Tracks#

With NextGIS Mobile you can record your movements and display tracks. The app records points of your location to its internal database and visualizes them as lines on the map.

Setting up#

To record a track, make sure the app has access to your location (check the device settings, something like Settings -> Confidentiality -> Location).

To display your tracks on a Web Map in your WebGIS:

  • Make sure you’re logged in (tree dots - Settings - Account).

  • Copy the device ID (Settings - My tracks - Device ID) and add the tracker to Web GIS.

  • In Settings - My tracks enable Send location to server

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Fig. 1036. Sending location to server is enabled#

Now the tracks you record are automatically send to your Web GIS and can be viewed on a Web Map.

Record a track#

For each recorded location point the app captures the following information: date, time, speed (km/h), height (m), course (bearing i.e. the horizontal direction of travel of this device in the range between 0 and 360 counting clockwise from the North), number of satellites and HDOP.

Tracks are stored on the device in GPX format.

See also

Use tracking to add a new line or polygon to an existing vector layer.

To start recording a track, open the main menu tree dots and select Start new track.

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Fig. 1037. Starting a new track#

Track recording is performed in background mode. If it’s the first time you’re recording a track, the app asks for additional permissions (exact dialogs depend on your OS):

  • Allow background access to geolocation (select Allow all the time);

  • Disable battery optimisation (otherwise it may shut down the track recording) - allow NextGIS Mobile to be active in the background.

See details in our video:

Watch on youtube.

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Fig. 1038. Request for background access to geolocation#

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Fig. 1039. Allowing background access to geolocation all the time#

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Fig. 1040. Request to disable battery optimization#

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Fig. 1041. Allowing the app to stay connected in the background#

When a track is recording, it’s indicated in the notifications panel.

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Fig. 1042. Track recording status#

While the track is recording, you can see it on the map. Recording status icon (a walking figure) is displayed in the notification panel of your device. Your current location is marked by an arrow arrow with cross.

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Fig. 1043. Track is recording#

Note

Track points are grouped by days and sessions within a day. If track recording continues the next day track will be split up into two parts. If you want to combine them into one track, use GPX merge.

To stop track recording, tap Stop either in notification bar (see Fig. 1042..) or in the main menu.

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Fig. 1044. Stopping track recording#

The status icon will disappear from notification bar, the location marker will be replaced by the red flag indicating the end of the track.

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Fig. 1045. Recorded track#

You can now manage this track, including its export in GPX format. To learn how to export the tracks see Export tracks to GPX. Tracks can also be displayed on a Web Map.

Manage tracks#

Select the squiggle “My tracks” layer in the Layer tree. Open the layer menu three dots and select List.

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Fig. 1046. Opening track list from the layer tree#

A list of all recorded tracks is opened. Recorded points are grouped into days and sessions within one day.

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Fig. 1047. List of recorded tracks#

To select a track mark it by a tick. When at least one track is selected, a toolbar appears.

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Fig. 1048. Managing tracks#

The numbers indicate: 1 - Go back; 2 - Number of selected tracks; 3 – Colour palette; 4 - Share/export; 5 - Actions menu; 6 - Track selection; 7 -Track visibility; 8 - Track color.

Use these tools to:

  • set the color of track(s);

  • share tracks as GPX files;

  • make particular tracks visible/invisible by toggling the eye icon eye.

Tap the three dots in the top right corner to open the menu.

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Fig. 1049. Track actions menu#

Use this menu to:

  • Make selected tracks visible/invisible;

  • Delete selected tracks (! cannot be undone);

  • Select all the tracks in the list to perform a group action (set visibility or delete).

Warning

Once a track is deleted, it cannot be restored! To avoid losing important data, we advise to make backups of the tracks by saving them as GPX files.