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

**davidhite** · 10-11-2006, 02:27 AM

I was able to work on GooPs for a while tonight. The GE COM interface was reworked for the beta and it seems they broke the backward compatibility for adding kml to GE. This is what was causing the crash problem. GooPs will now use the new interface for GE version 4, and the old for version 3, so it should work with both.

RPM - I also fixed the problem with cursor images not showing sometimes.
Jens - your circle feature is still in there and now works local and remote.

I added the notion of time - so tracks will not be connected if more than 60 minutes has elapsed between points. I'll add more features around this in the future.

I'll put a test version up for the brave. I'll make an official release in the next day or two.

http://sites.onlinenw.com/goops/GooPsV1_7_9Beta.exe

I changed the persistence file format, so you will lose your current track (goops.trk).
The remote tracking protocol has also changed, so you won't be able to run this version with older versions of GooPs remotely.

I tested with the latest GE beta 4.0.2091.

Originally Posted by DaveDog

google earth 3 is still available, it's linked via a very small font

http://earth.google.com/download-earth3.html

that being said, I have the same issues with Goops running GE4 the 9/16 version. Goops opens GE4, locks up, and closes GE4, this is in activex or opengl modes.

**RPM_VR4** · 10-11-2006, 10:46 AM

Greate work David! It works better in GE4 now then it use to in GE3!!! Unfortunatly RREarth doesn't allow GooPs network link to be enabled, but thats a problem for Guino not you.

**TxAxZxZ** · 10-20-2006, 01:40 PM

David,

Awesome program from what I can see in this thread. I read the entire thing today. I downloaded the newest Goops version 1.7.9beta and can't seem to get it to work at all in demo mode. I have GE4beta installed as well (winxp sp2). I start up Goops and clicked on start demo. Nothing happens. I open GE manually and there isn't anything added to the temp places. I also tried both directx and opengl modes...nothing. Any thoughts why I can't get this to run? I can't wait to see the demo. I have to build a carputer first to get it to run in the jeep. I do have a BT GPS receiver though...will Goops work with that or should I get a usb version? Thanks for all the help and hard work

Tazz

ps. I've attached a screenshot of Goops and Goops options if it is any help in getting it to work on my laptop

**RPM_VR4** · 10-20-2006, 03:39 PM

Your setup should work fine. Clicking the Add/Update button in options should add the GooPs network link to your temp-places, but clicking the Start Demo button (which you have done since it says Pause in your screen-shot) should also run Google Earth with the GooPs network link already there (just like double clicking any KML/KMZ file). I do not know what is wrong. Try re-booting or possibly re-installing Google Earth.

As for GPS, GooPs will work with any GPS that speaks NEMA on a com-port (which is basically every GPS built in the last 4+ years).

**TxAxZxZ** · 10-20-2006, 04:00 PM

thank RPM...I think I'll try the reboot, then re-install of GE. I'll let you know what happens

**davidhite** · 10-20-2006, 05:24 PM

You can also try adding the GooPsServers link manually. Copy this to a file named GooPsServers.kml and click on it.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.1">
<NetworkLink>
<name>GooPsServers</name>
<open>1</open>
<LookAt>
<longitude>-122.74447</longitude>
<latitude>45.43227</latitude>
<altitude>0</altitude>
<range>1004.04705882</range>
<tilt>45</tilt>
<heading>179.1</heading>
</LookAt>
<flyToView>1</flyToView>
<Url>
<href>http://localhost:51233/GooPsServers?</href>
<refreshMode>onInterval</refreshMode>
<refreshInterval>1</refreshInterval>
<viewRefreshMode>onStop</viewRefreshMode>
<viewRefreshTime>0</viewRefreshTime>
<viewFormat>&LOOKAT=[lookatLon],[lookatLat],[lookatRange],[lookatTilt],[lookatHeading]</viewFormat>
</Url>
</NetworkLink>
</kml>

Originally Posted by RPM_VR4

Your setup should work fine. Clicking the Add/Update button in options should add the GooPs network link to your temp-places, but clicking the Start Demo button (which you have done since it says Pause in your screen-shot) should also run Google Earth with the GooPs network link already there (just like double clicking any KML/KMZ file). I do not know what is wrong. Try re-booting or possibly re-installing Google Earth.

As for GPS, GooPs will work with any GPS that speaks NEMA on a com-port (which is basically every GPS built in the last 4+ years).

**TxAxZxZ** · 10-20-2006, 10:13 PM

The re-install of GE 4beta did the trick. I should have thought of that in the first place. Thanks RPM & David. I can't wait to use this with GPS.

**RPM_VR4** · 10-20-2006, 10:57 PM

No prob. You should check out my GE-Nexus (for CentraFuse) and GEFreedom (for RoadRunner) skins using SKINbedder. They make GooPs/Google-Earth touch-screen friendly and integrated into your front-end (CF or RR). <links in my sig below>

Road Runner also has an RREarth plug-in that does the same thing as GooPs, but not as well yet. Its touch-screen friendly directions are very cool though.

nemaGE and Earth-Bridge (as well as Com-Test-2) also do the extact same thing, but not as well as GooPs. The best would be RREarth used together with GooPs, but that is still in-progress.

You can find a ton of info by searching for any of this on this forum.

**davidhite** · 10-21-2006, 02:33 AM

GooPs version 1.8 Release Notes

Important: You must remove any existing "GooPsServers" network links from your Google Earth "Places" folder.

GooPs now works with Google Earth version 4 beta:
- No longer crashes at startup when creating network link
- Cursor images are now displayed correctly.
- No longer continuously zooms out when tracking with AutoZoom off

Tracks are now disconnected if more than 60 minutes elapses between adjacent points.
- Resolves problem with lines drawn between points when traveling long distances when GooPs is not tracking or GPS is not on.

New "Timestamp" feature displays the actual time you were at any point on your trip.

New socket interface allows applications to send NMEA sentences to GooPs via a TCP/IP socket. (I'm still working on a COM wrapper for this).
- Server is listening on port 51234
- One NMEA sentence per send()
- Socket must be closed and re-connected for each send().
- Must be in live mode (not Demo). GooPs will automatically stop the serial port connection whenever data is received on the socket interface.
- Sample vanilla C socket client code available.

New "Save Periodic" feature saves your track to a local KML file periodically.
This will enable a simple brute force client/server based remote tracking.

- Set the number of seconds between each save in the Options dialog "Save to File Periodically" text box.
- The file will be named <name>.kml where <name> is the name of the local vehicle (e.g. "Me.kml")
- The file will be located in the directory from which GooPs is running.
- Use an off-the-shelf ftp synchronization program or a batch file and windows ftp to upload the kml file to your ftp server.

You will need access to an ftp server on the internet that is visible to you and all vehicles you want to track.
Each vehicle to be tracked will be configured to upload their current position and track to the ftp server periodically.
Anyone who wants to track a vehicle can then create a Google Earth network link to the kml file on the ftp server (e.g. "http://myftpserver/me.html"). Set the network link refresh parameters to taste. (I noticed that my ISP will not allow files with ".kml" extensions to be accessed via http, that's why the file is copied to "me.html" on the server rather than "me.kml".

Things to consider:
kml files can be quite large, set your track length and update rate accordingly.
The kml file names must be coordinated manually on any given server. If you use the same file name as somebody else you will overwrite their data.
The cursor will be scaled to whatever size the producing vehicle's zoom range dictates.

:: sample batch file to upload my positon every 5 seconds
::
:: build the ftp input file
echo user <username> <password> > send.txt
echo send me.kml me.html >> send.txt
echo quit >> send.txt

:: loop forever
:START
ftp -n -s:send.txt ftp.onlinemac.com
:: ping for n seconds
ping -n 5 127.0.0.1
goto start
:: end sample batch file

**TxAxZxZ** · 10-21-2006, 11:05 AM

RPM,

Thanks for all the info...I'll definitely check out your skins /skinbedder. I still have yet to build my carput, but I'm very close (I've been on hold for the last 8 months on deployment status). One thing that I need to do is start researching hardware components. So far the only piece of hardware I own is the sirius satellite CB for the ALP1...and I'm waiting for aircon 2 for the a/c controls.

I've been swapping around RR skins from LSX Void to Freedom 2.1 (can't wait until they both come out with the new releases). I hope Freedom gets functionality with Sirius though.

Believe me, I've been doing a lot of research on the forums here...trying to catch up. I spent quit a few hours reading this thread and Guino's thread for RRGE. I just amazes me how much work all of you guys put into this and share it. There is sooo much info to soak up. I think I've subscribed to about 22 posts. Anyway enough of me rambling on about my progress...my apologies to the rest of the readers for getting off topic.