GPSSppc on Windows CE

Here is a reply from Andy, that he posted on the Multiply message board. It was a reply to an email reply to him, telling him about GPSSppc v12g uploaded onto www.gpss.co.uk/ppcbeta.htm which provided better support for testing of CE platforms using DISPSIZE.TXT. Here is Andy's posting below....

A quick update to your suggestions so far:

The 'Locations' button at the top drops down a list of stored locations. I've not seen if it only shows the first 8(?) but I've not yet seen it add a scroll bar (if one is supposed to appear).

I'm sorry I hadn't noticed the information regarding DISPSIZE.TXT before my first post. Using it, the application still starts up 'portrait' and truncated but as soon as I use the Maximize button fills the screen and positions the bottom icons perfectly now (320 and 216 being the magic numbers, if I recall correctly). I've not played much with the new 4-entry version because I've been having other troubles but an initial 4-entry setting to the file of 320,216,320,216 didn't seem to make much difference to the initial portrait and non-screen-filling start-up.

The sound volume increasing issue is strange and particularly annoying when testing during my lunch break when a volume set at one stop off silent suddenly is lost, the device speaking out at full volume thereafter. Replacing the first line of SOUNDS.CFG with 0 has not silenced the application. Neither has the creation of NOSOUND.CFG or using the in-program icons to attempt to switch off individual sound prompts - they show a red bar at the bottom when deactivated, don't they?

But lets only address one or two issues at a time.

Yesterdays fun all revolves around the GPS interface.

The GPS on my device is on COM7 and operates at either 38400 or 57600, depending on who you talk to. This is confirmed by manual settings in both the Speed display dashboard utility and TomTom software that I have successfully run on the device. I have set the fifth line of GPSS.CFG to be 'COM7' and set GPSS.COM to read (for example)
57600,N,8,1
5
30
100
5
GPSS steadfastly complains that it has no GPS data. Running any GPS-aware application prior to GPSS works, as does exiting GPSS before running them. I've also tried the alternate speed of 38400 in the file as well. Nada. Also, GPSS is truncating the file back to the first line only - which isn't the layout detailed in ...\CONFIG.HTM. I don't know if that's significant.

I have tried creating a NOCHKSUM.CFG file with no improvement.
I have then created a ADVCOMMS.TXT file with 3 lines with values 0, 0 and 50. Still no GPS.

Screen position and sounds when there shouldn't be are all issues that can possibly be addressed at a later time. If I can't get GPSS to identify and use the NMEA stream then the whole project's dead in the water. Can you help? Even if it means the writing of a noddy test application that scans COM ports 1-20 and allows the manual selection of speed, parity and stop bits whilst displaying any data received from that port. I can't do the same as I don't write for the compact framework.

Andy

No relevance to anything, but you might be amused to know my first GPS was a Magellan Meridian XL I bought in the mid-90's which failed due to (I believe) non Y2K compliance. I've only recently consigned it to the recycling tip.

This sounds like excellent news Andy. First let me reassure you about email addresses: if you look at the list of GPSSppc testers on www.gpss.co.uk/ppcusers.htm, you will see that there are no email addresses: just a first name, town and country. Obviously, those who want more, such as a web site link, have them.

Great that from what you say, your use of DISPSIZE.TXT with the correct numbers (320, 216 ) solves the problem of the buttons hanging off the edge of the screen. I think you are the first to do this. Does what appears on the screen look OK now, and can you go through all the button menues, as on the user manual on www.gpss.co.uk/gpsspuse.htm ? Note that this includes the maintenance menu and the [<GPS] button.

Have you tried upgrading to GPSSppc v12g and adding two more lines to DISPSIZE.TXT ? Can your CE platform switch between Landscape and Portrait mode ? If it can, then the correct values mean that buttons should be repositioned correctly after you switch back and forward. I'm guessing that the numbers need to be 240, 296, 320, 216 - all on a new line, of course, as on www.gpss.co.uk/config.htm

Hopefully the only thing that then remains is to get GPSSppc to see the GPS.

The first thing to try is that [<GPS] button, as explained on where everyone starting testing of GPSSppc starts: www.gpss.co.uk/gpssonce.htm After tapping [<GPS] it goes through lots of combinations of speed and COM port number, until it finds the GPS. This process, the very first time, could take ten minutes or more. I suggest you try this next, with the product somewhere where it will get good GPS signals.

No point in messing with files not called up in the GPSSppc - specific documentation. e.g. NOCHKSUM.CFG is used by GPSS, not GPSSppc. If the [<GPS] tests don't work, try running GPSGate on your device. This could provide a work-around if you need it.

It's good that you are so close in the UK to me - if I remember what you mentioned - this means that, in addition to this Forum, and direct email to gpss@compuserve.com you are welcome to 'phone me on 01344 620775. Maybe we can also get together sometime, either here or near your place. I think there are probably a lot of geocaches in the New Forest. www.gpshobby.info :-)