Phone Settings
If you have difficulties with your Android or iPhone recording your track, please check the following points.
- GPS/Location Services - The GPS/Location services need to be enabled on your device. This will normally be the case if you have any other GPS-based Apps already on your phone (eg Google or Apple Maps).
- Permissions - The App asks for permission to track your location and to save files on your device. For the App to work correctly you will need to say yes to allowing these permissions.
- Battery Saver - Ensure any battery saver mode on your phone is turned off (as this is likely to affect the operation of the GPS)
- Background Running - Many people prefer not to interact with the MapRun App as they run, and they often prefer to carry a paper map. In such cases, the phone will normally go to sleep after whatever timeout period is set. Normally we want MapRun to continue to operate "in the background", so the track continues to be recorded and controls are punched. Many device manufacturers are making it more difficult to allow Apps to run in the background, as this drains the battery. Accordingly, it is important that you:
- Allow MapRun to run in the background. This is generally set in "Settings > Apps > ... MapRun", but is different on different models and versions of Android/iOS.
- Check the battery saver function. Often in low-power mode the phone will turn the GPS off
- For more details sett sites such as: https://dontkillmyapp.com
- If your phone shuts down or MapRun crashes during a run, when you re-start MapRun, it will offer the option of continuing with the partially completed event (ie Resume). So if all else fails - restarting MapRun and/or your phone may be an option.
- If you are having problems with MapRun6 not recording your location on Android:
- Try changing location permissions to "Always / All of the Time"
- Try clearing the MapRun6 cache (in Settings > Apps > MapRun6
- For more hints phone settings for GPS-based Apps, look at the information provided by Apps such as Strava:
Sounds on Punching
MapRun6 Version 6.5 introduces options for the sound played on punching (rather than just the “standard” beep and “standard” notification sound):
MapRun6 Version 6.5 introduces options for the sound played on punching (rather than just the “standard” beep and “standard” notification sound):
- In Options and Settings, scroll to almost the bottom and select “Alert Sound”
- A preview of the sound will play. Then it is important to tap the "Check Notifications Settings" button to confirm that you hear the sound again.
- This sound should now play (with a vibration as well) when you visit a control both when the phone is awake showing MapRun6 on the screen and also when the screen is blanked.
- Previously MapRun6 and MapRunF would play both the standard beep sound and the standard notification sound. With this update, the selected sound is part of a notification (and no other sound is played).
- The only exception to this that the Beep1 option, is unchanged from previous versions, to avoid any incompatibility with models and variants of phones (Android mainly). If you can't get a custom sound to work on your phone, you will need to continue using the Beep 1 option. (See further information below).
- The only exception to this that the Beep1 option, is unchanged from previous versions, to avoid any incompatibility with models and variants of phones (Android mainly). If you can't get a custom sound to work on your phone, you will need to continue using the Beep 1 option. (See further information below).
- Since the only sound played on punching a control is now part of the notification:
- Be sure that you have allowed MapRun6 to display “Banner” notifications… If you don’t see a banner notification when you punch, you will also not get any sound.
- Different variants of phones handle the control of the volume of notifications differently … and it is possible that this volume is not controlled by the volume buttons on the side of your phone.
- On an iPhone the volume of the notification sound is controlled by the “Ringer and Alerts” level (see >Settings> Sounds & Haptics). There is a switch below this setting “Change with Buttons” to allow this to be adjusted with the buttons on the side of the phone)
- On Androids, there is often three (or more) volume controls: Media, Ringtone, Alarms.
- The volume of notification sounds is controlled by the “Ringtone” setting
- You can set the buttons to control either Media volume or Ringtone volume
- Also on some Androids, after selecting the sound you want, if "Check Notifications Settings" doesn't pay that sound, follow the Google recommendation here (especially for Pixel phones): https://youtu.be/PC6kqhQOtMU
- The detailed steps are as follows:
- Select the Alert Sound you would like. You should hear it play immediately after selecting it.
- Then tap "Check Notification Settings" and you should hear the sound again (played as the custom sound on a "notification").
- If not, pull down from the top of the Android screen to show notifications you have received (as shown in the Google Video).
- You should then see a notification from MapRun6 saying "Test - If you don't hear the sound ...."
- As shown in the Google video, drag this slightly to the right to display the cog settings icon.
- Tap the settings icon.
- You may find that the settings for this type of notification have been set to "Silent" (see below).
- If so, select "Default" and then go back to MapRun6 and tap the "Check Notification Settings" button again to test that the sound is now playing.
Troubleshooting Guide
If you have worked through the items above and are still having trouble with unreliable punching of controls, consider the following:
- Are you only having trouble when you blank the screen (or your phone goes to sleep)? If so, recheck the "Background Running" item above.
- Take a close look at your GPS track to see what it is doing.
- You can do this as a test while you run by turning on the settings to show your location and track as you run. (See "Options and Settings"). You may need to do this in your own QuickStart of CheckSites event, as these settings are normally locked for published events.
- Or, look at your track after you have completed a run.
- Is the track inaccurate? or does it have straight lines between distant points (indicating it wasn't recording between these points), or is it jumping about "randomly" in which case maybe the A-GPS settings to be reset (follow links above).
- If your track is being recorded but is inaccurate, consider how you are carrying your phone. Keeping your phone in your hand or in a case on your upper-arm can result in a much better GPS-fix than carrying your phone in a pocket, bum-bag, or waist-strap.
- If your A-GPS settings are the problem, you could try running with cellular data and wifi both turned off so that you are only reliant upon the satellite-based locations.
- Are there just a few particular controls that are not being punched?
- Check your track near these controls:
- Was your track affected by surrounding objects (buildings) or terrain or heavy tree cover?
- Does it look like the control itself was set accurately?
- In some cases, it is appropriate that the event organiser, sets the punching tolerance to be larger than the default 15m setting, as this gives more margin for error in the GPS signal and inaccurate placement of the controls.
- Check your track near these controls:
- Consider the rules MapRun uses to punch a control. See this post on the MapRun Forum. Particularly:
- MapRun will not punch a control if the Start hasn't been punched
- MapRun will not punch a control if the GPS reports it accuracy be worse than a set threshold (currently 50m)
- Consider posting a question on the MapRun Forum to see if others can share their solutions with you.