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(no email)
Date: Mon Jul 17 2006 - 10:37:17 EDT
The various problems that have been reported with mice and GPS's in
conflict with one another are far more common than I thought before
reading the comments on this thread. I thought my occasional problem
was unique. However, I now have a different perspective, as well as the
experience of having used USB GPS's on four different computers, for
nearly 4 years. When you count computer crashes from viruses, hard
drives dying, etc., I guess I have a lot of experience with
installing/reinstalling my GPS, so here goes another two cents (er, sense).
1. The statement that removing the GPS will fix the wild cursor every
time is not true. It only happens sometime. If it doesn't fix the
problem, you have to reboot, a real PIA.
2. The statement that not plugging in the GPS until the nav program is
running, and is waiting for the NMEA data stream, is also not entirely
correct. On some computers this works. I have three different notebooks
and the rule is not consistent for each of them. The best scenario is
if it works with your computer, you start the nav program first and
then plug in your GPS.
3. The root of the GPS/Mouse conflict problem is hardware specific, as
well as related to software deficiencies.
4. Phil, I have to disagree with you that Microsoft Streets & Trips
will solve this problem. I bought a new version last year, and it has
more trouble finding and working with my GPS than older versions, so
Steve is right there. (The newer MSST also is NOT RELIABLE in its
parsing/routing etc., but that's another issue.)
As a result of these trials, I have developed a routine that works for
me, and might help some of you that are continuing to have problems.
More important is that your nav program finds and handshakes with the
GPS, forgetting the lesser annoyance with the mouse. Here is what I do.
Download a program from the Deluo.com sight named: Deluo Diagnostics or
DSDiag. It has the capability of demonstrating the data stream from any
GPS device attached to your computer. Create a desktop icon so you can
a)plug in your GPS, then b)locate where it is coming from. Run the
program. The first step is asking it to determine what com port the GPS
is on, as seen by the computer. The second step is to test it, and even
without having a fix, you should be able to see the data stream coming
out of the GPS. I have never had a GPS/Mouse conflict when I have run
this test to see if the GPS is working properly.
The nice thing about this is that you can do it at home in your den,
with any computer, rather than having to go to the boat. Troubleshoot
and fix your problems before you need the system to work, i.e., you
will know what com port your GPS is using.
What will surprise you is that it can be any com port on any computer.
It is not always going to be com 2, or 4, or 5......
Start your nav program, land or sea based, preferably with the GPS
unplugged. Once it is running, tell it to find the GPS. It should work
without problems, at least it does for me.
Let's go back to testing the GPS with a diagnostic. I have installed a
GPS with the drivers that came with the device, and windows has given
me the message that it was operating properly. NOT! When checked with
the diagnostic, there was no data stream. I have also had an "installed
properly" message, started the nav program, plugged in the GPS, and had
the computer crash. One time it also wiped out the operating system on
my hard drive. Both of these problems were fixed by updating drivers
that matched the windows file. You may have to change the system file:
mscomm32.ocx, an Active X file.
To summarize:
Make sure you have the latest driver for your GPS
Download the diagnostic
Test your GPS for a normal data stream
Unplug your GPS
Start your nav program
Run nav program tool that locates the GPS
If your program has a GPS.ini file, forcing the correct com port may
make it easier for the nav program to locate the GPS. Phil - Thanks for
that hint.
It's really easy, and the good thing is that once your GPS is properly
installed, they are usually trouble-free thereafter.
Martin Veiner
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