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Author Topic: Android app doesn't list closest station in list view Post a Reply Back to Topics
Scrapheap

Champion Author
Virginia

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Message Posted: Oct 26, 2011 8:36:07 AM

A couple of times, I have been right next to a station, hit the 'Find Gas Near Me', even refreshed a couple of times, but the station closest to me does not appear anywhere on the list view. If I switch to map view, I see the station. This has happened a couple of times with a LukOil at 1955 Chain Bridge Rd & International Dr Tysons Corner VA and a Discount Tire & Gas at 5919 Columbia Pike & Lacy Blvd Baileys Crossroads, VA.

Has anyone else seen this problem?
REPLIES (newest first)
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movrshakr
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Dec 20, 2011 2:34:17 PM

.
I now have a "standard" for working the price entry--necessitated by all that is discussed here, viz, that when you open the list, stations closest to you often are not showing.

My process is,
touch app
as soon as station list pops in...
hit map view (and previously have "follow me" already activated)
pinch-expand the map, and slide it as necessary
touch station icon to enter
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zelmoby
Rookie Author Birmingham

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Message Posted: Dec 20, 2011 12:55:51 PM

I've not noted the discrepancy between map and list views, but a lot of the time I do have to look several stations down the list to see the one I'm driving by. It could just be a GPS signal lag in that case, but your problem doesn't sound the same as what I've experienced.
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Currency_Pro
Veteran Author Vancouver

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Message Posted: Dec 4, 2011 3:39:54 PM

Yes, RG I get this randomly. The Android app seemed to be virtually flawless, now it's getting worse everytime they tinker with it.
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RichWLIN
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Dec 4, 2011 10:36:15 AM

I noticed something interesting this morning on my way to breakfast. When I started the app for the first time today on the way out of the neighborhood, the list of stations that came up were all displaying widely erroneous distances.

I didn't think much of it and reloaded as I pulled in to the nearest station. A message flashed up and it happened so quickly that I'll have to paraphrase what I think I saw. It essentially said "no nearby stations found, check GPS".

GPS was enabled, and in fact, I could see the GPS icon active on my phone. I pulled into the pumps and restarted from the app's main page. The distance data for all of the stations appearing in the list was much closer now, although it still said I was a 1.1 miles from where I was sitting. I went ahead and entered prices.

I'm thinking that what happened this morning was as a result of a temporarily inadequate GPS satellite constellation. This happens at various times throughout the day depending upon where you physically are. At any rate, GPS was activated and my location with respect to stations in the area was reported in some cases 5 or 6 miles in error.

This is the first time I've received a GPS notification in the app. I wish that I'd gotten a better look at it. Anyone else notice this recently?

RG
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RichWLIN
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Dec 3, 2011 6:53:17 AM

movrshakr,

I've been watching this closely too. It seems that a reload often only refreshes a cached page of the most recent nearby stations. If I drive a mile or two down the road, I'd expect to see a new list of stations and not the same list I had back down the way.

So far I've tried:

1. Reload button (or panning the screen).

2. Backing up to the main page and using the Find Gas Near Me button again.

3. Backing out of the GasBuddy app altogether and starting over.

This has produced mixed results. Often the Reload button simply displays the last list and very rarely has had the anticipated result of a new list of stations. Either number 2 or 3 above seem to work better but I can't be sure because they both occasionally result in the cached list.

I'm beginning to think that the distance between requested station lists may have something to do with this? If so, then this will probably always be somewhat variable since GPS is used for location.

RG

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movrshakr
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Dec 2, 2011 2:22:35 PM

.
Wow, do I ever agree with this one. Although the android app is pretty good, this "list doesn't show close stations when opened" is one of the most annoying. It does not happen every time with me, but does happen a lot.

I =think= a pattern is: open it somewhere; list stations are pretty close. drive somewhere; open it again; list stations are still back at the first place.
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Dec 2, 2011 8:54:18 AM

The more I use the app the more I am inclined to just use the mobile site.
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Ledfut911
Rookie Author West Virginia

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Message Posted: Dec 1, 2011 5:55:23 AM

I found another way to get the closest station to display. I select another fuel type. For example, I have "regular" set as the default fuel type for price display, so I select "midgrade" and the nearby stations would then show up.
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Zimcity
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Nov 25, 2011 7:37:25 PM

Yes I've had this happen as well. Never ran into this while using the mobile site.
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RogerB
Champion Author Indianapolis

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Message Posted: Nov 23, 2011 3:48:33 AM

The filter should be changed so it could be turned off!
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DavisSta
All-Star Author San Francisco

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Message Posted: Nov 10, 2011 12:46:31 AM

I've seen this problem, too, and it took me a while to figure out what was going on and how to get the stations listed. Here's my understanding of what is happening:

The brand (station) filtering function, which was added not so long ago, defaults to showing all the brands that are near you when you start the app. The trouble is, if you drive several miles (without restarting the app), you may now be near some gas stations whose brands are not included in the current filter setting, because there were no stations of that brand within 4 miles of your starting point. This happens particularly often with less common brands and one-of-a-kind stations. To get those stations to show in the list view, press the Menu button and then choose Filter, Station, and Apply Filter. This will set the filter to brands that are currently nearby and all the nearby stations will now be displayed in list view.

It would be nice if the developers would change the filter behavior so that this extra step would not be necessary, and so that so many users would not be confused about why stations are not being listed.
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dryver515
Rookie Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Nov 9, 2011 9:24:23 PM

I'm constantly having this problem. The station in question will not show up in list view until I update the price(s) from map view...really annoying.
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dryver515
Rookie Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Nov 9, 2011 9:23:40 PM

I'm constantly having this problem. The station in question will not show up in list view until I update the price(s) from map view...really annoying.
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RichWLIN
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Nov 8, 2011 8:51:28 AM

I'm also experiencing the problem of multiple reloads and the occassional missing station.

I originally thought that much of this was a function of the phone's GPS capabilities and user selected settings, but I don't know now. The standalone GPS receivers in phones are imperfect even in open ground with enough visible satellites in the constellation; much less in a car traveling through an urban environment. Usually the accuracy of the position your phone is reporting can be determined by the distance reported. If the device says the station is .5 miles distant, and you're sitting there in it, this is likely just a poor GPS position. There are also multiple ways of deriving the location on phones. Some of these rely on positions transmitted over the web via the wireless networks.

All in all, the location accuracy of the wireless phones are pretty remarkable...just don't bet on them!

Sometimes, I'll get a list that appears to be a cache of the last group of stations I had accessed with the 'Find Gas Near Me', and at least one and often multiple reloads are necessary. This seems to be a function of the network whether it be traffic in general or the GB server.

However, I have also been sitting in a gas station that wasn't appearing on the list after a refresh, and that never did? The station just up the street was displayed, so it didn't seem to be either of the issues described above. I was in a hurry and didn't have time to look into this further. Incidentally, it was a Marathon station, and these are very common around here.

In another instance, I was in a Marathon station that didn't appear on the list of nearby stations, and it turned out that this particular station had been a Citgo and only recently become a Marathon. Neither station appeared in the list. I had to enter the address, find the Citgo station and change it to a Marathon.

I suppose that some glitches are unavoidable with anything new.

RG

[Edited by: RichWLIN at 11/8/2011 9:54:39 AM EST]
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EBR
Champion Author Greensboro

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Message Posted: Nov 7, 2011 6:43:39 AM

I get a slight variation on this theme. I live out in the country. As I'm approaching town, nearing a stoplight with 2 stations, I'll fire up the android app (I have it set to open in "near me" mode). It often shows some other station as being the nearest, even tho I'm within 1/2 mile of this intersection and there are no other stations for miles. But hitting reset does get it to bring up the 2 stations I know I'm approaching.
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Scrapheap
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Nov 6, 2011 10:42:19 AM

enaud - That is definitely not the problem in this case. I can be stopped at an intersection and see a Sunoco and a Luk Oil right next to it. The app will list the Sunoco, then a few stations about 1/2 mile away, but not list the Luk Oil. It shows up when I switch to Map View. This happens fairly frequently.
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Archangel00
Champion Author Mississippi

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Message Posted: Nov 4, 2011 6:31:26 PM

Nothing at all to do with anyones GPS and everything to do with the most recent, buggy, POS app release and it's ability to properly process data.

But hey we have achievements now so who really needs a properly working app anyway...
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enaud
Champion Author Pittsburgh

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Message Posted: Nov 4, 2011 10:25:52 AM

I think that its an issue with your GPS.....it make take a few seconds to zero in on your location....I've seen this a few times when I load google maps. It shows me a half mile down the street then, poof it shows where I am.
So when you refresh it has just found out where you are and the list is correct.
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RalphHightower
Champion Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: Nov 4, 2011 5:13:19 AM

This happens to me also. When I switch to map view and then switch back to list view, it usually locates the station.
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Ledfut911
Rookie Author West Virginia

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Message Posted: Nov 3, 2011 9:50:24 PM

This happens when I am at the Costco in Frederick, MD. Happened at the Flying J in White Post, VA, too. When this happens, I hit the map view and the station shows up, then I can tap on it from the map and go to the update screen from there.
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randyt58
Champion Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Nov 1, 2011 9:04:52 AM

I have a station, Chevron, that does not show on the Android app unless I go to my favs. I added this station a year or two ago, got the exact address from the company's website. There are numerous other stations nearby and they all show on Stations Near Me.
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scoutmaster
Champion Author Pittsburgh

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Message Posted: Oct 26, 2011 9:29:16 PM

I was at an Exxon tonight and the app initially didn't have it as the closest station. Once I refreshed, it did.
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Archangel00
Champion Author Mississippi

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Message Posted: Oct 26, 2011 3:06:28 PM

Yep another one of the many screw ups contained in the last update. Sometimes the thing puts me in an entirely different state now or lists stations miles away. Even has the correct distance in the latter case. But can't list stations that are ACTUALLY near me. Usually manually killing the process and reloading will get it to unscrew itself in those cases.

I have seen exactly what you are talking about quite a few times too.
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scoutmaster
Champion Author Pittsburgh

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Message Posted: Oct 26, 2011 11:01:25 AM

No. I was actually at a GetGo when this happened.
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Scrapheap
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Oct 26, 2011 9:28:02 AM

I've only seen this with smaller retailers and independents. I've never seen if with a Sunoco, Exxon or Shell. Has that been your experience?

[Edited by: Scrapheap at 10/26/2011 10:28:42 AM EST]
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scoutmaster
Champion Author Pittsburgh

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Message Posted: Oct 26, 2011 8:54:32 AM

I've had the same issue when I'm at a station and it doesn't show as the closest! Not sure what causes this.
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