Linux App that reads EasyGPS based XML files?

[+northmill]

Does anyone know if there is a linux equivalent to EasyGPS that will read the XML based ".loc" files that are downlaoded from geocahing.com?

 

TY in Advance

CNM

[robertlipe]

I've been looking at that in recent weeks. The new "gpx" format is XML and it doesn't look that hard to hook up to the expat XML parser.

 

I've written some (crude) Perl code that parses the XML coming off geocaching.com and writes it into a file that's readable by a program to squirt the waypoints into my mag330.

 

I haven't really specced out what the program will do yet, but I've been sketching it in my head. I'm thinking that a program that reads and writes arbitrary file formats (magellan serial protocol, xml mutants used by geocaching.com and GPX, CSV, maybe a few others) won't be that hard to do. I'm resistant to try to reimplement a UI such as EasyGPS preferring instead to just haul data from on inconvenient format to another. (This is probably becuase I"m not a user interface guy.)

 

If you're a programmer with ideas and willing to help out, contact me. I do plan to release it when I'm done.

[+northmill]

Affraid I cannot offer very much in the way of programming skills. I have seen a couple of linux apps that allow organizing, uploading and, downloading waypoints (from freshmeat: gpspoint, gpstrans, Garble, GPSUTIL). Looks like the applications are already there (mostly Garmin, but GPSUTIL mentions Magellans), but the translation ability is the thing that seems to be missing.

 

Would be willing to help out in anyother way you can think of.

 

Perhaps I can research the file formats and associated protocols. Looks like .gps is one that is in use- not sure whether that is standard format that you could use for the Mag or what.

[+infosponge]

I have some PHP code that reads the GPX format that EasyGPS/ExpertGPS are supposed to be moving towards.

[robertlipe]

> Looks like the applications are already there

> (mostly Garmin, but GPSUTIL mentions Magellans),

> but the translation ability is the thing that

> seems to be missing.

 

Since I own a magellan 330, I'm glad (in a bizarre way) that it wasn't "merely" my perception that most of the UNIX/Linux software was for Garmins.

 

The reality is that tracks, routes, and waypoint lists for the common GPSRs aren't THAT different between receivers. There's no reason they should be different at the command level.

 

Tonight, inspired at least partially by this conversation, I have expat mostly slurping up the key components of the .GPX format.

 

Even if you're not a programmer, tell me very specifically what you'd expect a program to do (we call those "marketing requirements document" in the software biz) and let's talk.

[+northmill]

.

 

[This message was edited by northmill on April 04, 2002 at 09:39 AM.]

[+northmill]

Well you asked for it. I would like to see just a command that can read a .loc and convert it into a file readable by a linux based waypoint/track/route manager loader (for Garmin- you asked ).

 

In my jargon (defense contr. sys engineer) it would be:

 

"The YYY tool shall convert geocaching.com-based .loc files into format supported by (insert linux waypoint app here).

 

The YYY tool shall no cause adverse electromagnetic interference beyond tolerances defined in MIL-STD 810F, Table 3.4.5.3.4.G.2.j."

 

 

The problem is that everyone has their own file format for reading/writing the GPS files.

 

Let's see: (tool:file type)

Garmin GPS tool: .GML (geograph. markup language )

gpstrans: Mayko mXmap

gpspoint: .gpd

NEMA: flat .txt files.

 

(No mention yet of GPX)

 

If you are still interested, I will try some of these out and cut you some of the formatted files to you to look at. Will have to wait until tonight.

 

BTW, I grew up in Murfreesboro, just up down the road.

[+northmill]

Well you asked for it. I would like to see just a command that can read a .loc and convert it into a file readable by a linux based waypoint/track/route manager loader (for Garmin- you asked ).

 

In my jargon (defense contr. sys engineer) it would be:

 

"The YYY tool shall convert geocaching.com-based .loc files into format supported by (insert linux waypoint app here).

 

The YYY tool shall no cause adverse electromagnetic interference beyond tolerances defined in MIL-STD 810F, Table 3.4.5.3.4.G.2.j."

 

 

The problem is that everyone has their own file format for reading/writing the GPS files.

 

Let's see: (tool:file type)

Garmin GPS tool: .GML (geograph. markup language )

gpstrans: Mayko mXmap

gpspoint: .gpd

NEMA: flat .txt files.

 

(No mention yet of GPX)

 

If you are still interested, I will try some of these out and cut you some of the formatted files to you to look at. Will have to wait until tonight.

 

BTW, I grew up in Murfreesboro, just up down the road.

[robertlipe]

quote:

---

Originally posted by northmill:

Well you asked for it. I would like to see just a command that can read a .loc and convert it into a file readable by a linux based waypoint/track/route manager loader (for Garmin- you asked ).

---

 

There are already a number of manager/loader thingies that speak the garmin protocol. So the problem to be solved is merely front-end that reads .loc's and writes whatever format is accepted by the loader, right? I'm not particularly inspired to re-invent any wheels but I would like to help unify some of the wheels we now have.

 

(That was where I started thinking about this problem. But then I realized that in reality,

once everything is normalized internally, the serial protocols for the GPSrs are "just another backend" so the converter program COULD actually speak straight to the GPSRs instead of bouncing through the manager/loaders.

 

There are some icky things about serving common denominators (i.e. 6 character NMEA waypoints vs. 8 character waypoints in extended Magellan protocol, 20 vs 30 character descriptions, etc.) but I think these are solvable since they're constant for any given target.

 

quote:

---

"The YYY tool shall convert geocaching.com-based .loc files into format supported by (insert linux waypoint app here).

---

 

I have some Perl code around that converts a geocaching.com *.loc and writes it into the format used by a slightly modified version of 'gpsutil'. I'm pretty ashamed of both ends of that puzzle, but it can be done. That shame was what got me thinking about it.

 

quote:

---

 

The problem is that everyone has their own file format for reading/writing the GPS files.

 

---

 

Annoying, isn't it? This is one of the reasons I'm seeing GPX as a Good Thing.

 

quote:

---

If you are still interested, I will try some of these out and cut you some of the formatted files to you to look at.

---

 

Yes, please privately send me the same set of a couple of waypoints (and maybe a route or two, but I'm happy to let routes wait) in the formats that are considered interesting.

 

quote:

---

BTW, I grew up in Murfreesboro, just up down the road.

---

 

Some great caches are there!

[robertlipe]

quote:

---

Originally posted by northmill:

Well you asked for it. I would like to see just a command that can read a .loc and convert it into a file readable by a linux based waypoint/track/route manager loader (for Garmin- you asked ).

---

 

There are already a number of manager/loader thingies that speak the garmin protocol. So the problem to be solved is merely front-end that reads .loc's and writes whatever format is accepted by the loader, right? I'm not particularly inspired to re-invent any wheels but I would like to help unify some of the wheels we now have.

 

(That was where I started thinking about this problem. But then I realized that in reality,

once everything is normalized internally, the serial protocols for the GPSrs are "just another backend" so the converter program COULD actually speak straight to the GPSRs instead of bouncing through the manager/loaders.

 

There are some icky things about serving common denominators (i.e. 6 character NMEA waypoints vs. 8 character waypoints in extended Magellan protocol, 20 vs 30 character descriptions, etc.) but I think these are solvable since they're constant for any given target.

 

quote:

---

"The YYY tool shall convert geocaching.com-based .loc files into format supported by (insert linux waypoint app here).

---

 

I have some Perl code around that converts a geocaching.com *.loc and writes it into the format used by a slightly modified version of 'gpsutil'. I'm pretty ashamed of both ends of that puzzle, but it can be done. That shame was what got me thinking about it.

 

quote:

---

 

The problem is that everyone has their own file format for reading/writing the GPS files.

 

---

 

Annoying, isn't it? This is one of the reasons I'm seeing GPX as a Good Thing.

 

quote:

---

If you are still interested, I will try some of these out and cut you some of the formatted files to you to look at.

---

 

Yes, please privately send me the same set of a couple of waypoints (and maybe a route or two, but I'm happy to let routes wait) in the formats that are considered interesting.

 

quote:

---

BTW, I grew up in Murfreesboro, just up down the road.

---

 

Some great caches are there!

[+northmill]

I think we are thinking about the same thing. I am certainly think there are enough wheels already. As soon as I get my cable (shipped yesterday), I will try out several of the waypoint loaders and send the output file to you.

 

(Kinda got tied up playing with the new vmware beta tonight)