Can we get access to the compass bearing?

Suggestions
1

I was playing around with some code today that uses the gravity vector (there’s a name that could be misunderstood, can’t we just call it “down”?) to figure out which “side” of an object to show. I wanted to do the same with the horizontal aspect, but couldn’t. Testing with the acceleration vector seemed to show that it doesn’t provide enough information to distinguish between a twist and a translation, so some sort of “dead reckoner” doesn’t seem possible (and I’d hate to try to code it!).

If we could get the compass bearing, that would be brilliant and would solve what I was trying to do.

2

Does the iPad 1/2 have a compass? I wasn’t aware.

If it does then it should be no problem. I’ll be making the gyro values available as well (iPad 2 only).

3

Yes - iPad 1 has compass. I thought we had a native compass app as well, but apparently not. Downloaded one, works dandy.

4

A question comes up. Since I have an Ipad1, how does the compass on the Ipad2 work with those magnets they added for the covers? Well, not so much how as in is there still a working compass on IPad2?

5

Works fine. There’s a calibration step wher you wave it around - the fixed magnets don’t move relative to the iPad and so calibrate out.

6

Hi to everyone!

Thanks for this excellent app.

I was especially interested in accessing the Compass Bearing for a sailing project, and was wondering if there has been any progress since the question was raised in this thread last year.

Cheers!

Al

7

.@Alastairorchard would you be able to add this as a feature request to the issue tracker (link at the top). It makes it easy for us to remember to add it.

8

Sure!