Object attribution ("Created by" for map objects) Completed

Alyssa Hitchcock

When multiple individuals are contributing to one map, it can be challenging to know who is editing what. It would be helpful to add the following fields to map objects to provide additional context:

Created by <username>
Created at <timestamp>
Last updated by <username>
Last updated at <timestamp> 

14

Comments

17 comments

  • Comment author
    CalTopo
    • Official comment

    https://blog.caltopo.com/2025/04/17/whats-ahead-for-search-and-rescue-users/

    Object history (both the person who created and last touched an object, as well as the time) is something we are planning to tackle alongside some upcoming UI changes.

  • Comment author
    CLMRG Cash

    this would greatly help us. right now, it's a training detail that most people don't remember.

    0
  • Comment author
    CalTopo

    This is something that's on our list.  We're already tracking the created user ID (not last updated by, although that's easy enough to add), the holdup is figuring out how to expose peoples' usernames in a way that's compliant with our existing privacy policy and EU privacy laws, it's currently unclear whether that means something like only showing you names from within your own team, or updating our privacy policy.

    1
  • Comment author
    Permanently deleted user

    The more I use CALTopo on incidents, the more I wish I knew who added what markers haha

    0
  • Comment author
    Permanently deleted user

    What would be the company's opinion on just enabling this for maps under team accounts to start? I'm seeing it more when you have large numbers of individuals utilizing a map and you're unable to track who is adding and editing what.

    1
  • Comment author
    Pegkern31

    Agree, at a minimum we need who created the object. Other requested info would be very helpful also (esp created date/time since bulk ops shows the last updated date/time, not the created time).

    0
  • Comment author
    Bob Howell

    It would be very helpful for team accounts administrators to be able to view the user and time for objects both created and modified.   Having a log file for administrator use only would be great for tracking who did what to what map.

    0
  • Comment author
    Donlan Morgan

    I see this forum thread has been open for a year and comments added over this time period. I read M Jacobs response. This issue is becoming more of a problem for our county's SAR units. Is it possible to allow a user to create an alias username so their username is not exposed? Thanks.

    1
  • Comment author
    Charlie Jay

    I agree wit Donlan. Allowing users to enter their details at the start of a search or upon entering a map would assists. Perhaps a window that allows them to enter name/unit/location that would be perpetual only for that one search. The information could also be used to tag their tracks.

    0
  • Comment author
    Sdrees

    any progress???? definitely needed with a large team account. 

    0
  • Comment author
    Charlie Jay

    Unfortunately this would also be good for coronial files, having an audit trail.

    0
  • Comment author
    John G

    + 1

    0
  • Comment author
    Matt Jacobs

    I assume everyone has seen this in the UI by this point, but we've enabled object history for team accounts.

    2
  • Comment author
    Donlan Morgan

    I see object history now. Thank you very much!

    0
  • Comment author
    John G

    Matt, why would you only do this for team accounts? Enable it for everyone please!

    0
  • Comment author
    Matt Jacobs

    We'd like to get there, but we have concerns about exposing peoples' names on publicly shared maps, when prior to this change, names were not exposed.  Even within teams, if the creator is on a different team, we currently show that team name rather than the creator's name.  The intent isn't to make it a team-specific feature, but to be careful about responsibly exposing users' personal information, and we still need to figure out what that looks like - for example, whether we think we need to ask users to opt in to having their name be visible.

    0
  • Comment author
    John G

    Gotcha, fair enough.   I would however like to at least have time stamps for my objects...

    Date Created

    Date Modified

    That could be a small line in the Point Info box. 

    ie,,, i have a hunting map i use every year and I have a bunch of markers,, some are labeled some aren't..  but I have no idea they were created this year, last year, in 2018

    same thing with my lakes fishing map, i don't have a sonar on my boat so I use caltopo... sometimes i do a quick mark where i caught some fish.. no idea when it was when i come back to that lake to fish

    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.