[HOW-TO] Deep Link for LapTimer

[Harry]

Starting with LapTimer v20.0.11, so called deep links will be supported. Deep links share the URL format known from web links. Instead of starting up the browser and showing some html content, app deep links activate the app and allow it to execute a command. So deep links are a special flavor of app automation - the execution of functions users will trigger through the UI usually.

Deep links supported will start with a number of view commands allowing you to jump into LapTimer using a link or your iOS / Android spring board or a link embedded in a mail, or a link stored as a browser favorite.

Sample:

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laptimer://view/GPS

will start LapTimer (or bring re-activate it in case it has been sent to background) and navigate to its GPS View. Views supported are actually all views, tiles, and assistants:

Views:
"Home", "Classic", "Racer's", "GPS", "Engine", "Acceleration", "Lap List", "Map", "POI List", "Help", "Add-ons", "Online", "Satellites", "Dashboard", "Settings", "Speedo", "Vehicle List", "Sensor List", "Video List", "Video", "Primary Vehicle", "Databases", "Checklists"

Tiles:
"Setup", "Race", "Analysis", "Realtime", "Administration"

Assistants:
"Define User", "Load Track", "Autocross", "New Track", "Calibration"

As deep links follow standard URL conventions, a number of special characters need to be escaped. As an example, spaces need to be replaces by "%20" for "Lap List":

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laptimer://view/Lap%20List

There is a special command for viewing add ons (like track sets). This deep link takes the ID of the add-on as a further path element:

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laptimer://view/Add-on/1000

will open the track set Nordschleife BTG including its hall of fame.

Custom schemes are not supported by most Google apps like Gmail or when using the URL address bar in Chrome. So although the deep links discussed so far work on Android, the named apps need a different notation. So instead of

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laptimer://view/GPS

please use

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http://gps-laptimer.de/laptimer/view/GPS

when adding a deep link to a mail. This notation is available for LapTimer v21 and later.

The extension will get available for all Harry's LapTimer editions (ToGo, Rookie, Petrolhead, GrandPrix) for iOS and Android, as well as ROUSH Lap Timer and OMP Racing Suite for iOS.

In case you have requirements on further commands / deep links to support, please send a reply here or file a feature request.

- Harry

[Harry]

The iOS version supporting deep links is online already. For Android, please add some days until it is ready.

- Harry