entering GPS info manually

cycleman · August 14, 2008

I am still working on keywording. I'm very slow.

in terms of geotagging my images - I use a garmin handheld GPS unit so I have the geo info. but I don't see any field in exif or IPTC for GPS info. how do I get this info into the unit using any of the programs I mentioned above?

the geo info is in my garmin handheld. I also create waypoints for the location(s) where I am taking the pics. so I could enter it manually if I could find the field where I could enter the info. I have looked for the field in LRoom, ACDSEE, Bridge, IMatch, and have not found anything related to GPS info.

I know that there are some programs out there that will take info off the unit and match it up w the dzate time info on the pics; don't know which wd be best to use.

I've googled this and haven't found a rsite that wd tell me where this field is. supposedly it's in exif.

I would love to get any info on this subject. thanks.

dick louderman

ivar · August 14, 2008

There are several programs that can automatically add the info for you, providing you can get your computer to access the data on your GPS. Personally, I use HoudahGeo, but there are others that work great, also.

Also, use the search in the toolbar, there are several thread on this subject. They have links to other software, also

Hope this helps.

cycleman · August 14, 2008

ivar wrote:

There are several programs that can automatically add the info for you, providing you can get your computer to access the data on your GPS. Personally, I use HoudahGeo, but there are others that work great, also.

Also, use the search in the toolbar, there are several thread on this subject. They have links to other software, also

Hope this helps.

thanks, Ivan, I don't have a MAC but I will search. thanks. take care!!!

dick

digismile · August 15, 2008

Dick,

I have recently gone through a similar excercise in trying to find GeoCoding software. I found this link to be useful.

There are many programs that work with jpegs, but I did not find a lot that will work with RAW files. I wanted my GPS info to remain with all the other metadata that I attach to my RAW files.

The PhotoTrakr GPS and software looks like a very simple to use hardware/software combination for geocoding your photos. You basically just clip their tiny GPS tracker to your bag, belt, camera strap, etc. and it keeps a track log that it uses later to match up with your photos.

Like you though, I already have invested in Garmin technology and wanted just a software solution. From the software mentioned in the link above, the one I finally settled on was GeoSetter.

This program is very easy to use and works perfectly with my RAW files. To geocode my photos, I basically do the following:

1. Turn on my Garmin GPSmap 60CSx whenever I go out to shoot. It is set to automatically create a track log (i.e. it records a point at a regular interval). You don't have to save a waypoint at each place you stop. Essentially, you just let the GPS "track" away.

2. When I return, I save the current track in the GPS unit. I use the Garmin Mapsource software (used to update and download data from your GPS) to download the saved track.

3. Later on, near the end of my workflow for updating my photos, I would now have my RAW photos saved and the track file saved. I can then run the GeoSetter program. I simply point the software to the folder with the photos, the folder with the GPS data, and basically tell it to update. You know right away how many photos were geocoded successfully.

What's really nice about this program is how it interfaces with Google Maps directly in the software. You can instantly display your photo's GPS position on Google Maps. And it also makes it very easy to geocode photos that you don't have any GPS track file data for. Type in your search in the Google Map, move the pushbutton if the position isn't perfect, highlight the thumbnail(s) that you want to update, push the update button, and you're done.

I have gone back and geocoded hundreds of photos previous to my owning a GPS. And the best part, this software is FREE. If you want, you can donate some money to the author, but it is not required. Just a simple little program put out there by a person with a similar need ...

Hope this helps,

cycleman · August 15, 2008

entering gps info manually
hi, Brad,

thanks much for your response!

I downloaded geosetter. looks neat. unfortunately, it desn't seem to be working. after install, it loads and the map area has a notice that the map is NOT on the geosetter website. I can't find a link on the website to the map. thatt apparently causes geosetter to go into a "not responding" state and I have to close it. I tried to enter the url for the locr map but that didn't solve the problem. do you lnow where the map is?

dick

digismile wrote:

Dick,

I have recently gone through a similar excercise in trying to find GeoCoding software. I found this link to be useful.

There are many programs that work with jpegs, but I did not find a lot that will work with RAW files. I wanted my GPS info to remain with all the other metadata that I attach to my RAW files.

The PhotoTrakr GPS and software looks like a very simple to use hardware/software combination for geocoding your photos. You basically just clip their tiny GPS tracker to your bag, belt, camera strap, etc. and it keeps a track log that it uses later to match up with your photos.

Like you though, I already have invested in Garmin technology and wanted just a software solution. From the software mentioned in the link above, the one I finally settled on was GeoSetter.

This program is very easy to use and works perfectly with my RAW files. To geocode my photos, I basically do the following:

1. Turn on my Garmin GPSmap 60CSx whenever I go out to shoot. It is set to automatically create a track log (i.e. it records a point at a regular interval). You don't have to save a waypoint at each place you stop. Essentially, you just let the GPS "track" away.

2. When I return, I save the current track in the GPS unit. I use the Garmin Mapsource software (used to update and download data from your GPS) to download the saved track.

3. Later on, near the end of my workflow for updating my photos, I would now have my RAW photos saved and the track file saved. I can then run the GeoSetter program. I simply point the software to the folder with the photos, the folder with the GPS data, and basically tell it to update. You know right away how many photos were geocoded successfully.

What's really nice about this program is how it interfaces with Google Maps directly in the software. You can instantly display your photo's GPS position on Google Maps. And it also makes it very easy to geocode photos that you don't have any GPS track file data for. Type in your search in the Google Map, move the pushbutton if the position isn't perfect, highlight the thumbnail(s) that you want to update, push the update button, and you're done.

I have gone back and geocoded hundreds of photos previous to my owning a GPS. And the best part, this software is FREE. If you want, you can donate some money to the author, but it is not required. Just a simple little program put out there by a person with a similar need ...

Hope this helps,

digismile · August 15, 2008

cycleman wrote:

hi, Brad,

thanks much for your response!

I downloaded geosetter. looks neat. unfortunately, it desn't seem to be working. after install, it loads and the map area has a notice that the map is NOT on the geosetter website. I can't find a link on the website to the map. thatt apparently causes geosetter to go into a "not responding" state and I have to close it. I tried to enter the url for the locr map but that didn't solve the problem. do you lnow where the map is?

dick

Hi Dick,

Didn't have any problem at all on my machine or my wife's. Just loaded it, left everything initially at default, and away I went. I just looked in the program, and the only reference to a map file is under File->Settings and then select the Map tab. On the map tab, the map file entry should be:

http://www.friedemann-schmidt.com/geosetter/gmap21.html

I looked in the help to see what this is, and all it says it that normally you should not change this. I have no idea what it does, but maybe check this entry.

The first time I started it, the google map was of Berlin.

cycleman · August 15, 2008

entering gps info manually
hi, Brad,

this is very interesting and strange. I entered the link you provided into settings and it came up blank.

I've emailed the author about this.

wiill let you know more later. thanks!!

dick

digismile wrote:

Hi Dick,

Didn't have any problem at all on my machine or my wife's. Just loaded it, left everything initially at default, and away I went. I just looked in the program, and the only reference to a map file is under File->Settings and then select the Map tab. On the map tab, the map file entry should be:

http://www.friedemann-schmidt.com/geosetter/gmap21.html

I looked in the help to see what this is, and all it says it that normally you should not change this. I have no idea what it does, but maybe check this entry.

The first time I started it, the google map was of Berlin.

cycleman · August 21, 2008

hi, Brad,

I think I might have some things figured out.

first of all, the map suddenly appeared on my last launch of the program.

I use the program in report view. it is slow in scrolling down or up. I did figure out how to manually geotag several selected pics with entering waypoint data from my mapsource file.

it appears that after you've done this, when you go back into the exif data afterwards, there is now a new bunch of fields under "gps". is it the case, then, that there is no "gps" field until a geotagging program has "created" it? in other words it's not like the other exif data fields, just sitting there blank. I could never find this field until geo info was written to it by the program.

thanks for pointing me to this program!!!!

dick

cycleman wrote:

hi, Brad,

this is very interesting and strange. I entered the link you provided into settings and it came up blank.

I've emailed the author about this.

wiill let you know more later. thanks!!

dick

entering GPS info manually

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