Apps WorkOutDoors: New workout features

[gtjeta]

The swimming does seem slightly broken with watchOS 10 beta. Sorry about that. I am waiting until the release version before I decide what to do about it.

I don't have any plans to allow Apple's calorie calculations to be over-ridden. Sorry. Maybe one day but it is very rarely requested.

I used the last version of WOD yesterday to track my swim. Now, the distance seemed correct and at the end was ok (maybe you changed something ?), but it did not get saved into Apple Health. Calories, laps, time where correctly saved.

Thanks in any case, if you need something from me to help debug this, please let me know.

 

[cfc]

I used the last version of WOD yesterday to track my swim. Now, the distance seemed correct and at the end was ok (maybe you changed something ?), but it did not get saved into Apple Health. Calories, laps, time where correctly saved.

Thanks in any case, if you need something from me to help debug this, please let me know.

Glad things are working better. I had to work around the fact that watchOS 10 doesn't seem to provide distance values to the app, so I suspect the reason that the distance is not saved is because it cannot write the samples either.

To be honest I am not sure what I can do about it at the moment. I have looked at the code in detail and can't see why the app cannot read (or now write) the distance values.

I have asked around and there do seem to be issues with swimming in watchOS 10 (although not exactly the same as this), so hopefully it is something that will either be fixed by Apple, or I will work out what I am doing wrong.

 

[gtjeta]

Glad things are working better. I had to work around the fact that watchOS 10 doesn't seem to provide distance values to the app, so I suspect the reason that the distance is not saved is because it cannot write the samples either.

To be honest I am not sure what I can do about it at the moment. I have looked at the code in detail and can't see why the app cannot read (or now write) the distance values.

I have asked around and there do seem to be issues with swimming in watchOS 10 (although not exactly the same as this), so hopefully it is something that will either be fixed by Apple, or I will work out what I am doing wrong.

I will try with some other workout apps and see if the behavior is similar to yours. For me it is clear Apple workouts app does something different, as the distance changes in the middle of the laps, while third parties only updates after laps. Maybe they have some internal not documented API. In any case, in a few days I will come back to you. Swimming with your interface and buttons is so much nicer than with Apple app … it would we great if you find the solution.

 

[cfc]

I will try with some other workout apps and see if the behavior is similar to yours. For me it is clear Apple workouts app does something different, as the distance changes in the middle of the laps, while third parties only updates after laps. Maybe they have some internal not documented API. In any case, in a few days I will come back to you. Swimming with your interface and buttons is so much nicer than with Apple app … it would we great if you find the solution.

WatchOS has always been very slow to provide third party apps with distance and lap information. Sometimes several minutes later than real-time. It probably takes a while for the watch to realise that you have started a new lap but, as you say, the native app seems to update much faster.

 

[ChrisJohn23]

@cfc Small bug at the moment at the end of the race. on the end screen with the summary when the watch sends the data to Apple (before the indication done) I have the last km alert screen which is displayed again. Example, I do 2.8km, I validate the end of the race, I have the 2 km alert and it takes me out of the application. My race is recorded well but there is a weird bug.

 

[cfc]

@cfc Small bug at the moment at the end of the race. on the end screen with the summary when the watch sends the data to Apple (before the indication done) I have the last km alert screen which is displayed again. Example, I do 2.8km, I validate the end of the race, I have the 2 km alert and it takes me out of the application. My race is recorded well but there is a weird bug.

I haven't heard of that before. Does it happen every time?

So the summary screen appears and then a distance notification screen appears on top of it and then it goes back to the summary screen? And the distance notification is out of date - showing 2km instead of 2.8km?

If so and it is repeatable then please could you tap a metric or something before you next end a workout. This will display a screen message showing information about the metric. It would be useful to know if that is what appears over the summary screen (because it is the last displayed screen message) or if the distance notification is still what is shown. Thanks.

 

[Cave Dweller]

I went for a run today and initially hadn’t realised that update had occurred until I noticed the always on display. So far a flawless update for my single use then. I plan to test more this weekend with a good bike ride. Thanks for the hard work, the tip jar also worked flawlessly

 

[BenGoren]

On the subject of the tip jar … it’d be nice to have it on the watch, too. As a bonus … while you should have to go digging to turn this next option on, it’d also be nice to have it prompt a tip of a set amount after a workout of a minimum length.

I’m still (again) a starving student until sometime next year, so I have to be careful about spending anything on anything. But, once I have a gig … WOD is all but guaranteed to remain my “gym,” and I’d be happy to do a pay-as-you-go “entrance fee” for it, just as if I were walking into some random gym somewhere.

b&

 

[cfc]

On the subject of the tip jar … it’d be nice to have it on the watch, too. As a bonus … while you should have to go digging to turn this next option on, it’d also be nice to have it prompt a tip of a set amount after a workout of a minimum length.

I’m still (again) a starving student until sometime next year, so I have to be careful about spending anything on anything. But, once I have a gig … WOD is all but guaranteed to remain my “gym,” and I’d be happy to do a pay-as-you-go “entrance fee” for it, just as if I were walking into some random gym somewhere.

b&

To be honest I feel guilty enough that the app asks as often as it does (at most once a month and less frequently if you have tipped).

I don't feel that I could ask after every long workout, but I am very happy to hear that you think it would be a good idea!

 

[Akrapovic]

To be honest I feel guilty enough that the app asks as often as it does (at most once a month and less frequently if you have tipped).

I don't feel that I could ask after every long workout, but I am very happy to hear that you think it would be a good idea!

If you feel uncomfortable with a popup asking too often, then a banner on some screens would do it.

My app has this for non-subscribers. It's a different business model to yours (mine needs weekly updates to the data), but a thinner banner than I'm using here would be unintrusive and completely acceptable.

 

[Five_Oh]

Widgets for the Smart Stack are another possibility if they are easy.

Please do this, if possible. With the elimination of the dock, I now have to open the list of all apps and scroll through dozens and dozens of options to get to yours. Just a smart stack widget to open the app is all that's needed to fix this.

Thanks!

 

[MaxSto]

If you feel uncomfortable with a popup asking too often, then a banner on some screens would do it.

My app has this for non-subscribers. It's a different business model to yours (mine needs weekly updates to the data), but a thinner banner than I'm using here would be unintrusive and completely acceptable.

I wouldn’t like that.

We already paid for the app and the friendly reminder of a tip is a good way.

And yes, I already tipped.

 

[Akrapovic]

Please do this, if possible. With the elimination of the dock, I now have to open the list of all apps and scroll through dozens and dozens of options to get to yours. Just a smart stack widget to open the app is all that's needed to fix this.

Thanks!

Additionally, the app list now always defaults to the top - which makes this a pain.

 

[BenGoren]

I don't feel that I could ask after every long workout

I totally get that, and it’s exactly what I meant by making the option be buried.

I think what I’m envisioning … have a preference setting at the very bottom of the list for tip request frequency, with a default of “monthly” or “never.” Have some other time-based options, as well as one based on every n workouts of duration t or longer. Have an “Are you sure?” confirmation suggesting that this could be annoying and it’s only there for people who have plenty of disposable income that they want to spend this way.

Personally, like so many of us, I have little interest in subscriptions. But — so long as it was something I myself initiated — I’d be happy to chip in as part of the overall cost of a workout. My bodyweight routine doesn’t cost me anything, but it’d cost plenty to do a similar workout with machines at a gym — especially if there was a trainer with a stopwatch calling out which exercise to do when, and measuring the effort I put into everything. So why not split the savings?

(Again … it’ll be months before I have money to burn, so, until then, this is just fantasy on my part …)

b&

 

[BenGoren]

Additionally, the app list now always defaults to the top - which makes this a pain.

This part of the OS 10 rework was initially something I really didn’t like. For ages, I had my apps set up in something of an “X” formation, with the most-important ones in the center and others radiating away in directions consistent with complications … so the upper-right complication would be the calendar, and the upper-right cluster of apps would be date-and-time related.

The alphabetical list view never did anything for me, and it’s worse than useless to me on wOS 10. But … I’ve re-arranged the grid view, and I think what I have now is better than what I had before.

Basically … I’ve gone from Wayfinder loaded down with complications to a minimalist face (sometimes Contour, sometimes Snoopy). A quick turn of the crown brings up widgets / stacks / whatever they’re called that give me the same information as the complications used to, but generally improved. I thought this might be annoying … but it takes about as much time to scroll the wheel as it did to squint at a complication — plus the widgets generally save me from having to tap through to the app itself.

Then, the main screen of the grid view of the app list is stuff I want to get to quickly for which a widget isn’t available or sensible (WOD, hearing aids control, calculator, messages, etc.). Below that are things which I use once in a blue moon, and then everything else that I haven’t used in many blue moons.

So, a workout is just a crown press and a tap on the WOD icon — no scrolling.

b&

 

[BillGates1969]

Hi there,

Simply the best Workout app!

I have a feature request (or please tell me if it is available now )

On the Apple Workout app, a swipe to the left will bring up the 'now playing' - is this possible as a separate screen in WOD? I have looked at all the options and I can't seem to find it. I know you can long press then go to Now Playing, but sometimes it is easier (I listen to podcasts and sometimes need to rewind 15 seconds) to swipe and then swipe back to the data if that makes sense?

Thanks!

 

[cfc]

Hi there,

Simply the best Workout app!

I have a feature request (or please tell me if it is available now )

On the Apple Workout app, a swipe to the left will bring up the 'now playing' - is this possible as a separate screen in WOD? I have looked at all the options and I can't seem to find it. I know you can long press then go to Now Playing, but sometimes it is easier (I listen to podcasts and sometimes need to rewind 15 seconds) to swipe and then swipe back to the data if that makes sense?

Thanks!

You can configure a shortcut gesture to display the Now Playing screen. To do this go to Settings / Commands / Shortcuts. Then pick a gesture such as swipe left and set it to show the Now Playing screen.

Note that the Now Playing screen isn't integrated into the screens like with Apple's app so you need to specifically close the Now Playing screen rather than swiping back. This is due to technical restrictions (to avoid having multiple maps).

Now that I think about it I could make it possible to close the Now Playing screen by swiping so I may do that in the future. It would still be a separate screen but could be closed in a similar way to how it was opened.

 

[estesbubba]

With watchOS 10 cycling sensors, do they need added to WOD if they've already been added in the watchOS bluetooth settings? If not, do I just start a cycling workout and they just work?

 

[cfc]

With watchOS 10 cycling sensors, do they need added to WOD if they've already been added in the watchOS bluetooth settings? If not, do I just start a cycling workout and they just work?

At the moment you need to pair cycling sensors via WOD, just as in the past. I haven't implemented the cycling sensor support in watchOS 10 yet.

I will make WOD save the cycling power and cadence data read from sensors to Apple's Health system (I coded that yesterday). However making the app read the data from cycling sensors paired with watchOS is lower priority because you can already use such sensors via WOD.

 

[BillGates1969]

You can configure a shortcut gesture to display the Now Playing screen. To do this go to Settings / Commands / Shortcuts. Then pick a gesture such as swipe left and set it to show the Now Playing screen.

Note that the Now Playing screen isn't integrated into the screens like with Apple's app so you need to specifically close the Now Playing screen rather than swiping back. This is due to technical restrictions (to avoid having multiple maps).

Now that I think about it I could make it possible to close the Now Playing screen by swiping so I may do that in the future. It would still be a separate screen but could be closed in a similar way to how it was opened.

Thanks!!! I missed the shortcut option somehow (or forgot it was there as I had set up end workout!). Got it working now - perfect!

 

[Cave Dweller]

Having just discovered (on a run on Thursday) that the AOD is now operational I decided on an evening walk to test it out. I have made a few observations.

1) When I’m on a run with a screen of stats the AOD is great. The stats nicely update while the screen is dimmed, so that the switch from dim to bright is not jarring.

2) When going for a walk I tend to have the map displayed, and with this setup the AOD is not as smooth. While the stats update on the dimmed display the map does not. I appreciate that keeping the map updating would be battery consuming, but is it feasible work like this? Another issue would be that the map rotates with the compass and so will turn when the watch is by your side. Could the map align by GPS direction while by the side, and then smooth over to compass as the screen brightens?

3) When cycling I like to strap my watch to the handlebars (yes, I am aware that you can get dedicated cycling gps units) with the heart rate etc deactivated. I thought that the always on display would be good in this instance but would ideally like a brighter dimmed display. I have seen that there is a setting for the AOD brightness but can this be tied to a certain activity? In this situation it would be nice if the map kept updating, probably always aligning with the compass.

3) Slightly hijacking your forum thread, but it does come back to WODs. The wayfinder face can display your location in Lat/long, but is there a way to display UK grid reference? This would be very useful when walking with a paper map. The best I have come up with is is a shortcut to the OS locate app assigned to a complication. Bringing it back to WODs; could UK grid reference be added as an option to display on the bottom bar when in a walking activity (or any activity should someone else like this elsewhere)?

4) Possible minor bug and it may be on Apple’s side. I have noticed the dimmed face sometime flicker slightly when brightening.

I’m not sure if there are any folk out there who are using WODs the way I am, so I understand if these suggestions are considered crazy or low priority.

As stated previously, I’m thrilled with the update and astonished that it is so bug free. Big thanks to you and also all the beta testers.

 

[cfc]

Having just discovered (on a run on Thursday) that the AOD is now operational I decided on an evening walk to test it out. I have made a few observations.

1) When I’m on a run with a screen of stats the AOD is great. The stats nicely update while the screen is dimmed, so that the switch from dim to bright is not jarring.

2) When going for a walk I tend to have the map displayed, and with this setup the AOD is not as smooth. While the stats update on the dimmed display the map does not. I appreciate that keeping the map updating would be battery consuming, but is it feasible work like this? Another issue would be that the map rotates with the compass and so will turn when the watch is by your side. Could the map align by GPS direction while by the side, and then smooth over to compass as the screen brightens?

3) When cycling I like to strap my watch to the handlebars (yes, I am aware that you can get dedicated cycling gps units) with the heart rate etc deactivated. I thought that the always on display would be good in this instance but would ideally like a brighter dimmed display. I have seen that there is a setting for the AOD brightness but can this be tied to a certain activity? In this situation it would be nice if the map kept updating, probably always aligning with the compass.

3) Slightly hijacking your forum thread, but it does come back to WODs. The wayfinder face can display your location in Lat/long, but is there a way to display UK grid reference? This would be very useful when walking with a paper map. The best I have come up with is is a shortcut to the OS locate app assigned to a complication. Bringing it back to WODs; could UK grid reference be added as an option to display on the bottom bar when in a walking activity (or any activity should someone else like this elsewhere)?

4) Possible minor bug and it may be on Apple’s side. I have noticed the dimmed face sometime flicker slightly when brightening.

I’m not sure if there are any folk out there who are using WODs the way I am, so I understand if these suggestions are considered crazy or low priority.

As stated previously, I’m thrilled with the update and astonished that it is so bug free. Big thanks to you and also all the beta testers.

Glad that you are happy with the update. It certainly wouldn't have been possible without the much appreciated help from the beta testers!

At the moment I am not planning to update the map whilst the wrist is down. Partly because I couldn't work out a way to do it consistently and party because of battery concerns.

The AOD brightness settings are activity-specific so you can set different values for cycling than for other activities.

I haven't noticed flickering but the transition from lowered to raised is controlled by watchOS.

If you tap the blue GPS dot/arrow on the map then it shows information about your location at the bottom of the screen. This information cycles through different metrics each time you tap (lat/long then altitude then course etc). If you are based in the UK then it will also show the OS Grid coordinates.

Apologies for the brief replies but today is a very busy day for devs!

 

[Cave Dweller]

Glad that you are happy with the update. It certainly wouldn't have been possible without the much appreciated help from the beta testers!

At the moment I am not planning to update the map whilst the wrist is down. Partly because I couldn't work out a way to do it consistently and party because of battery concerns.

The AOD brightness settings are activity-specific so you can set different values for cycling than for other activities.

I haven't noticed flickering but the transition from lowered to raised is controlled by watchOS.

If you tap the blue GPS dot/arrow on the map then it shows information about your location at the bottom of the screen. This information cycles through different metrics each time you tap (lat/long then altitude then course etc). If you are based in the UK then it will also show the OS Grid coordinates.

Apologies for the brief replies but today is a very busy day for devs!

That’s great thanks. I love how there is always functionality that I am yet to discover.

 

[ChrisJohn23]

I haven't heard of that before. Does it happen every time?

So the summary screen appears and then a distance notification screen appears on top of it and then it goes back to the summary screen? And the distance notification is out of date - showing 2km instead of 2.8km?

If so and it is repeatable then please could you tap a metric or something before you next end a workout. This will display a screen message showing information about the metric. It would be useful to know if that is what appears over the summary screen (because it is the last displayed screen message) or if the distance notification is still what is shown. Thanks.

I set up an alert screen for each km and when I finish my race, on the summary screen before validating the race, I have the alert screen for the last km exceeded. and it even comes back to the data screen as if I were running, and if I press hop it takes me out of the app.
the race is well recorded. I'll try to take this on video next time.

 

[cfc]

I set up an alert screen for each km and when I finish my race, on the summary screen before validating the race, I have the alert screen for the last km exceeded. and it even comes back to the data screen as if I were running, and if I press hop it takes me out of the app.
the race is well recorded. I'll try to take this on video next time.

That is very strange. What do mean by pressing "hop"? And when you say that it even comes back to the data screen is that after the alert screen and before the summary?

Please could you send me the wkt file for that workout and I will take a look to see what you might be doing differently. To do this tap the Export button 3 times quickly and email to info@workoutdoors.net