WikiCamps update

Wannabe nomad · Senior Member

WikiCamps update

Kebbin · Guru

No the App is still broken free camps aren't disappearing, I do wish the Owner would fess up and tell everyone what is happening and how long will the fix will be.

BarneyBDB · Senior Member

Maybe it is not in the new owners interest to fix it? They have their own app that shows their caravan parks.....

Bicyclecamper · Guru

Gd'Parks the owner will never admit fault.

Wannabe nomad · Senior Member

rmoor wrote:
I loaded it onto my No 2 laptop and paid the fee. Then the next time I went to it, Buckleys chance of getting it to open even. I might have another go soon and contact them if still no success but it seems to be a troublesome application? I have a similar problem with GA golf application and it took me 12 hours to load up some software this week after a UK mob took over the company I was using.
I hate technology, but it is a necessary animal.
Still getting used to the lane recognition on my new ute and some of the new fangled applications with it. I keep saying take me back to 01/01/1970 and leave me there.....

I had it keep crashing when I tried to go into 'my trips' until I changed my preferences and now have no trouble getting into to most of my trips. I've changed my preferences back and still good.

I was lucky I could hand loading over to my technology savvy hubby.

I thought the app was great, now I'm not do sure. It was working fine : even informing me when future planned trips camps were genuinely closed or temporarily closed, now it's telling porkies I think.

rmoor · Senior Member

I was going to have one more attempt to reload mine on laptop #2 but I think I will give it a miss after all I am reading here. I am finding I can locate various campsites and van parks using my own research and raising a few queries on here with some of the brilliant contributors on here. Vale Wiki Camps for me.

msg · Guru

So, it looks like Wikicamps will no longer be the go to app. Its getting too hard to navigate. Are there any alternatives? Do we go back to that big Camps Book?

Dick0 · Guru

msg wrote:
So, it looks like Wikicamps will no longer be the go to app. Its getting too hard to navigate. Are there any alternatives? Do we go back to that big Camps Book?

Apart from losing the Saved Filters during the update, I cannot see any difference to the look and feel of the updated version to the pre-update.

I should think once all the updates have been completed the speed of the App will also improve.

Being a major update of Software & Servers, give it a bit more time for the App to settle.

Cuppa · Guru

Dick0 wrote:
Apart from losing the Saved Filters during the update, I cannot see any difference to the look and feel of the updated version to the pre-update.

So do you have all the offline info (reviews, fees, thumbnails)? I have the online stuff but cannot synch the offline material. Other users report this too.

Brodie Allen · Guru

Stuffed if I can see any difference.

Huge losses and difficulties during the "update" while WC sorted itself out.
Lasted about a week with intermittent additions to the site till now it is complete again.
Absolutely no difference to the site as it existed over the last few years that I can see.

So slow - owner needs a mainframe upgrade.

Son who is a programmer tells me that the site was severely broken at the time.

I was on safari at the time and the loss of the site for the week reinforced on me the
value of the WC site to the traveller.

There's no fixes to many of the idiosyncrasies yet, that were promised: ie the wording
on the button for "Currently showing all sites" toggle - someone who has a very poor
command of english write that.

And the intention to have a slightly different image for water to fill or toilets or both,
the schizophrenic action of the satellite viewer, etc.

Still far and away the best and most comprehensive site available - those complaining
must have been using the very old site which was very much different to that that
newer users have been using for the last few years.

For looking ahead for better camps it's wonderful - has save me many THOUSANDS
of dollars and kept me full of water, dumped conveniently and not needing cramparks
whatsoever. And finding the best sites easily.

B

StewG · Senior Member

I've never used or felt the need for Wikicamps. From the feedback in this thread, I might just continue with this view. We don't often free camp, but have no problems finding suitable stops. Also have no problems finding CPs. One thing we do enjoy is visiting Information Centres. There is inevitably a friendly greeting and a wealth of information on hand including where to get the best coffee, meals, etc.. So much tourist info that we have kilos of recycle paper (or mementos) at the end of a trip.

Dick0 · Guru

Cuppa wrote:
Dick0 wrote:
Apart from losing the Saved Filters during the update, I cannot see any difference to the look and feel of the updated version to the pre-update.

So do you have all the offline info (reviews, fees, thumbnails)? I have the online stuff but cannot synch the offline material. Other users report this too.

Yes Cuppa, all maps and off-line have been updated. All sites, reviews, fees & photos also.

Like I said, give it time.

Both my Win10 & Android apps have now been fully updated.

If you are having issues send WC an email...they have been quick to respond.

Dick0 · Guru

Brodie Allen wrote:
Stuffed if I can see any difference.

Huge losses and difficulties during the "update" while WC sorted itself out.
Lasted about a week with intermittent additions to the site till now it is complete again.
Absolutely no difference to the site as it existed over the last few years that I can see.

So slow - owner needs a mainframe upgrade.

Son who is a programmer tells me that the site was severely broken at the time.

I was on safari at the time and the loss of the site for the week reinforced on me the
value of the WC site to the traveller.

There's no fixes to many of the idiosyncrasies yet, that were promised: ie the wording
on the button for "Currently showing all sites" toggle - someone who has a very poor
command of english write that.

And the intention to have a slightly different image for water to fill or toilets or both,
the schizophrenic action of the satellite viewer, etc.

Still far and away the best and most comprehensive site available - those complaining
must have been using the very old site which was very much different to that that
newer users have been using for the last few years.

For looking ahead for better camps it's wonderful - has save me many THOUSANDS
of dollars and kept me full of water, dumped conveniently and not needing cramparks
whatsoever. And finding the best sites easily.

B

AMEN

Tones · Veteran Member

Since updating on both iphones, ipads and PC have had all past and pending Trip routes corrupted due to the fact that the historical ones seem to be overwriting the newer trip plans. I have tried starting again from scratch and so far what I have created seems to be holding together but my confidence level (at this stage) is somewhat lessened.

Tones

Tones · Veteran Member

WE have updated on two iphones, two ipads and one PC. So far we have lost all previous trip plans because the historical plans seem to be overwriting the newer ones. I have just written one completely new plan and so far it is holding together but my confidence in the App is now considerably lessened. Time will tell!!

Tones

-- Edited by Tones on Tuesday 11th of July 2023 06:54:20 AM

Brodie Allen · Guru

What parks does the owner own?

Who's g'day parks? Never heard of therm.

B

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Tuesday 11th of July 2023 02:19:36 PM

yobarr · Guru

Brodie Allen wrote:
What parks does the owner own?

Who's g'day parks? Never heard of therm.

B

There are over 300 parks in their 'chain'. Cheers

TheHeaths · Guru

Gday parks are an amalgamation of the old Top Tourist Parks and Discovery Parks.

Discovery are the controllers/ owners.

They took over Wiki Camps a number of months ago.

-- Edited by TheHeaths on Tuesday 11th of July 2023 03:52:48 PM

Bicyclecamper · Guru

TheHeaths wrote:
Gday parks are an amalgamation of the old Top Tourist Parks and Discovery Parks.

Discovery are the controllers/ owners.
They took over Wiki Camps a number of months ago.

-- Edited by TheHeaths on Tuesday 11th of July 2023 03:52:48 PM

And promptly drove it into the ground, they are a caravan park owners, they don't like free camps, and needed for Wikicamps to fail, somehow; it was failed intent ionally due to this stuff up.

Cuppa · Guru

A 'breakthrough' with WikiCamps today. After advice that someone else had successfully synched/downloaded all the offline content (Reviews, fees & thumbnails) I decided to have yet another go.

This time it worked, I suspect something has been changed at the Wikicamps end in the past 48 hours.

What has worked is as follows:

1. Only do one state at a time - turn the others off.

2. Plug your device in, & set it not to turn off. It does not work in the background, so if you use another app or the device returns to it's lock screen, the downloading pauses (but can be restarted from where it had reached)

3. Click Synch & leave it, it will take quite a while before a spinning thingy (like the one below in the Synch now box) appears in the State box. Walk away, have dinner, watch a TV show & then go to see if something os happening. Not only does it take a long time to start, the actual download is also slow. Several hours for some states.

4. When one State is finished switch it off & do another.

I have 'tested' the result after downloading all the states (& switching on offline maps & found everything to be working just as it always did with no phone or wifi signal. Seems to work at much the same speed, & to be honest I have yet to discover any differences to the old version of the app that it has replaced.

I'm a bit puzzled by the lack of review numbers in Victoria ..... but happy days.

I hope this helps some who have struggled with it like me.

-- Edited by Cuppa on Thursday 13th of July 2023 04:28:48 PM

Dick0 · Guru

Hi Cuppa,

You will need to repeat the site content update several times the way you describe.

Not all the content gets downloaded the first time.

So far over several days my downloads have reached: NSW has nearly 200,000 reviews, NT about 70,000, QLD about 85,000, SA about 50,000, TAS about 47,000, VIC about 60,000 & WA about 30,000 and that's not counting Fees, Thumbnails and photos.

I think I still have a while to go.

Strange no others here are posting their Site Content progress.

I'll do a screen save when I think the update is closer to completion.

I agree with others...the downloads are painfully slow.

Gundog · Guru

Question I have already paid for wikicamps for my android devices do you have to buy it again for PC, just tried to download on win11 and you cannont download untill you pay.

whats the solution ?

Cuppa · Guru

Dick0 wrote:
Hi Cuppa,
You will need to repeat the site content update several times the way you describe.
Not all the content gets downloaded the first time.
So far over several days my downloads have reached: NSW has nearly 200,000 reviews, NT about 70,000, QLD about 85,000, SA about 50,000, TAS about 47,000, VIC about 60,000 & WA about 30,000 and that's not counting Fees, Thumbnails and photos.
I think I still have a while to go.
Strange no others here are posting their Site Content progress.
I'll do a screen save when I think the update is closer to completion.
I agree with others...the downloads are painfully slow.

I'm finding much the same Dicko - now on my second round of 'Synching'. Wife's ipad same but completely different numbers on the first round. . There was a comment on the Wikicamps FB page yesterday which indicated they now the problem exists & that their developers are working on it. My guess is that they bought in overseas developers to save costs & are probably wishing they hadn't. No idea how long it might take to get it all back to normal, but I'm thinking it will happen eventually. I don't think it is some sort of anti free camping conspiracy from the CP chain owners which others have suggested. Just a major stuff up from utilisisng an outsourced developer & the owners pulling their hair out along with all the users because once committed they have little choice. I'm guessing they have been feeling stuck between a rock & a hard place.

Gundog I think you pay for each different platform. We use an iPhone & iPad so just one payment. But would have to pay again if we added Windows or Android.

yobarr · Guru

Dick0 wrote:
Hi Cuppa,
You will need to repeat the site content update several times the way you describe.
Not all the content gets downloaded the first time.
So far over several days my downloads have reached: NSW has nearly 200,000 reviews, NT about 70,000, QLD about 85,000, SA about 50,000, TAS about 47,000, VIC about 60,000 & WA about 30,000 and that's not counting Fees, Thumbnails and photos.
I think I still have a while to go.
Strange no others here are posting their Site Content progress.
I'll do a screen save when I think the update is closer to completion.
I agree with others...the downloads are painfully slow.

While I have little understanding of technology and its associated workings, the only difference I've noticed with Wiki camps is that it now is painfully slow, it still does all that it did before "update".

But that doesn't bother me too much. Cheers

Are We Lost · Guru

Gundog wrote:
Question I have already paid for wikicamps for my android devices do you have to buy it again for PC, just tried to download on win11 and you cannont download untill you pay.
whats the solution ?

Yes. It is one licence per platform .... Android, Windows, Apple. Then you can have it on as many devices of that platform as you like.

To the ongoing drama after their database update:

In the past I have been a strong supporter of Wikicamps. When things went wrong last month I gave them the benefit of the doubt. But now as the weeks drag on and there is no new information on their site I have turned to condemnation. That is not just because of the widespread problems but to the lack of suitable notification to licensed users.

IF what they say is correct and just be patient to get over this hurdle why aren't they sending out emails to licensees saying "Please don't download more than you need at present. The unprecedented demand with many thousands of users simultaneously trying to download masses of data is overloading our servers. Please hold off, but if you must, just download one state."

Gundog · Guru

Just paid for and downloaded wiki it only took less than a minute, then I was up and running.

I suppose because I dont bother to download the off line maps because generally I am online when I use wikicamps.

I can see a need for off line maps if you have limited data or use wiki in dead zones, but hey if your in NSW and not going to WA or NT why download the maps

Dick0 · Guru

I agree with the many here and am also disappointed in the current state of this once wonderful App.

They better sort this out quick smart otherwise a more enterprising App will emerge and take over WikiCamps.

The WikiCamps owners should be posting update notifications advising users of the problems that they are attempting to overcome.

Afterall, it is a PAID App and we should be aware of solutions the owners are striving to rectify.

shakey55 · Senior Member

I personally found no difference other than it being a little slower. Have a friend who lost all previous trips. We can only hope all encountered problems can be rectified

Dick0 · Guru

Took quite a number of days to update the Win10 version of the Site Content but finally got there.

dundreamin · Veteran Member

Terrible, hate it. The old version was working fine for me, no problems whatsoever. However the update since G'day parks have taken it over is so frustrating. Everything looked the same & seemed to work the same but when switching from details to reviews to fees to photos it took forever to load each section, to the point where I've given up. Recently I thought it was all fixed till I looked something up yesterday & it was still doing the same thing. Also lost all my saved previous trips. Now looking for a comparable app. furious