November 11, 2011
Doc version: 1
Simple GPS Waypoints application to mark places of interest and exporting them later as KML files. KML files may then be displayed on maps by Google Earth. This version also provides a map view of the waypoints and the routes.
WAYPOINT: A waypoint is a place/spot you can mark. The GPS device of your phone provides the latitude, longitude, altitude and the fixing-accuracy. All this information is saved by this application. You may provide a title, URL and a description. Such information is later exported to the KML file. You can also add a waypoint manually with latitude and longitude information.
ROUTE: A route is a sequence of waypoints. The order of the waypoints (the date/time when you mark the waypoint) is significant in a 'route'. You can create multiple routes.
COLLECTION: A collection may contain any number of waypoints and/or routes.
Waypoints, Routes and Collections:
A waypoint can be part of any number of routes.
A waypoint can be part of any number of collections.
A waypoint does not have to belong in a route.
A route can be part of any number of collections.
The rest of this document provides quick help for every screen of this application. You can get this information by selecting Help from the main menu of this application.
GPS device should be enabled on your phone's Settings. This app cannot automatically enable GPS.
'ON/OFF' – when ON, enables this app to track the GPS location with finer granularity
'Mark/Save' - saves the current GPS coordinates and saves it
'Mark/Edit' - lets you edit the waypoint before saving
'View on Map' - opens up google map to view a) all waypoints b) waypoints of a selected route or (c) waypoints that are not bound to any route
Checkbox - if checked, any new waypoint will be automatically bound to the selected route.
To the right of the checkbox, the selected route is displayed. Press it to select a different route.
'Waypoints': displays all waypoints
'Routes' : displays all routes (a route contains one or more waypoints in a sequence)
'Collections' : displays all collections (a collection may contain waypoints without sequence and routes)
Pressing the 'Menu' button will present the user with the following options:
'About': displays a brief discription of this application.
'Help' : displays this help information.
'Export' : saves all the stored waypoints into both a txt file and a kml file. The kml file can be used to view the waypoints on a computer using Google Earth.
'List KMLs' : Lists all KML files created by this app by showing a list of the date/time stamps when you exported the waypoints/routes/collections
'XY Map' : displays an XY graph of the waypoints, rather than a map. This is an experimental feature.
On map views, the waypoints are displayed with an yellow pushpin image or a red-dot. The top left icon is the compass. The bottom left icon moves the map to your current location. The bottom right icon moves the map to the last spot in the route or the selected waypoint.
You can switch between the satellite view and the terrain view by selecting “Switch map view” menu item on the main menu.
You can enable Editing Mode, press the “Edit Mode” button on the main menu. To disable Editing Mode, press the “Edits Done” button on the main menu. Disable the editing mode, if you do not want to accidentally drag a waypoint thereby modifying it unintentionally.
In Editing mode, you can add a new waypoint by long-pressing on any spot on the map. You can also move a waypoint to a new location, by dragging the pushpin. The waypoint's co-ordinates are immediately updated with new latitude and longitude.
You can arrive at the map-view in one of the three ways.
View a list of waypoints (press “View on Map” button on main screen)
View a route (long-press on a route on the Routes List screen)
View a waypoint (press the Map icon on the Waypoint Editor screen)
CAVEAT:
When you arrive at the map-view through the Waypoint-Editor screen, you will be able to add new waypoints, but they will not be displayed on that screen.
When you arrive at the map-view from main-screen or from Routes List screen, you will be able to see the waypoints that you add (by long-pressing).
Displays a list of waypoints.
'Unbound' - displays the waypoints that are not part of any route
'Selected' - displays the waypoints that are part of the selected route
'All' - displays all waypoints
Pressing a waypoint: Displays the waypoint details and lets you edit them.
Long pressing a waypoint: Displays a menu and lets you delete the waypoint
Main menu:
'Add' - you can manually add a waypoint. Latitude/longitude can be entered in decimal degrees only. Altitude and accuracy can only be in units of feet. After entering the data, you may choose to discard it, or just press the back button to confirm the waypoint.
'Export' - exports all waypoints on display (which can be 'all', 'unbound' or 'selected')
'Clear' – deletes the waypoints on display (which can be 'all', 'unbound' or 'selected') after a confirmation dialog
'Help' - displays this help information
Displays a list of all routes.
Press on a route : Displays the details of the route and lets you edit them. You will also be able to select the points for the route and the collections the route should be part of.
Long press on a route : displays a menu to pick this as your default route, delete this route or view the route on the map.
Main menu:
'Add' - add a new route. Routes are not added automaticaly. They should be created manually using this menu item.
'Help' - displays this help information
Displays a list of all collections.
A collection may contain waypoints and routes. It lets you organize your favorite points of interest and also routes (which contain sequenced waypoints).
Press on a collection : Displays the details of the collection and lets you edit them. You will also be able to select the points for the collection and the routes for the collection.
Long press on a collection : displays a menu to delete this collection. Deleting a collection deletes only those routes and waypoints that are associated only with this collection. BE CAREFUL! ALWAYS EXPORT your collection to KML file before deleting them to avoid loss of routes and waypoints.
Main menu:
'Add' - add a new collection.
'Help' - displays this help information
Displays all information available about the waypoint.
'R' : Displays all routes to associate/bind this waypoint to a route, or to dissociate it from a route.
'C' : Displays all collections to associate/bind this waypoint to a collection, or to dissociate it from a collection
'Map' icon: Displays google map showing this waypoint
Sun/cloud icon or 'W': Displays weather information from http://www.weather.gov
Distance unit selector: Changes the unit of altitude and accuracy between meters and feet.
Location unit selector: Changes the unit of latitude and longitude among degrees (high resolution decimal, low resolution decimal), degrees:minutes, degrees:minutes:seconds or UTM. Keep pressing it to change to the Unit selectors are saved as your preferences automatically.
Main menu (Press the menu button on your phone):
'Revert' - restores the details of the waypoints as they were before your edit
'Delete' - deletes the waypoint
You can edit the waypoint's title, add some text in URL or in description. These are for your records. These information are exported to the KML file along with other location information.
Displays information about the route.
You can record or edit the name, record a URL and the description. This information is uploaded to the KML file upon export.
"Select Collections" - Lets you select the collections this route should be part of.
"Select Waypoints" - Lets you select the waypoints that should be part of this route.
"Export route to KML" - exports this route to KML file
You can press the Menu button on your phone to get to the main menu.
Menu item 'Revert' - Lets you undo all edits you may have done and returns to the original URL, name and description.
Menu item 'Delete' - Lets you delete this route
Displays information about a "collection"
You can record or edit the name, record a URL and the description. This information is uploaded to the KML file upon export.
"Select Routes" - Lets you select the routes that should be part of this collection.
"Select Waypoints" - Lets you select the waypoints that should be part of this collection.
"Export Collection to KML" - exports this collection to KML file
You can press the Menu button on your phone to get to the main menu.
Menu item 'Revert' - Lets you undo all edits you may have done and returns to the original URL, name and description.
Menu item 'Delete' - Lets you delete this collection
LIMITATIONS
Map screens do not let you add a waypoint by tapping. Only the existing viewpoints may be reviewed.
XYMap displays scale, but this is an experimental feature.
This app cannot turn the GPS device on automatically. It should be enabled on your phone's settings screen.
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