CountDown Timer

I really don't understand your answer. I can create identical workouts, one with Garmin Connect and one with the built in Interval training. The default screen is different. If what you say is true I would think the screens would be the same. None the less, is there anyway to create a countdown timer & lap counter (correct one, like the built in on on the interval training) data fields? I can create separate screens (not the default one, which is ok), I just can't add a countdown timer or have the lap count just the work event and not the rest.

I really don't understand your answer. I can create identical workouts, one with Garmin Connect and one with the built in Interval training. The default screen is different. If what you say is true I would think the screens would be the same.

When you create a workout on Garmin Connect, you can set several properties for each step. You can set the duration type and duration value, and then you can set the target type and target value. In my experience, these properties map directly to the first two data fields that are displayed in each step in workout. If the duration type is set to time, the first field will be a countdown timer. If you set it to distance, it will be a distance countdown. You'll notice similar results for the other options (I can't remember what they are, and Garmin Connect is having problems right now). If you set the target type to heart rate zone, the second data field will be a heart rate zone. Again, you'll notice similar results for the other options; you will notice that the data field that is displayed is related to the target for the given workout step.

When you create a workout on the device, you only get to set the first set of properties (the duration type and value) for each step in the workout. These properties still controls the first data field that appears. In my experience, the other two data fields are lap pace and lap time.

Regardless of how you configure the workout (Garmin Connect or directly on the device), the data fields that are displayed on the workout data page change based on the current workout step.

None the less, is there anyway to create a countdown timer & lap counter (correct one, like the built in on on the interval training) data fields? I can create separate screens (not the default one, which is ok), I just can't add a countdown timer or have the lap count just the work event and not the rest.

And now we've come full circle. You want a data field that displays a count down timer. Fine. Data fields are user selectable, and can be used when there is no active workout. So you fire up your trusty Garmin, start running, and then press Enter/Start to start recording. What value should the countdown timer start from? That is the problem that I spoke of initially.

Now if you say, 'but the active workout knows the duration of the current activity step, I want it to display that'. Fine. What if the current workout step is not something that can be counted down? i.e., the current workout step has no target (the watch displays 'run until lap button press'). What does the data field display then? You'll probably say, 'it should display a count up timer'. So now we're not talking about creating a 'countdown timer' data field, we're talking about creating a 'workout duration' data field, and AFAICT this data field that you are describing displays _exactly_ the same thing as the primary data field when you are doing a workout that has been properly configured.

Similarly, for your lap count field. The lap count is _not_ the same as the workout step count. The lap count increments for every step of the workout (or every time you press the lap button). This is correct behavior. It sounds like you want a workout repeat count (the value overlayed on the workout screen when you're doing a workout that has a repeat). Again, as far as I see what you are asking for is _exactly_ what you get when you're doing a pre-programmed workout.

I think it would be much easier for everyone if you completely and accurately described what you want. I've re-read your first few posts and the only thing I can conclude is that you want a countdown timer and a lap counter data field. Everything else is a blur.

The countdown timer you want seems simple enough, but you've never described where the timer data (specificially the timer period) will come from. Are you envisioning that this information will come from the active workout interval? If not, where would it come from?

Again, the lap counter you're proposing isn't really a lap counter. It sounds more like a repeat counter. If your workout is something like (5:00 @ Z4, 1:00 recover)x4, you want it to display 1 during the entire first 6 minutes, then 2 for the next 6, and so on. What if the workout is more complicated, like (5:00 @ Z4, 1:00 recover, 3:00 @ Z5, 3:00 recover)x4. What I've described would display 1 for the first 12 minutes, and what you've proposed would display 1 for the first 6 minutes, and 2 for the next 6 minutes. That's not even counting nested repeats. Regardless, how would the data field know what lap/repeat you are on? Are you envisioning that this information would come from the active workout? If not, where would it come from?

As far as I can tell, everything you're asking for is already done automatically by the built-in workout system, regardless of how the workout is created (Garmin Connect or directly on the device). If you set the workout duration to a time, you get a countdown timer. If you use a repeat in the workout, it displays the current repeat that you are working on as an overlay. If this is the case, I fail to understand why someone would write these data fields as they directly duplicate functionality that is already available.

If you are trying to avoid creating workouts, but you want the functionality provided by a workout, I'm not sure how to help. Even if you don't create a workout in Garmin Connect or on the device, information about the workout would need to be communicated to the data field so that it knew hat the initial countdown timer value would be and so that it could determine the current repeat.

So either I'm way off base, or you need to provide some more information. I'm happy to be wrong.

Travis

I love how Travis is being such a nice guy and being so patient with these line of question or thought.
I'm on the verge of taking out popcorn p. Hehe...



My 2 Cents here and based on what limited understanding of the poor description is that you can't do what you want. And I say that basically cos unless you reinvent the wheel with your data field, you can get what you what. The values or settings are not exposed to the SDK. hence u can't know

1) what step you're on
2) what lap distance you're on
3) what sort of countdown or count up is going to happen next.
4) you can't determine what lap # you're on

Go ahead. Reinvent the wheel by duplicating GC workouts as user settings and then perhaps you get a semblance of what you want.

I think it would be much easier for everyone if you completely and accurately described what you want. I've re-read your first few posts and the only thing I can conclude is that you want a countdown timer and a lap counter data field. Everything else is a blur.

The countdown timer you want seems simple enough, but you've never described where the timer data (specificially the timer period) will come from. Are you envisioning that this information will come from the active workout interval? If not, where would it come from?

Again, the lap counter you're proposing isn't really a lap counter. It sounds more like a repeat counter. If your workout is something like (5:00 @ Z4, 1:00 recover)x4, you want it to display 1 during the entire first 6 minutes, then 2 for the next 6, and so on. What if the workout is more complicated, like (5:00 @ Z4, 1:00 recover, 3:00 @ Z5, 3:00 recover)x4. What I've described would display 1 for the first 12 minutes, and what you've proposed would display 1 for the first 6 minutes, and 2 for the next 6 minutes. That's not even counting nested repeats. Regardless, how would the data field know what lap/repeat you are on? Are you envisioning that this information would come from the active workout? If not, where would it come from?

As far as I can tell, everything you're asking for is already done automatically by the built-in workout system, regardless of how the workout is created (Garmin Connect or directly on the device). If you set the workout duration to a time, you get a countdown timer. If you use a repeat in the workout, it displays the current repeat that you are working on as an overlay. If this is the case, I fail to understand why someone would write these data fields as they directly duplicate functionality that is already available.

If you are trying to avoid creating workouts, but you want the functionality provided by a workout, I'm not sure how to help. Even if you don't create a workout in Garmin Connect or on the device, information about the workout would need to be communicated to the data field so that it knew hat the initial countdown timer value would be and so that it could determine the current repeat.

So either I'm way off base, or you need to provide some more information. I'm happy to be wrong.

Travis

Travis ,
The workout I want to create has different time intervals. You cannot create this with the built in interval. That is why I tried tho ask how to do a count down time that uses the workout created with garmin connect.

Travis ,
That is why I tried tho ask how to do a count down time that uses the workout created with garmin connect.

In my experience with workouts created in Garmin Connect, if you set the Duration Type for a step to Time, you will get a countdown timer on the workout data page (the one page you can't configure) when that step is active. You will also get an indicator that shows what repeat you are on as an overlay, provided that your workout has a repeat.

This is what you want, correct? If so, then can you show me a workout from Garmin Connect that doesn't behave like you want?

Travis

We are going around in circles. I know that the built in one and the one on Garmin connect has a countdown timer. What I asked is there a way to create this data field? The default screen has other fields that I don't want. What I wanted to do is create my own screen with the countdown timer and the lap field from the built in interval activity and then add additional fields. I do not know how to create either of these that is why I asked for help in this forum. It was not to get in an argument on what should or shouldn't be available. It was to find out if these two data fields could be created so that I could add them to the activity that I created in Garmin Connect.

No.

As you know, you can't customize the data fields on the workout data page. The workout details are not exposed to ConnectIQ, so a developer does not have access to the information needed to implement a countdown timer or a repeat counter, so that option is not viable either.

Travis

1639

Thanks for trying. I have seen other data fields that people have published that I can use with the workout created with Garmin Connect. I was hoping that someone knew how to create a countdown timer data field. I guess not.

I can do what you are after on a FR620 and a FR630 using a hex editor. It is safe and not too hard - but involves a bit of time spent in a 'technical' frame of mind. If you feel competent, and really desperate, send me a PM (personal message on this board) and I'll log in tomorrow to check...