{{  :manual:user_guide:ic_live_tracking_alt.png}}

====== Live Tracking ======

----

**With Locus Live tracking you share your actual location continuously in real-time.** 
<WRAP center round info>
This feature requires registration and logging in to your **[[manual:user_guide:locus_store:user_profile#authentication|Locus account]]**.
</WRAP>

You can share your location in **three modes**:
  * **Share with all** - sharing publicly with the whole world on **[[http://www.locusmap.eu/live-tracking/|Live Tracking website]]** and with all **Locus users** who have public live tracking **active at the moment**
  * **Share with a group** - location is shared only within a **selected group of people**
  * **Custom** - location is shared via custom defined service or a **third party service**

First two modes share your actual **location**, your **name** or **nickname**, an **icon/avatar**, actual **speed**, **azimuth**, **GPS accuracy** and **altitude**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking01.jpg?nolink |}} If you are moving, **15 minutes of your movement history** is shared too - displayed as a line of your **track on map**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking02.jpg?nolink |}}
<WRAP center round info>
**The track history is displayed in the app only, not on the [[https://live-tracking.locusmap.app/|Live tracking website]].**
</WRAP>

===== How to start =====

  * go to **Menu > more functions > Live Tracking** and tap. Initial page of live tracking wizard appears:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking03.png?nolink |}}
  * select **who do you need to share your real-time location with**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking04.png?nolink |}}
==== Share with all ====
Your real-time location is shared with **public** at **[[http://www.locusmap.eu/live-tracking/|Live Tracking website]]** and also with **all other Locus Map users** who have this type of service **active**.

Your **icon and name are prefilled** by default by values from your **My Locus profile**. I.e. if you logged in via Google, your Google avatar and name are used. **These data can be edited**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking05.png?nolink |}} 
  * press the **start button** and Live Tracking begins.
  * **active Live Tracking is indicated in your device status bar**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking06.jpg?nolink |}}

==== Share with a group ====
Select a **pre-defined group of people** and share your real-time location with them. **Nobody else will see your shared location.** These groups were created by you or someone else.

  * tap to unfold a **list of your groups**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking07.png?nolink |}}
  * **tap a selected group** and your group live tracking session is set:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking08.png?nolink |}}
  * if you need to **join a new group**, enter its **access key** here:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking09.gif?nolink |}}
==== Share with a new group ====
<wrap info>Available only with **[[https://www.locusmap.app/premium|Premium Gold]]**</wrap>

To start a new group, select this option. Your **new group is added right away** to the configuration and you can start live tracking:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking10.gif?nolink |}}
<WRAP center round tip>
Group live tracking includes also **[[manual:user_guide:functions:live_tracking#live_chat|live chat]]** - the possibility to communicate with other members of the group in real time!
</WRAP>

===== How to stop =====
  * roll down the **system topbar**
  * unfold Locus live tracking bar
  * **tap the stop button**\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking12.jpg?nolink |}}

OR
  * go to Locus menu > all features > Share > Live Tracking
  * tap the **stop button at the active profile**\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking13.jpg?nolink |}}
===== Profiles =====
Configurations of your live tracking sessions are stored in **Profiles**. You can maintain several profiles at once and use them on different occasions.
 
**To START live tracking in selected profile**, tap the green arrow button:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking11.gif?nolink |}}

**To STOP live tracking in the selected profile**, tap the red square button as was mentioned above.
==== Auto-start ====
It is possible to **start a live tracking in a selected profile automatically** when you launch Locus Map:
  * open **Live Tracking settings** from topbar menu
  * **select live tracking profile** and close the box:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking21.gif?nolink |}}
  * on the next Locus Map launch, the Live Tracking will be automatically started in the selected profile

==== Active profile ====
Profile that is being used for actual live tracking is highlighted red, other profiles are greyed out:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking17.png?nolink |}}
  - associated **groups** of users
  - **number** of active group members
  - live tracking **chat** button
  - **group sharing** button

Your live tracking activity is also indicated in your **system tray**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking23.jpg?nolink |}}
It displays your Live Tracking **nick**, numbers of successful and unsuccessful **connection attempts**, and a **STOP** button for the quick ending of the session. 
==== Adding profiles ====

To add a new profile, tap {{:manual:user_guide:tracks:add.png?nolink&30|}} and **[[manual:user_guide:functions:live_tracking#how_to_start|follow instructions of the wizard >>]]**.
==== Editing profiles ====
To edit a profile, tap the profile tab in the list:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking14.gif?nolink |}}

  * **nickname** - how others will see you. If you logged in to My Locus with Google or Facebook, this is pre-filled with your Google/FB avatar and user name. **You can change it**.
  * you can add a **message to other live trackers**. It will appear under your name on the label on your location.
  * **frequency of updating**  - optional setting - the shorter interval, the more accurate your monitoring but the more data and battery it consumes
  * **groups** - list of groups of users of which the profile is a member. When there is no particular group listed, the profile is **public**. By tapping a cross you can remove the profile from a group. Tap **manage** to create, edit and delete available groups.
  * **positive feedback** - switch on if you need to know if the live tracking is active
  * **negative feedback** - switch on if you need to know if the live tracking stops working (loss of GSM or GPS signal)
  * **display last shared location** - your icon stays on the map on your last fixed location for 10 more minutes even when you are offline 

==== Deleting profiles ====

To delete a live tracking porfile, tap {{:manual:user_guide:tracks:ic_delete_alt.png?nolink&30|}} in the topbar:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking15.png?nolink |}}

===== Group management =====
Groups for sharing your real-time location with particular people can be **created, edited, and deleted** in a live tracking group manager. You can access it from an open configuration of any live tracking profile:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking16.png?nolink |}}

==== Adding a group to a profile ====
  * open group manager
  * tap a selected group
  * group is added:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking15.gif?nolink |}}

In this case, your real-time location is now shared with two independent groups of users.
==== Creating a new group ====
<wrap info>Available only with **[[https://www.locusmap.app/premium|Premium Gold]]**</wrap>

  * tap {{:manual:user_guide:add.png?nolink&30|}} in **Groups manager** and select **Add own**\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking11.png?nolink |}}
  * change **icon**, enter **name** and **description** of the new group, tap **Add**.\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking10.png?nolink |}}
  * the new group appears under **Groups** in the profile configuration

==== Sharing a group with others ====

  * tap **Manage** again and then action menu {{:manual:user_guide:ic_more_ver_alt.png?nolink&30|}} of the new group
  * select {{:manual:user_guide:ic_hint_alt.png?nolink&30|}}**Share**\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking13.png?nolink |}}
  * Locus generates a **key** that you can share with the members of the group via e-mail, SMS, etc. - with this key they can **enter your live tracking group**.\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking14.png?nolink |}}

==== Joining a group ====
There are two options:

**1)** when sharing the access key to a group Locus generates also a **direct link** to it which, if clicked on a device with Locus installed, calls Locus > live tracking > your group.

**2)** similarly to adding your own group go to the **Group manager** > {{:manual:user_guide:add.png?nolink&30|}} > **Add by key** > insert the key you received
==== Editing a group ====
You can edit some of the group's preferences. To do so, tap **Edit** in the group menu:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking24.jpg?nolink |}} 
=== Preferences ===
{{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking25.jpg?nolink |}}
  * **Icon, name, description**
  * **Hide inactive members after** - set a time interval after which a group member that is inactive (turned LT off, lost signal, etc...) is removed from the map - from 10 minutes to unlimited (the member remains on screen all the time LT is on)
  * **Length of displayed motion history** - the app (not the [[https://live-tracking.locusmap.app/|website]]) can display a track history of the movement of a group member - up to 15 minutes
  * **Live chat** - members of the group can chat with each other - here you can determine if the chat is enabled, disabled or read-only
  * **Password needed to join** - another step of securing the group entrance (not applicable on the [[https://live-tracking.locusmap.app/|web]])

===== Live chat =====
Users joined in a group live tracking can **communicate in real time** via live chat. It can be accessed from the **main map screen**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking20.jpg?nolink |}}\\ or from the **list of profiles**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking19.png?nolink |}}
or from the **system bar**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking21.jpg?nolink |}}
=== Send places ===

When live chatting, you can send not only messages but also **places - coordinates, points of interest, geocaches**... Just select from the **[[manual:user_guide:tools:location|location selector]]**.\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking17.gif?nolink |}}\\ You can **display the place on the map, navigate or guide to it** right away from the chat:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking19.gif?nolink |}} 
=== Toggle among groups ===
When you are live tracking in more groups at once, you can toggle among more live chats:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking18.gif?nolink |}}
=== Notifications ===
You are **notified when a new chat message comes**. You can choose **a beep, your own sound or vibration**:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking22.gif?nolink |}}
===== Custom live tracking =====
<wrap info>Available only with **[[https://www.locusmap.app/premium|Premium]]**</wrap>

Do you want to start **live tracking via a live tracking service independent of Locus**? Select last option in Live tracking start menu:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking18.png?nolink |}}
==== Add new... ====

Here you can configure all parameters of live tracking on your own. 

  * **name** your new live-tracking configuration
  * it displays as a **new profile** in the list
  * tap it and go on setting up:\\ {{ :manual:user_guide:functions:livetracking16.gif?nolink |}}

**The main parameters**  are:

  * update parameters of time and distance
  * required accuracy
  * **base URL**

Live tracking data handling:

  * Data methods - POST or GET
  * Latitude
  * Longitude
  * Altitude
  * Speed
  * Accuracy
  * Bearing
  * Time
  * Text field
  * Battery level
  * GSM signal