) but the folder structure is just broke broke broke.
-
@Chris Hill,
I luckily started googleing as I was confused to always see the nested folders after cleaning up my Gaia data for the first time in two years - a lot to do. However it appears the nested folder view hasn't changed in the web app till today? Or have I missed any newer settings?
Don't get me wrong - great app! but this complicates the clean-up quite a lot and this would be not vey convenient to do at in the mobile/tablet app...
-
Is this ever going to be fixed? Why can't we have folder views like everyone expects them to appear - you know, like folders have worked on personal computer filing systems for the past two decades?! Filtering is very confusing to try and organize your folder structure. Just have a simple, hierarchal folder structure that lets you turn visibility of individual folders and files on or off as a default. Done. Filtering should not be some default setting as it is now. I have no option but to apply a filter. When I go into Windows explorer I don't have a filter - I just seem my folders, and when I click on them I see the contents of those folders. Can we please, for the love of god, have that system? The fact that folders nested under other folders also appear in the folder view is just a mess!!!
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
17 comments