[emacf1]

Transformations into different coordinate systems can be a quite complex mathematical operation - I know other apps (can) do it - a co-worker of mine have study "geo computer science" and I have talked with him already a lot about options (e.g. to get the correct altitude above sea level - instead of WGS84)... but till today we (he) did not found java libs that do this kind of transformations... if you know the exact mathematical operations to make the transformation into your wanted coordinate system, then it can be for sure integrated...

[emacf1]

... well I just read (but can't remember where) that there was the question, why there is a separate Export Directory in the Options... by default you do not have to specify this Directory - but when you would like to separate your path files from the generated export files, then you can specify that additional dir... in any other case the export files will written into the Path Directory...

[kumplocke]

Can this app be used to find geocaches? Sound like a great app!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[flyinscott]

Hi emacf1,
When I try to run GPSLogger, it errors with: "GPS is not supported on this platform, exiting...".

I use BBmaps with the GPS (GPS Navigation ON) all the time. Is there a way to get GPSLogger to recognize the device GPS?

Thanks,

/Scott

PS: Forgive me if this question is redundant...

[ktollison]

I believe Verizon cripples GPS on the 8830. It only works with VZ Navigaor at 10 buck a month.

I have had the same thing with my Storm until I realized it was set for E911 only in the options. It may be paranoid, but I always turn it off when I am not actively using GPS.

Edit: Just confirmed with my Wife's 8830. GPS does not work with BBMaps on a Verizon phone.

[FF22]

... well I just read (but can't remember where) that there was the question, why there is a separate Export Directory in the Options... by default you do not have to specify this Directory - but when you would like to separate your path files from the generated export files, then you can specify that additional dir... in any other case the export files will written into the Path Directory...

That was my question. I guess I raised it because originally the user did not have to specify other than the export directory (or the path one, I don't recall! (G)) and now you can. But I figured it out when I finally found the path files (I did not realize you actually stored them).

[flyinscott]

The 4.5 OS upgrade unlocks the GPS on Verizon (and other phones) for BB Maps at least. I was hoping that it would work for GPSLogger as well.

[marculos]

Transformations into different coordinate systems can be a quite complex mathematical operation - I know other apps (can) do it - a co-worker of mine have study "geo computer science" and I have talked with him already a lot about options (e.g. to get the correct altitude above sea level - instead of WGS84)... but till today we (he) did not found java libs that do this kind of transformations... if you know the exact mathematical operations to make the transformation into your wanted coordinate system, then it can be for sure integrated...

You can find the math here. Would be so cool if you implement OSGB !

jstott.me.uk/jcoord/

jstott.me.uk/jscoord/

movable-type.co.uk/scripts/latlong-gridref.html

nearby.org.uk/tests/GeoTools2.html

ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/gps/osnetfreeservices/furtherinfo/spreadsheet.html

ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/gps/osnetfreeservices/furtherinfo/questdeveloper.html

[emacf1]

update 0.4.14 is available (bugfix):

What's new?

• Export will not crash when some points does not have an altitute [Uncaught exception: string index out of range: -1] (thanks to jastop for the report and the sample files)
• the Mapsource compatible GPX export will include the named Waypoints

Get the latest version from GPSLogger Downloadpage

Matthias

[jastop]

update 0.4.14 is available (bugfix):

What's new?

• Export will not crash when some points does not have an altitute [Uncaught exception: string index out of range: -1] (thanks to jastop for the report and the sample files)
• the Mapsource compatible GPX export will include the named Waypoints

Get the latest version from GPSLogger Downloadpage

Matthias

That was fast, and your very welcome, and thanks for writing the app.

My thought was to use it for photo geotagging. What I would do is turn it on and let it record the track. Then use one of the geotagging applications to read the file and apply the location information to the pictures from my SLRs.

The only problem with this is that the GPS on the storm can't really run for a whole day without killing the battery. That's OK if you go out and take pictures for a couple of hours, but not for the case when you are going for extended period of time. Have you given any thought to implementing a "frequency" feature that would wake up every x minutes/seconds turn on their GPS, get a lock, save the location, and then shut off the GPS? It would probably extend the battery life. But it is also somewhat counter to what others have asked for with regards to higher frequency recording.

The other feature that could be useful for an intermittent need to get a geofix would be to be able to assign a hot key to gpslogger. Clicking the hot key would turn on gpslogger for a fixed period of time, record the position, then turn off gpslogger. That would also work for a photographer who was periodically taking pictures.

[emacf1]

The only problem with this is that the GPS on the storm can't really run for a whole day without killing the battery. That's OK if you go out and take pictures for a couple of hours, but not for the case when you are going for extended period of time. Have you given any thought to implementing a "frequency" feature that would wake up every x minutes/seconds turn on their GPS, get a lock, save the location, and then shut off the GPS? It would probably extend the battery life. But it is also somewhat counter to what others have asked for with regards to higher frequency recording.

The other feature that could be useful for an intermittent need to get a geofix would be to be able to assign a hot key to gpslogger. Clicking the hot key would turn on gpslogger for a fixed period of time, record the position, then turn off gpslogger. That would also work for a photographer who was periodically taking pictures.

so what you can try first of all is to set the sample frequency to 600 (this would mean to have every 10min a point recorded)... would be interesting to know, if this saves the battery...

The other suggestion sounds reasonable - but I hope that you can understand, that there will be really few users with this requirement... so that can be a personal/private software development?

[mangol]

I have a suggestion for a future integration into this tool.

For those, like myself, who own older BB models without GPS, would it be possible to retreive positioning data and info through carrier signal? (similar to google maps and wifi 3G connection).

Thanks in advance,

Great tool!!!

[jaskru]

Ok, so I have tested many apps for the storm over the last couple of months and for the purpose that I need, GPSlogger is outright the best free one so far. Kudos and I look forward to using the crap out of it. Ever need a tester for future builds let me know. When I get a chance I will be donating to help the cause.

[RoadBicyclist#CB]

I have been looking in this thread to see if this app will work fine on the 8330 (it has built in GPS) from Sprint using OS 4.5, but have not seen any users with the same setup.

Any word or update for this version? I will try to install later on today and hopefully test it on my bicycle tomorrow.

Please let me know if the 8330 has any issues or if you know any bugs I should expect. I hope it works fine, if it does this will become my favorite app

[jshelton1]

Hi emacf1,
When I try to run GPSLogger, it errors with: "GPS is not supported on this platform, exiting...".

I use BBmaps with the GPS (GPS Navigation ON) all the time. Is there a way to get GPSLogger to recognize the device GPS?

Thanks,

/Scott

PS: Forgive me if this question is redundant...

emacf1--
Can I ask for clarification to flyinscott's issue, please? Seems he was using a Blackberry 8830 with Verizon as the carrier. I'm doing the same thing. Yes, it's true that Verizon crippled the GPS in OS 4.2 but also true that version 4.5 upgrade unlocks the GPS.

Considering that I have GPS working with Blackberry maps on OS version 4.5, is there the possibility that you can make a change to allow it to work with GPSLoader?

Many thanks to you. It sounds like a great application and I hope I'll be able to run it.

[nobius]

I really love this app. Would it be possible to have a summary screen that shows the Avg/Top Speeds, Total Distance, and Max/Min/Avg Elevation?

[umberto.sulla]

I really love this app. Would it be possible to have a summary screen that shows the Avg/Top Speeds, Total Distance, and Max/Min/Avg Elevation?

I quote the above request, it would be a great upgrade.

I've a problem with my european 9500 storm: elevation is negative! I live in Italy at about 300 mt elevation but gpslogger shows me -280 mt and when I climb to 560 mt my storm shows 0!!! Is it possible to have in the option menu the possibility to set an elevation "offset", or better to fix this issue?

The second issue is that when I load a previous path i lose all trip information... duration and path length... Is it possible to recalculate these values without exporting to PCs with Google Earth?

Other best thing it would be to add the possibility to zoom the path screen and to integrate with bbmaps....... but probably I'm asking too much... ;-)

I' will be glad to donate if my first two issues will be fixed...

Thank you

[RoadBicyclist#CB]

I have been looking in this thread to see if this app will work fine on the 8330 (it has built in GPS) from Sprint using OS 4.5, but have not seen any users with the same setup.

Any word or update for this version? I will try to install later on today and hopefully test it on my bicycle tomorrow.

Please let me know if the 8330 has any issues or if you know any bugs I should expect. I hope it works fine, if it does this will become my favorite app

OK, tried it on my 8330 with GPS and it only recorded a small line about 10 ft long, basically it failed miserably...does this work with the 8330 built in GPS?

Please let me know, I'd love for this app to actually work on my BB.

[emacf1]

...live in Italy at about 300 mt elevation but gpslogger shows me -280 mt and when I climb to 560 mt my storm shows 0!!! Is it possible to have in the option menu the possibility to set an elevation "offset", or better to fix this issue?

Please take the time and Google for WGS84 coordinate system... I also explained it in my forum already... It was also a big surprise for me (to have a negative altitude)...

The second issue is that when I load a previous path i lose all trip information... duration and path length... Is it possible to recalculate these values without exporting to PCs with Google Earth?

it's on the to do list

Other best thing it would be to add the possibility to zoom the path screen and to integrate with bbmaps....... but probably I'm asking too much... ;-)

I am not sure, IF we are going to see this in the near future...

I really love this app. Would it be possible to have a summary screen that shows the Avg/Top Speeds, Total Distance, and Max/Min/Avg Elevation?

as said - it's on the to do list

emacf1--
Can I ask for clarification to flyinscott's issue, please? Seems he was using a Blackberry 8830 with Verizon as the carrier. I'm doing the same thing. Yes, it's true that Verizon crippled the GPS in OS 4.2 but also true that version 4.5 upgrade unlocks the GPS.

Considering that I have GPS working with Blackberry maps on OS version 4.5, is there the possibility that you can make a change to allow it to work with GPSLoader?

It have been already quoted a few times - might be it had slipped though your attention (np)...
GPSLogger makes use of the std. GPS-data interface of your RIM device - GPSLogger have no influence at all, if the GPS-Antenna will write data though this interface or not... that's in the hand of the OS itself - so when the common API is filled with Data GPSLogger can use it - Verizon have restricted the API... so probably the chances are very low... but I have heard, when you start a APP that works with GPS Antenna on a Verizon device, then you can switch tasks and start any other (like GPSLogger) that should then work also - I could not confirm/deny this...

I have a suggestion for a future integration into this tool.

For those, like myself, who own older BB models without GPS, would it be possible to retreive positioning data and info through carrier signal? (similar to google maps and wifi 3G connection).

the reply to you mangol will be almost identical - GPSLogger is using a std. API - as long as this API will be filled with data (no matter of the source) GPSLogger will work - but I doubt, that we will see an OS, that will fill this std. API-Interface with information that have been extracted from the 3G connection data.

[nobius]

On the zooming, this could be one way you do it:

Press Menu then select Zoom
Scroll the ball up/down to the desired level (in or out) and press In/Enter
Now if you move the ball, it pans the screen

[atlawson]

Or if there was an option to change the scale of the map so we could get more detail and allow for panning on the screen with the ball.

I would love to see this option or some kind of zoom

[jastop]

so what you can try first of all is to set the sample frequency to 600 (this would mean to have every 10min a point recorded)... would be interesting to know, if this saves the battery...

As you suggested I did a little testing. I could not test an interval longer than 99 seconds in GPSlogger because the input field is limited to two digits. I tested on a BB Storm 9530 that was �idle�. By idle I mean that it was left sitting on the table for at least half an hour. All the tests were done with the battery charge over 50%, I didn�t want the battery charge level to have a great impact on the results. I have noticed that the battery can discharge a little faster at lower levels. No emails or phone calls were received during any of the tests. The discharge percent per hour is taken directly from the MeterBerry application. In addition to GPSlogger I also tested GPSed. I thought it would give another point of comparison. After changing the sample rate in GPSlogger I closed and restarted the application. The baseline discharge rate of the Storm measured at 2% per hour.

• GPSed Interval ,sample interval 5 seconds, 13.0% discharge per hour
  
• GPSlogger, sample interval 99 seconds, 6.4% discharge per hour
  
• GPSlogger, sample interval 5 seconds, 13.9% discharge per hour

The results above are consistent with my prior experience of being able to go three to four hours with GPSlogger or GPSed running before the battery is fully discharged

My experience with the blackberry storm GPS is that it works well for �episodic� GPS usage because of the impact on the battery. So, if I am walking to a location and I need directions I can use it to find where I am and give me a route. Maybe even leave it on for a few minutes to confirm I am on the correct route. Leaving it on for an extended period is not practical because of the rapid battery consumption driven by the current GPS software products. For the Storm to be useful for extended periods during a geotagging, geocaching or trekking application a more power efficient method of operation seems to be necessary. By its very nature, I think that a GPS logging application needs to operate over extended periods of time. So the episodic usage of a navigation application isn�t the model to emulate.

Manually setting the interval longer appears to be a step in the right direction. It might be worth confirming that the results above extend proportionally to intervals longer than 99 seconds, at least into the hundreds and maybe into thousands of seconds. I do not know if it is practical to make the application �smarter� so it can sense a need for more frequent updates. This could work based on the distance difference between the last two samples. A difference above a threshold would cause a decrease in the sample rate, a difference below a threshold would cause a decrease in the sample rate? It could also be tied to the velocity, a slow moving unit would automatically drop to a lower sample rate, a fast mover to a higher rate.

This exercise seems to identify an interesting technical issue that some other folks will have to solve also. Think about Google Latitude, for it to be useful to find friends it needs to stay running for a long period. If Latitude uses the battery locating the person, and then uses the battery to update the person�s location on the internet, how long will the phone stay powered? If phones start going dead, who would use the application?

The other suggestion sounds reasonable - but I hope that you can understand, that there will be really few users with this requirement... so that can be a personal/private software development?

I definately understand, it's your app you can code whatever you are interested in coding. I'm sure were all grateful that you shared it with us.

Thanks again for the great application.

[oscommerce]

I have not downloaded this application yet but wanted to find out if there is a way to add an alternate email address into this application that it will email you once a day, once an hour, once every 15 minutes etc the log files automatically.

This would be an excellent feature if not already added to keep track of where the blackberry is at all times. Whether it gets stolen, you let your kid have it etc.....

Thanks,
Shawn

[jastop]

This application does not appear to have this option, but there are some other applications that do have something similar. Mobihand lists an application "WhereAreYou GPS Locator" that will respond with an SMS message with location information when you SMS a request to it. There are also a plethora of other applications that will update a web site with current location of the device. Look at GPSed, InstaMapper, BlackberryTracker, and more.

The blackberry also has the ability to send its location to a BES/BPS server automatically based on IT policy. It doesn't work all that reliably with the current OS but it probably will be better in the near future,

[jshelton1]

It have been already quoted a few times - might be it had slipped though your attention (np)...
GPSLogger makes use of the std. GPS-data interface of your RIM device - GPSLogger have no influence at all, if the GPS-Antenna will write data though this interface or not... that's in the hand of the OS itself - so when the common API is filled with Data GPSLogger can use it - Verizon have restricted the API... so probably the chances are very low... but I have heard, when you start a APP that works with GPS Antenna on a Verizon device, then you can switch tasks and start any other (like GPSLogger) that should then work also - I could not confirm/deny this...

the reply to you mangol will be almost identical - GPSLogger is using a std. API - as long as this API will be filled with data (no matter of the source) GPSLogger will work - but I doubt, that we will see an OS, that will fill this std. API-Interface with information that have been extracted from the 3G connection data.

emacf1,
Thanks for your reply and I apologize for not understanding the earlier posts, which I did read. Let me try to restate your answer in a non-technical language for others who, like me, don't deal in APIs. etc.

The problem is that Verizon has control over what applications can use the internal GPS and they are not allowing GPSLogger to use it. With the earlier OS, 4.2, they didn't allow any application to use it. With my newer OS, 4.5, they are allowing some applications to use it but still not GPSLogger. Basically, they are only going to let the device use the internal GPS with applications which make money for them.

I want you to know that I borrowed a bluetooth GPS receiver and was able to run GPSLogger with it. Great program. It does exactly what I want. Thank you for all your hard work.

I may have to purchase my own bluetooth GPS. Anyone have recommendations?