[Question] Location trigger

[t4n017]

Hi, I'm new here. I have used Tasker and Llama before but I fall in love with Automagic, it's the way to make flows that make this app a winner one. Congrats dev!

I want to make my flows the more battery saver as possible and avoid innecesary wakelocks.

My situation is like this:
I have some flows that make actions based on where I am. For example:

NAME <--> TRIGGER
Work <--> Location
Street <--> Location
Near Home <--> Location
Home <--> WiFi connected

I have read that the location is checked every 4 minutes. So, if I have more than one flow with location trigger, how many time is it checked in 4 minutes?
If the answer is 'more than if you have only one', should I only use one flow with a Periodic Location Update trigger and add conditions to determine where I am? Will it be more battery saver?

Another doubt. When I'm connected to my router is because I'm at home and it's impossible to leave without a disconnection. So I don't need network location when I'm connected to my router because I'll first check if WiFi get disconnected. If I disable network location when I'm at home, will this avoid location triggers (wakelocks)? Or the only way is to disable the flows that make use of location triggers?

In my case, if I'm not connected to my home router is because I'm at street. So, when WiFi get disconnected, I'll reenable network location to check if really I left home.

Sorry if my english is not perfect, it is not my first language.

[t4n017]

I did some test. Now I can confirm that network location accuracy (without WiFi and GPS), at least in my country, is a bullsh#t.
I was 2km (more than 1 mile) from a location but the flow triggered.

I didn't test with WiFi enabled to make use of near AP's, but anyway I don't like that, I want to save battery. Not to mention what GPS can do with the battery life.

So, my last option is to use cells (like I was doing in Llama). As I read it's the more battery saver option and the worst in accuracy, but in my case accuracy is better than network location, I don't know why.

The problem is that I don't understand how GSM cells work in Automagic.
First, in my home, I only get 2 cell. Do I need more?.
And second, how LAC works? Do it aim to avoid manually sellect all the cells?, or LAC refer to an area with a group of cells (the ones that have been found but also the neighbors)?

[Martin]

Hi,

You can create a trigger Phone Cell GSM and press the Start-button to collect the cells at your home for a few minutes or an hour.
For most uses it's best to use the cell ID list only in the trigger since a LAC will cover a larger area than the cell ID.
After you have collected a few cells you can enable the check box of the cell ID list and add all collected cells to the list by using the [...]-button.

Regards,
Martin

[t4n017]

That's what I wanted to know, LAC cover a larger area and this can make the location to be inaccurate. Is it really known?, maybe you should explain it in the help files. And don't check LAC by default like if it was the best option (when creating the trigger).

I will test the accuracy with cells some more times. But, at least for now, it practically don't use battery and accuracy is better than with network (this should be the other way around, no?).

Thanks.

[Martin]

Yes, I will update the documentation.
In my tests the network location is quite inaccurate when wifi is turned off but this also depends on your environment, the number and size of the cells etc. The network location is much more convenient to configure since you can use a map to select the area of interest and the network location works well when wifi is on or the wifi background scanning on Android 4.3+ is enabled.

[t4n017]

Yes, with WiFi enabled accuracy it's great. And, as you said, I can configure the area by selecting it in the map, even if I'm not there. To use cells I have to be scanning the area and sometimes appears new cells when I'm not scanning and I have to manually add them by checking the log to see which is the CID. But when you have all existing CID's in the area you're done and with so much less battery consumption.

Thanks for this awesome app and feedback.