Auto-Archiving

Lokate makes sure your assignments are never lost. It automatically archives each assignment into a compressed ZIP file in your iCloud Drive under Lokate > Archives.

Each archive includes GPS tracks, photos, weather data, and time-stamped log entries, all wrapped into an auto-formatted report you can open in a browser. It also contains data in several common formats for importing into other mapping or analysis tools. Your data stays with you no matter if you change phones or switch software.

Go to Settings > Archives and enable "Auto-Archive Assignments." Lokate will now automatically create an archive every time you stop recording.

You can set a minimum battery level (recommended 30%) to avoid draining your device during critical situations. Archiving won't run below that level, but you can always trigger a manual archive.

For archiving to work, iCloud Drive must be enabled:

• Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive → ON
• Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Apps Using iCloud Drive > Lokate → ON

In your Assignment List, a vertical status bar at the right edge shows:

• Green — archive complete and saved to iCloud
• Orange — archiving in progress
• Red — archive hasn't been created or failed

Archives are stored in iCloud Drive under Lokate > Archives. Access via:

• iPhone/iPad: Files app > iCloud Drive > Lokate > Archives
• Mac: Finder > iCloud Drive > Lokate > Archives
• Online: iCloud.com > iCloud Drive > Lokate folder

Each archive is named by date and assignment, e.g.: 2025-03-15-Search_Mission_Pine_Ridge-UUID.zip. The UUID is unique across all Lokate users and can serve as a master ID for combined databases.

Each archive is a complete snapshot containing:

• HTML Report — open in any browser to see maps, weather, logs, and media
• GPS Track Files — separate GPX files for handler, K9, and subject; combined GeoJSON file
• Log — in JSON format
• Map Items — all imported data in JSON format
• Backup Data — all track points with timestamps, original full-resolution photos with position/altitude/heading, assignment settings with weather data

• Immediately after you finish recording (if enabled and battery/internet requirements are met)
• When you update the assignment (adding tracks, changing name, adding photos, editing log, updating weather)
• When you manually trigger an archive from Assignment Details or by long-pressing an assignment
• When an archive is deleted from iCloud — Lokate detects this and creates a new one

Manual archiving works regardless of battery level or internet connection.

The browser-based report (report.html) contains:

• Header: Assignment name, date, and summary
• Map: Interactive satellite map with color-coded tracks
• Weather: Charts showing temperature, wind, humidity, and more. Data spans from 1 hour before the first data point to 1 hour after the last — for aged subject tracks, this may cover 24-48 hours.
• Log: Time-stamped log entries, ordered and formatted
• Photos: Gallery of all images (coming in a future release)

If archiving fails, check:

• iCloud Drive enabled (Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive → ON)
• Signed into iCloud
• Working internet connection
• Battery above minimum threshold

Go to Settings > Archives for error details. Use "Create Archive Now" to force an archive.

If you don't see your archives, open the Files app and wait a few minutes — iCloud sync isn't always instant.