Debug Mode

Debug Mode

Debug Mode turns on a built-in log recorder that captures what the app is doing behind the scenes. Use it when you want to send useful information to support for a bug report, or when troubleshooting a dive-computer download, Bluetooth connection, or import problem.

Tip: Logs are only recorded while Debug Mode is on. If you want to capture a problem, enable Debug Mode before you try to reproduce it.

What Gets Logged

While Debug Mode is enabled, Submersion appends timestamped entries to a single log file (submersion.log) on the device. Each entry has a category and a severity level so you can filter what you see.

Category	What it covers
App	General app events, navigation, errors
Bluetooth	BLE discovery, pairing, and data transfer
Serial	USB / serial dive-computer connections
libdc	Output from the libdivecomputer engine
Database	Local database queries and migrations

Severity	When it's used
DEBUG	Verbose, step-by-step detail
INFO	Routine progress and milestones
WARN	Something unexpected, but recoverable
ERROR	Something failed

The log file is capped at 5 MB. When it gets larger than that, Submersion trims the oldest entries automatically so the file never grows without bound.

Enable Debug Mode

Debug Mode is intentionally hidden so it doesn't get turned on by accident.

1. Open the Settings tab (gear icon in the navigation bar).
2. Scroll to the very bottom of the Settings page, where the Submersion app icon, name, and version number are shown.
3. Tap the version number five times in quick succession.
4. A "Debug mode enabled" notification appears at the bottom of the screen, confirming that recording has started.

Once enabled, a new Debug entry appears in the Settings list, just above About. It has a bug icon and the subtitle "Logs & diagnostics."

Persistence: Debug Mode stays on across app restarts. You will need to turn it off manually when you are done troubleshooting (see below).

Reproduce the Problem

With Debug Mode on, do whatever triggers the issue you want to report — download a dive, import a file, sync, etc. The relevant events will be recorded as they happen.

View and Filter Logs

Open Settings → Debug to see the captured log entries.

The viewer offers three ways to narrow down what's shown:

Control	What it does
Category chips	Tap a chip (App, Bluetooth, Serial, libdc, Database) to toggle that category on or off.
Min severity	Hide entries below the selected severity. Set to WARN or ERROR to focus on problems.
Search (magnifying-glass icon)	Filter entries that contain a specific word, error message, or device name.

Share Logs with Support

The three buttons at the bottom of the Debug Log Viewer let you export the captured information.

Button	What it sends	When to use it
Share	The full log file, attached as submersion.log, via your device's share sheet (email, Messages, AirDrop, etc.)	The recommended option when filing a bug report or sending logs to support.
Copy	Only the filtered entries currently visible on screen, as plain text on your clipboard.	When you want to paste a small, relevant slice into a GitHub issue or forum reply.
Save	The full log file, saved to a location you choose, as submersion-debug-logs.txt.	When you want a local copy you can attach later.

Note: "Copy" respects the active filters — it copies only what's visible. "Share" and "Save" always include the entire log file regardless of filters.

Clear the Log

To wipe the log file and start fresh (useful before reproducing a specific issue):

1. Open Settings → Debug.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
3. Choose Clear Logs.

Disable Debug Mode

When you are done troubleshooting, turn Debug Mode back off so the app stops writing to the log file.

1. Open Settings → Debug.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
3. Choose Disable Debug Mode.

You'll be returned to Settings, and the Debug section will disappear from the list.

Privacy

Submersion's debug logs are stored only on your device until you choose to share them. They are not uploaded automatically and not transmitted to Submersion or any third party.

The log file can contain technical details such as dive-computer model names, Bluetooth identifiers, file names being imported, and database error messages. Before sharing a log with someone outside your trusted circle, you may want to open the file in a text editor and review it.

Troubleshooting Debug Mode

Problem	What to try
Tapping the version doesn't activate Debug Mode	Tap faster — all five taps need to land in quick succession.
No entries appear in the viewer	Debug Mode only records events that happen after it's enabled. Reproduce the issue first, then come back.
Old entries are missing	The log file is capped at 5 MB; older entries are trimmed automatically. Clear the log and reproduce only the specific scenario you want to capture.