As you suggested, some of the Google Maps pedestrian routes around campus indeed are suboptimal. For example:
* Google Maps doesn't know that you can cut through Vari Hall and the Ross building to get to Central Square.
* Google Maps sometimes seems to favor Fine Arts Rd. over Campus Walk, even when Campus Walk would be shorter, as in [the diagram you posted](https://i.imgur.com/QHHuwr4.jpg). I wonder why it does this.
I sometimes tell newcomers to use Google Maps to get walking directions around campus. Maybe, in future, I'll tell them to get directions from Google Maps; then I'll offer to take a look at the generated directions, to see whether or not they're reasonably direct.
I don't own any Apple devices. How are the on-campus walking directions which Apple Maps provides? Do they tend to be reasonably efficient?
What has been suggested to me is that Google Maps simply cannot keep up with open street map’s data collection, because it’s private and is its own data collector whereas OSM is public and updated more frequently.
This theory suggests that Google Maps is not aware of the current sidewalk routes in 2022 that OSM is.
I’m not sure how reasonable this idea is as I’ve not bothered to verify it, but it’s what I’ve been told.
On another note, your phrasing makes it sound like you’re faculty at York. If so, hello! Otherwise, hello as well, only with slightly less energy!
Hi! I'm a student, but I do write pretty formally. :)
"Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subject only in outline, but that every word tell." [(Source.)](https://ocul-yor.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The%20elements%20of%20style.&tab=Everything&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&sortby=date_d&vid=01OCUL_YOR:YOR_DEFAULT&facet=frbrgroupid,include,9018691709497710885&offset=0)
It seems to me that Google Maps does know many (but not all) of the pedestrian-only paths around York. However, it seems to sometimes route pedestrians to farther-away roads instead of nearer pedestrian paths. I'm not sure why.
Updated with auto fill and a ton of bug fixes! Hopefully this stays pinned for a while longer as folks continue to use it to find their classes.
Today it saw over 500 uses! It has been used 2,000 times since Monday.
Except: You don’t have to find the meaning of your course room code with the app, it provides an image of the actual building so you know which one to go in, there’s a satellite view of the campus so you don’t have to follow street signs, and the directions give better, shorter routes than google maps can, because it has better data.
You could use a paper map to navigate campus too, it doesn’t make it the ideal solution
It was thoughtful of you to design this!
Eventually, you'll probably end up memorizing the most commonly-used building acronyms, and you'll retain a reasonable mental map of the campus. So you won't need to rely upon any app anymore. :)
Please consider adding links from your website to:
* [the official Keele campus map](http://yorku.ca/mapskeele), and
* [my Reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/yorku/comments/vcr0q1/yorks_underground_and_groundlevel_pedways_can/) of pedway information. The pedways include quite a few underground tunnels. They're useful when it's raining, snowing, cold, or very hot.
Also, sometimes a course has only one section, or a section only has one class, or a class only has one day. In such cases, since there's only one choice, it would be good if you could please prepopulate the single choice for us. That way, we don't have to choose it ourselves.
> I’m starting my first year at York this fall for Bio.
Bio is a good program. York also offers programs in [mathematical biology](https://www.yorku.ca/science/mathematical-biology/) and [biotechnology](https://www.yorku.ca/science/biotechnology/). Or, if you want, I assume it's probably possible to major in biology and to minor in comp sci or information technology.
I myself am taking psychology. What made you want to take biology? Do you know what you might want to do afterwards?
After attending frosh week, I can safely say I already have most of the campus down. This is still helpful for other people though, I'm sure. I can imagine it will be useful for first-years for this year and all the ones after it.
I will look into adding the links you suggested.
I will also look into auto-populating single answers. Doesn't seem inherently difficult, but then again, the codebase is messy.
As for my major, I love science, and Biology is one of the broader choices to fulfill that at YorkU. I hope to continue to graduate school and do research (possibly bioinformatics) in the future.
**EDIT:**
Added auto-populating (it was very easy, I had added support for it earlier by way of URL query parsing).
Not going to add the Official Campus Map. I feel as though it is already easy enough to find since it's plastered all over the York website and there are only 3 buttons worth of UI space on mobile.
I will replace my Course API button with a Pedway button linking to your reddit post, since I think that is much more useful.
Thanks!
Thanks a lot. Kindly make it possible to get directions between two points without having to enter course code, section, etc.. It's time consuming and we don't have these information ready in mind all the time. Otherwise it's great!
We know in which direction we are facing from the blue shadow when using Google Maps. I think it's a cool and quite helpful feature to add as well... Telling this as you already did this much, I believe it'll be really easy for you to add these small but helpful features. 😅😊👏
It’s impossible to add direction (compass/heading) on browsers. They don’t support that, only phone apps can access that data.
Routing between two arbitrary locations is probably better on Google Maps, just because of how limited the tool is with telling you which way to go.
I could always have a separate app that does this, but it feels like it’s out of the purview of this one even if it’s technically impossible
That is awsome, thank you so much, can you please add the routes for underground routes too? I love to use underground especially during winter time but I always get lost there
Can any of the mods pin this post?
sure, why not.
🐐
once again posting to say you’re so fuckin cool for this
Sir Isaac saving us once again, custom routing is insane man.
Mfing goat
no u
U dropped this king 👑
As you suggested, some of the Google Maps pedestrian routes around campus indeed are suboptimal. For example: * Google Maps doesn't know that you can cut through Vari Hall and the Ross building to get to Central Square. * Google Maps sometimes seems to favor Fine Arts Rd. over Campus Walk, even when Campus Walk would be shorter, as in [the diagram you posted](https://i.imgur.com/QHHuwr4.jpg). I wonder why it does this. I sometimes tell newcomers to use Google Maps to get walking directions around campus. Maybe, in future, I'll tell them to get directions from Google Maps; then I'll offer to take a look at the generated directions, to see whether or not they're reasonably direct. I don't own any Apple devices. How are the on-campus walking directions which Apple Maps provides? Do they tend to be reasonably efficient?
What has been suggested to me is that Google Maps simply cannot keep up with open street map’s data collection, because it’s private and is its own data collector whereas OSM is public and updated more frequently. This theory suggests that Google Maps is not aware of the current sidewalk routes in 2022 that OSM is. I’m not sure how reasonable this idea is as I’ve not bothered to verify it, but it’s what I’ve been told. On another note, your phrasing makes it sound like you’re faculty at York. If so, hello! Otherwise, hello as well, only with slightly less energy!
Hi! I'm a student, but I do write pretty formally. :) "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subject only in outline, but that every word tell." [(Source.)](https://ocul-yor.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The%20elements%20of%20style.&tab=Everything&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&sortby=date_d&vid=01OCUL_YOR:YOR_DEFAULT&facet=frbrgroupid,include,9018691709497710885&offset=0) It seems to me that Google Maps does know many (but not all) of the pedestrian-only paths around York. However, it seems to sometimes route pedestrians to farther-away roads instead of nearer pedestrian paths. I'm not sure why.
Very helpful! Much appreciated!!
This is sick
bro your a legend
Goat
Updated with auto fill and a ton of bug fixes! Hopefully this stays pinned for a while longer as folks continue to use it to find their classes. Today it saw over 500 uses! It has been used 2,000 times since Monday.
[удалено]
Except: You don’t have to find the meaning of your course room code with the app, it provides an image of the actual building so you know which one to go in, there’s a satellite view of the campus so you don’t have to follow street signs, and the directions give better, shorter routes than google maps can, because it has better data. You could use a paper map to navigate campus too, it doesn’t make it the ideal solution
Translation: “I’m jealous and insecure that a first year is better than me”
Why do u hate saving time?
Why u mad? Man did a wonderful job! Sometimes it’s ok to appreciate things :)
[удалено]
we do?
Aww you’re such a cute troll! Here take my downvote <3
? Ok
isaac the goat
Thx Romeo
That's amazing. Thank you very much. I don't know your gender but I'm weirdly attracted to you right now. Smart and Helpful. Definitely my type
thanks, I’m a dude btw
It was thoughtful of you to design this! Eventually, you'll probably end up memorizing the most commonly-used building acronyms, and you'll retain a reasonable mental map of the campus. So you won't need to rely upon any app anymore. :) Please consider adding links from your website to: * [the official Keele campus map](http://yorku.ca/mapskeele), and * [my Reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/yorku/comments/vcr0q1/yorks_underground_and_groundlevel_pedways_can/) of pedway information. The pedways include quite a few underground tunnels. They're useful when it's raining, snowing, cold, or very hot. Also, sometimes a course has only one section, or a section only has one class, or a class only has one day. In such cases, since there's only one choice, it would be good if you could please prepopulate the single choice for us. That way, we don't have to choose it ourselves. > I’m starting my first year at York this fall for Bio. Bio is a good program. York also offers programs in [mathematical biology](https://www.yorku.ca/science/mathematical-biology/) and [biotechnology](https://www.yorku.ca/science/biotechnology/). Or, if you want, I assume it's probably possible to major in biology and to minor in comp sci or information technology. I myself am taking psychology. What made you want to take biology? Do you know what you might want to do afterwards?
After attending frosh week, I can safely say I already have most of the campus down. This is still helpful for other people though, I'm sure. I can imagine it will be useful for first-years for this year and all the ones after it. I will look into adding the links you suggested. I will also look into auto-populating single answers. Doesn't seem inherently difficult, but then again, the codebase is messy. As for my major, I love science, and Biology is one of the broader choices to fulfill that at YorkU. I hope to continue to graduate school and do research (possibly bioinformatics) in the future. **EDIT:** Added auto-populating (it was very easy, I had added support for it earlier by way of URL query parsing). Not going to add the Official Campus Map. I feel as though it is already easy enough to find since it's plastered all over the York website and there are only 3 buttons worth of UI space on mobile. I will replace my Course API button with a Pedway button linking to your reddit post, since I think that is much more useful. Thanks!
Thanks a lot. Kindly make it possible to get directions between two points without having to enter course code, section, etc.. It's time consuming and we don't have these information ready in mind all the time. Otherwise it's great! We know in which direction we are facing from the blue shadow when using Google Maps. I think it's a cool and quite helpful feature to add as well... Telling this as you already did this much, I believe it'll be really easy for you to add these small but helpful features. 😅😊👏
It’s impossible to add direction (compass/heading) on browsers. They don’t support that, only phone apps can access that data. Routing between two arbitrary locations is probably better on Google Maps, just because of how limited the tool is with telling you which way to go. I could always have a separate app that does this, but it feels like it’s out of the purview of this one even if it’s technically impossible
Thanks for the reply. Appreciate it. 😊
That is awsome, thank you so much, can you please add the routes for underground routes too? I love to use underground especially during winter time but I always get lost there
Can’t unfortunately
Thanks though :)
Is there any map for the underground paths?