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User manual: get rid of Companion app texts

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Tried to strip all referencews to the companion app. Including a remark of
end-of-life of the GPS webservice end 2018. Also fixed a screendump from
mobile, for the removed menu items of the GPS service.

Signed-off-by: Jan Mulder <jlmulder@xs4all.nl>
Signed-off-by: Dirk Hohndel <dirk@hohndel.org>
This commit is contained in:
Jan Mulder 2018-09-16 10:35:40 +02:00 • committed by Dirk Hohndel
parent 3ce75739b7
commit a4f04589c7
2 changed files with 11 additions and 311 deletions
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Documentation/user-manual.txt
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@ -761,10 +761,9 @@ image::images/Globe_image3.jpg["FIGURE:Location creation panel",align="center"]
Once the dive location data have been saved, the dive on the Dive List has
a globe icon immediately to the left of the location name of a particular dive.
*(3):* Obtain the coordinates using either the Subsurface-Mobile App or the _Subsurface_ Companion App on an
*(3):* Obtain the coordinates using the _Subsurface-mobile_ App on an
Android or iPhone device with GPS and if the dive site coordinates
were stored using one of these apps.
xref:S_Companion[Click here for more information]
were stored using one of this app.
[icon="images/icons/warning2.png"]
[WARNING]
@ -1385,27 +1384,15 @@ This is performed by:
1) Taking the mobile device along on the dive boat / liveabord while
automatically collecting dive site coordinate information.
2) Uploading the coordinates from the mobile device to the _Subsurface_ Internet server.
2) Adding collected coordinate information to the dives using the _Subsurface-mobile_ app.
3) Syncronising the dives in the _Subsurface_ dive list with the coordinates stored
on the _Subsurface_ Internet server.
3) Syncronising the logbook with the _Subsurface_ cloud using the _Subsurface-mobile_ app.
_Subsurface_ has two tools for achieving this:
- The _Subsurface Companion App_ (Android and iOS).
- The _Subsurface-mobile_ app (Android and iOS)
Both of these applications perform the collection of dive site coordinates and
the synchronisation with dives in the _Subsurface_ dive list. However, the Companion App
is not being further developed and has largely been replaced by the _Subsurface-mobile_
app. While the _Companion app_ serves exclusively to collect dive site coordinates and
to make these available to the _Subsurface_ desktop version, _Subsurface-mobile_ performs
many of the functions of the desktop version, including the management and viewing of dive
information. Below, we describe how to perform the above three steps using each of the two
mobile apps.
For information on using the _Subsurface Companion App_, click xref:S_Companion[_here_].
Existing users might still be using the legacy _Companion app_. However, the Companion App
hasn't been under development in several years and has now been removed from both Android
and iOS app stores. The functionality is fully integrated into _Subsurface-mobile_.
Please note that the old GPS fix internet service will be shut down by the end 2018 at which
point the _Companion app_ will no longer be usable. Please switch to _Subsurface-mobile_ instead.
==== Storing and and using GPS locations using _Subsurface-mobile_
@ -1463,14 +1450,6 @@ image::images/MobileGpsMenu.jpg["FIGURE: Subsurface-mobile GPS menu",align="cent
Select the menu option _Disable location service_ at the bottom of the _Subsurface-mobile_ GPS menu.
===== Upload the GPS locations onto the _Subsurface_ Internet server.
*N.B.:* Uploading the GPS locations to the Internet can only take place if the mobile
device has reliable access to the Internet, either via a cellular network or
via a wifi connection. If the Internet is not accessible from the dive site(s),
then GPS uploading can only take place after the dive or after the dive trip,
when an Internet connection has been re-established.
From the _Subsurface-mobile_ main menu, select _GPS_ -> _Upload GPS data_. The
locations are uploaded.
@ -1490,281 +1469,6 @@ performing the collection of GPS data and for managing, uploading and
synchronising this information.
[[S_Companion]]
==== Importing GPS coordinates with the _Subsurface Companion App_ for mobile phones
Using the *Subsurface Companion App* on an _Android device_ or
xref:S_iphone[_iPhone_] with GPS, the coordinates
for the diving
location can be automatically passed to the _Subsurface_ dive log. The Companion App
stores dive locations on a dedicated Internet server. _Subsurface_ can collect
the locations from the server.
To do this:
===== Create a Companion App account
- Register on the http://api.hohndel.org/login/[_Subsurface companion web page_].
A confirmation email with instructions and a personal *DIVERID* will be sent,
a long number enabling access to the file server and Companion App capabilities.
- Download the app from
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.subsurface[Google Play Store]
or from
https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=subsurface&fdid=org.subsurface[F-Droid].
===== Using the Subsurface companion app on an Android smartphone
On first use the app has three options:
* _Create a new account._ Equivalent to registering in the _Subsurface_ companion
page using an Internet browser. You can request a *DIVERID* using this option,
but it’s supplied via email and followed up by interaction with the
http://api.hohndel.org/login/[_Subsurface companion web page_] to
activate the account.
* _Retrieve an account._ If you forget your *DIVERID* you will receive an email
to recover the ID string.
* _Use an existing account._ You are prompted for your *DIVERID*. The app saves
this *DIVERID* and doesn’t ask for it again unless you use the _Disconnect_ menu
option (see below).
[icon="images/icons/important.png"]
[IMPORTANT]
In the _Subsurface_ main program, the *DIVERID* should also be entered on the
Default Preferences
panel, by selecting _File -> Preferences -> General_ from the main menu
in _Subsurface_ itself.
This helps synchronization between _Subsurface_ and the Companion App.
*Creating new dive locations*
Now you are ready to get a dive position and
send it to the server. The Android
display looks like the left hand image (*A*) below, but without any dives.
Touch the + icon at the top right to add a new dive site. A menu
with 3 options shows:
* Current: A prompt for a place name is shown (or a request to activate the GPS if it is turned
off), after which the current location is saved.
* Use Map: This option allows you to fix a position by searching a world map. A
world map is shown (see *B* below). Specify the desired position
with a _long press_ on the touch
sensitive screen (if the marked location is wrong, simply choose a new location)
and select the check symbol in the upper right. A dialog is shown allowing you to enter the
name of the dive location and the date and time of the dive (see *C* below). In order to import this
dive location in _Subsurface_, set the time to agree with the time of
that dive on the dive computer.
image::images/Companion_5.jpg["FIGURE: Companion App, add location using map",align="center"]
* Import local GPX file: The Android device searches for .gpx files and located
archives will be shown. The selected .gpx file is opened and its
locations shown. Now select the appropriate locations, and select the check
symbol in the upper right to add them.
*List of dive locations*
The main screen shows a list of dive locations, each with a name, date and
time (see *A* below). Some locations may have an arrow-up icon over the selection box to the left
showing they need to be uploaded to the server. You
can select individual dive locations from the list. A selected location has a
check mark in the selection box on the left. Group operations (like _Delete_ or _Send_)
are performed on several selected locations.
Dive locations in this list can be viewed in two ways: a list of locations or a
map showing them. The display mode (List or Map) is changed by
selecting _Dives_ at the top left of the screen (see *A* below) and then selecting
the display mode. The display mode can be changed either from the list
of locations or from the map (see *B* below). Upon selecting a location (on the list
or on the map), an editing
panel opens (see *C* below) where the dive description or other details may be changed.
image::images/Companion_4.jpg["FIGURE: Companion App, add location using map",align="center"]
Upon selecting a dive (*not* selecting the check box), the
name given to it, date/time and GPS coordinates are shown with two options at the top
of the screen:
- Edit (pencil): Change the name of the dive location.
- Maps: Display a map showing the dive location.
After editing and saving a dive location (see *C* above),
upload it to the web
service, as explained below.
*Uploading dive locations*
There are several ways to send locations to the server.
The easiest is simply
selecting the locations (See *A* below) and then touching the right arrow at the
top right of the screen.
[icon="images/icons/important.png"]
[IMPORTANT]
Be careful! The trash icon on the right means exactly what it should;
it deletes the selected dive location(s).
image::images/Companion_1.jpg["FIGURE: Screen shots (A-B) of companion app",align="center"]
After a dive trip using the Companion App, all dive locations are ready to be
downloaded to a _Subsurface_ dive log (see below).
*Settings on the Companion App*
Selecting the _Settings_ menu option results in the right hand image above (*B*).
_Server and account_
- _Web-service URL._ This is predefined (http://api.hohndel.org/)
- _User ID._ The DIVERID obtained by registering as described above. The easiest way to
get it is to copy and paste from the confirmation email or just type it in.
_Synchronisation_
- _Synchronize on startup_. If selected, dive locations in the Android device and those
on the web service synchronize each time the app is started.
- _Upload new dives._ If selected, each time the user adds a dive location it is
automatically sent to the server.
_Background service_
Instead of entering an unique dive location, you can leave the service running
in the background, allowing a continuous collection of GPS locations.
The settings below define the behavior of the service:
- _Min duration._ In minutes. The app will try to get a location every X minutes
until stopped by the user.
- _Min distance._ In meters. Minimum distance between two locations.
- _Name template._ The name the app will use when saving the locations.
[icon="images/icons/info.jpg"]
[TIP]
_How does the background service work?_ Assuming the diver sets 5 minutes and 50
meters in the settings above, the app will start by recording a location at the current
location, followed by another one at every 5 minutes *or* every time one moves 50 m
from previous location.
If subsequent locations are within a radius of 50 meters from the previous one,
a new location is not saved. If the diver is not moving, only one location is saved.
If the diver is moving, a trace of the route is obtained by saving a
location every 50 meters.
_Other_
- _Mailing List._ The mail box for _Subsurface_. Users can send an email to the
Subsurface mailing list.
- _Subsurface website._ A link to the URL of Subsurface web
- _Version._ Displays the current version of the Companion App.
_Search_
Search the saved dive locations by name or by date and time.
_Start service_
Starts the _background service_ following the previously defined settings.
_Disconnect_
This is admittedly a badly named option that disconnects the app from the server.
It resets the user ID in the app, showing the first screen where an account
can be created, retrieve the ID for an existing account or use the users own
ID. The _Disconnect_ option
is useful if the Android device was used to download the dive locations
of another registered diver.
_Send all locations_
This option sends all locations stored in the Android device to the server.
[[S_iphone]]
===== Using the Subsurface companion app on an _iPhone_ to record dive locations
The iPhone interface is quite simple. Type the user ID (obtained
during registration) into the space reserved for it, then select "Dive in"
(see left part of the image below) and start collecting dive location information.
image::images/iphone.jpg["FIGURE: Using iPhone companion application",align="center",width=640]
Dives can be added automatically or manually. In manual mode, a dive location or waypoint is added to the GPS input stream. In automatic
mode, a continuous path of GPS locations is created from which,
after import, Subsurface can select the appropriate GPS
locations based on the times of dives. The default mode for the
_iphone_ is automatic. When adding a dive, the
location service is started automatically and a red bar appears at the bottom
of the screen. After the dive, click on the red
bar to end the location service. While the location
service is running you can only add dives manually.
You can edit the site name afterwards by selecting the dive
from the dive list and clicking on the site name. There are no other
editable fields. The dive list is automatically uploaded from the iPhone
to the web service. There is no option to
trigger upload manually.
*Downloading dive locations to the _Subsurface_ divelog*
Download dive(s) from a dive computer or enter them manually into
_Subsurface_ before obtaining the GPS coordinates from the server. The download
dialog can be reached via _Ctrl+G_ or from the _Subsurface_ Main Menu _Import
-> Import GPS data from Subsurface Service_, resulting in the image on the
left (*A*), below. On first use the DIVERID text box is blank. Provide a
DIVERID, then select the _Download_ button to start the download process, after
which the screen on the right (*B*) below appears:
image::images/DownloadGPS.jpg["FIGURE: Downloading Companion app GPS data",align="center"]
Note that the _Apply_ button is now active: selecting it updates the locations
of the newly entered or uploaded dives in _Subsurface_, i.e. it applies the
coordinates and names entered on the app to all the new dives that match the
date-times of the uploaded GPS localities. The names of dive
locations entered within _Subsurface_ (i.e. before downloading the GPS coordinates) have
precedence over downloaded dive locations.
Since _Subsurface_ matches GPS locations from the mobile device and dive information from the
dive computer based on date-time data, automatic assignment of GPS data to dives depends
on agreeing date-time information between the two devices. Although _Subsurface_ has
a wide range tolerance, it may not be able to identify the appropriate dive if there is a
large difference between the time in the dive computer and that of the Android device.
This results in no updates.
Similar date-times may not always be possible and there may be many reasons for this (e.g. time zones).
_Subsurface_ may also be unable to decide which is the correct position for a dive (e.g. on repetitive
dives while running _background service_ there may be several locations that would be
included in the time range that fit not only the first dive, but one or more subsequent dives as well).
A workaround to manually edit the date-time of a dive in the _Subsurface_
Dive List *before* downloading the GPS data and then to change the date-time back again *after*
downloading GPS data.
[icon="images/icons/info.jpg"]
[NOTE]
TIPS:
- _Background service_ may fill the location list with
unnecessary locations that don’t correspond to the exact dive point but do correspond to the boat's route.
Right now, these locations are difficult to delete from the server. In some situations it
is better to clean up the list on the mobile device before sending the dive points to the web
server by simply deleting the inappropriate locations. This might be necessary, for
instance, to keep the location list clear to see dives in the web service map display (see above).
- It may also be useful to give informative names to the locations sent to the web server, or at least
to use an informative name in the _Name Template_ setting while running the _background service_,
especially on a dive trip with many dives and dive locations.
[[S_LoadImage]]
=== Adding photographs or videos to dives
@ -3530,8 +3234,7 @@ In this section also specify appropriate date and time formats for showing dive
=== Network
This panel facilitates communication between _Subsurface_ and data sources on the Internet.
This is important, for instance, when _Subsurface_ needs to communicate with web
services such as Cloud storage, the <<S_Companion,_Subsurface
Companion app_>> or when you want to communicate through a proxy.
services such as Cloud storage, or when you want to communicate through a proxy.
image::images/Pref5_f23.jpg["FIGURE: Preferences Network page",align="center"]
@ -3555,15 +3258,12 @@ from your ISP.
- _Save password locally_: This allows local storage of the cloud storage password. Note that this
information is saved in raw text form, not encoded in any way.
** _Subsurface web service_: When you subscribe to the <<S_Companion,Subsurface web service>>, a very
long and hard-to-remember userID is issued. This is the place to save that userID. By
checking the option _Save User ID locally?_, you ensure a local copy of that userID is saved.
=== Georeference
_Subsurface_ provides a geo-lookup service (that is, given the coordinates of a dive site) derived from
a click on the *Dive Map panel* at the bottom right of the _Subsurface_ window, or from a GPS instrument or
from the _Subsurface_ Companion app). A search on the Internet is done to find
from the _Subsurface-Mobile_ app). A search on the Internet is done to find
the name of the closest known location. This function only works if _Subsurface_ has an
Internet connection. The preference of the dive site name can be configured, e.g. _Country/State/City_
or _City/State/Country_ (see image below).