VARG EX APP

[Jake]

Anyone find a work-around to keep the VARG EX app from opening on top of all other apps you are trying to use? I can't use my onX maps because of this.

 

[Jgottsch]

Use split screen mode.
How to use split screen on Android:

1. 1. Open the Recent Apps menu:
   Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or use the navigation button if your phone has one) to view your recently used apps.
   
   
2. 2. Select the first app:
   Tap on the icon of the app you want to use in the top (or left) part of the split screen.
   
   
3. • 3. Activate Split Screen:
     Tap the app icon and select the "Split Screen" option.
     
   • 4. Choose the second app:
     Select the second app you want to use from the recent apps list or open a new one.
     
   • 5. Adjust the divider:
     You can adjust the size of each app's portion of the screen by dragging the divider line up or down.

 

[Jake]

Thank you. That Actually worked. It fools the phone into thinking the VARG app is running because it is, in the background. Still a little wonky that we have to do that but it's much more helpful than what the Stark folks were telling me.

 

[svtride]

Another alternative complements of @Chadx
There is a setting to defeat App "always on top"...
Displaying GPS/Trail/Mapping app on Stark phone while riding

See Method 2.

I have not personally tried this….

 

[Chadx]

Like in the thread @svtride linked to above, there are several ways you can do it. In my opinion, turning off the "display over all apps", in the Stark app, is the best. I use onX every trail ride (I have Varg MX) and it is so nice to have the map up the entire ride. True you can't see battery level, which of your 5 ride settings you are in, nor get warnings (overheating, etc.) but that is the same as if you choose to ride with the Varg phone dismounted and in your pocket. And you can stop and flip to any other open app, like the Stark app, quickly. So you can stop and check battery level or for warnings anytime. I mainly use ride settings 2 or 3 and I can tell by feel which I'm in, so don't really need the Stark app displayed. When in doubt, I can thumb down to what I know is setting 1 and then go up to 2 or 3 as needed. I don't miss having the app displayed as battery level is the only reading I need to keep an eye on and I don't need that constantly; only now and then.

Example: I just did a typical single track and 50" ride in the mountains. Started at 99% battery, rode 41.3 miles for 3h25m with 5,989feet of elevation change and got back to the trailer with 31% battery State of Charge (SOC). I mostly checked battery level mid ride so I knew when to turn around and head back, which I did at 64% SOC (after ~20 miles). I decide when to turn around based on the terrain and elevation on return trip. If it's all down the mountain on return trip, I turn around with 50 - 55% battery remaining. In this case, I had to climb back up elevation from my turn around point, so turned around at 64%, was down to just over 50% when I got back to high point after less than 5 miles, then road the remaining 15+ miles out and was down to 31% SOC at the trailer.

Around the midpoint, I flipped the Stark app to the front to keep an eye on battery level. After I turned around, flipped onX map back to front. Checked battery level once when I got back to high point and then not again until I got back to the trailer. Changing the Stark App to turn off "display over all apps" works great. So in a 41 mile, 3h25min ride, I probably had the Stark app up 5 or 6 times to check battery level; one of those being for about 10 minutes straight in the middle of the ride. The rest of the 3.5 hours, onX map app was up.

 

[Jake]

Another alternative complements of @Chadx
There is a setting to defeat App "always on top"...
Displaying GPS/Trail/Mapping app on Stark phone while riding

See Method 2.

I have not personally tried this….

Thanks, this worked on my MX but not on my EX.

 

[Chadx]

Thanks, this worked on my MX but not on my EX.

Bummer this same thing won't work on the EX. It is such an important option to me.

I'm still trying to decide between keeping my mx or selling and getting ex. Don't need street legal, but do value enduro suspension, larger battery, head/tail/brake lights. Also updates to harness, connections, cradle and phone ...or so I thought. It is important to me to be able to run apps, and display. So much that this could tip the scale in favor of keeping the mx until someone figures it out. I don't want to mount another display just to have a map showing when there is already a big display there to use.

I've been trail and single track riding my mx with stock suspension (bought suspension option for lightest rider weight even though I'm in the middle of the range) and it's ok but still a bit stiff/harsh so I would love to rework it to plush enduro spec. But dont want to spend the money if I'll just sell this fall or next spring and get EX.
Tough call so I'll be watching this thread as this will be one of my deciding factors.

 

[Jake]

Bummer this same thing won't work on the EX. It is such an important option to me.

I'm still trying to decide between keeping my mx or selling and getting ex. Don't need street legal, but do value enduro suspension, larger battery, head/tail/brake lights. Also updates to harness, connections, cradle and phone ...or so I thought. It is important to me to be able to run apps, and display. So much that this could tip the scale in favor of keeping the mx until someone figures it out. I don't want to mount another display just to have a map showing when there is already a big display there to use.

I've been trail and single track riding my mx with stock suspension (bought suspension option for lightest rider weight even though I'm in the middle of the range) and it's ok but still a bit stiff/harsh so I would love to rework it to plush enduro spec. But dont want to spend the money if I'll just sell this fall or next spring and get EX.
Tough call so I'll be watching this thread as this will be one of my deciding factors.

Maps are very important to me as well. Look at the reply above from Jgottsch. His suggestion for a work-around worked perfectly on my EX phone so I can keep my Map App up while riding. I have an MX and an EX. The MX suspension is good for big jumps and okay for offroad, but for offroad, the EX is better and runs true to your weight. Order according to what you weight.

 

[Beagle]

It is important to me to be able to run apps, and display. So much that this could tip the scale in favor of keeping the mx until someone figures it out. I don't want to mount another display just to have a map showing when there is already a big display there to use.

Out of curiosity, you wouldn't consider using the in-built trail app on the EX?

 

[Chadx]

Maps are very important to me as well. Look at the reply above from Jgottsch. His suggestion for a work-around worked perfectly on my EX phone so I can keep my Map App up while riding. I have an MX and an EX. The MX suspension is good for big jumps and okay for offroad, but for offroad, the EX is better and runs true to your weight. Order according to what you weight.

Went back and re-read the split screen post. The part I missed was the last bit about adjusting the split. My MX varg I'd tried split screen and it seemed to only do 50/50, which left both screens too small, but I found and turned off the varg apps "always on top" feature and so didn't dig into split screen much after that to determine if I could change one to 100%.

So when when running split screen on ex, can you get the ex to go a true 100% of your onX app? And how easy is it to flip from onX to the varg app to see battery SOC? I guess if you could do a 90/10 or 80/20 split and get the varg app positioned to only show battery percentage, that would be neat, but still. 100% onX would still be what I'd use the most.

Thanks for the tip on ex suspension. I probably need to ride one. I typically like suspension even blusher than typical factory enduro (like dual sport soft) so will need to get on one and feel it. And I like running extra sag. At least I'd still have the option to order an ex for lighter weight rider, if it turns out to be my preference, which would avoid extra cost.

Ordering ex will be much more expensive than keeping and upgrading my mx suspension, so I need to decide if the other updates are enough extra value including starting over on 2 year warranty. Now that we know the extended warranty is being worked on for US market, I can at least associate a price with that (about $1,000 for additional 2 years) when I am calculating if I stick with mx or sell and go to ex.

 

[Chadx]

Out of curiosity, you wouldn't consider using the in-built trail app on the EX?

I would have to see it. Isn't it subscription based? (Which i won't pay). And I already am entrenched in onX ecosystem and use it for everything. And can plot intended tracks and routes extremely quickly on home pc and they just show up in the app on all my mobile devices, plus it has trail ratings. And it has all the trails well defined (road, high clearance, 50", single track, non_motorized) and all trail details such as difficulty, lentgh, etc. And camp spots, dispersed camping, first fire data, even overlays for weather and various cellular carriers coverage.
Not sure if Varg map is anything close to all that. I'll have to look into it and watch some demos/reviews.

 

[Jake]

Out of curiosity, you wouldn't consider using the in-built trail app on the EX?

I have tried it but it's not as robust as the onX app, and you will have to pay for it eventually.

 

[Jgottsch]

Split screen only allows a 50/50 split so the Varg app gets clipped and only shows the first digit of the SOC. I'll probalbly turn of "always on top" and switch between the two apps. BTW I have an EX medium suspension and have ridden the MX. MX is too stiff and the EX is just right for fast trail riding however not as good as could be for rocks and roots. I am in the process of revalving my forks in a similar manner that I have done for my KTM closed cartridge forks which will include lighter pressure valve springs and adding float to the midvalves. This gives better initial movement for fork for high speed hits like rocks. Chadx can get the MX forks working, buying the EX would be better but not enough in my opinion. Hope that helps.

 

[svtride]

Thanks for the tip on ex suspension. I probably need to ride one. I typically like suspension even blusher than typical factory enduro (like dual sport soft) so will need to get on one and feel it. And I like running extra sag. At least I'd still have the option to order an ex for lighter weight rider, if it turns out to be my preference, which would avoid extra cost.

Sidebar: Compared to my ’21 300XC-W, the EX, IMO, is not nearly as plush as the 300’s. I have the EX setting all backed off for more compliance and it’s still pretty stiff. Running back to back bikes down same single track last week, I wanted to compare EX vs. 300, the EX over roots, step-ups, and rocks it was definitely harsher. I opted for medium springs at order and weight ~210# fully geared up. EX definitely impressed with agility and tractability.

Now back to our on-topic discussion…...

 

[Chaconne]

Sidebar: Compared to my ’21 300XC-W, the EX, IMO, is not nearly as plush as the 300’s. I have the EX setting all backed off for more compliance and it’s still pretty stiff. Running back to back bikes down same single track last week, I wanted to compare EX vs. 300, the EX over roots, step-ups, and rocks it was definitely harsher. I opted for medium springs at order and weight ~210# fully geared up. EX definitely impressed with agility and tractability.

Now back to our on-topic discussion…...

Sidebar2: Do you have PDS on the rear of your 300? I have found the Stock Varg MX way better in gnarl than the my 2020 300xc-w, especially log and rock hops (PDS behavior is just too unbalanced). I am lighter in weight but I like my suspension stiffer than most. I use my MX exclusively for trails and hard enduro and I am super happy with it. I could have gotten an EX with my insurance settlement but I opted for a new MX since I was so happy with the first one.

 

[Jake]

Split screen only allows a 50/50 split so the Varg app gets clipped and only shows the first digit of the SOC. I'll probalbly turn of "always on top" and switch between the two apps. BTW I have an EX medium suspension and have ridden the MX. MX is too stiff and the EX is just right for fast trail riding however not as good as could be for rocks and roots. I am in the process of revalving my forks in a similar manner that I have done for my KTM closed cartridge forks which will include lighter pressure valve springs and adding float to the midvalves. This gives better initial movement for fork for high speed hits like rocks. Chadx can get the MX forks working, buying the EX would be better but not enough in my opinion. Hope that helps.

You can slide the split screen so it shows the full app and just toggle back when needed. Like I said, it is wonkey, but until Stark lets us turn off the "on-top priority", I think it's the best we can do.

 

[panamint7]

You can slide the split screen so it shows the full app and just toggle back when needed. Like I said, it is wonkey, but until Stark lets us turn off the "on-top priority", I think it's the best we can do.

Jake, have you gotten split screen to work on EX so OnX can take up most/all of the screen? When I follow Jgottsch's post, I set OnX as first app and Stark as second. Then in split screen, the slider only works 50/50 or all the way. If I slide all the way for OnX, the Stark app still takes over when shifting modes. I have the Always Display on Top turned off for the Stark app.

Here's a quick video: Dropbox

 

[Jake]

Yes, I have used it several times now and the OnX app stays open. I will try to explain in detail. It will enolve the "home" button (circle) and the "multitask" button (square).

1. Hit the multitask button and close all apps
2. Open the VARG app
3. Hit the home button
4. Open the OnX app
5. Hit the multitask button, you should now see both a partial view of the VARG app and all of the minimized OnX app
6. Hit the OnX logo above the minimized app and select split screen from the drop down menu
7. Hit the VARG logo abve the minimized VARG app
8. Slide the VARG app all the way over until only the OnX app is on screen (It's either 50/50 or 100, nothing in-between)

Using this process keeps my OnX open and on top, if you want to go back and check your VARG app, hit the multitask button and touch the VARG app.
You will have to go through the process again to get OnX back on top. I've gotten pretty quick at it. Let me know if this works for you.

 

[panamint7]

This works great - thanks for the detailed write up. Sometimes I lose the three button nav on the far right of the screen and have to restart the phone, but otherwise, awesome.

 

[Jake]

If you lose the nav buttons when the VARG app is open, hit the menu button and then home and they should appear