-Using gpsbabel to create MS 2002 Pushpin Files
-----------------------------------------------
-
-The standard S&T method:
- 1. Create pushpins in S&T 2002 either by click-and-create or by importing
- from a CSV format file (A header line helps greatly decrease the time
- spent in the import data wizard).
- 2. Select the map region you wish to create.
- 3. Wait a couple of dozen minutes for the map to export.
- 4. Copy map and corresponding .psp file to a folder on the mobile device.
- 5. Open map in pocketstreets.
-
-The gpsbabel/psp method:
- 1. Be sure you've already created the map/region.
- (in this case, Lafayette.mps).
- 2. Run gpsbabel with .psp output.
- (i.e. gpsbabel -i geo -f geocaching.loc -o psp -F Lafayette.psp)
- 3. Open map in pocketstreets.
-
-Notes in general:
- o PocketStreets loads pushpins files with the same name as the MAP
- being loaded. So if you have a map, "Lafayette.mps", the
- corresponding set of pins should be called "Lafayette.psp".
- These two files need to be in the same "folder" on the mobile
- device in order for things to work properly (waah!).
-
- o Pocketstreets re-writes pushpin files every time you open and
- close the map. Doing so sometimes re-sizes the pushpin files.
- That's OK.
-
- o Pocketstreets won't choke on pushpins that are not for the map
- being viewed, it simply "grays" them out in Pushpin Explorer.
- This lets us make one HUGE pushpin file that covers dozens of
- maps.
-
-
-Example Usage:
- o I get 2 files from geocaching.com on a regular basis, each
- containing a couple-of-hundred waypoints.
-
- o I have a directory.. err.. folder on my hard drive located at
- c:\makefiles.
-
- o In that directory, I keep a batch file called "makefiles.bat" that
- looks like this:
-
- @echo off
-
- REM *** EXPERTGPS GPX FORMAT ***
- REM *** NOTE THAT -x n IS NOT A STANDARD GPSBABEL FEATURE ***
- gpsbabel -i geo -f 51.loc -f 61.loc -x n -o gpx -F e:\expertgps\geocaches.gpx
-
- REM *** FILES FOR MAGELLAN SD CARD ***
- gpsbabel -i gpx -f e:\expertgps\geocaches.gpx -o magellan -F geocache.wpt
-
- REM *** BASE FILE FOR POCKETSTREETS PUSHPINS ***
- REM *** NOTICE "-s" TO SYNTHESIZE SHORTNAMES ***
- gpsbabel -s -i gpx -f e:\exertgps\geocaches.gpx -o psp -F geocache.psp
-
- REM *** MULTIPLY PUSHPINS ONTO IPAQ ***
- copy geocache.psp C:\"My Documents\Pocket_PC My Documents"\Incoming\Lafayette.psp
- copy geocache.psp C:\"My Documents\Pocket_PC My Documents"\Incoming\BatonRouge.psp
- copy geocache.psp C:\"My Documents\Pocket_PC My Documents"\Incoming\NewOrleans.psp
- copy geocache.psp C:\"My Documents\Pocket_PC My Documents"\Incoming\Houston.psp
-
- o When I get my .loc files from geocaching.com, I stick them in the
- "c:\makefiles" directory and run "makefiles.bat". when the batch
- file is complete in a few seconds, I have managed to do accomplish
- a few things that used to be some cumbersome they weren't even worth
- doing:
-
- 1. I have a "Magellan Protocol" text file to load onto my Meridian's
- SD card containing all of the geocaches from those 2 files.
-
- 2. I have created pushpins for 4 seperate maps. Since I'm putting them
- in the "Pocket_PC My Documents\Incoming" folder, they will auto-sync
- to my iPaq when it syncs. Since I store my maps on my iPaq's SD card,
- I need to move these over to my maps folder by hand later. That takes
- all of about 10 seconds.
-
- 3. It is my preference to have "synthesized shortnames" on my pushpin
- files instead of geocaching.com "GCXXXX" names. Since the shortname
- synthesizer for pushpins is set to around 32 bytes, instead of seeing
- "GCF00D" as a pushpin name, I see "Swinging Rope Bridge."
-
+MS Pocketstreets 2002 Pushpins (.PSP) Q & A
+-------------------------------------------
+
+Q: Why should I use gpsbabel/psp to make pushpins when Streets & Trips (S&T)
+ already does that for me?
+
+A: gpsbabel/psp has the advantage of being able to create pushpins WITHOUT
+ creating the associated map file and the need to "import" the waypoint
+ data into S&T. Through a series of scripts, you can create a dozen
+ or so PSP files in a few seconds as opposed to a few weeks using the
+ S&T interface. The maps are not going to change between sessions,
+ only the pins will. Why waste all that time creating maps when all you
+ really want are updated pins? As an aside, gpsbabel/psp creates points
+ WITH THE PROPER coordinates where S&T does not in some areas of the U.S.
+ (Nashville, TN for instance).
+
+
+Q: I keep getting a blank (32 byte) PSP file?
+
+A: There are either no points to write, or you have botched the command
+ line for gpsbabel. gpsbabel is sensitive to UPPER and lower case
+ on the command line. A simple command line to created PSP files
+ looks like this:
+
+ gpsbabel -i geo -f geocaching.loc -o psp -F NewOrleans.psp
+
+ Note the use of "-f" for INPUT files and "-F" for OUTPUT files.
+
+
+Q: I've created a PSP file, now what do I do with it?
+
+A: To use pushpins in Pocketstreets, you need to have both a map and a
+ pushpin file. These two files must exist in the same folder and have
+ exactly the same base name as the map. For example, the pins that
+ correspond to the map "NewOrleans.mps" should be named "NewOrleans.psp".
+
+
+Q: I don't have a map? What do I do now?
+
+A: Create one using the "Export map to Pocketstreets" option in S&T. You
+ can also pick up some major city maps on the web from the MS Pocketstreets
+ website if you are interested in seeing how it works.
+
+
+Q: I have .EST files, not .PSP files. What's up with that?
+
+A: In order to make PSP files, you need to use the "Export map to
+ Pocketstreets" function in S&T. .EST files are for use in S&T, not
+ Pocketstreets.
+
+
+Q: The .PSP files differ when I use gpsbabel/psp versus Pocketstreets to
+ create them. What's up?
+
+A: Pocketstreets makes corrections to the S&T waypoint data upon initial
+ loading. gpsbabel/psp writes PSP files with these corrections already made.
+ Ask MS.
+
+
+Q: Does gpsbabel/psp work with (Autoroute, Mappoint, etc..) .PSP files?
+
+A: As of this writing, I haven't seen any so I can't be sure. If they
+ follow the same layout as S&T 2002, I'd imagine so.
+
+
+Q: Does gpsbabel/psp work with (S&T 2001, S&T 2002, etc...) files?
+
+A: Probably not. The psp module is designed / tested to work with
+ S&T 2002/Pocketstreets. It probably won't work with S&T 2003 either
+ if MS fixes some of the problems between S&T 2002 and Pocketstreets.
+
+
+Q: Does gpsbabel/psp work with (insert your country/location here) maps?
+
+A: If it doesn't, feel free to email the PSP files to me at:
+ geo_alexm at cox-internet.com. I only had USA based data to work
+ with while figuring out the file layout. Please include as much
+ information about the points as possible (lat/long, name, etc..)
+ and do it in English. I don't read or speak any other languages
+ fluently.
+
+
+Q: What do you mean S&T writes points with the wrong coordinates?
+
+A: At some point in the "Export map to Pocketstreets" function in S&T,
+ it goofs the lat/long data. Points in Nashville tended to shift
+ 1.4 miles WEST of their original location. I'm not a geometry buff,
+ but I'd imagine they have a reference point for generating coordinates
+ that's wrong in (at least) that area.
+
+
+Q: I have 800 waypoints that cover a dozen or so Pocketstreets maps.
+ Do I need to to split my points up into smaller chunks to match the
+ area covered by the maps?
+
+A: No. Pocketstreets will "ignore" points that are outside of the map
+ area. Points that are not on the current map will be "grayed out"
+ in pushpin explorer in Pocketsreets. This is the reason the PSP
+ module was written for gpsbabel in the first place.
+
+
+Q: Where can I find documentation for the layout of PSP files?
+
+A: Just about everything I know about the PSP file format is documented
+ in the source. To the best of my knowledge, there is no documentation
+ (and for good reason, I've come to discover).
+
+
+Q: I have some other problem, what do I do?
+
+A: Email me at geo_alexm at cox-internet.com and I'll see if I can
+ work it out.
+
projects / gpsbabel.git / commitdiff