CHAPTER 08

Record Tracks with GPS

GPS (current location display)

Use the GPS button to show your current location and toggle map following (mobile version only). The web version uses the map’s location button instead. For details, see About the Web Version.

• Off → following — Tapping checks the location permission, shows your current location, and makes the map follow it. The button turns red.
• Releasing following — Dragging the map releases only the following, and the current-location marker stays visible (the button turns light red). Tap again to resume following.
• Turning off — Tapping while following turns GPS off. You cannot turn it off while recording a track; the app shows “Stop recording the track to turn off GPS.”.

Current-location marker

• The marker color indicates GPS accuracy: red = within 15m / orange = 15–30m / gray = over 30m or an old location. Gray means the app is still acquiring satellites and showing a cached position.
• An accuracy circle appears around the marker. The marker rotates to match your direction of travel.
• Long-press the compass button to toggle a straight line (direction line) pointing in the bearing direction. While heading-up, the line stays fixed pointing straight up on the screen; while north-up, it rotates to match the actual bearing.

GPS settings

In “GPS settings” on the Settings screen, choose the balance between location accuracy and battery consumption. The setting takes effect the next time GPS starts.

• High accuracy — Obtains the most accurate location. Battery consumption is higher.
• Balanced — Balances location accuracy and battery consumption.
• Battery saver — Reduces battery consumption. Location accuracy is lower.

Track log (recording your path; mobile version only)

• Tap the “track” button and confirm “Do you want to start recording the track?” to start recording. The button turns red, and GPS also turns on automatically.

• Tap again and confirm “Do you want to stop recording the track?” to stop recording and save the path.
• Recording continues in the background even if you close the app. The app shows the notification “Recording a track. Press the button on the track to finish.”.
• On Android, recording resumes at the next launch even if the app is force-quit while recording. On iOS, recording stops if the app is completely terminated.
• If a previous unsaved track remains, the app asks “There are unsaved track logs. Do you want to save?” when you start.

What is saved

• The path is saved as a line with timestamps to the dedicated “track” layer. The total distance (km) is also recorded in the attributes.
• Poor-accuracy locations (over 100m, etc.) are excluded automatically. If any were excluded, the app shows the count.
• Progress (merging → validating → saving) is shown while saving.

Checking when you passed a point on a track

• Tap a track on the map to open a popup with the passage time, elevation, speed, and coordinates of the point on the track nearest your tap. This works for both the track being recorded and saved tracks.
• Tap the coordinates in the popup to copy them to the clipboard.
• For saved tracks, you can also check the passage time by tapping them in the web version.

Proximity Alert (mobile version only)

In “Proximity Alert” on the Settings screen, set up alerts for when you approach a registered point. The app notifies you by voice and vibration.

• Enable proximity alert — Turns the feature on or off.
• Select notification distance — Choose from 5 / 10 / 20 / 50 / 100 / 500 / 1000m.
• Target layers — Select the point layers to target (multiple allowed).
• With GPS on or while recording a track, approaching a target point triggers the voice notification “X meters to X” (X is the point’s label). It also works in the background.
• Notifications come at each distance step (1000 → 500 → 100 → … → 5m), and you are notified again if you move away and approach once more. No notification is given when the GPS accuracy is worse than 30m.

Tip: Registering hazards or planned survey points in a point layer helps you avoid overlooking them in the field.

When recording does not work well

Check the location permission

Background track recording requires the “Always allow” location permission.

• iOS — Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → EcorisMap → select “Always” and turn on “Precise Location”.
• Android — Settings → Apps → EcorisMap → Permissions → Location → select “Allow all the time”.

Disable battery optimization on Android (if recording stops midway)

On Android, power-saving features may stop background recording.

• Settings → Apps → EcorisMap → Battery → set to “Unrestricted (not optimized)”.
• Devices with manufacturer-specific power saving (auto-start limits, etc.) may need extra settings. See dontkillmyapp.com for per-device instructions.

The current location is off or stays gray

• While the marker is gray, the app is still acquiring satellites and showing an old position provisionally. Wait a while in a place with open sky, and the accuracy improves as the marker turns orange, then red.
• Accuracy drops in valleys, next to tall buildings, and indoors. In track logs, the app excludes low-accuracy points (over 100m) automatically when saving.