Apps WorkOutDoors: New workout features

[BullHorn]

Very cool app, I'm relatively new to iOS after a decade with Android and I'm happy to see an app with so many customization options!

I had some thoughts and questions, so I started reading the thread, but about 10 pages in I realized there's no way I'll read the remaining 190... so I'll just ask lol.

1. Is it possible to export/import/share Intervals? And if so, where can I see a catalogue of what exists? The reason I'm asking is because some running programs like C25K are built out of a dozen or more various intervals. Surely there's no need to recreate every common program...
2. Which activity in WOD is likely to give the most accurate tracking if the user is walking on a treadmill without his phone and with his hand (and watch) completely stationary? I do this kind of walking daily at work at my standing-desk on an under-desk-treadmill and the default Apple Workouts 'Indoor Walk' doesn't believe I'm doing anything.

 

[cfc]

Very cool app, I'm relatively new to iOS after a decade with Android and I'm happy to see an app with so many customization options!

I had some thoughts and questions, so I started reading the thread, but about 10 pages in I realized there's no way I'll read the remaining 190... so I'll just ask lol.

1. Is it possible to export/import/share Intervals? And if so, where can I see a catalogue of what exists? The reason I'm asking is because some running programs like C25K are built out of a dozen or more various intervals. Surely there's no need to recreate every common program...
2. Which activity in WOD is likely to give the most accurate tracking if the user is walking on a treadmill without his phone and with his hand (and watch) completely stationary? I do this kind of walking daily at work at my standing-desk on an under-desk-treadmill and the default Apple Workouts 'Indoor Walk' doesn't believe I'm doing anything.

It isn't yet possible to import / export intervals. Importing schedules from FIT files is on my to-do list. I have coded it up to work with the current interval schedules, but they don’t yet support nested repeat loops. I asked around and most people said there would be complaints if I released without supporting nested repeats.

However watchOS 10 also doesn't handle nested loops, so I am considering allowing the import of FIT files after all, and also adding the ability to export them either as FIT files or to Apple's Health system for use by the native app. That way the app could act as a middleman in importing schedules from FIT files into the native app.

Unfortunately no activity will give accurate distance tracking on a treadmill when the watch is stationary. Maybe just use the Other Indoor activity so it won't even try to calculate distance. Calories will be calculated from the heart rate either way.

Glad you like the app!

 

[BullHorn]

I understand, thanks.
I used the app today during an indoor walk (with moving hand) and 2 more questions arose.

First I noticed that the display goes to sleep and requires a tap to wake up, or alternatively - enabling 'raise watch to wake' in the global Watch settings solves this, but I prefer to have it off. Is there a way to keep the the display active when doing a workout, without having to enable 'raise to wake'?

And the second thing that was strange - my calories burnt in an hour walking with WOD's "Indoor Walk" was almost double than what it is when using Apple's default Workouts app's 'Indoor Walk'. What's going on?

 

[cfc]

I understand, thanks.
I used the app today during an indoor walk (with moving hand) and 2 more questions arose.

First I noticed that the display goes to sleep and requires a tap to wake up, or alternatively - enabling 'raise watch to wake' in the global Watch settings solves this, but I prefer to have it off. Is there a way to keep the the display active when doing a workout, without having to enable 'raise to wake'?

And the second thing that was strange - my calories burnt in an hour walking with WOD's "Indoor Walk" was almost double than what it is when using Apple's default Workouts app's 'Indoor Walk'. What's going on?

The next version of the app will support the always on display. It has required a complete rewrite of the user interface in Apple's latest coding language (thanks Apple!).

The app uses Apple's workout system so the calories are calculated by watchOS. They should be identical to what you would see if you used the native app, so you probably did something differently. Maybe moving your arm does make a difference in the calorie calculations.

 

[BullHorn]

I looked at past workouts and saw that 'Indoor Walking' is all over the place, it must be estimating widely. I was already doing your recommendation - whenever I was walking with a static hand, I would use 'Other', but when my hand was free to move I was using 'Indoor Walk'. I asked because I wasn't sure if there is a better way.

I have indoor walks like:

Which made this look strange:

But then there is this:

So I understand it's not a surprise, and also that I really should take this kind of 'indoor' data with a gigantic grain of salt. I don't see this issue when looking at outdoor data.

Thanks again.

 

[cfc]

I looked at past workouts and saw that 'Indoor Walking' is all over the place, it must be estimating widely. I was already doing your recommendation - whenever I was walking with a static hand, I would use 'Other', but when my hand was free to move I was using 'Indoor Walk'. I asked because I wasn't sure if there is a better way.

I have indoor walks like:

Which made this look strange:

But then there is this:

So I understand it's not a surprise, and also that I really should take this kind of 'indoor' data with a gigantic grain of salt. I don't see this issue when looking at outdoor data.

Thanks again.

Those are very different. Interestingly the resting calories are about the same, which is what you would expect.

Unfortunately Apple don't divulge any details about their active calorie calculations so it's hard to know why it is so variable.

 

[super.sjimmie]

Because I have crashed (and then "recovered" activities almost weekly now, I would really like some kind of "resume" function to continue an activity that was previously stopped.

 

[ariell]

The next version of the app will support the always on display. It has required a complete rewrite of the user interface in Apple's latest coding language (thanks Apple!).

The app uses Apple's workout system so the calories are calculated by watchOS. They should be identical to what you would see if you used the native app, so you probably did something differently. Maybe moving your arm does make a difference in the calorie calculations.

when can we expect a new version of the app?

BTW. You're doing a great job 👏

 

[cfc]

Because I have crashed (and then "recovered" activities almost weekly now, I would really like some kind of "resume" function to continue an activity that was previously stopped.

Crashing is very rare, so to get it weekly sounds like something is wrong. Please could you send the wkt files for those workouts to info@workoutdoors.net. To do this tap the Export button 3 times quickly.

Also the next time it happens please could you see if you have any diagnostic logs for that time. To do this go to Apple's "Watch" app on the iPhone and tap General and then Diagnostic Logs. If there is one for the time of the problem then please email it to me. If they appear as “null” when you try to send them then please try again in an hour or so as they sometimes seem to take a while to be available.

 

[cfc]

when can we expect a new version of the app?

BTW. You're doing a great job 👏

Probably in a couple of months time. Before watchOS 10 is released, and after a lot of beta testing. Glad you like the app!

 

[noel18]

I use Rungap to upload activities to Strava. It changes the device to a Garmin 945 to fool Strava so it leaves elevation alone.

I've always wondered if it would be that simple to get Strava to trust the elevation. @cfc, I'm guessing you wouldn't want to hard code the device type to a Garmin for possible legal reasons. But would it be possible to give us a user configurable device type where we could do it ourselves?

 

[cfc]

I've always wondered if it would be that simple to get Strava to trust the elevation. @cfc, I'm guessing you wouldn't want to hard code the device type to a Garmin for possible legal reasons. But would it be possible to give us a user configurable device type where we could do it ourselves?

Sorry, but it doesn't feel right to do that. Hopefully in the future it will be possible to specify the Apple Watch as the device used in a FIT file.

 

[Mauki]

Probably in a couple of months time. Before watchOS 10 is released, and after a lot of beta testing. Glad you like the app!

A long time 😕

 

[NME42]

A long time 😕

I interpret "Before watchOS 10 is released" means July, August or very early September. So 0-60 days from now. Correct me if I am wrong, @cfc .

 

[cfc]

I interpret "Before watchOS 10 is released" means July, August or very early September. So 0-60 days from now. Correct me if I am wrong, @cfc .

My guess is late August / early September, but it depends on how beta testing goes and also how the watchOS 10 changes go.

I plan to make the next version work on watchOS 10 but without supporting any of the new features (because those can't be released until after watchOS 10 is released).

There will probably also be another version not long after watchOS 10 is released which supports some of the watchOS 10 changes and fixes any outstanding bugs in the rewrite. This version may also include import/export of interval schedules from FIT files depending on how things go.

And then I start on the navigation improvements (which I am very much looking forward to because I have been wanting to do them for a long time!).

 

[Mauki]

And then I start on the navigation improvements (which I am very much looking forward to because I have been wanting to do them for a long time!).

So wait several months after all

The navigation features is what interests me and what I absolutely need.

 

[muellered]

Hi @cfc, I forgot if I've asked before, but is there any way to combine two hiking activities into one event. As in, I did a 2 day hike but had to end the activity during the overnight stay. So day 1 and day 2 I have two different activities. I would like to combine both to get an overall view of the entire hike. Is that possible? TIA.

 

[cfc]

Hi @cfc, I forgot if I've asked before, but is there any way to combine two hiking activities into one event. As in, I did a 2 day hike but had to end the activity during the overnight stay. So day 1 and day 2 I have two different activities. I would like to combine both to get an overall view of the entire hike. Is that possible? TIA.

That isn't possible in the app but I think there are online tools which allow you to combine FIT/TCX/GPX files before you upload them to systems like Strava.

 

[mgmooij]

That isn't possible in the app but I think there are online tools which allow you to combine FIT/TCX/GPX files before you upload them to systems like Strava.

You can use this online tool which is also able to upload it to Strava after combining: https://gotoes.org/gotoes/strava/Combine_GPX_TCX_FIT_Files.php

 

[muellered]

You can use this online tool which is also able to upload it to Strava after combining: https://gotoes.org/gotoes/strava/Combine_GPX_TCX_FIT_Files.php

that was quite handy, thanks!

 

[xxBlack]

Currently on vacation and thought I’m doing a little run. I Auto created a route in Strava and exported the GPX to WOD and then on the Watch. My problem was I had just the lines from the route on my watch display and no map layout. Is this normal?

 

[Mauki]

You must send the map manual.

 

[xxBlack]

You must send the map manual.

You mean „send maps“ on the bottom right ?

 

[Mauki]

You mean „send maps“ on the bottom right ?

Yes correct.

Do this for every route you don’t have map data on the AW

 

[xxBlack]

Yes correct.

Do this for every route you don’t have map data on the AW

Thank you, didn’t know that