On some devices, MyTrails draws recorded tracks with lines leading back to the start of the recording. This is only a display issue, and the lines change when you zoom in or out.
For the moment, to fix this, use the toggle track mode hidden option to select the Lines mode.
If this doesn’t fix the problem, you can use the same hidden option to get back to Smooth triangles, and check that the problem is not with the recording itself.
Google some time ago switched all maps-related APIs from free to paid, which requires changes in apps that use those APIs. Because MyTrails can aggregate several similar services, I didn’t immediately realize that some functionality MyTrails relies on was no longer available.
I will be releasing an update that restores directions, POI search and location search functionality. For Pro users, I will test whether MyTrails can keep using the paid Google APIs, but for free users, MyTrails will likely have to switch to free services, such as OSM, and I may have to restrict directions.
You can restore some of the search functionality in MyTrails 2.1.4 by enabling the OpenStreetMap search provider in MyTrails > Preferences > Other.
In the latest 2.1.6 beta, Google search, directions and altitude are fixed.
This means your GPS signal is noisy, which may be:
Once you’ve excluded the physical causes and have reset your GPS (and rebooted the phone for good measure), if the track is still showing zigzags, you can set up filtering in MyTrails by using the set kalman filter n hidden option, where n is the approximate nominal speed in m/s, for example 1 for walking, 8 for cycling.
MyTrails store the GPX files for tracks you have recorded in /sdcard/MyTrails/gpx (you can change this in MyTrails > Preferences > Other).
Here are a few methods you can use to transfer track files:
In order to calculate the cumulated altitude differential, MyTrails must identify parts of the altitude curve where the track switches from uphill to downhill or vice versa. Because altitude measurements are not exact (especially from the GPS), MyTrails uses a filter to attempt to differentiate measurement errors from actual changes in the track.
Different applications use different filters, which may yield very different altitude differentials.
You will get better results when using altimeter-derived altitudes, or after applying altitude normalization (when saving the track, or in the Track Manager).
In MyTrails 2.0.11 and later, you can additionally use two options in Preferences > Sensors: Altitude stabilization (which performs some filtering on GPS altitude data to reduce the noise) and Cumulative climb filter, which you can set higher to avoid MyTrails overestimating cumulative climb when the GPS data is very noisy.
MyTrails 2.0.9 introduces a new recording UI, which should make it easier for new users to grasp what the application is doing. The original recording UI is still available and will continue to be supported for users who prefer a greater degree of control.
You can select the type of recording UI in MyTrails > Preferences > Recording, Extended recording UI (uncheck for the new UI).
The new system consists of two buttons: Record/Pause and Stop.
Currently recording
The icon that is lit corresponds to the current recording state. Tap a button to switch to that state. For example, to pause the recording (without saving and closing the track), tap Record/Pause.
Tap the Stop button when you are done with your recording: MyTrails asks you to save the track (providing a name, etc.), and possibly upload the track to a community. The recording is then cleared, so MyTrails is ready for another recording, which you can do immediately by hitting the Record button.
You can also find the recording controls in the navigation menu, which is available on all main screens (stats, graphs, tracks, maps, etc.), not just the map view.
With this new mode, MyTrails tries to make it very quick and easy to record your tracks:
MyTrails can record your track whether it’s visible or running in the background. Even if you’re not recording a track, MyTrails may use the GPS if you have the proximity notifications option turned on.
When you want to stop using MyTrails, you should quit it like any other application (including Google Maps), by using the back key or button. When you do this, MyTrails asks you whether you want to keep recording the track in the background. Answer ‘no’ to stop MyTrails entirely.
Back button
Back key
Note that MyTrails doesn’t ask about quitting if you have already paused track recording. You can also use the Pause button in the recording notification to stop recording.
Recording notification
If you find this confusing, you can enable a Quit option to the navigation menu in MyTrails > Preferences > Other.
If you have used MyTrails beta, it may be set to use “enhanced GPS”, which introduces an issue. Please check in MyTrails > Preferences > Sensors that enhanced location is turned off.
MyTrails can use your phone’s built-in magnetometer and accelerometer to simulate a compass. However, unlike a physical compass, phones need to be periodically calibrated to provide an accurate reading of the magnetic north bearing.
There are two methods (both need MyTrails to be running with the screen on – MyTrails disables the compass when the screen is off):
Keep in mind that even after calibration, the compass is sensitive to interference: don’t place it next to ferrous metals.
Unlike a physical compass, MyTrails can automatically correct the magnetic declination to provide a reading of the geographic rather than magnetic north.
If the compass seems to rotate in the opposite direction of your real movement when you, please try using the toggle reverse compass hidden option.
In addition to the compass, MyTrails can use the GPS-derived heading, with the following caveats: it’s only active above 1m/s (too imprecise at slower speeds), and the GPS heading indicates the direction of your travel, not the direction the phone’s screen is pointing.
Another method, described by Google.
MyTrails uses built-in Android methods to compute distances (and speeds). Unfortunately a small number of phones use a version of Android where a critical element of the platform (the Dalvik JIT compiler) suffers from a bug that causes these calculations to be severely incorrect.
This issue may also cause tracks to be displayed as thick lines across the screen.
In MyTrails 2.0 and later, please try to activate the Fallback distance calculation preference in Visual preferences.
In MyTrails 1.3.23 and later, you can work around this problem by using the toggle alternate distance hidden option.
This article has been superseded by this new and expanded version.
GPS signal is tricky: it’s affected by the quality of the phone (the Samsung Galaxy S had notoriously bad GPS reception) and by the environment it’s in (indoors, urban canyons or dense forest reduce the quality of the GPS signal).
However, all other parameters being equal, if your GPS suddenly seems much worse (the GPS arrow no longer appears even if you’re moving faster than 5km/h, MyTrails no longer reports the speed, or the GPS signal quality meter remains red), you may need to reset your GPS.
MyTrails doesn’t do this for you, but you can install the GPS Test app, go into its settings and tap the Clear AGPS, then Update AGPS buttons.
One some devices, setting the Temporal resolution to a value greater than 1s (in MyTrails > Preferences > Behavior) causes the device to stop updating the GPS. This is a bug on your device, and you can work around it by setting the temporal resolution back to its default of 1s.
Some devices disable the GPS when the battery is low. Some Kyocera phones for example, disable it below 20% battery, without any visible indications. This may be configurable in the phone’s battery saving settings.