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en:help:orientation [2016/03/17 13:58] psyberiaen:help:orientation [2021/04/23 17:55] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 <sub>[[en:help|Online Help]] > [[en:help:orientation|Compass]]</sub> <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:
- +
-To turn on the compass feature, you can either:+
   * Long-press the "**''Compass''**" menu button {{:icon_01.png?nolink}};   * Long-press the "**''Compass''**" menu button {{:icon_01.png?nolink}};
   * Click on the sub-menu toggle {{:icon_03.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.
  
 {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-submenu.jpg?nolink}} {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-submenu.jpg?nolink}}
  
 +\\
  
-===== The sub-menu ===== +===== The compass menu ===== 
- +\\ 
-Click on the "''**Compass**''" {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} menu button to display the sub-menu, composed of the following items:+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''**" {{: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;   * The "**''Compass toggle''**" {{:icon_03.png?nolink}} lets you turn on or off the compass feature easily;
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 {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-on-map-items.jpg?nolink }} {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-on-map-items.jpg?nolink }}
  
 +\\
  
-===== The menu icon ===== +===== The compass view =====
- +
-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 details window ===== +
 {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-view.jpg?nolink}} {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-view.jpg?nolink}}
- +\\
- +
-==== Compass view ==== +
 The "**''compass view''**" gives you the following information: The "**''compass view''**" gives you the following information:
   * The true (geographic) north direction, pointed by the red arrow {{:icon_01.png?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;   * 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;   * 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 **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, is a location is set as target.+  * The **direction** {{:icon_05.png?nolink}} to the target, if a location is set as target.
  
 +\\
  
-==== Compass settings ==== +===== 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}}: 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 compass "**''Settings''**" {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} button to open the settings dialog. +  * Click on the "**''Settings''**" {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} icon to open the settings dialog; 
-  * Click on the compass style list {{:icon_02.png?nolink}} and select "**''Standard''**";+  * Click on the style list {{:icon_02.png?nolink}} and select "**''Standard''**";
   * Click on "**''OK''**" {{:icon_03.png?nolink}} to validate.   * Click on "**''OK''**" {{:icon_03.png?nolink}} to validate.
  
 {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-settings-style.jpg?nolink }} {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-settings-style.jpg?nolink }}
  
 +\\
  
-===== Problems with compass ===== +===== Problems with the compass ===== 
- +\\ 
- +**Compass won't turn on**\\
-==== 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: +
 {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-error-sensor.jpg?nolink }} {{ :en:help:orientation:compass-error-sensor.jpg?nolink }}
 +If you can't turn on the compass, it means that your device doesn't have a built-in magnetic sensor, which is required to get the direction of the north. Recent versions of the application display this message when this case occurs:\\
 +Note that you can still use the map rotation using the GPS (if available), from the [[en:help:geolocation|Positioning]] menu.
  
-Note that you can still use the map rotation using the GPS (if available), from the GPS Location menu+**Compass gives incorrect direction**\\ 
- +When using the application compass (just like with mechanical compass), be sure to handle your device in the horizontal position, the screen facing the sky.\\ 
- +If you still get wrong directionit usually means that the magnetic sensor needs to be calibrated. This is fast and easy:
-==== Compass give incorrect direction ==== +
- +
-When you get wrong directions from the compassyou usually just need to calibrate the magnetic sensor. This is fast and easy:+
   * Turn on the compass;   * Turn on the compass;
-  * Turn your device in the air in all directions;+  * Rotate your device in the air in all directions;
   * Done!   * Done!
 +{{ :en:help:orientation:problems-declination.jpg?nolink}}
 +
 +**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}}. As explained above, the application needs to know your approximate current location to compute a valid magnetic declination. Most of the time you just need to be sure that the map points your current location to fix your problem.\\
 +If you still believe the computed declination is incorrect or already applied by your device, you can turn off this computation as explained in the settings sections.
  
-If it doesn't helpor if you see a strange offset in the direction, check the magnetic declination. This value corresponds to the difference of angle at your precise location between the magnetic northgiven by the magnetic sensorand the map north, corresponding to the top direction of the map. It's usually just a few degreesbut may be more if you're close from the poles.+**Inverted poles**\\ 
 +On some deviceswhen changing the screen orientation of 180° (jumping to the opposite screen orientationie landscape right to landscape left without the intermediate portrait orientation), the compass direction is inverted. Be sure to always select the portrait orientationeven temporarily.
  
-To compute this valuethe application needs to know your physical locationIt will first try to use your GPS location or network based location is known, otherwise it will use the location displayed at the center of the mapMost of the timeyou just need to be sure that the map points your current location to get correct declination and fix your issue.+**Sensor issues**\\ 
 +In addition to the magnetic sensoryour device may use other sensors to compute a precise and noiseless north directionSome sensors may not work or may not be as reliable as expected on some devices and some may be wrongly reported as availableIn some caseschanging the default orientation computation method may provide better accuracy.
  
-However, if you need to get the magnetic declination or if you believe that your device already apply the declination correction, you can just turn this computation off in the app:+To do so: 
 +  * Tap on the ''"**Settings**"'' {{:icon_01.png?nolink}} icon to open the settings dialog; 
 +  * Tap on ''"**More**"'' {{:icon_02.png?nolink}}; 
 +  * Tap on the currently used ''"**Sensor**"'' {{:icon_03.png?nolink}} and choose another one; 
 +  * Tap on ''"**Ok**"'' {{:icon_04.png?nolink}}.
  
 +The list of available sensors depends on the device and system version, but usually contains:
 +  * ''"**ROTATION_VECTOR**"'' which uses the ''"**magnetometer**"'', the ''"**accelerometer**"'' and the ''"**gyroscope**"'' sensors. When available, it usually provides the more precise value;
 +  * ''"**MAGNETIC_FIELD**"'' which uses the ''"**magnetometer**"'' and the ''"**accelerometer**"'' sensors;
 +  * ''"**ORIENTATION**"'' which uses a device-dependent internal computation.
  
 +{{ :en:help:orientation:problems-sensor.jpg?nolink }}