Using ArcGIS for Windows Mobile with the Windows sensor/location API

[TimWroblewski2]

Hi,

A client has recently purchased a new Windows 8 Dell Latitude 10 tablet to use ArcGIS for Windows Mobile on.  Now I know that strictly speaking the official line is that ArcGIS for Windows Mobile is not supported on Windows 8 at present.  However, we have it up and running on another client's tablet also running Windows 8.  The difference between these two devices is the GPS configuration:-

• The device we have it working on is using an external GPS plugged in via USB which is being connected to by ArcGIS for Windows Mobile using a virtual COM port.


• The new tablet from Dell has a built in Broadcom GNSS location sensor with GPS capabilities.  However, it is configured to work with the OS via the Windows sensor/location (Not sure which one) API and as such, is not visible to the ArcGIS for Windows Mobile application which requires a COM port to connect to a GPS.

I guess I have two questions:-

• Has anyone mangaged to get ArcGIS for Windows Mobile to connect to a GPS using the Windows sensor/location API?


• If not, then does anyone know how to create a virtual COM port which relays the data from the built-in Broadcom GNSS location sensor via the Windows sensor/location API?

I really appreciate any time that people are able to put towards helping me out!  I'm a little but stuck!

Thanks,

Tim

[DustinEdge]

I seriously cannot believe this!!

Found this buried on the resources page...after filtering for sample code built by the ArcGISMobileDevTeam.

The Windows sensor/location API extension adds support for the use of GPS receivers with Windows 8 laptops and tablets.

http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=45044c94f07c40c3996bc0c43948f050

I really believe they have some major communication issues between teams over at ESRI

[RebeccaHorsburgh]

I seriously cannot believe this!!

Found this buried on the resources page...after filtering for sample code built by the ArcGISMobileDevTeam.

The Windows sensor/location API extension adds support for the use of GPS receivers with Windows 8 laptops and tablets.

http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=45044c94f07c40c3996bc0c43948f050

I really believe they have some major communication issues between teams over at ESRI

Dustin have you tried this extension with AGM 10.2? I can't seem to get it working on my Dell Latitude 10 tablet.

[DustinEdge]

Hi Rebecca

A couple of things...

I just got my hands on a Panasonic FZ-G1 toughpad (with dedicated GPS chip) that's running Windows 8 with AGM 10.2. The COM ports were all visible and AGM 10.2 had no problem seeing the GPS and getting a lock.
Now, I'm not sure if this is something that Panasonic has done to ensure that the GPS is exposed via a traditional COM port, or maybe its because it has a dedicated GPS chip in the first place.

I also have a DELL tablet running Windows 8, but from I can gather, it only has a Location Sensor that uses the wifi, and not a dedicated GPS chip. I tried using that extension that I posted about earlier, but it didn't make a difference. This is my comment on that blog:
Seeing as the tags say "AGM SDK" only and that previous forum postings (from ESRI) have indicated that access to the Location API in subsequent versions would only be available through customisation

I suspect like alot of other bugs, ESRI does not deem this issue worthy of their time and it will not get resolved anytime soon. As always, I would love ESRI to prove me wrong...

Maybe someone else might work it out....

Regards

[DustinEdge]

Hi All

just thought I'd update everyone with my tablet testing experience so far.

The first Dell latitude I had might have had a dud chip as I was not getting any information from the sensor. I got my hands on a second one and after uninstalling the official dell driver and installing the lenovo one (courtesy of Localiser forum posting) I was getting perfect GPS coordinates.

As a safety measure, I switched the wifi off to ensure that the Windows Location sensor was not settling for the wifi location.

I loaded ArcPad 10.2 and noticed that it had a "Location Sensor" option under the GPS configuration. While I could see my current position on the aerial photo, it wasn't reporting the usual GPS information....very strange.

I'm amazed that someone at ESRI had the foresight to access the location sensor from ArcPad, but the same was not implemented for AGM! Very disappointing.

It looks like AGM will need Localiser (or something similar) to expose the GPS data as a COM port.

Interestingly, the Panasonic FZ-G1 toughpad also runs Windows 8 and the builtin GPS has been exposed as a COM port so AGM worked just perfectly.

So it comes down to Dell & ESRI dropping the ball a little bit.

Cheers

[ChristopherBradbury]

Use the Toshiba Encore 8. You do have to open the com through the device manager, but it works wonderfully with ArcPad. Also the GPS does not require WiFi to work, and uses constellation tech.

[KayleeHerrick]

Christopher, I plan to purchase a couple of Windows 8 tablets to use with ArcPad 10. Since you have a solution to what i need, do you mind sharing the model number of your Toshiba Encore 8. Apparently, Toshiba has now released the Encore 2 which comes in various models and I am trying to figure out which one will work with ArcPad 10 (which model has dedicated GPS).

Thanks in advance. - Oscar

[AlexanderKhoroshun]

Take a look at eve T1. it has built-in GPS:

8-inch IPS HD 1280x800 display, Intel Bay Trail Z3735F 1.8 GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, 32GB onboard storage, MicroSD card support up to 64GB, a 4000mAh battery, 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera, and 802.11ac Wifi

Price 159 EUR.

Eve