So, how are the PocketGPSWorld.com POIs handled?

Oldboy

Behind the scenes is a database consisting of many records each with numerous fields. Some of the fields can be seen when you visit the Submit Page. Some hold free flow text such as the Title Box, Phone Number, Details and Comments. Some information is generated by the database when the Submission is made.

So what happens when a Submission is received? A number of processes take place:

1. Check what action needs to be done. Add New, Change, Confirm or Removal? It helps us if you choose the correct action but it is not always used correctly!

2. Check to see if Category and SubCategory has been chosen correctly. If Other POIs has been selected is there an existing group it would fit into? Anything that has been submitted under Other POIs and has insufficient other data will be rejected.

3. Check the entry in the Title field. The preferred format is set out in the Forum Guidelines. This is the text that will be used by most Satnavs when searching for a POI so it is best to have the City/Town/Village name at the start of the text. I use the criteria that if the district is listed under City on a Satnav then use that. For example use Granton rather than Edinburgh as there is less likelihood of street name duplication. Then add the next important information which can be Name of Site (unless this has been used in the SubCategory selection), or Street Name. Abbreviations are used to make it easier to read on some Satnavs. Rd for Road, Ave for Avenue, & for and. Names are generally not shortened.

4. Check Telephone numbers. PLEASE do follow the format set down in the Guidelines. If there is no number to be used PLEASE leave the box empty. It's time-consuming editing phone numbers and mistakes are easily made.

5. Check the Details Box. Enter information that might be relevant. Car Access (or Car Park Access), if the location is at the point of access to the Public Highway. Perhaps the Street Name, if not used in the Title. All segments are to be separated by a comma followed by a space.

6. Check the Comments Box. Please use it if it will make your submission clearer. Anything that is ambiguous or incomplete will be rejected, as it is time consuming to have to guess.

7. Check that the Latitude/Longitude co-ordinates match the Country selected. If there is a discrepancy check the Comments for a clue. The default is United Kingdom. It could be that it has just been overlooked! It could be a new Country entry. If action needs taking then the Country either needs amending, or a new Country category created.

8. Finally, check the Map to see if the location given 'looks' right. Does it match the address offered? Is that pub really in the middle of the river? Is the Car Access really that far from the Road?

Over recent weeks there have been a lot of submissions based on Postcode locations. A postcode does not position the POI accurately enough, but the position can be corrected using the Satellite image on the submission page. So please spend a little more time and adjust the position when submitting. Do we really want quantity or quality? I know which I prefer as a user - so let's go for quality.

POIs can also be submitted by emailing a file to pois@pocketgpsworld.com, but for small numbers it is best to use the web page. The POI co-ordinates and a title must be provided and any additional information should be included in a separate details field. The preferred file format is

Longitude value,Latitude value,Title text,Details text

with both longitude and latitude specified in decimal degrees. If there are commas in the Title and Details text then the text must be enclosed in double quotes, eg "The Star, Farnham". Telephone numbers can be included in either of the text fields.

Any additional information, eg suggested Category and SubCategory names, should be included in the body of the email. POI submitted in this way must be free of any copyright issues and a statement to this end should be included in the email.

Again, a number of processes take place after the email is received

1. The file contents are examined using a text editor and any redundant text removed. Prime characters are also removed as these cause errors when uploading the file to the database.

2. A custom written program is used to check the file for duplicate entries. If the new POI are to be added to an existing subcategory then the existing database entry is downloaded and the new POI compared to it in an attempt to avoid duplication. This is not a exact science as picking a suitable match radius is very difficult. The file is then loaded into Microsoft AutoRoute to check that the POI are not in the sea! You would be surprised how often a POI is placed in the North Sea.

3. Finally, the file is reformatted for uploading to the database and uploaded together with an appropriate icon.
_________________
Richard

TT 910 V7.903: Europe Map v1045
TT Via 135 App 12.075: Europe Map v1140

	PocketGPS
	Web