Host side

GPS file format

From wikipedia and OpenStreetMap wikis, it seems to have 2 widely used GPS file format non-proprietary:

- GPX
- KML (orignally google earth format, now international standard)

After investigation, it appears that KML is more used for describing maps and GPX is more used for describing traces.
GPX seems to be supported by a big bunch of software, including OpenStreetMaps, GPSbabel (cross-plateform tool) and a lot professional apps like GRASS GIS (using itself gpsbabel)
So I propose to use GPX as in seems to be a de-facto standard.

GPX - format

GPX is a simple format to put down what our GPS received, or to store info on routes that could by used by a navigation tool to navigate us. The format can be extend at almost any XML field, so along co-ordinates from the GPS we could also store data coming from other sensors (e.g. pressure).

GPX consists of two main parts:

a) GPX tracks (where I've been)

<code class="xml">
<gpx>
  <trk>
    <name>My track #1</name>
    <trkseg>
      <trkpt lat="47.644548" lon="-122.326897"> <!-- where I've been -->
        <ele>400.54</ele> <!-- additional info on elevation -->
        <time>2014-06-27T18:37:26Z</time> <!-- additional info on time -->
      </trkpt>
      <trkpt lat="47.648898" lon="-122.327534"> <!-- where I've been later -->
        <ele>405.88</ele> <!-- additional info on elevation -->
        <time>2014-06-27T18:39:26Z</time> <!-- additional info on time -->
      </trkpt>
    </trkseg>
  </trk>
</gpx>
</code>

To consider when implementing:
- remove unnecessary (duplicating) points.

b) GPX routes (route me there)

<code class="xml">
<gpx>
 <rte>
  <name>To visit my grandma</name>
  <src>Google Maps</src>
  <type>bike route</type>
  <rtept lat="47.644548" lon="-122.326897"> <!-- Where to go next -->
    <name>Crossing of routes X and Y</name> <!-- Some additional info e.g. street name -->
  </rtept>
  <rtept lat="47.644548" lon="-122.346897"> <!-- Where to go next -->
    <name>Crossing of routes X and Z</name> <!-- Some additional info e.g. street name -->
  </rtept>
  <rtept lat="47.674548" lon="-122.346897"> <!-- Where to go next -->
    <name>Destination point</name> <!-- Some additional info e.g. street name -->
  </rtept>
 </rte>
</gpx>
</code>

To consider when implementing:

- A route should be easily loadable from Google Maps.
- Use the following points to calculate direction where the user should turn when they are following the route, so we could navigate them (tell when and where they should turn).

Softwares

Command line:

- GPSBabel , a cross-platform tool (GPL) used to convert from and to GPX file format and to read/write to gps devices (manage several devices via usb, including brands garmin and magelan)
- Garmin communicator plugin : an example of GPL soft communicating with garmin devices and extract/transfer data from/to proprietary format. It uses: tinyxml, garmintools, libusb, gcrypt, zlib

GUI:

- GeBabbel : simple GUI for GPSbabel

- GPSman : display one's traces on maps, create traces, save into gpx/kml format. Big disadvantage : it doesn't contain any map, they have to be scanned or downloaded manually

- Viking : a GPL app. Display traces on maps, edit traces, save into gpx/kml, get data from devices and send traces to devices. The big advantage is integration with servers (OpenStreetMap or others) and maps are so automatically downloaded.

- PyTrainer : GPL soft for sportive activities : manage, order and compare history. Integrated with google maps. Display graphs on cardio, altitude, etc. Do statistics on sports and weeks/months.
- GPSBook : GPL soft to display traces on google maps, seems to be less advanced

List of other Linux softs to deal with GPS data : http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=121724