GPS On Unix? 13
/dev/trash asks: "I have been debating wiping the windows partiton on my laptop. The only thing that is keeping me from fdisk'ing the whole thing is my Garmin handheld GPS. I've searched on Freshmeat for GPS/X interfaces but most seem to be alpha 1998 projects. Are there any companies, individuals, etc. that are porting the functionality right now?"
Links... (Score:2)
Also try GPS page [topology.org] from topology.org. It may help.
Good luck.
QtGPS (Score:1)
Freshmeat GPS (Score:1)
X APRS (Score:1)
and it is still an early port, from Mac & WinAPRS
But... X APRS [rutgers.edu]
n2kra
Aviation how-to (Score:1)
http://metalab.un c.edu/fplan/Aviation-HOWTO/Aviation-HOWTO-8.html [unc.edu]
Also Xastir (Re:X APRS) (Score:1)
You can also run numerous DOS APRS programs under DOSEMU; maybe WINE will support the windows-based stuff (haven't tried it myself).
More APRS info at TAPR [tapr.org]
ka1lm
Easy to write (Score:2)
write one.
for work we had to write code that interpreted the stream (you can get the garmins to do NMEA), and it is pretty easy. I had actually started one for Linux, but then my hard drive decided to go on vacation, and has yet to return (I am too cocky to make back-ups of personal stuff)
If you need pointers you can write me, and I can probably get you sample code for windows or at least the docs on how to do it.
FlightGear (Score:1)
FlightGear is a OS flight simulator that's understanding as well as creating GPS coordinates. So you can use it as a real 3D 'moving map'.
BTW: Real is as reals as it gets as FlightGear has the correct elevations of the earth as it uses DEMs.
Wine (Score:1)
You could always try running the windows program under Wine. Get the latest 20000716 release if you feel like trying it. Also, check the newsgroup about a patch to fix compiling with OpenGL and XFree86 4.0 (4.0.1 will work fine though). Or just "./configure --disable-opengl" if you have XFree86 4.0 and don't care about OpenGL anyway.
The Garmin Protocol hasn't changed much (Score:2)
Any program from 1998 will work fine with the newer units. The NEMA protocol is quite old and the documented parts of the Garmin protocol is the same as it several years ago.
There is some old (1995) sample source on my webpage at
http://web.abnormal.com/~thogard/gps/ [abnormal.com]
GRASS (Score:2)
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Re:Easy to write (Score:2)
http://www.garmin.com/support/commProtocol.html
This is the communications protocol, in case you want to do things like set waypoints. If you're simply looking for a moving map or something, NMEA is the simplest way to go.
NMEA simply spews out a simple ASCII stream, which is easily handled. And if you do write your own software, it will work with pretty much every other GPS out there, since NMEA is an industry standard. Trying to implement anyone's proprietary protocol becomes a PITA really quick, as you're relying on what is frequently poor documentation.
Get a Palm... (Score:1)
Slight problem is that a lot of the support programs are written for windows - but luckily the developers of 'PlaceTrace' have let me know the DB format so I can develop conversion routines in Perl. Sadly probably not in time for my adventure in Morocco this summer!! Prob have to resort to paper maps instead.
Baz