New panel to display the compass accuracy

[kds112]

As discussed in #625 Cruiser 5.0.0 and 5.0.1 made a big step for hikers using the internal compass for orientation on the map. I just want to put one last feature on Emux' implemetation list... An optional panel that indicates the current compass accuracy, maybe with three bars for high, medium, low. In the low state the color might change to red similar to the battery panel.
Thanks a lot! 🧭

[devemux86]

@kds112 Thanks for the suggestion.

Panels display text to inform about their value. This way they are also much more readable.
And the text can be customized in terms of size and color.

[kds112]

Hi/med/lo as text is as good as bars... 🙂

[devemux86]

We have to think all the supported languages.
Something small in English doesn't work in other languages.

Numbers or percentage are better in such cases.

[kds112]

Similar to the panel for gps accuracy (numbers of satellites) you could use "3/3" (high), "2/3" (medium) and "1/3" (low)...?

[kds112]

Sorry, I was too slow 😉

[devemux86]

Same thought! 🙂

[Ciutnik]

I don't question the need for such a panel.

But it's worth getting used to calibrating the compass every time you use an app that uses it.
It takes two seconds to make one or two "figures eight" in the air with your phone.
I know this from my own experience, most recently three days ago 🙂

Of course I mean the "walker mode" 🙂

[devemux86]

New panel to display the compass accuracy will be available in the next Cruiser.

Compass accuracy steps are fixed (0/3, 1/3, 2/3, 3/3) by Android.

[kds112]

The compass icon in your screenshot looks really suitable for the panel.

[bios4]

About the icon, we can choose any icon from here.

Are we limited to the "Material icons (deprecated)" list in this ^^ link, or are also "Material symbols (new)" possible?
There is a compass_calibration icon in the deprecated list, which I would definitely NOT find suitable for the panel.

[kds112]

I think the Explore icon is suitable and the Explore Off icon could be used if the accuracy is less than 3/3...

[devemux86]

Google likes to deprecate things all the time. More in Android. 🙂
But the icon collection is still updated and contains many icons with better usage.

The mentioned icon looks like WiFi signal, not much like compass.

[bios4]

Does that mean that icons from both lists are possible?
But I agree that explore and explore_off are quite nice to be used here...

[kds112]

Thanks a lot for the implemetation!!
2 minor issues: I start Cruiser, accuracy is 0/3. I calibrate the compass, it changes to 3/3. After a while the accuracy degrades again (checked with a separate compass app), but in Cruiser it stays at 3/3. It should change to 2/3 or even worse.

When I switch off the compass sensor in the settings, the panel stays at 3/3. It should show "-" or something like that.

[devemux86]

Switching off the compass setting means it is not used in the app functions.
Or this setting probably is not needed to simplify things.
It does not mean the compass stops existing. Status panels always work.

How the status works, it listens for accuracy reports from the sensor.
If the sensor does not report the changes...
What happens if you restart the app?

[kds112]

Restarting the app solved the "problem". I will observe it during my next hiking tour.

I thought switching off the compass sensor would save battery consumtion. If not, the switch is not really necessary...

[devemux86]

Restarting the app solved the "problem".

I don't know if Android allows to ask for the accuracy.
Or it is only through a listener (current implementation), just like GPS.

If not, the switch is not really necessary.

I have to check this.

[kds112]

If Cruiser is in focus the listener works 👍 If Cruiser in the the background and the accuracy degrades the listener seems not to work, because switching Cruiser back in focus the accuracy stays unchanged.

[devemux86]

https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2024/03/introducing-fused-orientation-provider-api.html

@kds112 Thanks for the search and the links! An interesting note from this:

"Fused Orientation Provider updates are only available to apps running in the foreground."

[devemux86]

I thought of an improvement so that it asks for the accuracy again when the app comes back to the foreground.
It will be available in the next update.

[kds112]

Perfect! 🎉

[devemux86]

I thought of an improvement so that it asks for the accuracy again when the app comes back to the foreground.

Available in Cruiser 5.1.0-b2.

[kds112]

At a first glance it works 👍👍 I will test it furthermore at the weekend 🏃

[kds112]

I have checked the function on my last hiking tour. It works perfectly 👍🎉 Case closed... 😉🏁

[devemux86]

@kds112 Thanks very much for the suggestion and the feedback! 👍

[kds112]

Since the last update b8 (?) the panel does not update properly... I start Cruiser, the accuracy is 0/3. Cruiser is in foreground, I do the "calibration moves". The panel stays at 0/3. Crosscheck with a compass app indicates there 3/3. Going to background, and bringing Cruiser back to foreground does not help. Restarting Cruiser shows 3/3. Can you reproduce the "problem"?

[devemux86]

B9 is also available, you can compare them, we can have one or the other.

@kds112 Does B10 moves the map like in the video?

[devemux86]

panel accuracy does not update properly

@kds112 Panel accuracy code is the same.

[kds112]

B9 is also available, you can compare them, we can have one or the other.
B9 is fine for me.

@kds112 Does B10 moves the map like in the video?
Yes, nearly the same.

[devemux86]

Well GPS + compass are meant to be used in real conditions and this is outside doing activities.

Not making tests inside on tables. Let's better invest our resources in new important features. 🙂

[kds112]

You are right. The feature with version b9 is really good for hiking. Let's use it👍🥾🧭

[kds112]

I am sorry to come back to the panel update. Cruiser b10 always starts with 3/3 even when the accuracy is low (checked with external compass app). Degrading is shown sometimes only, mostly it stays at 3/3. Please, can you check whether the listener does not work properly, especially at app start? Thanks a lot... 👍

[kds112]

I have checked both b9 and b10. Cruiser always starts with 3/3. In the past b9 had not this effect, now there is the effect, too. Could downgrading from b10 to b9 cause the effect? Maybe it is a problem of my quite old device... I will check it on my wife's phone after the next Release (she does not like beta testing...)

[devemux86]

@kds112 Why is this a problem?
It's like asking why GPS reports a particular accuracy.

If the sensor reports something, we should display it.
The default is 0, not 3. The "3" comes from the sensor.

[kds112]

The only "problem" is that two different compass apps show low accuracy, but Cruiser shows 3/3 when I start the app without calibrating or moving the phone...

[devemux86]

@kds112 I thought of an improvement, which will be available in the next update.

[kds112]

In b11 it seems to work properly! 👍 Thanks again a lot!!!

[devemux86]

• New panel to display the compass accuracy is available in Cruiser 5.1.1 #684