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DNRGarmin /DNRGPS. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow NPS Webinar Series 4/21/2014. Agenda. History DNRGarmin to DNRGPS What’s New Other Tools Questions. DNRGarmin - 2000. DNR Conservation Officers wanted to view a real-time point on a map in their truck over an air photo.
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DNRGarmin/DNRGPS Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow NPS Webinar Series 4/21/2014
Agenda • History • DNRGarmin to DNRGPS • What’s New • Other Tools • Questions
DNRGarmin - 2000 • DNR Conservation Officers wanted to view a real-time point on a map in their truck over an air photo. • DNRGarmin was born • VB6 application • PCOGarmin.ocx control – Ron Whately • Communicates with Garmin’s published protocol. • Code for reading/writing shapefiles • Projections – Proj4 • Work with Arcview 3.x • Save to Theme • Load from Theme • Real-Time Tracking • Placed on the DNR Web Page
DNRGarmin - 2008 • Incorporate ArcGIS • Incorporate Google Earth (kml) • Calculate Circular Error of Probability (CEP) • Image Hotlinking
DNRGarmin to DNRGPS - 2012 • A major update was needed to the old application.
Why Updating? • Keep Up With New Technology • ESRI • Garmin
Why Updating? • Built On Old Technology • Visual Basic 6 • 1998 – Released • 2008 – No longer supported • Reliance on Dead Controls • Garmin Communication • Shapefile Writer
Why Open Source? Large Worldwide User Community • Data collection in National Parks
Why Open Source? Large Worldwide User Community • Data collection in National Parks • Alligator surveys in Louisiana
Why Open Source? Large Worldwide User Community • Data collection in National Parks • Alligator surveys in Louisiana • Elephant Tracking in South Africa
Why Open Source? Large Worldwide User Community • Data collection in National Parks • Alligator surveys in Louisiana • Elephant Tracking in South Africa • Mapping Freshwater Wells in Iraq
Why Open Source? Large Worldwide User Community • Data collection in National Parks • Alligator surveys in Louisiana • Elephant Tracking in South Africa • Mapping Freshwater Wells in Iraq • Michael Fay’s“Mega Flyover”
Why Open Source? • Wide array of • Customization Requests • Offers To Provide Resources • Makes for a more dynamic program – Went 4 years without an update. • More updates possible, faster bug fixes.
Challenge • Develop New Standards • Rewrite 10 years of code (~15,000 lines) • Robust • Efficient • Familiar Interface • Rewrite Docs • Consolidate • Improve • Installation Package • Organize partners
Developed New Standards • C# - Development Language • .NET 4.0 - Framework • GPS Babel – GPS Communications • PROJ.4 – Projections • GDAL – Shapefile, Geodatabase • ESRI 10.x – Non-Open formats • Sphinx – Documentation • Assembla – Code Repository
Developed New Standards • C# - Development Language • DNR Standard • Open Source File Geodatabase wrapper written in C# • If upgrading from a VB6 app should go with VB.NET. More copy/paste and less complete rewrites.
Developed New Standards • .NET 4.0 – Framework • 3.5 vs 4.0 vs 4.5 • Most have 3.5. Have come across non-4.0 machines and upgrading can be a hassle for users with restricted rights.
Developed New Standards • GPS Babel – GPS Communications • Fast • Works with multiple GPS brands • Good for saving between GPS brands • Used for Garmin Protocol • Included GPS Babel front end with install for testing • Does not have its own projection engine • Limited in File Types – GPS to GPS formats
Developed New Standards • PROJ.4 – Projections • Familiar Piece • Fast • Accurate • Works hand in hand with GDAL • Conversions between projection types (PRJ, POSC, etc) is not accurate 100% of the time.
Developed New Standards • GDAL – Shapefile, Geodatabase • Provides ability to save to many different file formats with a standard interface, minimizing code. • Works with Proj.4 to convert between multiple projection definitions (PRJ, POSC, etc) • Still nuances between file types that require plenty of if/then statements • Field Types • Value restrictions • File Structures – File vs Geodatabase • Bugs • Hoped to include tons of file types but too much work!
Developed New Standards • ESRI 10.x – Non-Open formats • Read from any Feature Layer in ArcMap • Wrote a stand-alone DLL that communicates with ArcMap (not an Add-In nor toolbar) – Regan Sarwas (NPS) • User has no extra steps when installing DNRGPS • A BEAR to get working – Communication Protocol had changed since ArcMap 9.3.1 to become more restrictive and less flexible. • The protocol changed again between version 10.0 and 10.1. Grr! • A separate DLL is required for each major increment release (10.0, 10.1, 10.2, …)
Developed New Standards • Sphinx - Documentation • Open Source • Produces Clean HTML and PDF • No User-Friendly Front End
Developed New Standards • Assembla.com - Code Repository • www.assembla.com/spaces/dnrgps • Code – Browsableor Check-out • Bug/Task Lists • Documentation
Installation Package • No Installation Package!! • Copy folder to your machine and run the DNRGPS.exe. • Avoids need for administrative permissions • Can be run directly from a networked drive • Reduced installation errors to nil.
Organized Partners • Put a call out to thousands on our announce list • Personally contacted people who offered time or money in the past • Ended up with: • 1 non-DNR coder (yay NPS!) • Numerous beta testers
User Tracking • Identify Impact of Software • Who is using it? • Where? • Why? • Helps to justify further development or identify reasons to abandon ship and move on.
User Tracking • OVERT • Users Register Software • Announce Lists • Discussion Lists • Email/Phone Communication • Bug Tracking • COVERT • Track # Downloads • Track User Information • Google Searches
User Tracking • OVERT • Users Register Software • Announce Lists • Discussion Lists • Email/Phone Communication • Bug Tracking • COVERT • Track # Downloads • Google Searches • Track User Information
User Tracking - Overt • Announce List • One-way • Announcing new versions • 1700+ signed up • Discussion List • Two-way • User interaction • 500+ signed up
User Tracking - Overt • Email/Phone Communication • Informal Questions • Bug Tracking • “Submit a Bug” button • Bugs stored at https://www.assembla.com/spaces/dnrgps/tickets • User able to add email to bug so they are notified of updates.
User Tracking - Covert • Google Searches • 7,990 results for “DNRGPS” • 25,800 results for “DNRGarmin” • Custom Documentation • YouTube Videos • Training Materials • Project References • Chat rooms
User Tracking - Covert • Track User Information • Check for Software Updates • IP Address • Not unique to a computer • Allows for rough locational data • Number of Starts • One IP has > 13,100 starts • Software Version • Date of last start
User Tracking - Covert • 109,914 Unique Ips • IP to Lat/Long lookup service at http://www.ipinfodb.com • 45,935 spatial matches As of 2012: 115+ Countries #Users? 1,148,409Starts ~10 starts per IP
Connections • NMEA • COM, USB, COMUSB Adaptor • Garmin Protocol (Old) • COM, USB, COMUSB Adaptor • Garmin Protocol (New) • USB (Drive) • USB (Device)
GPX Format DNRGarmin <wptlat="46.94878578" lon="-92.16640958"> <ele>0</ele> <name>ENDSUR</name> <cmt>07:48 12-OCT-10</cmt> <src>GPS 12 Map</src> <gpxx:depth>43</gpxx:depth> <gpxx:temperature>22</gpxx:temperature> </wpt> • Extensions • New(er) GPXX format DNRGPS <wptlat="45.320714833214879" lon="-93.13553536310792"> <ele>277.94470214843801</ele> <time>2013-11-06T11:26:33Z</time> <name>W1</name> <cmt>03-APR-12 10:40</cmt> <sym>Hunting A</sym> <type>WAYPOINT</type> <extensions> <gpxx:Depth>45.0</gpxx:Depth> <gpxx:Temperature>33.0</gpxx:Temperature> </extensions> </wpt> Garmin - 2014 <wptlat="44.955917978659272" lon="-93.083851039409637"> <ele>258.635468</ele> <time>2013-11-07T20:04:59Z</time> <name>001</name> <cmt>NOTE</cmt> <desc>NOTE</desc> <sym>Lodge</sym> <extensions> <gpxx:WaypointExtension> <gpxx:Depth>16.764204</gpxx:Depth> <gpxx:DisplayMode>SymbolAndName</gpxx:DisplayMode> </gpxx:WaypointExtension> </extensions> </wpt>
Projections • EPSG file
Projections • EPSG file • Custom Projections
Projections • EPSG file • Custom Projections • ESRI vs EPSG
Arcmap Communication • DLL • DnrGps_ArcMap.dll • No registration issues (isn’t registered at all) • Slowness • Commands originating from outside Arcmap’s realm are REALLY slow. • Load from Arcmap unbearable for high volume • Save to Arcmap is OK.
Other Garmin Tools • Mapwel – www.mapwel.com • Custom IMG background maps from shapefiles • Snowmobile Trails – Routing • Parcel Boundaries • Forest Stand Bdrys • Park Trails
Other Garmin Tools • Export to Image -- http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/tools/arcgis/index.html • Arcmap to JPG or KMZ • Image to Points – • Exif X/Y to Feature Class tool in MNDNR Tools Toolbox
Other Garmin Tools • DNR Survey – robert.wright@state.mn.us • Field Data Collection with Arcmap • Custom Forms • Pt, Ln, Py, Voice Recording • NPS (Steve Windels), USFS, Manitoba Conservation and Water, WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife, Bands of Lake Superior Chippewa, etc.
Questions? • When can we expect DNRGPS to work "inside" ArcGIS 10.x? • 10.1/10.2 Beta to be released within a week. • Will DNRGPS work with the Monterra, Fenix, Quatix and Virb? • The Beta should handle “devices” and has been tested with a Monterra. • Newer Garmin GPS units have a camera which embeds the coordinates in the EXIF field but does not associate with a waypoint will DNRGPS be able to extract that position and then add it with the filename to a shape or kml file? • http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/tools/arcgis/index.html
Questions? • Batch manipulate symbols in DNR Garmin table? • No, but you can copy/paste multiple cells at once (similar to Excel) or copy/paste from Excel. • How does Garmin treat you? You have made and kept making their products usable for fire and natural resource mapping, a market niche they apparently ignore. In so doing you have generated a lot of business for them. To what extent do they support your work? • 0%
Acknowledgements • Robert Lipe- GPS Babel • Gerald Evenden - Proj.4 • Frank Warmerdam – GDAL • Regan Sarwas – Developer, NPS • Sphinx -- http://sphinx-doc.org/ • Ron Whately - PCOGarmin.ocx • MN DNR Staff • DNR GPS (DNR Garmin) User Community
More Questions? Chris Pouliot Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Christopher.pouliot@state.mn.us http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/index.html