[Windows Mobile Software Development] Cyberdyne:
Getting a GPS-Fix can take a long time especially with an internal GPS receiver. If you are moving, it will even take longer to get the GPS-Fix, so when using a navi like TomTom you should wait for the fix (between a few seconds and more than 20 minutes) befor you start your trip. And when you switch of your phone (standby) or even when you close the application, the GPS module will shut off immediately. When you restart your application or switch on the phone you will have to wait to get a new GPS-fix. This will be quit fast but still annoying. I like to take geotagged pictures (footprints) but befor taking the first picture I have to wait a few minutes and if I don't keep my phone switched on all the time I have to wait another 20 seconds for each next picture.

As far as I know, there are two reasons for the GPS module to get switched of:

1. When short pressing power button (suspend state) or not useing the phone for a few minutes (unattended state) the GPS module gets switched off. This can be fixed quit easily by using these reg-keys (I am not sure if "GPS0:", "GPD0:" and "COM4:" are realy all needed?!). But this only helps if the program which uses the GPS module keeps on running even if the phone is in suspend because of the second reason:

2. When closing the last program which uses GPS, the GPS module gets switched off as well. With some programs you don't even have to close them. When you switch of your phone most of the programs (like TomTom) enter suspend state not using GPS anymore and the GPS module is shut off even if you use the reg-keys from above just because there is no program using GPS in that situation.

A small program together with the reg-keys should do the trick. This program should always run even if the phone is in suspend mode and it should interact with the MS GPS intermediat driver all the time to keep GPS alive.

Features:

- run as a service

The program should always run (hidden from taskmanager) but must not be active (keeping GPS alive) all the time.

- taskbar integration (WM6.5.x compatible)

There should be a symbol in the taskbar indicating the status of the program. Something like red for inactive, yellow for active/connecting and green for active with gps-fix. Pressing the icon should bring up a menu for activate, deactivate and config.

- Program to switch between active and inactive

With such a program it would be possible to switch the program state with an applauncher or via mortscript or you can map this program to a hardware-button. Maybe parameters like "on", "off" and "toggle" can be used with a shortcut?!

Nice to have:

- status led

Configure one of the phones LEDs as an indicator for this service. LED off = service inactive, LED blinking = connecting, LED on = GPS fix.

- auto off

User can choose after how many hours the service will deactivte itself (GPS is still usable but not always on).

- scheduler

Who needs GPS when sleeping or during work?

- multilingual

I could do the german translation! :)

- gps-tracking

The frequency and the location of the logfile should be configurable and there should be more parameters for the programswitcher: "trackon", "trackoff", "tracktoggle". The taskbaricon should indicate the status of the tracker as well.

- prevent suspend when switching off the phone

Programs like tomtom would keep on running even if you press the powerbutton and you could use it for audio-navigation. With the display shut off the power consumption should be much less.

These are just a few ideas I had when thinking about this program. I already searched the forum and found this interesting thread. It's the one with the reg-keys. If someone is willing to write this program he may find some useful information in that thread

Does such a program already exist? Isn't it a good idea? Will someone write this program?

PS: Sorry for my bad english!