Recording bait take by Kgs - continued

Feature Requests
#1

this thread on the forum is clearly important to baiters.
please can we have consistency between the mobiile app and the website?
It seems as though baiters prefer number of blocks than amount of active ingredient - it is number of blocks they order and (probably) number of bait blocks eaten that they report.
Thanks

#2

Hi Jo,

Are you requesting the website work the same way the app works? I.e. preset bait configurations?

Andy

#3

Hi Andy

Iā€™m asking for several changes, but yes please! In our project we have baiters using mobile phones and others using the website, in the same set of lines. Hence we want the data to be collected the same.

Especially, for baits that are in blocks. Baiters want to enter block counts, not to have to calculate the amount of active formulation. The database could easily calculate the amount of active bait, for both website and mobile data collection.

And it only invites data entry errors if we repeat standard or consistent info (eg bait, trap-type) every time when we all source and use the same bait and the same stations.

Further, for data entry on the website, a table of all stations in a line for a visit would be easier than entering each station separately, and considerably faster.

Many thanks for asking and following-up,

jo

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#4

That all makes sense. Iā€™m not sure when weā€™ll start on it but the changes you are suggesting have been in the pipeline for a while, hopefully not too far away.

#5

Hi Andy

This is driving us bananas! Lots of errors are coming in by users putting the decimal in the wrong place &/or incorrect number of leading zeros when using the website. And when it lists the data, the box sizes are wonky, so eg the name of the formulation, which seldom needs editing, shows in full in a long box, but the amount of bait shows in a tiny box that you cannot even see the decimal & all the digits weā€™ve had to enter. So that box is too small.

It is crazy to have to enter ā€œ.028ā€ when we put ā€œ1ā€ bait block into a bait station, & itā€™s error prone.

If we had a choice as to which units to use for data entry, and then when we made a report, could choose the units to use, that would be better.
But at least, as soon as possible please, allow baiters to enter block counts, not have to calculate the amount.

Thanks,
Jo

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#6

Morning Jo,

Totally agree. Iā€™ll keep you posted.

Andy

#7

Congratulations on the new Help screens and documentation, great!

But please, what happened to the promises made on this topic and its predecessor
Recording bait take by Kgs
??

Often, walking the lines and baiting takes less time than entering and correcting bait data.

Data entry on the website is messy & time consuming - primarily because of the unit of measurement.

While TRAP.NZ provides numerous options for getting the bait data in, none is intuitive or matches the baiterā€™s needs, leading to frustrations and opting out of data entry. That leads us to We have to using paper data capture again, find data entry people, with consequent delays because then data comes in once a pulse rather than after each visit, so we cannot see the current state of play during a pulse. People feeling inadequate, with frustration and resignations.

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#8

Hi Jo,

This hasnā€™t been forgotten. The migration of the DoC Walk the Line features into Trap.nz has taken all resources for the last few months. This is partly good news for this issue, assuming you can get your trappers to use the app.

The WTL features significantly speed up bait stations records via the app (through both bulk loading and proximity based servicing of installation.)

You might even find the bulk entry via the app is easier for processing the hand written notes. This is only available in open beta testing, we will send out a notification when it is live in a few weeks.

Happy to discuss further it needed.

Andy

#9

Thanks Andy

Great to hear that things are progressing. Although Iā€™ve heard the term ā€œDoC Walk the Line featuresā€, I am unaware of what that entails or involves. I guess other users are too.

And sadly, I found out the hard way that my phone will no longer run the TRAP.NZ app, since it now requires Android 8, not 6. So for the meantime I am stuck with the website not the app. This will apply to others too, no doubt.

But also, there are those who just do not want poisonous bait physically near their phones. And in some places, even in our park in suburban Auckland, the stations are in places that do not have good signal. So the website is still used.

I look forward to seeing the bulk entry - if in bait counts & not gms or kgs, that could help a lot. But itā€™s the unit of measurement that is the single biggest obstacle, and I can see it is not an easy problem to overcome.

Thanks for the update,
Jo

#10

Hi Jo,

Android version is a frustrating one. A little out of our hands sadly and governed by the google and the code libraries used in the app.

Note the app doesnā€™t need mobile coverage to operate. It will synchronise your days efforts as soon as it gets coverage again. Many trappers turn on airplane mode to conserve battery, the switch it off at the end of the day.

Watch the video below for the Walk the Line features. This in open beta testing now and this video was from a few weeks ago (some tweaks since then.) It only shows the GPS mode but you can also do a manual entry for the whole line in one shot. This should work well for anyone concerned about toxin contacting their phone.

#11

Thanks Andy

The Walk the Line features looks helpful. Does it allow the walker to record how much bait remains, how much removed or added?

I understand version numbers and that these changes are necessary. Perhaps I missed the notice warning user - that would have avoided a deal of puzzlement and concern about the app or the phoneā€™s functioning.

When I get a new phone I will try the app again.

Thanks,
Jo

#12

Yes you can set the defaults for a bait station (remaining, removed, added) and then override those default as you get to the bait station or when you review the results at the end before submitting it. It means you can take paper notes if you want and just update the handful that

I agree it would be preferable to give a heads up when Android versions are no longer supported.

#13

Hi Andy,
I trap in the Northern Forest with Hockey stick type bait stations using Bait Blocks, 10 blocks in each Hockey stick. In the App we record each block as 1gm, 10 gms in total. When using App function ā€˜Walk Lineā€™ or ā€˜Manual Completeā€™ the only default that can be set is for ā€˜Bait addedā€™ (A bug I believe). If we add 4 blocks we record this as 4gms. However bait remaining is recorded as 10gms (edit sorry this could be 0gms) giving false results and canā€™t be overridden using the app. So at the moment I am not using the app to record bait station data, but update using the web page after trapping. This is a problem also in that the web page only records in kilos. So if bait remaining is 10 blocks this has to be recorded as .01k. If 4 blocks are added this is recorded as .004k etc. So could the web page have a gm recording option to take away this problem of converting weights or even better could there be a Block# option (instead of weight) for both the web and app. So weight is not an issue, where bait blocks are used.

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#14

Kia ora jb1,

Thanks for getting in touch. These issues with bait management are addressed in the Trap.NZ Roadmap, where you can read more about what weā€™ve got planned.

Ngā mihi,

Sarah (she/her)
Trap.NZ Support Team

#15

Thanks Sarah,
Can you please ensure that the solution to this issue is backwards compatible with current records? We are currently using the recommended technique of 1 block = 1 gram.

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