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RonD

Maybe someone has found a solution to this problem.

The voice instructions for turns currently goes something like this: "Turn
right <pause> in 500 metres". This always gives me a momentary
hesitation if there is a possible right turn coming up. I think it would be
better if the voice sequence was reversed: "In 500 metres <pause>
turn right". Then I would know that immediate action is not required.

Any suggestions?

Oldie

We discussed this half a dozen times in this forum. Some think as you do, some think, it is ok as it is.

tomas

I think that someone has already done it
may be it could be shared

chattiewoman

I did it only for German TTS voice. Not sure about other languages.

hvdwolf

I thought I did it for Dutch, but can't find the file anymore. Neither from the decompiled apk, like in res/values-nl/strings.xml

Which file is/was it?

tomas

navigation.xml

john_percy

I've altered the sequence for (UK) English TTS, and changed a few phrases:

navigation.xml

tts.xml

You have to reupload both these files to android/data/com.mapfactor.navigator/files/navigator/ every time navigator is updated.

See also

Discussion on this issue: http://forum.mapfactor.com/discussion/6167/voice-navigation-is-backwards/p1

Link to a slightly older file: http://forum.mapfactor.com/discussion/comment/8105#Comment_8105

Dealing with St.: http://forum.mapfactor.com/discussion/7410/tts-mistake/p1

amlumsden

Got say big thank you to John for the above files. The current sequence has always annoyed me. Always better to state the distance first in my opinion. Makes logical sense to allow you to focus on the upcoming manoeuvre without worrying about the distance (or being forced to look at the map).

hvdwolf

The Dutch one also pronounces distance first and then the navigation instruction (despite my first comment in the thread mentioned by John)

silvermapper

Thumbs up to John Percy!

RonD

As 'Oldie' says, some think one way and some think the other. If there are version of navigation.xml that do it either way, why not have an option in navigator so that the user can choose? That way everyone is happy. Unfortunately, the developers do not seem to be responsive to users' suggestions to improvements.

After posting my original comment I worked out for myself how to change the voice sequence. Basically I searched for every instance in navigation.xml for a line that commences with " <!-- [Take sharp right, Turn right, Bear right". Then I switched around the second and third line following this. It works in English and I expect that it would work in all languages.

I am happy to make this file available to any users who want it. I will also make it available to the developers if they commit to implementing the 'user chooses' option that I suggested above.

john_percy

You might want to rearrange roundabout and sliproad instructions as well. I also dealt with St Paul's being read out as Street Paul's, for example.

RonD

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into the roundabout and sliproad instruction. As for St Paul's = Street Paul's, I'm willing to live with this. My existing Garmin device gets things wrong (eg. it tries to pronounce "Mtwy" rather than saying "Motorway") and I'm used to it now. Rather amusing really. As with any satnav, one has to use a bit of intelligence when following instructions.

tomas

developers do respond, but this is not we can do easily
it may be easy in English, but not in other languages and we do not understand most of them

mes

For me the instructons are ok. I am used to it. But I can understand that many people prefer the other way.
Changing the instructions seems easy but I think it will be a large operation because all the language files should be changed. But it is a wish for the future.

I also have edited the navigation.xml file. I removed the announcements of the waypoints. It would be nice if there would be a setting in mapfactor that let me turn the waypoints announcements on and off. But there are so many wishes and implementing al wishes would make the program very complex.

RonD

Tomas, I do not understand your remark about other languages. It is a matter of the instructions being given in a sequence that is logical and this should be independent of language.

Even if 'distance first' sounded wrong in (say) Spanish any problems would be overcome if you took up my suggestion of having an option in navigator so that the user can choose. I am assuming here that the statement by 'mes' that the language files
would need to be changed is wrong. Surely it is only navigation.xml that
needs to be changed. Perhaps it is me that is wrong.

It seems to me that your 'other languages' comment is just an excuse for doing nothing.

Having said that, I do think that Navigator is great and it is marvellous to have a free navigation app that works offline. There are some features that could be improved but I can live with the present version if it never gets better.

tomas

yes, it is an excuse :-)
everything is very easy and simple

mes

I do not know if changing the sequence of the instructions is easy. Does it only apply to the tts voices or also to the mapfactor voices?
I like the idea of having an option to change the instruction sequence but I even more would like an option to change the announcements of the waypoints.

My suggestion is to change the sequense of instruction (if this is an easy change)in a upcoming version. This request has been posted several times so I think there is a true need. People like me who have no problems with the present sequence can easily get used to the changed sequence.
I think that a permanent change is simpler then building in an option.

RonD

Tomas, I know full well that not everything is easy. But this particular change is. If a dummy like me can work out how to do it then it shouldn't pose much of a problem for professional software developers.

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