Module: TRACKING

The Tracking module allows to record and manage track logs of your trips in order to extend, correct, or even build a map.

Also use your tracks log to find your way or to guide you back to a location: visually follow path line on map views when navigating and get accurate guidance en-route by connecting a GPS device.

Also, the Tracking module integrates an export function to utilize track logs as ground data for any type of GIS applications.

Tracks terminology

A track is the route segment recorded between the beginning of the recording session to the end. A track is composed of a set of recorded tracks points. In order to mark your path, personalize your trail, a track point can be edited to mark a important location, to comment a change in the directions… At this moment the edited track point become a track mark.
Tracks can be created by linking location together in a sequence or by recording GPS movement.

A track log manage a set of tracks as one to enable complex routes or plans definition. For instance, to list all the ski slopes accessible from a ski lift, each slope will be a track regroups in the same track log representing the ski lift area.

The tracking module allow you to manage tracks, tracks points, tracks marks and track logs.

Track Logs selection and creation

The menu option Log-List visualizes the list of existing track logs.
You can choose the current track's database through the categories' menu list, located at top-right corner of the screen.

To visualize a track log, select its name on the list.

To create a new track log, select the menu Log-List and click on the New button at the bottom of the list.

To create a new track within the active track log, start then stop the recording process.
 

Track logs display

A log is not attached to a map and can extend past the map boundaries. The Tracking module manages multiple logs but only the active one is shown on the screen.

A track log is visualized on maps by thick color lines drawn on maps. You can modify the color of the tracks via the menu Log-Details.

The menu Map-Best Fit -available when coupled with the Tracking or Flying modules - allows to display the entire track log or flightlog on the best-scaled map.

You can also simulate (play) your route travel before you go, by applying GPS simulation option available via the option menu GPS-details.

With GPS Module coupled, you can pinpoints your course over tracks with respect to your intended course to see how close you are from your recorded route.

Tracks recording

The Log-Record/Stop menu option is a switch button to start and stop track's recording. This function is also mapped with the Hard Button 1 of the PDA device.

The Log-Pause/Resume option, only active when the record process is on, avoids to record any single moves you do. Select the Pause option to break the record process when you do not wish to capture part of a route.

The recording functions are indicated on the lower left corner of the map screen. An o means the log is recording, an || indicates a pause.

To create manually your track, start a record session and draw the route on the map by linking location in sequence:

• Either choose any location figuring on your map as next track step, by dragging this location to the map's center,
• or select a predefined POIs by selecting the menu option Center on available at the center of the screen and choose among all the POIs listed.

To record your GPS movements, start a GPS session and start recording.

Current location will be then be recorded at regular intervals. Change the recording precision via the menu Options-Preferences from capturing every xx seconds to every xx hours. A good detailed track for traveling between 30 and 60 mph is to set the precision to record position every 10 seconds.

Alternatively, if you are going for a long journey, and do not care to see your track drawn as you travel. You can preserves your PDA batteries while tracking: shut off your PDA while a GPS tracking session is running and your PDA will be automatically woke up at record precision intervals to record current position. Beware that the PDA is shut down when Tracker is still running.

On map display, you will see your track drawn as you travel. You can change the color of your current track via the menu Options-Preferences to improve the visibility of the route line on the map.
 

Tracks point and mark

A track is composed of a set of recorded tracks points. In order to mark your path, personalize your trail, a track point can be edited to mark a important location, to comment a change in the directions… At this moment the edited track point become a track mark.

Each small square drawn on the track line represents a recorded point. Selecting a track point will bring up the Track point contextual pop up menu that lists its label and other functions:

• The track's point label option enables to display and edit the point details screen (these screens inherit from POI ‘s screen)
• The Center on option moves the point to the center of the screen and re-centers the map around it.
  

Tracks marks and on-line maps

Tracks log databases can get quite large, especially if you are capturing constantly your moves. You have the possibility to edit certain track points to mark an important location, to comment a change in the directions… These track marks are then helpful when sharing tracks log with friends as well as when you wish to get full on-line maps coverage of your track

Indeed via the Map-Aeroplanner function, you have the possibility to request full set of on-line maps corresponding to your tracks log. By checking the full route check box in the Map-Aeroplanner box, you will get full set of maps covering your entire set of track marks.
 

Tracks alteration

You can also alter you route by picking a point along your track and deleting it, or change its coordinates to change your recorded path.
 

Tracks details

The menu option Log-Details details the characteristics of the current track log and tracks as well as offer tool management for tracks

Tracks Log characteristics:

• Track log category, -modifiable-
• Track log name, -modifiable-
• Track log distance,
• Track Log travel time,
• Track log speed average,
• Track log number of points.

For each track belonging to the current track log, you get the following information:

• Track's name, - the track's name is associated to the name of the first track point if any-
• Track's travel time,
• Track's speed average,
• Track's speed max,
• Track's number of points,
• Track's color -modifiable-

Moreover each track is associated to a contextual pop up menu that allows to change the color of the current track, delete it or move it to another track log

The color of a track is available in 256 colors in the current mode are shown. Strange colors may be shown if the current map has its own color table (Only for Palm Database maps).

Export and import tracks by selecting these options from the menu bar : see Tracks import/export section below.

Tracks deletion

To delete the current track logs, apply the option menu Log-Delete.

To delete a track in the current track log, go to the Log-Details screen, select the track line and apply the menu option Delete.

Tracks backup

To backup your track log, apply the backup option within the preferences screen available via the menu Option-Preferences. Database stored on the Palm internal will be backed-up during the next HotSync in the directory c:/Palm/<Palm user name>/backup/GP_tracks.pdb.
 

Navigation information

The navigation panel -visible on demand on an extra layer at the top of the map view- assists your navigation in specifying total distance and estimated travel time from your current location to any specific destination. Time is estimated by current speed, average speed if a GPS is connected.

To make the navigation panel visible/invisible on the map screen, click on the top left corner of the screen and select the Show/Hide option from the popup menu.

The information listed in the panel refer navigation data from your current position to the selected destination. From left to right, you can see:

• Current heading to reach your destination represented by a red arrow
• Destination POI ‘s n
• Estimated distance between the 2 points
• Estimated Time En route (Ete) to reach your destination. Time is estimated by average speed, or current speed if a GPS is connected.
   

Via the navigation popup menu, you can also get the details of the your selected destination POI, or replace it by any other POIs from the POIs list that represent all the POIs predefined on your device.

The destination POI can also be set by selecting on any POIs displayed on the map and applying the Set to option from the contextual popup menu.

Tracks export/import

For device with external memory users. You can transfers track logs databases between hand held devices and PC machines.

For device without external memory, backup your track log, then run Palm Emulator available at palmsource.com to execute the Export/Import function within the emulator.

From the current Log-Details screen, click on the menu bar and access the import-export options.

These options allow exporting/exporting recorded tracks outside the scope of GPS Pilot applications in a csv format in order to collect, store, analyze, manipulate, retrieve, plot GPS positional locations for your specific purposes. Some of our customers are using this feature in order to:

• print out Track log on hardcopy
• track routes at 5 minute intervals, and later map the course on a PC
• to log data file containing times, lats, and longs to transfer the raw position data to a PC
• create maps and possibly transpose them onto other maps such a USGS topos
• export track info to a spreadsheet such as excel for postprocessing and plot it on a map
• display ground track and parameters onto a custom maps
• download multiple track logs and waypoint lists into the palm for later transfer to mapping programs, for evaluation in GIS-Systems
• record a track or log , then to download the geo-data to desktop pc for plotting and analysis on Topo or other software
• get a low cost system that can be carried by field teams to track their movements throughout the day when back to the office
• replace GPS device tracking solutions as some just store limited number of waypoints

The export function converts and saves the current tracks log in the <trackslog_name.csv> ASCII file as described below. Apply the menu bar option Log-Export and the tracks file of your current log will be automatically created and stored on external memory under the /GPSpilot/Tracks/ directory

The import function allows to concatenate any imported track logs to the current log. The list of imported tracks must be in the same ASCII format as described below and must be stored on external memory under the /GPSpilot/Tracks/ directory as well.

Apply the menu bar option Log-Import and select the tracks file name you want to transfer your current track.

Tracks export/import format

Each line describes a track point record following this format :

Lat, Long, Alt [, Variation, Date, Time]

Lat is the Latitude of the track point in degrees with decimals format : dd.ddddd
Long is the Latitude of the track point iin degrees with decimals format : dd.ddddd
Alt is the Altitude described in feet or meters

Optional information [, Variation, Date, Time]

Variation is the magnetic variation degrees, positive for East negative for West. North / East is positive, South / West is negative

Date and Time and universal format and are readable by any spreadsheet.

To add Variation and Time stamped information to the export track, tracks point need to be edited and named. They will then become Tracks steps and these steps are recorded into export tracks with Variation, Date and Time details.

Compatibility. Exported files are directly readable by all major data sheet software and had been mainly tested on Microsoft Excel.

Track color and precision selection

To modify the color of the current recording track as well as its record interval precision, use the menu Options-Preferences.

Hard key assignments

The PDA physical buttons are redefined as shortcut for GPS Pilot applications.

Button 1 and center key for the Tungsten user have been programmed to provide turn the track record on and off, same as switches between the "Record" and "Stop" modes.
 

Contextual help

A first-aid tutorial that answers to most common questions is available via the menu Option-Help.
 

> Tracking FAQ
> TRACKER product page