restore of old(er) version(s), minimize power consumption

[emmi12]

Hi everybody,

as an android (2.3.6) novice I have a bundle of questions that might partly fit to android itself, but deal with locus:

1) Is there any chance to restore an old locus version - without having made a backup, I mean the plain app without any own data or settings, and of course with keeping my pro license? This need comes from
1a) missing the categorys icon/entry in the data manager screen after trying to work with POIs as given by hbemmert in the web,
1b) the power consumption of v. 2.5.0 is really frustrating: using a vector map, all radio off (airplane mode), tracking with map on, but display off besides short looks every 20 min - they battery drops from 90 to 15% within 4 hours.

And with respect to the last point:
2) Has anybody tested the settings to minimize power consumption to survive a 9 hours tracking with a quarterly look at the map  (this worked on my old WinMobile with Pathaway), esp.
2a) vector vs. bitmap (does the app really know that there is no need to calculate the display when it's off)
2b) osmarender vs. other themes (like cycle_hc as recommended for open cycle maps)
2c) leaving the map display in the foreground to rapidly have it available when setting the display ON or switching the app off i.e to background when tracking?
And all this preferably with numbers (e.g. maximum running time or power consumption during 1 hour) to get an idea what the costs for a higher comfort are.

And, finally although this question doesn't fit the headline:
3) Will I find a description how the guiding along a predefined or imported route works?

Thank you in advance in hope of reply.

[tramp20]

1b) the power consumption of v. 2.5.0 is really frustrating: using a vector map, all radio off (airplane mode), tracking with map on, but display off besides short looks every 20 min - they battery drops from 90 to 15% within 4 hours.

Look here
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=2110#p13640.
A new version will come today.

[Menion]

Hi Emmi,
1a) for this is ability to add "Points" button on the right or top panel
1b) is already answered. Should be fixed in today version

for second part, I don't have precise values or experience, but I can say that:
2a) vector maps use much more CPU then raster maps, so it will suck your battery sooner. When screen is off, Locus do not load any tiles! I know it for sure
2b) I think that theme will not have impact on battery.
2c) I think that best is to install any application that will be constantly monitoring CPU & battery usage. Then you can test how much Locus consume during some operations

3) most descriptions is on http://docs.locusmap.eu, unfortunately due of limited time sources, description of guiding is not yet there. Anyway if you'll need something special to know, feel free to ask

[tommi]

Hi everybody,

as an android (2.3.6) novice I have a bundle of questions that might partly fit to android itself, but deal with locus:

1) Is there any chance to restore an old locus version - without having made a backup, I mean the plain app without any own data or settings, and of course with keeping my pro license?

Welcome in the forum!

You can install old versions if you made a backup of the apk. The pro license would not be the problem.
However the developer prefers that you report problems and is happy to fix them. At least this is what we can read here in the forum every day...

This need comes from
1a) missing the categorys icon/entry in the data manager screen after trying to work with POIs as given by hbemmert in the web,

What do you miss? The user interface was recently changed but AFAIK no functionality removed.

And with respect to the last point:
2) Has anybody tested the settings to minimize power consumption to survive a 9 hours tracking with a quarterly look at the map  (this worked on my old WinMobile with Pathaway), esp.

You might want to play with http://docs.locusmap.eu/doku.php/manual ... s_location Internal GPS auto-off settings

2a) vector vs. bitmap (does the app really know that there is no need to calculate the display when it's off)

Locus should not do any calculation regarding map when display is off

2b) osmarender vs. other themes (like cycle_hc as recommended for open cycle maps)

If the display is on more complex themes and maps cost more CPU cycles.
However looking at the screen sometimes should not drain the battery too much.

2c) leaving the map display in the foreground to rapidly have it available when setting the display ON or switching the app off i.e to background when tracking?

This should not make a difference regarding battery consumption

And all this preferably with numbers (e.g. maximum running time or power consumption during 1 hour) to get an idea what the costs for a higher comfort are.

Sorry, I have a family and a job and at least few other hobbies

And, finally although this question doesn't fit the headline:
3) Will I find a description how the guiding along a predefined or imported route works?

Let the route be displayed on the map (http://docs.locusmap.eu/doku.php/manual ... cks_screen 2. Tracks list - Map
Now it gets a bit complicated because a track editor was newly added...:
- Tap on the first point of the track
- Tap on the symbol ->->o (next to the "i" in the horizontal bar and then tap on "Guide on"

@Menion: We should really have a screen shot in the manual pages for such stuff...

Thank you in advance in hope of reply.

Hope this helps,
Tommi

[emmi12]

Hello again,
thanks a lot for that immediate answer,

I'm looking foreward for the new version (I've read the postings on 'sucks battery' already, but was afraid of having no long-term running app this weekend).

Regarding power consumption the principle influences and strategies to minimize it were welcome,
but, the ask for numbers was mainly to the community, maybe somebody has tested this already
(although we might all have family, job, and other hobbies).

Regarding guiding along given route I've found some hints at the forum here and will play with that before a more precise question (I can follow you all in having no fun with writing manuals, but it would be nice to have.)

Thanks again, emmi12

[emmi12]

Hello, the 3rd,

regarding power consumption all seems nice with 2.5.1:
10,5 hours for battery discharge (from 100 to 15%, with PowerTutor running which consumes about 5% of power for itself)
when tracking with 20m/5s intervalls, offline vectormap, display off besides ~ 3 times/hour for a short localizing view with some scroll/zoom,
and all radio off,

I'll repeat this test with stepwise switching 2g, 3g, occasionally harware compass on,
and maybe to distinguish between the kind of map and its usage as i asked above.

[Henk van der Spek]

Re: guiding:
1. Load a track and move the Start/Finish point or any track-point under the red crosshair.
2. Tap on the crosshair
3. Tap on the popup infobox (point nr xxx etc) see jpg1[attachment=1:2ju9q6pe]guiding1.jpg[/attachment:2ju9q6pe]
4. Now you get the extra left sidebar , see jpg2 [attachment=0:2ju9q6pe]guiding2.jpg[/attachment:2ju9q6pe] The buttons are logical; with the lower ones you can "walk"the track from point to point.
5. Also you get an extra bottom bar. Tapping nr 2 from left gives you again a popup. Choose "Guide on" or Guide on reverse" (if you walk from finish to start).

[emmi12]

Hi Henk,
thank you for your help,
guiding works exactly as you described.

The question remaining is, what is the simple information 'out of corridor' good for. Wouldn't it be possible to distinguish between left and right off route in order to leave the map off and/or to reduce stopping.
And, not least the proof of passing a waypoint and switching to the next one via the  distance to it seems to be of critical functionality, e.g. when the route is shifted somewhat to a certain direction  compared to reality, one would need large distances. T.m.o. a criterion like crossing a circle around the last but one with a radius of the distance between the actual and the last but one waypoint might work better.

Nevertheless, great app.
Emmi12