forked from FOSS/BangleApps
175 lines
6.1 KiB
Markdown
175 lines
6.1 KiB
Markdown
# Waypointer Moto
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Waypointer Moto is a GPS navigation aid intended to be attached to
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the handlebars of a motorcycle.
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It uses the GPS to find out which direction it's
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travelling and shows the direction and distance to the destination
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"as the crow flies". It gives you an indication of where to go,
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but exploring and navigating the environment is left up to the user.
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(Please note that it would be foolish in the extreme to rely on this
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as your only navigation aid! Make sure you read this entire document
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before using the app for navigation so that you know the drawbacks
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and shortcomings.)
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## App usage
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### Main screen
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The main screen shows the direction arrow, the distance to the waypoint,
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and the name of the selected waypoint.
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It also shows the status of the GPS fix in the colour of the arrow:
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* Red: no GPS fix at all
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* Yellow: GPS location, but no GPS course (probably you're moving too slowly);
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in this case the direction of travel comes from the compass bearing instead
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of the GPS course, but note that the compass is unreliable
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* White: GPS fix includes both location and course, and the GPS course is used
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to determine the direction of travel
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### Select a waypoint
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Press the middle button (`BTN2`) to enter the menu, choose a waypoint using
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the up/down arrows, and use the middle button again to select a waypoint and
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return to the main screen.
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### Add a waypoint
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Press the middle button (`BTN2`) to enter the menu, and select the "+ Here"
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option. This will add a waypoint named "WP*n*" marking your current location,
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where "*n*" is the next unused number.
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### Delete a waypoint
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Select a waypoint using the menu. Once the waypoint is selected and you're
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back on the main screen, press either the top or bottom button (`BTN1` or
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`BTN3`), or, on Bangle.js 2, scroll the screen up or down.
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Confirm that you want to delete the waypoint with the middle
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button (`BTN2`).
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## Waypoint editor
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With the Bangle.js app loader connected to the watch, find the
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Waypointer Moto app and click on the floppy disk icon:
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This will load up the waypoint editor:
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### Add a waypoint
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Click on the map to add a waypoint. You'll be prompted to give it
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a name.
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### Edit a waypoint
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Click on the map marker of the waypoint you wish to edit. You
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can then click on the blue pencil icon to edit the name of the
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waypoint. If you want to move the waypoint to a new location then
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you need to delete it and re-add it.
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### Delete a waypoint
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Click on the map marker of the waypoint you wish to delete. You
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can then click on the red bin icon to delete the waypoint.
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### Add a route
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Click on the map to place the first waypoint. The name of the first
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waypoint will become the name of the route.
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Click on the map marker for the new waypoint and click "Make route".
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Now every time you click on the map it will add another point
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on this route. When you're done either right click or click the
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"Close route" button above the map.
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Points along the route don't have names by default, but if you wish
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to add one you can click on the waypoint and use the blue pencil icon
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to give it a name.
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### Delete a route
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Click on the map marker for any point on the route, and select
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"Delete entire route".
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## Mounting the watch on the bike
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There is a 3d-printable "artificial wrist" which will fit over a 7/8"
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handlebar and allow the watch strap to tighten up.
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Alternatively, in a pinch you can strap the watch around a glove or a sponge
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or anything else that will pad out the space so that the watch is a tight
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fit.
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The 3d-printed part should be a snug fit on the handlebar so that it does
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not flop around. If it is too loose, line it with a layer or 2 of tape.
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[Download the handlebar mount STL »](handlebar-mount.stl)
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[Download the handlebar mount FreeCAD source »](handlebar-mount.FCStd)
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## Comparison to Way Pointer
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Compared to the original Way Pointer app, Waypointer Moto:
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* removes the numerical display of compass bearing
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* makes the distance text bigger
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* uses a higher-resolution arrow icon
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* has a visual indication of the GPS status (the arrow colour)
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* uses GPS course instead of compass bearing
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* has OpenStreetMap integration in the waypoint editor
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* uses Bangle.js menus to select waypoints instead of custom UI
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* can add new waypoints from inside the app without requiring a blank slot
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* can delete waypoints from inside the app without needing the PC
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* still uses the same `waypoints.json` file
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* supports "routes" which automatically step from one waypoint to the next
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## Gotchas
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Waypointer Moto derives your current heading from the GPS course
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rather than the compass, whenever GPS course is available.
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The compass bearing is based on the angle the watch is held, but
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the GPS course is based on the direction it's *travelling*. If the
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watch is not aligned with the direction of travel of the vehicle
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then the arrow will not point in the correct direction.
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When travelling too slowly, there is no GPS course information, so the
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app reverts to using the compass (and draws it in yellow), but
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the compass is not very reliable, and I
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have especially found it not to be reliable when placed on a motorcyle,
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maybe because of all the metal in the immediate vicinity. So if
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the arrow is not drawn in white, then you should probably not trust
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it. If you're not sure, just ride in a straight line until the arrow
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turns white again.
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## Possible Future Enhancements
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- some way to manually input coordinates directly on the watch
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- make the text & arrow more legible in direct sunlight
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- integrate a charging connector into the handlebar mount
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- upstream the map integration to the other waypoint apps
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## Acknowledgements
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Waypointer Moto is a project by [James Stanley](https://incoherency.co.uk/). It is a derivative of [Adam Schmalhofer's](https://github.com/adamschmalhofer) Way Pointer app, which is in turn a derivative of
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[jeffmer's](https://github.com/jeffmer/JeffsBangleAppsDev) GPS
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Navigation and Compass Navigation apps.
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