Need help with understanding GPS functionality

[Big-Gee]

Hello...

I am new to Photo Mechanic and doing a trial of Version 6 on a windows PC running windows 10 version 1909.

The Problem:

I have log files that were recorded in a Solmeta Geotracker 2 Pro. I want resolve the logs to GPS coordinates so that they can eventually be added to photos where missing and I can plot the journey on a map.
People have pointed me to Photo Mechanic to do this.

In looing at the interface upon launch of PM6 it is not obvious how to do this.
I searched online help for GPS and found a topic  "importing GPS Coordinates".

what came back appears to be what I want to do, but not sure.
The textual part of the help states:

"The Import GPS Coordinates dialog can import GPS logs in the GPX and NMEA formats. In order to add coordinates, you will also need to install the free app, GPS Babel.

In order to load your GPS logs, you need to copy your GPS log from your GPS data logging device to your computer’s hard drive, or if your GPS data logging device acts as a USB storage device, such as the AMOD AGL3080 device, then you can access your logs directly.

Use the Add... button to choose and load your logs."


I ran the attached log file thru GPS Babel (NMEA format in and out.  When naming the output file (attached as well),  I made the file type ".txt"

At this point I assume that this is where I can "ADD" the logs using the ADD Button. 

In the documentation it show this information in the attached Jpeg image.

I cannot find this anywhere in PM 6.

Can someone please help me with this.

1. am I doing things correctly in the correct order, based on my understanding of GPS Babel?

2. is the output log file correct based on the input file?

3. Where is the ADD button to suck in the GPS coordinates, and where are they stored?

Needless to say I am very confused.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

[Kirk Baker]

I have log files that were recorded in a Solmeta Geotracker 2 Pro. I want resolve the logs to GPS coordinates so that they can eventually be added to photos where missing and I can plot the journey on a map.
People have pointed me to Photo Mechanic to do this.

In looking at the interface upon launch of PM6 it is not obvious how to do this.
I searched online help for GPS and found a topic  "importing GPS Coordinates".

I ran the attached log file thru GPS Babel (NMEA format in and out.  When naming the output file (attached as well),  I made the file type ".txt"

No need to do this part.  The Import GPS Coordinates dialog will ask you where your GPS Babel application (gpsbabel.exe) is located and will offer to go to the website where you can download it and install it.  Since you have already done this part (downloaded the app and installed it), you'll just need to show Photo Mechanic where you installed it.

At this point I assume that this is where I can "ADD" the logs using the ADD Button. 

Clicking the Add button in the Import GPS Coordinates dialog will prompt you for your GPS Babel app.  Once that is completed, you'll be able to pick the log file from your GPS device.  Photo Mechanic will then perform any conversion necessary and import the log.

In the documentation it show this information in the attached Jpeg image.

That's a picture of the Import GPS Coordinates dialog.  You can get to it from the File menu (File->Import GPS Coordinates...)

3. Where is the ADD button to suck in the GPS coordinates, and where are they stored?

You should see the Add button in the left/middle area of the dialog, just like in the picture you referenced.

I hope this helps, please feel free to ask additional questions.  I am currently on holiday with my family so response times will be slower.

-Kirk

[Big-Gee]

Hi Kirk....

Thank you very much for this great explanation.  I now see how it all comes together.   

I picked a folder that contained 1 days worth of photos in Italy.. leaving from Venice Island to Burano. There was a separate log file for it.

Following the steps, I was able to plot the route that was taken thru the water between the islands to get to Burano Island, and then back to Venice.. see the attached map of the plot. (Burano Journey.jpg)
I first tried import GPS coords on a single image test file that had none.  Seems to have worked as image wound up with coords.
I did not know what to do about the "No Matches..."  message so just hit the import GPS coords.

in checking the map on that image seemed reasonable when looking at street view.

I then needed to search entire folder for all pics with no GPS data to see what would be added to all those based on the GPS Tracker's log file.

(saw your post to someone else  who need to do the same thing, to get those pics in the view of the contact sheet. (would be nice to just have an option to do it directly in the edit menu opposite to select photos with GPS as it would be more intuitive). Nonetheless it worked.

so at this point I then went back to the File--> import GPS coordinates, opened the log file again, and clicked plot GPS Logs, (got same "No matches .."  message again) but clicked on Import GPS coordinates anyways.    In checking the results, All previously un tagged photos now had GPS coords in them.

However....  in randomly choosing photos that I knew I was standing on dry land when I took them, looking at them on the map view then street view, it seems that the accuracy of the results were not so good.  According to the GPS Tracker manufacturer suppose to be accurate within 3 meters but in many cases map view showed off by more than that by a fair amount.  Sometimes had the location in the water, on the edge of the water.  Not sure why this would be the case, but I suspect it might have something to do with the logfile, or the way that GPSBabel interprets it.

I will try again with other folders from that trip and see how it works out for them.

I am using ACDSee as my DAM for my photos and it does not see the GPS coords correctly, and interprets them differently so some pics are even further off.  Interesting dilemma I must say.

One thing I would like to suggest for Photo Mechanic down the road is it would be helpful if the import GPS Coordinates wind was resizable to even full screen so that the map view will show more without having to zoom, drag, zoom some more and drag some more.... etc.

So, once again, thank you very much for helping me understand how this all works.

Stay safe.

Cheers!
Garry

[Kirk Baker]

Thanks for the screen capture and the description.  I think the problem is that your images capture times are not in GMT time so you'll have to adjust the "GMT Offset of Photos" to get the capture times of your photos to line up with the GMT times of the coordinates in your log.  Generally, clicking the "Auto" button will get you close, but you may still need to change the offsets to get the times to line up with nearby coordinates.

Look at the log status message that was printed in the upper left area of the dialog.  It says that the first coordinate in the log is at 6:45:01AM.  Now look at the time of your thumbnail in the bottom left corner, 4:53:36PM.  You'd need to adjust the time offset by some number of hours negative to get them to line up.  I don't know when your device started logging or when your first photo was taken, but usually you just need to put in the GMT offset that you have in your camera and then things line up fairly well.

As for making the window resizable, please make a feature request.  See this post: http://forums.camerabits.com/index.php?topic=12803.0

Thanks,

-Kirk

[Big-Gee]

Hi Kirk..

thanks again for your help.  I will check into the time offsets, but the map plot path  looks very accurate and cant be out by much.  Since this trip was back in 2015, I need to find out time each days tour started and go from there.  Will let you know how that turns out.

On another note, something I am sure of is posing another problem.  There is an inconsistency with the GPS coords in PhotoMechanic that is driving me nuts trying to figure out as well.

However it seems that I cannot post any more screen shots to this post so I will open a new issue "GPS Coords Inconsistent" and post there.

Once again thanks for your help.
Cheers!
Garry