[ gpsdrive ] bluetooth gps

[Charles Curley]

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:26:02 +0100
Roger Lees <leesroger at gmail.com> wrote:

> I am a long time (since windows 3.1) Windows user but for the last
> year I have been using Ubuntu as a dual boot.  I am impressed with
> Ubuntu.  I have tried various Linux flavours over the years, and
> Ubuntu is the first system which I find easy to use.

That is indeed the point of Ubuntu. It is good to hear they are
succeeding.

> I recently bought a Bluetooth GPS receiver

Which one? Make and model number will help us to diagnose.

> and used it with Navigator 8 on Windows.  It worked straight away.
> I downloaded GPSdrive, and it doesn't recognise my GPS receiver.  I
> think I know why after checking around the forums.  The program uses
> gpsd,

Right. gpsd has to work before gpsdrive can use your GPS receiver.

> and is
> looking for a receiver via USB, which it cannot see.  

gpsd, not gpsdrive, is looking for a GPS receiver.

> The answer I
> discover is to modify files in the Bluetooth directory.  Now, I can
> probably do that, but in order to do so I am going to have to learn
> a bit about how Linux works because not only don't I know how to
> find the relevant files, I don't know how to get at the command
> line.  

Maybe, maybe not. I expect someone associated with gpsd has already
hit this problem, possibly with your receiver. So the gpsd web page
and list may be your best bet. I'd start with the Compatible Hardware
list, http://gpsd.berlios.de/hardware.html If you don't find something
there, join the gpsd-users list and ask. Include the manufacturer and
model number.

> I know all the Linux buffs will be sucking their teeth and
> dredging up their most sarcastic remarks, but it has been a long
> time since I had to alter a Windows program to get it to work. They
> just do, and if they don't there is always another one that will. I
> am too old (61) to learn how to tweak Ubuntu programs.

Odd. I'm 60 and learn and tweak Ubuntu programs all the time. :-)

> GPSdrive looks like a good program.  There is another Linux program
> on Ubuntu, TangoGPS, which also looks like a lot of fun to use with
> exactly the same problem.

It is a good program; I use it also.

> I realise that all of these programs are
> free and therefore it is pointless complaining and/or moaning about
> the efforts of people who are giving their skills and time for
> nothing, but if Linux and Open Source programs are going to
> eventually replace Microsoft (and I hope they do) they need to work
> for people like me who don't want to indulge in programming at
> however simple a level to get them started.  After all, you don't
> expect to have to fiddle with your car's engine before you can drive
> it away.  Or should you?  Which is a very long way round asking if
> GPSdrive (or gpsd) could be amended to include Bluetooth GPS
> receivers.  Please.

The answer to that lies with the gpsd developers, not here. Feel free
to ask them.

However, don't give them the lecture on usability. You aren't the only
person to deliver it. But it grates on the developers to hear it from
someone who hasn't yet contributed. Many of us who have contributed have
made the same point.

Also, you can contribute. If there is no ready documentation on how to
do what you want, then please make detailed notes as you go
along. When you get it working, please write it up and contribute it
back to the gpsd folks. They'll appreciate. And some developer might
automate it, which will make it much easier for the next person.

Having a Linux newbie write this up will help future Linux newbies
because you'll include details we old hands will ignore because
"everybody knows that". So please do it if necessary. Who knows, you
might decide you like it, and you can do it again tomorrow.


> 
> Incidentally, it occurs to me that since GPS receivers know where they
> are, then if Navigation programs were 'turned around' people could use
> their GPS to draw maps rather than the other way around.  And if we
> all did that, maps wouldn't go out of date.  But perhaps that has
> already been thought of, and it's how maps get drawn.  Sorry I
> mentioned it.

Yep. See the Open Street Map project.



-- 

Charles Curley                  /"\    ASCII Ribbon Campaign
Looking for fine software       \ /    Respect for open standards
and/or writing?                  X     No HTML/RTF in email
http://www.charlescurley.com    / \    No M$ Word docs in email

Key fingerprint = CE5C 6645 A45A 64E4 94C0  809C FFF6 4C48 4ECD DFDB