Breadcrumb datafield on Vivoactive

Just got a vivoactive last week and I knew no breadcrumb trail was a limitation, but as I travel this week am really missing that functionality. As I travel I like to randomly go out and run with random turns (I hate out and back!), and then used to rely upon the breadcrumb trail map to find my way back home. Yes, back to home helps, but with roads not always being straight it's much easier finding the road you went out on and following it back...

From what I've seen on the vivoactive, it seems it may be possiple to create a data field view that is a breadcrumb trail. The API information says datafields support graphics, so the thought would be it would be a breadcrumb trail with markers showing start, and any of your splits, similar to the old FR305.

I'm a hobby coder and in the process of downloading the SDK, but before I start spending several hours learning it, was wondering if anyone knows if this would be possible given the current limitations, or if others are already working on it?

Thanks!

-Chris

jim_m_58 over 10 years ago

I have a "breadCrumb" app I'm working on for the VA. Right now, you can drop 24 (there is always one "dropped" where you start). While using the app, it will optional record the activity as a "walk" or a "run". At any point you can start "finding crumbs", and see the direction and distance back to the last 6, and if you get within 75' of any crumb, it vibrates and flashes, and makes that crumb a starting point.

If you've been "finding" crumbs, you can go back to dropping crumbs, and leave some more when you start on a new path, and still keep the "home" crumb.

If you record this as a walk or run, you can see a screen with Time of Day, Crumb status,activity time and distance, speed and avg speed, pace, and avg pace and calories.

The main screen shows your current lat/lon as well as the direction you're heading, and when you start finding crumbs, it gives you the lan/lon of that crumb, as well as the direction and distance to get to it.

Does this sound like something you're interested in? I've used it quite a bit, and doing some final testing on a pause/resume function for the recording, as that was the end of my "to do" list. It's NOT a datafield. It's an app where you don't need a datafield!

NVDOLFAN over 10 years ago

I have a "breadCrumb" app I'm working on for the VA. Right now, you can drop 24 (there is always one "dropped" where you start). While using the app, it will optional record the activity as a "walk" or a "run". At any point you can start "finding crumbs", and see the direction and distance back to the last 6, and if you get within 75' of any crumb, it vibrates and flashes, and makes that crumb a starting point.

If you've been "finding" crumbs, you can go back to dropping crumbs, and leave some more when you start on a new path, and still keep the "home" crumb.

If you record this as a walk or run, you can see a screen with Time of Day, Crumb status,activity time and distance, speed and avg speed, pace, and avg pace and calories.

The main screen shows your current lat/lon as well as the direction you're heading, and when you start finding crumbs, it gives you the lan/lon of that crumb, as well as the direction and distance to get to it.

Does this sound like something you're interested in? I've used it quite a bit, and doing some final testing on a pause/resume function for the recording, as that was the end of my "to do" list. It's NOT a datafield. It's an app where you don't need a datafield!

Jim,
I had looked at your app in this thread: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?245288-quot-Trail-of-Bread-Crumbs-quot. Is that still what it looks like? Looking closer at the couple screen shots this would be handy, especially when I go hiking! For running, I was hoping for something more graphical but could make this work if a plot isn't possible.

jim_m_58 over 10 years ago

In the other thread are some older screen shots of the main page (dropping and finding crumbs). There is also a page (if you are recording) that shows more detail of the activity (speed/pace/cals etc), and a third page that shows direction and distance to the last 6 crumbs.

I have no plans to do anything graphical for the crumbs, as I'm not sure what you could tell on a screen the size of a va - and there is no way to have a background map.

jim_m_58 over 10 years ago

Ok, I added something to my "todo" list and been working on it. It's not an actual map, but shows the path between crumbs. (The yellow circles are crumbs dropped, and the blue circle is the "home" crumb.)

The green dot is current GPS location. The lines are "as the crow flies" to the last crumb.

Here's what is seen when I play back a fit file of a 5k where I did "drop a crumb" every .2 miles for this. It makes sense to me, but I know the missing bits... And the picure scales, based on distances

update: Ok, this AM I went out and dropped crumbs at the significant turns, and there is a picture from the VA near the end, as well as the map from GC to compare the results.

gc: va:

The accuracy of what you see on the va depends on how you drop crumbs, and it can be a bit stretched on the display, as I try to use as much of the screen as I can.

NVDOLFAN over 10 years ago

This is awesome... Pretty much what I was looking for other than the manual piece of dropping breadcrumbs, but I could definitely live with that...

Being on vacation this week I haven't had much time to look at the beta process for plugins... Would you like help beta testing it?

jim_m_58 over 10 years ago

Still doing more testing of the diagram stuff (I won't call it a map!), but in a few days I might have something you can "beta". At that time I'll tell you how to get it (it won't be the app store, as there is no way to have a limited beta there.)

Former Member over 10 years ago

Still doing more testing of the diagram stuff (I won't call it a map!), but in a few days I might have something you can "beta". At that time I'll tell you how to get it (it won't be the app store, as there is no way to have a limited beta there.)

This is awesome! I hike a lot, I would be willing to help beta.