Table of Contents
OpenTracks API
Introduction
This is a programming interface based on Android Intents to communicate with OpenTracks - a FLOSS sports tracking app. OpenTracks can record GPS based activity/workouts and while doing that, provide live update of current status, for example speed, duration of the activity and so on.
For developers
Smart device developers of Gadgetbridge can use this programming interface to utilize GPS tracking for a smart band/watch device without GPS. Gadgetbridge has an internal implementation which smart devices can take use, currently the best implementation in Gadgetbridge is for the Fossil smart watch where it is used for it's workout app. Gadgetbridge also allows Mibands/Amazfit bands/watches to use this API as a remote trigger via Button and Device actions. The Button actions allow you can to start activity recording in OpenTracks by using the button on the smart band/watch. In the Debug menu in Gadgetbridge, there are Start/Stop/Status buttons to do the same without any involvement of a on wrist device.
What does it do for the user:
This can remotely start (and i the future also stop) OpenTracks fitness activity recording. OpenTracks can provide feedback about current status (duration of activity, speed and so on) of the activity. This is very similar to the "Workout recording" in MiFit does (with the selection of type of workout and so on...). See short step by step manual below for how to use this.
To use this practically:
- Install OpenTracks Nightly release or official release on F-Droid.
- Enable the API in OpenTracks
- In Gadgetbridge settings, select "OpenTracks package name" based on which OpenTracks version you installed. (official, playstore, debug, nightly...)
- Use this function either in:
Current limitations
-
The activity type (walking, running, biking...) is set in OpenTracks settings. This means that you cannot specify upfront via the API call the type of activity to be recorded, but activity type can of course be changed by the user later via editing the recorded activity in OpenTracks later.
-
For Miband/Amazfit devices, we currently do not utilize the "Record activity/Workout" on the band (triggered either from the phone companion app or from the band/watch on newer devices).
API Implementation in Gadgetbridge
A short explanation of how this integration with OpenTracks works:
Starting the recording from a device requires calling startRecording() on
this class. For a simple example, check out the implementation in
WorkoutRequestHandler, used by the Fossil HR series. The OpenTracks class
can be set in the Gadgetbridge settings and depends on the installation source
used for OpenTracks. Details can be found in their documentation here:
https://github.com/OpenTracksApp/OpenTracks#api startRecording() sends an
explicit Intent to OpenTracks signalling it to start recording. It passes along
the package name and class name of our OpenTracksController which OpenTracks
will use to send the statistics URIs to. After starting the recording service,
OpenTracks uses a new explicit Intent to start our OpenTracksController and
passes along the URIs and the read permissions for those URIs (using
Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION). So at that point
OpenTracksController is started as a new Activity (or Context) which has
the read permissions for the statistics URIs. The controller saves its
Context into the OpenTracksContentObserver in the GB main process, so it
can keep running and read the statistics with the correct Context. So,
whatever class, device or activity calls the methods on the
OpenTracksContentObserver from, it will always work.
Testing the OpenTracks API from adb
Start:
adb shell am start -n de.dennisguse.opentracks.debug/de.dennisguse.opentracks.publicapi.StartRecording
Stop:
adb shell am start -n de.dennisguse.opentracks.debug/de.dennisguse.opentracks.publicapi.StopRecording
General
- Home
- FAQ
- ReadMe
- Configuration
- Notifications
- ChangeLog
- Widget
- Weather
- Data Backup
- Pairing
- Find phone
- Music info
- Permissions Explained
Sports/Activities
- Sports Activities Workouts
- Activity Sessions List
- Activity and Sleep Charts
- Heartrate measurement
- GPS recording of sports activities
- Integrating Sports Tracking apps with Gadgetbridge Sports Activities/Workouts
Smart Device Related
- Bangle.js
- Casio devices
- FitPro
- Fossil Hybrid HR
- HPlus
- Huami devices
- MyKronoz ZeTime
- Pebble
- PineTime
- SMA
Wireless Earbuds
Others
- iTag Keyring trackers
- Nut Keyring trackers
- UM25 USB Voltage meter
- VESC BLDC controller VESC
- Roidmi Roidmi/Mojietu FM Trans.
- Vibratissimo Private toy
Full list of supported devices
Development
- How to Release
- Developer Documentation
- BT Protocol Reverse Engineering
- Support for a new Device
- New Device Tutorial
- Translating Gadgetbridge
- OpenTracks-API
Feature Discussion
FAQ
