How to save data before potential crash

I am working on an app that will intentionally get into situations where it will crash. My intention is to save the status before calling the code that might crash, and then when the app is started again it'll be able to display data that was saved.

Currently I'm trying to save 2 numbers and a boolean:

function foo() as Void {
    setConfig("sport", self.sport);
    setConfig("subSport", self.subSport);
    setConfig("crashed", true);
    session = ActivityRecording.createSession({
        :name => "" + self.sport + ":" + self.subSport,
        :sport => self.sport as Activity.Sport,
        :subSport => self.subSport as Activity.SubSport,
    });
    session.start();
    session.stop();
    setConfig("crashed", false);
}

My problem is that the config is only written to the properties if I exit with System.exit() but not when (well my intention: before) there's a crash. Also the errors that cause the crash are not catchable exceptions :(

Any idea how can I make this work?

(:no_properties, :no_ciq_2_4_0, :inline) // NOTE: forbidden to set properties in background
function setConfig(key as PropertyKeyType, val as PropertyValueType) as Void {
    Application.getApp().setProperty(key, val);
}
(:properties, :ciq_2_4_0, :inline) // NOTE: forbidden to set properties in background
function setConfig(key as PropertyKeyType, val as PropertyValueType) as Void {
    Properties.setValue(key, val);
}

0 FlowState 15 days ago in reply to flocsy🤠

I was specifically referring to this point: "especially not for the crash case, when the fit file won't be written at all (most probably)."

I am saying that I think the (prior) FIT file will be written in the crash case, provided you save the file before you trigger the crash. Maybe you didn't understand the suggestion: the suggestion was to create a separate fit session before you create the fit session that may crash. I am not suggesting you try to save the data in the fit file that will crash. that's why I said make sure that the first session doesn't crash

I understand that saving information in a FIT file is not useful for you.

I understood this point: "But it doesn't change the fact that it can only be read outside the CIQ"

That's two separate points.

And I said this:

I guess what I was trying to do was explore different solutions in the event that you're not able to do what you want, for CIQ < 2.4.0. But again, sorry I mentioned it.

I did give you a solution for CIQ >= 2.4.0. Guess that's worth exactly nothing.

0 FlowState 15 days ago in reply to FlowState

Again:

it's a moot point because it doesn't fit your use case.

sorry i mentioned it

0 jim_m_58 15 days ago in reply to FlowState

But as I've said, if you use Application.Storage and setValue, the file system is used right away, so there's a bit of an impact on speed, etc if used too often or you deal with a bunch of keys at the same time.

0 FlowState 15 days ago in reply to jim_m_58

jim_m_58 said:
But as I've said, if you use Application.Storage and setValue, the file system is used right away, so there's a bit of an impact on speed, etc if used too often or you deal with a bunch of keys at the same time.

The use case here is that flocsy wants to persist information immediately so it won't be lost when the app crashes, when deliberately testing something that is expected to have a non-zero chance of crashing..

This is an app for devs to test certain things in CIQ, I don't think efficiency is the main concern here.

0 jim_m_58 15 days ago in reply to FlowState

So use Application.Storage and forget about writing to fit files or using the old property calls.

The last state could be written to an app's log file with println, but then you have the issue of pre-creating the txt file and accessing it later.

0 FlowState 15 days ago in reply to jim_m_58

jim_m_58 said:
So use Application.Storage and forget about writing to fit files or using the old property calls.

You understand that Storage doesn't exist for devices with CIQ < 2.4.0 right?

That's the only reason the old property calls are under discussion. You can see it right in the originally posted code: there's different versions of the same function for CIQ >= 2.4.0 and CIQ < 2.4.0.

Yes obviously if the app only supports CIQ >= 2.4.0, then the solution is to use Storage.

Hmmm, wonder if anyone mentioned that?

0 jim_m_58 15 days ago in reply to FlowState

It's hard to see a single line when there are walls of text!

I usually give up when it goes into a big copy/paste

0 FlowState 15 days ago in reply to FlowState

Speaking of saveProperties():

- I know it doesn't work in the sim for any device, even old devices. I made the point repeatedly that the behaviour in the sim may be different than that of a real, old device

- I respect that jim_m_58 says it hasn't worked "since the early days of CIQ"

- I seem to recall people complained it was a no-op years ago

But again there's nothing to lose by calling it and no way to know for sure if it really doesn't work on a real device without trying it.

Kyle.ConnectIQ commented in 2015 that it should work for fr920xt. Should I assume he had no idea what he was talking about?

forums.garmin.com/.../ciqbug-saving-application-properties-does-not-appear-to-work-as-expected

Maybe he was wrong and it never worked at all. All I can say is that *I* do not know if it ever worked. If it were *me*, I would want to try on a real device, just to satisfy my curiosity.

0 jim_m_58 15 days ago in reply to FlowState

I worked at one time about 10 years ago - then it was depreciated and was a no op.. I'd used it in the very early days of CIQ.

They made it a no op instead of removing it, as removing it would have broken apps that were already using it. This has happened in other cases too.

0 flocsy🤠 15 days ago in reply to FlowState

I still don't understand what are you recommending. I do these things in a loop:

s = createSession(...);

s.createField().setData():

s.start();

s.stop();

either s.save() or s.discard() based on user settings

I think these sessions are all saved in a separate fit file