User Manual
Contents
1. 9 5 3 Operation from a Control File For complex operations such as the creation of a whole world ISAM database RemDups may be operated in Control File mode This is activated by including the name of the control file on the command line preceded by F Program AutoGEN is provided to make construction of these files easy and an example of the format is provided in file C AviaDBM Batches DUPcfexample txt 9 6 AutoGEN Control File Generation Program 9 6 1 Description AutoGEN is a Console mode program which creates the batch files and associated control files required to create a whole world ISAM database and create new images based on user defined geographical limits The name of the subdir to be used is fixed at Auto eg C AviaDBM Auto and the program expects to be started in C AviaDBM or one of the subdirs bin or Auto 9 6 2 Operation GPS Database Management Page 27 11 1 2011 Place the necessary awp files in the Auto subdirectory Only awp files which match the standard manufacturer s naming convention can be used Run AutoGEN which will create Auto bat and Control txt files numbered 1 to 4 then edit the head of Control4 txt to preset the required geographical limits of the image to be created Then run each Auto bat file by double clicking on it The GEN programs and RemDups have been configured to stop when their control file operations are completed leaving the screen log for examination so they each must be dism2. Choose File Export to create a gar format file from the current database choosing the appropriate model from the dropdown list 9 4 ConvAlIR Airways Data Conversion Program 9 4 1 Action Airways data is normally published by naming the co ordinates of the start and end of the centre line and specifying the width in nautical miles To include this data in the SUA section it must be converted into the co ordinates of the four corner points of the rectangle and ConvAIR is provided to perform this task In addition it handles GPS Database Management Page 26 11 1 2011 airways which dog leg by modifying the join to a single line instead of the implied overlapping box ends More detail is included in the SUA Manual 9 5 RemDups Text File Duplication Removal Program 9 5 1 Action RemDups will read one or more text files and look for duplication then allow the user to create a new file without the duplicated sections For the purposes of operating on SUA FSS TCC and APR text dumps a section is defined as beginning with a line having SUA FSS TCC or APR at its start and continuing until the next section start or the end of file 9 5 2 Operation Select a file to be scanned using the File Open dialog repeat for as many similar files to be included in the whole output file then write the file with duplicates removed using the File SaveAs dialog This process can take a significant time if there are thousands of entries
3. You choose what you wish to list by selecting a section from the Section drop down If you choose the SUA section in order to create a modifiable text file for re compilation you should normally have no Filters set and choose File Type sua all Similarly for FSS TCC sections which should be placed together in the same file for re compilation and APR sections The Filters button displays the Filters Dialog in the same way as from the View menu The Listing checkbox allows you to inhibit the listing to screen of the input lines for the batch and compile functions GPS Database Management Page 18 11 1 2011 In Create Image mode a Title button is available leading to a dialog box enabling you to enter your own title page identification The default is CUSTOMISED DB Only the first 20 characters will be used less on some units Compile SUA Text mode enables you to re create an sua dat file from an SUA SaveAs file normally after making some modifications This whole process is described fully in the SUA Manual Compile FSS TCC is similar but is included only to facilitate the creation of world wide databases so the co ordinate section is not expanded The Approaches data is kept in the ISAM database and Compile APR is provided to allow this data to be updated Normally this will be from a file previously created using SaveAs apr all Airways can similarly be dumped and re compiled 9 2 4 GO Button When details of
4. used to make a new image file from this data The package is divided into three distinct sections each one managed by its own program This is also shewn in diagrammatic form in Appendix A Please do not forget to read the Technical Notes in section 11 below the SUA Manual the Release Notes the FAQs and the News page on the website all of which are provided to enhance your knowledge of this complex package once you have obtained a basic understanding 3 1 Communications GPS_COM amp GPS_USB GPS_COM allows data to be transferred into and out of the GPS via its serial interface and held on the disc drive of the PC in the form of compact binary files GPS_USB does the same for USB equipped models and operates in a very similar way Where this description mentions GPS_COM you can usually substitute GPS_USB You choose the file and direction of transfer and the program does the rest keeping you informed of its progress With this program alone you have the ability to take secure re loadable copies of all the data you have keyed into your GPS and to make hard copy listings of it The program places no restriction on the number of GPS units it serves and will upload manufacturer s IMG files even if they have been used previously on a different unit Aviation database files with extensions awp taw 1m2 im2 rg1 rg2 rgn have to be converted to a single img file by using the appropriate GEN program This ac
5. Filters button of the Setup dialog or from the View menu and enables you to preset filters for Country Name and ICAO Ident in any combination A country filter can only consist of the specific two letter ident for one country the UK would be EG Germany ED etc and wildcards are not permitted in any filter The ICAO ident field may also be used to specify a starting record number in hexadecimal by entering the required value preceded by 0X eg OX23A 9 2 9 Printing Choose Print from the File menu to print the whole of the scrollable contents of the main window See GPS_DBM for notes on printing scrolling and print preview 9 2 10 Save As Text GPS Database Management Page 20 11 1 2011 Choose SaveAs from the File menu to dump the whole of the scrollable contents of the main window to a text file There are eight possible modes of operation controlled by the filename used to receive the output and the country filter 9 2 10 1 If the letters bat immediately preceded the dot filename matches bat the ouput will be in batch format otherwise normal text format 9 2 10 2 Tf the extension is all filename matches all and one of the four main waypoint types is being listed all four waypoint types will be dumped otherwise only the selected type is output This mode is not limited to 2000 lines like the others If the current listing is SUAs and file type sua all is selected the whole of the
6. a database loader which it has to obtain from a manufacturer s update file A suitable file eg awp or rg1 must be located in the same folder as your new image 7 4 Check all connections and ensure the GPS is in HOST or Garmin Garmin mode Click OK and then GO The transfer commences the date and time of manufacture of your GPS is displayed later units employ a hex serial number and the program has to wait while the existing database is erased inside the unit During this waiting period the message Waiting for Erase to end is displayed every few seconds GPS Database Management Page 11 11 1 2011 7 5 During the database upload a record count is displayed on the screen and also on the Interface page of earlier GPS units If any proximity points are set a message will be generated to tell you that they have been locked 7 6 When the transfer is complete verify its success by switching the GPS unit off and then on again in order to view the title page The III Pilot and later units return to this page without switching off 7 1 Ifaproblem occurs or the transfer stops before completion reset both GPS_COM and the unit and start the transfer again You might consider using a lower baudrate File Management If you have been following the instructions in sections 6 and 7 your C AviaDBM directory now contains new files usr gar created by GPS_COM custom img created by GPS_GEN upd_bat txt
7. examine the Aviation waypoints they all appear to be held to a greater accuracy than is quoted by official sources The reality is that the values were entered with the third decimal place set to zero say but on conversion to 21 bit binary they incurred an offset of up to or 0 0052 minutes Now that you are able to make your own entries in the Aviation section you will see this inaccuracy at first hand GPS_DBM makes the conversion at the earliest opportunity so you can if you like influence the final result by adjusting the value you enter Co ordinates in the SUA section are only held in 18 bit resolution making them a further eight times less accurate Not a real problem since you are never likely to try to land on an SUA boundary unless you are based at our farm strip Note that resolutions have been increased by 4 bits in models 696 and later 9 3 11 USR Waypoints USR Waypoints differ from the AVD sections of the database in that apart from the batch update facility of GPS_GEN they are maintained entirely from GPS_DBM GPS Database Management Page 25 11 1 2011 To read records into the USR section make USR the active window and choose File Import to add the waypoints from a gar format file created by GPS_COM If a waypoint is already present in the ISAM database it will be updated if the imported waypoint carries a later or zero date otherwise all imported waypoints are added File Clear is also available i
8. record numbers Display picture bytes 11 Technical Notes 11 1 During a Create ISAM Database operation if the image contains SUA data a file SUA DAT is created and if it contains FSS and ARTCC data a file TCC DAT is created in the DB50 directory These are packed binary files which cannot be examined by GPS_DBM and can only be used by GPS_GEN in conjunction with the database files created during the same operation 11 2 Itis possible to edit SUA data by using File SaveAs to dump the whole section to a sua all file which can be modified using a normal text editor such as WordPad This text file can then be re compiled by any GEN and replaced in the db50 directory 11 3 During a Create Image operation the files SUA DAT and TCC DAT are used if they are available unless G9O_GEN is running in AVD mode Due to changes in record format for G496 units the pre compiled files sua dat and tcc dat in folder db50 are not transferable between unit types All the GEN programs recognise and report attempts to use them in the wrong unit so if you want to move their data say from a 496 to a 296 you must Save them as all text files using G496_GEN and re compile them with GPS_GEN These operations MUST take place without changing the ISAM data GPS Database Management Page 30 11 1 2011 11 4 The last two letters of some City names principally in the USA are the State identifier GPS_GEN and GPS_DBM display these names in
9. section in current Routes the normal situation then during the Write Aviation operation these waypoints are locked If the waypoints are not in the new Aviation section then they remain locked This is not a problem because you can simply delete or replace them Due to a manufacturer s omission it is not possible to up and down load the Ref information in a USR waypoint This field of a USR waypoint will be blank in waypoints which have been loaded from the PC You will also find that the Ref fields change when a new Aviation database is loaded This is because they are held internally as pointers instead of characters this is the same for any method of database upload 9 2 GPS_GEN File Generation Programs 9 2 1 Basic Functions GPS_GEN handles conversions of img files into entries in the ISAM Database and the creation of img files from ISAM database records The program has up to five other modes Batch Update List Image File Sections Compile SUA Text Compile FSS TCC Text and Compile APR Text Batch Update mode applies a Batch of updates to the current ISAM database You supply the name of the Batch file in the filename box and each command is listed as it is performed The operation is fail safe the whole file can be re run if necessary perhaps to incorporate just a few extra changes GPS Database Management Page 17 11 1 2011 Listing mode enables you to examine and print an img file secti
10. selection in the File menu or by buttons in the Toolbar labeled A I N V U R Windows may be iconized or closed at will but only one instance of each may be active at any time 9 3 4 Setting a Filter GPS Database Management Page 22 11 1 2011 The Filter Setup dialog is opened by choosing Filters from the View menu You can reduce the amount of information displayed by setting a Country filter and or an ICAO ident filter A country filter is set by selecting a country from the Country drop down list In addition to using the scroll bar the list may be scrolled by typing one or more of the leading characters of the name An ident filter is set by entering characters in the ICAO Filter box and may consist of one or more characters from the start of the desired set For instance a British user may enter EG or perhaps the complete ident of the desired waypoint The program will then display only items which match the characters entered Note that these filters are applied to all windows at the same time Although country idents and ICAO idents often use the same letters for airports this is not the case for the other types of waypoint 9 3 5 Scrolling Performance Most database packages force you to select one item at a time to display and make changes to I decided that a scrollable display of all items was far better However there are limitations to this approach We are dealing with a massive amount of data here so t
11. start of Writing the Aviation Image file The II Pilot aviation database transfer disables the unit for the duration of the upload if anything goes wrong feel free to turn the unit off and on again to clear this state you will then have No Aviation Data until you perform a successful upload 9 1 9 Printing The current scrollable contents of the main window can be printed on the system printer at any time by selecting Print from the File menu or by clicking on the third Toolbar button This is most useful for listing gar files although the activity log which accumulates in the main window can also be printed GPS Database Management Page 16 11 1 2011 Print Preview is also available in the File menu giving you an idea of what you will get on the printer and Save As which writes the output to a plain ASCII file instead of the printer Use File PrintFont to adjust the character size if necessary 9 1 10 General Points The Write Aviation Database operation is an Erase and Replace operation so if you interrupt it you will then have no Aviation data in the unit This is not a problem because you can simply do it again You will also get this situation if you try to upload an image which is too big for the unit Writing gar files on the other hand is a merge operation Nothing is deleted and nothing is duplicated but existing items are updated and new ones added If your unit has waypoints from the Aviation
12. the same way as the GPS units with the State code separated from the city name In order to correctly interpret State codes during additions and changes an at character must be used instead of a space character GPS_GEN will interpret the character in a city name in batch update files and GPS_DBM will insert and interpret the character in its Add Change dialog 11 5 The Batch Update ADDIRWY description permits values from 00 to 36 Users should be aware that values over 18 are stored in the database with 18 subtracted For example 24L will be stored as 06R Value 00 is reserved for airports having only field size and surface recorded also referred to as brief airports 11 6 The package does not perform a range check on frequencies preferring the less restrictive approach of allowing the user to employ out of range values for their own purposes The gps image format does impose some limits however and these are APTs all values wrapped into the range 108 00 to 148 95 NDBs 0 to 32767 values gt 10 000 have no decimal point VORs all values wrapped into the range 108 00 to 120 75 11 7 The 92 190 195 IN Pilot and modern units allow 16 airport frequency types whereas previous models have only permitted 4 types Any new type frequencies are mapped or omitted when creating an image for a 90 95 11 8 The SUA data of a G496 contains six new zone types correcting the anomalies seen recently in some Eur
13. C AviaDBM Docs appendxe pdf C AviaDBM Docs SUA Manual pdf C AviaDBM Docs Imperfections pdf C AviaDBM Docs SUA_Corrupt_Names pdf C AviaDBM Docs AviaDBM_FAQ pdf C AviaDBM BIN gps_com exe C AviaDBM BIN gps_usb exe C AviaDBM BIN gps_obs exe C AviaDBM BIN g90_ gen exe C AviaDBM BIN g89_gen exe C AviaDBM BIN g92_gen exe C AviaDBM BIN gps_gen exe C AviaDBM BIN g3p_gen exe C AviaDBM BIN g496_gen exe C AviaDBM BIN g696_gen exe C AviaDBM BIN gps_dbm exe C AviaDBM BIN dbview exe C AviaDBM BIN ConvAir exe C AviaDBM BIN RemDups exe C AviaDBM BIN AutoGEN exe C AviaDBM BIN MapSUA exe C AviaDBM BATCHES upd_bat txt C AviaDBM BATCHES bga_tp10 txt C AviaDBM BATCHES pol_tp txt C AviaDBM BATCHES eu_tpt txt GPS Database Management Page 7 11 1 2011 C AviaDBM BATCHES GENcfexample txt C AviaDBM BATCHES DUPcfexample txt C AviaDBM BATCHES UKAirways air C AviaDBM BATCHES UKAtrways08 air The installation process also creates a Start Menu Folder with entries for each of the programs of the package and most of the pdf documents such as the Release Notes which everyone should read this User Manual and the SUA Editor s Manual 4 2 Hardware You need a cable to connect your GPS to a USB port or PC COM port The GPS comes with sufficient cables and plugs to make a serial port cable apart from the COM port connector itself The wiring is very simple since only three wires need to be connected to the COM port Referring to the G
14. M database followed by the creation of new image files by specifying a geographical area the GEN programs may be operated in Control File mode This is activated by including the name of the control file on the command line preceded by F Program AutoGEN is provided to make construction of these files easy and an example of the format is provided in file C AviaDBM Batches GENcfexample txt 9 3 GPS _DBM ISAM Database Management Program 9 3 1 Basic Action GPS_DBM allows you to examine change and print all the information in the ISAM database Any changes you make are also recorded in the file upd_bat txt in the current working directory A separate window is provided for each of the database types that is to say APTs INTs NDBs VORs USR and RTE The operations Add Change and Delete are provided in all categories SUA FSS and ARTCC information is not kept in the ISAM database and cannot be changed using GPS_DBM USR and RTE databases are imported and exported directly from to their gar files using File menu options 9 3 2 Select Database Dialog This dialog box only appears if the program cannot find the subdirectory DB50 in the current working directory Use this standard File Dialog to find a DB50 directory somewhere on the system The program will not continue until one is found 9 3 3 Choosing the Section The APT section is opened at start up sections which are not already open can be opened by
15. PS User Manual you will see that five tails emerge from the GPS connector Connect these as follows GPS Connector 9 Way D type or 25 Way D type Black 2 Ground 5 7 Brown 3 Data Out 2 2 White 4 Data In 3 3 It is also advisable to provide a 12 volt DC supply to power the GPS rather than use its internal batteries Red 1 Power 12 volts Black 2 Ground 0 volts A car battery would serve in the absence of a bench power supply If you would rather buy a cable ready made or you have installed some of the original parts in your aircraft the manufacturer offers a PC and Database Update Cable as an accessory Getting Started These instructions assume that you are familiar with Windows and are able to use Windows Explorer and Notepad or their equivalents You should also be reasonably conversant with your GPS unit particularly the Interface page Having installed the software connected your GPS to your chosen COM or USB port and to its bench power supply or battery you are ready to go GPS Database Management Page 8 11 1 2011 We will assume that you placed the package in C AviaDBM so if you chose a different directory please replace C AviaDBM in the following text To start with we will transfer your User Waypoints out of the GPS and into a file on your PC named usr gar in the C AviaDBM directory This will not change what is inside your GPS in any way If you have not created a
16. SUA section is output in a form suitable for re compilation For FSS or TCC the filename should match tcc all and for approaches it should match apr all 9 2 10 3 A country filter may be applied to any output except where it would be meaningless Note that only APT INT NDB and VOR records carry a country identifier 9 2 11 Compile SUA This facility is described in the separate SUA Editor s Manual A Compile filters dialog box is presented to allow the SUAs to be filtered by applying a maximum base altitude which must be a multiple of 100 feet and by specifying the South West and North East limits of the area required These co ordinates must be given in degrees minutes and seconds Nddmmss for North or S for South and Edddmmss for East W for West 9 2 12 Compile FSS TCC The principal reason for the inclusion of FSS TCC re compilation is to enable the creation of images using the specified area method In particular the co ordinate sections of the TCC data are not expanded so modification by hand is not possible 9 2 13 Compile APR This function will read and interpret a text file created in apr all format Unlike the other two compile functions CompileAPR updates the section of the ISAM database holding approach data and remains the only way of making changes to this section GPS Database Management Page 21 11 1 2011 9 2 14 Control File Operation For complex operations such as the creation of a whole world ISA
17. The GPS Database Management Package Table of Contents 1 Introduction 3 2 Requirements 3 3 Overview 3 3 1 Communications 3 2 File Generation 3 3 Database Management 3 4 General Guide to Usage 3 5 Benefits 4 Installation 7 4 1 Software 4 2 Hardware 5 Getting Started 9 6 Making a New Image File 10 7 Uploading a New Image 11 8 File Management 12 8 1 Binary Files 8 2 ISAM Database Files 8 3 Batch Update Files 9 Detailed Program Descriptions 14 9 1 GPS_COM Serial Communications Program 9 2 GPS_GEN File Generation Program 9 3 GPS_DBM ISAM Database Management Program 9 4 ConvAIR Airways Data Translation Program 9 5 RemDups Duplicate Entry Removal Program 9 6 AutoGEN Control File Generation Program 9 7 GPS_USB Communications Program for USB 9 8 GPS_OBS TAWS File Utility GPS Database Management Page 1 11 1 2011 10 Command Line Options 29 11 Technical Notes 30 GPS Database Management Page 2 11 1 2011 The GPS Database Management Package 1 Introduction The GPS models 89 90 92 95 190 195 196 295 296 396 496 695 696 Aera 96 96C II Pilot and iQue3600a hold a huge amount of information in their memory with up to six types of waypoint a routes database an almanac a track point file and special use airspace information In a typical Aviation Database there are 20 40 000 different waypoints divided into four classes and covering one third of the world There is normally ample room for a
18. ase without duplication or error and may also be used on an ISAM database generated from a later issue of the manufacturer s IMG file 3 3 Database Management GPS_DBM This program allows you to display select search for scroll through print and make changes to most parts of the ISAM database Sub sets of the data may be selected by country and or identifier All changes you make are also copied together with their date and time to a Batch file providing an audit trail of your actions There is no need to keep backups of the ISAM database since it can always be re created from the binary files and this Batch file If you make any serious mistakes the Batch file is easily edited using any text editor such as Notepad and the situation restored as above A full description of the format used is incorporated in the example Batch file supplied 3 4 General Guide to Usage This is a summary of the actions normally required to achieve various goals 3 4 1 Extract the awp or taw file from the issued exe file using WinZip 3 4 2 If this file is not an aviation database update use GPS_USB to upload it to your gps unit GPS Database Management Page 5 11 1 2011 3 4 3 If this file is an aviation database Create ISAM database on your PC using GPS_GEN and this file As a side effect of this you will find an image file img in the same folder 3 4 4 If you do not want to make any changes this image file can be uploade
19. ated Runways Frequencies Country and Place Names Since it is not possible to download this database from the GPS unit you must use a manufacturer s database update file as the source of this information Copy the file or files into your C AviaDBM folder Program WinZip will extract a awp or taw file from the exe file you downloaded from his web site Using the appropriate GEN program from the Select Required Operation dialog box which appears when the program is started choose Create ISAM Database in the Mode drop down and enter the full pathname of the image file in the Filename box Alternatively click the Browse button and find the file using the Select Image File dialog Click OK verify the details of the operation in the main window and click GO The program creates the ISAM database displaying its progress in the form of record counters in the main window When the Database Complete message appears exit from GPS_GEN and run program GPS_DBM The database manager displays the Airports window on start up Since you have no filters set the whole database is selected starting at the first airport Windows are available for simultaneous display of INT NDB and VOR sections activated by Toolbar buttons I N and V GPS Database Management Page 10 11 1 2011 6 7 Choose Filters from the View menu and choose your country from the Country drop down list and click OK All windows will re draw to
20. c GPS Database Management Page 32 11 1 2011
21. created by GPS_DBM Subdirectory DB50 now contains an ISAM database 8 1 Binary files There are two types of binary file recognized by their internal data format and carrying the preferred extensions img and gar The filename parts are your choice Each gar file may hold just one database chosen from USR waypoints Routes Proximity points Track points or Almanac An img file contains the whole of the Aviation section that is to say APTs INTs NDBs VORs SUAs FSS TCC and Approaches together with ancillary information Images generated by this package for the GPS95 are either 1048576 or 768432 bytes long depending on whether SUA records are included 1507328 bytes long for the III Pilot and 2Mb for the modern units 8 2 ISAM Database files GPS Database Management Page 12 11 1 2011 GPS_GEN and GPS_DBM expect to find the ISAM database in subdirectory DB50 of the current working directory If there is no subdirectory DB50 you are given the opportunity to select a DB50 directory anywhere on the system The ISAM database consists of pairs of files having extensions dta data and dtx index and self explanatory names There is rarely any need to have more than one set of these files on your disk but you can take a copy of them if you wish If any of the database files are absent both programs will create new empty ones when required so you may remove them in pairs or in groups as you wish Th
22. d using GPS_COM or GPS_USB 3 4 5 If you do wish to make changes use GPS_DBM to perform them on the ISAM data then use GPS_GEN to Create Image from ISAM and then upload this new image 3 4 6 This applies only to the APT INT NDB and VOR sections You can also make changes to these sections of the ISAM db using GPS_GEN Perform Batch Update together with a text file of changes in batch format 3 4 7 The SUA APR and AWY sections use a different method for making changes They have to be dumped in text format to a all file which can be edited and re compiled using GPS_GEN 3 4 8 Finally if the target unit is not the same type as the update file as will be the case for obsolete units the Create ISAM operation has to be performed using the GPS_GEN program appropriate for the update type and the Create Image operation using the GPS_GEN program appropriate to the target unit 3 4 9 Please also read the Release Notes for more detailed descriptions of recent additions together with the FAQ and Known Errors pages 3 5 Benefits While it may be desirable to purchase a new manufacturer s database update every two years say there are many simple but none the less irritating changes occurring every month This package enables you to keep your GPS up to date Once you have the ability to list out the information you will quickly see that the issued database is a bit short of detail in some areas For instance NONE of the UK airport Appr
23. dditional information The GPS Database Management Package allows you to archive list and make changes to all of this data with a basic set of three easy to use programs and many useful utilities 2 Requirements A standard PC is required running at least Windows 98 and up to 5MB of hard disc space To make effective use of the Aviation Database section it is also necessary to have a copy of the manufacturer s Database Update for one of the above models 3 Overview All Garmin Aviation handheld GPS units carry their aviation database in a compiled binary image file No matter what software is used to transfer the aviation database from your PC to your GPS it is an image file which is sent AviaDBM operates on image files which are given the extension img Garmin uses awp files which are merely image files with a header and a trailer GEN programs will strip this header and trailer when given an awp file and automatically create a img file with the same name in the same folder Any operation will do this such as listing one of the sections GPS_COM and GPS_USB send image files to a GPS unit via a serial or usb port GPS Database Management Page 3 11 1 2011 If you want to make any changes to the data in the image file it has to be completely de compiled into an ISAM database on your PC using the appropriate GEN program Then changes can be made to the ISAM data using GPS_DBM and a GEN program
24. ere would be no point in deleting the COUNTRY or NAMES files and leaving any others since without Countries and Names the information in the other files would be invalid Likewise you should not remove the APTS files without also deleting the RWYS FREQS and RESTR files You must NOT delete a data file without deleting the index file of the same name You can only transfer data from Binary files into EMPTY or absent ISAM database files The Create ISAM operation deletes the whole ISAM database and re creates it from scratch If you want to remove a whole section by all means delete its two files If SUA information was available there will also be a file named sua dat G3P_GEN G92_GEN G496_GEN and GPS_GEN also create a file named tcc dat containing the FSS and ARTCC data You must not mix database or sua tcc files which were created from different image files since most of the relational joins are expressed as record numbers It is also not possible to use sua dat files for a 495 496 with any other unit Only one Image file can be transferred into the ISAM database using Create ISAM If you need to add the data from other Image files it can be dumped to text files in Batch format and input as a Batch Update AutoGEN can be used to aid in this process 8 3 Batch Update files GPS_DBM opens the file upd_bat txt in the current working directory C AviaDBM immediately after locating the ISAM database If the file exist
25. f you want to start again Choose File Export to create a gar format file from the current database Support is included at this point for the different waypoint formats employed by different models making it possible to convert waypoint files from one model to another You can also dump them in Batch File format using File gt BatchDump 9 3 12 Routes To read routes into the RTE section make Routes the active window and choose File Import to add the routes from a gar format file created by GPS_COM If a route is already present in the ISAM database it will be replaced otherwise all imported routes are added Adds and Deletes but not Changes are allowed for single waypoints or whole routes When adding to a route any one of the five waypoint types is available provided that the appropriate window is also open If a waypoint is selected in a given window then details will be copied into the Add Waypoint dialog making the construction of routes a near Drag and Drop operation The default Add action is to add a waypoint before the selected one but this may be varied by clicking the Add After checkbox in the dialog If the Route Number line is selected then add after is automatic Wpt 01 will be added or for Delete the whole route will be deleted To add to an existing route a waypoint must first be selected in that route To add the first waypoint of a new route that route number must not exist in the database
26. h format for use in units which do not have these facilities Editing and re GPS Database Management Page 28 11 1 2011 compiling is not possible yet while terrain and safe taxi are not accessible by this program GPS_OBS dumps obstacles as INTs with idents contrived to indicate the max height amsl while VRPs are dumped as INTs with idents built from their descriptions In both cases where the generated ident conflicts with an earlier one it is changed by altering the final character or characters as necessary These files are plain text and can be edited before applying them to the ISAM database 9 8 2 Operation If you want the data in Batch Format this should be selected in the View Menu before opening a file because SaveAs will only save the currently displayed data 10 Command Line Options A Program Shortcut allows you to specify more than just the name of the program that will be run when you double click its icon You can also specify the current working directory Start In and place arguments after the program name If you find that you usually need to set something every time you run a program some of the options can be specified by writing them after the program name separated from it and each other by spaces 10 1 GPS_COM Options COMn Make COMnhn the default COM port in the Setup dialog If n is greater than 4 a new choice is added to the list and selected AVD In Host mode the program identifies itse
27. here is no way it can be held in the PC memory in anything like reasonable chunks I therefore decided not to hold ANY in memory every line is displayed directly from disk file Depending on the power of your computer and the amount of disk caching employed this will be more or less apparent when you search or scroll the display One line at a time is no problem one page at a time is more serious and dragging the scroll button up and down is really not advisable I would have disabled it if I d known how to Actually my latest PC can keep up with scroll dragging and I have also improved the performance by generating an in memory list of record numbers in the background Note the asterisk in the window title bar and the greyed print commands in the File menu during this process Do make use of the Country and ICAO filters they get you there much more quickly Note that due to a library restriction you cannot have more than about 2000 lines in a scrollable window so if you really do scroll through that many lines the end may be premature another case for using filters GPS Database Management Page 23 11 1 2011 9 3 6 Making Changes You can Add a new item in the active window at any time by selecting Add in the Edit menu or by the button in the Toolbar An Add or Change dialog is displayed into which you must put all necessary data To change or delete an item you must first select it by clicking on an item in the wind
28. issed manually before running the next Auto bat file After the first complete cycle Control4 txt can be re edited and Auto4 bat re run if different geographical limits are required or indeed if a different GEN program needs to be run 9 7 GPS_USB Communications Program 9 7 1 Description In addition to the facilities offered by GPS_COM on the serial interfaces GPS_USB includes the ability to upload VRP files from G496 awp files and Obstacle or Terrain files from taw files It will also upload SafeTaxi and AOPA files to models able to use them Apart from avdb image files GPS_USB does not place any restriction on which file you send to what unit relying on the unit to complain if it cannot accept the type of data chosen or its size For instance you can upload the European obstacles included in a G496 update to a G96 G296 etc quite happily whereas an attempt to upload a 221Mb terrain file to a G296 will end in failure when the unit s memory becomes full 9 7 2 Operation The program follows the lines of GPS_COM but has an additional database option VRP TAWS which should be used for uploading VRP data from a 496 awp file and TAWS data from taw files eg Obstacles Terrain AOPA SafeTaxi 9 8 GPS_OBS TAWS File Utility 9 8 1 Description GPS_OBS allows Obstacle and AOPA data from taw files and VRP data from awp files to be listed and saved in text format Obstacle and VRP data can also be saved in Batc
29. lf as a model 9SAVD instead of the default model 90 NEWPCL Make the new protocol the default setting G3P units only 89 In Host mode the program identifies itself as a model 89 92 In Host mode the program identifies itself as a model 92 195 In Host mode the program identifies itself as a model 195 196 In Host mode the program identifies itself as a model 196 295 In Host mode the program identifies itself as a model 295 3P In Host mode the program identifies itself as a model III Pilot d The GPS model identity is displayed at the start of a transfer Since the GPS190 and GPS92 use the same image gps_com treats them alike GPS Database Management Page 29 11 1 2011 10 2 GPS_GEN Options c XX N X i X AVD r P R d f F filename Set the listing filter where XX is a two letter country identifier Set the names filter Names must start with x Set the ICAO filter Idents must start with x Do not use SUA information in Create modes G90_GEN only Display record numbers Display picture info as hex digits Inhibit optimisation during Create Image File debug Display more info during Create Image File Scan the names table for corrupted terminators on opening an image file Useful for images dated before Dec 95 Run the program without user intervention by taking all parameters from the Control File filename 10 3 GPS_DBM Options c XX r P As for GPS_GEN Display
30. may be necessary to exit from GPS_COM and restart You should also try reducing the maximum permitted baudrate in the Setup Dialog possibly to as low as 9600 The shorter you make the cable the better 5 12 If necessary correct the cable and try again from the top You should now have a file on your hard disk called C AviaDBMuusr gar We will now list its contents on screen and print them on the system printer 5 13 If the Setup Communications dialog box is not displayed click the first Toolbar button the Lightning symbol or choose Setup Comms from the File menu GPS Database Management Page 9 11 1 2011 5 14 5 15 5 16 5 17 6 1 6 2 6 3 6 4 6 5 6 6 Select List from the Mode drop down and type usr gar in the Filename entry box You can also fill the Filename box by clicking the Browse button and using the Select Binary File dialog Click OK and GO The USR waypoints will be displayed and may be printed by clicking the third Toolbar button the Printer or choosing Print from the File menu You may also view the pages before you print them by choosing Print Preview from the File menu or write them to a plain ASCII file using Save As Exit from the program Making a New Image File The rest of the package is concerned with the maintenance of the Aviation database consisting of APT INT NDB VOR and optionally SUA FSS TCC and Approach sections together with associ
31. mg while the remainder should be given the extension gar If you have aviation database files with extensions awp im1 im2 rgl rg2 rgn you must first convert them to a img file by listing one of the sections using the appropriate GPS_GEN program 9 1 2 Setup Dialog The setup dialog is displayed automatically when you start the program Subsequently you may activate it from the File menu or from the first Toolbar button If the program is in transfer or listing mode you may have to select STOP RESET from the File menu or the second Toolbar button before Setup is available again 9 1 3 Modes The program offers Read Write Host and List modes in the Mode box Read mode extracts data from the GPS Write mode transfers data to the GPS and List mode will display the contents of any gar file in scrollable and printable form GPS Database Management Page 14 11 1 2011 Host Mode is provided in case you want to initiate data transfers from the GPS Interface page instead of from the PC In this case you cannot choose your own Binary file names rather they are chosen for you from a built in set all beginning with the characters H_ 9 1 4 Databases USR Aviation Routes Proximity Almanac and Track databases may be chosen in the Database box There are however some illegal combinations of Mode and Database the most obvious being Read Aviation List mode lists the chosen gar file and does not need to be
32. n the screen Choose the Record Numbers item in the View menu to toggle these record numbers on and off 9 3 8 Printing You can print the whole of the data in the active scrollable window by choosing Print from the File menu or the Print button on the Toolbar If you have not set any filters back up a truck of paper and go on holiday for a week Print Preview is also available from the File menu GPS Database Management Page 24 11 1 2011 9 3 9 Data Formats When filling in the boxes in the Add or Change dialog you should enter everything in the format used to display these items in the main window All alphabetical characters are converted to upper case so you can type them in lower case if you like This also applies to Batch files There is a concession with respect to the tilde character which separates the degrees portion of a Latitude or Longitude from the minutes part you may substitute a hash or a semicolon if you prefer 9 3 10 Accuracy The GPS unit keeps Latitude and Longitude values which the user enters via the keyboard to an accuracy of 26 binary bits This is roughly equivalent to 0 00016 minutes of arc or 6 feet in distance and far exceeds the accuracy of the unit and any of its display modes Latitude and Longitude in the Aviation section are only held to an accuracy of 21 bits giving a resolution of 0 00515 minutes or about 61 feet in distance The effects of this are visible when you
33. ny USR waypoints in your GPS yet there should be one placed there by the manufacturer the location of his factory Failing this please create one now the easiest way is to press AUTO STORE or Mark and ENTER 5 1 On the PC open the AviaDBMS programs group and run GPS_COM 5 2 The program displays the Setup dialog on start up already filled in to Read the USR database using COM1 5 3 If you are not using COM1 change the selection as necessary 5 4 Move the cursor to the filename box and type usr gar 5 5 Click the OK button a new dialog appears with GO and Cancel buttons 5 6 Read the job description in the main window 5 7 Make sure the GPS Interface page is indicating HOST or Garmin mode 5 8 Click the GO button the transfer should start and progress should be displayed on both the PC and the GPS 5 9 If nothing happens the chances are you got the wires wrong in the interface cable or there is a problem with the COM port 5 10 If the transfer was successful a Transfer Complete message will appear on the message page of the GPS Clear this in the normal way 5 11 If the transfer failed you should clear it by placing the cursor on the HOST field of the Interface page and change it to another mode then back to HOST again You will also have to reset the program GPS_COM by clicking on the second Toolbar button the Hand or choosing STOP RESET from the File Menu If the failure occurred after a baudrate change it
34. oach Frequencies are included in models prior to the III Pilot This ability to upgrade the level of information for your particular area is very useful As mentioned previously the BGA turning point database is easily accommodated by the units The recommended method is to enter them as NDBs with a new Country name UK BGA TP say and a recognizable frequency to set them apart from the real thing 130 10 perhaps On the other hand you may decide that you do not need NDBs at all and prefer to use this section exclusively for turning points The ability to up and down load data you have keyed into the unit gives you security against its loss from battery failure You may also keep more than one set of USR waypoints and Routes perhaps for different parts of the world and make hard copy listings of them GPS Database Management Page 6 11 1 2011 If you are like me you will also perceive great benefit from having complete control over a very clever little unit that cost you a lot of money Installation 4 1 Software The package comes in a self extracting exe file which when run loads the package into a folder of your choice on your hard disk If you accept the default destination C AviaDBM then after installation your disk will contain C AviaDBM Docs Release Notes pdf C AviaDBM Docs Userman pdf C AviaDBM Docs appendxa pdf C AviaDBM Docs appendxb pdf C AviaDBM Docs appendxc pdf C AviaDBM Docs appendxd pdf
35. omatically without user intervention For III Pilot models you can choose either although the new hardware units s w versions 2 10 and above seem to prefer the new protocol Earlier models automatically use the old protocol 9 1 9 OK Button When the Startup Dialog is completed to your satisfaction click on the OK button If there are any problems with your selections a message box will appear to describe it after which the Startup dialog returns If all is well complete details of the intended action are displayed in the main window 9 1 10 GO Button When the Startup dialog details are acceptable a message box with GO and Cancel buttons is displayed When you click the GO button the chosen action should commence Transfer times are variable the worst case being Write Aviation which can take up to 30 minutes at 9600 baud If you are uploading a img file to a modern unit the program will look for a awp file in the same directory This is because these units require a loader program to be uploaded before they can accept the img file and this loader is located in awp files Please ensure that the awp file is also for your unit type On earlier units feel free to clear any beeping messages from the GPS by pressing the PWR STAT key on the GPS twice The GPS unit will generate a message at the end of every transfer in addition if you have nominated any Proximity points a message telling you they are locked will occur at the
36. on by section The File SaveAs menu item enables APT INT NDB and VOR listings to be written as text files in one of eight different modes Complete SUA FSS TCC and Approach listings may also be written out in this way 9 2 2 Select Database Dialog This dialog box only appears if the program cannot find the subdirectory DB50 in the current working directory Use this standard File Dialog to find a DB50 directory somewhere on the system The program will not continue until one is found 9 2 3 Setup Dialog The setup dialog is displayed on program start up after this it is available via the Setup item in the File menu or by clicking the first Toolbar button If the program is in Listing mode you may have to select STOP RESET from the File menu or the second Toolbar button first The Mode box may be set to Create ISAM Database Update ISAM Database Create Image File List Image File Sections or Compile SUA FSS TCC APR or AWY Text For ISAM Database Creation the file in the Filename box must exist and be of the correct type For Image File Creation if the File exists you will be asked to confirm that you want to overwrite it In Update mode the file must be a plain ASCII file containing update commands as per the issued example files in the BATCHES subdirectory A Browse button is provided to assist you to complete the Filename box Listing mode may only be selected for img files
37. opean zones Although these new SUA zone types cannot be represented by earlier units I think I have made a better job of mapping them onto existing types and non 496 GEN programs will make these conversions if they find them in the data 11 9 Reports from the Batch Update process consist of a result status in brackets followed by the command which was accepted rejected These are DONE the item was absent and has been added ABS the airport does not exist add rwy or frq MODIFIED the item was present any differences were noted ERR NU item not unique specify in greater detail ERR FC not enough fields ERR F1 field 1 must be ADD or DEL ERR F2 field 2 must be APT INT NDB VOR RWY FRQ or USR ERR F3 field 3 is too long or contains illegal characters ERR CID DEL only Country Ident unknown ERR CTY DEL only City Name unknown ERR FAC DEL only Facility Name unknown GPS Database Management Page 31 11 1 2011 ERR LAT Not Nor S or missing ERR LNG Not Eor W or missing ERR CSP ADD only New Country ID not followed by name ERR DME Optional field in VOR not one of DME VOR VORDME VORTAC TACAN HIGH LOW TERM WX ERR RWY Runway description wrong format ERR LIT Unknown lighting descriptor ERR SFC Unknown surface descriptor ERR FRQ Unknown frequency type OK Add FRQ only Item exists as stated INTERNAL ERROR your guess is as good as mine Nov 2011 The Do
38. ow Then choose Change in the Edit menu or the 7 Toolbar button to obtain the Add or Change dialog and Delete in the Edit menu or the button in the Toolbar to obtain the Delete dialog Airports have Frequency and Runway sub sections which may also be selected added to changed or deleted Note however that brief runways those with zero heading displayed as can only exist on their own so any attempt to Add a runway in the presence of a brief description will become a Change operation on the brief runway Runways also have a Picture field depicted on the main display as p and in the dialog as runway threshold co ordinates and bearings The earlier models 90 92 95 require only one threshold whereas later models 3P 195 196 295 etc also require the co ordinates of the reciprocal end In addition even if not entering the runway picture details later models require the bearing if the icon is to have its stripe oriented correctly 9 3 7 Record Numbers If the program is called with option r the first column of all listings is the record number of that item in the ISAM database Unless you are really into debugging databases this has little value save to indicate where changes have been made you get a large and out of sequence number for a new record If you are using a low resolution display you may like to get rid of this column thereby shrinking the width and hopefully getting it o
39. s it is opened otherwise it is created with zero length Nothing will be added save for a comment containing today s date until a change is made to some Aviation data nothing is ever deleted from this file by the package It is a good idea to keep backup copies of this file since it will contain every change you have made to the database You can edit any mistakes you make using Notepad GPS Database Management Page 13 11 1 2011 If you like you can maintain your whole database using Notepad to create a batch file and GPS_GEN to apply it to the ISAM database without ever using GPS_DBM If you have just completed section 6 above have a look at upd_bat txt now Detailed Program Descriptions The programs will now be described in detail In addition to their basic functions they provide many supplementary facilities In some cases these facilities are duplicated between programs for instance you can list most things both direct from the image files and out of the ISAM database Appendix A shows all this in pictorial fashion 9 1 GPS_COM Communications Program 9 1 1 Basic Action GPS_COM handles the process of moving data in and out of the GPS unit In the PC all data transferred by GPS_COM is held in the form of compact Binary files which the program recognizes by their internal data format You should give them meaningful names so you can remember what is in them too Aviation Binary files should have the file extension i
40. show only waypoints with your country code 6 8 In the Airports Database window click on one of the Tower frequency lines It will be highlighted in blue Now click on the Change Toolbar button or choose Chg FRQ from the Edit menu The Add or Change a Comms Frequency dialog box appears 6 9 Make an alteration and click OK The highlighted item will be updated Now exit from the program and run GPS_GEN again 6 10 Choose Create Image File from ISAM database mode and enter custom img in the Filename box Click OK confirm your selections in the main window and click GO The program creates the new image file displaying its progress in the form of record counters 6 11 When Image Complete appears exit the program 6 12 If you are creating an image for an obsolete unit such as the GSP90 you should use the GEN program appropriate to your download to create the ISAM db and then the GEN program appropriate to your unit to create the new image 7 Uploading a New Image 7 1 This operation is irreversible in the sense that the original contents of your GPS unit can only be restored if you have the Image file it was loaded from 7 2 Run program GPS_COM and choose Write from the Mode list and Aviation from the Database drop down Enter the full path name of the image file and check that the correct COM port is selected 7 3 If your unit is a 196 296 396 96 96C or 295 the program first has to upload
41. that if you choose to optimize the countries file you will remove all the countries in the half of the world not represented by your database This will be a GPS Database Management Page 19 11 1 2011 problem if you have routes in your unit using aviation db waypoints since the country of each waypoint was stored as an index to the countries table and will most probably now be the wrong value This can be avoided by reading the routes out into a gar file where the countries are held as two letter idents and writing it back after uploading the new database 9 2 6 Accreditation It is important that the user of the GPS unit knows that he is using an Aviation database that you have modified particularly since any errors you might make could be blamed on the manufacturer To this end the title page is changed to read Customised DB although you have the option to set it to anything else and the Cycle Number Valid From and Valid To dates are all set to the date that you created the img file For modern units the copyright notice is changed by replacing the manufacturer s name with AviaDBM 9 2 7 Section Box For Listing mode the Section box enables you to choose the part of the img file to be listed In addition to the APT INT NDB and VOR sections offered by GPS_DBM you can also list the Countries and Names tables SUA FSS ARTCC and Approach sections 9 2 8 Filters dialog This dialog is available from the
42. the intended operation have been agreed a summary is displayed in the main window and a new message box with GO and Cancel buttons appears Click GO to start the operation A limits dialog will be displayed allowing you to impose geographical limits on the data being processed These limits can be entered as Nddmmss Wdddmmss where N and W can be S and E and d degrees m minutes s seconds The format must be exactly as stated and will be used to re display any entries Alternatively they may be entered in the form Ndd mm mmm Wddd mm mmm If you have chosen Create Database mode and a database already exists the program will delete it You may like to archive the files by making copies of them before they are deleted Image operations can take some time during which comprehensive details of progress are displayed As a guide my old 486 66 takes about 10 minutes to hack through a complete img file so I can imagine some lap tops taking considerably longer My Athlon 2400 does it in a flash You will see exactly how many items there are in each category as the transfer progresses 9 2 5 Optimization When creating a img file the program also optimizes the Names Runways and Frequencies by not including unused records This means that you never need to delete runways and frequencies when deleting an airport The View menu items Optimise and Optimise Countries may be checked unchecked to vary the default actions Note
43. tion is a byproduct of any operation such as listing one of the sections or creating an ISAM database on the PC 3 2 File Generation GPS_GEN In order to make changes to the aviation database the package requires that the data be transferred from the compact binary img file into a full relational ISAM database The particular program you use depends on the GPS unit you own G90_GEN is for the models 90 95XL and 9SAVD G89_GEN is for the model 89 G92_ GEN is for GPS Database Management Page 4 11 1 2011 models 92 and 190 G3P_GEN is for the IlI Pilot G496_GEN is for the 495 and 496 G696_GEN is for 695 6 and Aera and GPS_GEN is for all the remaining models The program handles the transfer of image data either into or out of the relational database and will be referred to by its generic name GPS_GEN from here on GPS_GEN also offers a Batch update service for the ISAM database so that collections of previously prepared additions or changes may be re applied if necessary in a fail safe way Batch files are plain ASCII text It is also possible to dump as much of the image file as you like into text files in screen format or batch format If you would like to add the British Gliding Association database of 1196 official turning points to your unit perhaps as NDBs this batch facility is ideal A BGA batch is supplied with the package Batch changes are fail safe in that they may be re played over and over on the same ISAM datab
44. told what type of data that you think the file holds 9 1 5 Filenames With the exception of Host mode all modes require you to fill in the Filename box If no path is included with the name then the current working directory is used If the mode is Read and the file exists you will be prompted to agree to it being overwritten 9 1 6 Browse Button The easiest way to fill in the Filename box is to use the Browse button which displays a standard File Dialog This may be used to select the file or to select the path to a filename which you type in yourself 9 1 7 Max Baud Units which are able to change the baudrate of their serial port will be asked to use the baudrate you have selected from the Max Baud dropdown list Some units can operate at 115k others at only 38k but the negotiation will not settle on a rate higher than you have selected If you experience any transmission problems the first thing to try is a lower baudrate The older the PC hardware or the longer the interface cable the more likely you are to get hang ups timeouts and re transmissions Garmin does not use flow control on its serial interfaces so you cannot use USB to serial converters which expect to be able to control the flow 9 1 8 New Protocol GPS Database Management Page 15 11 1 2011 Most units can use only one protocol either the legacy protocol or the new protocol encompassing mapsource uploads For modern models the new protocol is used aut
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