Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- en:help:orientation [2016/03/17 13:42] – psyberia
+++ en:help:orientation [2016/06/12 14:04] – [Compass gives incorrect direction] psyberia
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 <sub>[[en:help|Online Help]] > [[en:help:orientation|Compass]]</sub>
-====== Orientation and Compass ======
-The compass feature uses the magnetic sensor of your device (if available) to give you helpful orientation information.
+====== Orientation & Compass ======
+\\
+The compass feature uses the magnetic sensor of your device (if available) to give you orientation information.
-This feature is composed of a sub-menu providing a fast access to few controls and settings, and a dedicated window with more details and information.
+To turn on the compass, you can either:
-{{ :en:help:orientation:submenu.jpg?nolink}}
-To turn on the compass feature, you can either:
   * Long-press the "**''Compass''**" menu button {{:icon_01.png?nolink}};
   * Click on the sub-menu toggle {{:icon_03.png?nolink}}.
+The "''**Compass**''" menu button {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} color lets you know the current state:
+  * When the icon is white, the "''**Compass**''" is turned off. Long-press the button to turn it on;
+  * When the icon is green, the "''**Compass**''" is turned on. Long-press the button to turn it off.
-===== The sub-menu =====
+{{ :en:help:orientation:compass-submenu.jpg?nolink}}
-Click on the "''**Compass**''" {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} menu button to display the sub-menu, composed of the following items:
+\\
+===== The compass menu =====
+\\
+Click on the "''**Compass**''" {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} menu button to display the compass menu, composed of the following items:
   * The "**''Compass''**" {{:icon_02.png?nolink}} button opens the compass details window;
   * The "**''Compass toggle''**" {{:icon_03.png?nolink}} lets you turn on or off the compass feature easily;
@@ Line 24: / Line 28: @@
 {{:icon_help.png?nolink}} You can un-check both "**''Display compass''**" and "**''Rotate the map''**" check-boxes to display a small current heading arrow {{:icon_09.png?nolink}}.
-{{ :en:help:orientation:on-map-items.jpg?nolink }}
+{{ :en:help:orientation:compass-on-map-items.jpg?nolink }}
+\\
-===== The menu icon =====
+===== The compass view =====
+{{ :en:help:orientation:compass-view.jpg?nolink}}
+\\
+The "**''compass view''**" gives you the following information:
+  * The true (geographic) north direction, pointed by the red arrow {{:icon_01.png?nolink}}.
+  * The **precise heading** arrow {{:icon_02.png?nolink}}, when this one is between -20° and +20°, including mils graduation;
+  * A **pitch and roll** level {{:icon_03.png?nolink}}, helping you to keep the device flat;
+  * The **magnetic declination** at your current location {{:icon_04.png?nolink}}, which is the difference between the magnetic north and the geographic (map) north. The application uses either the last known location of your device if any, or the screen center location. This value is computed each time you activate the compass;
+  * The **direction** {{:icon_05.png?nolink}} to the target, if a location is set as target.
-The "''**Compass**''" menu button {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} color lets you know the current state:
+\\
-  * When the icon is white, the "''**Compass**''" is turned off. Long-press the button to turn it on;
-  * When the icon is green, the "''**Compass**''" is turned on. Long-press the button to turn it off.
+===== The compass settings =====
+\\
+By default, the compass has a moving rose and graduations (the "**''Topochaix''**" style). You can change it to a moving needle and still graduations {{:icon_04.png?nolink}}:
+  * Click on the "**''Settings''**" {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} icon to open the settings dialog;
+  * Click on the style list {{:icon_02.png?nolink}} and select "**''Standard''**";
+  * Click on "**''OK''**" {{:icon_03.png?nolink}} to validate.
-===== The details window =====
+{{ :en:help:orientation:compass-settings-style.jpg?nolink }}
-{{ :en:help:orientation:compass_view.jpg?nolink}}
+\\
+===== Problems with the compass =====
-==== Compass view ====
+==== Compass won't turn on ====
+\\
+If you can't turn the compass on, it means that your device doesn't have a magnetic sensor built in, which is required to get the direction of the north. Recent versions confirm it by displaying this message when trying to turn on the compass:
-The "**''compass view''**" gives you the following information:
+{{ :en:help:orientation:compass-error-sensor.jpg?nolink }}
-  * The true (geographic) north direction, pointed by the red arrow {{:icon_01.png?nolink}}.
-  * The **precise heading** arrow {{:icon_02.png?nolink}}, when this one is between -20° and +20°, including mils graduation;
-  * A **pitch and roll** level {{:icon_03.png?nolink}}, helping you to keep the device flat;
-  * The **magnetic declination** at your current location {{:icon_04.png?nolink}}, which is the difference between the magnetic north and the geographic north. The application uses either the last known location of your device if any, or the screen center location. This value is computed each time you activate the compass;
-  * The **direction** {{:icon_05.png?nolink}} to the target, is a location is set as target.
+Note that you can still use the map rotation using the GPS (if available), from the GPS Location menu.
-==== Compass settings ====
+\\
-By default, the compass has a moving rose and graduations (the "**''Topochaix''**" style). You can change it to a moving needle and still graduations {{:icon_04.png?nolink}}:
+==== Compass gives incorrect direction ====
-  * Click on the compass "**''Settings''**" {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} button to open the settings dialog.
+\\
-  * Click on the compass style list {{:icon_02.png?nolink}} and select "**''Standard''**";
+When using the application compass (just like with mechanical compass), be sure to handle your device in the horizontal position, the screen looking up.
-  * Click on "**''OK''**" {{:icon_03.png?nolink}} to validate.
-{{ :en:help:orientation:compass_settings.jpg?nolink }}
+\\
+=== Compass need to be calibrated ===
+\\
+When you get wrong directions from the compass, you usually just need to calibrate the magnetic sensor. This is fast and easy:
+  * Turn on the compass;
+  * Turn your device in the air in all directions;
+  * Done!
-===== Problems with compass =====
+\\
-==== Compass won't turn on ====
+=== Wrong magnetic declination ===
+\\
+If calibrating the compass doesn't help, or if you see a strange constant offset in the direction, check the magnetic declination {{:icon_01.png?nolink}}. This value corresponds to the difference of angle at your precise location between the magnetic north, given by the magnetic sensor, and the map north, corresponding to the top direction of the map. It's usually just a few degrees, but may be more if you're close from a pole.
-If you can't turn the compass on, it means that your device doesn't have a magnetic sensor built in, which is required to get the direction of the north. Recent versions confirm it by displaying this message when trying to turn on the compass:
+To compute this value, the application needs to know your physical location. It will first try to use the GPS location or the network based location if available, otherwise it will use the location displayed at the center of the map. Most of the time you just need to be sure that the map points your current location to get a correct declination and fix your problem.
-{{ :en:help:orientation:compass-error-sensor.jpg?nolink }}
+However, if you need to get the magnetic north or if you believe that your device already applies the declination offset, you can just turn this computation off:
+  * In the compass view, click on the "**''Settings''**" {{:icon_02.png?nolink}} icon to open the settings dialog;
+  * Click on "**''More''**" {{:icon_03.png?nolink}};
+  * Un-check "**''Compute declination to get true north''**" {{:icon_04.png?nolink}};
+  * Click on "**''OK''**" {{:icon_05.png?nolink}} to validate.
-Note that you can still use the map rotation using the GPS (if available), as explained in the Location section.
+{{ :en:help:orientation:compass-settings-declination.jpg?nolink }}
+\\
+=== Inverted poles ===
+\\
+On some devices, when changing the screen orientation of 180° (jumping to the opposite screen orientation, ie landscape right to landscape left without the intermediate portrait orientation), the compass direction is inverted. Be sure to always select the portrait orientation, even temporarily.