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@spwoodcock spwoodcock released this 12 Dec 01:24
· 12 commits to development since this release

FMTM 2024.5.0 Mapper Frontend

3 months in the making, we are excited to release our new mapper frontend!

The frontend is specifically targeted at a streamlined and more intuitive mapping workflow, on mobile devices, with significant improvements to the mapping experience such as real-time data syncing between users and colored features based on status.

To access this feature, click the 'Start Mapping' button on the home page card for a project.
Alternatively, a project manager may distribute the 'mapping' URL to users, via any means such as email and messaging apps.

We would also like to announce @Anuj-Gupta4 joining the FMTM dev team, working on improvements to the backend, and features into the future 🚀

🌟 Highlight: Mapper Frontend

  • New UI: A fresh UI has been implemented for easier navigation, with clearly defined call to action for field users.

  • Colored features based on status: A long awaited feature, task areas and map features have specific colors based on their status. For example, mapped buildings turn green, in progress is yellow, and if there is a mapping issue red.

  • Add new map features: often the feature you wish to survey does not exist on the map yet! We now allow the user to collect new point features as part of a survey.

  • Near real time update of feature status: to facilitate better coordination between mappers, the status of tasks or features mapped is updated seamlessly in the background (without a manual refresh), informing the user of ongoing mapping activities in the project.

  • Better handling of generated basemap imagery: Better handle basemaps and geolocation for easier mapper experience: We’ve optimized basemap and geolocation handling on mapper frontend for a more seamless mapping experience.

  • Workflow prompts: On first load, the user is prompted to scan the QR Code, click on a task area, and get mapping. This should help to ease the learning curve for the mapper in the field.

🚀 Coming soon for the Mapper Frontend

  • Enhanced Navigation and Routing: We are working on improving navigation and adding routing options to assist mappers in the field.
  • Offline Support: In the longer term, we are planning to support offline functionality, enabling field mappers to update feature statuses while offline.

🛠️ Improvements

  • Make submission data downloads only possible for project contributors: Submission data downloads are now restricted to project contributors, enhancing data security.
  • Associated geometry selection during survey: Normally a single map feature is selected to survey. But some workflows require the selection of 'associated geometries' too. During project creation additional geojson datasets can be uploaded to facilitate this.
  • Removed the 'temporary login' feature from the main application. This is now available only on the mapper frontend, and is handled seamlessly as the default login mechanism (no user interaction required). To have edits attributed to your OSM user, login is still required.
  • Injecting mandatory FMTM fields into custom XLSForms: A few questions related to feature verification have been added at the end of the survey, for easier data conflation later.
  • Huge refactor of the backend code: For any developer contributors out there, this is a major change! Hopefully resulting in a more stable and easily maintainable backend into the future. We also added extra test cases, particularly around the submission workflow.
  • Fully activate user roles: Previously role based authentication was only partially enabled, with a bypass in place for the HOTOSM organization during the Beta. It is now fully active for all organizations.

🐛 Bugs Fixed

  • Unable to Create or Delete Organisation: Resolved an issue where users encountered the error "Failed to create organisation" while attempting to create an organisation. Organisation deletion issues from API documentation have also been fixed.
  • Task Split Page Crash: Fixed a crash issue that occurred when users selected the "Divide on Square" option for task splitting.
  • Addressed a problem where uploading a custom form resulted in the default form on custom ODK collect instead of the intended custom form.
  • Resolved issue while updating XLSForm in the manage project section.
  • Adding a new geopoint in the survey, now correctly creates an ODK Entity, as previously this would fail.
Technical Summary

What's Changed

New Contributors

Full Changelog: 2024.4.0...2024.5.0