LT doesn't work when iPhone turns off display automatically

[gshopper]

Will Lap Timer work when the iPhone turns off the display automatically? My phone is set to turn off the display after one minute of inactivity. When I hit the start driving button before a session, then leave the phone inactive while I grid up, the display turns off. Then when I drive, the LT doesn't turn on and record the laps.

Is there a fix for this? I guess I could hit the 'start driving' button immediately before leaving the grid, but I'm usually pretty focused on driving, not starting LT.

Thanks

[Harry]

LapTimer will block the iPhone ring to sleep as long as Energy Saving is turned off and while timing. So you need to bridge the time from pit to racing - either by raising the time until automatic sleep, or by turning off Energy Saving. This feature is used very rarely by the way, most users add a power supply and ignore the function.

- Harry

P.S. I was told Energy Saving has no immediate effect when changed in Settings, LapTimer needs to be started from scratch to use the new setting. I will check this for the next release.

[gshopper]

I'm not sure I understand this. If I turn off energy saving (on LT settings) but keep the auto-lock settings (on the iphone settings) set to turn off after one minute, then when the iphone turns off (or auto-locks), will the lap timer still work?

I'm not really sure what the energy saving setting on LT does.

Thanks.

[Harry]

O.k., the whole story:

• iOS usually suspends apps after some time to save battery, the time until this suspend can be adjusted in Settings, but it can not be turned off completely
• Every time the user interacts with the device (touches the screen), this suspend timer is reset
• This behavior is a problem for apps that need to continue working despite they have no user interaction. LapTimer is one of these, but think e.g. of games that work with the acceleration sensor only - they suffer from the same problem
• This is the reason iOS allows apps to turn this automatic suspend off
• As long as LapTimer has turned Energy Saving off (standard, closed lock), it turns suspending off as long as it is running in foreground (i.e. not replaced by another app)
• If Energy Saving is turned on (open lock), LapTimer will still turns suspending off while timing (e.g. after having it started manually or by a trigger), but will allow suspending if not timing; you can easily check this by navigating to the Classic view and start the timer: the open lock will switch from 'open' to 'closed' once you press 'Go'
• In case you want to have LapTimer running to watch e.g. speed, you need to turn Energy Saving off - otherwise iOS suspension will take place after a few minutes

Turning the screen off is a different story. As long as LapTimer is timing, you can press the Sleep button. This will turn off the screen but let LapTimer continue work. To check, navigate to the Classic view again, start timing, and listen to the tick sound (once a second). Press the sleep button - and you can hear LapTimer continues.

Finally, if this sounds too complicated (and it is). Keep Energy Saving in the off position and add a power supply

- Harry

[PeterWitrigs]

I've just shattered the screen of my iPhone 3GS and now need to find someone to repair it who won't rip me off completely. (Vodacom wants ...iphone bluetooth car kit

[dg8123]

Hi,

I am interested in this from a slightly different angle... Can it be possible for HLTs to collect data if you manually lock the screen? I have it mounted on my dash and don't want the timer/countdown while driving. Ideally I would like to open the app, lock the screen, then just drive.

Thanks

[Harry]

That is possible as long as you do not record video. In any timer view, just press the sleep button and your screen will turn black. You will get the usual beeps when LT triggers start / stop / splits, so you get a feedback it is working.

- Harry

[dg8123]

Thanks Harry.

Does the laptimer need to be already logging before you hit the sleep button?

[achichon]

ok, let me get this straight then...

my situation = track day on my bike and i use my gopro to record video and i will have my iphone in my inner pocket of my leathers to record the times etc. obviously no point in having the phone 'awake' all the time as i won't be see the times until i finish my round.

sooooo if i press start driving and then press the 'sleep'/ 'lock' button on the top of my iPhone it will still log the times?

also i believe that LT has a mode in which it starts recording after certain speed has been reached or the start/finish tag is passed? am i correct? so if i just up the app and sleep the phone without pressing anything else.. it should automatically start recording after either certain speed has been reached or i pass the start/finish tag?

p.s. sorry but i'm totally new to your app, i've only just bought it today in anticipation to my track day in portimao next week. so the more info i can get and learn how to use it the better.

[Harry]

Hi,

My post on the sleep button functionality is not correct any more. iOS changed behavior somewhere in iOS5 or 6. Today, as soon as you press the Sleep button, the current app is suspended. So you definitively need to keep it running.

Btw, a scenario wearing the iPhone in your leathers will not work anyway. GPS reception will degrade a lot and allow reasonable timing. On a motorbike, there are two valid scenarios: either you mount the iPhone behind the windscreen (just like car drivers do it), or you place it in your glovebox and connect it to a Bluetoothe GPS placed behind yoir windscreen again. In both scenarios, a power supply is recommended in addition.

- Harry