UKH

Anyone using the OS online mapping?

I'm just trialing it at the moment and I'm not entirely convinced. I've been using Memory Map, but am giving OS a try because the maps are bang up to date whereas some of my MM maps are now quite dated (not showing access land, new paths etc.)

What do people think of the OS mapping tool? Particularly interested if anyone's swapped from MM to OS.

Is there any way to get it to print out a larger area on one page (other than changing the scale?) I can print out the whole route to An Socach from the A93 at 1:25k on one page of A4 using Memory Map, but because the OS print outs a border and info in the margins, I can't quite get it all on a page of A4

Have done for the last couple of years, and I think its great.

I don't ever print the maps out though - I have it on my phone, with the relevant sections downloaded for offline use. However, I'd have thought the answer to your question is simple - no. If you're using a fixed scale you will only ever be able to fit a given area of map on a given size sheet of paper. A quick look suggests that the info contained in the border is actually quite useful? But if your route doesn't fit, you're going to need more paper (double sided perhaps?) or a smaller scale. 

Have you chose print to scale in the Fit option box? Seems to just about squeeze on.

I've been using it for just over a year. It's OK and JUST worth the annual subscription.

The main issues I have with it are:

- limited overlay/track/waypoint features. You can draw a route on a layer of your choice, and export it. That's about it.
- the app (Android one anyway) is terrible. Clunky, slow and the offline maps function is not reliable.
- print scaling and margins aren't simple to adjust, and the scaling is sometimes a little off (various printers and settings too)
 

It's good for sharing routes with clients, printing maps and a quick recce of areas I don't own on other apps etc. I just prefer MM or Quo for desktop viewing, and Viewranger is difficult to beat for mobile mapping.

If you have £25 to spare then it's worth it for your level of use I would say.

I've used it for a few years now, but have not used alternatives apart from Trace de Trail. I never print out maps.

I routinely use it to plot new ideas for routes, and then sometimes I save and download these plus a map of the area to my phone. I flip between the 1:25k map and the aerial view, using whichever shows best where the path goes (usually the map). A fancier watch than mine that showed just enough to tell me whether I was on route would be more useful for me more often, but, without that, I have found it incredibly handy when somewhere unfamiliar to have the OS app show me a map, my route, where I am and which way I am pointing.

Sometimes, though, the app tells me I haven't downloaded the map when I am pretty sure I have. I would also like to be able to display multiple routes on a map.

I use it (via the website and also the Android app) and find it well worth the subscription.

I find it particularly useful for sea kayaking, as I can print and laminate a 1:50k or 1:25k map to scale at A3 and laminate it to make a waterproof map to have under the elastics on my deck.

What I usually do is print to file to produce a pdf first, and then print that on paper.  (Selecting "None" against 'Page Scaling' in the Acrobat print dialogue, to preserve the scale.) 
I then give the pdf's a descriptive title and keep them so it's easy to print another copy in future.

As a workaround, you could perhaps print-to-file at A3 and then print the pdf on A4 paper the same way (select "none" for "page scaling").  What you'll get is an A4 crop of the middle of the A3 sheet, thereby losing the border.  Bit of a faff though.

I've emailed OS several times regarding the excessive width of the border (and a couple of other things I think would improve it), but they are frustratingly unresponsive.

What is very interesting though is that you can purchase a year's subscription for just £8 through tesco club card (or at least you could last time I checked). 

At moment, for £100 from MM you can download the whole of UK 2018 1:25,000 and use on 5 devices.

https://www.memory-map.co.uk/2018-memory-map-os-explorer-1-25-000-gb-downlo...

We do this (got the 2016 'HD' mapping, not sure they differentiate anymore) and have all the actual UK mapping stored on PCs, phones and tablet (need extra memory card for phone/tablet).  Download to PC (you have to force tile download, takes some time to do whole UK) then transfer file directly to mobile/tablet micro-SD card.

Use it nearly every day on PC.

(you can view OS mapping for free on PC via MS BING maps)

Yep, I use Viewranger on the phone, Memory Map is for the desktop. Sounds like it might be worth getting some updated maps on that offer they've got at the moment though rather than swapping to OS.

Thanks for the heads up about the offer, that's a good deal

I raised the border issue with them using the feedback email address within the app, and got a reply, back in June. Still no change. There doesn't seem to be an active user forum to discuss enhancements, or much interest in users' points of view. I still need to fall back on my old copy of Anquet for a lot of things.

Sounds like you are another mappy geek

Used OSM mapping on android phone in Europe this summer (thru France, Germany, Austria & Italy)- paid a few quid to get unlimited downloads (do this on wi-fi) and contours.  Bloody brilliant. You'll need a micro SD storage card. 

Also have all the UK loaded on phone (as well as the OS). Kinda like maps.

I've only used the eDofE version, and, yes, the margins are pointlessly huge, considering they add an additional margin for the grid numbers. Most printers will happily print to within 3mm (or less) of the paper edge.

Printing is also a bit touch-and-go.

Absolutely - It would be so easy for OS to add printing boundaries to the print preview.

I worked out that the actual printed map area covers less than 75% of an A4 sheet.

There are several improvements that could be made with a just few minor tweaks but OS seem uninterested in suggestions.

The opentopomap variant is pretty good, with contours, solar shading and footpaths/tracks.

I use that as well  

Prefer the OSM app on phone though (which also has contours, shading and different interface options, including cycle map option) 

Yes. I have a yearly subscription. 

The best option to fit the map to the page, rather than to scale is to do a PrintScreen and paste into a drawing package and trim to suit. Paint will work but it’s a bit limited. 

I can see why OS wouldn’t want you printing out a scale map, not to scale, it kind of defeats the purpose. Would mean that something that said 1:25000 on it is actually 1:37654 etc which could lead to a lot of confusion. Are you sure you want this for your users? If it’s just for personal use that’s fine but it’ll confuse a few people. 

Another option might be to print-to-file from the OS website to produce a pdf first and then print that to paper.  The version of Adobe Reader I have gives you the option to zoom in and print what is in the window using the "current view" button under "print range" in the print dialogue.

You could also print at A4 to scale without the border by 'printing' a scale pdf at A3, then under 'page handling' in Adobe's print dialogue setting 'page scaling' to 'none' and leaving 'auto rotate and center' ticked.  You get an A4 crop of the middle of the A3 page, losing the border and the outer portion of the map in the process but keeping the scale the same.

Both are a bit of a faff, but possibly easier to do for some than using a drawing package.

It's to do with the large margins on OS print outs, and the annoyance that a standard OS A4 print out will not cover as much area as the same scale printed out on Memory Map. However, I've bought updated Memory Maps on the offer mentioned in the thread, and as I have access to Digimap through work I can check the most up to date OS mapping if I feel the need.

I was very happy with OS Maps, having used it for a couple of years now. That is until routes I had plotted whilst on holiday for walks and bike rides, plus older routes, disappeared from the app on iPhone, iPad and laptop via browser leaving only two routes from four months ago. Somewhat frustrating to see them disappear from the app after opening. Two attempts to contact customer services via email have met with silence, not impressed. That aside, it is pretty good value. Just save a copy routes elsewhere until they sort it.