Apps WorkOutDoors: New workout features

[gr4z]

I have a Garmin Fenix 5+ at the moment for all my fitness stuff and miss my AW and the brief time I had with WOD.

I have experienced so many bugs and problems with my Fenix. Garmin have an ability to (eventually) fix something but then introduce another bug. Recently their support forums have been offline for a week and when coming back up today they are incomplete and missing data. They released their MARQ line starting at £1400 and go up to £2000, customers on the forums are already complaining of bugs and glitches with these. 9 months after releasing the 5+ they have already superseded it with the new Forerunner 945 with no possibility of seeing this new software tech in my 9 month old Fenix.

My point is Garmin with all their clout, resources and money seem unable to develop new software properly, yet charge a premium (and then some for the MARQ) for their devices.

WorkOutdoors is a one man band, who regularly updates software, prioritizes bug fixing and keeps user's informed. All this for software that costs a fiver. I applaud you for this.

I regularly visit this thread and wait patiently for OS6 and new the Apple Watch in September to go back to WOD. My Fenix will be on eBay.

 

[Otto Pilot]

All this for software that costs a fiver. I applaud you for this.

Being on record as being not the biggest fan of subscription pricing, my initial inclination is to applaud this. I did some extensive testing of workout apps last year and this one is by far the most feature-rich, and almost the ONLY one that doesn't charge a subscription. HOWEVER, the responsiveness and obvious continuing effort put into this app makes it, in my opinion, one of the few apps that could legitimately charge a subscription to ensure that the developer has the resources to stay the course and keep up the fantastic work. This may in fact be the FIRST time I've said this, but I would happily pay a subscription for WorkOutDoors if something was offered, even as an option, such as how the Overcast podcast app works.

 

[cfc]

Being on record as being not the biggest fan of subscription pricing, my initial inclination is to applaud this. I did some extensive testing of workout apps last year and this one is by far the most feature-rich, and almost the ONLY one that doesn't charge a subscription. HOWEVER, the responsiveness and obvious continuing effort put into this app makes it, in my opinion, one of the few apps that could legitimately charge a subscription to ensure that the developer has the resources to stay the course and keep up the fantastic work. This may in fact be the FIRST time I've said this, but I would happily pay a subscription for WorkOutDoors if something was offered, even as an option, such as how the Overcast podcast app works.

Thanks! I may add a subscription option in the future but don't have any plans to do so at the moment. And if I did then I would not make any existing features require the subscription. It would only be for new features and mainly for those that would cost me money to implement. So it would be a way of passing on the cost but only to people who want those features.

For example I could add terrain features to the maps (contours and/or hill shading), or offer satellite maps, but those would cost me money so I would include them in the subscription. Similarly weather data would cost money so that would be a subscription only feature. I also plan to add turn-by-turn navigation in a future version and it may be that is best implemented by using paid services, so that may be another subscription-only feature (although I hope not).

As I say I don't have any plans to do this yet. At the moment I just want to grow the user base as much as possible, and I don't think that is compatible with subscriptions. They can deter potential buyers, especially for an app which already requires an upfront payment.

It will be interesting to see what Apple announce at WWDC as they seem to be pushing subscriptions at the moment, so maybe they will announce something that changes the way people view them (although I am not sure how).

 

[mgmooij]

I have a question about export and import of gpx files. When I do a run without route and I want to export and then import it into WOD I see a couple of apps where I can export it to directly (or "Copy to") but WOD is not one of them (at that point). So I have to export it to Files (for example), and then from Files import it into WOD. Not a big deal but would it be possible to change this? See also the screenshot (sorry it's in Dutch, but I think you can understand what I mean...).

Thx, Marcel

 

[cfc]

View attachment 837942 I have a question about export and import of gpx files. When I do a run without route and I want to export and then import it into WOD I see a couple of apps where I can export it to directly (or "Copy to") but WOD is not one of them (at that point). So I have to export it to Files (for example), and then from Files import it into WOD. Not a big deal but would it be possible to change this? See also the screenshot (sorry it's in Dutch, but I think you can understand what I mean...).

Thx, Marcel

For some reason iOS does not allow an app to export a file to itself, so you have to take a slightly clumsy approach via another app such as Files. Sorry about that. The next version of the app will have more export options, including the ability to create a route directly from a workout.

 

[Celestial Wolves]

@cfc : still a big fan of the WOD app , but there's one simple change which (I believe) could be highly beneficial for HMI and user-friendliness.
Could you consider increasing the size of the activity options in the selection menu that you see when opening the app on the Watch? Even if this means that only 1 or 2 options would be shown at the same time. This would particularly be useful in racing conditions: currently, it is really easy to (accidentally) push the wrong option when you are at the start, waiting for the pistol to go off, watching out for other athletes ...

It happened to me last Sunday, at the start of a 20km race. WOD registered this as a hiking activity (instead of running), so I didn't get the pace info I needed. Not that it made me run slower, but it was quite annoying. Unfortunately also, WOD doesn't allow me to change activity type afterwards (or I haven't found how to).

 

[cfc]

@cfc : still a big fan of the WOD app , but there's one simple change which (I believe) could be highly beneficial for HMI and user-friendliness.
Could you consider increasing the size of the activity options in the selection menu that you see when opening the app on the Watch? Even if this means that only 1 or 2 options would be shown at the same time. This would particularly be useful in racing conditions: currently, it is really easy to (accidentally) push the wrong option when you are at the start, waiting for the pistol to go off, watching out for other athletes ...

It happened to me last Sunday, at the start of a 20km race. WOD registered this as a hiking activity (instead of running), so I didn't get the pace info I needed. Not that it made me run slower, but it was quite annoying. Unfortunately also, WOD doesn't allow me to change activity type afterwards (or I haven't found how to).

Sorry that you had trouble starting a workout. The activity type can't be changed during a workout because Apple do not allow it (and it would be pretty difficult even if they did because of the number of things that are dependent upon it).

The next version of the app will have a slightly different way of starting workouts in that I have added a "..." button similar to that in the native Workout app. This gives options of an "Open Workout" (the only choice in the current version); the ability to set a time or a distance; or the ability to start an interval schedule. At the moment the Open Workout option just starts a workout in the same way as if you use the main menu directly, but your request has convinced me to make it instead display a big start button for use in races.

I hope this will help in the future. In the mean time you could hide all the other activities before a race so that there is only one button. It's not ideal but may help.

 

[mgmooij]

One other question: would it be possible to add a screen option for just 3 big data fields? The screen with the 2 big fields has 2 small fields under it, but these are just a bit too small for my eyes while running. The 2 big fields are fine. It would be nice to have a third big field at the place of the 2 small ones (as extra screen option).

Thx again!

 

[FunkyMagicUK]

@cfc : still a big fan of the WOD app , but there's one simple change which (I believe) could be highly beneficial for HMI and user-friendliness.
Could you consider increasing the size of the activity options in the selection menu that you see when opening the app on the Watch? Even if this means that only 1 or 2 options would be shown at the same time. This would particularly be useful in racing conditions: currently, it is really easy to (accidentally) push the wrong option when you are at the start, waiting for the pistol to go off, watching out for other athletes ...

It happened to me last Sunday, at the start of a 20km race. WOD registered this as a hiking activity (instead of running), so I didn't get the pace info I needed. Not that it made me run slower, but it was quite annoying. Unfortunately also, WOD doesn't allow me to change activity type afterwards (or I haven't found how to).

I 100% support this!

I’ve changed mine so I only see Map and Running (I add in Walking or whatever if I want to use it), and even then a few times I’ve clicked on the Map by accident...then after emerging from the initial pack and glancing I see the map and assume I’ve somehow double tapped it to full screen from the activity (cos the “Back” doesn’t really stand out with my rubbish eyes when running)...and I end up double tapping that a few times before I realise I have to back out and start the running activity!

I’d quite like Map to stay the size it is, and then others to be customisable to be double or even triple size...also would be good if Map and the top row (time, battery, GPS strength) stayed where it is, and the screen was split and you could scroll the activity types below that (if that makes sense!).

Although...just the option to double up the activity buttons (but not the Map button) would probably mean no problems ever again to be honest!

 

[cfc]

One other question: would it be possible to add a screen option for just 3 big data fields? The screen with the 2 big fields has 2 small fields under it, but these are just a bit too small for my eyes while running. The 2 big fields are fine. It would be nice to have a third big field at the place of the 2 small ones (as extra screen option).

Thx again!

It's too late to make this change for the next version, but I will certainly bear it in mind for a future version, especially as you are the second person to ask for it recently.

 

[Otto Pilot]

I 100% support this!

I’ve changed mine so I only see Map and Running (I add in Walking or whatever if I want to use it), and even then a few times I’ve clicked on the Map by accident...then after emerging from the initial pack and glancing I see the map and assume I’ve somehow double tapped it to full screen from the activity (cos the “Back” doesn’t really stand out with my rubbish eyes when running)...and I end up double tapping that a few times before I realise I have to back out and start the running activity!

I’d quite like Map to stay the size it is, and then others to be customisable to be double or even triple size...also would be good if Map and the top row (time, battery, GPS strength) stayed where it is, and the screen was split and you could scroll the activity types below that (if that makes sense!).

Although...just the option to double up the activity buttons (but not the Map button) would probably mean no problems ever again to be honest!

Funny enough, I just had this very thing happen on this mornings run. I was doing some intervals, so had the Intervals app providing the voice feedback, and halfway through looked at the watch and there was the maps screen staring back! So yes, another vote for more options here. Or even a way (if there is and I'm missing it, I apologize!) to reorder the list. 90% of the time I use WOD for runs, 10% for cycling, and sometimes for walks, but almost never seek out just the maps alone.

 

[cfc]

I 100% support this!

I’ve changed mine so I only see Map and Running (I add in Walking or whatever if I want to use it), and even then a few times I’ve clicked on the Map by accident...then after emerging from the initial pack and glancing I see the map and assume I’ve somehow double tapped it to full screen from the activity (cos the “Back” doesn’t really stand out with my rubbish eyes when running)...and I end up double tapping that a few times before I realise I have to back out and start the running activity!

I’d quite like Map to stay the size it is, and then others to be customisable to be double or even triple size...also would be good if Map and the top row (time, battery, GPS strength) stayed where it is, and the screen was split and you could scroll the activity types below that (if that makes sense!).

Although...just the option to double up the activity buttons (but not the Map button) would probably mean no problems ever again to be honest!

If this is easy then I will see if I can squeeze it into the next version. It is a visual change only so shouldn't be too difficult (unlike the 3 big fields change above, which would require more thought about the knock-on effects).
[doublepost=1558539836][/doublepost]

Funny enough, I just had this very thing happen on this mornings run. I was doing some intervals, so had the Intervals app providing the voice feedback, and halfway through looked at the watch and there was the maps screen staring back! So yes, another vote for more options here. Or even a way (if there is and I'm missing it, I apologize!) to reorder the list. 90% of the time I use WOD for runs, 10% for cycling, and sometimes for walks, but almost never seek out just the maps alone.

The activity list is ordered by "last used time", but you can also hide any activities that you do not use (including the "Map Only" mode) by pressing the watch screen hard, tapping Settings then Workouts then Activities Shown.

Sounds like bigger buttons are becoming high priority for the next version!

 

[Otto Pilot]

If this is easy then I will see if I can squeeze it into the next version. It is a visual change only so shouldn't be too difficult (unlike the 3 big fields change above, which would require more thought about the knock-on effects).
[doublepost=1558539836][/doublepost]

The activity list is ordered by "last used time", but you can also hide any activities that you do not use (including the "Map Only" mode) by pressing the watch screen hard, tapping Settings then Workouts then Activities Shown.

Sounds like bigger buttons are becoming high priority for the next version!

For some reason I am not seeing “map only” as an option to hide. I have everything other than running, cycling and walking hidden already but am not seeing the option to hide maps only.

 

[cfc]

For some reason I am not seeing “map only” as an option to hide. I have everything other than running, cycling and walking hidden already but am not seeing the option to hide maps only.

Actually this is something that I added to the code for the next version a while back. It is so long ago that I thought it was in the current version.

Sorry about that - I really need to release new versions more often!

 

[Otto Pilot]

Awesome...can’t wait to test the new version! It seems like it’s going to literally answer all of my wants, big and small.

 

[Akrapovic]

WOD may already support this, but I can't find it if it does. Can the app be set up to do custom alert patterns, so you can setup interval training? For example:

• 1 min run (Alert time: 1 min)
• 2 min cool down (Alert time: 3 min)
• 1 min run (Alert time: 4 min)
• 2 min cool down (Alert time: 6 min)
• 1 min run (Alter time: 7 min)
• 2 min cool down (Alert time: 9 min)

Or

• 1 km run (Alert distance: 1km)
• 0.5km cooldown (Alert distance: 1.5km)
• 1 km run (Alert distance: 2.5km)
• 0.5km cooldown (Alert distance: 3km)
• 2km run (Alert distance: 5km)

There are apps that do this, but it'd be nice to use WOD for it. I imagine setting this up would need to be done on the phone. To be flexible enough for intervals you'd need a larger interface I guess.

 

[cfc]

WOD may already support this, but I can't find it if it does. Can the app be set up to do custom alert patterns, so you can setup interval training? For example:

• 1 min run (Alert time: 1 min)
• 2 min cool down (Alert time: 3 min)
• 1 min run (Alert time: 4 min)
• 2 min cool down (Alert time: 6 min)
• 1 min run (Alter time: 7 min)
• 2 min cool down (Alert time: 9 min)

Or

• 1 km run (Alert distance: 1km)
• 0.5km cooldown (Alert distance: 1.5km)
• 1 km run (Alert distance: 2.5km)
• 0.5km cooldown (Alert distance: 3km)
• 2km run (Alert distance: 5km)

There are apps that do this, but it'd be nice to use WOD for it. I imagine setting this up would need to be done on the phone. To be flexible enough for intervals you'd need a larger interface I guess.

This will be possible in the next version. In fact it is the reason that this next version has taken so long because it has taken ages to code!

As you have guessed the creation of interval schedules will only be possible on the phone (in the first version at least).

 

[Akrapovic]

Well, that might be a record turn around on a request. Amazing job again.

 

[q50]

This is just a great app - I like it very much.

Proposal - it may be that these things have already been asked before.
Watch app.
• it would be great to be able to follow the values of (pace, bpm etc etc) before starting the exercise (eg. during the warm-up, or by going to the starting point).
•• eg, activating the Running exercise, then displaying the values, but the exercise/timing could start later with own approval.
• is it possible to get an indicator from the heart rate sensor to use an external or watch own measurement.

iPhone app.
• it would be great to see the lap points in the exercise map (manual/automatic).
• Show Lap under the list when selects eg. lap 4 (or any other laps) should this lap/distance displayed on the map.

 

[cfc]

This is just a great app - I like it very much.

Proposal - it may be that these things have already been asked before.
Watch app.
• it would be great to be able to follow the values of (pace, bpm etc etc) before starting the exercise (eg. during the warm-up, or by going to the starting point).
•• eg, activating the Running exercise, then displaying the values, but the exercise/timing could start later with own approval.
• is it possible to get an indicator from the heart rate sensor to use an external or watch own measurement.

iPhone app.
• it would be great to see the lap points in the exercise map (manual/automatic).
• Show Lap under the list when selects eg. lap 4 (or any other laps) should this lap/distance displayed on the map.

The next version will display the heart rate on the main menu so that you can wait for a lock on that (as well as a GPS lock) before starting a workout. I hadn't thought of showing pace but maybe in a future version.

WatchOS determine where the heart data comes from so the app has no control. If the watch is paired with an external sensor then it will show values from that, otherwise it shows values from the on-board sensor.

You can see lap positions on the profile below the map (vertical dotted lines) but not yet on the map itself. I will probably add them in a future version when I improve navigation abilities to allow the creation of waypoints.

When I do this I may also allow lap selections in the list to be reflected on the map and profile, instead of only the other way around as it is at the moment. So you would tap lap 4 and it would highlight that lap on the map and profile.

I hope that helps.

 

[q50]

Great service - I appreciate it.

The above information will help - no problem.

WatchOS determine where the heart data comes from so the app has no control. If the watch is paired with an external sensor then it will show values from that, otherwise it shows values from the on-board sensor.

Yesterday I had run out of a battery from an external heart rate sensor and that's why this thing came to mind.

You can see lap positions on the profile below the map (vertical dotted lines) but not yet on the map itself. I will probably add them in a future version when I improve navigation abilities to allow the creation of waypoints.

Now I just noticed this - great.

 

[FunkyMagicUK]

Not really a feature request as such, and I don’t know how much control you have over the maps...but...

Would it be possible in future to introduce a config switch that “decoloured” the map other than the breadcrumb and any loaded routes? (similar to how the maps are dark in the phone app when looking back at an activity).

I do like the coloured maps...but often in an area with lots of roads and paths plotted in all different colours, at a quick glance I kind of lose track of what is the route and what is the map.

With a desaturated or faded map, but bright route line, it would be more glanceable.

 

[cfc]

Not really a feature request as such, and I don’t know how much control you have over the maps...but...

Would it be possible in future to introduce a config switch that “decoloured” the map other than the breadcrumb and any loaded routes? (similar to how the maps are dark in the phone app when looking back at an activity).

I do like the coloured maps...but often in an area with lots of roads and paths plotted in all different colours, at a quick glance I kind of lose track of what is the route and what is the map.

With a desaturated or faded map, but bright route line, it would be more glanceable.

I plan to improve the maps in the major version after next, and this will include the option of a black and white or faded map. I was going to add this sort of thing in the next major version but I did an AMA on reddit where I asked what people wanted, and workout improvements were the most requested. These workout features will be in the next version, but after that I plan to improve the maps and the navigation features (probably after a minor release for whatever is necessary as a result of watchOS 6 and series 5 watches).

Luckily I have a lot of control over the maps. I get the data from OpenStreetMap via a provider (currently Mapbox). They supply vector "tiles", which basically contain a load of points and lines, from which I then render the map on the watch. This means that I can draw the maps exactly how I want.

This is actually how the app started. I love maps but there was no way to include a vector map in a watch app, so I decided to write one myself just for fun (we coders are pretty sad!). I was planning to use this in another app that I had written but then figured that a workout app was a better and more popular use for it. I also do a lot of different types of workouts so it seemed a good fit for me.

So the first version was mainly a map with basic workout functionality, but since then I have been improving the workout features to what they are now. But I do plan to get back to improving the maps as well.

Apologies for the overlong response (I have just got back from the pub!) but the TLDR is that a faded map will appear in the major version after next, so probably some time later this year.

 

[FunkyMagicUK]

I plan to improve the maps in the major version after next, and this will include the option of a black and white or faded map. I was going to add this sort of thing in the next major version but I did an AMA on reddit where I asked what people wanted, and workout improvements were the most requested. These workout features will be in the next version, but after that I plan to improve the maps and the navigation features (probably after a minor release for whatever is necessary as a result of watchOS 6 and series 5 watches).

Luckily I have a lot of control over the maps. I get the data from OpenStreetMap via a provider (currently Mapbox). They supply vector "tiles", which basically contain a load of points and lines, from which I then render the map on the watch. This means that I can draw the maps exactly how I want.

This is actually how the app started. I love maps but there was no way to include a vector map in a watch app, so I decided to write one myself just for fun (we coders are pretty sad!). I was planning to use this in another app that I had written but then figured that a workout app was a better and more popular use for it. I also do a lot of different types of workouts so it seemed a good fit for me.

So the first version was mainly a map with basic workout functionality, but since then I have been improving the workout features to what they are now. But I do plan to get back to improving the maps as well.

Apologies for the overlong response (I have just got back from the pub!) but the TLDR is that a faded map will appear in the major version after next, so probably some time later this year.

This is why this is my favourite app!!

(I may change my mind when I’m shouting at it next weekend in a 48hr “no defined route no support just go as far as you can in any direction as the crow flys” race where I’m utterly reliant on WorkoutDoors on my wrist to, well, survive! Although...I have dropped my planned distance and elevation somewhat...Haltwhistle to the Farne Islands as opposed to Haltwhistle to “a bus stop in West York’s”!).

Where do we find these Reddit’s?

 

[cfc]

This is why this is my favourite app!!

(I may change my mind when I’m shouting at it next weekend in a 48hr “no defined route no support just go as far as you can in any direction as the crow flys” race where I’m utterly reliant on WorkoutDoors on my wrist to, well, survive! Although...I have dropped my planned distance and elevation somewhat...Haltwhistle to the Farne Islands as opposed to Haltwhistle to “a bus stop in West York’s”!).

Where do we find these Reddit’s?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AppleWatch/comments/9sblnq/ama_workoutdoors_developer/

Good luck next weekend. Make sure to upload the maps to the watch beforehand, and to save the workout every few hours in case of the battery running out.

And please try to survive!