Hy,
I didn't find any rules regarding announcing software releases in this forum, but since this is not for money and the general mood seems to be really nice here, I thought I'd give it a try.

As I've already mentioned in another post I'm currently developing a simple GPS tracking software called bbTracker.

If you don't care about route finding or downloading and displaying maps, but just want to

• get your coordinates and/or altitude
• record your path
• have it displayed in a simple graphic
• display elevation and speed over time
• export it to GPX and/or KML (Google Earth) files

then bbTracker might be for you.

My test platform is a BlackBerry 8800, so I know that it works there just fine but it should work on any reasonably new smartphone that supports the Location API (JSR-179, if you want to get technical).

I'd appreciate any feedback that I get, especially bug reports, compatibility reports and feature suggestions. I wont have regular net access during the next week, 'though, so my replies might take a while.

Edit:
The current release is 0.5.3.

Regarding OTA install: For some reason using the JAD-Files on the BlackBerry often leads to verification errors. I'm investigating this, but probably won't be able to provide a solution until next weekend. Pointing your BlackBerry browser to http://www.bbtracker.org/download/current/bbtracker.jar will install the most current version.

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8800/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

Thanks, saua, I'll be trying it out.

Can you make a link for over the air install?

We welcome the apps around here. Thanks for posting about it.

Installed ok the the 8100.

Works good here, nice simple app.

Sorry,

I have a couple of minor issues with the software, firstly I live in the UK my actual location is a negative 2deg west. bbTracker doesn't display my westerly coords as a negative value but as a positive one.

Therefore rather than being in Lancashire, England - According to Google Earth I would appear to be in the sea of the somewhere off the Norfolk coast

I can confirm I definitely have dry feet...

Secondly when exporting a track I get a Non-fatal exception error box pop up advising me of a file system error.

I'm actually using the software on a BB Curve with a Holux bluetooth GPS.

I tried it my self yesterday (7/30/07).

First time recording a track, I got an exception about an invalid counter. (Sorry driving so I didn't get the exact wording)

Tried to export the track and a popup about writing to the file system was on the application screen, and it wasn't until I ALT + ESC to toggle out of the application.

Tried another track which was successful, but when I tried to export, I get the same above file system error.

Aside from that. Very nice program. Information is nice and concise. I particularly love the elevation part. It shows consistently in feet, where Mapquest displays in feet while less than 0.1 miles, then it shows in increments of 0.1 miles.

Please keep us informed of bug fixes and such and will give it a whirl.

Equipment in sig line.

I've not yet heard about the index error, if you get it again, I'd like to hear the exact error message if possible.

Did you already set a file path in the options (easiest by using "browse" from the menu after selecting the file path item). It should give a nicer error message, if that's the cause. Could you try that and report back please?

Regarding the negative coordinates: Coordinates west of the prime meridian are shown by a "W" suffix instead of a "E". This is the common convention, AFAIK.

Thanks for the Export Directory entry. I totally missed that.

I couldn't browse to the media card, so I had to use Desktop Manager > Media Manager to get to the export files.

The counter error I got while making my first track. I will see if I can duplicate.

Loaded the KML file under Google Earth and it showed my path. Too Cool!

Saua, I noticed in my track last night that in the bottom line of information, the altitude was getting overlapped by the track frame counter. It changed based on the value in the speed area. Example. it was ok when going 19 or less, but 20 or more, the values overlapped because of the proportional font used.

BTW, do you want these comments here or in a PM?

Thanks

"Error starting bbtracker: Module 'bbtracker' has verification error 2916 at offset 23a2"

On a VZW 8830 w/ newest SW

Thanks I am going to have to take a stab at this program

I have not tried this yet. Can someone post screen shots and describe how it works? This would put a serious dent in skylabs Mobile Tracker.

I can't post a screen shot right now, but it worked beautifully for me. You simply start the app and it will show you your lat/long postion, elevation and mph if moving. You can start a new track, edit an old one, etc.

For instance, I let it track me one day driving. After you save the track, you can go back and see elevations and lat/long along the path, and like is stated above, you can export the KML files to Google Earth and see where you've been.

I try to download on my 8100 but file is not suported
I need file (.cod and .alx)

Where can i get this file

Thnx

stupid question... Does your phone have to be GPS enabled/have GPS service through your provider?

I have an 8300 (Curve). I'm pretty sure its GPS equipped, but i'm not currently paying for any GPS service through AT&T...

The Curve does not have GPS built-in, you will need a GPS Puck in order for it work. You can get them from lots of places including eBay. I have a Pearl and have been very happy with the Holux GPSlim 240, it is tiny and works great, except with Telenav because they have decided to "not support" users in their efforts to have freedom of choice in the hardware they buy. If you want to use Telenav or think you might want to use Telenav you should order the puck from them.

SIB

Okay fair enough, although I'm not convinced for the following reason (sorry)

When I directly feed the displayed coordinates as displayed using bbTracker into Google Earth you can clearly see the results from my attached photo's on my earlier posting - According to Google I should be swimming in the sea and off by a couple hundred miles, rather than my actual location. So do I take it Google aren't using 'common convention' as well?

Interestingly when I use the send location function directly from BB Maps it gives me the following:

http://mapsBlackBerry.com?lat=54.90435&lon=-1.40362&z=1

The longitude is clearly shown as a negative value.

I'm confused

Installed on my T-Mo 8800 just fine - will run some tracks and see how it works. This would be particularly fine for mountain biking/hiking to check elevation changes for those grueling ascents (apres ride, of course).

I have a VZW 8830 with a GPSlim 240 and a Telenav subscription. It all works great together.

The 8300 is not GPS equipped. The 8800 is. You can buy a BT gps puck many places. Check the hardware section here for a start, or the GPS section.

This kind of thing doesn't surprise me. I walked by a Cingular/AT&T kiosk in the mall yesterday. I stopped in to look at the Curve. I was telling my buddy next to me that the 8800 has GPS and the Curve has no GPS but has a camera. The guy behind the counter kept telling me that the Curve had GPS on it too, and he'd used it. "It's a program called TeleNav right on the phone," he said. I tried to explain to him that it would work with a BT puck but he insisted, no, it has GPS built right in and he'd used it.

So, the long and short of it is, people go to the store and buy the device based on what these low-paid, untrained sales reps say. "Sweet, the Curve: it has camera and GPS!" I'd call it the weakest link in the mobile phone industry.

Here is a pic of a track.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8800/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/114)

Regarding Bug Reports: you can post them here or open an issue on the homepage. Both is just fine with me. PM or E-Mail (can be found on the homepage) is possible as well, bot nor prefered, as I like those reports to be public (so that others can see a issue has already been reported and maybe add what they know about it).

I'll probably be able to work on it tomorrow, so expect a new version tomorrow.

I'm very much interested in feedback about the layout on devices other than the 8800: what works? what doesn't? what should be changed?

Thanks all for your interest and your testing.

Thnx suau for app i still have problem downloading this app i have 8100
try to download on my 8100 but file is not suported
I need file (.cod and .alx)

Where can i get this file

Thnx

Saua--thanks for being so open and helpful. You make it easy to use the application.

You could increase the type size of the text at the bottom of the window a wee bit and it would make me REALLY happy. Even if you had to add a third line so it would all fit.

good app, I used it alot over the last 2 days.

I dont understand how to export the data though. I save the track and click on export but it gives me: Non-Fatal Exception while exporting track: File system error

I agree with Jsanders though the type size is a little small on the 8800 but its great to see you working on this.

Test54, you have to go into the options page, scroll down the Export Directory, menu button, browse. Depending on the OS software of your phone, it may let you access your SD card, otherwise you just have to browse to an internal directory on your phone. Then ESC should save the option. Go back to options to be sure.

Once that is set, select the track to export and the files will appear in that directory. You then will probably have to use desktop manager to get them off of the phone. You might be able to email them to yourself.

Serb, see post #5?, I think, from me. Point your phone browser, not opera, to that address. It should download and install the application to your machine.

ok got it saved on my SD card and works on my mac. I see a light blue line that shows my path on google earth. I had to use the .gpx files as the kml just zoomed to the area but showed nothing beyond that.

Too bad google earth cant show my path details, as the app itself does.
very cool though, i can show my daily travels or weekend hikes with it, thanks.

With google maps, you have to check box the file that you used to bring up Google Earth. It is under the Temporary Places > {your file}. You should see it toggle.

Great app!!! All the basics work on my pearl. If you are interested in enhancements here are my suggestions, otherwise i will use the app regardless.

1. When I drive through a tunnel or lose GPS connectivity the tracking seems to stop with an Out of Service message on the screen and that is the end of the track. If there is a way to keep tracking going so that when GPS connectivity is reestablished it continues tracking that would be very nice.

2. I agree with John Clark, addin an additional line would be good. On the pearl everything runs together on the ui and spreading things out would be great.

3. Add a "Stop Tracking" or some way to end the tracking without starting a new track or Exiting and resetting the application completely.

I will continue to use and provide feedback. Again, thanks for your time in developing this program!!!

SIB

What's my problem I have B/B 8100 and there is no way i can download this file
Can somebody help me please , when I try do download is asking me for

"Applications Loader Files (*.alx .*ali.)

Please help



OK....Problem Fix a just use browser and download the file and is working good

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8800/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/114)

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ad 1) I'm definitely planning for this. I've been hit by this befor and since I usually use the app "blind", I only find out when it's too late. At the moment there is a little hack that might get you going again: open the option screen and close it using OK, sometimes this reconnects

Ad 2) as I've mentioned before layout and font size are definitely on my TODO-List. I'll probably make it 2 or 3 lines, depending on the font size and resolution. I'll just have to find a way to make the layout stable (so that the position of each item doesn't change with the values displayed)

Ad 3) "stop tracking" is effectively executed when you open the tracks screen and select the currently recording track, it will then be displayed statically (i.e. no more positions updates will be done).

Regards

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8800/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/114)

Sorry, I don't know too much about BlackBerry specific files. bbTracker is basically a pure Java application with no BB-specific code. I might look into creating/generating the necessary BB-files, but I don't know how long it will take. The fact that the BB-SDK is only available for Windows and I use Linux for all my development doesn't help either.

Meanwhile could you tell me how exactly you try to install?

The way I use (and the most succesfull around here as it seems) is to just navigate to the download page using the BlackBerry Browser on your device (not Opera or something else) and select the link to the JAR-File for the current version. Then it should ask your to install.

Thnx saua i fix it by going to the link via browser and evrything is working good

=

One question do you have any user manual for this App how to use it

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8800/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/114)

There's no user manual yet. And since this is (going to be) open source software that would be an excellent place for user contributions

No need to be able to program, just experiment and write down how to use it. I will probably open the wiki on the homepage to the public sometime, but I've got some setup to do until then. And if anyone feels the need to write some documentation until then, don't let me stop you, simply send it to me (email can be found at the homepage) and I'll publish it.

Well, I'm a lazy bum and haven't hiked or biked with this yet.

I did use it on my morning commute, and I already see that it has value for tracking mileage for a particular client - very handy indeed. I plan to export the track tonight and futz around with it on the googles earth thing.

Thanks for developing such a handy utility - I tried loading another one and just ran into lots of headaches.

yeah i use it for hiking and keeping track of mileage even for walking the dog. Very good app, would love to see how it is used. I wish it would show the track data in google earth though.

You can! Export your tracks from the tracks-screen (be sure to set the directory to export to first in the options screen). Take the KML and import it into Google Earth. Works just fine.

The easiest solution to me is to export to a MicroSD card and put that into the card reader slot on my laptop, but it should also work if you export to the devices memory (then you'll need the Device Manager on Windows to get the file to your PC, which I can't help you with).