Using what3words in BotanicalMapper

GPS works well when you already have coordinates or a pin on the map. But sometimes a location arrives as a what3words address instead, perhaps from field notes or an imported spreadsheet.

what3words divides the world into squares of about 3 metres by 3 metres, each with an address such as ///filled.count.soap. That makes locations easy to say, type and share.

BotanicalMapper lets you use a what3words address as an alternative to GPS. You can search for one, import one, store one on an unplaced plant or landmark, and then use it to help place that record on the map.

The key idea

• A plant or landmark stores GPS or what3words, never both.
• GPS is the location used to draw a marker once the record is placed.
• what3words is a placement reference for records that are not yet on the map.
• Once GPS is set, any stored what3words address is cleared.
• You can still look up the matching what3words square for an existing GPS location without saving it to the record.

How what3words works

A what3words address consists of three ordinary words, usually displayed with three slashes:

///filled.count.soap

You can enter an address with or without the slashes.

BotanicalMapper stores it as:

filled.count.soap

and displays it as:

///filled.count.soap

Each address represents a small square on the ground, roughly 3 m by 3 m.

This is useful for finding a bed, tree, gate or other feature, but it is not exactly the same as a GPS point.

• GPS is a single coordinate.
• what3words represents a square around a point.

BotanicalMapper uses the what3words service only when it needs to:

• suggest matching addresses while you search;
• convert an address into a square so the map can move to it;
• convert a GPS point into a what3words square when you choose Show on Map.

These conversions happen when you request them. They are not stored as a second location on the record.

Why GPS and what3words are not stored together

what3words allow us to make conversions from GPS to what3words and visa versa, but do not allow us to store or display both together.

The marker displayed on the map is drawn from GPS.

BotanicalMapper uses GPS to record accurate location and place the marker on the map, so we use a simple rule:

• Unplaced plants and landmarks may store a what3words address as a placement hint.
• Placed plants and landmarks store GPS.
• When GPS is applied, the stored what3words value is cleared.
• In the Spreadsheet, the cleared value may appear as Converted to GPS, so you can see that a what3words address was previously used.

what3words is therefore an alternative way of getting a record into position, rather than a second stored copy of its location.

You can still look at the equivalent format whenever you need it. That view is temporary and is not saved back onto the record.

GPS or what3words: which should you use?

Use GPS when:

• you are placing the plant on the map;
• a photo already contains coordinates;
• you are typing or importing latitude and longitude;
• you want the record to appear as a marker.

Use what3words when:

• you have a 3-word address but no coordinates;
• you are importing a list that uses what3words instead of GPS;
• you want to find a square on the map before placing a pin.

You do not need both.

Use whichever location information you already have, then place the record when you are ready.

what3words is available for plants and landmarks.

Areas and shapes use drawn geometry rather than a 3-word address.

Searching for a what3words location

On the Map page, open Search Location from the map controls.

You can search using:

• a place name;
• a postcode;
• pasted GPS coordinates, such as 51.5074, -0.1278;
• a what3words address, with or without ///.

The search placeholder reads:

Address, Postcode or ///word.word.word

If your search looks like three words, matching results are labelled W3W. You may also see nearby suggestions and, where available, the nearest place.

Select a what3words result and BotanicalMapper will:

1. move the map to that location;
2. draw the 3 m what3words square on the map.

The square remains visible until you search for something else, start drawing, or dismiss it.

Searching does not create a plant or landmark.

It simply moves the map to the square so that you can see the location and then add or place a record yourself.

Finding records that already have what3words

If an unplaced plant or landmark has a stored what3words address, you can find it by typing part of the address.

This works in:

• the Plants and Landmarks search boxes on the Map;
• Search on the Spreadsheet;
• Global Search.

You can search for either:

///filled.count.soap

or:

filled.count.soap

Partial searches also work, for example:

filled.count

Search only matches what3words addresses that are still stored on the record.

Once a record has GPS, its what3words value is removed, so that address will no longer appear in a record search.

Importing what3words

Import is the usual way to bring in a list that contains what3words addresses instead of coordinates.

On the Spreadsheet:

1. Open the Plants or Landmarks tab.
2. Click Import.
3. Make sure your file contains a Name column.
4. If the rows do not contain coordinates, map the appropriate column to what3words.

Typical column headings might include:

• what3words
• What3Words
• ///what3words

Accepted values include:

filled.count.soap

and:

///filled.count.soap

Invalid values are cleared and a warning is shown.

A what3words cell containing Converted to GPS is treated as blank. This prevents status text from being stored as an address if you re-import a previous export.

Import does not automatically convert what3words to GPS

BotanicalMapper stores the imported words as text.

It does not convert every what3words address to GPS during import. This avoids triggering a location conversion for every row in a large file.

Instead, you place those records on the map later.

If a row contains both GPS and what3words

GPS takes priority.

The what3words value is cleared and you may see a warning such as:

What3Words cleared because GPS was supplied and is authoritative.

Imported plants without GPS do not appear as map markers until you place them.

They still exist in the Spreadsheet and in Details.

For the rest of the import process, see Importing and exporting your data.

Entering what3words manually

You can add a what3words address manually to an unplaced plant or landmark.

From the Map

1. Open the plant or landmark.
2. Click Edit.
3. Under Location, leave GPS blank.
4. Enter the address in the what3words field using the format word.word.word.
5. Click Save.

On the Spreadsheet, the what3words column is editable only while the record is unplaced.

Once GPS has been set, the column is locked.

If the what3words value was cleared because GPS was applied, the cell may display Converted to GPS.

If you enter GPS latitude and longitude as well as a what3words address, GPS takes priority and the what3words value is not kept.

If the address format is invalid, you will see:

Enter a valid what3words address.

Placing a record that has what3words

When you are ready to put an unplaced plant or landmark on the map:

1. Open the plant or landmark.
2. Click Place on the Map.
3. If a what3words address is stored, the map moves to its square.
4. Click the map to position the pin.

The stored what3words address acts as a guide for placing the marker.

The final saved location is GPS.

After placement:

• the what3words address is cleared;
• the GPS coordinates become the record's location;
• the Spreadsheet may show Converted to GPS.

You can fine-tune the position later by dragging the marker.

Dragging the marker updates GPS. It does not save a new what3words address onto the record.

Showing what3words for a record that already has GPS

Once a record has been placed, Details shows its GPS latitude and longitude.

If you want to see the equivalent what3words square:

1. Open the plant or landmark without entering Edit mode.
2. Click Show on Map on the what3words row.
3. The map draws the corresponding square.
4. Details switches to show the 3-word address.
5. Click Show GPS to return to the coordinates.

The what3words address is looked up for this view only.

It is not saved to the plant or landmark.

If you edit the record, Details returns to displaying GPS.

This is useful when you want to read or share the 3-word address corresponding to an existing pin without storing a second location on the record.

Exporting what3words

Exports include a what3words column for plants and landmarks.

Unplaced records

An unplaced record exports its stored what3words address in the form:

///word.word.word

Placed records

A placed record that previously used a what3words address may export:

Converted to GPS

This is a status, not a what3words address.

If that file is later imported again, the value is ignored.

GPS columns continue to contain the coordinates for placed records.

Practical workflows

Survey notes recorded as three words

If you record a location in the field using what3words:

1. Record an address such as ///filled.count.soap.
2. Create or edit the plant.
3. Enter the address in the what3words field.
4. Click Save.
5. When you are ready, use Place on the Map.
6. Position the pin using the highlighted square as your guide.

Importing a spreadsheet with what3words but no GPS

1. Open Spreadsheet → Plants → Import.
2. Map the Name and what3words columns.
3. Leave GPS unmapped.
4. Review the imported rows.
5. Open each plant from the Map.
6. Click Place on the Map.
7. Click inside the highlighted square to position the marker.

Someone has sent you a 3-word address

1. Open Search Location.
2. Paste the address, for example ///word.word.word.
3. Select the W3W result.
4. The map moves to the corresponding square.
5. Add a new plant or landmark there, or place an existing unplaced record.

You already have GPS and want to know the three words

1. Select the placed plant or landmark.
2. Click Show on Map.
3. Read or copy the what3words address from Details.
4. Click Show GPS when you are finished.

The address is generated for the current location.

If you move the marker later, look up the what3words address again.

What this feature does not do

BotanicalMapper does not keep GPS and what3words synchronised on the same record.

It does not automatically turn a list of imported 3-word addresses into map markers.

It does not attach what3words addresses to areas, shapes or paths.

It does not display what3words on the public visitor map. Location information there remains part of your normal public plant and landmark presentation rather than a 3-word lookup.

It also does not replace GPS accuracy.

A what3words address represents a 3 m square. For more information about photo GPS and map alignment, see GPS Accuracy and Photo Locations.

Troubleshooting

Search Location does not find my three words

Use:

word.word.word

or:

///word.word.word

Place names and postcodes use a different type of search.

Press Search after entering the address.

The square appeared, but no plant was created

This is expected.

Search Location only moves the map to the what3words square.

Create a new plant or landmark, or open an existing unplaced record and choose Place on the Map.

Imported plants have what3words but no markers

This is expected.

Import stores the what3words address but does not automatically create a GPS location.

Use Place on the Map for each record when you are ready to position its marker.

Import cleared my what3words column

The row probably also contained GPS.

When both are supplied, GPS is used and the what3words value is cleared.

The same can happen if the what3words value is not a valid three-word address.

I cannot edit what3words in the Spreadsheet

The record already has GPS.

Once a record has been placed, its location is the GPS pin and the what3words field is no longer editable.

Use Show on Map in Details if you want to see the corresponding 3-word square.

Show on Map failed

The plant or landmark must already have GPS.

Try the lookup again and check that you are signed in.

The what3words lookup is requested only when you click Show on Map.

I saved GPS and my what3words address disappeared

This is expected.

GPS is now the stored location for the record, so the saved what3words value has been cleared.

The Spreadsheet may show Converted to GPS.

Use Show on Map if you want to look up the three words again.

The what3words square does not match my pin exactly

A what3words address represents a 3 m square rather than the exact position of a GPS point.

The pin can therefore sit anywhere within that square.

If you need the marker in a particular position, place or drag it using GPS.

Quick checklist

Before you finish, check that you have:

• decided whether the record needs GPS or a 3-word placement reference;
• used Search Location if you only needed to find a what3words square;
• imported a what3words column for unplaced records without also supplying GPS unless you intended to;
• entered a valid word.word.word address on unplaced plants or landmarks;
• used Place on the Map to turn a what3words reference into a GPS pin;
• used Show on Map only when you wanted a temporary what3words view of an existing GPS location;
• checked Converted to GPS in the Spreadsheet if you needed to confirm that an address had previously been used.

Treat GPS as the location of a mapped plant or landmark, and what3words as a clear way to get it there.

Use one, then save the pin you are happy to stand behind.