Thread: GooPs Real-time GPS Tracking and Navigation for Google Earth -Version 2.5.13 Released

Originally Posted by djmickyg

hi.. been using this for a while.. but now have an issue..
im using GPS gate to split my gps prt to all the different apps
but goops wont connect to a virtual port.. it will only work with the actual gps port..

GooPs doesn't seem to work with ports above COM9:. I haven't heard of anyone else having a problem with GPS gate.

Thanks for the feedback Naoziro. I'm glad you're enjoying GooPs.

Originally Posted by Naoziro

1) Is it possible to add a NMEA/SAT strength indicator like the GPSInfo application that comes with most DIY USB GPS units? Just so that you can see what SATs you're picking up?

Good suggestion, I'll put it on my list.

Originally Posted by Naoziro

2) When GooPS talks with the GPS unit, does it have the ability to set WAAS on? On the little app that comes with the unit (I've got the BU-303), theres an option to enable/disable WAAS.

I don't believe this is possible using NMEA, but I'll look into it.

Originally Posted by Naoziro

3) In comparing how long it took GooPS to start sending position data to GE and how long it took the little app to give me lat/long coords yesterday in the car, it took an extremely long time in GooPS. (Actually, nothing came up for about 20 minutes), so I closed GooPS, opened the little app, and got sync'd in about 1 min on non-WAAP and had lat/long. Then i'd close the app, load up GooPS again, and waited another 15 minutes before by some miracle it finally kicked in. Any thoughts on this, as the text said, "GPS:Receiving Data" the entire time... I'm assuming it was already connected and getting something... (which brings me back to Point #1, being able to see what the GPS unit is sending...)

"GPS:Receiving Data" appears when GooPs successfully opens and reads anything from the COM port (could be garbage, could even be the wrong COM port). You're right, I need to improve the connection status to help debug this problem.
I hope this isn't happenning all the time for you. I have seen this on occasion when using GooPs with my laptop. Pressing the "Connect" button in the GooPs "Options" dialog sometimes helps. Sometimes I have to stop and restart GooPs.

Originally Posted by Naoziro

4) Also, if you start GooPS and use the BU-303, before a good lat/long pair is sent up, my position starts off slightly off the west coast of Africa!! (Even though I'm in L.A.) Any reason this lat/long pair is the default ?? I mean, my guess is that is 0 lat/0 lon, but is it possible to not have it display until good data is available? (I understand someone may just happen to be at 0lat/0lon and need GPS, but somehow differentiating between COLD startup and authentic GPS data)...

Sounds like a bug. GooPs saves it's track data between invocations, so it should only happen when it runs for the first time and has no saved track data. It can also happen if GooPs can't find it's saved track data.

Originally Posted by Naoziro

5) Finally, (and this may get a little bit in toward RPM's SkinBedder app), but can either of you figure out a way so that an OSK can type in a Start/End address and have GE make my trip path for me?
I don't know if GE can support backdoor injection of such data without using their LEFT PANEL?? Maybe creative KML data or something... (i'm really clueless to how GE accepts data)

Ideally, an OSK in SB that either interfaces directly with GE or through GooPS so that i can do it all from the LCD and not have to use the 'Left panel' and type in the Start/End addy's by real keyboard? This would be a great routing addition!

RPM_VR4 is working on this.

Originally Posted by Naoziro

Sorry the post was so long, but I love both of your work on this and I must say KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

Thanks for your comments Naoziro. Great feedback like yours helps make these apps better for everyone.

Originally Posted by davidhite

You're right djmickyg, I'm not able to open a com port above COM9:, I'll have to look into it.

Regarding the error message - does this happen when you start Google Earth? Try removing the GooPsServers link from the Google Earth Places folder, GooPs will create the link in the Temporary Places folder when needed. When you exit Google Earth don't save the Temporary Places when It prompts you.

its alright.. i changed my virtual ports down below 10..

i will try playing around with the temp folder. thanks

I found the problem with using COM ports above COM9. Microsoft has a "special" syntax. For COM ports COM10 and higher you must precede the name with "\\.\" (e.g. "\\.\COM10"). Talk about random <g>. I'll have a fix ready in the next day or so.

Used your program while driving home today... just gotta say holy crap this is impressive!

Thanks PURDooM,
I appreciate your feedback!

1.7.7 – 6/12/06
Fixed problem opening ports above COM9.
Enhanced GPS connection sequence messages.

1.7.7 – 6/12/06
Fixed problem opening ports above COM9.
Enhanced GPS connection sequence messages.

Google Earth 4.0 Beta released today.
Ran a quick test and it appears to work fine with GooPs.
Improved road/street name display (no annoying flickering when view moves)
Supports textures on 3d objects (this is awesome, but requires mucho CPU with directx, haven't tried with OpenGL).
Improved/simplified UI