More Data Tricks

In this chapter, we will examine some cool tricks you can do with your GPS, relating specifically to data. Rather than looking at purely positional data and things you can accomplish with that, this chapter takes a broader, more

general look at GPS data and how you can use it.

Screenshots

You might have noticed that some web pages and manuals have screenshots of what is actually displayed on the GPS. Being able to capture actual screenshots could be very useful if you are creating a manual or a set of instructions, if you are trying to diagnose problems, or indeed for many other uses.

Generally, there is no feature that enables you to grab a screenshot from your GPS from within the GPS firmware itself or from the associated software that you get with your GPS (usually very little, if anything). However, you can find software that will let you do so.

G7toWin

G7toWin, shown in Figure 10-1, is software that can take screenshots of the screen displayed on most Garmin GPS units and import them onto your PC.

G7toWin is available for free download from www.gps information.org/ronh.

This software works for most GPS receivers by Garmin, Magellan, and Lorance/Eagle. In addition to taking screenshots, it does a lot more. G7toWin, as you might have seen in previous chapters, can also be used to transfer various kinds of data to and from your GPS:

Routes

Tracks

Waypoints

Events (Lowrance/Eagle units only)

Satellite information (such as the almanac data)

chapter

in this chapter

˛Taking screenshots of your GPS

˛Using G7toWin

˛Using G7toCE

˛Getting an accurate time signal

from GPS

˛Using NMEATime

˛Using VisualGPS and VisualGPSXP

˛NMEA information

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FIGURE 10-1: G7toWin

In my experience, I’ve noticed that G7toWin offers very good levels of compatibility with many different kinds of GPS receiver.

The process of taking screenshots is as follows:

1.Download the software from the website (www.gpsinformation.org/ronh).

2.After you have downloaded the software, open the zipped file.

3.Extract the files to a convenient location on your hard drive. This software doesn’t require any installation, so the place you extract it to is the place from which you will need to run it.

4.Connect your GPS receiver to the PC and switch it on.

5.Run the main executable file (g7towin.exe).

6.Running the application brings up a blank screen.

7.Make sure the software is looking for your GPS on the appropriate serial or USB port (or even a Bluetooth connection) and is using the right settings. To check on and change these setting, click File Configuration. The Options Setup screen that appears is displayed in Figure 10-2.

8.This screen looks quite complex, but there are a few key areas for you to look at.

a.First, make sure that the right GPS is selected (see Figure 10-3).

b.Choose the appropriate port, along with the port speed (see Figure 10-4). Here you can also choose whether the GPS is connected via USB.

c.After you are done with that, click the Save Configuration button (see Figure 10-5). You will only need to go through this process once unless you have multiple GPS receivers.

9.With the settings specified, you are now ready to capture screenshots (if you have the appropriate receiver).

10.To do this, click GPS Commands Get and Show Bitmap.

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FIGURE 10-2: G7toWin configuration screen

FIGURE 10-3: Select the correct GPS receiver.

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FIGURE 10-4: Choose the appropriate port.

FIGURE 10-5: Save the configurations for the software.

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The term bitmap is used not to indicate that the screen display is a static display but because what is displayed on your GPS consists of a bitmap of black and gray or colored dots. This information is what is downloaded from the GPS to the PC.

11.The screen displayed on the GPS will be transmitted to the PC over the connection and displayed onscreen (see Figure 10-6).

FIGURE 10-6: Transferring the screenshot bitmap to the PC

Once the bitmap display is loaded onto the PC, it is available to you to manipulate:

The bitmap can be rotated left (see Figure 10-7).

FIGURE 10-7: Rotating the bitmap

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The bitmap can be stretched (see Figure 10-8).

FIGURE 10-8: Stretching the bitmap to fit the screen

The bitmap can be copied to the clipboard (see Figure 10-9).

FIGURE 10-9: Copying the bitmap to the clipboard

Once copied to the clipboard, the screenshot can be pasted into a graphics package such as Windows Paint (see Figure 10-10).