Feature request: SMS - other formats for lon/lat

[PumpkinEater]

Hi,
the coordinates sent via SMS (after a SMS request) are sent in the format "dd.dddddd". I would appreciate to have other formats supported, especially "dd mm.mmm". I think this could easily be added by introducing another place holder like <lat1><lon1>, <lat2><lon2> ...

Reason for this is, that I would like to enter the received positions into a Garmin Outdoor GPS which (in my case) is configured to use the format "dd mm.mmm" for other applications.

Is it possible to support this in a future version?

Thanks,
Peter

[jje]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for your suggestion.

Try now dowloading the new version v3.23 from the product page at:
http://www.aspicore.com/en/tuotteet_tra ... 1#download

The new version is using a format like "dd mm.mmm", when using place holders <lat1> <lon1>.

Hope this suits your needs!

- Jyrki

[porakone]

I have a request concerning the SMS too.

It would be nice to have another application for the 'client phone' which would send the ?loc message to the tracked gsm and after getting response it would tell exactly how far away and in which direction it is.

And maybe it could even use google maps (from web or even better, google maps program installed on the phone) to show where it is.

A usable - yet not as good as above - and propably the easiest upgrade would also be if the tracker could respond to ?loc query with a message that the phone would understand as location and would be able to show directly in Nokia Maps. As far as I understand, that should need only a specific format of location to be send by the tracker.

Though I haven't yet tried the latest version, maybe it works with Nokia Maps allready?

[jje]

I have a request concerning the SMS too.

It would be nice to have another application for the 'client phone' which would send the ?loc message to the tracked gsm and after getting response it would tell exactly how far away and in which direction it is.

And maybe it could even use google maps (from web or even better, google maps program installed on the phone) to show where it is.

Thanks for your suggestions. We have thought of that kind of features.

Something you can do already with our existing version. You can get your friend's distance and bearing, if you put up your own web server e.g. based on our PHP samples at http://www.aspicore.com/en/PHP_tools.asp?tab=2&sub=2
You can also modify the SMS template to contain an URL to some online map. This way it may be possible to use e.g. Google Maps from the web. The idea is that the sending phone sends an URL to a position on an online map as a text message. The receiving phone only needs to open the text message and click the web link in the received message. A web page should open with the location of the sending phone. The receiving phone does not need any particular application and it does not need to be a Symbian phone.

A problem with some online maps is, that they have not published their URL format accepting latitude and longitude as paramaters. You can find out the format by reverse engineering, but then they may change it any day afterward. Another problem may be the limited length of the SMS template.

Have you studied Google Latitude? If your requirement is possible to meet with a free app like Google Latitude, would it make sense for us offering similar features in a commercial application? Would there be market for that?

A usable - yet not as good as above - and propably the easiest upgrade would also be if the tracker could respond to ?loc query with a message that the phone would understand as location and would be able to show directly in Nokia Maps. As far as I understand, that should need only a specific format of location to be send by the tracker.

Though I haven't yet tried the latest version, maybe it works with Nokia Maps allready?

I think you need to use MMS to send a position, which can be opened in Nokia Maps. I do not know how it would be possible with an SMS without installing some extra application into the receiving phone.

[porakone]

You can also modify the SMS template to contain an URL to some online map..

Good idea. Have to find out the right configuration l8r.

A problem with some online maps is, that they have not published their URL format accepting latitude and longitude as paramaters. You can find out the format by reverse engineering, but then they may change it any day afterward. Another problem may be the limited length of the SMS template.

Seems like it's probably not a problem with Google. A direct url with location (in decimals) works and one I just tried was just 136 characters long. Just have to find out what kind of link will open in Google maps appilication of the phone, browsing the maps with the phone's browser ain't that nice.

Have you studied Google Latitude?

Yes but your tracker is next to perfect for what I'm using it for so I'm gonna go on with it. That what I suggested would just be a nice extra in case you don't have anything more to do

Though I haven't yet tried the latest version, maybe it works with Nokia Maps allready?

I think you need to use MMS to send a position, which can be opened in Nokia Maps. I do not know how it would be possible with an SMS without installing some extra application into the receiving phone.[/quote]
I really know nothing about this (my computing skills limit to Commodore 64 basic and basics of assemlby ) but I've allways thought that when you send your location from Nokia maps to another phone, it sends a 'link' as text message just like a normal internet link and the other phone (with nokia maps of course) knows to open that 'link' with the maps application.