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authorGravatar Dirk Hohndel <dirk@hohndel.org>2016-09-04 09:48:57 -0700
committerGravatar Dirk Hohndel <dirk@hohndel.org>2016-09-04 09:53:24 -0700
commit3f78283895bd13d63beb99fbc255bb38f4362d53 (patch)
tree495f389cad080d3b5d4bdd4016f5b4ae8cf46501 /Documentation/mobile-manual.txt
parent4938a7a10f2e86bfd3a439996dc491fb881a0a38 (diff)
downloadsubsurface-3f78283895bd13d63beb99fbc255bb38f4362d53.tar.gz
Update Subsurface-mobile manual
Correctly differentiate Android and iOS features. Adapt style to be generally in the second person. Signed-off-by: Dirk Hohndel <dirk@hohndel.org>
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/mobile-manual.txt')
-rw-r--r--Documentation/mobile-manual.txt178
1 files changed, 93 insertions, 85 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/mobile-manual.txt b/Documentation/mobile-manual.txt
index 2e2327ea5..458c704ea 100644
--- a/Documentation/mobile-manual.txt
+++ b/Documentation/mobile-manual.txt
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
// Subsurface-mobile User Manual
// =============================
// :author: Manual authors: Willem Ferguson, Dirk Hohndel
-// :revnumber: 1.0
-// :revdate: March 2016
+// :revnumber: 1.1
+// :revdate: September 2016
:icons:
:toc:
:toc-placement: manual
@@ -11,53 +11,53 @@
image::mobile-images/banner.jpg["Banner",align="center"]
-[big]#Subsurface-mobile for Android: USER MANUAL#
+[big]#Subsurface-mobile USER MANUAL#
*Manual author*: Willem Ferguson
toc::[]
-[blue]#_Version 1.0, March 2016_#
+[blue]#_Version 1.1, September 2016_#
Welcome as a user of _Subsurface_, advanced dive logging software 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, Linux (many
-distributions) and Android (iOS under development). In addition, _Subsurface_ is
+distributions), Android and iOS. In addition, _Subsurface_ is
open-source software that allows downloading dive
information from most dive computers.
Introducing Subsurface-mobile
-----------------------------
-_Subsurface-mobile_ is an extension of _Subsurface_ on laptop and
-tabletop computers. It runs on Android smartphone and tablet devices and is a
+_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 where a larger
-computer is not useful. _Subsurface-mobile_ also allows
-the gathering of GPS locations where dives are performed.
+computer is not useful. _Subsurface-mobile_ for Android also allows
+the gathering of GPS locations where dives are performed
+(Subsurface-mobile for iOS currently does not support GPS functionality).
-Because of the restrictions of iOS, _Subsurface-mobile_ for iOS does not have
-all the features of the same app for Android.
-
-While _Subsurface-mobile_ allows one to enter and save dive information
-using an Android device, users of _Subsurface-mobile_ typically use the
+_Subsurface-mobile_ allows you to enter and save dive information
+using a mobile device. Most users of _Subsurface-mobile_ typically use the
mobile app as an extension to the laptop/desktop version of _Subsurface_.
This allows the storage of dive logs on the Internet sharing them
-between the Android and the desktop versions.
+between the mobile and the desktop versions. But _Subsurface-mobile_ can
+be used independently of _Subsurface_ and does not require the use of
+cloud storage.
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_ allows one to:
+_Subsurface-mobile_ allows you to:
- Download existing dive log information from the Internet.
- View this information on a mobile device.
- Edit many of the dive log data fields, e.g. divemaster, buddy,
equipment or notes about a dive.
-- Manually create and add new dive records to one's dive log.
-- Store the updated dive log on the Internet.
-- Record, store and apply GPS positions of dives.
+- Manually create and add new dive records to your dive log.
+- Store the updated dive log in the _Subsurface_ cloud storage.
+- Record, store and apply GPS positions of dives (Android only).
- View the localities of recorded GPS positions and of dives
on a map.
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ _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
+== Installing _Subsurface-mobile_ on your mobile device
-Find _Subsurface-mobile_ in the _Google
-Play Store_. Search for _Subsurface-mobile_ and install it.
+Find _Subsurface-mobile_ in the _Google Play Store_ or the _iTunes Store_
+and install it.
== Using _Subsurface-mobile_ for the first time
@@ -82,14 +82,18 @@ may take several seconds. After loading, the _Cloud Credentials screen_ appears
Select whether _Subsurface-mobile_ should access the Internet for dive log information.
-=== When NOT Using Internet access
-If the striked-out cloud icon is selected, the app will not access the Internet
+=== When NOT Using Cloud Storage
+Tap the striked-out cloud icon. The app will not access the _Subsurface_
+cloud storage server
to obtain dive log information. This means that dive log information is manually
entered and stored on the mobile device only.
-=== Using Internet access
-Since _Subsurface_ is largely dependent on a dive log saved on the Internet,
-provide a PIN for access to the _Subsurface Cloud_, obtained in one of two ways:
+=== Using Cloud Storage
+In order to use the _Subsurface_ cloud storage, an account on the cloud
+server is required. If you have already set up an account from the
+_Subsurface_ desktop application, enter the credentials here.
+
+You can also create a new account from your mobile device.
==== Using the desktop version of _Subsurface_:
@@ -98,15 +102,15 @@ click _File -> Preferences -> Network_, explained in detail in the
https://subsurface-divelog.org/documentation/subsurface-4-user-manual/#\_create_a_cloud_storage_account[user
manual for the _Subsurface_ desktop version]. Once the account has
been created and verified using the desktop version,
-_Subsurface_ desktop alows one to download dive information from dive computers and store this
+_Subsurface_ desktop alows you to download dive information from dive computers and store this
on the cloud which can, in turn, be downloaded to _Subsurface-mobile_. _Subsurface-mobile_
attempts to download the existing dive log from the _Subsurface_ cloud
server. Appropriate messages are shown onscreen. Finally a list of dives is shown.
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
+copy on the mobile device. This means that even if there is no Internet connection
+at a dive site, you can still access the local copy and view and manipulate
dive information. If there is Internet connectivity, _Subsurface-mobile_ accesses
the cloud-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
@@ -131,17 +135,10 @@ e-mail address provided.
3) Enter the PIN into the field indicated and tap the _Save_ icon again. The user
information is stored on the cloud server and access to the cloud is enabled.
-4) The dive list is initially empty. One can now start entering dives in the dive
-log or one can download existing dives from the cloud.
+4) The dive list is initially empty. You can now start entering dives in the dive
+log or you can download existing dives from your _Subsurface_ cloud
+storage account.
-The text box to enter the PIN is shown whenever the e-mail address field is empty.
-One can create a new cloud account by clearing the e-mail address and typing a new
-e-mail address, upon which a new PIN is sent to the newly-provided e-mail address.
-On the other hand, one can change to a different existing cloud account by providing an
-e-mail address and password already registered with the cloud server (image on right, above)
-
-Once Internet access has been enabled, one can temporarily disable this service when
-using _Subsurface-mobile_ in areas with no Internet access, e.g. remote dive sites (see below)
== A Few Remarks About The User Interface
@@ -153,13 +150,17 @@ button for "cancel", "discard" or "back" actions. For example, when
editing dive information, tapping the action button saves the changes while the
Android back button can be used to cancel the edit without saving changes.
+On iOS devices, on screens where a "back" action is enabled, a back arrow
+is shown in the top left corner of the screen.
+
image::mobile-images/actionbutton.jpg["FIGURE: Action Button",align="center"]
-Instead of the more traditional "hamburger" menu button in the top left or
-right corner of the screen to open menus, _Subsurface-mobile_ uses a
+In order to have a consistent experience between iOS and Android,
+_Subsurface-mobile_ on Android does not use the traditional "hamburger"
+menu button in the top left or right corner of the screen to open menus.
+Instead, _Subsurface-mobile_ uses a
different user interaction philosophy based on the Kirigami framework
-developed by the Plasma developers. To open the main menu one has
-three options:
+developed by the Plasma developers. There are three ways to open the main menu:
- Tap the "hamburger" symbol in the lower left corner of the screen
(easy to reach for hand held devices)
@@ -171,45 +172,52 @@ image::mobile-images/menu.jpg["FIGURE: Dive management subpanel",align="center"]
The images above indicate some of the important features of the menu system.
On the left is the main menu that is activated as described above. In the middle is
-the menu that opens if one taps the _GPS_ option on the main menu. On the right is
-the menu that opens if one taps the _Manage Dives_ option on the main menu.
+the menu that opens if you tap the _GPS_ option on the main menu. On the right is
+the menu that opens if you tap the _Manage Dives_ option on the main menu.
+
+All screenshots in this user manual are currently from the Android
+version. As indicated earlier, the iOS version currently doesn't support
+_GPS_ features.
== Viewing 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 (see image on left, below). Once the list is loaded one can scroll up and down.
+being accessed (see image on left, below). Once the list is loaded you can scroll up and down.
Tapping a dive on the list brings up a display of _Details View_ for that dive (see image on right below).
This includes the dive profile as well as additional information and notes.
image::mobile-images/DiveList.jpg["FIGURE: Dive list screen",align="center"]
-One can view other dives by swiping the _Details view_ to the right (for the
+You can view other dives by swiping the _Details view_ to the right (for the
previous dive) or to the left (following dive).
Using the Action Bar, it is also possible to delete the dive (tap the dustbin
on the Action Bar) or to view the dive
-location on a map viewer (normally Google Maps; tap the GPS icon on the Action Bar.).
+location on a map viewer (Google Maps on Android, the Google Maps web site
+on iOS; tap the GPS icon on the Action Bar.).
== Editing dive details
At the bottom of the dive details screen the _Action Button_ contains a pencil (image on right, above).
-Tapping the button brings up a panel with edit boxes that allows one to
+Tapping the pencil button brings up a panel with edit boxes that allows you 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_ action button. Tap this to save
the new information. Having saved the data, 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
+swipe the edit screen up (fling it away).
image::mobile-images/EditDive.jpg["FIGURE: Dive edit screen",align="center"]
== Adding a new dive to the dive list
-It is also possible to manually add an additional dive to the existing dive list. On the
-main menu tap _Manage dives -> Add dive manually_. This opens a screen that is
-identical to the editing screen discussed above. When a dive is added manually, one
-cannot directly add a dive profile from a dive computer. However, if one does not use a
+You can manually add a dive to the existing dive list. On the dive list
+tap the "plus" sign in the _Action Button_, or use the
+main menu and tap _Manage dives -> Add dive manually_. This opens a screen that is
+identical to the editing screen discussed above. When a dive is added manually, you
+cannot directly add a dive profile from a dive computer. However, if you do not use a
dive computer, the duration, depth and several other bits of information about
the new dive can be entered. The _Action button_ at the bottom of the screen
contains a disk symbol. Tap this to save the new dive. To cancel any edits, tap the Android Back Button.
@@ -221,13 +229,13 @@ image::mobile-images/ManuallyEnterDive.jpg["FIGURE: Manual dive entry screen",al
== Deleting a dive
The _Details View_ of a dive has an Action Bar, including a dustbin. If this is tapped,
-the dive shown in the _Details View_ is deleted. One has a brief opportunity to undo
+the dive shown in the _Details View_ is deleted. You have a brief opportunity to undo
the delete by tapping the grey _Undo_ button in the message that appears at the bottom of
the screen (see image below).
image::mobile-images/Delete_undo.jpg["FIGURE: Undo delete dive",align="center"]
-One can also delete a dive from the dive list by long-pressing a specific dive
+You can also delete a dive from the dive list by long-pressing a specific dive
until a red dustbin appears on the right-hand side (see image below). Tap the dustbin. The dive is
deleted without asking any confirmation because _Subsurface-mobile_ assumes that the
combination of a long tap on the dive with another tap on the red dustbin is an unambiguous
@@ -243,54 +251,53 @@ This provides security against loss or damage to the dive information contained
the dive log and allows the desktop version of _Subsurface_ to
access changes made using the mobile device. This ability is accessed
through the main menu (by dragging the Action Button to the right, or
-alternatively tap the "Hamburger" icon at the bottom left of the screen).
+alternatively tappping the "Hamburger" icon at the bottom left of the screen).
Tap the option _Manage dives_, enabling a number of options:
=== Add new dive manually
This is described above under the section dealing with the dive list.
-=== Upload dive log to the _Subsurface_ cloud storage
+=== Sync the dive log with the _Subsurface_ cloud storage
-One can upload the dives contained on the mobile device
+You can upload the dives contained on the mobile device
to the _Subsurface_ cloud storage by tapping the option _Manual sync with coud_.
This synchronizes the local changes to
-the dive log with the cloud storage.
-
-=== Download dive log from the cloud storage
-
-In the dive management subpanel, tap the option _Manual sync with cloud_, causing
-the local divelog to be refreshed from the cloud so that the cloud
-and local versions are synchronised.
+the dive log with the cloud storage. It also downloads changes made on
+another device or computer and stored in cloud storage.
-=== Working offline
+=== Working offline or online
-Sometimes one wishes to use the app when an Internet connection is not available,
-for instance at remote dive sites. In such a case _Subsurface-mobile_ may
-unnecesarily search for an Internet connection, causing long delays in
-executing some functions. In the dive management menu, one can turn the
-Internet access on or off by tapping the _Offline mode_ or _Enable auto cloud sync_ options.
+By default _Subsurface-mobile_ runs offline and only syncs the dive list
+with cloud storage when explicily told to do so (see above).
+You can choose to always sync with the cloud servers after every
+modification of the dive list. This is not recommended unless you are in
+an area with fast and reliable internet connection, as otherwise
+_Subsurface-mobile_ might appear to hang between operations as it tries to
+connect to the cloud server.
=== Changing the login credentials on the _Subsurface_ cloud
-It may be necessary to change one's login credentials, for instance if one's email
-address (initially used as a credential) has changed. To change the credentials,
+If you need to change your login credentials (for example to work with
+multiple accounts) you can
open the main menu and tap _Cloud credentials_. This opens the setup screen
for specifying new credentials.
-== Recording dive locations using GPS.
+== Recording dive locations using GPS (Android only).
-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
+The fact that most smartphones have GPS facilities allows
+_Subsurface-mobile_ on Android to record
+the locations of dives. You can take the smartphone on the dive boat
during a dive and 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:
=== Setting up the GPS
Open the main menu and tap _GPS -> Preferences_. Now specify the way
-in which GPS data need to be automatically collected (image on right, below). One can specify that
-data are collected at regular intervals, e.g. every 10 minutes, or at regular
+in which GPS data need to be automatically collected (image on right,
+below). You 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_ action button. The program is now ready to collect GPS positions.
@@ -303,8 +310,8 @@ Ensure that the GPS on the Android device has been activated. At the bottom
of the GPS submenu is a check box _Run location service_ (image on left, 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
+following the preferences specified as described above. After return from
+the dive trip you can deactivate the collection of GPS data by de-activating
the same check box at the bottom of the main menu.
=== Storing the GPS data on the _Subsurface_ cloud
@@ -317,7 +324,8 @@ Android device, independent of whether they have been uploaded or not.
=== Downloading GPS data from the _Subsurface_ cloud
-Download the GPS data that have been saved on the cloud by
+Download the GPS data that have been saved on the cloud (possibly by a
+different device) by
selecting _Download GPS Data_ from the GPS subpanel.
=== Viewing GPS data
@@ -325,7 +333,7 @@ selecting _Download GPS Data_ from the GPS subpanel.
From the GPS submenu (image on left, above) select _Show GPS fixes_. This brings
up a list of GPS positions obtained using the location service (image
on left, 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 on left, below) and
+you tap the handle (the three horisontal stripes on the right, see image on left, 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
@@ -337,7 +345,7 @@ 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 _Subsurface_ cloud, one can apply the GPS positions to
+been downloaded from the _Subsurface_ cloud, you can apply the GPS positions to
these dives. GPS positions can therefore only be applied to dives in the dive list.
From the GPS subpanel, tap _GPS-tag dives_. The dive list contains the start
and end times of each dive. Now, _Subsurface-mobile_ applies the first