CanalplanAC adds PDF checklist feature

CanalplanAC said on May 23 that its canal trip-planning software now includes a PDF checklist feature that users can take aboard, annotate during a journey and use later to update trip records. The announcement appeared on the project’s X account, which described the tool as a way to print a checklist, mark it up while traveling and then transfer those notes back into CanalplanAC’s database. CanalplanAC is a web-based route planner for Britain’s inland waterways, according to its help pages. The site’s current route-planner page showed version 9.44.1, built on May 19, 2026, indicating the feature is part of the live service rather than a future release. ### When did this checklist work start appearing in CanalplanAC? CanalplanAC’s public 2026 change log shows work on a new “checklist” feature was underway by January 15. (x.com) The entry said the feature was intended to make it easier for people “to see what data to collect as they travel,” and added that a printer-friendly version would come later. March 29 brought a separate PDF-related update. (canalplan.org.uk) The same change log said PDF generation had moved to headless Chrome from wkhtmltopdf, which CanalplanAC described as “much more supportable” and “better featured,” along with several smaller PDF improvements. ### What does the new PDF checklist let users do on a trip? The May 23 X post said the checklist can be printed as a PDF, taken on board and annotated during a trip. (canalplan.org.uk) The post said those annotations can then be used to update the CanalplanAC database later, tying the feature to both planning and record-keeping. CanalplanAC’s existing editing help pages show why that matters to users who treat the site as a working log as well as a planner. (canalplan.org.uk) The project says users can change database information ranging from notes on moorings and coordinates to broader place and waterway edits. ### Why does a PDF matter for canal users instead of just editing online? CanalplanAC’s January 15 change-log entry framed the checklist around collecting data while traveling. (x.com) A printable PDF gives users a format they can carry and mark up away from a keyboard, then use later when they return to the site. The project already uses printable and scannable trip aids elsewhere. (canalplan.org.uk) CanalplanAC place pages include QR codes that users can print and scan later, according to the help pages, showing the site has long supported paper-to-digital workflows for boaters and contributors. ### Is this a desktop-only change? The May 23 notice did not set out a separate rollout schedule or device split. (canalplan.org.uk) CanalplanAC runs as a web-based service, and its route-planner and help pages are available through the same browser-based interface used on phones, tablets and desktop computers. The software’s public pages do not show a separate app-store release tied to the checklist. (canalplan.org.uk) CanalplanAC instead presents the feature as part of its main online planner and database tools. ### Where can users track what comes next? CanalplanAC publishes ongoing release notes on its “What Changed in 2026” page and posts feature notices through its X account. The route-planner page showed version 9.44.1 built on May 19, 2026, while the checklist announcement was posted on May 23, giving users two named places to watch for the next update. (canalplan.org.uk 1) (canalplan.org.uk 2)