problem with external gps

[jusc]

It´s a bit strange. I can´t get the external gps mouse working together with locus. The current position is not shown.
With other apps it works.

[jusc]

Has anybody else used locus with an external gps?

Regards Jürgen

[berkley]

Hi Jürgen,

I did have problems with bluetooth gps. But they weren't about connecting the device. I did too much at once. Today I tried to provide the gps signal with the free app Bluetooth GPS: http://www.appbrain.com/app/bluetooth-g ... roid.btgps and it worked quite well.

Have a look at this app. Be sure to
- have a rooted phone
- enable "mock provider"
- don't have gps on your device toggeled on
- don't have bluetooth gps activated in locus
- just enable gps within locus

Have a try, berkley

[cseu]

No problem for me. Desire HD + Qstarz 1000X. Everything runs smooth with built-in BT GPS function.

[jusc]

Thanks to berkley and cseu. Now, after your advices it seems  to work with the build-in BT GPS function.
I use an older gps mouse ( http://www.pearl.de/a-PX5221-5481.shtml?vid=750 ) and it seems to take a while for connecting with locus.
Before I used Bluetooth GPS Provider ( http://www.androidpit.de/de/android/mar ... S-Provider ).
With other apps it worked without any problems.
Because you got it working with locus, I tried a litle and it seems that I have to start, stop and start gps within locus twice. Only the second try seems to find the external gps.
Its going to "Working...." and then "Connected to GPS Jentro  bla "
But now I know how to get it working.  

Thanks J.

[Menion]

Hi,
  interesting you have so much troubles with BT system in Locus. Today I was on trip and whole time I used BT GPS and without any problem. Oh yes, one. As you wrote, I have to pres GPS On/Off/On again to connect to module (have to look at this problem).

[berkley]

As you wrote, I have to pres GPS On/Off/On again to connect to module (have to look at this problem).

You don't have to, it's bug in Android... at least for Samsung devices  :lol:

[Menion]

OK, nice joke I think whole Locus is bug on your device. I created Locus - email client. It works in different way on your phone? For me, sending/receiving emails is almost perfect

[berkley]

Little bit off topic... email client?

[jusc]

I made a few tests with external gps. Result:
It connects as I wrote after GPS on/off/on. But it does not record proper tasks. Local position is not shown mostly and task recordings jumps.
I also used other travel apps like "TwoNav Trial" , with a third party Bluetooth app "Bluetooth GPS" which berkley proposed before, without problems.
But I can´t get the third party app "Bluetooth GPS" working with "Locus".

So at the moment for me, there is no solution to get "Locus" working together with an external GPS.

Regards J.

[berkley]

Hi Jürgen,

I'm having still sometimes problems with my bluetooth gps device. But I only have problems if I forget something to do. When I do all the points mentioned followed, everything works fine.

Prerequisite:
- Have your device rooted (don't know if this is necessary, but a rooted phone has more features anyway)
- go to your devices setting -> apps -> development -> enable "mock provider"

Then go through this very easy list:
(1) reboot your device
(2) toggle the devices GPS on
(3) open Locus, Google Maps, etc and wait till you have a real GPS fix
(4) close the app opened in (3)
(5) toggle the devices GPS off
(6) start your desired bluetooth gps app. (i'm coming back to this later)
(7) everything works fine

If you are succesful, it doesn't matter, which bluetooth gps app you use. All work more or less the same way. I guess to preserve battery (don't have too much apps running at the same time), it's easiest to do this right from Locus.
But if you want to use more apps at the same time, you'll get some problems with Locus. Because if you leave it just to open the calculator, the device connection to your bluetooth receiver gets lost. This is the reason, why you could use another app to connect your bluetooth gps receiver to your device. It will definatly use more battery, but it is kinda safer. Other apps  deliver the GPS position all the time. If you minimize Locus, there is still a valid GPS signal. Locus jsut tells you "Gps disabled" and when you're coming back it says "Gps enabled". There is one exception for this. If you do track recording in Locus and minimize Locus, the connection to the GPS receiver doesn't get lost, as the track recording runs somehow in the background.
Which external app you use to connect your receiver to your device is just a matter of choice. There are three ones you can try. Namely: "BlueGPS", "Bluetooth GPS" and "Bluetooth GPS Provider". All of them do the same, are free and there is no difference in accurancy and battery use. I prefer the "Bluetooth GPS Provider" because it comes with a nice widget which even turns bluetooth on if it is disabled.

I hope I could help so far...

[jusc]

So it works for me now since a few day without any problem.  

@menion,
with external gps I get always the blue arrow (for moving) and no position circle while resting (is the blue arrow too). Is it possible to implement the same behaviour used with interneal gps (moving = arrow and pausing = circle) ?

Thanks J.

[Menion]

I'll look at it, but same behavior is there. This have to mean that bluetooth gps return some value for speed, not just 0 as internal. I'll look at this

10 seconds fix - I just added treshold 0.1m/s for blue circle, so hope this will be enouh ...

[jusc]

I'll look at it, but same behavior is there. This have to mean that bluetooth gps return some value for speed, not just 0 as internal. I'll look at this

10 seconds fix - I just added treshold 0.1m/s for blue circle, so hope this will be enouh ...

solved in 0.9.27.1 thank you.  
J.