[Closed] OS maps - MOBAC not working anymore?

OruxMaps is great 🙂

I've dropped you an email...

If MOBAC isn't working I'm stuck as well. Shame as I think oruxmaps is a great application.

What can I do nre? If you don't mind sharing 😉

Thanks folks. Miguelo you've got mail

for me too, is there any fix. I also notice that many of the android apps that used to display Ordnance survey maps no longer do so.
Any help appreciated.

same here. My googlefu failed to find a solution.

I briefly looked into this last week and have a theory about what's happened and how normal service can be resumed. Watch this space...

I wonder if this is linked to the same issue back country navigator app is having with OS mapping

FWIW, if you're really stuck, I have the version of Oruxmaps which allows you to access OS maps directly. I can share it if this is a permanent issue.

Mapflipper app for strava is also suffering - loads of tiles missing.

[quote=nemesis said]FWIW, if you're really stuck, I have the version of Oruxmaps which allows you to access OS maps directly. I can share it if this is a permanent issue.

Does the OS mapping part still work ? 🙂

Yep... I can still access OS maps live (though I have downloaded them)

EDIT though by the looks of it, the 1:25k is no longer available but 1:50k is.

OS mapping in Maverick on Android has died over the past week, bit annoying, it's a pretty good app but useless for what I want without the OS stuff. Tiles are now being filled in with a basic outline map showing roads, place names, and not much else (previously cached stuff is still fine obviously).

I assume this is related to the OS having recently launched their own mapping app, with paid-for tilesets.

Just realised that it's my cache still showing OS maps at 1:50k - as mintimperial is finding, while I can still access OS maps online, they're not with proper detail. Lucky I've got them downloaded...

I have a work around for OruxMaps only. With thanks to NRE I can help the next person. Miguel didn't respond to my email so 1st person to request it here will get my help.

Yes please!

YGM nemesis

Nemesis doesn't need the workaround. Next?

Yes please

Is this to get OS map data when using Orux Maps? If yes, then I'd like to know the work around please.

bspoked and jairaj YGM

I too would like the fix please. Anyone.....
thanks

Cheers Pfrumpy.

Panmat - you need to add an email address to your profile.

Sorry email added to account.
Thanks

if someone would be so kind ...

Yes, if someone doesn't mind. email in profile.

Ditto please, email in profile.

Hi pfrumpy not sure why you did not receive my email but I'm definitely still interested...

I'd be keen for a work around if someone would be kind enough to share. Please. Thank you.

Struggling with this myself. Anyone able to pass on the wisdom? email in profile. Many thanks in advance

Panmat, Mad Bill. YGM

If someone could share the Orux OS mapping love with me that would be great. Thanks in advance.

I had an email from Back Country Navigator yesterday about a similar issue -

Hello Outdoor Enthusiasts

I wanted to mention some things to be aware of in regards to map sources in some places around the world. 

It is important to note that BackCountry Navigator takes advantage of map sources when they are freely available. That means we don't always have control over what happens with them, and certainly can't guarantee that they will always be free. For the most part, though, that's worked out well. 

UK Map Sources
As people from the UK tell me in no uncertain terms, they want those OS Explorer maps, and the app is utterly useless without them.
Since Bing bought up Multimap many years ago, there has been some uncertainty about access. It worked smoothly for three years and stopped working abruptly last week. 
We may have a solution now in 5.7.3 and will monitor it.  See the latest on the solution. 
http://support.crittermap.com/entries/66110494-OS-Explorer-Map-Issues

We appreciate the patience of most of you throughout this process.

Sounds like it might be related?

The Pinkster is right, definately related.

I found something of a fix, not 100%, but whilst I was waiting for someone to share with me the solution that is being talked about on here...

Follow The Pinkster's link

Follow the instructions on creating your own Bing key (post by Nathan 14th April).

Drop this key into the following line in the file onlinemapsources.xlm:

"&key=PLACEYOURKEYHERE]]>"

at the end of where is says

"tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{$q}.png?g=41&productSet=mmOS"

It should now read:

"tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{$q}.png?g=41&productSet=mmOS&key=PLACEYOURKEYHERE]]>"

save the onlinemapsources.xml file

restart Orux

you might need to clear your map cache if it has pulled in to many of the lower detail tiles.

This is good for 1:50,000 but nothing else

Follow on from last post, to get mobac working again, create a new txt file and copy the text between the stars(**)to it.
Name it whatever perhaps OS25K and save it with a .bsh extension (Mobac reads these) and place it in the mapsources folder within mobac.
Remembering to replace Place your key here with your own key.

Hope this helps. nb its good down to 25k maps

*******************************************************************
This method is called for each tile: input parameters for this script: "zoom", "x" and "y"
**/
String getTileUrl( int zoom, int x, int y ) {

return "http://ak.t3.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r" + encodeQuadTree(zoom, x, y) + "?g=3451&productSet=mmOS&key=Place Your Key Here";
}

String encodeQuadTree( int zoom, int x, int y) {

char[] numChar = {'0', '1', '2', '3'};
char[] tileNum = new char[zoom];
for (int i = zoom - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
// Binary encoding using ones for x and twos for y. if a bit
// is set in x and y we get a three.
int num = (x % 2) | ((y % 2) << 1);
tileNum[i] = numChar[num];
x >>= 1;
y >>= 1;
}
return new String(tileNum);
}

/**
This method is called also for each tile (implementation optional)
It allows to set HTTP headers like "Referer" or cookies the server
wants to see.
**/
void addHeaders( java.net.HttpURLConnection conn) {}

***********************************************************************

panmat thanks! Strange thing - I don't have a mapsources directory.... I'm on windows 7 and MOBAC 1.8

I created the file with my own new shiny bing key but all the tiles in my MOBAC are showing red crosses so something is obv wrong.

Anyone else get this working?

fasterferret, I got a bit lost following your instructions.

I went to the link from The Pinkster and followed the instructions by Nathan. I have my person key and I have modified the mmoswithkey.xml file with my key.

Where do I place this file? Or do I copy the text into the onlinemapsources.xml file?

Also there appears to be two methods to get the OS maps back.

nre's method and fasterferret's method.

nre's method requires the workaround to be passed from user to user. Simon has kindly offered to help me out with this. Any one else needing the workaorund please email me and I will pass on the details to the first few people.

Tagging this for a proper read later on.

I'll be p155ed off if they've managed to shut down MOBAC 1.8 too.

Might be linked but might be a coincidence but my Garmin would would only upload through Explorer at the weekend and said that Chrome no longer supports the Garmin plug in !?!

not sure if this is of any use to you but....

http://www.bing.com/maps/

first dropdown... select Ordanance Survey

MOBAC 1.9 allows you to define your own mapsources in a manner compatible with Bing mapping, I've generated my own Bing map key and will put that into a MOBAC custom mapsource*. Should work, I'll report back tonight!

* OS maps using Bing as the tile source.

I've been using MOBAC 1.8 to create my own custom maps to download and use in my Garmin 800 and it's been working fine for a few years now. It was showing them up fine on MOBAC on Staurday night but I didnt try to down load a map.

Is this what has stopped working or now or is it just the Orax maps that are effected ?

MOBAC will no longer fetch new map tiles in OS format.

It was displaying the maps on Saturday night. Is it displaying but not down loading then, and is the fix people have been talking about just for Orax then ?

Tried MOBAC briefly last night... and ohhhhhhhhhhh bo11ock5 !!!

It displays the OS OK until you start zooming in to level 14 & 15 which is when it switches from 1:50,000 to 1:25,000 maps, and then it appeared to be leaving random squares out reverting to a basic Google map. When I tried creating a custom map and opening it in Google Earth it was as it was on the screen IE with the tiles missing. It could be that it was displaying the maps I'd downloaded before and no new ones in my new selection so I need to try it in a totally new area where I haven't created a map before.

So, is there a fix so you can still download the custom 1:25,000 Explorer maps either in 1.8 or 1.9 as allthepies has suggested ?

Don't you just hate it when when the loop holes gets closed by the powers that be!!!

@jairaj if you are still trying to find the fix through Orux then you need to find the onlinemapsources.xml file in oruxmaps/mapfiles folder.

Open this with notepad or similar

paste the relevant text as an addition to the section that has the header <Ordnance SM (UK)>.

This only works if you have the old version of Orux.

This is not 100% as it only pulls through 1:50,000 and there are still some duff tiles.

I would still be grateful if someone would pass on NRE's fix.

NRE's fix is an OS download of all of the UK on a USB or similar.

Sorry to have gone quiet on here - there is no 'secret fix', I was just wanting to avoid being bombarded with requests for the files 🙂

As nemesis says, I have both the MOBAC tiles cached and Orux atlases for the whole UK at 1:25000.

In the past I have helped a couple of STW users get copies of these files (by posting SD cards / USB sticks back and forth).

I think the plan of pfrumpy (who I recently helped out) was that he would help out the next in the 'queue', and the chain continues such that everyone helps out someone else.

I will try out my fix this afternoon and report back.

Ah OK, I have the newer version which removed that bit from the header from the list so was a bit lost. I tried to create a new header but I don't really know what I'm doing so it didn't do anything.

I think I'll just use NRE's workaround version

thanks for the help though.

Can I get next in the queue for some help then?

Fasterferret You don't have an email visible in your profile. Send me a mail and I'll reply back with some details.

Profile updated. Thanks.

Seems that most people want the Orux files and I'm the first for the Mobac files, so I'll post on here when I have the files for the next person to grab them off me.

Right, I've got MOBAC 1.9 working with OS Mapping again.

To do so I had to :-

1. Create a Bing Map key [url= https://www.bingmapsportal.com/Application ]here[/url]
2. Create an xml file in the mapsources folder under the MOBOC install location. Filename doesn't matter but must have ".xml" suffix, say "os.xml".
3. Copy/paste the following into the os.xml file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<customMapSource>
<name>OS Maps with Key</name>
<minZoom>0</minZoom>
<maxZoom>18</maxZoom>
<tileType>png</tileType>
<tileUpdate>None</tileUpdate>
<url> ?g=3440&productSet=mmOS&key=INSERT_YOUR_BING_KEY_HERE</url>
<backgroundColor>#000000</backgroundColor>
</customMapSource>

4. Change the two ampersand characters in the url above to actually be & amp ; without the spaces inbetween The forum won't let me post the exact text.
5. Change the text INSERT_YOUR_BING_KEY_HERE above to be the Bing Map key you generated in step 1.
6. Save the os.xml file and start MOBAC.
7. Select "OS Maps with Key" in the MOBAC mapsource dropdown on the left.
8. Enjoy OS mapping again.

Note: This only works with MOBAC 1.9, not 1.8.

4. Change the two ampersand characters in the url above to actually be & amp ; without the spaces inbetween The forum won't let me post the exact text.

Cheers allthepies. Genius if it works. Just struggling with step 4. I presume you mean the two &'s (ampersands) after ...3440 and ...mmOS in the URL but not sure what we change them to. Do you mean change them to '&', and then 'amp' and then ';' with no spaces.

Change the single character & to a & followed by the word amp followed by ; (semicolon) no spaces. So yes, what you said 🙂

Bear in mind that the Bing key is registered to you and so be careful with how far and wide you share it. I would imagine that single users / single key is OK but if your key gets shared everywhere then not so good.

allthepies.... you God like bloody genius, it works !!!

Cheers

😛

Oh yes. Thanks allthepies 🙂

Excellent! Working for me. Thanks allthepies.

Thanks allthepies!

Hi, and thanks allthepies that worked perfectly !

However, I would like to know if there's any way to get smaller scales of these OS maps (e.g 1:250k and OS District) ?
I found some sites displaying them, like http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk, but I couldn't figure out what to do with the URLs retreiving the tiles : http://212.71.238.40:443/geoserver/gwc/service/wms?KEY=&URL=http%3A%2F%2F212.71.238.40&SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.1.1&REQUEST=GetMap&STYLES=&FORMAT=image%2Fpng&LAYERS=osgb%3A250k&SRS=EPSG%3A27700&BBOX=210000,945000,215000,950000&WIDTH=200&HEIGHT=200

Cheers for info will have a play later

Just wanted to add my thanks for the very useful information above. Great to have MOBAC working again.
Re the question about smaller scale maps, I get 1:25000 tiles using the instructions above if I keep zooming in.

Thanks allthepies that fix is awesome!

In terms of the Bing API key I chose the basic version which said you can do something like 120,000 transactions for free. Is that something you have to worry about? Does that mean the limit is 120,000 tiles or something on each key?

Cheers

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<customMapSource>
<name>OS Maps with Key</name>
<minZoom>0</minZoom>
<maxZoom>18</maxZoom>
<tileType>png</tileType>
<tileUpdate>None</tileUpdate>
<url> ?g=3440&productSet=mmOS&key=INSERT_YOUR_BING_KEY_HERE</url>
<backgroundColor>#000000</backgroundColor>
</customMapSource>

Hi,

I created bing key and xml file. but when i go to mobac and i am selecting OS maps with key i don't see any maps-i have only red crosses. i can add that google maps provider locked me. what can i do in this case?

Yes, I followed these instructions and have the same outcome ie red crosses but no OS map. Did I do something wrong, or have they closed a loop-hole?

If you're on android and you can't get it working, I'd recommend Backcountry Navigator. It's only £8.99 for full 1:25k OS. There's a free trial app to download and see if you like it.

1) Is the Bing hack still working for anyone?

2) The Bing OS maps are not as up-to-date as those on Streetmap.co.uk. There's recently been a new bridleway dedicated near to where I live and it's showing on Streetmap but not Bing.

Just found this thread. I've got Oruxmaps working with Streetmap tiles, therefore solving both of those issues. Very impressed with the performance - tracking appears to be accurate to within a few m once I've calibrated the maps properly (unfortunately the standard Oruxmaps desktop isn't that accurate at converting OS refs to WGS84, so I'm doing that myself).

Currently working on a Windows Forms app to generate the Oruxmaps tiles and the calibration automatically from a larger map image, which I'll happily make available to download when it reaches a half decent state - at the moment it requires quite a bit of manual intervention.

I will investigate if this is still working. I haven't fired up MOBAC since I posted the "hack".

Mine's been working happily ever since... 🙂

Excellent!

Dear all - & especially allthepies

Apologies for the fact that I've only joined the forum because I found this thread; I used to use Mobac 1.8, but now find missing tiles, so I got myself a Bing key & tried the 'os.xml' workaround on 1.9.4 - but can't find 'OS maps with key' in the drop-down options. Assuming I've done something wrong (though I thought I'd followed the instructions, including the & bit), can you suggest what?
Thanks
Pete

OK . . . discovered what I had done wrong - put the .xml file in the Mobac root, not /mapsources. Doh.

Now, 'OS maps with key' is listed in the sources - but all I get are thumping great red crosses.

Any recommendations?

Have you replaced the & character with & amp ; (no spaces in between) in the bing webpage URL in the .xml file ?

In this bit

<url> ?g=3440&productSet=mmOS&key=INSERT_YOUR_BING_KEY_HERE</url>

The above should all be on one line too, no line break.

As confirmation, the MOBAC 1.9 OS maps fix I posted in this thread still works.

I see there is a MOBAC 2.0 beta available, I haven't downloaded/tested this so currently only recommend v1.9.

Update: the same mapsources xml config file works just fine with the MOBAC 2.0 beta.

Thanks everyone for your help. I've just downloaded MOBAC 2 beta, copied over the os.xml file I created before . . . and it works fine.

Go figure, as they say. Perhaps the file works best with a vanilla install; MOBAC does alter its .xml files as it goes along, I think - but whatever the explanation, it seems to be working perfectly, so thanks especially to allthepies - you deserve them! (the pies, that is)