/ios-gps-recorder

GPS capture client for iPhone

Primary LanguageObjective-C

Record my GPS position

Author: Grzegorz Adam Hankiewicz <gradha@imap.cc>

Record my GPS position is a simple iPhone client to record and save GPS information. The stored positions in the database can later be extracted through iTunes file interface or emailed in CSV/GPX format to process for different purposes with external programs.

The CSV dumps contains all the possible device information while the GPX version is just for convenience allowing you to view positions in another program, since most information is stripped. The csv_to_kml/csv_to_kml.py script can convert the CSV file to a prettier KML/GPX file for opening in Google Earth.

Note that for the moment the program only uses active GPS, which drains the battery quickly, even when running in the background. Don't run it for more than an hour if you want to use your iPhone as something other than a dead weight.

The app works for the iPod touch, but the accuracy varies a lot and you depend on wifi location, so you won't get very useful readings in open fields, only in crowded cities which may have been previously mapped by Skyhook (http://www.skyhookwireless.com/), the people doing wifi core location for Apple. On the plus side I had my iPod touch on with the program running in the background for a whole day and didn't consume more than a quarter of the battery, so it seems the wifi location doesn't require as much power.

This program was possible due to eFaber being nice guys and allowing me to release this as open source. You can browse more software made by eFaber at http://itunes.com/apps/svetoslavivantchev/.

https://github.com/downloads/gradha/Record-my-position/record_my_gps_position_qr_appstore.png

Record my GPS position can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store (http://itunes.com/apps/electrichandssoftware/recordmygpsposition/). You can find other of my creations on the App Store under my Electric Hands Software brand (http://itunes.com/apps/electrichandssoftware/) which you can also find at http://elhaso.es/.

For requests and problems, feel free to use github's tracker at https://github.com/gradha/Record-my-position/issues.

The source code uses SDK 4.1 and deploys on 3.x. Patches are welcome to make it compile out of the box with previous SDK versions. In order to dynamically generate the versioned splash number, you need Cobra (http://cobra-language.com/) to compile the script/watermark.cobra program and run it.

Here are the steps to compile and build yourself everything:

  • Perform some terminal magic:

    git clone git://github.com/gradha/Record-my-position.git
    cd Record-my-position
    git submodule init
    git submodule update
    
  • If you want to generate the versioned splash images:

    cobra scripts/watermark.cobra -run-args vX.Y.Z
    

    If you don't want to bother with cobra, simply copy the Default*.png images from resources/reference to resources so that XCode can find something.

  • Open Record_my_position.xcodeproj with XCode and build and run.

  • Turn on the GPS tracking and record some positions.

  • In the Share tab use the button that sends you the logs.

  • Process the CSV logs with csv_to_kml/csv_to_kml.py, a Python script. It generates KML or GPX files.

  • Open the converted KML/GPX files with Google Earth.

Unless otherwise stated, this source code is available under the BSD license (http://www.opensource.org/licenses/bsd-license.php). This license doesn't apply to the source code found in the external subdirectory, which has its own license as it wasn't written by me (external source code should contain its license attached or embedded somewhere, if not, contact me to fix that). Here's the license template applied to this project:

Copyright (c) 2011, Grzegorz Adam Hankiewicz. All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

  • Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
  • Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
  • Neither the name of Electric Hands Software nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.