GPS mouse to laptop
Submitted: Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 10:47
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Member - Murray C (VIC)
G'day all,
Is anyone using a gps mouse with usb connection to a laptop running Oziexplorer?
I am having trouble getting the hardware to communicate with ozi.
I have gone through all
the steps necessary in terms of configuring the com port both in ozi and in the computer, including setting baud rates(4800),upload/download baud rates(4800) parity none, stop bit 1, etc and have checked the com port with the com port checker software.
The gps information screens show that the hardware is working properly. The "gps fix data" tab screen in moving map says "waiting for nmea data". The "start nmea communication with gps" tab comes up "error opening com port" followed by "could not initialize communication".
Des
Newman @ Oziexplorer has been prompt in replying to my questions but as yet we have been unable to solve the problem.
Any contributions to the discussion are welcome.
Murray
Reply By: Member - TonyG (NSW) - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 10:55
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 10:55
Hi Murray,
I have it all working correctly after a bit of fiddling.
Could you please answer the following to help me understand.
1. What is the brand of the laptop
2. What version of windows are you running
3. Is you gps mouse one that was purchased from Hong Kong (If so it is the same as
mine)
Thanks
TonyG
AnswerID:
59393
Follow Up By: Member - TonyG (NSW) - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 11:09
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 11:09
Murray,
An add on comment to the above.
When I loaded the serial to usb drivers on the laptop (which allows the usb port to be viewed as a serial port by the computer) it made it Com 4.
I had to view this by going into the Windows - Control Panel - System - Hardware Device.
I then had to go to the configuration files in Ozi & change the port settings to port 4.
Then I could communicate with the gps mouse ok.
Thanks
Tony G
FollowupID:
321037
Follow Up By: Member - Murray C (VIC) - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 11:10
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 11:10
Thanks for your reply Tony,
I have the gps mouse connected to my desktop right at the moment, with the mouse out the window successfully reading satellites.
My os is Windows XP.
Yes, I bought the gps mouse on ebay from Hong Kong.
Regards,
Murray
FollowupID:
321038
Follow Up By: Rosscoe - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 11:52
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 11:52
Sorry, but what's a GPS mouse??
I have my GPS (Garmin Plusii) connected to the serial port of my note book PC and all seems to work
well.
FollowupID:
321054
Reply By: Time - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 12:27
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 12:27
Have a similar problem that I have not been able to fix.
Here is what I do.
With the GPS DISconnected I boot the laptop.
I open Ozi
Connect the GPS to the USB port (Comm 1)
All then works fine.
If I boot the laptop with the GPS connected the mouse pointer flits all over the screen. I'm sure there is a simple little config on/off button somewhere but for the life of me I can't find it.
Cheers
Buggerlux
AnswerID:
59404
Follow Up By: theratt - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 12:47
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 12:47
i have the same problem thought my mouse was u/s
FollowupID:
321062
Follow Up By: Member - Murray C (VIC) - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 12:49
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 12:49
G'day Buggerlux,
I have heard of the problem you describe and I think it has something to do with the laptop reading the gps as a mouse, which it is not.
There is also some confusion over this piece of hardware due to the confusing name it has been given, probably because this "gps mouse" physically resembles a "mouse pointer". That is the only similarity.
To answer Rosscoe's question, a "gps mouse" is simply a gps receiver that connects via usb to a computer. With mapping software like Oziexplorer the gps mouse allows you to operate your computer as a gps, with the limitations only of the mapping software.
Might be time to try reloading the software and try as you suggest, diferent sequences of startup for the computer, gps mouse and mapping software.
Regards,
Murray
FollowupID:
321063
Follow Up By: Rosscoe - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 14:13
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 14:13
Thanks Murray,
I, also use Oziexplorer and Natmaps. Just purchased Heamas
Cape York CD and will probably get the Fraser Island oone when it's released.
FollowupID:
321071
Reply By: Member -Bob & Lex (Sydney) - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 16:24
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 16:24
I had the same problem & had to turn the gps on last or I got the same error messages as you
AnswerID:
59427
Reply By: Member - KG (QLD) - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 17:06
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 17:06
i'm assuming your talking about the little USB gps mice on ebay? i use one of these and think it's great (but it did take a bit of fiddling to get it going)
have a look in device mangler and see what com port your gps is assigned to...
set that port in the ozi setup.... drop the speed to the lowest possible (i think it's 4800) leave everything else at the defaults and you should be good to go.
one other thing to be aware of is that the little gps program that comes with the gps is VERY DODGY! i.e. do not try having this running when you start ozi explorer. in fact - avoid using it at all (unless you have to for troubleshooting).... it has a tendency to crash and take the gps with it (requiring a reboot).
cheers,
KG
AnswerID:
59432
Reply By: brianm - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 18:22
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 18:22
Hi Murray
Seams we all have had this trouble. I solved
mine through the help section
in oziexplorer.I just had a quick look to try and give you a hint of but cannot find
it.maybe you might see it. the trouble is as said, Laptop is reading gps as a
mouse. hope this is of some help
Brian
AnswerID:
59444
Follow Up By: Member - Murray C (VIC) - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 20:29
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 20:29
Thanks to Tony, Buggerlux, therat, Rosscoe, Bob & Lex, KG and Brian for your input.
I reinstalled the software, went through the configuration process on both the computer hardware and Ozi software. I agree with the comment about the gps mouse software, it does seem to be unreliable. The trick appears to be to load Ozi first and from Ozi start the GPS interface. I now have the program up and running, thankyou you all again for your assistance.
Seems like there might be a few of these little units out there. It is comforting to hear that while most users have some tweaking problems initially, this hardware is a simple, economical and practical method of having all the benefits of GPS, electronic navigation and mapping.
All I have to do now is to master the Ozi software and just flicking through the user group website, it is going to be a challenge.
FollowupID:
321122
Follow Up By: Member - KG (QLD) - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 23:10
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 23:10
pleased to hear you got it going... i have tested the usb gps against my magellan 330 and have found them to be identical in readings.
i would highly suggest you spend a couple of hours running thru the ozi tutorials... they really do make it clear and should answer all your questions.
cheers,
KG
FollowupID:
321141
Reply By: Eric Experience. - Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 22:01
Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 22:01
Murray.
You need to establish which port the map program is looking for the gps at. I found that if you change the plug to the com port every thing is fine. Eric.
AnswerID:
59495