minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

This is an advanced and very fast version of gpsd which should be compatible with the mapping program. It will log location (along with NMEA output) to KML (KMZ) files in a selectable location. I have a configuration/start/stop/status program written in Python, both statusbar and normal app versions.

GPL.

I haven't gotten the documentation down (help is welcome), but can provide some support in this thread or via PM.

It has a number of dependencies (in the deb) which may require extra repositories, but I don't have a clean tablet install to check which might need to be added (bluez-utils-test will probably require red-pill, but these aren't test utilities as much as configuration utilities like ping and ifconfig).

GPSGate is supported via TCP using an IMEI number.

The statusbar icon is initially blank but turns red when starting, has a red border when not locked and green when locked. Small dots go from blue to red-hot to white-hot depending on signal strength and there is a position indicator (needing improvement). It pops up the configuration menu to start/stop/set minigpsd. It uses more CPU than I would like and I'm fixing that. The standalone app is a near clone and does the same thing.

http://www.zdez.org/tzgps-0.30-pre1.tar

(Update - see later posts for fixed, with later preN.deb files - this tar has some of the base stuff which still might be useful)

contains the 3 debs and the source. minigpsdconf.txt in the minigpsd source tree describes the options.

This is an EARLY beta, and I plan on fixing a few things, but it is installable AFAIK, but want to see if anyone has problems.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Since I had to go find the file for bluez-utils-test I thought I'd post a link to help any one else scrambling:

http://repository.maemo.org/pool/dia...b/bluez-utils/

I have the repository in my list, but for some reason it isn't refreshing. I don't really understand why there are 3 of them anyways, extras and extras-devel should cover the 2 factions of end-user and power-user...

Looking forward to checking it out, and also to cpu optimization :-)

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Well, that's not what they're there for; the distinction between extras and extras-devel is stability, but the difference of tools is that it's for power-users, or more accurately, developers.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

How have you added it? I added it when the Diablo SDK was out :P and wrote up my settings for it:
https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3405#c6

Though to actually see any benefits to that repo, you need to use apt-get or the unrecommended, horrible http://a.wordpress.com/avatar/theredpill67-48.jpg

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Sorry tz1, I didn't mean to hijack your thread. I just was trying to say that I thought the tools could fit in the devel repository. Qwerty, I installed the repository some time a while ago (I seem to think it was before the upgrade to diablo, but I could be remembering wrong if it is only around for diablo). At the time I just added "repository.maemo.org" with free and non free. But recently it's been giving me a 404 error. I noticed on the page you linked that the components are different. I'll have to try that, thanks!

Seems like the control app works fine, but I can't get the status bar icon to show up. I'll have to try and open it with python to see if I can get any error's loading the modules. Thanks for your work on this tz1!

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

No, I have a bug report or two about the app manager and things which Nokia calls "tools" but are utilities or libraries. So they are "stable", but are stuck in the red-pill black hole instead of extras or extras-devel. I might be able to duplicate something in Python or C, but it would be a big hassle. I just need to create the rfcomm instance and do l2pings.

bluez-utils-test should maybe be called something else and moved to extras, but I have no way of convincing anyone to make that happen. And there are a few other "test/developer" things which are actually utilities. Let them put the "not obtained from nokia", perhaps a non-nokia mirror of the tools in a "user/experimental" directory would work, but the debs themselves say which category they are in.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

There seems to be a problem with the statusbar not enabling. Probably something the python hildon-desktop-applet integration needs or maybe even simpler. Does it work on anyone's system?

Also, for the configuration, you can specify a device so it works with USB modems in USB host mode (instead of BT:rfcommX:..., use /dev/ttyACM0 or /dev/ttyUSB0 for the external GPS). It uses a BT gps IN ADDITION to the n810s (if you leave the BT gps in the car, it will still track - I use a 10Hz or 5Hz when I'm on the motorcycle for the detail and precision).

All the NMEA sentences are logged so if you want to see the accuracy or signal strength you can view it, however if you load them in to GoogleEarth and save them, this information will be lost, but the files will be much smaller.

I just got one of those 16Gb microSDs so I'll be testing that today, but the files created aren't that large even with my engine data.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Fixed(?) statusbar

http://www.zdez.org/minigpsd-sb.py

put in /usr/lib/hildon-desktop/

import gnome.gconf v.s. import gconf. This should be fixed in the python module - I manually fixed my test platform but didn't get the backfill right.

Please try this

updated deb:

http://www.zdez.org/TZGPSD-Statusbar...-0.30-pre2.deb

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

stupid bug in a select for the sb icon fixed

http://www.zdez.org/minigpsd_0.30-pre2_armel.deb
http://www.zdez.org/minigpsd_0.30-pre2.tar.gz

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Works great now stat icon and minigpsd . Gpsgate.com seems to be working good also Loged my tracks for the last few hours . don't know if gpsgate reconnects after disconnect from server .

It's is funny how fast your gpsd finds sats I can lock in 3d in under a minute . where the default gpsd sucks ... can take upto 5+ min... .


Great Works
Thanks
Computerfreek

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Uses UDP for gpsgate with reconnect.
Reduce update rate (icon and gpsgate) to save CPU cycles.
Update altitude at gpsgate

http://www.zdez.org/minigpsd_0.30-pre4_armel.deb
http://www.zdez.org/minigpsd_0.30-pre4.tar.gz

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

I also have the separate simple monitoring program (with a bigger display for satellites and direction/speed):

http://www.zdez.org/GpsStatus-0.3.deb

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Sounds interesting... Can it be used with Maemo Mapper ?

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Yes. It is a generic gpsd replacement, but with advanced features, both offline and online.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Thanks. I must try this on the N810 to see if it wakes up my anemic GPS :-)
(That is, if it runs on Chinook...)

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Just installed minigpsd, without the extra stuff. Works very well, much more stable (if not faster) "first time to lock" time. It makes you think why Nokia did not spend more time on osso-gpsd.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Mine should not act any differently than the stock GPSD, but it is possible they aren't handling things the same way. I start the internal gps immediately and hook in at a lower level. I do bluetooth GPS at the same time..

I've also noticed the internal lock time tends to be hit-or-miss.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

For new Users of minigpsd here is a few things you can do with it .

1st .Your can do real-time tracking to gpsgate buddy tracking . sign up here for a free account http://gpsgate.com/index.php?id=96
after you do setup your account you need to add a device to the list under your account . where IMEI number is use like your cell phone number .. then on minigpsd under gpsgate url edit the line at the end and replace it with your cell phone number .

2nd you can also track your self live from google earth .. in google earth under tools look for network link add the url to http://tabletIP-or-hostname-here/gpsdata.xml . and now your tracking live via goggle earth

3rd you can just goto http://localhost:8888 and that will gave you a webpage with map.

4th you can save kml files for viewing at a later time via google earth or a map program that supports kml's


5th you can connect any program that supports gpsd clients to port 2947 RAW or 22947 data .


6th you can also from your tablet go to http://localhost:8888/dogmap.html


7th you can pull XML data http://localhost:8888/gpsdata.xml or kml daya http://localhost:8888/x.kml


Sorry if i missed anything ..

Also I think it holds the GPS sat's much better less floating ! Seems like after lock with my n810 internal GPS it stays lock without drifting also I think it locks in much faster.

If you like to setup your own real-time tracking map there is a ton of API codes API gpsgate.com or you can take my code from my site . You will need your own google map API key ..

here is my real-time tracking map http://computerfreek.com/n810/trackme.asp


Thanks to tz1 for the great work !!


computerfreek274

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

You can use any "random" number, e.g. the WLAN or BT mac address (without the colons, and maybe just 0-9) as the IMEI number.

gpsgate can alternately use a password, but I don't have that implemented yet.

The statusbar (or standalone) control applet displays status including (tiny) satellite strength and positions and allows minigpsd to be started and stopped.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

minigpsd worked great for me i had a cold fix within seconds my question is with gpsd it was started , with minigpsd i had to stant it befor starting maemo mapper. can I change this

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

I don't know how maemo mapper works. If maemo mapper tries to reconnect periodically to the gpsd port (2947), you can turn minigpsd on or off anytime.

Maemomapper could itself start (and/or stop) minigpsd - it is just "/usr/bin/minigpsd", and "killall minigpsd" shell commands.

I'd recommend using the status bar applet. It has an indication of a lock (bluefill = off, redfill = starting, redcircle = not locked, greencircle (with sat dots) = locked).

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

maemo mapper works very well with minigpsd .. In maemo mapper point yout gps under setings to 127.0.0.1 2947 that will connect to minigpsd on port 2947 raw output .. Have mini gpsd loaded 1st .

computerfreek274

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Ummm, I am not sure if this is the problem, but after installing minigpsd, my WiFi has been working very poorly. I don't know if this is the cause, because the tablet has been "acting up" recently. On another note, I caught some sort of ping tool using, and I quote, "1507%" of the processor. This is weird, very weird, and I am wondering if it is related to this.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Maybe I tried it too late last night, and I was too tired, but I didn't understand how this is supposed to work :-)

I installed bluez-utils-test with apt-get then your two deb packages with app manager.
I didn't find minigpsd in the menus, only the standalone python app, so I launched it from xterm. It did show up in htop but nothing appeared in the status bar and the test app did not seem to lock, at least not any faster than with the usual applet.

So I left it at that and went to bed. This morning the tablet was turned off with an empty battery, although it was almost full.

What am I doing wrong ? :-)

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

The first two entries on the statusbar or standalone applet start and stop minigpsd. If you leave it on overnight it might drain the battery (depending on what else is on - when locked without backlight I get 10 hours+, but YMMV).

There are three debs. minigpsd itself, the statusbar applet, and the standalone applet.

minigpsd runs in the background, so doesn't appear in any menu. It is controlled by the other applets. If you start minigpsd via the applet, a red circle should appear.

l2ping will continually search for a bluetooth device if one is configured. If misconfigured it might interfere with wifi. But nothing should use over 100% cpu.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Thanks a lot, it's clearer now... I think my problem is just that I missed the statusbar applet altogether, I'll try again :-)

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

I had same wifi problems after istalling minigps. Unistalled and the wifi works just fine.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

which one is the statusbar applet deb ? I see only two ?...

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

http://www.zdez.org/tzgps-0.30-pre1.tar contains the whole package.

http://www.zdez.org/TZGPSD-Statusbar...-0.30-pre2.deb is the fixed SB applet

http://www.zdez.org/TZGPSD-Setup-Applet-0.30-pre1.deb is the standalone setup applet - not updated.

http://www.zdez.org/minigpsd_0.30-pre4.tar.gz is minigpsd

I have another OOPS - If you aren't using a BT GPS, use the setup apps to erase the entries for BT GPS. Everyone (who doesn't have my harley interface), needs to erase the entry for the BT OBD. Get the menu, tap the entry, and blank-out the box.

Apparently if you haven't paired a BT device, the BT layer does a lot of stuff that interferes with the wifi. I've noticed it at times but couldn't pin it down since I normally have paired devices. I don't know if it is RF or just the BT and wifi sharing some resource.

My deb postinit needs work - I intended to erase/fix these entries, but didn't remember when I packaged it.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Interestingly enough, if I haven't paired the device using the hildon BT applet, but have the right address, it will still connect if the address is right.

I'll have to look further into the wifi degradation. I submitted a bug report (but I thought l2ping was better - doing rfcomm and letting it fail I remember killed the wifi).

https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3238

Maybe the bug should get a few more votes.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

I did see in other forums that wifi gets poor on the n810 when bluetooth is on . So if your not useing bluetooth GPS get rid of the mac address in the conf box . I tether to my verizon phone "bluetooth" when i am out so it works fine but when i am home i shut bluetooth off ..

As for the battery life just like in your leave maemo mapper on and gps on you will see it drans your bat fast around 4 hours with stock gpsd.. With minigpsd on on maemo mapper it's around the same..

With minigpsd loaded and no map program just talking to gpsgate i get around 7 hours on a full charge over wifi over bluetooth it is around 5 hours .

Shut bluetooth OFF if your not using it to save battery and get better wifi !!!


computerfreek

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Having bluetooth on does not harm wifi that I can tell, nor battery life, either. (That's in normal use, no effort to benchmark... maybe I should.)

Having any BT activity does, but with no connection, the traffic is negligible.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

I am, like, totally lost :-)
You said there were three debs. I still see only two, and a tar and a gz...
I think I'll wait till I'm less tired (less dumb would take too much time :-)

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

I need to wake up before I start posting :).

The two debs are the settings apps. The tgz is the source.

The minigpsd deb is:

http://www.zdez.org/minigpsd_0.30-pre4_armel.deb

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

BT in normal use - even with data going across - doesn't harm wifi. If it is doing discovery, pairing, or other things (see that bug report link) it will tie up the whole system at times.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Thanks, seems to total up now... I'll make sure I'm full awake before I start reinstalling :-)

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

The reports, I might add, are about as useless as they come.

You seem to not understand the purpose of Red Pill, nor do you seem to understand the purpose of Extras and Extras-devel.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Would you like to share with us then, or point to a page that explains it all?

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

It's really simple. Red Pill isn't for anybody to use that doesn't know exactly what they're doing, and it doesn't have anything at all to do with the SDK Tools repo versus Extras/Extras-devel.

Now, tz seems to think two things: First, that these obviously not-intended-for-users packages in tools should be in user/*, and, second, that Extras/Extras-devel has anything at all to do with a package's appearance in the Application manager in Blue Pill mode.

Either a package should be seen by users, in which case it goes into a user/* section, or it shouldn't. Packages which clearly are of no concern to the average user (libraries, command-line tools, dangerous packages, etc.), shouldn't show up in Application manager. If those packages are needed, then they should either be pulled in as dependencies by a package that should be seen by users, or installed from the command line with apt-get.

In short, Red Pill is never the answer.

Re: minigpsd - 0.30-pre1 beta
 

Ok, to stop people from adding the SDK repository and using Red-Pill without being aware of what it can do, I've repacked bluez-utils-test. This bluez-utils-test will install with the application manager in blue-pill mode.

I am aware this wont solve the problem for any future packages and if this is uploaded to extras. But I'm talking about now, and the deb from the first post is installed in the same way.

In essence:

Stay in blue-pill mode, install this deb and install minigps.

(I guess things are kept in the SDK repo & hidden for a reason but this package is a gem and I can't find anything dangerous here).