Intro
"File" menu
"View" menu
"Calibration" menu
"WayPoints" menu
"RoutePoints" menu
"TrackPoints" menu
"?" menu
 
 

Intro

MyGPS is a Freeware software for the creation and the management of longitude and latitude calibrated maps. The software can define points of interest obtaining their coordinates (waypoints), can create routes (routepoints), can visualize track paths (trackpoints). Using a serial link, points routes and tracks can be shared with "eTrex" and "Geko" GARMIN GPS devices. The program runs under Windows95, 98, ME, 2000 and XP.

Main features:

• map calibration starting from a raster graphic file (.bmp, .jpeg, .gif ...)
• creation, import from file or download from GPS device of waypoints and visualization over the calibrated map
• creation, import from file or download from GPS device of routes and visualization over the calibrated map
• import from file or download from GPS device of tracks and visualization over the calibrated map
• display of altitude profile of routes and tracks
• main route or track information analisys
• bidirectional interface using the protocol of GARMIN "eTrex" and "Geko" GPS devices
• real time latitude ad longitude acquisition from all NMEA protocol compliant GPS devices
• waypoints, routes and tracks import/export via the GPX format
• dual language menus (Italian and English)
• available in a light version for PDA devices (PocketPC)

MyGPS Home page: http://www.faureragani.it/mygps
e-mail: homepage@faureragani.it
 
 

"File" menu

Open Map : load a raster map file. A calibrated map is a *.MyGPS or *.CAL file. The *.MyGPS file is more compressed and efficient. It is the only one that can be opened by the MyGPS version for PDA devices (MyGPS_PDA). If a calibrated map is loaded, the mouse pointer becomes the cross made by the local parallel and meridian. On the status bar the local longitude and latitude values are shown. The user can move a calibrated map bigger than the graphic window using the scrollbars but also by clicking on it with the right button and dragging the mouse. If a generic raster map file is loaded, the mouse pointer is a single point and the user must first calibrate the map before using it for GPS data management.
A map can be loaded also by dragging the file icon on the graphic window.

Save Calibrated Map : only the map with the calibration data is saved. Points, routes and tracks must be saved with the "Export to File" command.

Import points from File : waypoints, routes and tracks are loaded from a text file.
The points file can be either in MyGPS (.txt) or GPX (.gpx) format.
The file can be loaded also by dragging the icon on the graphic window.

Export points to File : waypoints, routes and tracks are saved in a text file.
Points can be exported either in MyGPS (.txt) or GPX (.gpx) format.

Print : print the map with all the points displayed on the screen.

Options... : changes the color of waypoints, routes and tracks, the line thickness and the size of symbols and characters. The user can toggle on or off the visualization of names and symbols. With the "Auto Track" option the track color varies according to the altitude.
It is also possible to choose if MyGPS has to take into account the TrackPoint description during a points file import or not. MyGPS assumes that all TrakPoints having a non empty description string are the starting point of a new portion of a track. It does not link them with a previous TrackPoint and it writes their description on the map.
Two units systems are available. Metric units are [km] for distances, [km/h] for velocities, [m] for altitudes and [m/s] for vertical speed. Nautical units are [NM] (Nautic Mile) for distances, [NM/h] for velocities, [ft] (feet) for altitudes and [ft/s] for vertical speed.

Languages : two languages are currently available: English and Italian.

Exit : stops the program.
 
 

"View" menu

Zoom+ / Zoom- : zoom in or out the displayed map. The user can also chose among some fixed scale factors.

Pixel interpolation : This option is available on Windows NT/2000/XP only. If checked, maps are zoomed out using an interpolation tecnique among pixel colors. The quality is higher but the drag and the motion of the map can be slow.
 
 

"Calibration" menu

Calibrate Map : calibrates a previously loaded raster file. The user must click on two points having known longitude and latitude coordinates. In order to calibrate and use a map within MyGPS, the image must fulfil the following requests:

• the parallel and the meridian lines on the projection must be straight and mutually perpendicular everywhere within the map (Mercatore projection)
• the same scale must be applied for the latitude and the longitude direction

"WayPoints" menu

Dynamic Creation : this menu can be checked or not. When it is checked, if the user clicks on the map, a windows pops up asking name, altitude and description for the new waypoint that will be created in that position.

Insert WayPoints : with this menu the user must input name, altitude, description and also latitude and longitude for the new waypoint.

Modify/Delete WayPoint : this menu can be checked or not. When it is checked the user can modify a waypoint simply by clicking on it. New name, altitude, description or coordinates can be inserted. The position of a waypoint can be modified also by clicking on it and dragging it on the map.

Delete All : deletes all waypoints.

Delete Last : deletes last created waypoint.

Show List : lists all waypoints currently defined. It's possible to select a point with the arrow keys or with a mouse click. The point can be modified with a double click on it. The "Canc" key will delete it.

Download from GPS : downloads waypoints form the GPS via serial cable link. All waypoints within the GPS device are downloaded.

Upload to GPS : uploads waypoints to the GPS via a serial cable link. All waypoints currently defined are uploaded. All characters within the GPS are switched to uppercase. The waypoint description is not uploaded.
 
 

"RoutePoints" menu

Dynamic Creation : this menu can be checked or not. When it is checked, if the user clicks on the map, a windows pops up asking name, altitude and description for the new routepoint that will be created in that position. If a waypoint already exists near that location, MyGPS asks if the user wants to use the same coordinates, name and description for the new routepoint also. Clicking on a route segment, the user can insert the new routepoint within it splitting the segment in two parts.

Insert RoutePoints : with this menu the user must input name, altitude, description and also latitude and longitude for the new routepoint.

Modify/Delete RoutePoint : this menu can be checked or not. When it is checked the user can modify a routepoint simply by clicking on it. New name, description or coordinates can be inserted. The position of a routepoint can be modified also by clicking on it and dragging it on the map. The existing route is automatically updated. If a waypoint already exists near that location, MyGPS asks if the user wants to use the same coordinates, name, altitude and description for the new routepoint also.

Reverse Route : The order of RoutePoints is reversed. Dates and Times are overwritten with current time.

Delete All : deletes all routepoints.

Delete Last : deletes last created routepoint.

Show List : lists all routepoints currently defined and also the length and the heading of each route segment. It's possible to select a point with the arrow keys or with a mouse click. The point can be modified with a double click on it. The "Canc" key will delete it.
On the botton of the window two distances are displayed: The "Route length" is the sum of the loxodrome route segment (segment with constant heading) lengths. The "Orthodrome total length" is the minimum distance (great circle distance) between the first and the last point of the route.

Altitude profile : An altitude profile graph is showed.

Download from GPS : downloads routepoints form the GPS device via serial cable link. All routepoints within the GPS device are downloaded.

Upload to GPS : uploads routepoints to the GPS via a serial cable link. All routepoints currently defined are uploaded. All characters within the GPS are switched to uppercase. The routepoint description is not uploaded.
 
 

"TrackPoints" menu

Modify/Delete TrackPoint : this menu can be checked or not. When it is checked the user can modify a trackpoint simply by clicking on it. New description, altitude or coordinates can be inserted. The position of a trackpoint can be modified also by clicking on it and dragging it on the map. The existing track is automatically updated.

Reverse Track : The order of TrackPoints is reversed. Dates and Times are overwritten with current time.

Delete All : deletes all trackpoints.

Show List : lists all trackpoints currently defined. It's possible to select a point with the arrow keys or with a mouse click. The point can be modified with a double click on it. The "Canc" key will delete it.
On the botton of the window two distances are displayed: The "Track length" is the sum of the lengths of the loxodrome lines (lines with constant heading) between the trackpoints. The "Orthodrome total length" is the minimum distance (great circle distance) between the first and the last point of the track.

Altitude profile : An altitude profile graph is showed.

Track Statistics : A window with some statistics on the track is displayed.

NMEA acquisition : receives NMEA sentences and stores the position within a trackpoint on every prescribed interval time (acquisition time). A moving symbol is displayed on the map according to the current position. Two different sentences can be read by MyGPS: the "GGA" and the "RMC" one. The default baud rate for NMEA acquisition is 4800.

Download from GPS : downloads trackpoints form the GPS device via serial cable link. All trackpoints within the GPS device are downloaded.
 
 

"?" menu

Help : shows this help file.