POSM DBF GPS Import Utility

The POSM DBF GPS Import utility will allow the user to import GPS data from a DBF data file. The data will be stored in the POSM database GPSImport table. Below is a screen shot of the utility after 22 records have been loaded from a DBF file.

To begin importing data start the “ImportDBFGPS.exe” program from a POSM folder. Select a DBF file with the “Load DBF File” button. A file open dialog will open with a DBF file filter. Select the DBF file to be used and then click “Open”.

The headers from the DBF File will now be loaded into the DBF File Header drop down box.
Select the appropriate POSM data connection from the Database Connection drop down. To open the POSM database press the “Load POSM Connection” button. The POSM GPS Field drop down will now be loaded with every column from the GPSImport Table.
The two databases must be aligned allowing the data to be imported into the POSM database. To create field mappings select the DBF File header and POSM GPS Field to be mapped. Press the “Add Match” button to add these fields match to the list. If a mistake has been made, select the field mapping from the list and then press the “Delete Match” button to delete it.
Once all of the mappings have been properly created the list may be saved by typing a name for this mapping into the “Load Saved Settings” combo-box. Press the “Save Settings” button to save the settings. If a previous settings mapping is selected from the drop down, those settings will be overwritten.
To delete a settings map, select the name from the “Saved Settings” combo-box and press the “Delete
Settings” button. The utility will confirm the delete with a Yes/No box.
The Load Settings button will load a DBF mapping from the stored settings file. While loading the settings it checks DBF File Header dropdown list to ensure the header file exists in the current DBF file. If a miss-match occurs it is not loaded. When the load has finished, the user will be warned if any header matches were not loaded.
Once the DBF and POSM Database connection have been loaded and the matches have been created/loaded, the data may be imported. Press the “Begin GPS Import” to import the data into POSM’s database. The Records Loaded label will display how many records were loaded. A message box will tell the user when the import has completed.
To synchronize the GPS data to POSM’s Observations the Sync GPS Data function will be used. Select the field that the POSM operator used to create Unique Field data from the “Obs Unique Field” drop down list box. To synchronize only newly added data, check the “Sync New Data Only” box. Otherwise the routine will search for all data in the GPSImport table that has a Null DataID. To begin the sync,
press the “Sync GPS Data” button. The software will report how may records is updated, and how many
IDs it could not match when is has completed.
Of all the fields that may be mapped the three most important are the UniqueField, GPS_Serial, and GPS_Date. These are the three fields that will be used to synchronize the data from the GISImport table to the Data table. If these fields have not been added to the Mapped Fields list when the GPS Data imported, the import will cancel.
Below is a sample of GPS Data imported into POSM’s database.