* Error in Map Life Facts plugin

[JoopvB]

When I run the Map Live Facts plugin I get the following error.

It worked before. Is it something in the database?

Map Live Facts error.jpg (33.3 KiB) Viewed 8299 times

[tatewise]

It is to do with formatting a Latitude or Longitude value and complaining that it is NOT numerical.

If you have used the Preference Option to set Database In: Place Records then it might be an unusual database value, but FH should not allow that.

What Plugin options are you using, and what operations were you performing at the time?

[JoopvB]

It doesn't come that far. The error comes up right after "run".

And, yes; a few days ago (when it was still working correctly) I've set the options to update the FH database place records. I don't use the address field (except for repositories).

Can I run a query to find out what the erroneous field might be? The first thing I did was run a validate, but to no effect.

[tatewise]

OK, I will add some defensive diagnostics to the Plugin for you to run, and see what that reveals.

So please avoid changing the Project until then, or make a Copy of the Project (it does not need to include the Entire Project Folder as the Projec File and Project Data Subfolder Only will do).

[JoopvB]

Ok, whenever you're ready.

[tatewise]

Try running the attached Map Life Facts Plugin v3.6.2 dated 17 May 2015.

If it detects an invalid Lat/Longitude value during startup (and at some other times) it should produce a popup message identifying the Location place name and Latitude & Longitude values. Capture the details, and then click OK to continue.

Please post what it reports, and depending on that, there may need to be further investigations.

Do not change the Project details until the problem is resolved.

[JoopvB]

Its says:

Plugin error message.jpg (26.27 KiB) Viewed 8204 times

I use ", Place name" everywhere. The usual format is street, place; but when I don't know the street it's , place.

Seems to work ok with all the other places but for this one. Strange.

[tatewise]

It would seem to be related to the Dutch customisation of the Decimal Symbol to comma.
Originally FH V6.0.0 did not support that customisation, so the Plugin had a workaround built in, but FH V6.0.2 fixed the problem, and now the Plugin workaround is causing your problem.

Presumably, no one has used the Plugin since V6.0.2 was issued with the Decimal Symbol set to comma.

I imagine that after setting the Preference Option to Database In: Place Records then the problem started the very next time the Plugin was run?
i.e. The Plugin never worked OK with that Preference setting?

Please try using the attached Map Life Facts Plugin V3.6.3 dated 17 May 2015 that should fix the problem, but still has the defensive diagnostic popup message should things go wrong.

If you report that it works OK, then I hope to publish it sometime next week.

[JoopvB]

Hi Mike,

Tried the updated plugin from all angles: no problems. Works like a charm.

I'm not sure, but it's very well possible that the problem started after I set the preference to update the FH place records.

BTW, does the plugin overwrite FH places if I have them blocked?
And, I use it to find the newly added places in FH and write them back to FH; the newly added appear as No Plot when I startup the plugin I assume?
Also, I'm not clear on the exact distinction between No Plot and No Data?

Anyway, thanks a lot for the plugin and of course for the repairs, it's a very nice piece of software.

Cheers, Joop

[tatewise]

Hi Joop,
Checkout the plugins:help:map_life_facts:1_geocode_location_plots|> Map Life Facts ~ Geocode Location Plots also available via the Plugin's Help & Advice where it explains the colour coded meanings.
Plotted = Tentative
Defined = non-Tentative
No Plot = Blocked
No Data = new Place not submitted to geocoder

If you tell the Plugin to Geocode Plot All Locations or Geocode Plot Some Locations and include No Plot then Blocked records will get overwritten, but can always be cancelled by using Edit > Undo Plugin Updates.

See the plugins:help:map_life_facts:the_faq#how_can_v6_place_records_be_synchronised_with_plugin_locations|> Map Life Facts ~ Frequently Asked Questions regarding advice on Tools > Preferences > Map Window settings.

[JoopvB]

Mike, just to get the terminology into my head (I've read the help):

1. Green (Plotted) means these places have been found in FH and marked as tentative; so, usually good candidates to geocode in MLF?
2. Defined (Purple) is the same as Green, but marked by FH as non-tentative. But, due to the quality of maps used in FH, still a candidate to geocode again in MLF?
3. Orange (No Plot) is blocked in FH, which really is the same as Purple (non-tentative in FH), but with the blocking flag set? Since being blocked doesn''t seem to be a place property, what's the difference between Purple and Orange?
4. Black (No Data); what's the reason a "new place" is/was not submitted? And, how can this situation be remediated?

The plugin is too good and too powerful to not 100% understand it. So excuse my ignorance, but please help me get it into my head for the full 100%.

Thanks, Joop

[tatewise]

1. Green (Plotted=Tentative) ~ correct
2. Purple (Defined=Non-Tentative) ~ FH users set Non-Tentative status if the plot is good, or manually corrected, so less likely to benefit from MLF geocoding, and FH should be inhibited from refresh geocoding by changing Tools > Preferences setting as per FAQ.
3. Orange (No Plot=Blocked) ~ FH users set Blocked status to inhibit FH geocoding and lat/longitude is cleared, which is very different to 2. above.
4. Black (No Data=No Lat/Long) ~ Newly entered Place names remain in this state until geocoded either in FH Map Window or MLF.

Tentative and Blocked status, etc, is set in FH Map Window via right-click of any Place record.
Checkout all the FH Map Window related Help pages.

[JoopvB]

Thanks Mike, all clear now.

[tatewise]

Map Life Facts V3.7 19 May 2015 is now in the Plugin Store.
It fixes the Decimal symbol problem, and adds a few other features.