View - Panes - GPS Console

Manifold's GPS Console provides interactive control over a GPS (Global Positioning System) device connected to the computer via a serial port or USB connection. The GPS Console allows setting moving map mode or automatically fetching position and other data from the GPS device.

For details on using the GPS Console, see the Working with GPS Receivers topic.

Note: We must have at least one drawing in the project to accept data from the GPS device to use Track commands.

Controls

$images\xbtn_gps_connect.gif$	Connect / Disconnect - Press IN to connect to the GPS device using serial port parameters specified in the GPS properties dialog. The GPS dialog cannot fetch data from the GPS device until it is connected. Connecting to the GPS also serves as a test of the connection.
$images\xbtn_gps_track_center.gif$	Track Center - "Moving map" mode: with each reading of data from the GPS receiver move the drawing so that the acquired position of the GPS is always in the center of the currently active window. When Track Center is engaged and either a Track or Track Sequence command is issued the active window will be panned to center on the location reported by the GPS.
$images\xbtn_gps_track_line.gif$	Track Line - With each reading of data from the GPS receiver extend a line to the current position. This option creates a line object that shows the sequence of tracked positions.
$images\xbtn_gps_track_points.gif$	Track Points - With each reading of data from the GPS receiver create a point at the current position. This option creates a series of points that show the sequence of tracked positions.
$images\xbtn_gps_track_columns.gif$	Track Columns - Used to choose which names will be used for destination fields of downloaded data. Otherwise, has no effect unless Track Points is selected. Raises a dialog allowing choice of the destination fields within the drawing's table for the various data fields acquired from the GPS receiver. Choose a blank destination in the Save To column to not import a given GPS field. When selected, Track Columns will write the selected data fields into the specified destination fields in the drawing's table with each reading of data from the GPS receiver.
$images\xbtn_gps_track.gif$	Track - Press to fetch data from the GPS. Each press of this button commands one acquisition of data and the creation of objects or moving map action as specified by the Track Center/Line/Points/Fields buttons.
$images\xbtn_gps_track_sequence.gif$	Track Sequence - Start / Stop acquiring data from the GPS receiver repeatedly using the given time interval between readings. When this button is pressed in, each specified time interval repeatedly commands data acquisition and the creation of objects or moving map action as specified by the Track Center/Line/Points/Fields buttons.
$images\xbtn_gps_download_waypoints.gif$	Download Waypoints - Enabled only when connected to a Garmin device using Garmin protocol or when an NMEA device is detected as sending waypoints. Press to download waypoints. Press again to cancel downloading. When pressed, the system will begin downloading waypoints from the GPS receiver, arranging them in order and creating a point object for each waypoint. A line object will be created for a route. To cancel the download process without creating any objects, click the Download / Waypoints button again before the download is complete. See the Waypoints and Projections paragraph below for important notes on projections.
$images\xbtn_gps_upload_waypoints.gif$	Upload Waypoints - Enabled only when connected to a Garmin device using Garmin protocol. Press to upload waypoints. Press again to cancel uploading.
$images\xbtn_gps_properties.gif$	Properties - Set up the serial port connection to the GPS receiver by specifying either a USB connection or the serial port used and the serial protocol options required by the GPS receiver.
Drawing	Choose the drawing into which objects and data acquired from the GPS will be placed.
Refresh	Specify the time interval and time units (minutes, milliseconds or seconds) between automatic data acquisition when tracking.
Datum	Datum used by the GPS receiver. The datum setting dialog is resizable.
Altitude	Value reported by the GPS receiver for the height of the GPS antenna. Although handheld GPS receivers integrate the antenna into the instrument case, remember when using an external antenna the GPS device reports the position of the antenna.
Bearing	True heading computed by the GPS receiver for its motion based on differences between recent positions measured. The true heading is the magnetic heading corrected for magnetic variation reported for the current position by the GPS device.
Mag bearing	Magnetic bearing.
Mag variation	Magnetic variation.
Latitude	Current position latitude.
Longitude	Current position longitude.
Quality	Quality of the fix for the current position.
Speed	Speed in centimeters per hour computed by the GPS receiver for its motion based on differences between recent positions measured.
Satellites	The number of GPS satellites in view of the GPS receiver.
(status bar)

Properties Dialog

Device	Serial port or USB device to which the GPS receiver is connected. Most computers support COM1 and COM2 with connectors on the chassis. . Manifold will automatically search the first 1000 possible COM port configurations and allow use of any COM port that appears to be working. If a USB port is used choose either the Garmin USB connection or the generic USB Human Interface connection if a non-Garmin USB GPS is in use. USB choices will not be available if a USB GPS device is not detected.
Baud rate	Speed of the serial connection. Use 4800 for most GPS receivers.
Data bits	Number of data bits in the serial protocol. Use 8 for most GPS receivers.
Stop bits	Number of stop bits in the serial protocol. Use 1 for most GPS receivers.
Parity	Parity setting for the serial protocol. Use None for most GPS receivers.
Test	Test connection to the GPS receiver. Instructs Manifold to listen for valid NMEA sentences.

Consult your GPS receiver's user manual for information on what settings to use for the Properties dialog when using a serial port connection. The Properties dialog will fail to launch if there are no available COM ports or USB devices available. Unplugging a USB GPS device will automatically disconnect the GPS Console.

Pressing the Test button in the Properties dialog commands Manifold to try connecting to the GPS to see if it is alive and well and to report, if possible, what protocol the GPS recognizes. If a GPS is found, a message box will pop open to report whether it is using NMEA or GARMIN protocol. If it is using NMEA protocol, Manifold will report the NMEA tags recognized. If it is using GARMIN protocol Manifold will report a list of recognized GARMIN subprotocols recognized as well as the version of each subprotocol. If a GPS device switches from GARMIN to NMEA protocol, Manifold will automatically detect the change.

GPS Columns Dialog

The GPS Columns dialog allows specification of NMEA data that will be downloaded from the GPS, if available. Note that not all GPS devices will transmit all of the following fields. For example, only a depth sounder that repeats GPS location information while transmitting depth information as an NMEA repeater will provide GPS Depth information. The complete list of fields in the GPS Columns dialog is taken from all NMEA sentences that the Manifold GPS Console NMEA parser recognizes.

To capture a given field, double click into the Save To cell for that field and choose either the name of an existing column or to create a new column for that field choose [New Column].

$images\xbtn_choose_all.gif$	Select All - Capture all fields.
$images\xbtn_choose_none.gif$	Select None - Capture no fields.
$images\xbtn_choose_inverse.gif$	Select Inverse - Uncapture all captured fields and capture all uncaptured fields.. A fast way to use all but one field: click Select None, capture the one field not desired and then click Select Inverse.
GPS Air Temperature	Air temperature.
GPS Altitude	Altitude.
GPS Bearing	True bearing.
GPS Depth	Depth from the sounding transducer to the sea floor. Note that transducers are normally mounted some distance below the water line of a vessel, so that to compute the depth of water we may need to add the distance between the vessel's water line and the transducer to the reported GPS Depth figure. Some depth sounders reporting depth in an NMEA stream have a configuration option which allows adding a fixed distance between the water line and the transducer so that the GPS Depth reported will be the distance from the water line and not from the transducer.
GPS Dew Point	Dew point.
GPS Humidity	Humidity.
GPS Humidity, Relative	Relative humidity.
GPS Latitude	Latitude of current position.
GPS Longitude	Longitude of current position.
GPS Magnetic Bearing	Magnetic bearing (computed from true bearing using variation).
GPS Magnetic Variation	Variation used by the GPS for this position and date.
GPS Quality	Quality of the fix.
GPS Receiving Frequency	Receiving frequency.
GPS Satellites	Number of satellites used by the GPS to compute position.
GPS Speed	Speed of motion.
GPS Stream Bearing	Stream bearing.
GPS Stream Magnetic Bearing	Stream magnetic bearing.
GPS Stream Speed	Stream speed.
GPS Time	Time of measurement in Universal (Zulu) time.
GPS Time, Local	Local time
GPS Time Zone, Local	Local time zone.
GPS Transducer to Keel	Distance from the depth sounding transducer to the lowest point of the vessel. Transducers are normally mounted below the waterline but significantly above the keel. The distance from the transducer to the sea bottom must exceed this value to avoid grounding the vessel.
GPS Transducer to Water Line	Distance from the depth sounding transducer to the water line of the vessel. Transducers are normally mounted below the waterline but significantly above the keel. This distance should be added to the depth from the transducer to the sea bottom to get water depth.
GPS Transmitting Frequency	Transmitting frequency.
GPS Water Temperature	Water temperature.
GPS Waypoint Name	Used when downloading waypoint information.
GPS Wind Bearing	Absolute bearing of the wind.
GPS Wind Bearing, Relative	Apparent wind bearing considering the bearing of the vessel.
GPS Wind Speed	Absolute wind speed.