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Apps WorkOutDoors: New workout features
- Thread starter cfc
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It is definitely a good idea to have a phone with you, which is why it would be good if Apple gave the choice. I find that sometimes the phone GPS is better and sometimes the watch GPS is better. Generally I have found that the phone is better than the watch, although my iPhone X had terrible GPS for some reason.
I don't think that iSmoothRun can use the watch GPS if the iPhone is connected. It has an option to choose whether the workout appears on the phone and the watch, or just on the watch, but no control over the source of the GPS.
They mention GPS in their FAQs, but do not mention the source. They do however say that the accuracy is the same as for other apps. This is because all apps use the same mechanism to get GPS but presumably they get users who are convinced that the GPS varies between apps.
Apple provide what is called an API which allows apps to request GPS locations, and that API does not allow apps to specify the source of the locations, so it doesn't look possible, but if anyone does know a way around it then I would be happy to hear it!
Is it possible that the map shown in the “route details” screen on the phone app could adapt the same colouring scheme as the map on the “map download screen”? (And also maybe duplicate a bit of functionality so long press and drag in this screen results in map download of an area to the watch).
Route Details screen just shows a dark map (to highlight the contrasting route?), but I don’t really know at a glance if I already have the map tiles on my watch.
Not usually an issue as can just click to resend, but I have a running route that picks up a single massive rectangle of 3500+ tiles (normally I see there seems to be some clever work going on that defines multiple rectangles snaking along the route, but this is a particularly large route so maybe not possible to optimise?)
I don’t mind downloading the sections by hand, but I’d like to see if I’ve got them.
As a follow up, is there any reason not to have LOTS of tiles on the watch...does it cause any performance issues or extra battery drain having to keep track of a large array of data???
Does the “usage” indicated in the phone watch app include storage used by the maps?? I’ve got lots of tiles downloaded and the memory is only around 20Mb...I’ve got this odd desire to just download half of my country!
Route Details screen just shows a dark map (to highlight the contrasting route?), but I don’t really know at a glance if I already have the map tiles on my watch.
Not usually an issue as can just click to resend, but I have a running route that picks up a single massive rectangle of 3500+ tiles (normally I see there seems to be some clever work going on that defines multiple rectangles snaking along the route, but this is a particularly large route so maybe not possible to optimise?)
I don’t mind downloading the sections by hand, but I’d like to see if I’ve got them.
As a follow up, is there any reason not to have LOTS of tiles on the watch...does it cause any performance issues or extra battery drain having to keep track of a large array of data???
Does the “usage” indicated in the phone watch app include storage used by the maps?? I’ve got lots of tiles downloaded and the memory is only around 20Mb...I’ve got this odd desire to just download half of my country!
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The route details screen is indeed deliberately dark to highlight the contrasting route (which is coloured according to gradient). No-one has asked to see the downloaded tiles on the route screen before, but it is a good idea so I will add it to the list.
When a route is on the watch then the iPhone app shows a "Send Map" button on the route screen which automatically calculates the tiles that cover the route so that you do not need to manually work out which tiles to send (or need to send a large rectangle with mostly unnecessary tiles). It sounds like you have seen this feature if you have seen the snaking squares that cover the route.
The Send Map functionality should be able to handle long routes. If necessary then it should automatically batch map tiles into sets of 300 (which is usually more than enough for a 100 mile route). I just tested this with a 1500 mile long GPX file which the app calculated as requiring about 4000 snaking tiles. I downloaded the first 600 tiles in two batches of 300 each and it worked fine. If all the required tiles are already on the watch then it should tell you when you press "Send Map".
It sounds like this is not working correctly for this particular route, so could you email it to me at info@workoutdoors.net and I will take a look. Thanks.
I think that this option only controls whether the workout is shown on the iPhone screen as well as the Watch screen, and does not have any effect on where the GPS comes from. I could be wrong though.
This is great app!! I'm looking forward to indoor workouts being added as I spend quite a bit of time on the indoor bike trainer!
I just had a quick question. In settings > workouts, what does the 'Use watchOS4 Workout API' option do and should we leave it off?
Thanks!
I just had a quick question. In settings > workouts, what does the 'Use watchOS4 Workout API' option do and should we leave it off?
Thanks!
In theory this should make apps use the watch GPS, but whether or not that is better than the iPhone's GPS is subjective. I usually find that the iPhone GPS is better but it probably depends on where you keep it whilst running.
The best thing would be to experiment with both devices on the same route and check the average GPS figures in the app afterwards. To do this go to the Steps tab and select "Show GPS". If your activity type does not show steps then the GPS tab should be visible as the rightmost tab.
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Glad you like the app! The next version will be all about indoor workouts and intervals, so hopefully that will include what you want.
Apple introduced a new way for apps to create workouts in watchOS 5. By default WorkOutDoors uses this new "API" but I added a setting for switching back to the old API just in case there were problems. Things have actually been fine, so I will probably remove that option in the next version (or hide it more). So basically you should never need to use it.
Footpath
Footpath Route Planner by Half Mile Labs LLC
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/footpath-route-planner/id634845718?mt=8
Footpath Route Planner by Half Mile Labs LLC
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/footpath-route-planner/id634845718?mt=8
I have used EasyRoute a couple of times: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/easyroute/id605127860?mt=8
MapOut also looks pretty good: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mapout/id477094081?mt=8
There is an article on using it here: https://www.cyclingabout.com/mapout-best-smartphone-mapping-app/
MapOut also looks pretty good: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mapout/id477094081?mt=8
There is an article on using it here: https://www.cyclingabout.com/mapout-best-smartphone-mapping-app/
How do I get my settings on phone app sync up to watch app. I upgraded to series 4 but none of my settings in the app restored from app. They are now not in sync with what my screen settings in app on phone are. I know I can manually change them back, but was hoping there was a shortcut.
Sometimes watchOS loses the settings for an app when charging watch. If you change a screen setting on the phone then it should transfer the latest values to the watch. If you have changed the metrics for a profile then similarly make a change and the new settings will be transferred.
Sorry about that. In theory watchOS should preserve settings but in practice it sometimes does not.
I can’t remember if there was discussion about possible future enhancements to POI feature?
I’ve finally worked out how to include POIs in the GPX along with my route...and I can see that WOD displays them correctly
Is there anything planned in your roadmap that might somehow provide an alert as to nearby POIs? (ideally before next Spring!).
My use cases for POI are that I might use them to flag shops that are just “off route” that I might decide to divert to if need a top up (I’m talking about on a 100mile running route here as you know!)...similarly I want to flag a few waterfalls and other photo-ops that I’m maybe a few mins from, but if not running too far behind schedule would consider diversion to, or maybe create a POI just before a complex junction so that I’m alerted to looking at the map...that kind of thing.
Its difficult to understand how such a POI alert system might work without potentially being annoying...but I had some thoughts...
Could the *first* time in an activity that you are within a configurable distance of a POI, a haptic alert and brief pop up appear similar to the lap thing? (Difficulty here is some POIs (like “look at the map” alerts) I can imagine would only be useful if alerted in the 30secs or so before reaching them, but others I might want to be alerted of, I might not routinely pass within 1km of...Although I suppose it would be possible to just drop a “signposting” POI near the route...use that to be alerted, and then would look at the map and see the more distant real POI that was of interest).
And then after the initial alert, introduce an option into the “bottom line” that displays maybe distance and direction to the POI....so...should theoretically kept haptic warning and a full screen temporary alert which might say “JUNCTION” or “SHOP” or whatever...which would wake me up to keeping an eye on the bottom row, and/or switching to the map display so I could home in on the POI.
Just a few thoughts!
I’ve finally worked out how to include POIs in the GPX along with my route...and I can see that WOD displays them correctly
Is there anything planned in your roadmap that might somehow provide an alert as to nearby POIs? (ideally before next Spring!).
My use cases for POI are that I might use them to flag shops that are just “off route” that I might decide to divert to if need a top up (I’m talking about on a 100mile running route here as you know!)...similarly I want to flag a few waterfalls and other photo-ops that I’m maybe a few mins from, but if not running too far behind schedule would consider diversion to, or maybe create a POI just before a complex junction so that I’m alerted to looking at the map...that kind of thing.
Its difficult to understand how such a POI alert system might work without potentially being annoying...but I had some thoughts...
Could the *first* time in an activity that you are within a configurable distance of a POI, a haptic alert and brief pop up appear similar to the lap thing? (Difficulty here is some POIs (like “look at the map” alerts) I can imagine would only be useful if alerted in the 30secs or so before reaching them, but others I might want to be alerted of, I might not routinely pass within 1km of...Although I suppose it would be possible to just drop a “signposting” POI near the route...use that to be alerted, and then would look at the map and see the more distant real POI that was of interest).
And then after the initial alert, introduce an option into the “bottom line” that displays maybe distance and direction to the POI....so...should theoretically kept haptic warning and a full screen temporary alert which might say “JUNCTION” or “SHOP” or whatever...which would wake me up to keeping an eye on the bottom row, and/or switching to the map display so I could home in on the POI.
Just a few thoughts!
I have tried many many maps app and Mapout definitely is the best for me.
Its ease of use, and its functionnalities are incredible. Very Apple Minded...This app could have been created by Apple.
Its cost is incredibly low for all the possibilities it offers. One time payment.
The best for me.
Okay. I changed settings on watch and saved them on phone, and it updated to the watch so I think it it is corrected now. Had to adjust a couple other small setting on watch as well to put it back to where I had it. Nothing major.
Love the app and keep up the good work.
I’m finding MapOut very useful although there are some oddities about it.
But, is there anyway of editing routes other than “adding to the end of them”?
I often draw a route, then when I get to somewhere, realise there is a different route I’d like to follow instead, but all I can do is undo all the way back and then redraw the route? And if I’ve saved, I can’t even undo, all I can do is add to the route? ☹️
I’d also like to import some existing routes I have, and then drag bits of them out to create extended but similar routes.
I hadn't thought of having alerts when approaching waypoints but it sounds a good idea. It won't be in the next version I'm afraid but I will look into it for the following version, which will probably concentrate on navigation features (the next version is focussed on indoor workouts and intervals).
There is a screen on the watch that shows the nearest waypoints in the currently selected GPX route, ordered by distance from your current position. It isn't as useful as alerts for what you need, but I thought I would mention it. To display this screen tap the "Route POIs" menu option, which appears below the "Routes" menu option in the main Settings menu when the selected route contains waypoints.