Some form of Locus heartbeat

Andrew Heard shared this idea ago

Gathering feedback

Today for the 1st time (that I can recall in 14 years) LM4 crashed while track recording & lost data - an impressive record in itself. It evidently crashed after only 230 metres, but I only realized when I went to save the track 30 minutes later when I next turned on the screen - the Android home screen was displayed. When I tapped LM4.25.1 it started as normal & showed the unsaved track recording panel with 230m. I haven't used the Audio Coach before so I had an idea of a single reassuring "I'm still alive" beep every now & then. I set the Audio Coach time to 3:00 but unfortunately the statistics are all long, verbose & somewhat inaudible when running (phone in bag). A further "statistic", like with some notifications eg. "GPS Acquired" with option of beep or "select sound", where I can select a short optimized high volume resonant frequency beep would be perfect. It's annoying when data is lost. Maybe this heartbeat shouldn't be part of the Audio Coach at all, but a brand new function. Either way the main desire is some means of knowing that LM is still running. Thanks for considering.

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Replies (2)

Tapio ●

I agree. Things that may be interesting to audibly be aware of:

Locus is running

Locus is recording

Locus is LiveTracking

So if I were Menion I would add one notification "Alive ping" - with the options "Always" - "only if recording" OR "only if livetracking". Plus maybe some sound/volume options.

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Alistair Parsons ●

i appreciate this doesnt help most users( and appreciate you already know this) but the locus tasker plugin has variables for reording state , live tracking state, appreciate its just a hack to do this and not an idea, but just in case it helps someone else

ive got got tasker popups that show locus data depending on recrding/tracking etc but tasker beeps could be implemented...

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Andrew Heard ●

I thought more about @tapio Tasker profile. The problem/ extra detail then is you have to tell Tasker whether LM should be alive or not. Just one more complication.

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Menion ●

Hi Andrew, guys,

you lost only one recording, not all data right? It sounds scary for the first reading ...

About the notification ... isn`t really the best solution usage of the tasker for this? Independent 3rd party app, capable of testing if Locus Map is running or not. Because, whatever I do directly to the app, it will only notify as long as the app is running. And you get used to it. Are you sure, you will notice, that this notification is no longer "beeping"? I`m quite sure, I personally won`t notice ....

So from my point of view, best should be once-per minute test from the Tasker, checking if app is still running. It should be doable even with older Tasker add-on I think.

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Andrew Heard ●

@Menion, you may are probably be right. Not as neat & integrated, and more work. As I just replied to Alistair & Tapio, Tasker then has to also know whether LM should be alive or not. I guess this could be a (toggle) button on the home screen. I haven't used the Tasker add-on before but will add that to my list of projects. Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

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Alistair Parsons ●

what would be good is rather than adding extra very advanced features to locus, more was added to the action tasls/api/tasker plugins

while the tasker plugin is good at collecting data from locus, it has to pe pulled, which means looping tasker tasks..

what would be better if there was a push system, ie just a broadcast intent or whatever when locus is running, and other ones for live tracking, recording, guidance alerts etc, that tasker can then react to. this would fix the idea above, and also some of my ideas....ie you could react with far more options of poi guidance like flashing up a bright red right arrow on your phone mounted to handlebar when its time to turn right... or flash the screen when bearing=azimuth of guidance etc

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