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Using Count App

A comprehensive user guide for everyday use of Count App.

Getting Started

After installing Count App, you'll see the home screen with your counter list. Initially, this will be empty. Let's walk through the basic operations.

Creating Counters

Add a New Counter

  1. Tap the floating action button (+) in the bottom-right corner of the home screen
  2. Select a counter type:
  3. Tap Counter - For quick counting (steps, water intake, habits)
  4. Series Counter - For tracking measurements (weight, revenue, temperature)
  5. Fill in the configuration form (see below for details)
  6. Tap the save button to create your counter

Tap Counter Configuration

When creating a Tap Counter, you'll configure:

Counter Name (required)

  • Choose a descriptive name
  • Example: "Daily Water (8oz glasses)"

Step Size (required)

  • How much to add/subtract per tap
  • Default: 1
  • Example: Use 5 for counting by fives

Direction

  • Increment (+): Count up (most common)
  • Decrement (-): Count down

Initial Count

  • Starting value for your counter
  • Default: 0

Require Confirmation

  • Enabled: Shows dialog before each update (prevents accidents)
  • Disabled: Updates immediately (faster for frequent updates)

Tip

For counters you'll update many times per day, disable confirmation for a faster workflow.

Series Counter Configuration

When creating a Series Counter, you'll configure:

Counter Name (required)

  • Choose a descriptive name
  • Example: "Morning Weight (kg)"

Description (optional)

  • Add context about what you're tracking
  • Include units and timing
  • Example: "Daily weight measurement before breakfast"

Initial Value (required)

  • Your first measurement
  • Supports decimals (e.g., 75.5)

Updating Counters

Update a Tap Counter

  1. Tap the counter in your list
  2. If confirmation is enabled, confirm the update in the dialog
  3. The counter value updates immediately
  4. A success message appears briefly

What happens:

  • Value changes by the step size
  • Increment counters add the step size
  • Decrement counters subtract the step size
  • Update timestamp is recorded

Update a Series Counter

  1. Tap the counter in your list
  2. Enter the new value in the dialog
  3. Supports decimal numbers (e.g., 75.5, 98.6)
  4. Previous value and last update time are shown for reference
  5. Tap OK to save the value
  6. The counter updates with your new measurement

What happens:

  • New value is recorded with current timestamp
  • Value is added to the series history
  • Statistics are automatically recalculated

Note

Series counters store every value you enter, allowing you to track trends over time.

Viewing Statistics

Access Statistics

  1. Long-press a counter to open the context menu
  2. Select "View Statistics" (or tap the info icon if available)
  3. View detailed analytics and charts

Tap Counter Statistics

Available data:

  • Total update count
  • Daily update frequency
  • Most active days
  • Update history timeline
  • Frequency charts
  • Heatmap visualizations:
  • Weekly heatmap (7 days × 24 hours) - shows when you typically update during the week
  • Monthly heatmap (12 months × 31 days) - reveals seasonal patterns
  • Days per update count histogram

Series Counter Statistics

Available data:

  • Averages: Weekly and monthly
  • Extremes: Weekly high/low, all-time high/low
  • Interactive charts with time-range filters:
  • 1W (last 7 days)
  • 1M (last 30 days) - default
  • 3M (last 90 days)
  • 1Y (last 365 days)
  • All (complete history)
  • View all updates: Access a complete history of all recorded values with timestamps

Using the chart:

  • Tap the time range buttons to filter data
  • View trends and patterns
  • Identify highs and lows visually
  • Access the full update history to see every data point

Analyzing Trends

Use the time range filters to zoom in on specific periods and identify patterns in your data.

Managing Counters

Reorder Counters

Organize your counter list by dragging and dropping:

  1. Long-press any counter to enter selection mode
  2. Drag the handle (≡) on the right side of a counter
  3. Move it up or down to your desired position
  4. Release to set the new order

Your custom counter order is automatically saved.

Lock/Unlock a Counter

Prevent accidental changes to a counter by locking it:

  • Locked counters display a lock icon next to their name
  • Locked counters cannot be updated or edited
  • To lock/unlock, select the counter and choose the lock/unlock option

Protecting Important Data

Lock counters that track critical data to prevent accidental modifications.

Edit a Counter

  1. Long-press the counter in your list
  2. Select "Edit" from the menu
  3. Modify the settings (name, step size, etc.)
  4. Save your changes

Note

You cannot change the counter type after creation. To switch types, create a new counter and export/delete the old one.

Delete Counters

Delete a single counter:

  1. Long-press the counter you want to remove
  2. Select "Delete" from the menu
  3. Confirm the deletion

Delete multiple counters:

  1. Long-press any counter to enter selection mode
  2. Tap additional counters to select them
  3. Tap the delete icon in the toolbar
  4. Confirm the deletion

Warning

Deleted counters cannot be recovered unless you have a backup export. Always export important data before deleting.

Backup & Restore

Export Counters

Create a backup of all your counters:

  1. Open the app menu (three dots or hamburger icon)
  2. Select "Export Counters"
  3. Choose a save location on your device
  4. Enter a custom filename (optional)
  5. Default: Timestamp-based filename (e.g., 2025-02-05_14-30-00.json)
  6. You can provide your own descriptive name
  7. Invalid characters will be rejected
  8. Save the JSON file

The export file contains:

  • All counter configurations
  • Complete value history
  • Update timestamps
  • All statistics data

File format: JSON (human-readable text)

Tip

Export your counters regularly, especially before app updates or when switching devices.

Import Counters

Restore counters from a previous export:

  1. Open the app menu
  2. Select "Import Counters"
  3. Navigate to your backup file (JSON format)
  4. Select the file to import
  5. Choose import mode:
  6. Merge: Add imported counters to existing ones
  7. Replace: Delete existing counters and import

Warning

"Replace" mode will delete all current counters. Make sure you have a backup before using this option.

Leaderboards

Compete with friends and family by creating or joining leaderboards!

Accessing Leaderboards

  1. Open the app menu (☰)
  2. Select "Leaderboards"

Joining a Leaderboard

  1. Tap the plus (+) button on the leaderboards page
  2. Enter the 6-character code (e.g., ABC123)
  3. Enter your display name
  4. Select a counter to attach to the leaderboard
  5. Tap Confirm

Viewing Rankings

  1. Tap on a leaderboard to view details
  2. See rankings sorted by counter value
  3. Pull to refresh to update rankings

Sharing Codes

Share your leaderboard code with others so they can join and compete with you!

For more details, see the Leaderboards Guide.

Tips & Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Good names include:

  • What you're tracking
  • Units of measurement
  • Timing context

Examples:

  • "Daily Water (8oz glasses)"
  • "Morning Weight (kg)"
  • "Work Tasks Completed"
  • "Push-ups (per session)"

Organization

Keep your counter list organized:

  • Use consistent naming patterns
  • Delete counters you no longer use
  • Group related counters with prefixes (e.g., "Health: Weight", "Health: Steps")

Data Management

Protect your data:

  • Export counters monthly
  • Keep backups in cloud storage
  • Test imports periodically to ensure backups work

Review your data:

  • Check statistics weekly
  • Look for patterns and trends
  • Adjust tracking methods if needed

Performance Tips

For faster updates:

  • Disable confirmation on frequently-used Tap Counters
  • Use appropriate step sizes (avoid step size 1 if counting by 10s)
  • Keep counter names concise

Themes

Switch Between Light and Dark Mode

  1. Open the app menu
  2. Select "Options"
  3. Choose your preferred theme:
  4. Light mode - bright background, optimized for daylight viewing
  5. Dark mode - dark background, easier on the eyes at night
  6. System default - automatically matches your device's theme setting

The theme applies immediately to all screens.

Quick toggle: Use the Dark Mode switch in Options for instant toggling.

Battery Saving

On OLED displays, dark mode can help conserve battery power.

Troubleshooting

Counter Not Updating

Possible causes:

  • Confirmation dialog was cancelled
  • Invalid value entered (Series Counter)
  • App needs restart

Solutions:

  • Try updating again
  • Check for error messages
  • Restart the app

Statistics Not Showing

Possible causes:

  • No data recorded yet
  • Time range filter excludes all data
  • Counter was just created

Solutions:

  • Add some data points first
  • Adjust time range filter to "All"
  • Wait for data to accumulate

Import Failed

Possible causes:

  • Invalid JSON file
  • File from incompatible version
  • Corrupted backup

Solutions:

  • Verify the file is a valid Count App export
  • Check file wasn't modified
  • Try a different backup file

Data Disappeared

Prevention:

  • Regular exports (weekly or monthly)
  • Multiple backup locations
  • Test restores periodically

Recovery:

  • Import from most recent backup
  • Check device storage for auto-backups (if enabled)

Keyboard Shortcuts

(If applicable to desktop versions)

Action Shortcut
Add counter Ctrl/Cmd + N
Export Ctrl/Cmd + E
Search Ctrl/Cmd + F

See Also