FindFriendsMini a new iCloud FindmyFriends Plugin

[GlennNZ]

Sorry to hear that.

I believe it relates to not selecting a mapping option - you do need to select one of the map options.

This whole area could do with a tidy up, will try to prioritise a new release soonish.

Glenn



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[mgolden50]

Thanks. Will try that

[mgolden50]

H Glenn,

Selecting a map worded to eliminate the errors in the log.
It would be nice if you do some clean up on the plugin to be able to suppress the display of the map while leaving in enabled.

Do you know if any particular map choice produces more accurate found address than another?

This is a terrific plugin. Thanks for all of the hard work.

Mike

[GlennNZ]

Hi

Thanks for the encouragement! - have been working on a side-project involving dashcam video downloading for Windows 10 at
http://www.gizmocoding.com
which has been taking a bit of time... ( to be honest everything is a side project!)

But apologies - that enable/disable bug had been on todo list for a while. Fixed now in new version, posted below
However the display of map, opening web browser on screen happens if have debug for maps enabled, if that is what you are referring to.

The maps are basically just pretty and for control page use. They don't affect time, distance, travel, location etc. So I am not completely sure follow question.
Different maps will look better depending on location/up-todate aerial images - the maps.six.nsw.gov.au - is fantastic aerial images for NSW Australia - but blank everywhere else, and not much help for you I'm sure.
The Bing maps added below I would presume have pretty good US coverage.

1.0.3

Fixing the mapping disable being ignored
Adds Bing Mapping - which does need Bing API signup for - free - and doesn't seem to need billing info
Sign up here:
https://www.bingmapsportal.com/

In Plugin Store.

Glenn

[mgolden50]

Glenn,

Thanks for the update! It's working much better having the map enable/disable function working. I using it with Bing maps and their API key. However, when enabled the map does not pop up when the locations are refreshed. So it looks like no effective difference between enabled or disabled.

The most disconcerting behavior is even that at an 800 meters geofence radius, a stationary phone still pops in and out of the geofence periodically. Do you think that tase something to do with the Apple API?

It's still a more reliable presence detection solution than using IFFT web hooks installed on the phones. A wonderful alternative!

Thanks again,

Mike

[GlennNZ]

Glenn,

Thanks for the update! It's working much better having the map enable/disable function working. I using it with Bing maps and their API key. However, when enabled the map does not pop up when the locations are refreshed. So it looks like no effective difference between enabled or disabled.

The most disconcerting behavior is even that at an 800 meters geofence radius, a stationary phone still pops in and out of the geofence periodically. Do you think that tase something to do with the Apple API?

It's still a more reliable presence detection solution than using IFFT web hooks installed on the phones. A wonderful alternative!

Thanks again,

Mike

Hi

Hmmm.. not sure I follow the ‘pop up’ comment and it is possible you are missing some functionality.

The map only ‘pops up’ - by this I mean open a browser window if have debug maps enabled. This is for testing only, and shouldn’t remain enabled.

The functionality of maps is to save a jpg image of the selected map for each iFriend enabled. There are saved in documents under iFindFriends. These images are always updated. The aim is to link to these images on a Indigo control page - showing current location for iFriend. You can also overlay on the control page - arrow/cross-hair as wish, location is always the middle of the image.

The geofence leaving. Hmmm. Occasionally there is a bad ‘lock’ or poor accuracy on location. Middle of night, charging in middle of house somewhere. I do have it set to take into account accuracy entering or exiting geofences, basically will ignore low accuracy location results (unless sizeable percentage of geofence away). It is possible that this has changed, it is somewhat hard to troubleshoot as need a log of the exit (when not a exit) to fine tune. Will see what I can generate at my end.

Edit:
I have had a look and seems to be functioning correctly - will log for a while.
But I would add that:
Increasing your geofence size decreases its accuracy
(Plugin calculates accuracy in meters divided by distance from geofence as a ratio of accuracy/distance).

Currently uses a ratio of 2 - less than 2 happy to act, greater than 2 will ignore.

This is by necessity given accuracy.
eg. If had 2km geofence, accuracy of 500m +/- wouldn’t be a problem, and would still remain/or exit geofence depending on location. (ratio of 500/2000, or 1/4)
If had a 200m geofence an accuracy of 500m would mean that this result would be ignored until better accuracy. (ratio 500/200, or >2).

So you may be making things worse by setting a 800m radius, but all means keep this one, but also have a tighter 100m geofence as well.

Glenn

[mgolden50]

Thanks,

Will try a second geofence with a tighter radius.

Mike

[mgolden50]

Hi Glenn,

I set up a second geofence with the same focal point as the initial one. The first had a radius of 900 meters and the second a radius of 100 meters.
Two iPhones at stationery locations at the social point continued to periodically change reported locations simultaneously on both geofences.

So it looks like accuracy driven by radius size is not a factor in these reported location changes.

Mike

[GlennNZ]

Hi Glenn,
I set up a second geofence with the same focal point as the initial one. The first had a radius of 900 meters and the second a radius of 100 meters.
Two iPhones at stationery locations at the social point continued to periodically change reported locations simultaneously on both geofences.
So it looks like accuracy driven by radius size is not a factor in these reported location changes.
Mike

Hi,

Ok - on reviewing my logs, have found one logic issue in Geofence code, seemed to creep in with changes. I will fix when next near development computer, next day or so.

Log reviews of this issue are quite difficult as common for devices to leave/return to Geofences, need to capture occasions where reported left/entered but hasn't moved.

Glenn

[GlennNZ]

Hi

Have a try of 1.0.4 In PluginStore

Fixes the one logic error (only occured with combination of distance away, accuracy and geofence)

It should reduce the number of incorrect leaving Geofences...

It does seem to me that there are still times where accuracy reported from Apple is good, but location is still wrong.
Essentially can't correct for this.

Glenn

[mgolden50]

Thanks for continuing to tackle this problem Glenn.

Will try the new release.

Mike

[jingai]

Trying to set this up on Indigo 7.5 with plugin version 1.2.7 and macOS 10.13.6. I have an iCloud account without 2FA, but when I try to log into it with the plugin, it fails. Logs show:

Code: Select all

2022-11-26 08:46:22.288	FindFriendsMini Debug	Data:{"success": false, "error": "Missing apple_id field"}
2022-11-26 08:46:22.288	FindFriendsMini Debug	Missing apple_id field
2022-11-26 08:46:22.288	FindFriendsMini Error	Login failed - Check username/password - has it changed recently?.

Credentials verified correct and can log into icloud.com via web browser just fine. Any ideas?

[GlennNZ]

Unfortunately apple now seems to mark all non-2FA accounts as “needing repair”. This leads a a repeated request to upgrade with login. Pyicloud the library behind this plugin doesn’t manage this leading to this error.

I looked in to possible fixes - but none were immediately apparent. I’ll recheck again.

2FA accounts work fine - but occasionally need to be updated (there is a trigger for when this happens)


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[GlennNZ]

Unfortunately apple now seems to mark all non-2FA accounts as “needing repair”. This leads a a repeated request to upgrade with login. Pyicloud the library behind this plugin doesn’t manage this leading to this error.

I looked in to possible fixes - but none were immediately apparent. I’ll recheck again.

2FA accounts work fine - but occasionally need to be updated (there is a trigger for when this happens)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jingai]

Unfortunately apple now seems to mark all non-2FA accounts as “needing repair”. This leads a a repeated request to upgrade with login. Pyicloud the library behind this plugin doesn’t manage this leading to this error.

I looked in to possible fixes - but none were immediately apparent. I’ll recheck again.

2FA accounts work fine - but occasionally need to be updated (there is a trigger for when this happens)

How often is "occasionally?" And what do you mean by there being a trigger for when it happens? A programmatic trigger (i.e., something that can be automated), or something that causes it to require a 2FA code?

I'm reluctant to enable 2FA on said account because I don't think it's possible to create a new one without it?

Apologies for an entire reply with nothing but questions