Auto-termination or warning-notification to avoid battery drain
Yesterday a friend whined about her phone's battery drain is quite high the last days. So I checked phone's battery tool and saw that Locus (Classic) is responsible for most of the drain - although she said she didn't use Locus duriong the last days. So I opend Locus - and voila: Guidance and hence GPS has been still on all the time.
Since I'm also using the settings: "Keep GPS on for guidance" (as well as for track recording), and I sometimes forgot to stop guidance/tracking after closing Locus:
2 ideas to avoid such unwanted battery drains caused by Locus' GPS constantly active:
- let the user define a certain time-period after that Locus terminates all GPS-consuming services like guidance or tracking (e.g. 12 h) - of course save recorded track before.
- or open a popup notification window and ask the user if he still wants Locus' guidance/tracking to be active. And if user clicks onto "no": terminate them
I like this idea 
Hello Sonny,
isn't Locus Mao in case of active guidance/track recording still visible in the system bar as active app? I've not verified it now for the guidance, but if not, it is definitelly a bug.
Hello Sonny,
isn't Locus Mao in case of active guidance/track recording still visible in the system bar as active app? I've not verified it now for the guidance, but if not, it is definitelly a bug.
Yes, the icon "GPS-Location" is showing in both cases. I think we turned off the "Locus" icon in the info bar. And even if Locus-icon would be turned on, the following similar problems would occur to "technically-not-so-trained users" ;-)
In my observations, there are 2 problems with this:
Many people either dont' know what this icon means and that this icon also means constant battery-drain. They just think this is some "info"-icon without any negative effects.
And further this icon often opens, e.g. if using Navi or other apps which using GPS-location, even Google-app. So it's not always clear without further recherche that Locus is the app which keeps GPS-icon turned on.
So in my mind the idea(s) posted above would additionaly prevent Locus users from unwanted battery drain.
Yes, the icon "GPS-Location" is showing in both cases. I think we turned off the "Locus" icon in the info bar. And even if Locus-icon would be turned on, the following similar problems would occur to "technically-not-so-trained users" ;-)
In my observations, there are 2 problems with this:
Many people either dont' know what this icon means and that this icon also means constant battery-drain. They just think this is some "info"-icon without any negative effects.
And further this icon often opens, e.g. if using Navi or other apps which using GPS-location, even Google-app. So it's not always clear without further recherche that Locus is the app which keeps GPS-icon turned on.
So in my mind the idea(s) posted above would additionaly prevent Locus users from unwanted battery drain.
Some days ago I did a Geocaching-tour with a friend. She told me that she's unhappy with Locus since the app drains her phone although she didn't use it. The reason has been what we are talking in this thread. Since it happend to myself yesterday too (I forgot to turn of guidance to a point in Locus which drained my battery) I would ask you to reconsider my suggestion.
Although Androids' "GPS-Location"-icon is on (but I think some people could also have turned it off within Android): On one hand this tiny icon is easy overseen within the amount of other icons/numbers in the phones' info bar. And on the other hand many users (e.g. my friend) don't even know what this icon meansa and that it's permant display is indicating some "unwanted app activity", and that this GPS-activity contantly drains someone's phone.
In the end people open their phone's battery app, notice that Locus is by far Nr.1 battery consumer - which they are not happy about it and finally complain about Locus in the best case or switch to other apps like c:geo in the worse case and never come back to the "battery draining monster" Locus again. I think you get what I'm trying to explain ;-)
Some days ago I did a Geocaching-tour with a friend. She told me that she's unhappy with Locus since the app drains her phone although she didn't use it. The reason has been what we are talking in this thread. Since it happend to myself yesterday too (I forgot to turn of guidance to a point in Locus which drained my battery) I would ask you to reconsider my suggestion.
Although Androids' "GPS-Location"-icon is on (but I think some people could also have turned it off within Android): On one hand this tiny icon is easy overseen within the amount of other icons/numbers in the phones' info bar. And on the other hand many users (e.g. my friend) don't even know what this icon meansa and that it's permant display is indicating some "unwanted app activity", and that this GPS-activity contantly drains someone's phone.
In the end people open their phone's battery app, notice that Locus is by far Nr.1 battery consumer - which they are not happy about it and finally complain about Locus in the best case or switch to other apps like c:geo in the worse case and never come back to the "battery draining monster" Locus again. I think you get what I'm trying to explain ;-)
I am strongly against adding this feature. This will complicate the work of Locus. The requested feature has nothing to do with navigation. And there are so many problems from a modern phone that is trying in every possible way to stop Locus.
I am strongly against adding this feature. This will complicate the work of Locus. The requested feature has nothing to do with navigation. And there are so many problems from a modern phone that is trying in every possible way to stop Locus.
Why should such a feature "complicate" the work with Locus? And it has nothing to do with modern phones "energy saving modes" which stops Locus from working in the background (if user didn't correctly set Android's powersaving feature).
This useful idea here is going to work with well-defined parameters within Locus' settings which each user can activate/deactivate and adapt its values to its own means (time after which notification and GPS-termination occurs). So nothing is going to change to the situation now (unwanted battery drain overnight) if you turn off this feature in the settings ;-)
Why should such a feature "complicate" the work with Locus? And it has nothing to do with modern phones "energy saving modes" which stops Locus from working in the background (if user didn't correctly set Android's powersaving feature).
This useful idea here is going to work with well-defined parameters within Locus' settings which each user can activate/deactivate and adapt its values to its own means (time after which notification and GPS-termination occurs). So nothing is going to change to the situation now (unwanted battery drain overnight) if you turn off this feature in the settings ;-)
Hi. I'd remarked the same problem and solved it with macro droid. In case of locusmap is running in background without tracking, it sends an acoustic info.
Did this years ago, so if somebody is interested, I will search for what I did in past exactly 😉
Hi. I'd remarked the same problem and solved it with macro droid. In case of locusmap is running in background without tracking, it sends an acoustic info.
Did this years ago, so if somebody is interested, I will search for what I did in past exactly 😉
I know the situation very good; and it's not just the guidance. I have the heading line active. Because of some drift the heading line is wobbling even the phone lays on the desk. This may drain the battery within a half day too.
I once submitted this idea which nobody likes. It's not the same as discussed here but it has a similar background idea. https://help.locusmap.eu/topic/36447-battery-drain-feature-overview-page
Regarding the automation apps. Maybe they will no more work in future... https://android.gadgethacks.com/news/android-17-beta-2-blocks-popular-automation-apps/
I know the situation very good; and it's not just the guidance. I have the heading line active. Because of some drift the heading line is wobbling even the phone lays on the desk. This may drain the battery within a half day too.
I once submitted this idea which nobody likes. It's not the same as discussed here but it has a similar background idea. https://help.locusmap.eu/topic/36447-battery-drain-feature-overview-page
Regarding the automation apps. Maybe they will no more work in future... https://android.gadgethacks.com/news/android-17-beta-2-blocks-popular-automation-apps/
We are here talking about active guidance to a point. In this case, as I mentioned before, Locus Map should display a notification in the system bar, not just a tiny icon/dot indicating that GPS is enabled.
@Sonny, you do not see such notification?
We are here talking about active guidance to a point. In this case, as I mentioned before, Locus Map should display a notification in the system bar, not just a tiny icon/dot indicating that GPS is enabled.
@Sonny, you do not see such notification?
Hi Menion, no we don't see this line since we just enabled certain messages we want to see from Locus ;-) But we see the standard-arrow icon in the top Android-info bar which is telling us "GPS location enabled".
I want to try to explain again, why it would be better if Locus would implement what I'm proposing:
One main-use of Locus of my friends and myself is Geocaching. Therefore the most used feature is "Guidance". We use it dozens of times a day. And since I'm a geocacher using Locus for many many years, I know that people are not always turning of Guidance after the last Geocache of a day, or closing Locus "properly" by pressing 2 times the Android’s "Back" button.
In a perfect world everybody would end Guidance/Locus the way I mentioned. And if we forget, we should be noticed by "Location" icon on Android' top bar or - (just if eneabled) by the line of your Screenshot. But this is not the case in reality world and I bet many Locus users don't even know about all these stuff or what the "arrow"-location icon is all about. And people could just see icon/notification-lines if they turn on phone screen. What if they don't turn on display anymore after the last Cache of a day with Guidance still on?
So in reality this ends with drained batterys of phones overnight, with lots of frustration that Locus is such a battery-drainer. I already experienced this issue often: It happens to "tech-savvy Locus experts" like myself, and also to "technically uneducated" people which are just using Locus for Geocaching.
Android developers knowed about exactly this problems and repsonded by introducing "power-saving mode" some Android versions ago, closing unused apps automatically. But since we should opt-out Locus from Android's power-saving mode due to things like Guidance or Tracking we have to trust to Locus-internal power saving mechanisms. Like the one we are discussing here :-)
Hi Menion, no we don't see this line since we just enabled certain messages we want to see from Locus ;-) But we see the standard-arrow icon in the top Android-info bar which is telling us "GPS location enabled".
I want to try to explain again, why it would be better if Locus would implement what I'm proposing:
One main-use of Locus of my friends and myself is Geocaching. Therefore the most used feature is "Guidance". We use it dozens of times a day. And since I'm a geocacher using Locus for many many years, I know that people are not always turning of Guidance after the last Geocache of a day, or closing Locus "properly" by pressing 2 times the Android’s "Back" button.
In a perfect world everybody would end Guidance/Locus the way I mentioned. And if we forget, we should be noticed by "Location" icon on Android' top bar or - (just if eneabled) by the line of your Screenshot. But this is not the case in reality world and I bet many Locus users don't even know about all these stuff or what the "arrow"-location icon is all about. And people could just see icon/notification-lines if they turn on phone screen. What if they don't turn on display anymore after the last Cache of a day with Guidance still on?
So in reality this ends with drained batterys of phones overnight, with lots of frustration that Locus is such a battery-drainer. I already experienced this issue often: It happens to "tech-savvy Locus experts" like myself, and also to "technically uneducated" people which are just using Locus for Geocaching.
Android developers knowed about exactly this problems and repsonded by introducing "power-saving mode" some Android versions ago, closing unused apps automatically. But since we should opt-out Locus from Android's power-saving mode due to things like Guidance or Tracking we have to trust to Locus-internal power saving mechanisms. Like the one we are discussing here :-)
It is a classic "Locus trap"—because the app is designed to be a reliable navigator that stays active even when the screen is off, it can easily become a silent battery killer if a session isn't manually terminated.
The ideas Sonny proposed are actually highly requested in the Locus Map (and Locus Classic) forums, especially since modern Android versions have become much stricter about background processes.
It is a classic "Locus trap"—because the app is designed to be a reliable navigator that stays active even when the screen is off, it can easily become a silent battery killer if a session isn't manually terminated.
The ideas Sonny proposed are actually highly requested in the Locus Map (and Locus Classic) forums, especially since modern Android versions have become much stricter about background processes.
I see a notification indicating that Locus Map is running in the background.
There's also a notification showing that navigation is active. Maybe you've turned off the notification.
I see a notification indicating that Locus Map is running in the background.
There's also a notification showing that navigation is active. Maybe you've turned off the notification.
Hmm, I'm not sure if proposed solutions helps here.
Sonny, you talk that use are not experienced to know what icon in status bar means, then ...
- "let the user define a certain time-period after that Locus terminates all GPS-consuming" > needs an advanced user
- "or open a popup notification window" > this can't be easily done on modern Android version when the app is not visible
Is this mainly about the "Guide to point" system? Seems so to me.
Maybe a detection that "guide to point" is active and distance from the point has increased for, let's say, last 15 minutes?
I would like to avoid termination of the functionality automatically. Rather inform user. If you agree, we should find some conditions that will be, in best case, always correct and that should be enabled by default for everyone.
Hmm, I'm not sure if proposed solutions helps here.
Sonny, you talk that use are not experienced to know what icon in status bar means, then ...
- "let the user define a certain time-period after that Locus terminates all GPS-consuming" > needs an advanced user
- "or open a popup notification window" > this can't be easily done on modern Android version when the app is not visible
Is this mainly about the "Guide to point" system? Seems so to me.
Maybe a detection that "guide to point" is active and distance from the point has increased for, let's say, last 15 minutes?
I would like to avoid termination of the functionality automatically. Rather inform user. If you agree, we should find some conditions that will be, in best case, always correct and that should be enabled by default for everyone.
Well, it's mostly about "Guide to point", since this function is used by my Geocaching friends.
But it happend to myself also in Tracking-mode (tracking ways for drawing them into Openstreetmap later): I start tracking, switch of Display and put phone into my pocket. And finally I forget to stop tracking which results that phone is tracking for hours until I notice that tracking still is active.
I think you get the problem I'm writing here. I'm not sure which solution can be implemented in modern Android phones and which makes sense in terms of Locus. But everthing which improves the issue - at least partly - would be welcome.
Well, it's mostly about "Guide to point", since this function is used by my Geocaching friends.
But it happend to myself also in Tracking-mode (tracking ways for drawing them into Openstreetmap later): I start tracking, switch of Display and put phone into my pocket. And finally I forget to stop tracking which results that phone is tracking for hours until I notice that tracking still is active.
I think you get the problem I'm writing here. I'm not sure which solution can be implemented in modern Android phones and which makes sense in terms of Locus. But everthing which improves the issue - at least partly - would be welcome.
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