Traffic Watch

 

A Traffic Cam App for the iPhone

ISP Problems have been resolved and maps are displaying correctly now.


Traffic Watch is an improvement over BrisCam and GCCam. It allows you to select cameras using a map, to scroll the map, and to zoom in and out on he map.

It is an improvement because you can see where the traffic cameras are based on a map, and helps if you are new to or unfamiliar with a particular area.

Traffic Watch also loads its data from XML files, so adding new cameras is as easy as updating the XML file, not the application.

In the mapping section, you can use single finger gestures to zoom the map in (double tap), zoom the map out (tripple tap), pan the map (swipe), or select a camera to view (single tap).

You can use two finger gestures (pinch and expand) to zoom in and out.

There is a preferences section to control how close you have to tap to select a camera (in km), and how fast maps zoom in and out when you double / triple tap.


Caveats: This app is more dependant on the internet throughput. Maps take a while to load, and while I have tested it on a weak EDGE signal, it is painful. Wi-fi is best, but 3G is acceptable. Obviously speed is dependant on the sites where data is downloaded from and the strength of your signal. Another item outside our control is camera availability. Although the cams are very reliable, there are a number of factors that could cause a camera to malfunction, or for the servers hosting the images to malfunction.


Image copyright remains the property of the site it is sourced from. Currently the images come from the 139040.com.au web site (Queensland), however I am currently looking at adding cams from other states and New Zealand.


Improvements


Version 1.2 implements the following improvements:

•A 'favourites' list for quick access to your most used cameras

•A tab bar at the bottom of the screen to swap between favourites and the map

•Load time reduced from 50 seconds to 10 seconds

•Configuration file streamlined to load 20% faster

•Maps are not retrieved until you click on the Maps tab

•Maps load slightly faster, but is still limited by 


Instructions


The version 1.2 release of Traffic Watch (currently being reviewed by Apple) uses a tab bar at the bottom of the screen to swap between your list of favourites and the map. The first time you start the application you won't have any favourites, so you will have to go into the maps to add a camera to your favourites list.


Changing between Modes


There are two 'modes' in the application: Favourites and Maps. You switch between the two modes by tapping one of the tab bar icons.


Mapping Mode 


In mapping mode you can use maps, provided by Google Maps, to see where cameras are located. It is useful to see where the cameras are, particularly if you are new to an area, travelling or just geographically challenged. The following gestures are supported:

•Pinch and Zoom. Use these two fingered gestures to zoom the map in and out. Pinch your thumb and index finger together to zoom out (see more of the map). Expand your thumb and index finger to zoom in (see more detail in he map).

•Swipe. You can swipe the map to pan it - move it to see a different area on the map. To do this you tap your finger and swipe it across the screen to move the map in the direction of the swipe.

•Double tap. You can double tap (tap the screen twice) to zoom in. The amount you zoom in is controlled in the preferences.

•Tripple tap. You can tripple tap (tap the screen three times) to zoom out. The amount you zoom out is controlled in the preferences.

•Single tap. You can single tap (tap the screen once) near a camera to select the camera and display its image. The 'Tap radius' preference determines how close you have to tap to the camera to select it.


Viewing a Camera


When you tap near a camera it is displayed in a 'HUD' - a Heads Up Display that allows you to see the map in the background instead of obscuring it. When you tap on the screen, the application determines the nearest camera to where you tapped, makes sure it is inside the 'Tap Radius' set in the Preferences, and then displays the latest image and some basic information about where the camera is located.


If an image isn't available then a 'Test Pattern' image is displayed instead of the camera image. This could happen if the camera has a fault, the server holding the images is down, or you don't have a network connection. In order to retrieve an image, you have to have a Wi-Fi (iPhone, iPod Touch) or EDGE/3G (iPhone only) connection.


There are 3 buttons in the HUD you can use:

  1. •Close. This button closes the HUD and returns you to the mapping screen.

  2. •Reload. This button reloads the current image, so you can see if there have been any changes to the traffic. Most cameras produce a new image every 60 seconds or so.

  3. •Add(+). This button adds the current camera to your favourites list. If you try to add a camera that is already in the favourites list, you get a message letting you know it is already there, otherwise you get a message letting you know it has been added.


Favourites Mode


When you first launch the App it is in Favourites mode. There is no system limit on the number of cameras you can have in here, but we suggest you limit it to the cameras you use more often.

If you tap on one of your favourites a screen similar to the HUD is displayed, minus the buttons. To close this screen and return to the favourites, tap the navigation button labelled 'Favourites'. To reload the image, tap the navigation button labelled 'Reload'.


Deleting a Favourite


The normal delete gestures can be used to remove a favourite from the list:

•Swipe from right to left on the line you want to remove to show a Delete button. Tap the Delete button to remove the favourite.

•Tap the Edit button to edit the entire list. Each item in the list has a round button next to it. Tap the round button and then the Delete button appears. Tap the Delete button to remove the favourite. Tap the Done button when you are finished.


Preferences


There are currently 2 preferences that can be used to adjust how the App interacts. The 'Tap Radius' and the 'Zoom Level'.


Tap Radius determines how close you have to tap near a camera to select it. It can be set from 1km to 5km in increments of 1km, and the default is 2km. If you have large fingers or have trouble selecting cameras, then set it to a larger value and try again.


Zoom Level determines how much maps zoom in and out when you double or triple tap. It can be set from 1 to 5 in increments of 1, and the default is 2. If you want the map to zoom in and out more then set it to a larger value and try again.


About Selecting a Camera


Tapping a camera icon does not select the camera. The icons are only there to indicate where the cameras are located. The icons are placed on the map (by Google Maps) slightly above the actual location of the camera. To select a camera you tap slightly below its icon. If you try this and nothing happens, then there are two things you can do... you can set the Tap Radius to a larger value, or you can zoom in further. If you are zoomed out too far, then a single pixel can be the difference between being inside or outside the tap radius. The more you zoom in the more accurate your selections are.


Problems 


If you have a bug to report, or you have a suggestion for the UI (particularly new cameras to add), then please send us an email: trafficwatch@divesite.com.au


As I get feedback, I'll add a section below for bug reports and new features.

 

Now for a little bit of common sense...

  1. •Do not use the images in the application for navigation, they can be up to 15 minutes old by the time they hit the server, and a lot can happen in 15 minutes. Use them as a guide only.

  2. •Do not use your iPhone whilst operating a vehicle, the car you run into could be mine.

  3. •From time to time the cameras go down, this is outside of our control. We do not operate the cameras, they are supplied and maintained by third parties.

  4. •Eat your vegetables, and be good to your mother.