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

TimWroblewski2 · ‎01-15-2013

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

KenSenter · ‎01-31-2013

We're wondering this too. We just bought a Dell Latitude 10 Tablet specifically to use ArcPad on it and we haven't been able to get it to work so far. I'm really confused right now whether it's a problem with the specific device in the tablet, the Broadcom BCM47511 GPS, or whether it's due to the way Windows 8 handles GPS devices.

Based on this it sounds like it's because Windows 8 has changed the way GPS is used to go through an API:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/wdk/thread/c83dd941-0e03-448c-a438-33c573a6a22d

But here you can see that they claim ArcPad and Windows 8 are "a beautiful marriage":
http://arcpadteam.blogspot.com/2013/01/arcpad-windows-8-beautiful-marriage.html

But then in the comments of that blog post you can see that people aren't having much luck getting it to work...

Can someone help clear up what the problem is and whether there is likely to be a solution. We're trying to decide whether to return the tablet...

Thanks so much!

DeniseKing · ‎02-01-2013

All,

Esri doesn't currently have Dell Latitude 10 tablet to test GPS connectivity within ArcPad or ArcGIS for Windows Mobile applications yet a test unit is on the way and we hope to test these reported behaviors as well as pre-established ArcGIS standard testing scenarios.

Furthermore, Esri Support has actively researched these reports and found recent additions to Dell's Driver Download site including Dell BIOS uploaded 2/1/2013 and Dell Driver for Broadcom BCM47511 Standalone GPS Solution
http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/04/DriverDetails/Product/latitude-10-tablet?driverId=P0P15... and then follow the instructions in Dell Support article #117682: Set Up, Use & Troubleshooting GPS Using the Dell Location & GPS Utilit... (unsure if this helps your situation, but need someone w/Latitude 10 tablet to test and report findings).

Recommend Dell Latitude 10 tablet owners visit Dell Drivers & Downloads and install applicable driver updates after determining updated driver is needed from steps in Dell Support Document #266495: How to get the Latest Driver Updates for your Dell. Suggest subscribing to Dell Technical Emails via Dell Driver Download Manager FAQs for latest updates.

Please follow this post for more information,
Denise

DeniseKing · ‎02-01-2013

Additionally, I should have stated that this is a hardware issue and normally falls to the hardware manufacturer (Dell) to provide the fix, typically as a driver which is why I'm hoping my previous post to the GPS standalone driver download helps to resolve this issue for Dell Latitude 10 tablet owners; see GPS receiver�??s manual for information on how to set the output GPS protocol and port communication parameters on the GPS receiver. It's not a software issue as both ArcPad and ArcGIS for Windows Mobile simply use the same GPS communication parameters set on your GPS receiver. However, Esri's Mobile & Support Teams want to assist Dell Latitude 10 tablet owners in being able to run ArcPad & ArcGIS for Windows Mobile with complete GPS functionality.

Denise

AndrewSanchez_Meador · ‎02-02-2013

So I'm the person from Northern Arizona University that posted on the Arcpad blog and I'm still looking/hoping for a solution for this... as these tablets are pretty sweet.

and Denise, My bios is up to date, I've downloaded the "standalone solution" and followed the instructions included in the .zip file (repeatedly) and have yet to get this GPS to be recognized by ArcPad. I've also combed Broadcom's website for a manual and have yet to find one, there or on the internet in general. So for now, I guess that means changing the output GPS protocol and port communication parameters is a no go.

However, I have been able to write code that can play nice with the geolocator api in vb.net, c++ and c# and have even been able to build examples that log data to a text file. Not elegant and I would never put it in the hands of my students, but it gets the job done and was a simple proof of concept.

Andrew

AndrewSanchez_Meador · ‎02-03-2013

A couple of additional thoughts.. I've tested a few external GPS units with the Latitude 10 and ArcPad via the one USB port on the device and Bluetooth, and they work great.

As I see it, this is not an issue with traditional GPS devices but rather one associated with the way newer devices (tablets, phones, etc) have integrated gps into their hardware.

To me, it seems to be one of two solutions: a) Dell or Broadcom needs to provide a user-level device driver (UMDF) that will allow sensor api-dependent gps receivers to pass their NMEA stream to a port, so these integrated GNSS or GPS devices will work as other, more traditional (ie.d, port-based) devices or b) ArcPad needs to be able to look for devices on ports and the sensor API. Michael Chourdakis' TurboGPS has a good example of how this might work under it's GPS setup where can set the application up to use either com ports or the sensor API. For me , that's just another (albeit great) piece of software...

DeniseKing · ‎02-04-2013

Andrew,

Thank you for the updated information and was sorry to hear the Broadcom standalone GPS didn't help to resolve the issue. Have you contacted Dell Support to ask if they have method of supporting COM port? You are correct in that Dell or Broadcom will need to provide Latitude 10 tablet customers with UMDF allowing Sensor API dependent GPS receivers to pass their NMEA stream to a COM port so that customers can configure the integrated GPS receiver with ArcGIS for Windows Mobile or ArcPad applications. This is because both the GPS library in the Runtime SDK for ArcGIS for Windows Mobile only supports NMEA GPS protocol and reads and parses GPS positions from a connected COM port. The COM port can be a physical serial port, a virtual COM port bound to a GPS receiver via Bluetooth or USB, or a program COM port attached to a GPS intermediate driver on Windows Mobile devices (on Windows Mobile 5.0 & newer systems).

Esri Support and Mobile Teams will continue to test as resources permit and provide our test findings here. We highly encourage anyone encountering this roadblock to contact Dell and Broadcom Support for further assistance and request they provide UMDF GPS Driver for Latitude 10 tablets.

Thank you,
Denise

NickKopczyk1 · ‎02-07-2013

Hi All,

We're experiencing this same problem (as are many others using legacy GPS/mapping software on Win 😎 with our new Lenovo thinkpad Tablet 2's. Broadcom/Dell/Lenovo should be writing this bridge for legacy software (GNSS sensor to NMEA COM) but the mfgr's are simply following Window's guidance for handling location data. I can launch the "Maps App" and the "weather App" from the home screen and both pick up my location immediately. This says to me that an update to ArcPad is needed to bring the new Windows standard Location services into ArcPad. This is needed badly as we are ready to recommend this new approach to clients. I'm checking on broadcom drivers for windows 7 (if they exist) as a possible workaround. Looking forward to a fix.

AndrewSanchez_Meador · ‎02-08-2013

As requested, I had "our people talk to their people" and the response (slightly paraphrased) from Dell was...

"Unfortunately this is a limitation of Windows 8 �?? it doesn't allow access to COM ports. This means that legacy applications that rely on this access will not work.�?� - awesome...

The microsoft rep responding in this post seems to confirm Dell's assessment:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/wdk/thread/c83dd941-0e03-448c-a438-33c573a6a22d/

At this point and unless told otherwise, I feel like I've exhausted all my options. The one last thing I may try (as suggested in that post) is I may just ask our IT folks to put our Win7 image on it and see where that takes me...

As always, I'll keep everyone in the loop.

Andrew

KenSenter · ‎02-08-2013

"Unfortunately this is a limitation of Windows 8 �?? it doesn't allow access to COM ports. This means that legacy applications that rely on this access will not work.�?� - awesome...

This is actually not true for Windows 8, only Windows RT. See this thread:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/wdk/thread/b2924065-1627-400d-9b81-6990c53e1652/

We are currently using a bluetooth connected GPS on our Latitude 10 and it works just fine via a virtual com port.

Edit: I should add that it also affects Windows 8's metro apps, they can't access com ports either, but desktop apps still can.