Arch Linux

Spacenick

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2010-04-02

Posts: 168

Small application for Geocaching and general fun with GPS devices

Hello dear fellow Archers,
This is my first contribution to the Linux community at large and the Arch community in particular (Arch Linux being the only distribution with an official package).
I've written this software together with a good friend of mine in a not really contiues fashion over the last few years, primarily for learning purposes.
Since a short while we have been hosting it on github but only recently have I put all the changes in to make it useable on current systems,
added packaging and made it useable with current gpsd.
I hope someone out there has a GPS receiver and might be able to check it out. I will be getting a Nokia N900 soon, and expect to port it to it where it will
be much more usefull. Had an older version running on it's predecessor back some time.

NOTE THAT AS OF YET THIS IS ALPHA AND MIGHT NOT WORK ON OTHER COMPUTERS THAN MINE

So here is the Link to the github page:
http://github.com/konne88/Lotse

And here is the AUR page:
http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=37820

And here is the Readme:

Introduction
============

This Application is intended for use as a simple Geocaching tool.
It has functionality roughly equivalent to a low cost handheld
GPS receiver. You can use it to find your way towards
any point given in GPS coordinates or imported from a GPX file.
This application is not supposed to be used for car navigation,
as it only tells you the direction in which the target position
lies relative to your current position and the distance,
it doesn't take into account any map data.

Installation
============

For non Arch Linux users:
Dependencies:
   python >= 2.6 (3.0 is not backwards compatible so < 3.0)
   gpsd > 2.94  (version 2.94 has a broken python interface)
   pygtk >= 2.17.0 (earlier versions might work but haven't been tested)

Install:
   run as root: 'python setup.py install'
   you can use the options listed under 'python setup.py --help install'
   and 'python setup.py --help'

For Arch Linux users:
   Recommended:
      Get lotse from AUR
   To build from git:
   run 'python setup.py sdist'
   get the md5sum of dist/lotse-*.tar.gz and put it into the PKGBUILD
   then run 'makepkg -cf' and install 'pacman -U lotse-*.pkg.tar.xz'

How to use it
=============

First you need to make sure that gpsd is running, this is crucial
as lotse will only show an error message and quit if gpsd is not
running on your computer. Refer to 'man gpsd' or other adequate
documentation on how to get gpsd up and running.
You should then check whether gpsd is running correctly by issuing
'xgps' this should give you some info about your GPS, you might
need to install 'gpsd-clients' depending on your distribution.

AFTER HAVING VERIFIED THAT GPSD WORKS FOR YOU

You can launch lotse from the menu (it should be under 'Accesories')
or you can run 'lotse' from the command line.

Going to coordinates:
---------------------
First, you need to create a waypoint for your target, so go to the
Waypoint tab.
If you have a GPX File (for example from your Geocaching Website) you
can just click on import, choose the file and then select the waypoint
you want to go to. (You need to highlight it and then click 'select')
If you have the coordinates for example on paper or as text, copied from
some place, you need to click 'Add', this will create an 'Unnamed'
waypoint defaulting to your current position.
Click on the lat/lon field and enter your coordinates, the way you have
written them down, chances are lotse will interpret them correctly.
Supported formats include (but aren't limited to):
   48° 45′ 20.6″ N, 9° 11′ 24.8″ E
   48.755722°, 9.190222°
Then highlight the waypoint and click 'select' switch to the Goto tab,
the black arrow points to the target while the red arrow indicates north
your walking direction is always up on the display.
Note, that GPS can only calculate your heading
(the direction you are walking in, while you are not standing still).
Tip: If you have a compass you can use the target 'Direction'

Advanced use of the 'Radar'
---------------------------
You can left click on the radar for a context menu, with which you
can create a new waypoint at the location your mouse would be
when translated to real world coordinates, or select the nearest
waypoint.

Creating a GPX Log
------------------
To create a GPX log you can use the Log tab, remember to
end the filename with .gpx

Contact
=======

For bug reports or help requests contact me using the email
niklas(_at.)komani.de