BBWeather Experimental with GPS
 

Yes folks, it's that time again for me...time to spend way, way too many hours in front of the computer...I found a couple of websites that do reverse geocoding, they take a latitude and longtitude and return a postal code and the result is an experimental GPS enabled version of BBWeather.

Caveats...
1) Only works in the US, atleast for now...The reverse geocoding seems to work for other countries but the postal code value it returns is not compatible with the LocationID needed by the weather server.
2) Currently only compiled for OS4.3 and above. Also, the specialized Storm version is not available (this version might work, though). These will probably be available...sometime...
3) Currently only available as an OTA download.

To use GPS:
1) Add a new location -- Options - Current Profiles - Add
2) Set Location ID: @gps
3) Set the other fields to whatever you want
4) Press "OK" to save it
5) Under Options, look for the first "GPS Type"
6) The default type is "Autonomous + Assisted" but not all phones support that type. The Bold does. The Bold does not support Cellsite. You can try all four to see which one works for your model. This knowledge base article might also help you decide.
7) The second "GPS Type" option is a typo and should be "GPS Server." You can probably leave this as the default, I just put the second server in there because I could. At some point, I may take the option out and just make BBWeather try the 1st one and, if it fails, automatically try the 2nd one.
8) That's it, save the Options and go back to the current conditions screen.

The 1st line on the Weather screens says BBWeather, the 2nd line says the City and LocationID. If the end of that 2nd line says "GPS" it means the GPS coordinates were just updated right now. If it says "GPS*" it means it is using GPS coordinates obtained sometime in the last 10 minutes. If it says "GPS**" it means BBWeather was unable to obtain GPS coordinates and it is using the last known valid GPS location. The GPS Coordinates are normally only refreshed if they are older than 10 minutes but you can force a refresh at any time by choosing "Update" from the menu.

So far, it's only been tested on my AT&T Bold.

http://www.tateu.net/software/dl.php?f=BBWeatherEX

Another sweet development... downloading now and will play with it... Tateu, you are STILL the man...

Edit Update:

Test findings:

Got the software downloaded and installed. When I started BBW, it prompted me for a setup location, but would not accept @gps... so I cancelled and went back into the menu via OPTIONS / (menu) / ADD and I was able to add the @gps location.

After the initial refresh of weather data, the display shows only the city and zip - Peoria, AZ (85345) instead of the Peoria, AZ (85345) GPS location. Switching between the @gps location and Peoria via shortcuts (g and p) causes NO change on the weather screen.

But if I close the app and return to the icon screen, I see that the locations are, in fact, changing because the shortcut letter is displayed in the application name text...

If I exit BBWeather (actually closed the app down) and then restart it, it shows the GPS* indicator again, until I swap back to Peoria using the short cut key. At that point it behaves as described above.

I cannot confirm this...I was able to add @gps when the app first loaded and automatically opened the Profile dialog. Did you leave the description empty the first time? It won't let you save a profile without one.

I can confirm this. It is actually switching to the GPS profile, it's just a bug that keeps the "GPS" text from displaying once you load a non GPS profile. If you choose Update from the menu, after pressing the shortcut key for the GPS profile, you will see that the "GPS" text comes back, proving that you are actually on a GPS profile. I haven't figured out how to fix it but I know what's causing it so expect that, at some point, it will be fixed.

Device: 8900

No @gps locations

I wonder how a semi-GPS locked Verizon phone will do with this?

I'm not sure exactly what that means. It won't allow you to enter @gps in the LocationID?

I was hoping the "Cellsite" gps type would handle this but I don't know.

Aah I see, I manually typed in "@gps" for the Location ID and typed in "gps" for the Description.

Testing now..

Yes, sorry about that..."manually type in @gps for the Location ID" is a much better way to word it...Lack of sleep slows my brain down and I wasn't too clear...it's 7:30am and I still haven't gone to bed.

I will test

I inputted @gps and received back after attempting to retrieve for @gpsnull
invalid location provided

Wirelessly posted

And you tried all 4 GPS Types? Then I venture to guess that it doesn't work on a Verizon phone. Either that or I screwed something up.

I'm sure my Verizon 8130 won't be able to use the GPS option--I'll try it out with the cell-site option. Thanks, tateu. (y)

I honestly don't recall. When adding a new location, typically I enter the zip code and hit MENU / LOOKUP LOCATION ID. It is possible that when I entered @gps in the location ID that I did the same thing and that was what caused the error. I don't recall (it was late)... but I just retested and the LOOKUP LOCATION ID does fail if location is @gps... so that that makes total sense... this was most likely a PEBCAK error.


Thanks for the information, and I have confirmed that doing as you suggest does resolve the display issue.

Looks like the start of something good!

Here's what I set:
Location ID: @gps
Description: GPS
Forecast Days: 10
Hourly Forecast Count: 24
Units: Standard
Shortcut Key:

Pressed OK and now I have a profile called "GPS."

I set GPS Type to Cellsite (I tried all of them but I'm sure Verizon would only work with the cell site)


After trying to retrieve the weather I get the following:
Error - Current Conditions
Thread (@gpsnull):
Invalid location provided.

I added my location by ZIP (27410) and that profile works as expected.

Same issue

Its now working on my Tour. Verizon Tour users can use this app. I get ** to show its the GPS field

Hmm...GPS** means that it was unable to get a GPS location at this time and is using the last known good GPS location...which means it was atleast able to get a good value sometime previously.

I did a previous run from the highway. I know it will be a work in process but it is doing what you intended it to do. You are brilliant.

I just wanted to say that the GPS function works great while "on the move". I had several stops today while out and about... and each time BBWeather updated, it selected the correct location via GPS as I moved around the city.

Excellent job, Tateu...

I'd also like to make a request... several releases back, you added the Homescreen Text Color... could we also get a Homescreen BG Color?

I guess the Verizon Tour supports GPS in some fashion. My Pearl can only use the cell site method. I still get the error I mentioned above.