Map Editor major ver (Nov 5, 2012) Official Feedback

[Kuhlkatz]

The # might come from some script or tool. Any html link object that you add will have a # at the end if it is set the same as the page (document object) URL.

The WME Permalink is always correct from what I have seen.

[bz2012]

The # should not be in the permalink. Are you always getting the permalink from context-click/copy link the permalink? I've not seen it appear before.

Not sure. I just started noticing the fact that many of the 'unlock request' and 'update request' permalinks were NOT selecting the included segments, so I have been trying to figure out why.

Looking back at 'saved permalinks', I see three different 'styles' I have saved over the months.
"/#?%23%3F=&zoom=4&"
"/?zoom=8&"
"/#?zoom=4&"
ALL had been working until recently when I noticed that supplied permalinks were showing me the area but not the segments.
I am currently unable to tell if the failure to display the selected segments is something with the editor or with database failures to fetch.
From the fact that I have observed the problem with a 'clean copy' of chrome (no extensions) and the fact that the error seems to be intermittent, I am now suspecting database fetch problems.
Next step is going to be to 1) reboot my router (that fixed a problem earlier) and 2) look at error messages in the java console.

EDIT:
For example, the link in this message viewtopic.php?f=265&t=33174&p=304102#p303696
"https://www.waze.com/editor/#?%23%3F=&zoom=6&lat=36.58566&lon=-87.39019&layers=BFTFFTTTFTTTTTTTTTTTTFT&segments=68692666"
did not select the segment.
but, after trimming a couple of times,"https://www.waze.com/editor/?&zoom=6&lat=36.58566&lon=-87.39019&layers=BFTFFTTTFTTTTTTTTTTTTFT&segments=68692666"
did select the segment.
My first try: "https://www.waze.com/editor/#?&zoom=6&lat=36.58566&lon=-87.39019&layers=BFTFFTTTFTTTTTTTTTTTTFT&segments=68692666" did not select the segment.
(this just happened and I am NOT at home right now so my router is NOT guilty, in this case)

[Timbones]

Technical explanation: Any parameters after a # symbol will not be sent to the server when requesting a URL. The '#name' concept is for the browser only, and is so that you can have links within a document. It's part of the HTML specification, not the HTTP protocol.

The permalink button simply adds the parameters on the end of the URL in the address bar. If there happens to be a # on the end of the address (for whatever reason), you end up with a link that won't work.

Also, the last example that had '?&' at the start of the parameters probably won't work either.

via mobile

[bz2012]

Technical explanation: Any parameters after a # symbol will not be sent to the server when requesting a URL. The '#name' concept is for the browser only, and is so that you can have links within a document. It's part of the HTML specification, not the HTTP protocol.

The permalink button simply adds the parameters on the end of the URL in the address bar. If there happens to be a # on the end of the address (for whatever reason), you end up with a link that won't work.

Also, the last example that had '?&' at the start of the parameters probably won't work either.

via mobile

The thing that puzzles me was that ALL the parameters EXCEPT the segments seemed to be accepted.
I get the right coordinates and zoom etc. Just not the 'selected segments' actually selected.

[maantje76]

What happens if you change the zoomlevel in the not working permalink?

I did see this happen with some permalinks also. Changing the zoomlevel in the link let the segments apear for me...I can't remember the exact levels that gave this problem, but think I can find it back...

[bz2012]

What happens if you change the zoomlevel in the not working permalink?

I did see this happen with some permalinks also. Changing the zoomlevel in the link let the segments apear for me...I can't remember the exact levels that gave this problem, but think I can find it back...

changing the zoomlevel (or removing that parameter entirely so that F5/ctrl-R refresh will re-fetch the view) does NOT 'fix' the problem. The 'selected segment' is still not selected.
In fact, I can remove ALL the parameters except the 'segment=' and pan and zoom around, hitting 'refresh' without the segment(s) showing as selected UNLESS I 'fix' the 'problem' in the permalink by changing the 'style' (removing the '#' and other 'non essential' "junk") from the URL.

It appears to me that some change in WME's code "broke" the 'segment selector' for URLs that used to work fine. Those URLs still work for all the other parameters (zoom, lat, lon, layers.)

[Kuhlkatz]

It appears to me that some change in WME's code "broke" the 'segment selector' for URLs that used to work fine. Those URLs still work for all the other parameters (zoom, lat, lon, layers.)

It's simply because the URL is broken.
The editor URL only accepts parameters for supported WME objects, and in the standard format for URLs :

Code: Select all

 http://site/pages/?param_1=value_1&param_2=value_2{&param_n=value_n}

The "...#?%23%3F=&zoom=6..." translates to "...#?#?=&zoom=6..." when the URL is 'decoded' which does not look good. The browser will attempt to find a local anchor tag on the page named according to what follows the "#" sign , which it cannot as it does not exist.

Has anybody actually bothered asking Rftyree, the OP that provided the permalink what browser and 'addons' he/she is using? Surely all users will have permalinks like this on the NA server if WME is broken.
It is likely not WME that screws up the permalink, but something that either overwrites the original WME permalink or provides a 'Permalink' option of it's own, where the code screws it up.

It could even be a screwed browser shortcut :
If I start a blank page and type in the URL "https://www.waze.com/editor/#noclue#", WME opens up fine and my Permalink is then :
"https://www.waze.com/editor/#noclue#?zoom=6&lat=36.58566&lon=-87.39019&layers=BFTTFTTTFTTFTTTTFTTTTFT"
which is also screwed, and obviously not WME's fault. It simply uses the main URL for the page, which it rightfully expects to end in /editor/.

You should rather ask why this boardwalk is connected to the road ?

[bz2012]

It appears to me that some change in WME's code "broke" the 'segment selector' for URLs that used to work fine. Those URLs still work for all the other parameters (zoom, lat, lon, layers.)

It's simply because the URL is broken.
The editor URL only accepts parameters for supported WME objects, and in the standard format for URLs :

Code: Select all

 http://site/pages/?param_1=value_1&param_2=value_2{&param_n=value_n}

The "...#?%23%3F=&zoom=6..." translates to "...#?#?=&zoom=6..." when the URL is 'decoded' which does not look good. The browser will attempt to find a local anchor tag on the page named according to what follows the "#" sign , which it cannot as it does not exist.

but it decodes all but "segment=xxxxxxx,xxxxxxx".
Does it fail to decode 'the LAST' &parameter='?
Does this mean it has ALWAYS done this? From the fact that I have been saving various permalinks for quite some time and only noticed that they fail to select the segments NOW indicate that I have been oblivious to something that has been happening for a long time or that something has changed with the way the scripting handles the URL?
Has google chrome changed the way it passes parameters?
Don't all scripting languages have a way of fetching the whole URL line? Remember, WME is NOT written in HTML, most of it seems to be javascript.
Do a control-U to view the code.
WME keeps changing, sometimes without notice, so that is what I first suspected.
I have not 'dug into the code' to see what might be the problem with the parameter passing, but that would be where I would start troubleshooting if I wanted to spend time playing with the code rather than fixing the roads.

Has anybody actually bothered asking Rftyree, the OP that provided the permalink what browser and 'addons' he/she is using? Surely all users will have permalinks like this on the NA server if WME is broken.

I notice that when I grab a permalink (and I almost always do it the same way, by right clicking on the words and copying the link and then pasting it into a text editor so I can save it for later double checking) that the format varies from time to time. I have not found a pattern to the variations yet.

It is likely not WME that screws up the permalink, but something that either overwrites the original WME permalink or provides a 'Permalink' option of it's own, where the code screws it up.

It could even be a screwed browser shortcut :
If I start a blank page and type in the URL "https://www.waze.com/editor/#noclue#", WME opens up fine and my Permalink is then :
"https://www.waze.com/editor/#noclue#?zoom=6&lat=36.58566&lon=-87.39019&layers=BFTTFTTTFTTFTTTTFTTTTFT"
which is also screwed, and obviously not WME's fault. It simply uses the main URL for the page, which it rightfully expects to end in /editor/.

Good information but I don't usually type the url that way.

You should rather ask why this boardwalk is connected to the road ?

I find railroad and walking trails connected to roads all the time. Many were created by 'admin' long ago and have never been edited. Just like I find 'single node loops' created by admin, long ago and 'wrong state roads' created by admin. Stuff like that happens. When I find them, I fix them.
Sometimes I miss something or make a mistake, but from the number of mistakes I find, I think I am 'improving things more than messing them up.' I hope so.

[Kuhlkatz]

but it decodes all but "segment=xxxxxxx,xxxxxxx".
Does it fail to decode 'the LAST' &parameter='?

This intrigued me. I moved parameters around, and it's not the 'last' one that does not work. It seems to break the selection 'code' for landmarks & segments (not tried with URs).
Disabling all of my user scripts also had no effect.
I'm stopping short of debugging the WME code to check how the parameters are handled.

I have not noticed many 'broken' links like this, as I do most of my reading from Tapatalk, and tend to follow the interesting ones on the PC. I'm an AM, so I'm on the generating side of unlock requests, not on the actioning side.

Sometimes I miss something or make a mistake, but from the number of mistakes I find, I think I am 'improving things more than messing them up.' I hope so.

The intention is not say anyone is incompetent. We all strive to better the maps in our area, AND we all make mistakes - it's part of the game, especially since we all tend to spend late nights editing. I get annoyed with myself too. After completing an area and looking at it weeks later, I still find some obvious mistakes.

My personal opinion is that if the OP uses the correct URL and the WME Permalink, links should really not end up broken.
I just wanted to throw in the boardwalk as a curve ball, as the GPS tracks does a good thing of hiding the obvious, and likely everyone was more interested in why WME seemed broken

[skbun]

The intention is not say anyone is incompetent. We all strive to better the maps in our area, AND we all make mistakes - it's part of the game, especially since we all tend to spend late nights editing. I get annoyed with myself too. After completing an area and looking at it weeks later, I still find some obvious mistakes.

No, though...we don't have nearly enough editors in number to cover say, the United States, and some localities just don't have the numbers they need.

I know Waze can turn on ads encouraging people who have the app to join, say, a local TV traffic group (I've seen this in the California Bay Area, and Portland). We'd have a big influx of people, potentially, but would it be worth it to have an ad for a week or so - if you're not in one of those areas - that says something like 'Fixes needed where you drive? Become an editor!', which links to the video...might get people involved. We'd have a lot of basic stuff to teach on, but the overall effect might be a positive. Curious what people think about that idea.