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GPS On Unix?

Posted by Cliff on from the does-this-exist? dept.

/dev/trash asks: "I have been debating wiping the windows partiton on my laptop. The only thing that is keeping me from fdisk'ing the whole thing is my Garmin handheld GPS. I've searched on Freshmeat for GPS/X interfaces but most seem to be alpha 1998 projects. Are there any companies, individuals, etc. that are porting the functionality right now?"

5 of 13 comments (clear)

  1. Links... by CEHT · · Score: 2
    Have you try Mayko - mapp. I found that from here.
    Also try GPS page from topology.org. It may help.

    Good luck.

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  2. Easy to write by McBeth · · Score: 2

    I hate to say this, but

    write one.

    for work we had to write code that interpreted the stream (you can get the garmins to do NMEA), and it is pretty easy. I had actually started one for Linux, but then my hard drive decided to go on vacation, and has yet to return (I am too cocky to make back-ups of personal stuff)

    If you need pointers you can write me, and I can probably get you sample code for windows or at least the docs on how to do it.

    1. Re:Easy to write by M-G · · Score: 2

      See:

      http://www.garmin.com/support/commProtocol.html

      This is the communications protocol, in case you want to do things like set waypoints. If you're simply looking for a moving map or something, NMEA is the simplest way to go.

      NMEA simply spews out a simple ASCII stream, which is easily handled. And if you do write your own software, it will work with pretty much every other GPS out there, since NMEA is an industry standard. Trying to implement anyone's proprietary protocol becomes a PITA really quick, as you're relying on what is frequently poor documentation.

  3. The Garmin Protocol hasn't changed much by thogard · · Score: 2

    Go to Peter's GPS Archive's Garmin Protocol Page

    Any program from 1998 will work fine with the newer units. The NEMA protocol is quite old and the documented parts of the Garmin protocol is the same as it several years ago.

    There is some old (1995) sample source on my webpage at
    http://web.abnormal.com/~thogard/gps/

  4. GRASS by MrEfficient · · Score: 2

    If your interested in GPS, you may also be interested in GRASS Geographic Information System (GIS) Software. It won't help you interface your Garmin with your PC but it will let you put all that data you collect with your GPS to good use.

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