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Subsurface-mobile user manual update

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Describe the slightly different (but now far more similar) feature sets between
Android and iOS.

Signed-off-by: Dirk Hohndel <dirk@hohndel.org>
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Dirk Hohndel 2017-12-04 22:03:21 -08:00
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commit 76c99de231
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Documentation/mobile-manual.txt
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@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
// Subsurface-mobile User Manual
// =============================
// :author: Manual authors: Willem Ferguson, Dirk Hohndel
// :revnumber: 2.0
// :revdate: October 2017
// :revnumber: 2.0.2
// :revdate: December 2017
:icons:
:toc:
:toc-placement: manual
@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ image::mobile-images/Banner.jpg["Banner",align="center"]
// toc::[]
[blue]#_Version 2, October 2017_#
[blue]#_Version 2, December 2017_#
Welcome as a user of _Subsurface_ and _Subsurface-mobile_, advanced dive logging
software with extensive infrastructure to describe, organize, and interpret scuba
and free dives. _Subsurface_ offers many advantages over other similar
software solutions, including compatibility with Windows, Mac-OS/X, Linux (many
software solutions, including compatibility with Windows, macOS, Linux (many
distributions), Android and iOS. In addition, _Subsurface_ is
open-source software that allows downloading dive
information from many dive computers.
@ -36,9 +36,8 @@ aimed at Android and iOS smartphone and tablet devices, allowing viewing, enteri
computer is not useful. While the desktop version of _Subsurface_ shows much more detailed information
for each dive, the mobile version allows a more accessible dive log
on a dive trip, useful for proving dive experience to dive shops or to review
previous dives. _Subsurface-mobile_ for Android allows
the gathering of GPS locations where dives are performed
(Subsurface-mobile for iOS currently does not have full functionality).
previous dives. _Subsurface-mobile_ also allows
the gathering of GPS locations where dives are performed.
Users of _Subsurface-mobile_ typically use the
mobile app as a companion to the laptop/desktop version of _Subsurface_, sharing dive information
@ -54,15 +53,18 @@ _Subsurface-mobile_ allows:
- Download dive data directly from many dive computers.
- Editing many of the dive log data fields, e.g. divemaster, buddy,
equipment or notes relating to a dive.
- Recording, storing and applying GPS positions of dives (Android only).
- Recording, storing and applying GPS positions of dives.
- Viewing the localities of recorded GPS positions and of dives
on a map.
These items are discussed in greater detail in the following text.
_Subsurface-mobile_ does not yet support download of dive data from all the
dive computers that the desktop/laptop version can. Only a subset of
dive computers that use a FTDI USB interface or a Bluetooth/BTLE interface
are accessible by _Subsurface-mobile_.
_Subsurface-mobile_ does not support download of dive data from all the
dive computers that the desktop/laptop version can. This limitation is
mainly caused by the ability to access different type of devices on the
two mobile platforms. On Android, a subset of
dive computers that use a FTDI USB interface or a Bluetooth / Bluetooth LE interface
are accessible by _Subsurface-mobile_. On iOS, only Bluetooth LE based
dive computers are supported.
== Installing _Subsurface-mobile_ on your mobile device
@ -83,15 +85,16 @@ Tap the "No cloud mode" button. The app will not access the _Subsurface_
cloud storage server
to obtain dive log information. This means that dive log information is
stored on the mobile device only. If no dives have been entered into the dive log
yet (the usual case), then a an empty dive log is created.
yet (the usual case), an empty dive log is created.
=== Using Cloud Storage
A free Internet cloud storage account can be used for
The _Subsurface_ developers provide a custom
free Internet cloud storage account that can be used for
storing dive log information. This cloud storage account can be created either from _Subsurface_ on the desktop or _Subsurface-mobile_
using a mobile device; in fact, you can
do full maintenance of a dive log from _Subsurface-mobile_ alone. On the other hand, if you
share credentials between _Subsurface-mobile_ and _Subsurface_ for desktop, through the _Subsurface_ cloud storage your dive
log can be shared by both devices.
using a mobile device; you can
do full maintenance of a dive log from _Subsurface-mobile_ alone. By using the same
credentials wirh _Subsurface-mobile_ and _Subsurface_ for desktop, the _Subsurface_ cloud storage allows you to share your dive
log between both (or even more than two) devices.
The dive data are cached both on the mobile device as well as on the desktop - it is easy to create backups of the data (for example in XML format) on the desktop, and both mobile device and desktop keep a local copy of the data so that the dive log is always accessible, even without Internet connection. The Subsurface team never accesses a user's dive data without explicit permission to do so, the data are not used for any purpose other than providing them to the user who created them. There are no ads and no harvesting / analysis of the data stored in the Subsurface cloud storage.
@ -155,15 +158,15 @@ On the left is the main menu, activated as described above. On the right of the
are the items of all the submenus accessible.
All screenshots in this user manual are currently from the Android
version. As indicated earlier, the iOS version currently doesn't support
_GPS_ features.
version. The iOS screens look fairly similar.
== The Dive List
Most of the actions of _Subsurface-mobile_ center around the dives on the
dive list. While the dive list is loading from the cloud,
a message appears at the bottom of the screen, indicating that the cloud is
being accessed, after which the dive list is shown. Once the list is loaded you can scroll up and down.
being accessed, after which the dive list is shown. Once the list is loaded you can scroll up and down
through your dive history.
To upload dives from a dive computer, tap the blue action button. If you wish
to add a dive manually, tap the + button in the action bar (described below).
Tapping an existing dive on the list brings up a display of _Details View_ for that dive
@ -189,7 +192,8 @@ or changing the names or values of some of the information (see image below).
It may be necessary to scroll the window to access all the information.
At the bottom of the edit screen is a _Save_ action button. Tap this to save
the new information, after which the dive list screen is
updated and shown. To cancel any edits, tap the Android _Back_ Button.
updated and shown. To cancel any edits, tap the Android _Back_ Button or
the application back button at the top left of the screen on iOS.
When the virtual keyboard is shown, to avoid screen clutter, the action button is hidden.
Once you close the keyboard it is drawn again.
@ -232,9 +236,23 @@ image::mobile-images/RedDustbin.jpg["FIGURE: delete dive from list",align="cente
[[S_Download]]
== Download dives from a dive computer
Download of dives is possible from dive computers with a FTDI USB interface, or with a Bluetooth/BTLE interface.
The download deature supports only a limited number of dive computers. On
Android devices these are typically dive computers using an FTDI interface
using a USB OTG cable (but this is blocked on some Android devices by OS
settings). Android devices also support all Bluetooth dive computers that
are supported in Subsurface. And both Android and iOS devices allow direct
download of dive data from a hand full of Bluetooth LE enabled dive
computers.
First, establish a link between the dive computer and the mobile device.
The process for download is slightly different between the two OSs.
In our testing we got the best results on iOS when the dive computer was
in Bluetooth mode before _Subsurface-mobile_ is started. On most dive
computers this is done through a menu entry, others (like the Suunto
models) always respond to BLE requests.
On Android devices, you should first establish a link between the
Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE dive computer and the mobile device using
Android utilities. See below for more details.
For USB dive computers, USB cables "normally" used
for uploading dives to a desktop/laptop computer do NOT work: these cables usually have a full-sized ("Type A") male USB plug
@ -249,7 +267,7 @@ Please note that not all Android devices support OTG cables. And even on some de
image::mobile-images/USB-OTG.jpg["FIGURE: USB-OTG cable",align="center"]
For Bluetooth-equipped dive computers, establish a Bluetooth connection between the dive computer and the
For Bluetooth-equipped dive computers and Android devices, establish a Bluetooth connection between the dive computer and the
mobile device. Use the tools on the mobile device to achieve pairing between the Bluetooth dice computer
and the mobile device. For of Android devices,
the Settings -> Bluetooth tool is probably appropriate. Ensure pairing of the dive computer and mobile device.
@ -277,11 +295,11 @@ image::mobile-images/DC-Download.jpg["FIGURE: DC download screen",align="center"
== Viewing the dive location on Google Maps
In the _Details View_, the Action Bar at the bottom has a GPS pin on the
left hand side. Tap that pin and the dive site is shown in Google Maps. Close Google Maps by using the Android _Back_ button.
left hand side. Tap that pin and the dive site is shown in Google Maps. Close Google Maps by using the Android _Back_ button
or tapping on the _Subsurface-mobile_ link in the top left corner on iOS.
Alternatively, the _Details View_ has a button at the top right hand marked
_Map it_. Tap this button to open Google Maps showing the dive site (image below).
Afterwards, use the Android _Back_ button to return to _Subsurface-mobile_.
image::mobile-images/Map.jpg["FIGURE: Map of dive site",align="center"]
@ -329,10 +347,10 @@ the local dive log to be synchronized with the copy in the cloud every time that
_Subsurface-mobile_ is closed. This option is a switch that allows auto
sync to be either activated or to be switched off.
== Recording dive locations using GPS (Android only).
== Recording dive locations using GPS
The fact that most smartphones have GPS facilities allows
_Subsurface-mobile_ on Android to record
_Subsurface-mobile_ to record
the locations of dives. If the smartphone is taken on the dive boat
during a dive, locations will be automatically recorded at regular intervals.
These locations can then be applied to dives in the dive list. Here is how it's done:
@ -345,13 +363,14 @@ configuring the GPS service (image below). GPS location data
are collected at regular intervals, e.g. every 5 minutes, or at regular
distances, e.g. after the boat has moved more than 200m, or a combination of
both of these approaches. Provide the appropriate information and
tap the Android _Back_ button. The program is now ready to collect GPS positions.
tap the _Back_ button. The program is now ready to collect GPS positions.
image::mobile-images/GPS-config.jpg["FIGURE: GPS configure",align="center"]
=== Collecting GPS positions
Ensure that the GPS on the Android device has been activated.
Ensure that the GPS on the mobile device has been activated and that you
have given the app permission to access your location data.
Open the Main Menu and select _GPS -> Run location service_. This activates the
recording of GPS locations.