GPS Viewer - odd behaviour

[xerxes991]

I'm using GPS Viewer with my GPSlim236 and a pocket PC. It seems that as soon as I get a fix, the GPS Viewer readout "freezes". That is, the clock stops, and presumably the satellite view freezes also. If I move onto another screen (either another app, or the SetUp page of GPS Viewer) and then go back, the screen has been refreshed with the new time, but it immediately freezes at that new time.

Is this normal, or is it a problem with the software or with my Pocket PC?

Steve

[mikealder]

Steve, this isn't normal - what is the PDA/ hardware you are using and version of the operating system (WM2003 (SE) / WM2005) - Mike

[xerxes991]

Thanks for reply. I've got a similar set up to yours - XdaIIs and GPSlim236. I hope I've managed to update my profile to include that information for future postings, as you have done (good idea, by the way).

So you are implying that the screen on GPS Viewer should be constantly refreshed when i am connected to the GPS? Well, that doesn't seem to be happening, but i will try to do some more testing later today.

As a separate issue (see my earlier posting on this forum) I would like to be able to get my PC to speak to the GPS unit. Rather than buying a special cable, can I use a Bluetooth dongle on my PC?

Thanks for any help
Steve
_________________
iPod Touch with Holux GPSlim236 and TomTom cradle for car use. iPhone 3GS.. TomTom Europe. Memorymaps.

[AllyCat]

Hi Steve,

I'm using different equipment (RoyalTek BT GPS, Acer N30 or Mio 558) but find exactly the same problem, i.e. the GPSViewer (v1.5) screen updates until the GPS gets a fix, and then freezes. Going back to the Setup tab still has scrolling NMEA data, and returning to Status gives a single update. It updates properly if the Fix is lost.

I don't know, but would expect Bluetooth to be able to transfer NMEA data to a BT USB dongle on your PC, but perhaps not do more Advanced things like upgrading the firmware (if required). However, I must admit that I haven't managed to do it on my PC, now that I've tried :

The PC names the BT GPS and will allocate a COM port, but I haven't found any options to pair the devices as one does with a PPC. However, the BlueTooth LED on the GPS never starts flashing, and GPSViewer (and Memory Map) just report "Cannot Open COM Port". This normally implies that some other software is using the port, but maybe in this case some other driver software is needed?

Sorry to raise more questions rather than answers.

Cheers, Alan.
_________________
Garmin GPS72H/76/60/45, Etrex H, Mapsource v6.5.
Acer N50,HP114,Loox N560,Dell x50,CF/SD cards to 4/32GB.
RoyalTek,Holux236,Navman B10 & Copilot(Globalsat) BT GPS,TomTom5/6.
Memory Map (v5.4.2 & v5.1.3 OS & Euro), GPS gate,OSGPSconverter.

[softwaresecret]

Hi steve,
I have an O2 XDA2i running WM2003 SE and GPSViewer1.5 along with a GPSlim236.

I see exactly the same issue when I run GPSViewer on the XDA. I need to swap between the config view and the satelite view before the satelite view updates. Odd, though, before I downloaded the 'latest' version from the Holux website, I didn't notice this issue.

When running GPSViewer on the PC, this dosn't happen. However, I do need to minimize the app and then restore it after it first connects to the GPS - otherwise the sattelites don't show up on the sattelite view.

You can use a bluetooth dongle on a PC in conjunction with GPSViewer.
You will need to make sure you have a bluetooth serial port set up under the bluetooth client applications tab. Typically, it will be set to com6 (just like on the PPC).

I can give you more instructions if you need it.

Cheers,
Chris.

[AllyCat]

Hi Chris and Steve,

Don't know why it was necessary, but I eventually got my BlueTooth GPS talking to my PC by deleting and re-installing the BT connection.

However, now that the GPS is feeding the PC, I find that GPSViewer (version 1.0) has the same "freezing" problem as on the PPC. As Steve said, minimising and restoring the window updates the display, but so does just dragging another window in front. Even more strangely, if you drag a window in front of only part of the time or signal strength bars, then just the "hidden" part of the digits/bars is updated!

So maybe this is at least partly a Windows problem, which is perhaps why not everybody seems to see it (or are they just unobservant? ).

Cheers, Alan.
_________________
Garmin GPS72H/76/60/45, Etrex H, Mapsource v6.5.
Acer N50,HP114,Loox N560,Dell x50,CF/SD cards to 4/32GB.
RoyalTek,Holux236,Navman B10 & Copilot(Globalsat) BT GPS,TomTom5/6.
Memory Map (v5.4.2 & v5.1.3 OS & Euro), GPS gate,OSGPSconverter.

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!