TrailRunner 2.1v467 -- Synchronizing your diary
17.11.09 19:56 Filed in: Technology
The reason I write this blog entry is that many user request a possibility to sync the diary between two computers.
As you might already know, TrailRunner stores all vital information within your home directories Application Support folder
With TrailRunner 2.1v467 and above, you can sync your TrailRunner data using dropbox. To do so, follow these steps:
- Download and install dropbox.
- By default, the dropbox application creates a new folder in your home directtory called Dropbox.
- Open this folder and make sure that a folder named Documents exists within. If not, create it with the exact spelling.
- Now go to: [yourhome]/Library/Application Support/
- Within, find the folder named TrailRunner and move this into the aforementioned Documents folder.
Next time you start up TrailRunner 2.1v467 and above, the application will check on if your home directory contains the following folder:
[yourhome]/Dropbox/Documents/TrailRunner/
If that's the case, TrailRunner will access this location instead of the default Library/Application Support location
Sidenote: To make this practical, TrailRunner 2.1v467 will move your local cached map tiles out of the Library/Application Support folder into the Library/Caches folder. This heavily reduces the load on your 2GB free storage at dropbox.com
> www.dropbox.com
> Download TrailRunner 2.1v467
|
TopOSM -- topografic maps for Massachusetts, USA
03.10.09 10:19 Filed in: Technology
Vidar pointed me to this beautiful map source that — unfortuanetly — is limited to Massachusetts, USA. The map is an interesting montage of several layers and data sources Lars Ahlzen has accomplished.
If you choose the openStreetMap as your background map in TrailRunner and view the area covered by this map server, TrailRunner now uses this source.
Read more about this project:
> What is TopOSM
> TopOSM online viever
iPhone on the hike -- Battery Extender
23.09.09 00:16 Filed in: Gossip
> Mophie Juice Pack Case…
Tracks, Trails, Routes, Workouts, Laps, Courses, WTF
15.09.09 18:21 Filed in: Conceptual
„TrailRunner is powerful but at the same time can be confusing for first time users.”
This is what I hear from many users. The typical learning curve goes from prejudices on how things should work to misunderstandings on what is actually going on to understanding and loving TrailRunner or bailing out for something else.
This all rotates around the difference between a track, workout, diary entry, route and the network of tracks.
And to be honest, I know this problem and I am constantly trying to make things easier to understand.
In fact TrailRunner is three applications in one. TrailRunner is
- an activity journal
- a mapping application to maintain a network of tracks
- a route planning application
So whenever you import something into TrailRunner, your intentions might go into either direction. And interestingly this even shifts over time — as new users with new devices stumble upon TrailRunner.
Probably the following "glossary" might help understanding what TrailRunner is about and what the application can do for you — whenever you drop data into it:
Track
A track is a list of geographic points with GPS coordinates. Within the real world a track describes the path from e.g. one sign-post of a hiking trail to the next. Each sign-post representing a crossing that connects to other tracks. Within the context of such a way or street, a track contains no timing or heartrate information. It's only where, not when and how.
Network of Tracks
One big feature in TrailRunner is to build and maintain a network of tracks. That is much like the lines of streets, roads, ways, trails and pathes printed on maps. The difference is that your network of tracks is your personal collection. A collection that represents the paths you actually run or cycle on, masking everything else out that you dislike or haven't strolled along yet.
Route
Within this network of tracks you have routes. A route is more or less a sequence of tracks. One important thing is that within a route, if you go back and forth a track, this track is part of the route twice. This is the most problematic part as simple GPS recordings never have this kind of conceptual differentiation. So I reject the idea that a route and a track should be the same thing. They could appear as — in the degenerate case where a route is being made of one track being used only once within the route. But that is just a special case — although typical in activity tracking applications that just import GPS data points and visualize them.
Workout
The biggest similarity between what others call a track is what I call in TrailRunner a workout. Garmin calls this an activity but I dislike this term as it fits better to being a diary entry. But back to the difference between tracks and workouts: If a recording contains data points with values like heart-rate, cadence and calories, it's not a track. It's a sequence of training session data-points and therefore it is a workout. For this reason TrailRunner generally distinguishes between routes and workouts. Routes belong to geographic data, workouts belong to performance over time or distance. A workout and a route can be connected to each other if they follow the same geographic course, but must not.
TrailRunner even offers features to merge a workout with the course of a route. That's important for training devices that can track distances but not GPS locations (e.g. the Apple Nike+ iPod Sensor)
Summary: The different faces of a track
To sum this all up, a track can have the following faces:
If the track contains a series of geographic points without timing information, then it's a track within your network of tracks.
If the track contains additional timing information, then it's the course of a route containing the single track or a sequence of tracks.
If the track contains timing information and values like heartrate, cadence etc., then it's a workout.
Import of a track
Whenever you import a track into TrailRunner, the importer shows you the course of the track in the map part of the main window. Then in the lower part of the importer you can decide if the workout face of the track should be attached to a new diary entry.
Then below that you have options to add a route to your list of routes that is based on the course face of the track. If you choose the option to import as one piece then one long track is added to your network of tracks along with a new route that contains this single track as it's course. If you choose any of the other options, TrailRunner will merge the track into the network of tracks, splitting the track into smaller tracks and joining all similar sub-tracks with existing tracks. One important fact now is that the resulting route will be made of a sequence of tracks that describe the almost identical course as the original recording but complementing your network of tracks.
But most importand of all is: your imported track can go a split way. If you choose the diary and the merge way, you actually have two items deriving from one source but being independent after the import:
- The workout became an immutable one-time recording being stored in the diary.
- The route and your extensions to your network of tracks are mutable.
On tracks you can apply operations like move, split and join affecting the routes that use these within their sequence.
On routes you can change the sequence of tracks they should follow during their course.
But in the end you can create and modify routes to match your plans and use an exported course as a basis for your orientation — while taking your gear out and burning some calories. What you then record can be imported as a new workout into TrailRunner.
Map
To complement this all, a map within TrailRunner is just pixels. A background image you see beneath your network of tracks and a hint for your orientation and manual creation of new tracks. The lines drawn on a map are not part of your network of tracks unless you add them by re-drawing them using the track-tool or by adding GPS recordings that followed the same geographic course of the "line".
The only difference comes with openStreetMap. The openStreetMap map source is a pixel representation of the openStreetMap track network. For this reason it is recommended that when you are using openStreetMap for routing (streets tab) you should also use the openStreetMap map source as your backound maps. As both then perfectly match.
Further Reading
After reading the above, please revisit the following tutorials.
> About TrailRunner feature slide-show
> Import and Edit Tracks Tutorial
> Mastering Track Merge Tutorial
If you still have questions, remarks or suggestions — I do listen! Just write me. Either here, in the forum, on twitter or classic email.
This is what I hear from many users. The typical learning curve goes from prejudices on how things should work to misunderstandings on what is actually going on to understanding and loving TrailRunner or bailing out for something else.
This all rotates around the difference between a track, workout, diary entry, route and the network of tracks.
And to be honest, I know this problem and I am constantly trying to make things easier to understand.
In fact TrailRunner is three applications in one. TrailRunner is
- an activity journal
- a mapping application to maintain a network of tracks
- a route planning application
So whenever you import something into TrailRunner, your intentions might go into either direction. And interestingly this even shifts over time — as new users with new devices stumble upon TrailRunner.
Probably the following "glossary" might help understanding what TrailRunner is about and what the application can do for you — whenever you drop data into it:
Track
A track is a list of geographic points with GPS coordinates. Within the real world a track describes the path from e.g. one sign-post of a hiking trail to the next. Each sign-post representing a crossing that connects to other tracks. Within the context of such a way or street, a track contains no timing or heartrate information. It's only where, not when and how.
Network of Tracks
One big feature in TrailRunner is to build and maintain a network of tracks. That is much like the lines of streets, roads, ways, trails and pathes printed on maps. The difference is that your network of tracks is your personal collection. A collection that represents the paths you actually run or cycle on, masking everything else out that you dislike or haven't strolled along yet.
Route
Within this network of tracks you have routes. A route is more or less a sequence of tracks. One important thing is that within a route, if you go back and forth a track, this track is part of the route twice. This is the most problematic part as simple GPS recordings never have this kind of conceptual differentiation. So I reject the idea that a route and a track should be the same thing. They could appear as — in the degenerate case where a route is being made of one track being used only once within the route. But that is just a special case — although typical in activity tracking applications that just import GPS data points and visualize them.
Workout
The biggest similarity between what others call a track is what I call in TrailRunner a workout. Garmin calls this an activity but I dislike this term as it fits better to being a diary entry. But back to the difference between tracks and workouts: If a recording contains data points with values like heart-rate, cadence and calories, it's not a track. It's a sequence of training session data-points and therefore it is a workout. For this reason TrailRunner generally distinguishes between routes and workouts. Routes belong to geographic data, workouts belong to performance over time or distance. A workout and a route can be connected to each other if they follow the same geographic course, but must not.
TrailRunner even offers features to merge a workout with the course of a route. That's important for training devices that can track distances but not GPS locations (e.g. the Apple Nike+ iPod Sensor)
Summary: The different faces of a track
To sum this all up, a track can have the following faces:
If the track contains a series of geographic points without timing information, then it's a track within your network of tracks.
If the track contains additional timing information, then it's the course of a route containing the single track or a sequence of tracks.
If the track contains timing information and values like heartrate, cadence etc., then it's a workout.
Import of a track
Whenever you import a track into TrailRunner, the importer shows you the course of the track in the map part of the main window. Then in the lower part of the importer you can decide if the workout face of the track should be attached to a new diary entry.
Then below that you have options to add a route to your list of routes that is based on the course face of the track. If you choose the option to import as one piece then one long track is added to your network of tracks along with a new route that contains this single track as it's course. If you choose any of the other options, TrailRunner will merge the track into the network of tracks, splitting the track into smaller tracks and joining all similar sub-tracks with existing tracks. One important fact now is that the resulting route will be made of a sequence of tracks that describe the almost identical course as the original recording but complementing your network of tracks.
But most importand of all is: your imported track can go a split way. If you choose the diary and the merge way, you actually have two items deriving from one source but being independent after the import:
- The workout became an immutable one-time recording being stored in the diary.
- The route and your extensions to your network of tracks are mutable.
On tracks you can apply operations like move, split and join affecting the routes that use these within their sequence.
On routes you can change the sequence of tracks they should follow during their course.
But in the end you can create and modify routes to match your plans and use an exported course as a basis for your orientation — while taking your gear out and burning some calories. What you then record can be imported as a new workout into TrailRunner.
Map
To complement this all, a map within TrailRunner is just pixels. A background image you see beneath your network of tracks and a hint for your orientation and manual creation of new tracks. The lines drawn on a map are not part of your network of tracks unless you add them by re-drawing them using the track-tool or by adding GPS recordings that followed the same geographic course of the "line".
The only difference comes with openStreetMap. The openStreetMap map source is a pixel representation of the openStreetMap track network. For this reason it is recommended that when you are using openStreetMap for routing (streets tab) you should also use the openStreetMap map source as your backound maps. As both then perfectly match.
Further Reading
After reading the above, please revisit the following tutorials.
> About TrailRunner feature slide-show
> Import and Edit Tracks Tutorial
> Mastering Track Merge Tutorial
If you still have questions, remarks or suggestions — I do listen! Just write me. Either here, in the forum, on twitter or classic email.
TrailRunner 2.1 -- Diary, Trim and iPhone
11.09.09 14:12 Filed in: Features
From my pont of view, TrailRunner 2.1 is done. The new release migrates your diary into a modern database format, fixes several bugs and adds compatibility to Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Below the most important changes and extensions:
Diary
For better performance and for future extensions I rewrote the diary storage. Diaries are now based on a sport kind like running or biking.
So in future versions diaries can have different parameters for calculations.
TrailRunner 2.1 will already honor speed units like distance per hour or minutes per distance for sport kinds and also will calculate calories with a different formula.
This migration should solve many startup performance problems and will keep your mac responsive even with very large diaries.
Trimming workouts and Tracks
I do not know why I did not add this earlier but you can now trim workouts to be imported and routes within the map. Trimming means that everything from the edge up to and including the selection will be removed.
The screenshot shows a workout to be imported. You can either select something in the graph and then hit the backspace key or you open the track editor and use the Trim Selection command.
Update: You can now even remove data points in the middle of a track. There’s a new tutorial available explaining all operations available (Tutorials > Import and edit Tracks)
Improved Importers
TrailRunner 2.1 can now import Lap information from LoadMyTracks gpx files. Also GPX files are being loaded much faster due to an asynchronous decoding. Same goes for large tcx files you drag onto the TrailRunner application icon or main window.
The workout importer for non GPS workouts (the one that shows a list of routes below) now also displays a target diary selection menu.
Improved Map Speed
Though I highly recommend to remove any duplicate tracks within your map by following the instructions in the Mastering Track Merge tutorial, performance can be pretty bad with many long tracks on your map. In TrailRunner 2.1 I am testing a new display caching approach and have found results to be very good. Scrolling on my machine went up from 24fps to up to 60fps. But in most cases you should get 2x.
Other Improvements
Workout Graph: Added a Preferences option to change the interval resolution for the graph view. (TrailRunner > Preferences > Advanced)
General UI: Added a two finger zoom gesture for modern MacBook trackpads.
Local Route Editor: Added a drag over track to be included rerouting where there was only a drag to way-point rerouting before.
Streets Route Editor: Improved the OSM routing for very long route calculations.
Route Import: Added EveryTrail.com as an import source
Weblog publish: I removed the private and public comment approach as it caused some trouble in the past. When you publish your weblog, all notes will be published.
Export preserves timing: When you export tracks in TrailRunner, the original timing information will be preserved. This makes it posible to read data from your device and then later use an export for geo-tagging.
Route Filtering: The main window search field now filters for routes that contain the given search string in either their name or in the name of any way-point they come across. For example: say a route has a name of biking and goes over a waypoint called ruin, then a search term of ru will find this route. To filter on way-point names only, whith this example just enter wp:ru into the search field. To filter on route-names only, enter rte:ru into the search field.
Before you install TrailRunner 2.1
As TrailRunner uses a new diary store, you should better make a backup of your old.
All data in TrailRunner is being stored within the following folder on your Mac:
< yourhome >/Library/Application Support/TrailRunner/
You old diary was stored in RunLog.xml
When the new version starts up, it will migrate your old diary entries into the new diary. The new file is named ActivityStore.sqlite
A backup of your old diary will be copied to Archive/RunLog;4.xml for if there’s a problem with the migration. You can always move this file back and rename it to RunLog.xml
Please note that even after the migration was done, a much smaller RunLog.xml will stay in place, as it still contains some legacy data. So should you require to migrate back, just delete this file.
Important note: You can not use TrailRunner 2.0 at the same time as TrailRunner 2.1 as after the migration the diary will appear to be be empty on 2.0
Jump on the TrailRunner 2.1 track
TrailRunner 2.1 has its own app-cast so if you download the version below, you will be notified on updates.
> Download TrailRunner 2.1
> Import and Edit Tracks Tutorial
> Mastering Track Merge Tutorial
Please give feedback in case you have any trouble with the migration or other stuff.
Have fun,
- berbie.
Diary
So in future versions diaries can have different parameters for calculations.
TrailRunner 2.1 will already honor speed units like distance per hour or minutes per distance for sport kinds and also will calculate calories with a different formula.
This migration should solve many startup performance problems and will keep your mac responsive even with very large diaries.
Trimming workouts and Tracks
I do not know why I did not add this earlier but you can now trim workouts to be imported and routes within the map. Trimming means that everything from the edge up to and including the selection will be removed.
The screenshot shows a workout to be imported. You can either select something in the graph and then hit the backspace key or you open the track editor and use the Trim Selection command.
Update: You can now even remove data points in the middle of a track. There’s a new tutorial available explaining all operations available (Tutorials > Import and edit Tracks)
Improved Importers
TrailRunner 2.1 can now import Lap information from LoadMyTracks gpx files. Also GPX files are being loaded much faster due to an asynchronous decoding. Same goes for large tcx files you drag onto the TrailRunner application icon or main window.
The workout importer for non GPS workouts (the one that shows a list of routes below) now also displays a target diary selection menu.
Improved Map Speed
Though I highly recommend to remove any duplicate tracks within your map by following the instructions in the Mastering Track Merge tutorial, performance can be pretty bad with many long tracks on your map. In TrailRunner 2.1 I am testing a new display caching approach and have found results to be very good. Scrolling on my machine went up from 24fps to up to 60fps. But in most cases you should get 2x.
Other Improvements
General UI: Added a two finger zoom gesture for modern MacBook trackpads.
Local Route Editor: Added a drag over track to be included rerouting where there was only a drag to way-point rerouting before.
Streets Route Editor: Improved the OSM routing for very long route calculations.
Route Import: Added EveryTrail.com as an import source
Weblog publish: I removed the private and public comment approach as it caused some trouble in the past. When you publish your weblog, all notes will be published.
Export preserves timing: When you export tracks in TrailRunner, the original timing information will be preserved. This makes it posible to read data from your device and then later use an export for geo-tagging.
Route Filtering: The main window search field now filters for routes that contain the given search string in either their name or in the name of any way-point they come across. For example: say a route has a name of biking and goes over a waypoint called ruin, then a search term of ru will find this route. To filter on way-point names only, whith this example just enter wp:ru into the search field. To filter on route-names only, enter rte:ru into the search field.
Before you install TrailRunner 2.1
As TrailRunner uses a new diary store, you should better make a backup of your old.
All data in TrailRunner is being stored within the following folder on your Mac:
< yourhome >/Library/Application Support/TrailRunner/
You old diary was stored in RunLog.xml
When the new version starts up, it will migrate your old diary entries into the new diary. The new file is named ActivityStore.sqlite
A backup of your old diary will be copied to Archive/RunLog;4.xml for if there’s a problem with the migration. You can always move this file back and rename it to RunLog.xml
Please note that even after the migration was done, a much smaller RunLog.xml will stay in place, as it still contains some legacy data. So should you require to migrate back, just delete this file.
Important note: You can not use TrailRunner 2.0 at the same time as TrailRunner 2.1 as after the migration the diary will appear to be be empty on 2.0
Jump on the TrailRunner 2.1 track
TrailRunner 2.1 has its own app-cast so if you download the version below, you will be notified on updates.
> Download TrailRunner 2.1
> Import and Edit Tracks Tutorial
> Mastering Track Merge Tutorial
Please give feedback in case you have any trouble with the migration or other stuff.
Have fun,
- berbie.
RaceBunny 1.0 -- Mobile TrailRunner GPS Companion
09.09.09 09:34 Filed in: Features
RaceBunny uses the new iPhone 3.0 build in maps and can record tracks. You can even send route courses to RaceBunny from within TrailRunner and follow the carrot symbol as it moves before your nose. Before you send a route course to RaceBunny, you can set a target speed.
RaceBunny works best with the iPhone 3G and requires TrailRunner 2.1
To exchange data between TrailRunner and RaceBunny a domestic WiFi connection is being required.
RaceBunny uses the Build in iPhone OS 3.0 Maps requiring an internet connection to update the background map.
To use RaceBunny, follow these steps in a recent build of TrailRunner 2.1:
Go to Preferences > Synchronize and set RaceBunny as the iPhone partner application.
In the main document window, press the iPhone icon and select the send tab in the left pane. Start RaceBunny on the iPhone and press the send button in TrailRunner. The selected route should now be available in the list of routes within RaceBunny.
To receive tracks from RaceBunny, switch the iPhone tab in TrailRunner to Import.
Send a selected route in RaceBunny and TrailRunner should display it.
Download RaceBunny for free from the app store:
Where do TrailRunners live?
08.09.09 22:26 Filed in: Gossip
As one might expect, the TrailRunner community is very international. Thanks to google, I can present you a Geo Map Overlay for TrailRunners, a graphical representation of the volume of visitors coming from locations around the world. The darkest spots indicate locations driving the most visitors to the TrailRunner website.
Interestingly most of my visitors come from Europe, but why is that so? Americans, put your shoes on…!
TrailRunner 2.0 -- Have a mobile training Coach
27.07.09 18:34 Filed in: Features
321Run is an iPhone coach for running. Learn to run more efficient, lose weight, increase your speed and get prepared for competitions. The app follows your runs with the GPS of your iPhone and records your run stats and tracks. You can then send these recordings over to TrailRunner.
The cool features of 321run are
- Record your workout
- Listen to how far you've gone and the duration of your training.
- Set yourself goals and reach them during your workout.
- Setup and follow Training plans
Find out more about 321run:
- Features
- Screenshots
- 321run in the AppStore
TrailRunner 2.0 -- Routing and Communities
16.05.09 15:49 Filed in: Features
TrailRunner 2.0 is out, please find below what has changed in this new milestone release:
Community route exchange
The Route exchange with GPSies.com, one of the world biggest routing portals, is now grouped in one management panel.
Added a Hiking, Running and Biking filter to the GPSies route import.
Routing service and route editor and elevation download
Added routing service based on the Cloudmade/OpenStreetMap trail network.
The route editor for routes based on the personal track network was rewritten from ground up.
Elevation data for routes is now automatically being loaded from an internet service
Overall usability improvements
A new route management tool was added to the editing controls toolbar.
Download: TrailRunner 2.0
Community route exchange
The Route exchange with GPSies.com, one of the world biggest routing portals, is now grouped in one management panel.
Added a Hiking, Running and Biking filter to the GPSies route import.
Routing service and route editor and elevation download
Added routing service based on the Cloudmade/OpenStreetMap trail network.
The route editor for routes based on the personal track network was rewritten from ground up.
Elevation data for routes is now automatically being loaded from an internet service
Overall usability improvements
A new route management tool was added to the editing controls toolbar.
Download: TrailRunner 2.0
TrailRunner 1.9.1 - Laps and Diaries
05.04.09 22:50 Filed in: Features
TrailRunner 1.9.1 is out.
Please read below, what the new features the new release has to offer. Thanks for everyone sending me bug reports and feedback.
Diary Assignment
In previous versions of TrailRunner it was not possible to assign imported workouts to diaries (if you have added more than one diary in TrailRunner > Preferences > Personal)
Now when you import a workout, you can choose what diary the diary entry for the workout should go into.
(Please also note that in the main diary window you can add an optional column “Diary” to move entries between diaries )
Laps Import and display
TrailRunner now imports lap information from your Garmin fitness device. As a side effect, TrailRunner displays average and maximum values stored in the device and does not calculate these if values are available.
Route Sharing
Another improvement now the handling for sharing routes. Press the routes button in the main windows control bar to display the route sharing download and upload panes. You now can easily switch between both modes. As this is a feature for sharing, please do not forget to upload your own favorites to GPSies.com
Please read below, what the new features the new release has to offer. Thanks for everyone sending me bug reports and feedback.
Diary Assignment
In previous versions of TrailRunner it was not possible to assign imported workouts to diaries (if you have added more than one diary in TrailRunner > Preferences > Personal)
Now when you import a workout, you can choose what diary the diary entry for the workout should go into.
(Please also note that in the main diary window you can add an optional column “Diary” to move entries between diaries )
Laps Import and display
TrailRunner now imports lap information from your Garmin fitness device. As a side effect, TrailRunner displays average and maximum values stored in the device and does not calculate these if values are available.
Route Sharing
Another improvement now the handling for sharing routes. Press the routes button in the main windows control bar to display the route sharing download and upload panes. You now can easily switch between both modes. As this is a feature for sharing, please do not forget to upload your own favorites to GPSies.com
Supported Fitness Devices
15.03.09 00:18 Filed in: Technology
TrailRunner directly and indirectly supports several workout recording devices. As it’s very time consuming to directly support fitness devices, I decided to interface with dedicated helper applications that do a much better job than I could do on my own. Go to the TrailRunner application preferences to set the synchonisation for your supported fitness device.
Apple Nike+ iPod Sport Kit, Nike+ SportBand
Direct import of workout data when you attach your iPod as a volume and press the Apple+Nike toolbar icon
Direct import from a nikeplus.com account
Garmin ForeRunner 201/301/305, Edge 205/305/605/705
Import by using Garmin Training Center as the synchronization helper.
To send courses to your fitness device use the helper application LoadMyTracks.
Garmin ForeRunner 50 and 405
Direct import of TCX files by using the helper application Garmin ANT+ Agent for Mac OS X.
Polar RS200, RS200sd, CS200, CS200cad or F6 heart rate monitor
Import by using TrackRecord as the synchronization helper using the Mac's built-in microphone, iSight or an external microphone.
Other Supported GPS Devices
LoadMyTracks can communicatie with most classical GPS devices like all Garmin, Magellan or even TomTom devices.
MacTravelRecorder can export GPX files from GPS mouses like the iBlue.
Apple Nike+ iPod Sport Kit, Nike+ SportBand
Garmin ForeRunner 201/301/305, Edge 205/305/605/705
To send courses to your fitness device use the helper application LoadMyTracks.
Garmin ForeRunner 50 and 405
Polar RS200, RS200sd, CS200, CS200cad or F6 heart rate monitor
Other Supported GPS Devices
MacTravelRecorder can export GPX files from GPS mouses like the iBlue.
TrailRunner 1.9 - Garmin ANT Importer
25.02.09 22:53 Filed in: Features
TrailRunner can now directly import Garmin ForeRunner 50 and Garmin ForeRunner 405 workouts via the Garmin ANT importer. This works as follows:
Open the application preferences and select the Garmin ANT Agent as your helper application.
Open the application preferences and select the Garmin ANT Agent as your helper application.
Press the Import Button in the main windows toolbar and follow the steps described there.
Check the workouts you want to import either as a diary entry or (if available) as a route.
Excellent Certificate - findmysoft.com
10.02.09 00:39 Filed in: Gossip
Garmin ANT Agent for Mac OS X
09.02.09 23:15 Filed in: Technology
Just if you did not hear this already, the Garmin ANT driver for Mac OS X is out. I haven’t checked this out enough much yet but at least you now can upload an activity to Garmin Connect without firing up your PC emulation. (Thanks David for the hint)
> Download
Look Ma' to GTC
08.02.09 23:49 Filed in: Technology
GPSBabel is a free software for GPS data conversion and transfer. As Garmin Training Center for Mac is not supported any more, you can use GPSBabel as an alternative way to send your fitness data to TrailRunner. To send your ForeRunner workout data to TrailRunner, follow these steps:
Download GPSBabel
> Go to http://www.gpsbabel.org
> Go to Download
> Scroll down and download the current GPSBabel+ dmg Package for Mac OS X
The package contains two applications, gpsbabel and GPSBabel+.app
In your applications Folder, create a new folder named GPSBabel
Move the two apps into that folder.
Download and install the TrailRunner support script
> open http://www.trailrunnerx.com/SendToTrailRunner.app.zip
> Move the application SendToTrailRunner.app to the same GPSBabel folder as above
Send workout data from your ForeRunner to TrailRunner
> Connect your ForeRunner with your USB port.
> Double click the SendToTrailRunner.app
GPSBabel should now download your stored fitness data and open the TrailRunner Workout import.
If you get an error message, unplug and pug your ForeRunner with your USB port.
Please note that GPSBabel will download raw fitness data from your ForeRunner and TrailRunner has to calculate all average, maximum and calorie values. This will almost always differ from the devices values as Garmin does some fancy mathematics almost impossible to reproduce by just using the raw workout data. (see FAQ on this)
DTK Maps - Cutting Edge
03.02.09 08:49 Filed in: Technology
The funny thing in this picture is that I thought the left map was originally a scanned paper map and the right map was a digital vector map. That could still be true but as you can see with the word "Kläranlage" in the middle of the maps, the word is perfectly aligned on both sources.
Looks like god even planned the locations for clarification plants when he created the world.
TrailRunner 1.9 - Calling Trails
24.01.09 00:48 Filed in: Features
Trails is the only GPS iPhone app that allows you to record, import and export tracks onto your iPhone. Trails is an iTunes Staff Favorite!
Record maps while hiking, on bike trips or while jogging directly on your iPhone. Easily import tracks and follow hikes of others!
This is how it works:
Download Trails
Transfer Routes
An importer pane will open on the left hand side of the main window. Follow the steps described there.
On your iPhone, open Trails and select a recorded track. Press Export and press the TrailRunner button as depicted below.
TrailRunner and Trails will detect each other automagically and the selected track will be transfered to TrailRunner. The course of the track will be depicted immediately in TrailRunner.
After the course was received in TrailRunner you’ll see the regular workout import pane you might already know. Choose any of the import options and probably add a diary entry for this recording.
As of this writing both application versions are not yet available to the public
> Trails Website
How to lose 200 pounds in a year - TrailRunner featured at LifeHacker.com
22.01.09 21:35 Filed in: Gossip
If you're not keen on the web-based route, the Mac-only TrailRunner is an incredible desktop application that tackles many of the same features with a quick and very attractive interface. TrailRunner even integrates with Nike+ iPod, Google Earth, and your GPS (though MapMyRun does GPS, too).
About: Lifehacker digs deep into the technoweb to publish totally life-altering tips and tricks for managing your life. Its readers are avid consumers of software programs, hardware gadgets, and “life hacks” that make their days more efficient, whether at work or at home. Updated over 24 times per weekday, Lifehacker is a bustling, authoritative hub for both pupils and professionals of productivity.
iSchweinehund - c't Magazin 03/2009
18.01.09 01:06 Filed in: Gossip
„TrailRunner liefert nicht nur einen virtuellen Trainingspartner, sondern macht auch als GPS-Track-Editor für Amateur-Kartographen eine gute Figur“.
I liked that they wrote me in advance to cross read the article and gave me a chance to make remarks. They even did send me a copy of the issue for my records.
The issue will be out by Monday, January 19th.
Import maps.google directions
17.01.09 00:46 Filed in: Technology
Klaus from GPSies.com wrote another cool trick in his weblog. Meaning you can plan a route in maps.google.com and import the course into TrailRunner. To do so, just follow these steps:
Goto maps.google.com and use the Get Directions tab to plan your course.
Click the Link to this page link.
In the Paste link in email or IM edit field, append &output=kml to the end of the url (with no blank inbetween)
Copy the whole URL and paste it into the address bar. Press the return key.
A kml file will now download. Drag the maps.kml file onto TrailRunner or the main window. The course importer will open.
How cool.
Goto maps.google.com and use the Get Directions tab to plan your course.
Click the Link to this page link.
In the Paste link in email or IM edit field, append &output=kml to the end of the url (with no blank inbetween)
Copy the whole URL and paste it into the address bar. Press the return key.
A kml file will now download. Drag the maps.kml file onto TrailRunner or the main window. The course importer will open.
How cool.
TrailRunner 1.9 - Work in Progress
23.12.08 22:13 Filed in: Features
I got a bit quiet on the support front because I am very busy with TrailRunner 1.9
Within this release I am re-factoring a lot of very old code to have a better migration path to 2.0 and later releases. Currently in the works:
Route and Network Merge -- This now really works. The most complex part of TrailRunner is now much faster and supports full undo for all operations.
Intermediate Tracks -- Already introduced in 1.8 the algorithm is now capable to merge tracks and calculate an intermediate path. This is being done weighted meaning the more often you run a track course and intermediate-merge the recordings, the more accurate the elevation profile will get over time.
Other parts I am working on are still hidden or unused so nothing to talk about at the moment.
In case you would like to become a beta tester, please subscribe to MacDeveloper.net (see post below) I’ll post a first release soon.
Happy Christmas and enjoy the holidays.
- berbie.
Within this release I am re-factoring a lot of very old code to have a better migration path to 2.0 and later releases. Currently in the works:
Route and Network Merge -- This now really works. The most complex part of TrailRunner is now much faster and supports full undo for all operations.
Intermediate Tracks -- Already introduced in 1.8 the algorithm is now capable to merge tracks and calculate an intermediate path. This is being done weighted meaning the more often you run a track course and intermediate-merge the recordings, the more accurate the elevation profile will get over time.
Other parts I am working on are still hidden or unused so nothing to talk about at the moment.
In case you would like to become a beta tester, please subscribe to MacDeveloper.net (see post below) I’ll post a first release soon.
Happy Christmas and enjoy the holidays.
- berbie.
Heartrate zones
23.12.08 22:03 Filed in: Features
Due to another bugfix I was working on the workout graph and so added heart-rate zones
It might get rather philosophical on what heart rate ranges the different zones are defined. I decided on the following:
In green the Energy Efficient or Recovery Zone, up to 60% of you maximum heart-rate to develop a basic endurance and aerobic capacity.
In orange the Aerobic Zone, 60% up to 75% of your maximum heart-rate. Will develop your cardiovascular system.
In red the Anaerobic Zone, 85% up to 90% of your maximum heart-rate. Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system.
It might get rather philosophical on what heart rate ranges the different zones are defined. I decided on the following:
In green the Energy Efficient or Recovery Zone, up to 60% of you maximum heart-rate to develop a basic endurance and aerobic capacity.
In orange the Aerobic Zone, 60% up to 75% of your maximum heart-rate. Will develop your cardiovascular system.
In red the Anaerobic Zone, 85% up to 90% of your maximum heart-rate. Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system.
MacDeveloper - Filing TrailRunner Bugs And Feature Requests
05.12.08 23:49 Filed in: Features
TrailRunner is now part of the MacDeveloper Testing Network.
“MacDeveloper helps companies and individual software developers alike improve the quality of their products by providing a platform to have their applications properly tested from a well informed, and energetic Beta Pool. It’s an opt-in service for testers who love what the Mac community offers and genuinely want to test.”
Because MacDeveloper uses a clean and structured interface to sort, comment and file bugs and feature requests I would suggest that everyone wanting to become a beta tester for TrailRunner subscribes to the Testing Network.
But — as always — you can still contact me directly if you have any questions or general feedback. MacDeveloper is just another good way to communicate with me.
Enjoy the holidays…
> MacDeveloper
Slam it! - an iPhone game
26.11.08 09:22 Filed in: Gossip
The other days I was sitting together with some friends and thought about a fun iPhone app. Well, as one thing came to another we decided use the accelerometer in the iPhone and iPod touch to detect if someone has slammed on the table and to point out who’s going to pay the next round.
And here’s the outcome, a 0,79 Euro App in the AppStore:
“Slam it!” is a fun way to draw sticks, have a shoot-out, find a random winner. Having a kids’ birthday and want to find a team captain? Need to determine who’s paying the next round? Who will be the designated driver? Which poor soul in your shared flat will do the dishes? Don’t just agree on it or, god forbid, command it – no, slam it!
Put your iPhone or iPod touch on a table or desk. Gather the participants around your precious and have them select a playing field by placing a finger on the screen. (Explain to them this is the only circumstance under which you’ll let their greedy paws touch it!) Once everyone lifts their finger, the spinner will start.
Now here’s the twist: While the spinner will eventually decelerate and randomly point out a winner (or loser!) you can influence fate by slamming on the table. When you do so, the spin-down will start and select the loser not so randomly...
“Slam it!” can be played in two game modes (Protect Yourself and Last Player Wins) and comes with three themes to choose from.
Have fun!
> Website
> AppStore
And here’s the outcome, a 0,79 Euro App in the AppStore:
Put your iPhone or iPod touch on a table or desk. Gather the participants around your precious and have them select a playing field by placing a finger on the screen. (Explain to them this is the only circumstance under which you’ll let their greedy paws touch it!) Once everyone lifts their finger, the spinner will start.
Now here’s the twist: While the spinner will eventually decelerate and randomly point out a winner (or loser!) you can influence fate by slamming on the table. When you do so, the spin-down will start and select the loser not so randomly...
“Slam it!” can be played in two game modes (Protect Yourself and Last Player Wins) and comes with three themes to choose from.
Have fun!
> Website
> AppStore
Detailed Bike maps from opencyclemap.org
15.11.08 00:01 Filed in: Maps
I have updated the opencyclemap.org data source, as the openStreemap alternative is now hosted on a faster server.
If you didn’t know yet, the cycle map is based on the very same data as the OpenStreetMap project but uses a specialized map renderer for outdoor activities. At low zoom levels it is intended for overviews of the National Cycle Network; at higher zoom levels it should help with planning which streets to cycle on.
The new maps now display a elevation contours and hill coloring and have cycle lanes marked on streets within cities.
You might want to reload your maps if you want TrailRunner not to display the old cached imagery. You can either use File > Consolidate > Reload Background Maps or remove the whole cache directory from your home directory under yourHome/Library/Application Support/TrailRunner/GeoTiles/openstreetmap.org
> openstreetmap.org
> opencyclemap.org
If you didn’t know yet, the cycle map is based on the very same data as the OpenStreetMap project but uses a specialized map renderer for outdoor activities. At low zoom levels it is intended for overviews of the National Cycle Network; at higher zoom levels it should help with planning which streets to cycle on.
The new maps now display a elevation contours and hill coloring and have cycle lanes marked on streets within cities.
You might want to reload your maps if you want TrailRunner not to display the old cached imagery. You can either use File > Consolidate > Reload Background Maps or remove the whole cache directory from your home directory under yourHome/Library/Application Support/TrailRunner/GeoTiles/openstreetmap.org
> openstreetmap.org
> opencyclemap.org
