subsurface/Documentation/mobile-manual.txt
Dirk Hohndel 04f3a6f8d5 Rewrite the Subsurface-mobile user manual
This brings the text closer to the current version of Subsurface-mobile,
but a lot more fine tuning will be required (and of course the images need
to be updated to reflect the current UI).

Signed-off-by: Dirk Hohndel <dirk@hohndel.org>
2016-03-04 11:38:01 -08:00

292 lines
13 KiB
Text

// Subsurface-mobile User Manual
// =============================
// :author: Manual authors: Jacco van Koll, Dirk Hohndel, Reinout Hoornweg,
// Linus Torvalds, Miika Turkia, Amit Chaudhuri, Jan Schubert, Willem
// Ferguson, Salvador Cuñat, Pedro Neves
// :revnumber: 4.5
// :revdate: October 2015
:icons:
:toc:
:toc-placement: manual
:numbered:
// :website: http://subsurface-divelog.org
image::mobile-images/banner.jpg["Banner",align="center"]
[big]#Subsurface-mobile for Android: USER MANUAL#
*Manual author*: Willem Ferguson
toc::[]
[blue]#_Beta release, March 2016_#
IMPORTANT: For this BETA release it is critical that users report any problems
with the use of the mobile software. After all, one of the objectives
of a beta release is to distribute the software to a broader circle
of users using different Android devices and configurations in order to
iron out any bugs, errors or inconsistencies. Please report
such issues by email to subsurface@subsurface-divelog.org
Welcome as a user of _Subsurface_, an advanced dive logging program for
desktop and laptop computers with
extensive infrastructure to describe, organize, interpret and print scuba
and free dives. _Subsurface_ offers many advantages over other similar
software solutions, including compatibility with Windows, Mac-OS/X, and Linux (many
distributions). _Subsurface_ allows downloading dive
information from most dive computers. _Subsurface_ software is open-source.
Introducing Subsurface-mobile
-----------------------------
_Subsurface-mobile_ is an extension of _Subsurface_ which runs on Android
smartphone and tablet devices and is a tool for viewing or sharing dive
information at dive sites. It also allows
the gathering of GPS locations where dives are performed.
A version of _Subsurface-mobile_ for iOS is under development but not yet
ready for testing.
While _Subsurface-mobile_ allows you to enter and save dive information
on a mobile device, at this point it is designed as
an extension of the laptop/desktop version of _Subsurface_.
To make this possible, you need to store your dive logs in the
_Subsurface_ cloud storage on the Internet, which then makes it possible
to share the dive log between the Android version and the desktop version.
While the desktop version of _Subsurface_ shows much more detailed information
for each dive, the mobile version allows you to have a more accessible dive log
on a dive trip, useful for proving dive experience to dive shops or to review
previous dives.
_Subsurface-mobile_ allows you to:
- Download existing dive log information from _Subsurface_ cloud storage.
- View this information on an mobile device.
- Edit many of the dive log data fields, e.g. divemaster, buddy,
equipment or notes about a dive.
- Manually add new dive records to your dive log.
- Store the updated dive log in the Subsurface cloud.
- Record, store and apply GPS positions of dives.
- View the localities of recorded GPS positions and of dives
on a map.
These items are discussed in greater detail in the following text.
What _Subsurface-mobile_ does not support (at this time) is downloading
dive data directly from a dive computer. That still has to happen with
_Subsurface_ on a desktop or laptop computer. We are investigating ways
to support downloading from a subset of the supported dive computers on
Android devices, but this is not yet ready for testing.
== Installing _Subsurface-mobile_ on an Android device
Install _Subsurface-mobile_ from the Google
Play Store. Search for _Subsurface-mobile_ and install it.
For the Beta version you still need to opt-in to the beta test at
https://play.google.com/apps/testing/org.subsurfacedivelog.mobile
This will no longer be necessary once the first release has been published
to the play store.
== Using _Subsurface-mobile_ for the first time
Upon starting _Subsurface-mobile_ for the first time, a Subsurface
splash screen is shown while the program loads. This
may take several seconds. After loading, the _landing screen_ appears
(see image on left, below).
image::mobile-images/landingscreen.jpg["FIGURE: Mobile landing screen",align="center"]
Since _Subsurface-mobile_ is largely dependent on a dive log saved in the
_Subsurface_ cloud storage, the first step is connecting to your cloud
storage. Please note that you need to set up your cloud cloud storage
credentials from the full _Subsurface_ application on your desktop or
laptop. Only once the account has been created and verified from there
will you be able to use _Subsurface-mobile_.
Enter the email address and password that you used when creating your
_Subsurface_ cloud storage account. To make it easier to type in the
password correctly, you can make it visible by checking the corresponding
box.
Checking the
check box labelled "Remember" allows _Susburface-mobile_ to keep the
credentials for subsequent logins (see image on right, above).
Having entered the credentials, tap the "Save" button and the bottom of
the screen.
_Subsurface-mobile_ attempts to download the existing dive log from the
_Subsurface_ cloud storage. Appropriate messages are shown onscreen. Finally
a list of dives are shown (image on left, below).
== Local copy of the dive log and synchronisation with Internet
Once the dive
list has been downloaded from the Internet, _Subsurface-mobile_ keeps a local
copy on the mobile device. This means that, if there is no Internet connection
at a dive site, one can still access the local copy and view and manipulate
dive information. If there is Internet connectivity, _Subsurface-mobile_ accesses
the Internet-based dive log to verify that the local copy is still the
same as the Internet-stored copy. If not, the local copy and the copy on
the server are synchronised.
== A Few Remarks About The User Interface
Instead of the more traditional "hamburger" menu button in the top left or
right corner of the screen to open menues, _Subsurface-mobile_ uses a
different user interaction philosophy based on the Kirigami framework
developed by the Plasme developers. In order to open the main menu you
have three options:
- Tap on the right angle symbol in the lower left corner of the screen
(easy to reach when holding your device in your hand)
- Swipe across the left edge of the screen from the outside
- Drag the action button visible on most screens with the main action to
the right
Similarly, the context menu (only available on a few screens) can be
opened one of these three ways:
- Tap on the left angle symbol in the lower right corner of the screen
- Swipe across the right edge of the screen from the outside
- Drag the action button to the left
== The Action Button
At the bottom of of most Subsurface-mobile screens is a round button that provides
the main, affirmative action. On Android devices, use the Android Back
button for "cancel", "discard" or "back" actions. For example, when
editing dive information, tapping the action button saves the changes, the
Android back button can be used to cancel the edit without saving changes.
== Viewing the Dive List
Most of the actions of _Subsurface-mobile_ center around the dives on the
dive list. One can scroll up and down the dive list. Tapping a dive on
the list brings up a display of _Details View_ for that dive.
This includes the dive profile as well as additional information and notes
(see image on right, below).
One can view other dives by swiping the _Details view_ to the right (for the
previous dive) or to the left (following dive).
image::mobile-images/divelist.jpg["FIGURE: Dive list screen",align="center"]
== Editing dive details.
At the bottom of the screen an _Action Button_
allows aditional actions with respect to a dive that is being shown. In the
details screen (image on right, above) the action button shows a pencil.
Tapping the button brings up a panel with edit boxes that allows one to
change the existing dive information, e.g. adding text to the dive notes
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" button. Tap this to save
the new information. Having saved the data, the dive list screen is
shown. To cancel any edits, tap the Android Back Button.
image::mobile-images/editdive.jpg["FIGURE: Dive edit screen",align="center"]
== Dive log management
A central part of _Subsurface-mobile_ is the ability to store the dive
log in the _Subsurface_ cloud storage.
This provides security against loss or damage to the dive information caintained in a local copy of
the dive log and allows to access any changes made on the mobile device
from _Subsurface_ on your desktop or laptop. This ability is accessed
throug the main menu. Drag the Action Button to the right, or
alternatively tap the right angle button at the bottom left of the screen.
This brings up the Action Panel (image on left, below). Tap the option "Manage dives" (image below in middle).
=== Upload dive log to the _Subsurface_ cloud storage
You can simply upload the dives contained on the mobile device
to the _Subsurface_ cloud storage by tapping the option "Upload to cloud".
This synchronizes the local changes to
the dive log with the cloud storage.
=== Download dive log from the Internet
In the dive management subpanel, tap the option "Refresh" (image below in middle). This causes
the local divelog to be refreshed from the cloud so that the Internet and local versions are synchronised.
image::mobile-images/managedive.jpg["FIGURE: Dive management subpanel",align="center"]
=== Add dive manually
Dives can easily be entered by hand. This allows one to describe a dive and add it to the dive log.
In the dive management subpanel tap "Add dive manually". The edit screen opens (image above on right).
Fill in all the appropriate information, then tap the "Save" button at the bottom of the screen.
The dive is then saved as part of the dive log. In the
details dive view, a profile of the dive is created.
== Recording dive locations using GPS.
The fact that most smartphones have GPS facilities allows one to record
the locations of dives. One can take the smartphone on the dive boat
during a dive and locations will be automatically recorded at regular intervals.
=== Setting up the GPS
Drag the Action Button to the right. This brings up the Action Panel (image
on left, above). Select "Preferences". Now specify the way
in which GPS data need to be automatically collected (image on left, below). One can specify that
data are collected at regular intervals, e.g. every 10 minutes, or at regular
distances, e.g. after the boat has moved more than 200m, or a combination of
both of the above approaches. Provide the appropriate information and
tap the "Save" button. The program is now ready to collect GPS positions.
image::mobile-images/gpssetup.jpg["FIGURE: GPS setup screen",align="center"]
=== Collecting GPS positions
Ensure that the GPS on the Android device has been activated. At the bottom
of the Action Panel is a check box "Run location service" (image on right, above).
Check this box
and _Subsurface-mobile_ starts to collect GPS locations automatically,
following the preferences specified as described above. After
the dive one can deactivate the collection of GPS data by de-activating
the same check box at the bottom of the Action Panel.
=== Storing the GPS data
Activate the Action Panel (image on right, above) by drawing the Action Button to the right.
Select the "GPS" option that brings up a submenu of GPS-related actions
(image on left, below). Tap "Upload GPS data" that saves the GPS data
on the _Subsurface_ Internet server. These GPS data are saved separately
from the other dive log data. All collected GPS data are kept on the
Android device, independent of whether they have been uploaded or not.
=== Viewing GPS data
From the GPS submenu (image on left, below) select "Show GPS fixes". This brings
up a list of GPS positions obtained using the location service (image
in middle, below). Two actions are possible for each of the locations, enabled if
one taps the handle (the three horisontal stripes on the right, see image in middle, below) and
then drags the specific item to the left (image on right, below). This exposes two
options. Tapping the dustbin deletes this particular GPS location. Tapping the
teardrop-shaped icon (actually a Google Maps pin) opens up Google Maps with a pin
indicating the exact map position of the record being viewed. The two above
options can be hidden by drawing the GPS record to the right, again using the handle.
== Saving GPS positions on the Internet
One can save the collected GPS data on the Internet by
selecting "Upload GPS Data" from the GPS submanu (Image on left, below).
=== Downloading GPS data from the Internet
One can download the GPS data that have been saved on the Internet by
selecting "Download GPS Data" from the GPS subpanel (Image on left, below).
image::mobile-images/gpsmanagement.jpg["FIGURE: GPS management",align="center"]
=== Applying GPS data to dives in the dive log
Assuming that all the dives have been entered into the dive log or have
been downloaded from the Internet, one can apply the GPS positions to
these dives. GPS positions can therefore only be applied to dives in the dive log.
From the GPS subpanel, tap "Apply GPS fixes" (image on left, above). The dive log contains the start
and end times of each dive. Now, _Subsurface-mobile_ applies the first
GPS position that falls within the dive period of each dive. This results
in a GPS position for each dive that is saved as part of the dive log.