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Posts: 1,414 | Thanked: 7,547 times | Joined on Aug 2016 @ Estonia
#378
I have just released 1.2.0.

This is the first release after additional translations have been done for the User's Guide, so its a great opportunity to thank the translators for their work.

We also have a new backup server for maps distribution provided by @bomo, thank you very much! It has been needed few times already. I'll integrate multiple servers support in future releases.

As for new functionality, the server now supports Mapbox GL vector tiles. While server itself doesn't have to do much work to provide them, there has been a lot done to make import of map data possible and importing the maps. In addition, the server provides framework for styles, supplies fonts and icons as well. So, it should be all ready and in place for map application developers. The first such application has been released today as well.

The tiles for Mapbox GL have been packaged by splitting the planet by 2x2 degrees boxes (zoom levels 7 and larger) and the overview map (zoom levels 0-6). As a result, 2x2 is the smallest region you can download. So, when you choose the country of interest, you will get all boxes within that country as well as the boxes on the border. In case of Estonia, I happen to get part of Helsinki and St Petersburg. This, as expected, makes the map footprint larger. However, if I will be downloading Finland, for example, then only missing tiles will be downloaded. As a result of such distribution, its easy to find corresponding database on the device and serve the tiles. So, I plan to stick with this model.

Similar scheme is used for Valhalla, with 1x1 degrees boxes that will probably also move to 2x2 in future. Right now we have lots of files when we upload them to the servers for maps distribution and the situation is not ideal for Valhalla.

With addition of Mapbox GL support, new profiles have been added as well for either using support for the both type of tiles or vector only. Default is Mapnik-provided raster tiles at the moment, this has not been changed.

I have been postponing updates of the maps due to the work on Mapbox GL. I would still have to work on Mapbox GL styles (checking out work of @otsaloma on it) and will probably adjust import scripts to suit the style. After that, the map updates would resume as usual.

Enjoy the vector tiles if you can (not on Jolla 1 due to crashes of Mapbox GL widget, sorry).
 

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