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Apps WorkOutDoors: New workout features
- Thread starter cfc
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Tried 5.1 today and wow, what an upgrade Ian. Congratulations and I hope everybody else gives a decent tip too 
I recently installed WoD 5.1. I love, love, love the AOD when running. No more lifting my wrist and waiting for the data to show. However, once stopped (automatically set when I get back to my start), I tap done, the watch boots to my analog face, then boots back to the data screen showing "done" or back to the screen showing my workout history.
A bug or a setting issue on my end?
As Unis_89 said above, thanks for all the support and great app.
FH
A bug or a setting issue on my end?
As Unis_89 said above, thanks for all the support and great app.
FH
Last edited:
I haven't heard of that before. Usually it just shows the summary screen with the Done button. I don't think the app could go back to the watch face if it tried (which it doesn't).
Do you maybe have a shortcut configured to do something when the workout focus ends?
Or do you have a case on the watch? That can cause spurious user inputs.
Glad you like the new version!
When running with a target pace or speed, there is something weird to me on the metrics. Let’ assume you go faster than the target pace or speed, which means that for a given time the distance run is higher than at the target pace/speed. At the same time, since you are faster for a given distance you expected time is lower than at the target pace/speed.
On the Apple watch metrics are as follow:
Dst v tgt: +50m
Tim v tgt: +10s
While I would have expected
Dst v tgt: +50m (more distance)
Tim v tgt: -10s (less time)
Does it make any sense? Am I missing something?
On the Apple watch metrics are as follow:
Dst v tgt: +50m
Tim v tgt: +10s
While I would have expected
Dst v tgt: +50m (more distance)
Tim v tgt: -10s (less time)
Does it make any sense? Am I missing something?
I understand what you are saying but I think it is debatable. I tend to think of positive values as ahead and negative values as behind. I know that lower times are usually better, but maybe not in this case where it is a relative time rather than an absolute one.
I get this pointed out maybe once a year so it seems that most people are happy with the way it is, but if enough people want it changed then I am happy to do that. It would need plenty of requests though because changing it could confuse a lot of existing users.
It sounds like the app still thinks it is in workout mode. I tried to reproduce what you are describing on my watch (AWU) and it was staying on the watch face and not reverting back to the done screen. I was seeing the same behaviour when I went to settings from a long press during a workout. When I press the crown it shows the watch face and then after 20 seconds or so it bounces back to the settings screen. In my case it makes sense because I was still in a workout but it did confuse me at the time.
@cfc - I'm really glad you implemented the tip feature the way you did (ie no extra features and no obligation). I have sent a Fanatical tip your way because I love this app so much and I always felt that I paid too little compared to the immense value I get out of it. I use it every day for almost four years and it really makes the Apple watch a viable sports watch. I'm looking forward to the navigation features (mostly to see upcoming elevation changes) and also having multiple profiles mapping to the same Apple activity as I like to keep my road running and trail running separate. Regardless of future changes, WOD is worth every penny.
Hi @cfc.
I echo everyone’s thoughts in here. Love the app, use it every day. Was happy to be able to give the Fanatical tip.
Wanted to make you aware of a bug I encountered tonight. It isn’t very high impact or anything, but just fyi. I tracked a walk, and all the data seems to be there in WorkOutDoors, as well as when it was sent over to Strava and HealthFit. Interestingly though, the workout in Apple Fitness shows a distance of zero feet and a pace of —/—. It still gave me credit for that distance on my total daily distance, and even has the map from the route, so it just feels really strange. Screenshots attached. Again, not causing me any major issues and no complaint here, but wanted to just make you aware in case you weren’t.
I echo everyone’s thoughts in here. Love the app, use it every day. Was happy to be able to give the Fanatical tip.
Wanted to make you aware of a bug I encountered tonight. It isn’t very high impact or anything, but just fyi. I tracked a walk, and all the data seems to be there in WorkOutDoors, as well as when it was sent over to Strava and HealthFit. Interestingly though, the workout in Apple Fitness shows a distance of zero feet and a pace of —/—. It still gave me credit for that distance on my total daily distance, and even has the map from the route, so it just feels really strange. Screenshots attached. Again, not causing me any major issues and no complaint here, but wanted to just make you aware in case you weren’t.
Any chance to get two Bike profiles soon ?
Apples has sport-profiles i never had perceived as „sport“ before. But no Roadrace and MTB …..
We need profiles for every sport.
I need trailrunning, road running, race …..
Hi cfc really nice work on your update! AOD works really well and is very useful. About directions, are you planning on them to be watch only or with aid from the phone (just curious)
I didn’t find a way (maybe I didn’t read well all the manual) to manually set a lap while running. On standard Workout app should be a double tap on the screen, here I see double-tap switched from map-only to map with data screen. Is there a way to manually record laps?
Small issue: the first time I longed pressed to end the training I had to try it several times it seemed not to work, then finally it worked (I was in pause, running workout). The other times it was ok.
Thank you again for your job!
I didn’t find a way (maybe I didn’t read well all the manual) to manually set a lap while running. On standard Workout app should be a double tap on the screen, here I see double-tap switched from map-only to map with data screen. Is there a way to manually record laps?
Small issue: the first time I longed pressed to end the training I had to try it several times it seemed not to work, then finally it worked (I was in pause, running workout). The other times it was ok.
Thank you again for your job!
Hi Ian, just want to say thanks and great work on the AOD update!
Is there an "official" update log anywhere (sorry if it's obvious but I dug around but didn't find it), wanna see if there is any other feature changes I can check out.
Cheers!
Is there an "official" update log anywhere (sorry if it's obvious but I dug around but didn't find it), wanna see if there is any other feature changes I can check out.
Cheers!
Maybe you didn't close the app? If it was closed and restarted then it would show the main menu, but otherwise it will show whatever it was showing when last displayed.
If this is during a workout, such as a settings screen, then the app is in foreground mode and watchOS will make it appear more often, but otherwise it shouldn't force itself to the front.
The ability to create custom activities that map to Apple's activities is probably the next major feature that I will add after the navigation changes. So you will be able to add road running and trail running; road cycling and MTB etc.
Many thanks for tipping!
As @Mitch8 says this sounds like a permissions issue where the app does not have the permission to save the distance information.
To check this go to the Settings app on the iPhone and select Privacy / Health / WorkOutDoors. Make sure that every health setting is enabled (you may need to scroll down to turn them all on).
If they are all enabled then you may be experiencing a rare bug with iOS/watchOS where the watch seems to lose the permission. To fix this switch all of the permissions off, then reboot both the iPhone and the watch, and then switch them all on again. This procedure nudges iOS into sending them to the watch again.
Any chance to get two Bike profiles soon ?
Apples has sport-profiles i never had perceived as „sport“ before. But no Roadrace and MTB …..
Custom activity types will be the next major feature that I add after the navigation improvements. However the navigation will take a while, so custom activities won't be in the app any time soon. Sorry about that.
I like to have a couple of major features in my plans and now that always on display is complete then the ability to add custom activities has taken its place.
The first version of the navigation improvements will probably only give turn by turn navigation if the directions are included in the GPX route files (which need to be loaded from the iPhone).
To add route calculation on either the phone or the watch would require paying for a service every time the app needed directions. Such ongoing costs aren't feasible with the app's business model of a one-off payment. However if the tip-jar model works well, and I can find a cheap navigation service, then I may add it in the future. It is something that I would love to add but I can only commit to reading from a GPX file at the moment.
In terms of laps, they are of a constant length so you cannot manually start a lap. However you can manually split the workout into "Intervals" by using the "New Interval" command. If you have an Ultra then you can do this by pressing the orange action button. Otherwise touch the watch screen for a second and tap Settings and then Commands. When you are running a workout then you will see a button for New Interval.
If you do this often and don’t have an Ultra then you can set up a shortcut or an on-screen button for it. To set up a shortcut go to the Commands settings again and press Shortcuts. Then choose a shortcut (e.g. a double tap like Apple's app), and set that to the New Interval command.
To set up an on-screen button go to the Screens configuration tab in the iPhone app. Select an activity then a screen and tap on the screen image in the screen layout section of the interval. Then select a position on the screen and tap Buttons and then New Interval Button to place a button in that position.
When you were struggling to end the workout what screen were you displaying when it didn't seem to recognise the long touch?
The version history on the App Store shows the main features. However I had to release a v5.1 very quickly after v5.0, and the change log for v5.1 just says "Bug fixes". Sorry about that. It isn't very helpful and doesn't seem editable.
This is the text describing the changes for v5.0:
"This version of the app supports the Always on Display, which means that the metrics are visible even when your wrist is lowered (if your watch supports it).
Supporting the always on display required a large part of the app to be rewritten using Apple's latest coding language. This was a lot of work and took a long time, so apologies for the delay between releases.
This version also includes a tip jar to allow you to show appreciation for the app and to support future development. Tips are completely optional and will not unlock any extra features. The one-off price for the app still lasts forever and all future updates are included, just as they always have been.
Other improvements include:
- Precision start screen where you can wait for a heart rate before starting a workout
- Redesigned summary screens on the watch with larger text and more graphs
- Action button can display the Start screen, and then press again to start a workout
- Automatic Water Lock when starting a workout is now available for all activities
- Auto-Pause is now available for all outdoor activities"