Logging footpod sensor data

Hi,

I have an app which saves a session with ActivityRecording.
I have added Tempe and heartrate sensors. Data from those two can be seen in the activity on Garmin Connect.
If I add the footpod sensor, I do not see any cadence/step data in the activity.

Is there any code to add to support this, apart from adding the sensor type:

Sensor.setEnabledSensors([Sensor.SENSOR_HEARTRATE,Sensor.SENSOR_TEMPERATURE,Sensor.SENSOR_FOOTPOD]);

The watch is vivoactive, so it does provide step information, like in the running app.

Thanks!

jim_m_58 over 8 years ago

Couple of things. In CIQ (and in the .fit), you really can't tell the difference between the watch itself and a footpod for steps and cadence. It's kind of a "best source" thing and the FW decides that. (if a food pod connects, use that, if not use the watch data)

The type of activity can determine what you see in Garmin connect. For example, SPORT_WALKING and SPORT_HIKING will allow you to see steps, but not cadence, and SPORT_RUNNING (IIRC) cadence but not steps. SPORT_GENERIC (IIRC), you see neither.

What are you using for SPORT_*?

In your app, regardless of the SPORT_*, you can display both steps and cadence, and if you want the cadence for a SPORT_WALKING activity or steps for a SPORT_RUNNING activity, you could use FitContributor to add that to the .fit and see it on GC as an "extra" field".

With setEnabledSensors(), it returns an array of what sensors you specified are "known" (paired) to the watch, but there's no direct way to if those available and connected. But in the case of SENSOR_HEARTRATE and SENSOR_TEMPERATURE, you can tell they are connected as you get hr and temperature data. You'll get steps and cadence with or without a foot pod, so there's not even an indirect way to see if a food pod is being used.

As far as showing steps in an app, I use the step data from ActivityMonitor. When I start recording, I get the current step count, and while recording, use that with the current step count to get the steps during the activity. You could also handle steps that occur when the recording is paused, or if you're recording over midnight. If you want to see an app that does this, try out Hike. It records either a walk or a hike, and you can see what the app displays, as well as what you can see when uploadedto GC. (but I don't use FitContributor for any "extras") And it can use a Tempe, Footpod, or HRM if available.

obagot over 8 years ago

Thank you Jim for providing such clarifications.

I am actually using SPORT_ALPINE_SKIING.
For this, I don't really need to know how many steps I did, but I figured that if it can be saved in the activity, it is additional data for analysis.