Application: dwMap - Route Maps for Vivoactive and other watches

I have just published a route map app, dwApp, which I hope will fill a hole in the Connect IQ ecosystem.
Download from App Store

The primary goal was to offer a route map display and follow capability on the Vivoactive. The app however works on all Connect IQ devices and should be an very convenient way to send a route to the watch after creating it in MapMyRun, Ride with GPS, etc. It also offers an activity recording capability while you are using the routing feature.

I look forward to your requests, feedback, questions and bug reports, in this thread!

Features
- Uses a link code mechanism to link your watch to your account on http://dynamic.watch
- Your dynamic.watch account can be linked to Ride with GPS and Under Armour (MapMyRun/MapMyRide) to import routes automatically from those accounts, or you can import GPX and Garmin Connect routes
- Indicate which route is your current route, and you watch will automatically download it next time you start the app
- App displays a map view or a dashboard (data fields) view
- Map view has three zoom levels, and shows you current position and direction
- Dashboard view shows speed, distance, HR and other common activity stats
- App uses the normal built-in recording capability of the watch, and when you stop and save the activity it is sync'ed with Garmin Connect in the usual way
- App works without a data/phone connection, using the most recently downloaded route when offline

shiritaro over 9 years ago

Is it at all possible to add more zoom levels? Sometimes it's hard to follow the route even with the Zoom Level 3.
I usually use "120 meter" zoom level for navigation on my fenix 3.

mappicus over 9 years ago

Is it at all possible to add more zoom levels? Sometimes it's hard to follow the route even with the Zoom Level 3.
I usually use "120 meter" zoom level for navigation on my fenix 3.

Yes, at least one more zoom level will be added in the next release, as I've encountered that problem myself. The three zoom levels are each 4x the prior level, with the top level Z1 set by the size of the current route, so if you have a large route then at Z3 it does seem to not be zoomed in enough sometimes.

Former Member over 9 years ago

The track up option is great, thank you for this.

Worth stating the obvious that with the watch having to do much more when using the app, you're not going to get anything like the ideal world 10 hours GPS use out of the battery. I'm getting 3.5 hours, maybe a bit more, from a full charge. Not a problem, take a small USB battery and wear watch with charger cradle underneath or recharge when stopping for a rest. Just don't set off for a six hour hike and expect the battery to last by itself.

mappicus over 9 years ago

The track up option is great, thank you for this.

Worth stating the obvious that with the watch having to do much more when using the app, you're not going to get anything like the ideal world 10 hours GPS use out of the battery. I'm getting 3.5 hours, maybe a bit more, from a full charge. Not a problem, take a small USB battery and wear watch with charger cradle underneath or recharge when stopping for a rest. Just don't set off for a six hour hike and expect the battery to last by itself.

This is very interesting, thanks. I would like to gather more info on real world battery usage for the app versus the native running/cycling apps, and how much it varies in track-up versus north-up or whether displaying the data field view uses less power than the map view. The longest I have used the app for was a 6.5 hr bike event, and finished that with around 15% battery left. So that was longer than you got, though that would have been in "north up" mode.

Former Member over 9 years ago

That rings true. I did a 5 hour hike with the previous north-up-always-on version, can't remember how much battery was left but it lasted all the way. I guess it's to be expected that the trail up facility drains the battery faster, more screen redrawing etc. For me it's worth it and now I know it I can work around it.

MarekHuk over 9 years ago

I got 7 hours until it turned off when using north up. Not bad at all :-).
Activity was saved and uploaded when I connected charger.

mappicus over 9 years ago

Major update V1.2.0009

Major update V1.2.0009 released today (Nov 10 2015) for dwMap, including:
- Major new feature: "No route" mode. You no longer need to have a current route, if you just want to see the breadcrumbs for your current activity. To go routeless, you can either choose "Delete Route" from the app's menu on the watch, or you can click on the star for the current route on http://dynamic.watch/ to toggle it off. With no route, the app will show breadcrumbs from the activity's start location rather than just showing the most recent points.
- Support for the new Forerunner 230, 235 and 630 watches
- Start position shown, as dark red square
- Additional (Z4) zoom level
- Screen responsiveness when complex map shown is now faster (we are still working on improving this further)

As always, questions and feedback welcome at [email protected]

dwMap from dynamicWatch lets you view and follow a route map on your Garmin Fenix 3, Vivoactive, Forerunner 230, 235, 630 or 920XT, D2 Bravo or Epix GPS watch.
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/2750f280-82f4-4f21-a32c-57acc7ce4870

AGorge over 9 years ago

screen readibility

Hello!
Love your app: it's perfect for me so I can go for a run from anew hotel I've never been...
I do have one request: could you make the time elapsed and distance at the bottom of the map MUCH BIGGER? (2x or 3x) the other things there are not that important so they could be moved around, but getting some info on my run while looking at the map would be great.Right now it is just too small, and I find that swiping between screens is just does not work very well during exercise, so I just leave on the map all the time.
Anyway... great job!!!!

mappicus over 9 years ago

Hello!
Love your app: it's perfect for me so I can go for a run from anew hotel I've never been...
I do have one request: could you make the time elapsed and distance at the bottom of the map MUCH BIGGER? (2x or 3x) the other things there are not that important so they could be moved around, but getting some info on my run while looking at the map would be great.Right now it is just too small, and I find that swiping between screens is just does not work very well during exercise, so I just leave on the map all the time.
Anyway... great job!!!!

Awesome that is app is meeting your needs so well, and I've noted your request for the larger text on the map screen.

mappicus over 9 years ago

Widget: Crumbs! breadcrumbs and waypoint map

If you're interested in trying a more basic mapping tool, but made available on a convenient "swipe" as a widget, we've just released "Crumbs!"
https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?334119-Widget-Crumbs!-breadcrumb-and-waypoint-map
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/61b7f2ff-e5c9-4814-bbd0-0fe12b8eaf82

Although this shares a lot code with dwMap it's a more basic tool, and it will be interesting to see how far we can push the mapping concept in the much more limited environment of widgets.