Adding support for TDC3 dive computer?

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mikemike
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:26 am
Dive Computer: TDC-3

Adding support for TDC3 dive computer?

Post by mikemike »

Hi,

I just bought one of the new "TDC3" dive computers from Ross Hemingway (who makes V-Planner and Multi-deco, as well as the software for the old Liquivision X1). Details are here: http://www.tdc-3.com/index.php . It would be great if there were a smooth way to import dive profiles from this computer to Mac-Dive.

The catch is that the computer downloads (or rather uploads) dives via a wi-fi connection to the manufacturer's server, rather than via a local connection to my laptop or phone. I know that this is not the standard way that Mac Dive works, but it would be great to find a way to make this work!

Many thanks!

(Note: I'm not affiliated with TDC in any way, other than as a customer... same as for Mac Dive!)
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nick
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Re: Adding support for TDC3 dive computer?

Post by nick »

I've dropped them an email to see if they are interested in getting it supported.
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nick
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Re: Adding support for TDC3 dive computer?

Post by nick »

I spoke to Ross briefly. It sounds like they may make something available in the future, I'm not quite sure what form it will take, but if they get back to me with something usable then I'll add it.
mikemike
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:26 am
Dive Computer: TDC-3

Re: Adding support for TDC3 dive computer?

Post by mikemike »

Thanks!
mikemike
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:26 am
Dive Computer: TDC-3

Re: Adding support for TDC3 dive computer?

Post by mikemike »

Hi,

Any news on this topic?

Ross has now released a Mac client for the TDC3 (called "Multideco Divelog" -- basically an extension of the client that was used for the Liquivision X1), so dives can be:
- uploaded from the dive computer to the cloud via wifi
- then downloaded to the mac via Multideco Divelong
- then exported from multideco divelog in .uddf format (with sidecar .txt and .csv files which are both ignored)
- then imported into Mac Dive locally from the .uddf
- then synced with my Mac Dive cloud data [/list]
whew!

I think this has 2 drawbacks over a more-native solution. First, it's a bit cumbersome (e.g., I find myself generally exporting the last dozen or so, since I'm not positive which ones have already been imported, then I have to manually edit the computer and diver fields on each imported dive, etc.). Second, I believe there are data elements that are stored in the native MultiDeco log and are representable in Mac Dive but are not included in= the .uddf intermediary, so they get lost... especially given that Mac Dive doesn't read the sidecars. (I don't know whether these represent gaps in the uddf format, gaps in the MultiDeco export function, or different interpretations of the uddf format between MultiDeco and Mac Dive.) As far as I can tell, these include:
- Computer type (only included in the s/n number field of the .txt sidecar (and only for the TDC3, not for the X1). So Mac Dive always fills in “unknown computer” which has to be manually fixed. I’m not sure where this even should go in the uddf — perhaps MultiDeco should add an <equipment> tag?, but then it wouldn’t have all of the same properties as Mac Dive (e.g., store and price and photo), so would Mac Dive mis-match and try to create a new piece of equipment after every import?)
- Computer serial number (this is only written in the sidecar .txt)
- Deco algorithm/model (this is only written in the sidecar .txt, is there a place for it in UDDF?)
- NDT/NDL time (this is only written in the sidecar .csv . Perhaps it should be written in the UDDF’s <sample> section as <remainingbottomtime> ?)
- *maybe* surface pressure (this doesn’t appear in any of the export files, but is viewable in MultiDeco divelog. I’m not sure if there is a place for this in Mac Dive, though.)
- *maybe* CNS status (this appears in the sidecar .txt, but I’m not sure if there is a place for it in Mac Dive. Perhaps it should be written in the UDDF’s <sample> section as <remainingbottomtime>?)

Ideally, it would be great if Mac Dive could call the TDC3 server directly and download the full log. (Though in addition to the work to implement this, it would have a little logical complexity around how to handle the case where you deliberately did not want to add a particular dive to Mac Dive: you wouldn't want it to keep getting re-added every time you do an import and check for new dives...)

An alternative would be if Mac Dive were smart enough to also read the sidecar files generated by MultiDeco divelog? (As a plus, this would simultaneously benefit users of TDC3’s, Liquivision X1’s, DR5/X’s.) This can get a little complicated if you export multiple dives at once (then you end up with one UDDF and multiple sidecars, but only the first dive’s sidecars’ filenames match the UDDF’s).

Any thoughts? I’m happy to share some sample files if useful.

Thanks!
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