Get answers to your
most frequently asked questions.
Map Creation
Certainly! We use your map, logo, texts, and photos to reflect your image, which sets Ondago apart from other apps. After all, this is your official map. It is geolocated, whether it is scaled or not, and we make it interactive.
We can create a map for you. We’ll start by creating a base map that can be used in the
Ondago mobile application, but also for a PDF map. Then, using our iconography, or yours if
you have one, and your data (.gpx, .kmz, .kml or shape files and/or GPS coordinates), we can
add your trails and points of interest. Your content will then be added (contact information, text,
photos, audio files, etc.) and made interactive in the mobile app.
Please provide us with the GPS coordinates in decimal format of the following two points:
The top left-hand corner of your map’s perimeter;
The lower right corner of your map’s perimeter.
Please note: The zoom level created will be the most appropriate for your territory while
ensuring that the resulting file is not too large for users to download.
Of course! We invite you to check out the following maps directly in the Ondago mobile app;
they were all designed in conjunction with customers and based on their respective requests:
- Le Baluchon
- UT HarricanaTM
- Quebec Mega Trail
- Ganaraska (one of their 10 maps)
- Empire 47 (summer or winter map)
- Sentiers de L’escapade
- Véloroute des Bleuets
- Avon Trail (one of their 2 maps)
- GVTA (one of their 5 maps)
- Credit Valley Trail (one of their 2 maps)
- Parc d’une rive à l’autre – Summer trails
- Véloroute Les Moulins Terrebonne | Mascouche
100 pixels x 100 pixels in PNG format.
First of all, it’s important to know that the way to process the enlargement of an area is
different between a paper map and a geolocated interactive map that can be zoomed in
because these two types of maps don’t offer the same possibilities. There are 3 ways of
processing an enlargement in Ondago:
Ondago’s ideal solution, whenever possible, is to have a single map (without enlargement) and
to include the visual and content of the enlargement in the general map. This means that everything can be found in the same place, the user doesn’t have to navigate from one map to another, and geolocation is simple, uniform and fluid. This is what we prefer most often. It’s even better when this scenario can be foreseen before your map is even created by a graphic designer. The graphic designer can then facilitate the process by including small streets (and other details) in the general map.
Another option with Ondago: an enlargement can be implemented as a map in its own right
(with the cost of implementing it and the cost of publishing an additional map). For the user, this
means navigating from one map to another, which is less interesting, but very useful when the
enlargement contains a lot of information.
The last option is to keep the map as it is, i.e. by zooming in on the general map, the user
doesn’t get more details, instead having to move the interactive map around to see the
enlargement. The process can involve going back and forth. Also, only the general map is
geolocated, so the blue dot is displayed on the general map, not on the enlargement. This may
be confusing for some.
We created the Ondago web service with this in mind. Once your interactive map is
complete, you can choose to publish it in the Ondago mobile app and/or on your website. For
the latter, we will provide you with a web link. Web and mobile technologies are different, but
your web map will, with a few exceptions, be identical to your map in the mobile app. You will,
however, need to use a mobile device to obtain your location on the map (displayed with a blue
dot).
The photos you send us can be either .jpeg or .png files. Photos in landscape mode
(horizontal) are preferable, as they come out better in the app given the space provided. Make
sure the resolution is good. We’ll take care of resizing the photos to the right format for the app, so don’;t worry about that.
For file size reasons, .mp3 files are preferred.
If you record your trails using a GPS device or a mobile application designed for this purpose,
it’s important to avoid unnecessary zigzags when recording, and to record only one trail at a
time, from start to finish. In this way, you reduce the number of manipulations our team has to
make to be able to use your trails in the app. They’re more likely to look good (no knots to
remove, for example), and they’ll directly provide trail length and elevation gain. Of course, the
primary aim is to ensure that the user is geolocated on the trails on your map.
Please avoid the following:
Start recording, walk all the trails/circuits and stop recording. The result will be a big spaghetti
with good accuracy, but no way of automatically extracting the elevation and length of each trail.
Record several small sections of trails. This is much more time-consuming to set up. It is often
necessary to merge trail sections into complete trails that make sense and have the right
lengths.
General use of the app
This information is generated automatically when your map is set up, based on your map’s geolocation.
Elevation gain: This is the sum of all climbs on the trail.
Elevation loss: This is the sum of all descents on the trail.
First of all, your organization can be displayed as soon as you open the application, in the “Featuring” section of the “Home” tab. Paying to have a section named after your organization gives it prime visibility, and also lets you group your maps and/or add relevant information.
Secondly, we strongly encourage you to promote your Ondago map through more traditional means. The organizations that get the most downloads are often those that take every opportunity to promote their maps with one or more of the following methods:
- Reception staff talk about Ondago and invite visitors to download the maps.
- Posters are stuck up at the reception desk and/or tourist information office.
- Paper maps and on-site posters include a mention that the maps are also available on Ondago. A QR code can also be included.
- The website clearly indicates that the maps are available in the Ondago mobile app and provides download links.
- A newsletter is sent to subscribers, encouraging them to download Ondago and their maps.
- Regular mentions are made on social media.
IMPORTANT: We provide our customers with a download link for each map. It can be transformed into a QR code. Don’t hesitate to ask for it if you haven’t received it. In addition, we provide several graphic tools and information that can help you increase the number of downloads of your maps. They are available here.
Whether it’s a proximity notification, a pre-programmed notification or an instant notification, the Ondago mobile app AND the map to which the notifications relate must have been downloaded. The Ondago mobile app doesn’t need to be open, and the user’s mobile device can even be in standby mode.
When it comes to proximity notifications with Android devices, it’s worth noting that the time taken to send them varies. In some cases, especially when the user has closed his Ondago app, up to two minutes may elapse between the moment the user crosses the preset radius and the moment the notification is sent. The user must remain within the proximity zone all this time to trigger the action, i.e. the sending of the proximity notification.
First, you need to determine a point with an action radius width to trigger the proximity notification. The radius must be at least 20 meters to give the app time to detect the user’s entry into the defined zone. It’s worth noting that Android and iOS do not proceed in the same way. With Android, the user has to remain within the defined zone for about two minutes before the proximity notification is sent. With iOS, it’s almost instantaneous.
Secondly, texts can be in English and French. We recommend being concise, as the length of the texts displayed varies enormously from one device to another (between 37 and 4000 characters).
You need a network (cellular or wifi) to download the app and your map. This can be done at home before leaving. If you offer a wifi connection at the reception desk, make sure people have downloaded Ondago and your map before heading out into the field. Once this is done, no network connection is needed for them to view your map and obtain their location.
The accuracy of your GPS location depends on a multitude of factors, including the quality of the GPS signal in a specific area and the strength of the GPS chip included in your mobile device.
First, make sure that your device’s GPS is activated and that Ondago has authorization to access it.
For optimum performance, the application should be used outdoors with a direct line of sight to the sky. It won’t work well inside a building, and is limited in a car, on cloudy days or if the forest is dense. This is true for any GPS receiver, not just mobile devices.
Also, make sure that the [Exact location] option is enabled on your device. Here’s how:
iOS devices:
- Open [Settings], scroll down and tap [Privacy and Security].
- At the top, tap on [Location Services].
- Make sure [Location Services] is enabled at the top.
- Scroll down until you find Ondago and click on it.
- Make sure one of the last three choices is activated, except [Never].
- Make sure [Precise Location] is activated.
Android devices:
- Open [Settings], scroll down and tap [Location].
- Make sure the location is enabled, on the top right.
- Tap [App location permissions].
- Scroll down until you find Ondago and click on it.
- Make sure one of the first three choices is activated, except [Don’t allow].
- Make sure [Use precise location] is enabled.
Finally, in the case of artistic maps, i.e. maps for which the graphic designers have taken liberties with trail layouts, it is very important to provide us with the actual trail layouts in the form of .gpx, .kmz, .kml or shapefiles, so that our team can geolocate your maps accurately. Otherwise, there may be deviations in the position of the blue dot. If you notice a location where there is a deviation, please provide us with a screenshot of the location along with your comments. We’ll be sure to update the geolocation of the specified location.
Yes, the Ondago team can provide access to Ondago+ to a group of people within an organization instead of charging each subscriber separately.
We will then need each person’s first name, last name and e-mail address.
Putting lang=fr or lang=en at the end of the URL will force one language or the other to be used. If you have websites in both French and English, this can be useful.
If you don’t specify the “lang” parameter, the computer’s language will be used, i.e. the language selection will be automatic.
What’s important to understand is that if you don’t specify a language, the map will be displayed in the computer’s language, even if it’s not the same language as the website you’re visiting. In other words, if someone visits your website in English, but their computer is configured in French, the web map will appear in French. In a case like this, we advise you to force the desired language with the “lang” parameter.
Statistics
In the statistics we provide, the number of downloads of a map corresponds to the number of times all our users have pressed the “download” button on that same map. In some cases, pressing the “download” button may result in more than one map appearing. Regardless, it’s all calculated as a single download.
A map opening (or consultation) is counted each time a user sees a map on their screen. The same person could consult a map several times during the same walk, or even over several months.
A person downloading and/or consulting a map could well be anywhere. Basic statistics don’t tell us whether the person actually used it in the field, from home or elsewhere.
We can add geofence points to the map, which can tell you how many people have passed a particular spot. However, this technique does have its limitations.
You need to use geofencing. Find out more about this technique in the next question/answer.
DEFINITION
Geofencing is a technique for remotely monitoring the movement of an object or person, and certain aspects of their behaviour, within a defined area. It enables information about the object or person to be recorded and alerts to be sent. This technique is used in marketing (geomarketing) and is a valuable asset in tourism.
HOW IT WORKS WITH ONDAGO
On your Ondago map, we add invisible points with an action radius to create virtual barriers (geofences). Every time a user crosses a virtual barrier, an action is triggered. This feature is available even when there is no network.
A multitude of highly relevant actions are possible. Here are a few examples:
- Calculate the number of people using a trail;
- Record users’ entry and exit times to obtain the average time spent in a specific area;
- Send an alert to a visitor entering a restricted area and/or to the site manager;
- Send a message to visitors approaching a business (for an instant discount, for example).
The result is valuable information about your visitors’ behaviour, enabling you to make better decisions.
SPECIFICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS
- The radius of action of the virtual barrier is variable and can be chosen, but we recommend a minimum of 20 meters for best performance.
- For a user to be counted, he or she must have downloaded the relevant map. It is not necessary for the map to be open on the user’s mobile device, nor for Ondago to be open.
- For Apple devices, the action is triggered as soon as the user crosses the virtual barrier. For Android devices, the behaviour is different, even “fuzzy”, according to Android specifications. It would appear that the user must remain within the action radius for around two minutes for the action to be triggered.
- IMPORTANT: If the user has configured their settings not to receive notifications, their passage through a virtual barrier may not be counted.
- IMPORTANT: The first time the map is opened, a message is displayed inviting the user to change their location settings to “Always allow” in order to access this feature. Not selecting “Always allow” will reduce the number of people counted.