MapRunG - MapRun on a Garmin Watch

[Peter Effeney]

Watches need to be capable of running Apps to run MapRunG.

The definitive list of supported watches is shown in the Garmin ConnectIQ Store at the entry for MapRunG:
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/05fa6a5e-e9e6-4865-8b3b-0b8a3c64eeba

[Si Read]

Trying MapRunG for Garmin Forerunner 235. I currently use MapRunF v4.8.8 and I note MapRunG needs MapRunF v5. I cannot see v5 in the Apple AppStore. Any idea when it will be available?

[Peter Effeney]

MapRunG + MapRunF v5 are in beta testing.

If you would like to do testing of beta software, email the support email address with whether you use iPhone or Android and the email address you use with the relevant store.

Otherwise, I expect the tested/finalised version for release will be out in the next two week.

Peter

[MichaelRaz]

Peter,

Reference the Punching Tolerance issue - thanks for the clarification - I was not seeing consistent functionality but, as it was a bug, that  is understandable.  I'm wondering if you could reconsider the  "always" locked approach and if it could be modified to "if selected by the administrator".  I understand the fact that someone using a really big tolerance is not fair but the majority of our events at this stage are just training courses and we have been suggesting those with poorer GPS devices increase their punching tolerance (and, as you noted, this does not seem to be being abused).  For more formal events/competitions, the admin could select the tolerance setting and lock it.  Just a suggestion

Michael

[Peter Effeney]

OK - I hadn't heard of that use case. Sounds reasonable.

So for published events:
- the default value is 15m and by default it is locked
- the Admin publishing the event, can change the value and can also change whether it is locked (or open to change by individual users).
{Once I make the change to the code that is}

Peter

[Paul Dodd]

Thanks Peter.
Right - with MapRunF 5.0.6 you have 'fixed the bug' so that no user can change the PT to anything other than 15m?

On 4.8.4 it was possible to change the PT within the range 3-50.
I totally agree that the publisher should set the PT for the route (or at least define a sensible range for users) - and agree that 100m would be just crazy on say an urban route. I've done about 5 urban MapRuns and would say 15m works mostly fine.

But, like I've said before 15m here in the forest just doesn't work - and often requires the user to hang about or run back and forth and around in circles for up to 5 minutes to get the app to register the check. I know of some users who have simply given up trying and gone home frustrated.

So, is it now possible for Pat MacLeod (the organizer of all my local mapruns) to set the PT to say 30m or even 50m on 5.0.6 for specific mapruns?

Sorry for any confusion on this issue, but my experience with MapRun indicates that for it to be a viable platform within the forest it must be possible to have a PT of at least 30m and sometimes preferably 50m (in very dense woodland).

[Peter Effeney]

Paul

My last word on this.

It has ALWAYS been possible for the publisher of the event to set the punching tolerance (for MapRunF). Nothing has changed in that regard. This setting applies to MapRunG too.

The preceding discussion was about whether the user can change the setting or not (from whatever value the Admin has set it to).

Peter

[Si Read]

Thanks Peter,

I cannot see the support email address for looking. Would you let me know it and I’ll trial it.

Si

[Mark]

Si,

The details to contact are here.

http://maprunners.weebly.com/contact.html

[PaulBasher]

Hi Peter
fenix 5s, iPhone X (MapRunF 5.0.5 - MapRunG 0.3.1)

Install: Very easy to install, worked first time - just one issue.
When logging into Garmin from MapRunF settings - the screen font size flipped to large several times and I needed to resize frequently at each step of the login. At times the password box became invisible (screenshots available if needed).

Sending event to watch: - worked first time excellent.

Watch specific (font size): On the fenix 5s the information shown can be lost at the edge due to the smaller screen, which I appreciate is a general challenge. For admin - making sure the event name is 18 characters would help. The GPS indicator at the bottom of the screen is slightly to the left and would be fully visible if positioned more to the right, nearer the middle. The Garmin watch running app standard indicator for GPS strength is a coloured ring around the edge of the screen, Red, Amber, Green, it would be brilliant to have the same display for GPS in MapRunG if that was possible.

Quck Test Run/Walk locally:
I carried out a very quick, very short test run/walk locally to pratice before going to the forest.  All worked well except on the running data fields when viewed after having completed - no distance is shown. (appreciate the distance was only .25km)
The full data metrics are uploaded successfully to Garmin Connect. However within the MapRunG Connect IQ data items the time appears to be shown in seconds (I think)shown as 197,000 ( versus 3mins 56 seconds).

Forest Test Event:  
Using MapRunF in the local forest has always been challenging due to GPS issues (even with Phone strapped to my arm) and mobile phone network issues. My watch GPS track has always been much more reliable for results.  MapRunG is a game changer, worked really well in the forest.

Garmin Connect Website
The Connect IQ data items shown in Garmin Connect repeat the name for each one
The following Connect IQ data items have issues.
Time: as mentioned is showing seconds (in my test it showed 3,596,993)
Found: shows the list of controls visited but is shown in one horizontal line that is presented over other data items (probably needs to wrap in the same way as the event name)

Uploading Results:  
All worked as expected.

I think MapRunG is a game changer for forest events

[Mark]

Tried again today and tracking and function worked well.

Instant sending of course to watch.

Was a bit slower at times at registering the controls. I did have to pause for a few seconds at times and then it would register - this does appear to have become more of an issue for me in the recent version. I will however try it again with the every second data collection option switched on and see of that makes a difference.

Sync and sending to the phone was all good. Much quicker than before and I think within 5 mins of finishing I was able to load into MapRun.

All in all, another good and successful experience.

Ps. Love the data that you can get on the screens by sliding across, really good to just be able to glance at HR, Pace, Distance Covered etc.

Device: VivoActiveHR

[Steve1]

My first attempt at setting up on my Fenix 3 (non HR) Garmin watch.
Installed TestFlight and MapRunG OK
Installed MapRunG Connect IQ OK
Following the Quick Guide, step 3 "Use the Settings in MapRunF to turn on Watch Mode and enter the ID of your watch." I thought that meant the watch id found on the watch via settings-system-about." This looks like it works ok, but when you run MapRunG on the watch it gives an error screen of an ConnectIQ logo with an explanation mark and no help.  Suggest you re-word step 3 slightly to tell people to run the app on the watch and it tells you which watch ID to use....?

Once I had the correct watch ID, I uploaded to the watch from the phone and ran the app on my Garmin watch.
It found the course, I went onto my balcony to help the GPS accuracy go from 1 to 4. No watch buttons worked, I pressed the bottom right one and my watch did a reset, displaying Garmin logo. took about 60 seconds to reboot.

Second time tried it, watch app said "goto start" and all seems to be OK. I will test with an actual run tonight...

[Steve1]

Went for a run last night. Still had Brisbane Botanic Gardens course loaded in watch.
Arrived at my designated CP to start anywhere.

Problem 1: started MapRunG on my watch, it wanted me to go to start of the Botanic Gardens. Stopped that event. Restarted MapRunG then used the phone app to send to my Garmin.
Garmin Fenix 3 watch had error - effectively "no event, make sure you've used the right ID, press start/stop to continue." Then when I pressed start/stop I had the choice of retry or "use existing" (or similar). It didn't matter how many times I chose "retry" and then "send to my Garmin" I couldn't get past the error screen on my watch. Eventually i tried "use existing" , my watch would freeze and when I pressed the bottom right button (back) the watch would reset, display the Garmin logo and 30 seconds later would be at the time screen.

Repeat, 3 times.

I finally realised, once the watch restarts I *MUST* "send to my Garmin" on the phone BEFORE I try to run the MapRunG app on the watch @peter - I think the watch app needs an "exit"???

Problem 2: Run towards starting CP, all good, it buzzes and tells me I've got S1. Then I run to first CP, when I arrive no buzz. My buddy Hubertein using her phone, beeps. I look at my watch, it is displaying the Garmin logo and has reset. You can see my Garmin track here https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/5161520829
You'll notice my watch actually stopped tracking less than 30 seconds into the run.

When my watch restarted, it recognised a run was in progress and allowed me to restart, but only as a normal run event (not sure if there is anyway to resume using MapRunG??)

So, I ran back to the start and this time used the app ion normal phone mode and all ok.

Hope this helps Peter.... Is there anything I did wrong?

[Peter Effeney]

Steve,

Thanks for doing the testing... the key issue being the crash.

I've run your track back through the watch emulator to see if I can get to the bottom of this. Of course it works fine in a test setup!!

Anyway, would you mind doing another run sometime... maybe run with both MapRunG and MapRunF operating .. so you are not reliant just on the Fenix 3 for a result. When we catch up (when face-to-face events resume), I might see if I can get some log files off your watch.

All I can put it down to is what my Garmin expert warns re the earlier models of Garmins. From our User Guide:


But, having said that, we have another Beta tester who has had success with their Fenix 3.
Are you able to check that yours has the latest version of Garmin software for the watch too please.

Sorry to hear of the issues.

Peter

[Ian Phillips]

I did 3 small maprun line events today using G and a Fenix 3. I had a few ‘operator errors’ setting the system up and MichaelRaz was a great help advising me. I had inadvertently made a setting error On the GPS software type, thinking the system was to use a bluetooth watch when the setting needed to be phone.
Loading a course to the watch was easy and running it was simple but i had a few issues when retrieving the data. Garmin connect was fine, but i was not able to see the event until i had completely exited G on the watch. In the end, all was fine, just possibly need to define the retrieving instructions a little more. Will be easier for me next time.
A question please? When starting the watch event, i had to use ‘saved’ event. Subject to watch memory, is it possible to save more than one event saved as often in a forest environment, WiFi signal is limited.
Also a few suggestions for course setters:
I ran in an area that has been set up for 3 short sharp line events. I did all 3 runs.
No real issues with G, but I noticed that I picked up controls from other courses when I went near them and this sent my head a bit crazy!! Map controls are numbered 1, 2, etc and ground controls are actually 40, 43, 50 etc. So when I passed a control and my watch pinged and up flashed 43!! I had no idea if it was the one I was after, or one other that I had got a bit near too! As there is no map on the watch, and no control descriptions with control numbers on, I had to hope for the best. Also on G, when you download to the watch, the course name is truncated and all 3 displayed as the same. The only way to tell the difference was the number of controls displayed on the front screen. 1, 2, 3, G, Bl etc. at the start of a description would be very helpful.
I do believe that G will be fantastic on a score event and with careful thought by the planner, will be great on other events. I’m looking forward to using it on a longer line event next weekend.

[MichaelRaz]

Two sprint events today with Fenix 5X and the latest MapRunG CIQ app version.  i also ran with iPhone XS Max in upper arm band.  In general both the watch and iPhone punched within a second of each other.  one exception where the iPhone went off track slightly and missed a control while MapRunG did not!

So, functionally and performance wise, MapRunG worked really well throughout the process of downloading the course, running and uploading the results.  As someone else mentioned, it can take a few minutes for the results to be found on Garmin by MaprunF after the sync but this, I would expect, is out of your hands and minor.

Until mentioned by someone else, I had not noticed the summary on the bottom of the Garmin Connect page and, as noted, the time is in millisecond which likely should be made more user friendly?

Thanks Again Peter for all the hard work.

Side note - as there has been some discussion on the F235, my son has one (passed down from his Mom) and if you need some more testing with this model then he would be willing to do it.  Let us know.

[Si Read]

Perhaps someone can advise, but I can’t get MapRunG to appear on my Garmin Forerunner 235. In IQ Connect it says the app is loaded but it simply doesn’t appear on the watch. I’ve got MapRunF v5. Any ideas how to push it onto the watch? I’ve used the watch ID in the User ID but it has converted it to a negative number, so assuming it is wrong - what should I be putting into this field (in Connect IQ).

[Peter Effeney]

Si

Normally if an App is installed on the FR235:
- press Start
- then press up-arrow - to go through things like Run, Bike, Other
- you should find "Apps" on this list
- select Apps - then up-arrow through your Apps to find MapRunG

You don't need to enter a number in Connect IQ - You use the number given and enter it into MapRunF.
Let me know if I can improve the instructions document on this...

Peter

[Peter Effeney]

Michael,

Thanks for the testing.

We've tested on an FR235 so probably OK at this stage unless he's really wanting to.

Peter

[Peter Effeney]

Ian
Thanks for the testing.

Events:
- If you send the event from MapRunF then open MapRunG on the watch, it will automatically try to get the latest event sent to it.
- If you are offline, there is the option to use the previously received event - but to save memory and keep it simple we only have one event in the watch at any time.

Controls on Other Courses
- When an event is opened by MapRunG (or MapRunF), it only has a table of controls/locations that are contained in the file for this event.

Codes vs Sequence Numbers
- In traditional orienteering - you run to a flag/punch unit and it has a number on it... eg control 120
- If you are on a line course you check your map and decide if 120 is the next control on your course
- MapRunF and G work the same as this
(Unless I am missing the point .. which is possible!!)

Peter