| [This section is a re-organization of the GEO files page on the GPSS Web Site.]
|
If you want GPSS to know what road you're on, you need to create GEO files that contains its location, name and (very likely) direction.
This is best done via a utility called GEOMAN, which records location and direction via mouse clicks on the applicable map. GEOMAN automatically creates file names and automatically records where you click on the map, saving you huge amounts of time.
You can also use GEOMAN to record any point of interest or landmark whose code is in the GPSS.CAT file.
The GEOMAN interface
Adding a highway - Step-by-step
1. Type CTRL+C to enter the Controls - for Test and Experiment Only utility.
| (refer to numbers in circles above)
|
| 1.1. Under Auto Selection, click once to "OFF" (allows static choice of map)
|
| 1.2 Choose the map you want
|
| 1.3 Click on GEOMAN to start the GEOMAN utility
|
| 1.4 On the Controls utility, click "Cancel" to close the Controls utility and see as much of the map as possible. Alternatively, making sure the Controls utility has the screen focus, type CTRL + C.
|
4. On the GEOMAN utility, enter the category code (Cat Code)
5. Indicate the Direction you'll be traveling (or auto-fill, see 8., below)
6. Enter the display Name of the road, in this case, Interstate 90
7. Left-click with the mouse on the map at a point on the road or feature that you want GPSS to recognize.
8. For roads, right-click a point down (or up) the road to auto-fill the Direction field
9. Click Append to create the GEO file.
Click and create files regularly on the road, if you want GPSS to continue recognizing it. Robin suggests every 200 meters or so... though this would create thousands of files for a major highway crossing state or national borders on a large-scale map. Use your judgment.
You can use localized names
Before each Append, you can change the name. For example, you might want GPSS to indicate "I90 at I495," or "I90 at Worcester," or similar locally-descriptive designation.
Automatic recording of entire trip segments or routes
GEOMAN can automatically enter your preferred way of moving from one place to another. Note that this still requires you to click on roads and intersections - the recording is automatic, not the generation of the routing.
At the field for auto add road, enter the name of your route - here the way to Jen's house. Then click ON.
Every left-click will automatically create or append to the appropriate GEO file. If (for this example) you record a JENSHOUS.WAV (saying something like, "The way to Jen's house"), GPSS will say "You are on The way to Jen's House" when you are driving it.
By Dave Gehman
© Copyright 2004, Robin Lovelock
Send changes, suggestions to Dave Gehman