GPSimply
a very simple software for straight-line GPS navigation
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Small Manual
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NEW Version 1.2.1 !! (see the "Versions" page for details)
Small Manual (v1.2/v1.2.1)
Contents:
Installation requires the following steps:
- If you have a previous version, remove it (Start/Settings/Remove Programs etc.)
- Set the task bar to Auto hide (goto the Start menu, select Settings, then
Taskbar and StartMenu..: in the General Tab ensure that
the button Auto hide is checked. This is a good choice also for other purposes.
- Install the GPSimply program (details afterwards)
Details for installation of the GPSimply program:
On the PC:
Unzip the downloaded zip file. It contains a '.cab' file.
Copy the '.cab' file somewhere on your hand-held device (copying can be done in more than one way;
I use the same Mio TransferHack wich I had used also for unlocking my Mio C710
(see
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=61233).
On your hand-held device:
open the File Manager, locate the '.cab' file, double tap on it. The installation window appears.
Starting with version 1.2, the default destination directory (\JeenseeVB) ca be changed if so desired
(but selecting the same directory for the waypoints is NOT reccomended).
Tapping the OK button starts the actual installation which will take a few seconds;
If you can not see the "OK" button of the installation window:
- go to the taskbar;
- tap on the keyboard button (on the right side) and select the small keyboard;
- when the virtual keyboard appears, tap on the installation window and then on the
"Return" key of the virtual keyboard: the actual installation will start
- on the taskbar, tap again on the keyboard button
- tap on the "hide keyboard" button
If you want, you can manually create a shortcut on the Desktop (you can use either cecmd.exe
or "Windows Explorer"; look in "File" menu): now GPSimply has its own icon, that will be shown
on the desktop.
GPSimply configuration consists of the following:
-
setting of the COM port of the GPS receiver;
-
setting the directory containing the waypoints definitions.
The configuration is contained in the file "JeenseeVB\GPSimply.ini" and
comes already set for:
-
the standard GPS COM port (COM2) of the Mio C710;
-
"\Storage Card\WP" as Directory for the Waypoints.
Its content is as follows:
#2
:4800,N,8,1
!\Storage Card\WP
The reccomended configuration actions are therefore:
-
to endow your device with a Storage Card;
-
to make a "WP" directory on it.
The File "Settings.txt" can be edited with the text editor contained in the File Explorer,
but this normally is not necessary. In case you decide to edit it anyway, do it very carefully,
paying attention to keep the first char of each line, not to add extra contents, etc; an error in
this file can cause the program to hang (Not catastrofic: it will be recovered with a "soft
reset" (inserting some tipped tool in the "reset" hole at the bottom and pressing the little
button inside: refer to your device's manual; note that an "hard" reset - off/on cycle via the
switch at the bottom - will make your device locked again).
Place a text file x...x.txt (be sure to use the extension '.txt') in the Waypoint Directory
(see Configuration) for each waypoint you want to define, where
x...x is a mnemonic name of the waypoint. The first two lines of the file should contain the
geographic coordinates of the waypoint. The additional lines, if any, are for display in the
"Current Waypoint" window (will serve during navigation as a memo for you; for example, if
your waypoint is an airport, you could use this space to remind you the radio frequency of
the tower).
The file name, without extension, will become the Waypoint name and used for the display.
Here is, for example, the content of an hypothetical file "Airp. Milano Linate.txt":
45°26'53.58"N
09°16'58.19"E
ICAO Id: LIML
APR: 134.30 MHz
TWR: 118.10 MHz
For the coordinates, you can use Degrees, Primes, Seconds, any of these fields as integer or
decimal and in any combination, but:
-
each numeric field shall be followed by the unit symbol (either ° or ' or ");
-
the last field shall be furtherly followed by either E or W for the Longitude and by either
N or S for the Latitude;
-
you are not allowed to use negative numbers;
-
avoid any extra character (but blanks are allowed).
The start menu of the device should show the program GPSimply. Start it as usual.
(You may also have created a shortcut on your desktop, and then GPSimply can be started from there)
A splash screen may appear (it reminds you to make a donation
to me...
); follow the
screen instruction to go on.
The bottom line shows "www.jeensee.com/GPSimply"
followed by a slowly blinking star. The star blinks at each 'tic' of the GPSimply internal timer
(which causes the polling the GPS receiver); this shows that the program is not hanging, even
when the displaied data do not change.
If your device is in view of enough GPS satellites, in some time the graphic "compass"
(not really a compass, see FAQ) should appear, together with the other (textual)
data in the right part of the screen. How long this phase will take (up to 10 minutes!) depends on the receiver
(not on GPSimply) and on your previous use of it (if it was already in use before starting GPSimply it will
be fast); for details refer to your device's manual.
Adding current position to the waypoints list
If you tap on the sign "¤" (see No.16 in the MainScreen legenda), GPSimply
generates, in the Waypoints directory, a Waypoint file named 000_WP.txt, which contains the coordinates of the
point where you are in that moment. This can be used, e.g., if you want return to this point afterwards.
Of course you can (with external tools, like cecmd.exe) rename the waypoint file. CAUTION: the 000_WP.txt
file is overwritten without confirmation every time you press the button; therefore if you want to use it
to remember where you are parking the car, be sure of what you are doing... ...at least if you want to
find the car again.
GPSimply can log your track on a file. Each time you tap in the "LOG" area
(see "Main Screen" here after), the logging function starts or stops; each time
that the function is started, a new file is created in the same directory of Waypoints files;
data are then added every second to the created file, until you stop recording.
The file is named after the date and time of its creation, with the format YYMMDDhhmmss.log.
NOTE that the system date and time are used, not the UTC (zulu) time! (System time
and date are always available, UTC time is not so).
These .log files, despite the '.log' extension, are actually text files, following the
NMEA format.
Although GPSimply has no provisions for reprocessing these files, they can be used with various other PC
programs: for example it is possible to convert the .log files to the KML format (see, e.g,
GPSBabel), and then import
the track in Google Earth.
WARNING !! .log files tend to become somewhat big (10 KBytes per minute, or 600 KBytes per
hour is a gross estimation); therefore, if you intend to make long recording, remember to check the available
space in advance!
Viewing the Current Waypoint Memo - Selecting a Waypoint
Tap on the Waypoint zone of the main screen.
The "Current Waypoint Memo" screen will appear (if no waypoint
is currently selected, the screen will display "none" as title).
You can decide to select a new waypoint or to return to the
main screen, by tapping the relevant button.
If you tap the waypoint selection button,...
...the list of defined waypoints (files) will appear.
You can tap on one waypoint and then on the button "Select". This will return you to the
Current Waypoint Memo screen (of course you may choice one of the other options).
When you then return to the main screen, it will show the name of the selected waypoint (if any),
and the "Bearing" and "Distance" will be changed accordingly.
When no waypoint is selected, "Bearing" and "Distance" will not be displaied; and the same
applies to the small cross internal to the graphic circle and to the Off-course indicator
(center of "Compass").
- Waypoint mark ("Bearing", the direction for reaching your waypoint, in the drawing, 218°)
- Course indicator (Direction where you are going; in the drawing, 225°)
- Your position
- Exit button, to terminate the GPSimply program
- Your height [feet]; should be "height above the mean sea level", but
see FAQ
- Type of GPS Fix (see FAQ)
- Course (see point 2 above) in textual form [deg]
- Your speed [knots]
- the name of your active Waypoint
- Bearing (see point 1 above) in textual form [deg]
- the distance of your active Waypoint [nautical miles]
- ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival = Current Zulu time (UTC) + ETE. It is also in Zulu time
(note the "Z" near the field label)
- ETE: Estimated Time Enroute = estimated trip time, assuming that the current speed is mantained
and that the actual Course will be kept equal to the Bearing.
- GPSimply web site. This space is also used as button for displaying the "About" message
- UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) or Zulu time (note the "Z" near the indicated time);
the difference with your local time depends on the time zone where you are.
- By tapping this button you add the current position to the waypoints list
- Logging: tapping in this area toggles the logging function.
- Off-Course indicator: This is a sort of zoom of the two red arrows: it indicates how many
degrees of correction you should apply to your course in order to go in the direction of the
selected Waypoint; the scale is 2 deg/division; the movement range of the needle is limited
to the scale range; if the needle is on the right side, steer right, and viceversa.
Tap on the button "X" on the top-right corner of the Main screen.
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