App: Hiker

[FONT=Arial Black]Hiker[/FONT]
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/a230c855-7adf-415a-bb1c-289f27304563

Please use this thread for any questions and feedback.

Description
Hiker is designed for walking or scrambling outdoors. The app captures the hike data using the standard Garmin activities which can be uploaded via Garmin Connect. The activity is classed as a hike.

There is one main screen showing clock, timer, distance, steps, ascent and current heading. If a compass is present in the watch then the heading will display the current heading, otherwise it will display the direction of travel from the GPS trace.

Following this there are a number of graph screens:

Elevation
Pressure (Not available on the Forerunner watches)
Temperature (Using the Garmin Tempe temperature sensor)
Heart Rate

The data within these screens is sampled every 2 minutes which gives a history over the last 4 hours. The min, max and average values are taken from this sampled data. Any other data is read directly from the activity which you will see in Garmin Connect.

The last screen displays a trail as representation of the path walked. A data point is mapped down every 2 minutes when there's a good GPS signal. The start is represented by a green square and the current position is a red cross. Below the trail is the last known good position in degrees, minutes and seconds.

On starting the app it will wait for a good GPS signal which can bypassed. Use left and right swipes or the up and down buttons to move through the screens. Activities can be paused using the start/stop button. If you forget to resume the activity after a number of steps you will be asked if you wish to resume the hike.

Versions
v1.06

Added a breadcrumb trail of the hike.
Corrected the animation for up and down buttons.
Optimised the code to reduce the memory usage. This allowed the above trail feature to be added to all the existing supported watches.

v1.03

Added support for D2 Bravo, D2 Bravo Titanium, fēnix® 3 and fēnix® 3 HR.

v1.02

Added support for Forerunner® 230, Forerunner® 235, Forerunner® 630 and Forerunner® 735XT.
Added a heart rate graph. (Note: There is an issue with the vívoactive® HR firmware. This has been fixed in the beta release and will work in the next full release.)
Improved the display of the GPS status.

v1.00

Initial release for vívoactive® HR.

Former Member over 8 years ago

Hi John,

Again, this is an amazing app! If you could show Distance in the top field instead of time, and have the time of day added in the title bar, that would make it look like a Runner or Trail Runner app.

I'm looking to make the 4 data fields on the first screen selectable via the settings. When I do this I'll add additional fields like the ones you listed.

Thanks a lot for adding the configuration, however, my VAHR always shows the old fields even though I set it up differently.

I agree this is a missing feature for the Vivoactive. May be something for me to consider for the future...

Some simple interval training would be fantastic, e.g. have a configurable field or a new screen to parse and interpret a user scripted string, e.g. 10minHI;V;2minLO;V;100mtrHI;V;1milMD;V;1minLO
For example a string made up of semicolon-separated word elements containing length+unit(sec, min, mtr, km, mil, ft)+intensity(HI,MD,LO), or V for vibrate, or L for Lap

JohnD25 over 8 years ago

Hi Lu

Again, this is an amazing app! If you could show Distance in the top field instead of time, and have the time of day added in the title bar, that would make it look like a Runner or Trail Runner app.

Again thanks for the feedback. I am going to be releasing a running app in the next few days. This is focused on running with larger fields and all of them customisable, this includes the time and timer fields.

Thanks a lot for adding the configuration, however, my VAHR always shows the old fields even though I set it up differently.

If you have any issues with settings not being saved and displaying correctly then the easiest way to fix it is simply uninstall the app, let the watch update so it's fully removed and then re-install it again. You can uninstall it using Garmin Connect or Express. In GC go to your watch settings, Connect IQ Apps, Applications, Hiker and click on the 3 dots in the top right hand corner and uninstall.

Some simple interval training would be fantastic, e.g. have a configurable field or a new screen to parse and interpret a user scripted string, e.g. 10minHI;V;2minLO;V;100mtrHI;V;1milMD;V;1minLO
For example a string made up of semicolon-separated word elements containing length+unit(sec, min, mtr, km, mil, ft)+intensity(HI,MD,LO), or V for vibrate, or L for Lap

I'll have to think about the interval training and the easiest way for users to input the data.

Former Member over 8 years ago

Hi Lu
Again thanks for the feedback. I am going to be releasing a running app in the next few days. This is focused on running with larger fields and all of them customisable, this includes the time and timer fields.

I have been using the standard Run app with the ConnectIQ 6-Field data field which is also great. I would recommend having a look at that field for further inspiration. Nevertheless, I will be happy to switch to your app for the added features.

If you have any issues with settings not being saved and displaying correctly then the easiest way to fix it is simply uninstall the app, let the watch update so it's fully removed and then re-install it again. You can uninstall it using Garmin Connect or Express. In GC go to your watch settings, Connect IQ Apps, Applications, Hiker and click on the 3 dots in the top right hand corner and uninstall.

It is all good, somehow I have noticed today the config has been reset to default. Once I selected different fields again, they appeared in the app just fine.

I'll have to think about the interval training and the easiest way for users to input the data.

That would be great. Make it easy, maybe have a few standard predefined workouts but if one could customise them, even better.

Former Member over 8 years ago

I have just noticed your Runner app in ConnectIQ! Looking good, thanks.

I would really love to see the 6-field arrangement on the main screen instead of 3 fields only. Flicking through multiple screens is much more difficult for a Runner than a Hiker. The second screen could be dedicated to the lap times (maybe add last lap time?) for interval training.

With the following 6-field layout, it is important to reduce the size of labels as much as you can and let the data be larger:
111111
222222
333444
555666

Thinking about it, if you do not put Time of day in the title bar, the title bar could as well be removed entirely in the Runner app. It is not like we can do much about the Battery and GPS status during a run. If battery runs low, we usually get the default Garmin warning screen anyway.

JohnD25 over 8 years ago

Hi Lu

I have just noticed your Runner app in ConnectIQ! Looking good, thanks.

I would really love to see the 6-field arrangement on the main screen instead of 3 fields only. Flicking through multiple screens is much more difficult for a Runner than a Hiker. The second screen could be dedicated to the lap times (maybe add last lap time?) for interval training.

With the following 6-field layout, it is important to reduce the size of labels as much as you can and let the data be larger:
111111
222222
333444
555666

Thinking about it, if you do not put Time of day in the title bar, the title bar could as well be removed entirely in the Runner app. It is not like we can do much about the Battery and GPS status during a run. If battery runs low, we usually get the default Garmin warning screen anyway.

Thanks for the feedback. I will look into a 6 field screen but my concern is the size of the text. I've created a Runner forum if you wish to add further comments about Runner: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?361061-App-Runner.

Former Member over 8 years ago

altitude vs elevation

from my understanding altitude is the distance above earth as in flying. Elevation is how far above sea level you are. I don't understand what altitude is doing on the app.

TERP1234 over 8 years ago

No Tempe reading

I tried this nice looking app on my Vivoactive HR (2.90) together with my Tempe sensor. But the app doesn't seem to see my Tempe, although other apps have no problems with it. So no temperature reading or graph.
Would it also be possible to have the temperature available as a data field in the main screen?

Former Member over 8 years ago

MapMyRun Integration?

Just downloaded and did a quick test around my farm. One thing I'd suggest is have the hike get pushed over to MapMy..... app as an actual hike - its pushed as "generic" workout. Where there is a Hike workout option. pain in the butt to always have to go in to the app and manually update what it was.

JohnD25 over 8 years ago

I tried this nice looking app on my Vivoactive HR (2.90) together with my Tempe sensor. But the app doesn't seem to see my Tempe, although other apps have no problems with it. So no temperature reading or graph.

I also have the Vivoactive HR (2.90) and the Tempe sensor. There are times when it doesn't connect which I haven't been able to explain. However those times are infrequent. When the app is started the sensor is enabled and usually within a few minutes the Tempe should be connected and reporting the temperature. If it doesn't then I usually either restart the app or go into the menu and ensure I can manually connect to the sensor and then start the app.

Would it also be possible to have the temperature available as a data field in the main screen?

Done. I've added this in the latest update (v1.19).

JohnD25 over 8 years ago

Just downloaded and did a quick test around my farm. One thing I'd suggest is have the hike get pushed over to MapMy..... app as an actual hike - its pushed as "generic" workout. Where there is a Hike workout option. pain in the butt to always have to go in to the app and manually update what it was.

The activity is already marked as a hike. This can been seen when it's uploaded to Garmin Connect or Express. How are you uploading it to MapMy...?