subs5 wrote:Since Waze has a minimum size limit for the AP to show in the app, how is the proposed change going to affect smaller shopping centers, schools, and urgent care facilities? Will we now have a lot of APs that aren't displayed on the app? If so should they just be mapped at PPs?

subs5 wrote:I don't have a problem with the proposal to change the shopping mall from entire mall to just the building(s). I do feel that this will only really change the display in the app and not have an effect on routing. So would think that it would not be too high of priority so should it be mentioned in the wazeopedia draft to change the outline when editing for other reasons? Even if just adding the mall's PLAs?

Area Place Size wrote:Area places will show up in the Waze mobile app if they are large enough.

Some area places have a single recognizable structure useful as a visual reference for Wazers as they approach this destination. These can be drawn to approximate the structure's footprint or outline, as long as this is large enough to show in the mobile application. Examples include landmark buildings like the Pentagon building, as well as large shopping malls or arenas that are constructed as single buildings.

Other area places, like university campuses and "town center" style shopping malls, include more than one component, such as one or more buildings, open areas, roads, and parking. In this case, it is often most useful to Wazers to map to the edges of the property. This will usually show the area and its label in the mobile app even when zoomed out.

Guidelines for drawing a few specific categories are more detailed and should be reviewed to become more familiar with them:

*Gas stations
*Parking lots

subs5 wrote:People don't refer to "the Pentagon building". Recommend changing that to Examples include landmark buildings like the Pentagon, as well as large shopping malls or stadiums/arenas that are constructed as single buildings.


I am just seeing too many PURs for changing the edge of a corner in a park or school. We are volunteers here with more than enough to do already.

So what is the difference between a shopping mall and an elementary/middle/high school? We map them to the boundary. To me it is better to be consistent across the board. "Area places are to the property boundary." Much simpler than "Area places are to the property boundary except for shopping centers and stadiums/arenas."

DwarfLord wrote:I didn't see anyone mention a potential key factor regarding the Shopping Mall area place.

My experience with the app (repeated just now, March 7 2018) is that it will display a Shopping Mall Area Place as an option under "where to park" -- exactly as if it were a Parking Lot area place.

I rush to admit that I have NO clue what is going on in the back end, whether this is intentional on Waze's part, where they plan to go with it, what it means for the use of PLAs in association with Shopping Malls, etc. etc. etc.

But, I would be concerned that if a shopping-mall area place is reduced in size to comply with new wiki language without, at the same time, the addition of one or more PLAs to compensate, it may result in poorer app behavior for end users.

subs5 wrote:To me having one simple large area seems to work visually in the app.

You can have PLAs layered if desired over the shopping mall, university, high/middle/elementary school, or hospital. They do not add any confusion to my drive.

Many schools, not all but many, have multiple entrances for where you go to park. Front might have two and one back entrance. Universities and hospitals both have parking lots and many entrances scattered throughout their campus. Are we going to have to cut out the PLAs in each of the universities/hospitals? Some shopping centers that are modeled after destinations also have the parking lots sprinkled around the area. Parking Lot Areas are not a finished product and will probably change a few more times prior to being finished and fully integrated into the final polished product.

Area Place Size wrote:Area places will show up in the Waze mobile app if they are large enough.

Some area places have a single recognizable structure useful as a visual reference for Wazers as they approach this destination from various directions. These can be drawn to approximate the structure's footprint or outline, as long as this is large enough to show in the mobile application. Examples include landmark buildings like the Pentagon, as well as large shopping malls, hospitals or stadiums/arenas that are constructed as single buildings.

Other area places, like medical or university campuses and "town center" style shopping malls, include more than one component, such as one or more buildings, open areas, roads, and parking. In this case, it is often most useful to Wazers to map to the edges of the property. This will usually show the area and its label in the mobile app even when zoomed out.

Guidelines for drawing a few specific categories are more detailed and should be reviewed to become more familiar with them:

• Gas stations
  [*Parking lots
• Airports
• Hospitals

DwarfLord wrote: The app's way of offering PLAs has changed, but it's still doing this with my test case. If I route to the "Red Apple Cafe" in Aptos, California,, the app offers a "P" button. If I press on it, I get the screen below. Note that the Deer Park Marketplace is an Area Place with only one category -- Shopping Center. The stop point shown by the app corresponds to the stop point for the Shopping Center Area Place.

I think this behavior is important to account for, for two reasons:

• If editors have added PLAs in addition to a Shopping Center AP, the app may offer two (or more) parking destinations that are effectively the same destination -- giving the user redundant choices.
• If the Shopping Center's Area Place has been reduced in outline to match only the buildings, Waze may nevertheless still offer it as a parking destination; but now the stop point will probably not be most appropriate as a parking destination.

Deer Park Marketplace.png