SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR GUIDE

System Administrators are responsible for installing and managing DNRGPS on enterprise computers.

This section is meant to give tips on smooth roll outs to many computers.

Installation

Since DNRGPS is a self-contained program, it can be deployed anywhere. At the Minnesota DNR, we have deployed to a central server that all users can see. A shortcut to dnrgps.exe is placed on the desktop. The advantage of this is that new versions can be integrated by simply replacing the one copy of the application on the server instead of dozens or hundreds of individual copies on users’ PCs.

User Properties

The first time DNRGPS is run on a PC, it tries to create a DNRGRPS folder at:

• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\AppData\DNRGPS
• Windows 7: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\DNRGPS

If users are restricted from writing to this location, then it tries writing to:

• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\DNRGPS
• Windows 7: C:\Users\<username>\My Documents\DNRGPS

The DNRGPS folder may contain these files:

• dnrgps_temp.gpx - A scratch space that DNRGPS uses for processing
• dnrgps_properties.xml - User customizations. This file is first generated from a master copy located in DNRGPSdocuments. For more go to the description of the dnrgps_properties.xml
• DNRGPS_log.txt - Error log file

When deploying, modify the main dnrgps_properties.xml file to include customizations of your choice such as field aliases, visible file types, favorite projections, etc. These customizations will then be used by the end user. Note: If the end user has previously opened DNRGPS they will already have a local copy of dnrgps_properties.xml. This file will need to be deleted or replaced for them to see the updated customizations.

dnrgps_properties.xml File Structure

Below is a list of the properties that can be modified within the dnrgps_properties.xml prior to deployment:

• time - Timestamp from the last time DNRGPS modified this xml file.

• checkVersion - Boolean that determines whether, each time DNRGPS opens, it checks whether there is a newer version available for download. Set this to false to prevent your users from seeing this message for each update.

  <CheckVersion>true</CheckVersion>

• GpsBabelExecutable - Path to GPD Babel application used by DNR GPS

  <GpsBabelExecutable>C:\dnrgps\gpsbabel\gpsbabel.exe</GpsBabelExecutable>

• xImageExecutable - Path to xImage application used by DNR GPS

  <xImageExecutable>C:\Program Files (x86)\Garmin\xImage\xImage.exe</xImageExecutable>

• GPS Model and Connections - gpsMake, gpsPort, gpsBaudRate, gpsNoAck

  <!--Items below relate to GPS Model and Connections-->
  <gpsMake></gpsMake>
  <gpsPort></gpsPort>
  <gpsBaudRate>9600</gpsBaudRate>
  <gpsNoAck>True</gpsNoAck>

• Field Definitions - Field definitions for each field are similar across the different data types (waypointFields, trackFields, routeFields, realtimeFields). Possible field tags include:

  • gpxtag - The tag used for a gpx file (if applicable)
  • required - Whether the field is required for that data type
  • visible - Whether the field defaults to being displayed for that data type
  • precision - For numerical fields, the precision of the value, the 0 is ignored for other values.
  • length - Field length
  • type - Field data type
  • name - Field name
  • alias - Field alias (if applicable)

  Note: If a tag is missing, it is not applicable to that field. Example field definitions (these default definitions can be changed by the user in DNRGPS properties)

  <field gpxtag="name" required="true" visible="true" precision="0" length="24"
          type="string" name="ident" />
  <field gpxtag="lat" required="true" visible="true" precision="8" length="18"
          type="number" alias="Latitude" name="lat" />
  <field gpxtag="DisplayMode" visible="true" precision="0" length="10"
          type="string" name="display" />

• Real-Time Tracking properties - Set the defaults for the Real Time Window (all of these options can still be changed by the user in the dialog box)

  • rtAutoPanEnabled - Boolean enabling / disabling pan capability
  • rtAutoPanWindowPercent - Sets default percentage for how close to the edge of the screen you can get before re-centering the map display. This percentage defines a box as a percentage of the map window for which, if you move outside of it, the map display automatically recenters.
  • rtGraphicsEnabled - Boolean enabling / disabling marking the trail in the active mapping window if ArcMap is open
  • rtToleranceDistanceEnabled - Boolean enabling / disabling the use of a tolerance distance
  • rtToleranceDistanceValue - If tolerance distance is enabled, the minimum distance between point collections (in meters)
  • rtToleranceTimeEnabled - Boolean enabling / disabling the use of a tolerance time
  • rtToleranceTimeValue - If tolerance time is enabled, the minimum time between point collections (in seconds)
  • rtTrackUp - Boolean setting for whether ArcMap displays North as up, or the track direction as up
  • rtNMEA - Sets whether NMEA tags are collected and the default file to record them

  <!--Items below relate to Real-Time Tracking properties-->
  <rtAutoPanEnabled>True</rtAutoPanEnabled>
  <rtAutoPanWindowPercent>75</rtAutoPanWindowPercent>
  <rtGraphicsEnabled>True</rtGraphicsEnabled>
  <rtToleranceDistanceEnabled>False</rtToleranceDistanceEnabled>
  <rtToleranceDistanceValue>5</rtToleranceDistanceValue>
  <rtToleranceTimeEnabled>True</rtToleranceTimeEnabled>
  <rtToleranceTimeValue>3</rtToleranceTimeValue>
  <rtTrackUp>False</rtTrackUp>
  <rtNMEA enabled="False" path="" />

• Hotlinking - Set the defaults for the Image Linking window (thesee options can still be changed by the user in the dialog box)

  • hotlinkCalibration - Estimated offset between picture timestamp and GPS data point timestamp
  • hotlinkThreshold - Maximum offset allowed for a match

  <!--Items below relate to Hotlinking-->
  <hotlinkCalibration>-00:00:34</hotlinkCalibration>
  <hotlinkThreshold>00:06:00</hotlinkThreshold>

• Projections - Set the defaults for the Image Linking window (thesee options can still be changed by the user in the dialog box)

  • projections[viewonlyfavorites] - If set to true, only projections that have previously been used or been set as favorites will appear in the long list of projections. If set to false, all projections will appear by default. There is a checkbox for the user to toggle this on and off.
  • projection - This is the list of projections (defined by posc, datum, projname, and projdescription) that are currently in the user’s favorites, so prior to deployment the system administrator can set up default projections. See SET PROJECTION for more information on the projection parameters.

  <!--Items below relate to Projections-->
  <projections viewonlyfavorites="true">
    <projection posc="4326" datum="WGS 84" projname="No Projection" projdescription=
        "+proj=longlat +ellps=WGS84 +datum=WGS84 +no_defs  &lt;&gt;" default="false" />
    <projection posc="26915" datum="NAD83" projname="UTM zone 15N" projdescription=
        "+proj=utm +zone=15 +ellps=GRS80 +datum=NAD83 +units=m +towgs84=-0.991,1.9072,
        0.5129,0.02579,0.00965,0.01166,0 +no_defs  no_defs &lt;&gt;" default="false" />
    <projection posc="20120112020639" datum="North_American_Datum_1983"
        projname="NAD_1983_UTM_Zone_15N" projdescription="+proj=utm +zone=15
        +datum=NAD83 +units=m +no_defs " default="true" />
  </projections>

• File Types - List of file types to diplay in Load From File and Save To File. Each fileType tag has the following parameters:

  • gdaltype (all but text files) - Data type keyword used by GDAL
  • delimiter (text files only) - Delimiter used in the input / output text file
  • suffix - Suffix of the file type’s filename
  • description - Description used in the Load From File and Save To File file navigation dialog boxes
  • visible - Boolean determining whether the checkbox in File Properties is checked (“true” = checked). Set to “false” to hide by default the file types that your users will not be using.
  • default - The default option in the Load From and Save To menus. Only one type can be set to default.

  <!--Items below relate to File Types to save to.-->
  <fileTypes>
    <fileType gdaltype="ESRI Shapefile" suffix="shp" description="ESRI Shapefile"
        filter="*.shp" visible="true" default="true" />
    <fileType gdaltype="KML" suffix="kml" description="Google Keyhole Markup Language"
        filter="*.kml" visible="true" default="false" />
    <fileType gdaltype="GPX" suffix="gpx" description="GPS Exchange Format"
        filter="*.gpx" visible="true" default="false" />
    <fileType delimiter="," suffix="txt" description="Text file (comma-delimited)"
        filter="*.txt" visible="true" default="false" />
    <fileType delimiter="\t" suffix="txt" description="Text file (tab-delimited)"
        filter="*.txt" visible="true" default="false" />
    <fileType gdaltype="MapInfo File" suffix="map" description="Mapinfo File"
        filter="*.map" visible="true" default="false" />
    <fileType gdaltype="GML" suffix="gml" description="Geography Markup Language"
        filter="*.gml" visible="true" default="false" />
    <fileType gdaltype="GeoJSON" suffix="geojson" description="Geo JavaScript
        Object Notation" filter="*.geojson" visible="true" default="false" />
  </fileTypes>

• Database Types - Each database fileType tag has the following parameters (actual databases have more parameters than the psuedo-databases, i.e. file geodatabases and KML files):

  • gdaltype - Database type keyword for GDAL
  • prefix (databases only) - Connection string prefix for the given database
  • dbname (databases only) - Boolean determining whether DB Name is visible in the connection dialog box
  • host (databases only) - Boolean determining whether Host is visible in the connection dialog box
  • port (databases only) - Boolean determining whether Port is visible in the connection dialog box
  • user (databases only) - Boolean determining whether User is visible in the connection dialog box
  • password (databases only) - Boolean determining whether Password is visible in the connection dialog box
  • description - Text description to be shown in the dropdown menu for selecting the type of database connection to be used
  • visible - Boolean determining whether the desciption shows up as an option in the dropdown menu
  • folderPath (Esri File Geodatabases only) - Boolean determining whether Folder Path is visible in the connection dialog box
  • filePath (KML only) - Boolean determining whether File Path is visible in the connection dialog box

  <!--Items below relate to Database Types to save to.-->
  <databaseTypes>
    <fileType gdaltype="PostgreSQL" prefix="PG:" dbname="true" host="true" port="true"
        user="true" password="true" description="PostgreSQL for PostGIS" visible="true" />
    <fileType gdaltype="FileGDB" folderPath="true"
        description="ESRI File Geodatabase (v10.x)" visible="true" />
    <fileType gdaltype="KML" filePath="true"
        description="Google Keyhole Markup Language" visible="true" />
  </databaseTypes>

• Database Connections - Stores the database connections set up by the user. The system administrator can set these up before deployment so they are available to all users. databaseConnection tags include:

  • gdaltype - Database type keyword for GDAL
  • connectionName - Name for the geodatabase that will show up in the list of connections
  • connectionString - Connection string used to connect to the database
  • default - Boolean indicating which database is highlighted when the list of connections is opened. Only one connection can be set as the default.

  <!--Items below are saved database connections-->
  <databaseConnections>
    <databaseConnection gdaltype="FileGDB" connectionName="test GDB"
        connectionString="D:\gistemp\MyProjects\test.gdb" default="true" />
  </databaseConnections>