ArcGIS for Windows Mobile - Logging GPS locations on a mobile device

How to log GPS locations on field device

To save a Global Positioning System (GPS) log of where your field workers have been to, configure the GpsConnection.xml file used by field applications. Specify a location and file name to save the GPS log file on your Windows Mobile or Windows devices. See the following steps:

Steps:

On your desktop machine, create an XML document named GpsConnection, and copy the following text into the document:

<GpsConnection assemblyQualifiedName="ESRI.ArcGIS.Mobile.Gps.SerialPortGpsConnection, ESRI.ArcGIS.Mobile">
  <SerialPortGpsConnection>
    <BaudRate>BaudRate4800</BaudRate>
    <PortName>AUTO</PortName>
    <LoggingFile>YourFolderPath\YourFileName.txt</LoggingFile>
  </SerialPortGpsConnection>
</GpsConnection>

Change BaudRate4800 and Auto to your device's actual baud rate and COM port setting, respectively.
For the LoggingFile tag, change YourFolderPath to your designated location for the log file, and YourFileName.txt to your log file name.
Save the file and change the full file name to GpsConnection.xml.
Follow these steps to use the ArcGIS application on a Windows Mobile device to log GPS locations:
1. Connect the device to the computer via Active Sync (WinXP) or Windows Mobile Device Center (Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8).
2. Copy the GpsConnection.xml file into the device folder \Program Files\ArcGIS Mobile\<version number>.
  If there is an existing copy of GpsConnection.xml on the same folder, rename it so you have a backup.
  When your field worker opens the ArcGIS application on a Windows Mobile device with GPS connected, it starts logging NMEA sentences into the specified log file.
Follow these steps to use the ArcGIS application for a Windows device to log GPS locations:
1. Copy the GpsConnection.xml file to the folder C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Esri\ArcGIS Mobile (Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8) or C:\Documents and Settings\<YourUserName\>Local Settings\Application Data\ESRI\ArcGIS Mobile (WinXP). Backup your existing GpsConnection.xml file (if there is any) on the same folder.
  When your field worker opens the ArcGIS application on a Windows device with GPS connected, it starts logging NMEA sentences into the log file that you specified.

How to simulate a GPS from a log file

If you have a properly formatted the NMEA log file, simulate a GPS in the office for testing or other purposes. See the following steps:

Steps:

On the computer, create a GPS log file, which is an XML document named GpsConnection.xml that has the same content as the example below. Replace the value of the FileName tag with the location where you stored your GPS log file on the device in the same format as the example:
```
<GpsConnection assemblyQualifiedName="ESRI.ArcGIS.Mobile.Gps.FileGpsConnection, ESRI.ArcGIS.Mobile">
  <FileGpsConnection>
    <FileName>YourFolderPath\YourFileName.txt</FileName>
    <Cycling>True</Cycling>
  </FileGpsConnection>
</GpsConnection>
```
Save the file and ensure the file is named GpsConnection.xml.
Follow these steps to simulate the GPS using the log file in the ArcGIS application for Windows Mobile device:
1. Connect the device to the computer via Active Sync (WinXP) or Windows Mobile Device Center (Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8).
2. Open a file explorer on the desktop, and copy the GpsConnection.xml file into the device under the folder \Program Files\ArcGIS Mobile\<version number>.
  If there is an existing GpsConnection.xml file, rename it so that you have a backup copy.
3. Open a file explorer on the desktop, and check the log file's location and name to ensure they match with the specified values in the FileName tag of the GpsConnection.xml file.
4. Open the ArcGIS application for the Windows Mobile device, and click Connect To GPS on the GPS Settings page.
  GPS simulation starts running as if your device is out in the field.
Follow these steps to simulate the GPS using the log file in the ArcGIS application for Windows device:
1. Open a file explorer, copy the GpsConnection.xml file into the folder C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Esri\ArcGIS Mobile (Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8) or C:\Documents and Settings\<YourUserName>\Local Settings\Application Data\ESRI\ArcGIS Mobile (WinXP).
  If there is an existing copy of the GPSConnection.xml file on the same folder, rename it so you have a backup.
2. Open a file explorer, check the log file's location and name to ensure they match with the specified values in the FileName tag of the GpsConnection.xml file.
3. Open the ArcGIS application for the Windows device and tap the button.
  GPS simulation starts running as if your device is out in the field.

6/4/2013