App map and compass not rotating

[+daywalk]

I've just bought a Samsung Galaxy J6 and, naturally, the first app I downloaded was the geocaching app.

But, I'm having a directional problem - the  map and compass don't rotate. 

When I turn on the map, I would expect it to be automatically 'track up' but it is stuck - it isn't auto-rotating. If I rotate the map on the screen by touch, then a north-pointing compass arrow icon appears in the top left showing which way is true north -  all good. If I touch that north arrow icon, it disappears and the map rotates back to the default 'north up' view.  Using the 'white compass circle' icon at top right of the screen, one tap centres the screen and turns the compass circle icon green. A second tap changes the green compass circle  to a green compass needle icon.  I'd expect that icon should mean 'track up' view, but the map  is fixed - it doesn't autorotate.

 

Same problem with the compass. When I start to navigate to a cache and switch to the compass, the compass takes the correct bearing on where the cache is at the time you press 'start'.  But, the compass  doesn't rotate and the needle doesn't change from the initial bearing.

 

The distance indication is correct as you go to the cache, in both the map view and the compass view. So that part works fine.

 

I have tried deleting and re-installing the app, but that didn't fix the problem.
I can't find any menu setting for 'compass calibration' as you have in a GPS.
Is there a simple fix for this problem, or is it a bug in the app?

 

[+kunarion]

54 minutes ago, daywalk said:

I've just bought a Samsung Galaxy J6 and, naturally, the first app I downloaded was the geocaching app.

But, I'm having a directional problem - the  map and compass don't rotate. 

 

Does that phone have a compass sensor?

https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9203&idPhone2=8161

 

 

Edited October 3, 2018 by kunarion

[+rocketgarden]

The Samsung J6 lacks a hardware compass sensor. Unfortunately there's not much we can do on the software side, although we are working on improving the messaging so that users with no compass will at least have a better idea of why it doesn't work

[+Viajero Perdido]

Does that app rotate the compass rose when you're moving?  Because that's possible even without a compass sensor.  (It's how my first-ever Garmin worked.)

 

When you're moving, the app can look at your change of northing, change of westing, to figure out, ah, you're going northwest.  And twirl the dial to suit.

[+daywalk]

Oh... no compass on the phone eh?  (No, the compass rose doesn't move at all from the position it is in when you press 'Start'  to navigate to a cache.) 

Well, that explains the problem.  Thank goodness it's only a backup to our GPS.
Thank you all for your help. 

[+NanCycle]

14 hours ago, daywalk said:

Oh... no compass on the phone eh?  (No, the compass rose doesn't move at all from the position it is in when you press 'Start'  to navigate to a cache.) 

Well, that explains the problem.  Thank goodness it's only a backup to our GPS.
Thank you all for your help. 

 

I also have a phone without a compass.  I occasionally use it in two ways as backup to the GPS.  One is to read coordinates on the phone and enter them on the GPS.  The other is by using the map I can tell whether I need to walk toward the river, away from the road, etc and in the direction that the distance decreases.  

[+daywalk]

Seems there are a whole lot of Samsung phones that don't have a hardware compass sensor.  And that means that the "official Geocaching® Android App" doesn't work properly on those phones.  

But, the solution suggested on a local facebook group  - use c:geo, which is another popular geocaching phone app  - one which still uses GPS to find  the direction. Probably there are other suitable geocaching apps - do people have any suggestions?  I experimented with c:geo on a Samsung J6 today and it works fine. Navigating to a cache using c:geo, the directional compass and the 'go-to' red line on the map both worked as they should.

[+31BMSG]

5 hours ago, daywalk said:

Seems there are a whole lot of Samsung phones that don't have a hardware compass sensor.  And that means that the "official Geocaching® Android App" doesn't work properly on those phones.  

But, the solution suggested on a local facebook group  - use c:geo, which is another popular geocaching phone app  - one which still uses GPS to find  the direction. Probably there are other suitable geocaching apps - do people have any suggestions?  I experimented with c:geo on a Samsung J6 today and it works fine. Navigating to a cache using c:geo, the directional compass and the 'go-to' red line on the map both worked as they should.

1. You're using an unauthorized app that violates a company's terms of use.

2. You admit to using this unauthorized app on the website of the same company you are using the app to hack.

What could go wrong?

 

[Keystone]

Let's get back to discussing the official Geocaching App.  If there's a need for comparison to other applications, such comparisons must involve authorized Geocaching Live! partner applications.

[+lil Shmoo]

My compass disappeared off my android phone, so I can't use it for navigating to a cache.  I don't know why/how it disappeared.  It used to be there, and now I just get a message that says my device has no compass.

 

 

[+eyetreasure]

4 minutes ago, lil Shmoo said:

My compass disappeared off my android phone, so I can't use it for navigating to a cache.  I don't know why/how it disappeared.  It used to be there, and now I just get a message that says my device has no compass.

 

 

Did you try deleting the geocache app and reinstalling it?

[+Max and 99]

4 minutes ago, lil Shmoo said:

My compass disappeared off my android phone, so I can't use it for navigating to a cache.  I don't know why/how it disappeared.  It used to be there, and now I just get a message that says my device has no compass.

 

 

Welcome to the sudden and unexpected "No Compass Club". Our numbers are growing!

[+niraD]

1 hour ago, lil Shmoo said:

My compass disappeared off my android phone, so I can't use it for navigating to a cache.  I don't know why/how it disappeared.  It used to be there, and now I just get a message that says my device has no compass.

It isn't so much that the compass disappeared from your device. Your device has almost certainly never had a compass.

 

The change is to the app, or to the software libraries that the app uses. Anyway, now the app cares whether your device has a compass, and refuses to display the "compass" screen if your device doesn't have a compass.

[+Ain'tWastin'Time]

On 6/16/2019 at 6:27 PM, Max and 99 said:

Welcome to the sudden and unexpected "No Compass Club". Our numbers are growing!

 

I joined the "No Compass Club" a couple of months ago. I've been using my Garmin since then, but the phone is good for spur of the moment caching. If I download a compass to my phone will the geocaching app be able to use it? Which compass is recommended?

[+niraD]

16 minutes ago, Ain'tWastin'Time said:

If I download a compass to my phone will the geocaching app be able to use it?

The compass in question is a hardware sensor (a magnetometer). Your phone either has one or it doesn't. It isn't an app that you can download.

[+Ain'tWastin'Time]

Thanks for clearing that up. It might be time for a new phone.