Fenix 5 stopwatch/timer question

The built-in Garmin stopwatch does not display the time of day. There's also no way for a watchface to display the built-in stopwatch as a data field. 3rd-party apps cannot communicate with each other, so there would also be no way to have a separate watchface and app that would accomplish what you want. The closest you can get is to have a single 3rd-party stopwatch that displays the time of day.

As you may have heard, Instinct does not support 3rd party "Connect IQ" apps, while Fenix does support CIQ apps.

I will take this opportunity to let you know about my free Connect IQ stopwatch app, Stop and Go, which does display the time of day. For what it's worth, I tried to model it after the built-in Garmin stopwatch for FR935 (similar to Fenix 5), although I streamlined a few things and added a few features.

It's available either as:
- A widget, which means you can quickly scroll to it from the watchface ("home screen"), with a little as one button press. However, this means that it will automatically close in a couple of minutes, as all widgets do, although the stopwatch will continue running
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/3...0-a7dc7bdc72b8

- A device app, which means you launch it the same way as you start a run (or other sports activity), and it stays open until you close it. It won't close automatically, although you can close it manually and the stopwatch will continue running
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/3...8-f45584b0a117 [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/services.garmin.com\/appsLibraryBusinessServices_v0\/rest\/apps\/38eddacd-e098-40ce-82d8-f45584b0a117\/icon\/6f81a6ca-d042-48ae-aaed-77451c99acc2"}[/IMG2]









There are also several other stopwatches in the CIQ store which do similar things:
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/search...art=0&count=30

Nibbs it would be useful if you could explain a bit more about what you are trying to achieve - i.e. how you want to use this feature

Nibbs it would be useful if you could explain a bit more about what you are trying to achieve - i.e. how you want to use this feature

The idea is similar to FlowState stopwatch app - to basically be able to seem the time and the stopwatch (or timer) running at the same time without changing screens. I know it seems trivial - but it assists in not having to do quick math on the fly. For my uses- I'll need to record both time and time passed from various benchmarks. This is where my current watch with a count up bezel works great- have time displayed, and reset the '0' to minute hand so I also have my timer. I only need to be accurate to the 30 second mark - so the bezel is adequate. Just looking to add other functionality and uses that either the Fenix or Instinct provide on top of it all. I could switch back and forth to the open running app - or as mention, do the quick math remembering my true start time and then time elapsed - but it's much easier to obtain both data fields with a quick glance as I'm also needing to record (pen & paper) notes as well as monitor my tasks.

One additional question - and apologies as I'm reading/researching at the same time to find my answers. If using a stopwatch app to get my desired result (I couldn't have this constantly disappear as a widget for my use)- it seems as if I cannot be running another app at the same time (IE- Hike as an example to see miles walked/calories burned etc)? I see that one may be able to add certain features as part of a data field within various apps though- and that would be dependent on that app. (pardon the ignorance and only 5 minutes of research thus far). Basically- I would love to be able to track miles walked, calories burned, while constantly using the stopwatch function while looking at the time. I don't need to see the miles/calories on the same screen - but would want them to obviously be running and calculating in the background.

thanks-

Nibbs correct: you can't run two "CIQ device apps" or built-in activities at the same time. Meaning, you can't have the built-in Hike app/activity and a CIQ stopwatch device app at the same time. Or two 3rd-party CIQ device apps. (A "CIQ device app" is a full CIQ app which acts similar to a built-in activity, such as Run or Hike.)

A CIQ data field, which adds to data to an existing app (such as Hike) would have the same limitations as CIQ widget and device apps: it would be unable to communicate with other CIQ apps, such as a stopwatch. As a data field, it would also be unable to accept any kind of user input, so there are no "CIQ data field stopwatches" in the store.

However, the built-in CIQ stopwatch can be launched at any time and does not conflict with widgets or device apps.

You could run the built-in Hike app and a CIQ stopwatch widget at the same time. On newer watches, you are able to use CIQ widgets while a built-in activity is running.

[/B] If using a stopwatch app to get my desired result (I couldn't have this constantly disappear as a widget for my use

At least on 935 / Fenix 5, there is an exception to the "widgets will quickly time out" caveat: if you launch a widget while a device app is active, then the widget won't time out. I haven't tested this extensively, but a widget launched this way will def not time out after the standard two minutes. I don't know if it will stay open "forever".

On Fenix 5 at least, by default you can hold the DOWN button to go to the widgets/clock while an app/activity is running. On some other watches, like 935, you can assign a "hot key" (such as hold DOWN or hold START) to return to the widgets.

So assuming you are willing to download a CIQ stopwatch widget, your workflow could be:
- Start Hike activity
- When you want to use stopwatch widget, hold Down (to Go to Widgets), scroll to widget and activate it. (This could be as few as 2-3 button presses)
- When you want to return to Hike activity, exit widget, and press Back (This could be as few as 2 button presses)

The procedure for switching to the built-in stopwatch, which lacks a clock, could be similar:
- Start Hike
- When you want to use built-in stopwatch, hold stopwatch hotkey, or access controls menu (hold Light) and select stopwatch
- Returning to the Hike activity while the built-in stopwatch is running is a little trickier. There's no obvious way to exit the stopwatch without stopping it, but you can do so by pressing the "Go to Widgets Hotkey" (hold Down), or holding Light (to get the controls menu again) and pressing Back.

As you can see there is no perfect workflow for you want, but I don't think it's impossible.

You can also add the time of day as a data field or a full data page (looks a bit like the native digital watchface) to an activity.

It seems to me, that you don't really need a dedicated stopwatch app or widget. You could just record a normal Walk activity and press the Lap button every time you want a new stopwatch interval to start.

In the built-in Walk activity app, you can make custom screens with up to 4 data fields. One of them could be time of day. Another could be elapsed time in current lap. A third could be elapsed time of last lap. And the fourth could be something other useful, for example distance.

Great point. And if you know the lengths of your laps in advance, you could set up a programmed workout which would automatically trigger the laps / steps for you. The workout could contain notes to remind you of what each step is supposed to mean.

It seems to me, that you don't really need a dedicated stopwatch app or widget. You could just record a normal Walk activity and press the Lap button every time you want a new stopwatch interval to start.

In the built-in Walk activity app, you can make custom screens with up to 4 data fields. One of them could be time of day. Another could be elapsed time in current lap. A third could be elapsed time of last lap. And the fourth could be something other useful, for example distance.

Much thanks- this pretty much sounds like exactly what I'm looking to do.... in a much easier way - ha ha.