[emacf1]

Originally Posted by 9duc

Are there any plans to implement the compass into the version for os 4.5?

The Problem is, that currently I use a SVG image (since that can be rotated very smooth and without big performance issues) - unfortunately SVG is only supported since OS 4.6+

Originally Posted by 9duc

Also, I seem to have a 'bug' when I am recording a tracklog, if I press the Escape button (the U-turn arrow) to wake up the screen after it dims, GPSLogger stops tracking.

Mhhh - that's strange indeed! (since there is no key registered for 'stop logging') - can you check, if that still happens, if you enable the option "Confirm exit" ?

Matthias

[stormboy]

Originally Posted by emacf1

... creating such an infoscreen might be technically possible - there is a so called "NEA" data block inside the GPS Data - but the problem with that is, that it's quite complicated to find some valuable information about this data block (for free)... I know how to parse the number of sats out of this data block - but nothing more...

Thanks for looking into this, Matthias. I tried reading about this, and looks like the BlackBerry API doesn't provide satellite-specific information, so there's no way to create a "sky view" of current GPS satellites.

Here's the technical info (I'm including it here as a reference so I can remember all the info I looked up online). Specifically, when you call the location.getExtraInfo method, it does not return any "$GPGSV sentences". It is the $GPGSV sentence that provides the location info for each satellite in view.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Originally Posted by emacf1

... concerning the "record" a single point I have already another idea... we will see when & how this become true.

Can't wait to see what "magic" you come up with! This would be especially useful in a parking lot, where I could record my parking space as a single point, and perhaps have GPSLogger give me general directions back to my parking spot (ex. "50 feet NW").

[9duc]

Originally Posted by emacf1

Mhhh - that's strange indeed! (since there is no key registered for 'stop logging') - can you check, if that still happens, if you enable the option "Confirm exit" ?

Matthias

OK, well I have not been able to re-create the back button issue, so it must have occurred because of something else...

I *think* it might be stopping when I receive messages/alerts from other programs? I get alerts/messages from the native apps, yahoo/blackberry messenger, facebook, and Ubertwitter.

Or possibly GPSLogger isn't re-starting if the GPS signal is temporarily lost?

For example, I went for a run today, and noticed the program stopped recording after about 3600 ft. I clicked around a bit in the menus, but then just closed it because I can't really concentrate on re-starting the app while I'm running...

[emacf1]

Originally Posted by stormboy

Here's the technical info (I'm including it here as a reference so I can remember all the info I looked up online). Specifically, when you call the location.getExtraInfo method, it does not return any "$GPGSV sentences". It is the $GPGSV sentence that provides the location info for each satellite in view.

that's the NEA string I tried to talk about - when you find documentation, how to parse that string - and which value have which meaning, then I would be happy to implement such a view...

Originally Posted by stormboy

Can't wait to see what "magic" you come up with! This would be especially useful in a parking lot, where I could record my parking space as a single point, and perhaps have GPSLogger give me general directions back to my parking spot (ex. "50 feet NW").

If you would had an Iphone the answer would be: "there is an App for this" (you have to pay for) - lucky enough you are a BlackBerry owner - so the answer will be: GPSLogger will do that for you... [in the initial version unfortunately only for OS4.6+]...

Matthias

[Iare Tosevite]

Originally Posted by emacf1

What kind of details do you have in mind?

Probably those:

Title - limited to some charactors maybe 50? 100?

Info - larger amount of charactors, but I don't know what amount of charactors is good limit. Maybe no limit if theres no programming side limits.

Maybe Time and date too...

[emacf1]

GPSLogger update to 0.5.4

What's new?
* Direction View:
Load a previously stored Location (Point) and let you guide to that direction ("Guide Me Home" function).
This can become quite useful when you have to locate your car at a big parking lot - or when you are in the wilderness and have lost the orientation.
Please Note: This is not a any kind of street navigation function! - it's just gives you a direction & distance

* Key short cut [D|F] to toggle display forward
* Key short cut [SHIFT]+[D|F] to toggle display backwards
* Key short cut [L] to toggle night mode

What's fixed?
* KML-Export

Installation & Update
You will find the download link (incl. OTA) at the GPSLogger Homepage

Actually I just can recommend to all, that when you open a JAD via the browser (that you has installed previously) then you should always choose "refresh/reload" from the #Menu before you actually hit the install button.

Matthias

[stormboy]

The new version looks like a lot of fun. Now I'll have no reason to lose my car in the parking lot any more.

Originally Posted by emacf1

that's the NEA string I tried to talk about - when you find documentation, how to parse that string - and which value have which meaning, then I would be happy to implement such a view...

If only the BlackBerry API would let you access the "$GPGSV sentence", then you (and other GPS app developers) could create the "satellite sky view".

There are actually a few Web sites that show how to parse and interpret the $GPGSV sentence. Here's an example, written in Visual Basic: DevPapers - article Write Your Own GPS Applications: Part I

Someone else has written a detailed description of each NMEA sentence type, including $GPGSV: Common NMEA Sentence types

(sorry to everyone else if this is all a bit technical. I just wanted to write all this down so that I'd remember all this GPS info I looked up)

Originally Posted by emacf1

If you would had an Iphone the answer would be: "there is an App for this" (you have to pay for) - lucky enough you are a BlackBerry owner - so the answer will be: GPSLogger will do that for you... [in the initial version unfortunately only for OS4.6+]...

LOL! You get those commercials in Germany, too? I'm so glad to be a BlackBerry owner.

BTW, I made a small contribution. Thanks so much for all your hard work! GPSLogger really is a fun app!

[stormboy]

I'm not sure if I missed it, but after I "Load a Location", is there a way to view the GPS coordinates of that location?

I'm also going to send you a quick PM...

[jbeek]

Originally Posted by emacf1

GPSLogger update to 0.5.4

What's new?
* Direction View:
Load a previously stored Location (Point) and let you guide to that direction ("Guide Me Home" function).
This can become quite useful when you have to locate your car at a big parking lot - or when you are in the wilderness and have lost the orientation.
Please Note: This is not a any kind of street navigation function! - it's just gives you a direction & distance
Matthias

I tried this "Guide Me Home" function today...quite a useful addition. Unless I misunderstand something though, I think there might be a bug in it. I set a point and as I was driving away from it, the direction back was shown as varying from 300 to 345 degrees (depending on which way the road curved), which I think was correct, but the compass direction was shown as "NE". Should it not have been NW?

[emacf1]

Originally Posted by jbeek

...the direction back was shown as varying from 300 to 345 degrees (depending on which way the road curved), which I think was correct, but the compass direction was shown as "NE". Should it not have been NW?

FOR SURE a BUG! - My surprise is nobody noticed this before... there is a spelling error in the code - NW was never displayed

Thanks a lot!

[emacf1]

Originally Posted by stormboy

I'm not sure if I missed it, but after I "Load a Location", is there a way to view the GPS coordinates of that location

- not yet - but that can be build in (I think of some sort of Details Popup)

[emacf1]

Originally Posted by stormboy

If only the BlackBerry API would let you access the "$GPGSV sentence", then you (and other GPS app developers) could create the "satellite sky view".

actually BB API gives you access to these $GPGSV sentence - it was "just" that I did not found any open documentation for this - thanks to you NOW I have it!...

I will debug around and will check, what is possible to implement!

Originally Posted by stormboy

LOL! You get those commercials in Germany, too? I'm so glad to be a BlackBerry owner.

Yes we do - well it's up to everyone to have a choice - I am just very happy, that RIM have decided (like Android) to provide an open API that can be easily used - might be, if I would know how to use C# I would also find it easy to write apps for WM devices... but I am an old Java guy - so I am very happy with my BB-Java-API...

[stormboy]

Originally Posted by emacf1

actually BB API gives you access to these $GPGSV sentence - it was "just" that I did not found any open documentation for this - thanks to you NOW I have it!...

Wow! That's great news! I really hope this all works out, and hope it's not too much trouble.

If you'd like some ideas on how to design the satellite view, here's a link to a Web page that has pictures of a similar app at different stages of design. This particular app allows users to choose whether or not to show the satellite signal strength chart: The NMEA Sage

The same Web site also provides a different view of the same satellite information: The NMEA Sage

Hope that helps! I know I've learned a lot about GPS these past few days.

[emacf1]

GPSLogger update to 0.5.6
(don't get confused - 0.5.5 was never released)

What's new?
* Timing View: Display elapsed time, current speed and Ø speed in a large font (e.g. for runners and cyclists)
* Path details popup will show Ø speed
* Details popup for location (in location loading screen)
* Import of GPX-XML files from 3'rd party logging applications
* KML-Export contain extra info for each location

What's fixed?
* display of 'NW' heading

Installation & Update
You will find the download link (incl. OTA) at the GPSLogger Homepage

Actually I just can recommend to all, that when you open a JAD via the browser (that you has installed previously) then you should always choose "refresh/reload" from the #Menu before you actually hit the install button. This is very important for the update to 0.5.6 since the package will now consist of 3 COD files (instead of previously two)

Matthias

[emacf1]

Originally Posted by stormboy

Wow! That's great news! I really hope this all works out, and hope it's not too much trouble.

mhhhh - just made a quick test and the only nmea sentences are: $GPGGA and $GPGLL and as far as I understand right now that's Fixed & Position data - and nothing more ['Active satellites', 'Satellites in view' and 'Course over ground' would be the ones we would need for such a sat info screen] - but I will not give up right now... that are only values from the phone simulator.

[zero7404]

this sounds like a cool app....

it would be nice if there was a feature of the app to allow it to periodically send position data to an email address...(in case the phone gets lost)

[emacf1]

Originally Posted by zero7404

it would be nice if there was a feature of the app to allow it to periodically send position data to an email address...(in case the phone gets lost)

well that has been already discussed for a while... I have my problems with such a function 1) it's then not 100% offline anylonger and 2) I have privacy concerns...

There might be an extra app - separated from GPSLogger, that can/will do that for you.

[zero7404]

for me, GPS Tracker works fine, it gives me more than enough info. and my purpose for gps with my phone is to navigate/track remotely, so that if i lost my phone, i can find it.

your app looks like it's more geared towards geologists/mountain climbers. it's also interesting because the data can be recalled later on, for analysis.

[stormboy]

I finally had a chance to try the new "Save current Location" and "Load a Location", and it's really fun!

I had a couple more ideas:

- When I am less than a mile away, GPSLogger shows that I am "4285 feet" away from my target location, for example. I think it would be easier to understand distance in feet for anything less than, perhaps, 1000 feet. Anything greater than 1000 feet would be easier to understand in miles (ex. 0.81 miles for the above example).

- Is there a way to edit a Location? For example, if I misspelled "geocache near the mall" when I first saved the location, I can't change any Location info, especially if I am no longer near the original location. (Sounds like a stupid example, and I'm sure someone else can come up with a better example)

- Is there a way to export a Location? Perhaps as a GPX and/or KML (Google Earth) point?

- When my BlackBerry Storm is horizontal (ie. landscape view), the text of the directions (ex. "10ft 180º S") overlaps the image of the compass. I'm not sure if the compass should be smaller in landscape view?

- I'm not sure if you've seen the competition, but there's an iPhone app for geocaching that's very similar to what you've come up with for "View: Direction". Looks like it has just a little more information displayed on its screen. Would this be useful or easy to add?

(from http://www.geocaching.com/iphone/)

Looks like the only difference between this and GPSLogger is that it displays the target location's GPS location on the same screen, and the current location's GPS coordinates are more prominent.

- The Trimble Geocache Navigator also has a very simple Radar screen that shows the relative location between you and your target location. Looks like the target location is always in the center of the screen, and your location is shown relative to the target. Is this easy to make, too?

(from Geocache Navigator > Using the Radar)

Just a few ideas. You've really built GPSLogger into a HUGE BlackBerry app!


Edit: - just one more idea. Is there a way to manually add a new location (ex. the GPS coordinates for a new location)?

[emacf1]

GPSLogger update to 0.5.7

What's fixed?
* correct display of durations longer then 1 hour
* correct timestamp information for GPX & KML-Export files (all GMT)

Installation & Update
You will find the download link (incl. OTA) at the GPSLogger Homepage

Actually I just can recommend to all, that when you open a JAD via the browser (that you has installed previously) then you should always choose "refresh/reload" from the #Menu before you actually hit the install button.

Matthias