Making a log entry

A log entry will store your displayed measurements for future reference in the application’s database, once there you can render a graph to display the results or export the data as a text document or in CSV format to use in your own spreadsheet software. There are 2 ways of doing this.

Making a log entry using the Compass

Step 1
When you are satisfied with the values displayed select the Add to Log menu item in the menu. You can lock in the displayed measurement by pressing the toggle button to stop the compass if you find that you are moving the smart device too much as you press the button.
Screenshot showing add to log menu item highlighted.
Step 2
You will then be presented with an activity that allows you give a title, description and set a category for your log entry. You can also change the compass reading captured and add additional numeric raw data that you feel is relevant to your excursions.
Screenshot showing the log category and title field highlighted.
Step 3
Press save in the menu to save the log entry

Making a log entry using the Compass Log Manager activity

Step 1
Access the Compass Log Manager activity by choosing 'Manage Logs' from the menu.
Step 2
Choose 'New Log' from the menu.
Screenshot showing add to log menu item highlighted.
Step 3
You will then be presented with an activity that allows you the option to submit various forms of data but unlike the previous method you will have to enter the compass information manually.
Step 4
Press save in the menu to save the log entry

Understanding the LogViewer/Editor

  1. Recalculate Landmark Width – This will work out the predicted width of the landmark based on the starting landmark angle and the ending landmark angle. You can use this if you make edits to aforementioned field.
  2. View Map – This will submit the latitude and longitude values into Google maps services so that you can see a map of the representative area.
  3. Save – This will store any changes that you have made to applications database.
  4. Category - Allows for you to associate the log entry with a group of other similar log entries.
  5. Title – The main header of the log entry.
  6. Description – A detailed representation of the log entry that can be used as an attribute for searching amongst other log entries. Use this attribute to make any notes that stand out about the area that the log entry represents. Screenshot showing the top section of the Log editor with the menu expanded with numeric annotations attached to each menu item.
  7. Representative image – Allows for you to symbolise the log entry with a photo. This can be very useful if you prefer to preview the log entries as a grid rather than a list. Use the control (a) to choose where the image should come from and press (c) to begin the image acquisition process. If successful the image will be displayed in (b). Press (d) to remove the image from the log entry. Screenshot showing the image section of log editor with numeric annotations attached to each item.
  8. Measurement Type – Provides settings that allow you to view/edit the log entry’s angle based parameters with a different measurement. So if you need to edit the Facing value but you prefer to do so in grads then select said setting and proceed to make any adjustments as you see fit.
  9. Orientation Value – This is the compass value describing the direction the compass face has been rotated to.
  10. Facing Value – This is the value describing the direction you were facing when you took the compass reading.
  11. Landmark Start Orientation – Represents an angle describing the left side of the landmark.
  12. Landmark End Orientation – Represents an angle describing the right side of the landmark.
  13. Landmark Distance – How far away you were from the landmark. This is necessary to calculate the width of the object.
  14. Width – This is the approximate width of the landmark as calculated based on the (11), (12) and (13). You can change this independently or you can have the application recalculate it by manually filling in the aforementioned attributes and pressing (1). Screenshot showing the third section of the log editor with numeric annotations attached to each item.
  15. Declination – Represents the offset value applied to the compass at the time of taking this log entry.
  16. Landscape Orientation Offset – This is the offset that was applied to the compass when the smart device was in landscape mode.
  17. Portrait Orientation Offset – This is the offset that was applied to the compass when the smart device was in portrait mode.
  18. Latitude – An attribute that represents a position on a map North or South of the equator. This is a manual attribute for you to enter as you see fit.
  19. Longitude – An attribute that represents a position on a map East or West of the prime meridian at Greenwich. This is a manual attribute for you to enter as you see fit.
  20. Data – This is a collection of key value pairs. The key will be a textual label and the value will be a number. Together they are representative of data that can be quantified so that you can illustrate an observation using the inbuilt graph activity or alternatively for your own analysis. To make ICompass access these attributes you must make sure the value you enter on the right has a label on the left, if you leave it blank the data will be ignored. You can currently enter a maximum of 6 data pairs. Screenshot showing the forth section of the log editor with numeric annotations attached to each item.