Props Semi-functional Reach TacPad - Mobile Project

[Fallen]

It's been awhile. I had to take a break from this to focus on a work project that used most of my mental energy every day. Thoroughly enjoyed the project, but spending 8hrs a day working in some of the deepest parts of a programming language and debating API design for consumers of a library takes a lot of energy.

Recently got back to it and tested out some implementations for reading heart rate and step count for Android users. iOS has had the code to do this done for awhile now, and I need to get it implemented on Android. Originally I had planned to use Google Fit, but after trying it out determined it won't be the best solution for various reasons. Put out a question in the Discord and, based on the answers there, decided to attempt to pull data from Fitbit and Samsung Health for now. Depending on the success of polling data from them and requests for support I may add others as time goes on. iOS still has HealthKit support, and I plan to add Fitbit as an option there as well. Have some vacation time to burn through the rest of the year, so hopefully I can put some time in each day to continue working on this.

 

[L337 H473R]

Just wondering, how’s this going? You still burnt out, or moved to a different area to display how this is coming along?

 

[Fallen]

Update 5

Just wondering, how’s this going? You still burnt out, or moved to a different area to display how this is coming along?

I probably should have updated this since December.

As of today, I'm back on a bit of a pause, but I have worked on it since my last post.

I made the decision to allow Android to fall behind while I get iOS where I want it to be for my personal suit because I am:
a) predominately an iOS developer
b) an Apple ecosystem user

This has always been a project primarily for my own Reach build (currently on pause) that I intend to open up to the community when it's done. As such I decided that while it would be nice to release both at the same time, I need to focus my attention on what moves me forward towards the first goal of my suit. I can only hope that Android users understand this.

As for progress since December, Angus314 had proposed if users could define their own "drawable area" for the TacPad to display in. I did some research into how I could make that work and then implemented it. Users can go to settings to define a usable area to draw the TacPad. It's not the greatest UI/UX at this point, so I haven't really shared it out, but it functions.

Here's an older video of testing out the functionality. I've made some adjustments since then, but the idea remains similar.

Next steps are on the technical side to make pushing new builds simpler and to add all of that legal jargon that Apple requires to be part of the App Store (and Google will require for the Play Store). The boring stuff for users like license agreements for any open source software and privacy policy which is currently (and planned to always be) as simple as I don't collect/store your data. END OF STORY. At the same time in order to eventually make it publicly available these things need to be in place and will be easier to do while still at this stage then right before release.

Here's part of the feature backlog that I've got set up. Some of them will be split up more, other's will only need a single card/story to work.

 

[L337 H473R]

I probably should have updated this since December.

As of today, I'm back on a bit of a pause, but I have worked on it since my last post.

I made the decision to allow Android to fall behind while I get iOS where I want it to be for my personal suit because I am:
a) predominately an iOS developer
b) an Apple ecosystem user

This has always been a project primarily for my own Reach build (currently on pause) that I intend to open up to the community when it's done. As such I decided that while it would be nice to release both at the same time, I need to focus my attention on what moves me forward towards the first goal of my suit. I can only hope that Android users understand this.

As for progress since December, Angus314 had proposed if users could define their own "drawable area" for the TacPad to display in. I did some research into how I could make that work and then implemented it. Users can go to settings to define a usable area to draw the TacPad. It's not the greatest UI/UX at this point, so I haven't really shared it out, but it functions.

{I'll add a video here later when I get off work}

Next steps are on the technical side to make pushing new builds simpler and to add all of that legal jargon that Apple requires to be part of the App Store (and Google will require for the Play Store). The boring stuff for users like license agreements for any open source software and privacy policy which is currently (and planned to always be) as simple as I don't collect/store your data. END OF STORY. At the same time in order to eventually make it publicly available these things need to be in place and will be easier to do while still at this stage then right before release.

Here's part of the feature backlog that I've got set up. Some of them will be split up more, other's will only need a single card/story to work.
View attachment 320243

That’s awesome and it sounds like you’re nearly there. I’m excited to see it all finished up and being able to give it a try. I agree that focusing on what drives you is most important, keep at it and take your time! I’m glad this thread isn’t dead!

 

[GrmblBACHx]

I probably should have updated this since December.

As of today, I'm back on a bit of a pause, but I have worked on it since my last post.

I made the decision to allow Android to fall behind while I get iOS where I want it to be for my personal suit because I am:
a) predominately an iOS developer
b) an Apple ecosystem user

This has always been a project primarily for my own Reach build (currently on pause) that I intend to open up to the community when it's done. As such I decided that while it would be nice to release both at the same time, I need to focus my attention on what moves me forward towards the first goal of my suit. I can only hope that Android users understand this.

As for progress since December, Angus314 had proposed if users could define their own "drawable area" for the TacPad to display in. I did some research into how I could make that work and then implemented it. Users can go to settings to define a usable area to draw the TacPad. It's not the greatest UI/UX at this point, so I haven't really shared it out, but it functions.

{I'll add a video here later when I get off work}

Next steps are on the technical side to make pushing new builds simpler and to add all of that legal jargon that Apple requires to be part of the App Store (and Google will require for the Play Store). The boring stuff for users like license agreements for any open source software and privacy policy which is currently (and planned to always be) as simple as I don't collect/store your data. END OF STORY. At the same time in order to eventually make it publicly available these things need to be in place and will be easier to do while still at this stage then right before release.

Here's part of the feature backlog that I've got set up. Some of them will be split up more, other's will only need a single card/story to work.
View attachment 320243

Fallen,

I stumbled across your app the other day looking for a screenshot of the GPS. I didn't know the app did anything. It looks really cool in my GPS mount and I just wanted to share a picture. Keep up the great work!

 

[L337 H473R]

Fallen,

I stumbled across your app the other day looking for a screenshot of the GPS. I didn't know the app did anything. It looks really cool in my GPS mount and I just wanted to share a picture. Keep up the great work!

Dude!!! I was going to tell you this was the app I was planning to use as well, but I didn’t know the app was already active. I can’t seem to find it for IOS yet unfortunately, but just found it for android.

 

[Fallen]

Fallen,

I stumbled across your app the other day looking for a screenshot of the GPS. I didn't know the app did anything. It looks really cool in my GPS mount and I just wanted to share a picture. Keep up the great work!

Thanks for sharing! Looks good on there. May I ask what phone you have?

Dude!!! I was going to tell you this was the app I was planning to use as well, but I didn’t know the app was already active. I can’t seem to find it for IOS yet unfortunately, but just found it for android.

This is due to the different ways Apple and Google handle their beta stores. Google Betas don't expire. iOS TestFlight builds expire after 90 days. I'm working on some technical details this week, so I hope to have an updated TestFlight build up soon with customizable draw area.

 

[GrmblBACHx]

Thanks for sharing! Looks good on there. May I ask what phone you have?

This is due to the different ways Apple and Google handle their beta stores. Google Betas don't expire. iOS TestFlight builds expire after 90 days. I'm working on some technical details this week, so I hope to have an updated TestFlight build up soon with customizable draw area.

I have an Android Galaxy S21.

 

[L337 H473R]

Thanks for sharing! Looks good on there. May I ask what phone you have?

This is due to the different ways Apple and Google handle their beta stores. Google Betas don't expire. iOS TestFlight builds expire after 90 days. I'm working on some technical details this week, so I hope to have an updated TestFlight build up soon with customizable draw area.

Awesome, thank you for the update! I’m looking forward to using it.

 

[Fallen]

Update 6
TLDR: Ran into crashing bug delaying updates as rethinking feature; talk about future device support and integrating into a suit

I'd hoped to have the custom main screen sizing done and out on TestFlight by now. However, I ran into a major crashing issue with the drag and draw style sizing version. I have a strong idea of what's causing it, however knowing the problem cause is only part of solving it. What it did was get me thinking more about the feature and looking into an alternative way of getting the same end result, a view that fits within the open area of the TACPAD housing.

What I've been trying out now is using the pinch to zoom type of gesture to scale the layout without allowing the user to alter the aspect ratio of it. This will allow me to better support built-in accessibility features on iOS, allows me to use features that already exist in the newer ui framework, and because users can only define the scale and not aspect ratio simplifies my layout code extensively. Below I've added short demos of what each did/does in their most basic form. I've temporarily stripped out the instructions alert as I need to reconfigure that given updates the the Apple design document (HIG).

Pinch to scale

Drag and draw


The other major thing I wanted to hit on with this post stems from announcements from Apple earlier this year. iOS 16 comes out soon, most likely within the next month. With this update we will have the first iOS version since 12 that drops support for older phones/devices. Some of the devices I've had on my list of recommendations will be getting dropped as it appears Apple is leaning more towards removing smaller devices from the lineup.

Devices not able to update to iOS 16 include:
- iPod Touch 7th generation (2019)
- iPhone SE 1st generation (2016)
- iPhone 6s and 6s Plus (2015)
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (2016)

It's worth noting that the "newest" device on that list is an iPod Touch, and even that is several years old now.

But what does this mean for the TACPAD app? Well, it means that as much as I like the general policy of iOS development that we support current OS - 1 and that that concept would mean no difference for development in the next year, my plan is to lock my minimum version to iOS 15 so that I continue to support devices on iOS 15 for as long as I possibly can to allow people to still use those devices. That 1st gen SE and Touch 7th gen are the absolute smallest devices you can still regularly find that run up to 15. If you're someone who needs to be able to fit a smaller device, this is a big deal. For example I printed 2 of just the housing covers from TurboCharizard's TACPAD pack. The smaller is uniformly scaled to roughly the size to fit my forearm piece. The larger is scaled up to fit the width of an iPhone 13 partially but still not enough to fit it all the way. That one is not uniformly scaled because I still didn't want it to be entirely longer than my gauntlet. Seeing the size comparision is huge. Seeing both set on top of the gauntlets is even more jarring. Just something to consider with this. I can't tell you what devices to use, and often times making the device you have work is the best choice, but I will try to compile a list of devices that are supported and where you can find them at a decent price used or new by the time this is over.

 

[L337 H473R]

TLDR: Ran into crashing bug delaying updates as rethinking feature; talk about future device support and integrating into a suit

I'd hoped to have the custom main screen sizing done and out on TestFlight by now. However, I ran into a major crashing issue with the drag and draw style sizing version. I have a strong idea of what's causing it, however knowing the problem cause is only part of solving it. What it did was get me thinking more about the feature and looking into an alternative way of getting the same end result, a view that fits within the open area of the TACPAD housing.

What I've been trying out now is using the pinch to zoom type of gesture to scale the layout without allowing the user to alter the aspect ratio of it. This will allow me to better support built-in accessibility features on iOS, allows me to use features that already exist in the newer ui framework, and because users can only define the scale and not aspect ratio simplifies my layout code extensively. Below I've added short demos of what each did/does in their most basic form. I've temporarily stripped out the instructions alert as I need to reconfigure that given updates the the Apple design document (HIG).

Pinch to scale

Drag and draw


The other major thing I wanted to hit on with this post stems from announcements from Apple earlier this year. iOS 16 comes out soon, most likely within the next month. With this update we will have the first iOS version since 12 that drops support for older phones/devices. Some of the devices I've had on my list of recommendations will be getting dropped as it appears Apple is leaning more towards removing smaller devices from the lineup.

Devices not able to update to iOS 16 include:
- iPod Touch 7th generation (2019)
- iPhone SE 1st generation (2016)
- iPhone 6s and 6s Plus (2015)
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (2016)

It's worth noting that the "newest" device on that list is an iPod Touch, and even that is several years old now.

But what does this mean for the TACPAD app? Well, it means that as much as I like the general policy of iOS development that we support current OS - 1 and that that concept would mean no difference for development in the next year, my plan is to lock my minimum version to iOS 15 so that I continue to support devices on iOS 15 for as long as I possibly can to allow people to still use those devices. That 1st gen SE and Touch 7th gen are the absolute smallest devices you can still regularly find that run up to 15. If you're someone who needs to be able to fit a smaller device, this is a big deal. For example I printed 2 of just the housing covers from TurboCharizard's TACPAD pack. The smaller is uniformly scaled to roughly the size to fit my forearm piece. The larger is scaled up to fit the width of an iPhone 13 partially but still not enough to fit it all the way. That one is not uniformly scaled because I still didn't want it to be entirely longer than my gauntlet. Seeing the size comparision is huge. Seeing both set on top of the gauntlets is even more jarring. Just something to consider with this. I can't tell you what devices to use, and often times making the device you have work is the best choice, but I will try to compile a list of devices that are supported and where you can find them at a decent price used or new by the time this is over.

Good to see that you’re still going strong on this! I’m sure nothing about it is easy to do. I recently finished my tac pad and just waiting for the app! Lol I just took a screenshot of the app screen and then adjusted where it would sit and use it as a wallpaper basically. The phone I’m using is an iPhone 13mini

 

[Fallen]

Good to see that you’re still going strong on this! I’m sure nothing about it is easy to do. I recently finished my tac pad and just waiting for the app! Lol I just took a screenshot of the app screen and then adjusted where it would sit and use it as a wallpaper basically. The phone I’m using is an iPhone 13mini

There's a new update available on TestFlight. You'll need to follow this link to join the TestFlight build and get access to the public test build if you want to play with the current state. Added is the ability to scale the overall display size up or down.

 

[L337 H473R]

There's a new update available on TestFlight. You'll need to follow this link to join the TestFlight build and get access to the public test build if you want to play with the current state. Added is the ability to scale the overall display size up or down.

Awesome! Thank you!!

 

[L337 H473R]

There's a new update available on TestFlight. You'll need to follow this link to join the TestFlight build and get access to the public test build if you want to play with the current state. Added is the ability to scale the overall display size up or down.

So I understand where the app is currently and haven’t had any issues as of yet. I know you changed how the sizing of the app works but it would be great if it could be moved left or right after being sized down and I’m sure it’s already being worked on. The other thing I was thinking about after hitting the voice buttons is that I wished it was Auntie Dot. Is there a possibility that you’re working on a voice selection in the settings by any chance or just kind of out of the realm of possibility?

 

[Fallen]

it would be great if it could be moved left or right after being sized down and I’m sure it’s already being worked on.

That's a story that's already been added and fleshed out as I was working on the scaling story, but I didn't want to hold up testing/getting feedback on the scaling story while I worked on that.

The other thing I was thinking about after hitting the voice buttons is that I wished it was Auntie Dot. Is there a possibility that you’re working on a voice selection in the settings by any chance or just kind of out of the realm of possibility?

User customization including allowing people to provide their own audio clips is currently a distant future feature. You can check out the current high-level feature board on Trello to get an idea of current plans.

 

[L337 H473R]

That's a story that's already been added and fleshed out as I was working on the scaling story, but I didn't want to hold up testing/getting feedback on the scaling story while I worked on that.


User customization including allowing people to provide their own audio clips is currently a distant future feature. You can check out the current high-level feature board on Trello to get an idea of current plans.

Awesome! I’ll check it out, thank you!

 

[James]

There's a new update available on TestFlight. You'll need to follow this link to join the TestFlight build and get access to the public test build if you want to play with the current state. Added is the ability to scale the overall display size up or down.

Is this TestFlight only iOS or is there an android version too?

 

[Fallen]

Is this TestFlight only iOS or is there an android version too?

I am focusing almost exclusively on iOS right now, but there is beta from when I was trying to keep them in sync still out on the Beta Play Store. None of the custom sizing options or health info items are in that Android build.

 

[James]

I am focusing almost exclusively on iOS right now, but there is beta from when I was trying to keep them in sync still out on the Beta Play Store. None of the custom sizing options or health info items are in that Android build.

Ah too bad.
Thanks!