Post by drcard on Nov 23, 2020 22:51:41 GMT -5
iPhone – Tape Measure and Level Tools
Overview:
Most iPhone users are unaware or never used the Measure app that was added to iPhones with update to iOS12.0. This is one of those apps that once you start using it, you wonder why you haven’t been using it all along. As the name of the app indicates, the Measure app turns your phone into a very accurate tape measure, a very accurate level, and a very accurate protractor. It also will keep a picture of the measured object with all the measurements displayed. What follows are instructions of how to use the Measure app, its tools, and examples of their uses.
iPhone Measure App
The Measure app button looks like a portion of a tape measure and is labeled Measure. Pressing this button opens the Measure app to the Tape Measure tool.
Tape Measure Tool
Making a Single Measurement
• The Tape Measure tool needs plenty of light on the object being measured not only to detect the object but also to make it easier to set the measure points.
• Once the Measure app opens, point the phone’s camera toward the object to be measured. Follow the on-screen instructions. These instructions will have you move the phone around while pointing at the object (different angles of the same object).
• Keep moving the phone until the Measure app recognizes the object you want to measure. The screen will display a circle around the object with a white dot in the center.
• After the circle appears move the phone so that the dot in the circle is at the starting point of your measurement and press the + button to add the start measure point.
• Slowly move the phone so the center dot is at the end of your measurement and press the + button to set the end point of your measurement to the other edge of the object. As you move the dot toward the end point, a dotted line is left showing the area being measured. When you press the + to set the end point the dotted line will turn solid and display the measurement.
• Once you have taken the measurement, you can adjust it. Place your finger on the start or end measure points and move that point where you want to. Tip: On small objects, I take the measurement at the distance that the app wants, then move the phone closer to enlarge the image. I adjust the measure points on this enlarged image resulting in a very accurate measurement. As you adjust the measure point(s) the displayed measurement changes according.
Making Multiple Measurements
• Objects have length, width, and height; and often you need all three measurements.
• For multiple measurements: all additional measurements must start or end from a measurement line already there; otherwise, the app will see this as a new measurement and delete all prior measurements.
• After making the first measurement, move the phone so that the dot is on the start point of the second measurement and press the + button. Slowly move the phone so the dot meets the first measurement line.
• Continue the process above until you have all the measurements you want. You can use the Undo button (U-turn arrow) to cancel the last measurement and save the prior measurements or you can use the Clear button to delete all measurements made.
Recognized Rectangle
• If the Measure app recognizes the object as a square or a rectangle, it will outline the rectangle and ask if you want the rectangle.
• Pressing the + button adds the rectangle measurements. Move the dot from the center of the rectangle to see the length, width, and area measurements. Pressing the center of the rectangle will display the measurements including a diagonal measurement. You can copy this information to be pasted elsewhere such as an email or document.
• The downside of the recognized rectangle is that once added you can’t adjust the size of the rectangle.
Save your Measurements
• Press any measurement displayed and you can have the option to copy that measurement to be added to another document. This allows you to save the measurements alone.
• Press the Shutter button (big round dot) to take a screen shot of the object with the measurements displayed. This will be saved to your Recent photos. Don’t worry if the numbers appear too small to read. When the photo is viewed you can enlarge the view and easily read the numbers of the measurements.
Examples Uses
• Going to the store to get something for a current project. Usually I have my measurements or a picture of what I have and often find not having both measurements and pictures leads to getting the wrong thing and extra trips to the store. The Measure app gives me both measurements and picture.
• Someone wants me to send the measurements of an object. I could send a lengthy email with the measurements of the object OR take those measurements with the Measure app, save the photo with measurements on it, and send the photo with “here you go”.
• I’m in the store and see a large object I like and wonder if it would fit in the space I have available for it. I measure it with the Measure app and save the photo. When I get home, I measure the space and compare to the measurements on the photo of the object. I now know if it can fit or not.
• For those that doubt the accuracy of this type of measurements, I ran numerous tests in comparing the accuracy of the Measure app to an actual measurement and found that under 6 feet measurements are accurate to less than 1/64” (smallest I could measure).
iPhone Level
The iPhone’s Level tool is not new, but with the update to iOS12.0 it was moved from the Compass app to the Measure app.
• To access the Level tool, you need to open the Measure app.
• Once the Measure app is open, press the Level button at the bottom of the screen to open the Level tool.
• The Level tool has three level functions based upon how the phone is used:
Vertical level (up and down)
Horizontal level (left and right)
Surface level (tilt)
• Vertical level – This level function is used to make sure a stake or post is straight vertically (up and down) and perpendicular to the ground. Hold the phone in portrait position (long sides of phone pointing up and down) to use the vertical level. Hold the phone such that the long side edge lies snug against the flat surface of the post and position the post so that the level reads 0. The post is now vertically level and perpendicular to the ground. Can be used to draw a perpendicular line on a surface.
• Horizontal level – This level function is used to make sure a flat surface is level and parallel to the ground, such as a shelf or a painting/photo. Hold the phone in the landscape position ( long sides parallel with the ground) to use the Horizontal level. Hold the phone such that the long side of the phone sits on the flat surface of the object. Move the object with the phone on it until the phone level reads 0. The object is now level and parallel with the ground. This helps a lot in making sure things hanging on walls are hanging level.
• Surface level – This level function is used to make sure a flat surface is level, such as a table top. Lay the phone on the surface with the back of the phone laying flat on the surface. A zero reading means that the surface is level with the ground for 360° from that point.
iPhone Level as a Protractor
• When using the Level tool you will notice numbers in degrees (°) of how much from level the phone is. These are the same degrees (°) that are on a protractor and can be used for protractor functions. The example uses below will help understand how to use the degrees on the Level tool as a protractor.
• You are building a small area on the ground and you want to make sure it drains properly. Place a straight board at the top running to the bottom of the area. Put the phone in Horizontal level mode and place the phone on the board. Lower the bottom end of the board until the level reads – 2° on the phone Level. Stake the board at this angle and build the area to this angle. The area will have a 2° slope downhill to provide mild drainage.
• You have a design to place on a wall and need a line that goes exactly at 45° diagonal. On the wall place a pin or small nail where the diagonal line will begin. Put the phone in Horizontal level mode and place the phone against the wall with the long edge of the phone resting on the pin/nail so the phone can pivot on the nail. With the phone level and reading 0 draw a line along the edge of the phone from the pin/nail outward. Pivot the phone up or down the wall using the pin/nail as the pivot point. When the level reads 45° draw a line along the edge of the phone from the pin/nail outward. You now have a perfect 45° diagonal angle that can be extended with a straight edge.
I think that once you use the Measure tools and remember how to use them, you will find them very useful and handy when other tools are not available.
Overview:
Most iPhone users are unaware or never used the Measure app that was added to iPhones with update to iOS12.0. This is one of those apps that once you start using it, you wonder why you haven’t been using it all along. As the name of the app indicates, the Measure app turns your phone into a very accurate tape measure, a very accurate level, and a very accurate protractor. It also will keep a picture of the measured object with all the measurements displayed. What follows are instructions of how to use the Measure app, its tools, and examples of their uses.
iPhone Measure App
The Measure app button looks like a portion of a tape measure and is labeled Measure. Pressing this button opens the Measure app to the Tape Measure tool.
Tape Measure Tool
Making a Single Measurement
• The Tape Measure tool needs plenty of light on the object being measured not only to detect the object but also to make it easier to set the measure points.
• Once the Measure app opens, point the phone’s camera toward the object to be measured. Follow the on-screen instructions. These instructions will have you move the phone around while pointing at the object (different angles of the same object).
• Keep moving the phone until the Measure app recognizes the object you want to measure. The screen will display a circle around the object with a white dot in the center.
• After the circle appears move the phone so that the dot in the circle is at the starting point of your measurement and press the + button to add the start measure point.
• Slowly move the phone so the center dot is at the end of your measurement and press the + button to set the end point of your measurement to the other edge of the object. As you move the dot toward the end point, a dotted line is left showing the area being measured. When you press the + to set the end point the dotted line will turn solid and display the measurement.
• Once you have taken the measurement, you can adjust it. Place your finger on the start or end measure points and move that point where you want to. Tip: On small objects, I take the measurement at the distance that the app wants, then move the phone closer to enlarge the image. I adjust the measure points on this enlarged image resulting in a very accurate measurement. As you adjust the measure point(s) the displayed measurement changes according.
Making Multiple Measurements
• Objects have length, width, and height; and often you need all three measurements.
• For multiple measurements: all additional measurements must start or end from a measurement line already there; otherwise, the app will see this as a new measurement and delete all prior measurements.
• After making the first measurement, move the phone so that the dot is on the start point of the second measurement and press the + button. Slowly move the phone so the dot meets the first measurement line.
• Continue the process above until you have all the measurements you want. You can use the Undo button (U-turn arrow) to cancel the last measurement and save the prior measurements or you can use the Clear button to delete all measurements made.
Recognized Rectangle
• If the Measure app recognizes the object as a square or a rectangle, it will outline the rectangle and ask if you want the rectangle.
• Pressing the + button adds the rectangle measurements. Move the dot from the center of the rectangle to see the length, width, and area measurements. Pressing the center of the rectangle will display the measurements including a diagonal measurement. You can copy this information to be pasted elsewhere such as an email or document.
• The downside of the recognized rectangle is that once added you can’t adjust the size of the rectangle.
Save your Measurements
• Press any measurement displayed and you can have the option to copy that measurement to be added to another document. This allows you to save the measurements alone.
• Press the Shutter button (big round dot) to take a screen shot of the object with the measurements displayed. This will be saved to your Recent photos. Don’t worry if the numbers appear too small to read. When the photo is viewed you can enlarge the view and easily read the numbers of the measurements.
Examples Uses
• Going to the store to get something for a current project. Usually I have my measurements or a picture of what I have and often find not having both measurements and pictures leads to getting the wrong thing and extra trips to the store. The Measure app gives me both measurements and picture.
• Someone wants me to send the measurements of an object. I could send a lengthy email with the measurements of the object OR take those measurements with the Measure app, save the photo with measurements on it, and send the photo with “here you go”.
• I’m in the store and see a large object I like and wonder if it would fit in the space I have available for it. I measure it with the Measure app and save the photo. When I get home, I measure the space and compare to the measurements on the photo of the object. I now know if it can fit or not.
• For those that doubt the accuracy of this type of measurements, I ran numerous tests in comparing the accuracy of the Measure app to an actual measurement and found that under 6 feet measurements are accurate to less than 1/64” (smallest I could measure).
iPhone Level
The iPhone’s Level tool is not new, but with the update to iOS12.0 it was moved from the Compass app to the Measure app.
• To access the Level tool, you need to open the Measure app.
• Once the Measure app is open, press the Level button at the bottom of the screen to open the Level tool.
• The Level tool has three level functions based upon how the phone is used:
Vertical level (up and down)
Horizontal level (left and right)
Surface level (tilt)
• Vertical level – This level function is used to make sure a stake or post is straight vertically (up and down) and perpendicular to the ground. Hold the phone in portrait position (long sides of phone pointing up and down) to use the vertical level. Hold the phone such that the long side edge lies snug against the flat surface of the post and position the post so that the level reads 0. The post is now vertically level and perpendicular to the ground. Can be used to draw a perpendicular line on a surface.
• Horizontal level – This level function is used to make sure a flat surface is level and parallel to the ground, such as a shelf or a painting/photo. Hold the phone in the landscape position ( long sides parallel with the ground) to use the Horizontal level. Hold the phone such that the long side of the phone sits on the flat surface of the object. Move the object with the phone on it until the phone level reads 0. The object is now level and parallel with the ground. This helps a lot in making sure things hanging on walls are hanging level.
• Surface level – This level function is used to make sure a flat surface is level, such as a table top. Lay the phone on the surface with the back of the phone laying flat on the surface. A zero reading means that the surface is level with the ground for 360° from that point.
iPhone Level as a Protractor
• When using the Level tool you will notice numbers in degrees (°) of how much from level the phone is. These are the same degrees (°) that are on a protractor and can be used for protractor functions. The example uses below will help understand how to use the degrees on the Level tool as a protractor.
• You are building a small area on the ground and you want to make sure it drains properly. Place a straight board at the top running to the bottom of the area. Put the phone in Horizontal level mode and place the phone on the board. Lower the bottom end of the board until the level reads – 2° on the phone Level. Stake the board at this angle and build the area to this angle. The area will have a 2° slope downhill to provide mild drainage.
• You have a design to place on a wall and need a line that goes exactly at 45° diagonal. On the wall place a pin or small nail where the diagonal line will begin. Put the phone in Horizontal level mode and place the phone against the wall with the long edge of the phone resting on the pin/nail so the phone can pivot on the nail. With the phone level and reading 0 draw a line along the edge of the phone from the pin/nail outward. Pivot the phone up or down the wall using the pin/nail as the pivot point. When the level reads 45° draw a line along the edge of the phone from the pin/nail outward. You now have a perfect 45° diagonal angle that can be extended with a straight edge.
I think that once you use the Measure tools and remember how to use them, you will find them very useful and handy when other tools are not available.
