Introduction

This page documents the available means to install, create, and edit GeoDB Databases, and how to convert location data stored in a GPS into GeoDB databases and vice versa.

The GeoDB Data Tools archive provides databases and PC tools to work with GeoDB and with GPS devices.

The provided databases include over 700 world wide locations.

The provided PC tools are four PC applications to work with location data. These are:

• csv2gdb -- Convert a CSV location file into a GeoDB database file.
• gdb2csv -- Convert a GeoDB database file into a CSV location file.
• csv2gpx -- Convert a CSV location file into a GPX file for upload to a GPS.
• gpx2csv -- Convert a GPX file downloaded from a GPS into a CSV location file.

Table of Contents

Available GeoDB Databases In The GeoDB Data Tools Archive

WARNING -- Without a doubt some of these data are inaccurate!!!

These completed databases are provided so that you can get started putting locations in your GeoDB. However it is strongly recommended that you personalize your own locations using the tools provided and documented here.

The GMT Offset in these completed database are set to what it should be based only on the geographic longitude -- not actual civil GMT Offsets. Also, Daylight Time is set 'none' in all of these data sets.

Check the GMT Offset of the ones you keep and adjust the Daylight Time setting.

Databases Ready to Install into GeoDB

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Installing GeoDB Databases In Your Palm OS Handheld

Open your Palm Desktop, click on the Install icon, add the databases you wish to install, and then perform a synchronization.

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Create and Edit Databases In GeoDB

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Making Your CSV Location Data Files

These data are in a comma separated value (CSV) format. There is a problem with this format because of the European use of ',' for the decimal point, but this format was chosen because it is easy to create/import to other database software, such as Excel.

To create the collection of locations you want in your database, use your favorite text editor (e.g. NotePad, WordPad, etc.) or Excel, and open one data file. Edit this file by deleting the locations that you do not want. Check the GMT Offset of the ones you keep and adjust the Daylight Time setting. This is because GMT Offset in these files are set to what it should be based only on the geographic longitude -- not actual civil GMT Offsets. Also, Daylight Time is set 'none' in all of these data sets.

Save the edited file as some appropriate name. If you use Excel be sure to save the file in CSV format.

Continue to cut and paste locations from other location files until you have all the locations for your database together in one CSV file.
If you want to add your own locations use the exact format as in the supplied files. This is documented in Technical Information below.

WARNING -- Without a doubt some of these data are inaccurate!!!

They are only to help you to get your personal database started. Use this data as an estimate ONLY! Check it if it matters!

Raw Data File	CSV Data File	Comment
worldcity.dat	world.csv	All the data
uscity.dat	usa.csv	All of the Canada/USA data
europe.dat	europe.csv	Positive Latitudes and 24W > Longitude < 50E
canada.dat	canada.csv	Canada data
nonuscity.dat	nonus.csv	All of the rest of the world
nonusEast.dat	nonusEast.csv	Subsets of nonUSA data
nonusWest.dat	nonusWest.csv
nonusNorth.dat	nonusNorth.csv
nonusSouth.dat	nonusSouth.csv

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Create or Add To a Geodb Database Using Palm Memos.

This allows one to create a GeoDB location database from memos synchronized from the Palm Desktop.

This method is somewhat cumbersome because of a limitation to the Palm OS import/export size. Palm OS memos are limited to 4000 characters. Therefore be sure that any memo to be imported/exported meets these limit. This limit is about 110 CSV format location lines.

Create your location file for importation in a manner discussed above -- Making Your Location Data Files.

Rules for Synchronization and Import:

1. Memos to be constructed in the Palm Desktop are limited to 4000 characters.
2. This limit applies to the synchronization process from/to the Palm Desktop to the Palm OS.
3. GeoDB can hold an 'unlimited' amount of data. Thus to build a large database in your Palm OS, synchronize a number of memos to the Palm OS's MemoPad then import them into GeoDB.

Example of importing the entire US data into a GeoDB database:

1. In the Palm Desktop create a new memo. Call it, say, 'us1' on the first line. Save it.
2. Edit memo us1. Cut about 1/3 of the us.csv file and paste it into us1 starting on the line following 'us1'. (us.csv is 321 line so 1/3 is very close to the memo size limit.)
3. Repeat this for the other two parts into memos us2, and us3.
4. Synchronize the Palm Desktop and the Palm OS device. This will move the three memos us1, us2, us3, into the Palm's MemoPad. This will also save the current GeoDB database(s) to your Palm Desktop.
5. Open GeoDB. Use any or the 'New', Rename', or 'Delete' menu items discussed above to obtain an empty GeoDBData base.
6. Open GeoDB again (if necessary). The GeoDBData database will active and empty.
7. Open the 'Memo' menu. Import the three us1, us2, us3, memos.
8. Rename the GeoDBData database to be, say, 'USA'.

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Export Data From an Existing Geodb Database To a Palm Memo

This capability is most useful if you have created a database in GeoDB and wish to extract it so that you can add it to another database.

Rules for Synchronization and Export:

1. Memos to be constructed in the Palm Desktop are limited to 4000 characters.
2. This limit applies to the synchronization process from/to the Palm Desktop to the Palm OS.
3. This limit applies to the export from GeoDB to a memo in MemoPad.
4. Thus to extract portions of a GeoDB database you may have export the data to several memos and then synchronize them to the Palm Desktop.

Example of Exporting a part of the USA database:

1. Assume that you wish to export locations starting at Chapel Hill, NC. Open the USA database and highlight: Chapel Hill NC.
2. Tap Menu/Memo/Export. Choose a name for the memo, say USChap. Then tap From HighLighted. This is fill memo USChap with all of the USA database from Chapel Hill, NC up to Menominee, WI. Do not discard the memo.
3. If more data is needed that was not included in memo USChap, hightlight the desired starting location and export it to a new memo name. Repeat as needed.
4. Synchronize the Palm Desktop and the Palm OS device. This will move all of your Palm's MemoPad memos to the Palm Desktop.
5. You can now cut and paste the data from the memos you exported to a PC file for making your new database.

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Create a GeoDB Database On Your PC

You do this by creating a file containing the location descriptions in CSV format, and running the csv2gdb.exe application in a Windows Command window.

Create your location file in a manner discussed above -- Making Your Location Data Files.
For this example, call the CSV file you created: myLocations.csv

Build your database by running csv2gdb.exe in a Windows Command window:

1. Open a Windows Command window. Change the directory to the directory where you saved myLocations.csv. (Use the cd command.)
2. Run csv2gdb.exe by entering at the prompt: <path to csv2gdb.exe>\csv2gdb (E.g. \Palm\GeoDB\csv2gdb)

Create a GeoDB database for Palm OS GeoDB from a CSV format location file. Enter the name of the CSV location file [.csv]: myLocations The GeoDB Database name and the .pdb file name will the same. Enter GeoDB Database file name (case preserved -- 12 chars maximum) [.pdb]: Favorites Sort the database in ascending name order [y/n]: y Convert ddd.ddd to ddd:mm.mmm [y/n]: y

• The file extension .csv was automatically supplied for your file: myLocations.csv
• You do not need to sort the location name in ascending order, but if you were to add new locations to it in GeoDB, the new locations will be sorted into the database in ascending order. This might make them hard to find using the Find button. If you enter nothing it will be defaulted to 'y'.
• It is possible that the latitude and longitude data in the CSV file in the ddd.ddd (E.g. 33.697 degrees). If you would like it to be converted to the ddd:mm.mmm (e.g. 33:41.82) enter y. If you enter nothing it will be defaulted to 'y'.

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Extract Location Data From a GeoDB Database On Your PC

To do this we use the USA.pdb for an example:

1. Open a Windows Command window. Change the directory to the directory where the USA.pdb is located. (Use the cd command.)
2. Run gdb2csv.exe by entering at the prompt: <path to gdb2csv.exe>\gdb2csv (E.g. \Palm\GeoDB\gdb2csv)

Convert a Palm OS GeoDB database to a CSV format file. Enter the name of the GeoDB database file [.pdb]: USA Extracting location data from GeoDB database: USA Data saved in file: USA.csv

Upon completion edit the .csv file as desired.

If the database you wish to extract location data from was created in your Palm OS you can get it into your PC by synchronization. After synchronization, all of the GeoDB databases in your Palm OS can be found in a sub-directory of your Palm Desktop. It will be found in, for example: .../PalmDdesktop/<name>/Backup. <name> is the HotSync User Name.

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What Is EasyGPS and GPX files.

The data file used by EasyGps is GPX (GPS Exchange Format) -- an open source format. Using EasyGPS you can download/upload your GPS locations in GPX format.

Provided in the GeoDB Data Tools Archive are two PC programs to convert GeoDB CSV format files to the GPX format, and vise versa. Thus it is easy to work with your GPS and GeoDB.

You can get EasyGPS at http://www.easygps.com

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Extract GPS Stored Locations and Create a GeoDB Database.

1. Connect your GPS to your computer.
2. Execute EasyGPS. Download the locations from your GPS by clicking on the Receive icon.
3. Save the GPX file. For this example, call it: GPSfile.gpx
4. Open a Windows Command window. Change the directory to the directory where you saved GPSfile.gpx. (Use the cd command.)
5. Run gpx2csv.exe by entering at the prompt: <path to gpx2csv.exe>\gpx2csv. (E.g. \Palm\GeoDB\gpx2csv)
   

   Convert a EasyGPS GPX format file to Palm OS GeoDB CSV format file. Enter the name of the GPX location file [.gpx]: GPSfile Enter the name of the GeoDB CSV file (case preserved) [.csv]: GPSfile Enter optional CSV triple (GMT offset,E/W,DLS number e.g. 5,W,4): 8,W,4

   Note:
   The final prompt is requesting a 'GMT triple'. That is, what you would like the GMT Offset, GMT E/W and the Daylight Time information for each location in the CSV file. This is because your GPS does not store this data. Make it a value that is most common for all of your locations.
   The format to enter is (e.g.): 5,W,4 -- meaning the GMT offset is 5, it is west of Greenwich, and the Daylight Time is North American. (The values for the Daylight Time number is shown below in Technical Information.)
   If you do not enter a value it will be set to: 0,W,0.

6. The file GPSfile.csv will be saved in the same directory as GPSfile.gpx.
   Since the added GMT triple is set for all locations, you might want to edit this newly created GPSfile.csv file for some of the locations.
7. To create the GeoDB database, in the Windows Command window, run csv2gdb.exe by entering at the prompt: <path to csv2gdb>\csv2gdb. (E.g. \Palm\GeoDB\csv2gdb)

   Create a GeoDB database for Palm OS GeoDB from a CSV format location file. Enter the name of the CSV location file [.csv]: GPSfile The GeoDB Database name and the .pdb file name will the same. Enter the name of the GeoDB Database file (case preserved) [.pdb]: GPSfile Sort the database in ascending name order [y/n]: y Convert ddd.ddd to ddd:mm.mmm [y/n]: y

   Note:

   In the GPX format the latitude and longitude data is always in ddd.ddd (E.g. 33.697 degrees) format. Thus the CSV format file created in Step 5 is in ddd.ddd format. If you would like it to be converted to the ddd:mm.mmm (e.g. 33:41.82) enter y. If you enter nothing it will be defaulted to 'y'.

8. Connect your Palm OS to your computer. Install GPSfile.pdb in your Palm OS using the Palm Desktop.

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Store a GeoDB Database In Your GPS.

1. To do this, first change the PC's directory to the directory containing the GeoDB database. For this example we use USA.pdb. (Use the cd command.)
   
2. Run gdb2csv.exe by entering at the prompt: <path to gdb2csv.exe>\gpx2csv. (E.g. \Palm\GeoDB\gdb2csv)
   
   Follow the application prompts. An example follows:

   Convert a Palm OS GeoDB database to a CSV format file. Enter the name of the GeoDB database file [.pdb]: USA Extracting location data from GeoDB database: USA Data saved in file: USA.csv

3. To create the EasyGPS GPX file, in a Windows Command window, run csv2gpx.exe by entering at the prompt: <path to csv2gpx>\csv2gdb. (E.g. \Palm\GeoDB\csv2gpx)

   Follow the application prompts. An example follows:

   Convert a Palm OS GeoDB CSV format file to EasyGPS GPX format file. Enter the name of the CSV location file [.csv]: USA Enter the name of the EasyGPS file (case preserved) [.gpx]: USA

   The file USA.gpx was saved in the current directory along with USA.csv

4. Connect your GPS to your computer.
5. Execute EasyGPS.
6. Open the USA.gpx file.
7. Download the locations to your GPS by clicking on the Send icon.

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Technical Information

The GeoDB CSV format is:

name,latitude,N/S,longitude,E/W,elevation,gmtOffset,E/W,daylightCode

Example:

Potsdam NY,44.64,N,75.03,W,,5,W,4

The daylightCode is the same as that of the order of the menu:

0	No
1	Yes
2	Australia
3	Europe
4	N. America
5	S. America
6	User Defined

Note that the CSV data order is exactly that of the order of these fields in the GeoDB defining dialog screen.

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^*Program Changes starting at Version 1.0

1. Data and database for (greater) Europe added (V1.0 Bld:331)
2. csv2gdb was changed to truncate long file name (V1.0 Bld:402)

Future PC application releases will change the version number only for major changes. All changes will have an increasing Bld: (build) number.
Be sure that your application versions are up-to-date. Check the Bld: number for the PC applications.
To do this, in a Windows Command window, enter the application executable filename followed by /h. E.g. gdb2csv /h

The current Bld: is 402.