Adding dives manually

[Tomaz Canabrava]

On Tue, May 20, 2014 at 3:50 PM, Onno <developer at gorgoz.org> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Recently after borrowing a XDeep bottom timer I started using subsurface
> instead of my paper logbook and it works perfectly on my favorite OS.
> The representation of the recorded dive data is fantastic and it is
> really nice to be able to add bottle changes by hand.
> So first of all, thank you all for working on subsurface.
>
> However, once I returned the bottom timer and I had to manually add
> dives I ran into the issue that it is really hard (almost impossible) to
> enter the dive data correctly. I think some software changes are
> required, but maybe I am just doing something wrong. Let me explain.
>
> After a dive my simple bottom timer gives me:
>
> total dive time,
> max depth,
> average depth
> and water temperature.
>
> When using Subsurface v4.1 (compiled myself against the v4.1 git tag) I
> find it is impossible to add my dive data (for instance) a 77 minute
> dive with a max of 9.7 meters and an average of 6.8 meters.
> The movable points in the graph snap to whole meters, so setting a max
> depth of 9.7 is not possible; I would have to settle for 10 meters.
> To set the 77 minutes I have to move the last movable point to say 75
> minutes to make the surface point end at (about) 77 minutes.
> Now, I don't know the exact profile I've been diving; it will typically
> have many ups and downs as I dive in cave's a lot. There is no way for
> me to modify the average depth other than to insert a shallow level for
> about half the dive manipulate the average depth that way (either be
> calculating the required level and time on a calculator or using trial
> and error). All and all it is a cumbersome way of adding the correct
> info of my dives and I never get the 'exact' numbers.
>
> Alternatively, I have been altering the xml logbook file directly.
> Setting the duration attribute of the dive node to "77:00 min", removing
> all sample nodes and changing the max and mean attributes of the depth
> node to the desired values of respectively "9.7 m" and "6.8 m".
> At least when loading this edited file, subsurface shows a dive profile
> with the correct max depth, average depth and dive time values by
> 'automatically' adding a shallow level at 3.2 meters from about 45
> minutes. This way the statistical data is correct, but the graph does
> (of course) in no way represent the actual dive profile.
>
> Personally I think to add a dive manually, you should be able to enter
> the data numerically in stead of having to manipulate the point in the
> profile (or editing the logbook xml file). Also I think no graph should
> be shown as there is no way of determining the actual profile and all
> representations will be false by default.
> (I hope I don't offend anyone as it looks like some of you have spend
> quite some time building the otherwise great graph editing interface)
>
> I think I could make some changes myself to the code in order add manual
> dives numerically and not show an graph, but I would really like you
> opinions before I even start working on it; maybe I am just missing
> something.

Onno,

I'm the (main) developer of the Add Dive part ( there are others that
can help answering the question in a better way than me for the core
part ).
When I designed the add profile part I tougth of it as an 'Quick way
to prototype your last dive from where you remember it' - if you have
the exact numbers ( I tougth ) you would have those on your dive
computer and could download them.

But we do have a ( not shown currently on the app ) table where you
can change the points manually. Can you help us by trying to sketch a
interface where we could enter the data, without killing the profile
by point'n click?



> Let me know what you think,
> Onno
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