GPS to determine direction

[andy1]

Hello everyone,
A difficult question: my devices are missing a compass. Can I use GPS to determine direction? So similar to a compass.
Thanks in advance for the tips.

[TIMAI2]

Perhaps this ?

App Inventor Code Snippets | Pura Vida Apps

(You will need to set the imageSprite originX and originY to 0.5)

[SteveJG]

@andy1

Can I use GPS to determine direction?

Yes, by calculating a bearing from two different coordinates

Simpler if your device has an Orientation sensor

Make azimuth less shaky

i work on making a compass but its more shaky than stable due to azimuth there is any way to make azimuth more stable [shaky]

or very simply
make a on screen compass like a real compass using a compass rose image. It will always point and determine the direction of travel

[HQ2000]

Or, if you want your app to display „N“ or „SW“, you can use these blocks

[andy1]

Thanks and hello everyone,
The proposed ideas cannot work: as I said, there is no orientation sensor!
Best regards

[TIMAI2]

Then do as @SteveJG suggested, and use two sets of coordinates to calculate a bearing.

[SteveJG]

The math involving calculating a bearing from two points:

https://www.movable-type.co.uk/scripts/latlong.html

Some Blocks:

How do you calculate the "Course Over Ground" from location sensor infos?

Here is the algorithm I used to calculate bearing using the LocationSensor (not Orientation Sensor ) previous and current coordinates [bearingAbsolute] or [bearingAbsoluteA] Sorry, I don't remember if the first code image works or not but the second one does using Formula to Find Bearing or Heading angle between two points: Latitude Longitude - Capture a previous lat/lon from the LocationSensor.LocationChanged (where you were a little while ago ) and use the previous coordin…

Another way without an Orientation sensor (not sure the Map compass works without a OS but using the second link and its blocks certainly will I believe)

Obtaining the direction from the map componen

ShowCompass specifies whether to display a compass overlay on the Map. The compass will rotate based on the device’s orientation if a digital compass is present in hardware. This is discussed in Map. There is not any way to display the azimuth shown by that compass . The compass shows direction but does not provide a method for the user to display a numerical value. However, you can calculate the direction of travel using Blocks. The link shows one way to calculate a bearing using a Marker …

Obtaining the direction from the map componen

Good luck. A bit of caution; the Block solution to calculate a bearing from one location to another in the link I provided earlier is not very robust. It works but does not work properly for all situations. The following Block solution is more robust and should always calculate correctly. Sorry, only tested for locations west of the prime meridian and northern hemisphere. Other locations might require adjustments to the code. [BearingFromOneLocationToAnother] The simple solution using M…

Do any of these options work for you Andy?

[andy1]

Hello and first of all thank you very much,
I implemented it as in the example, but only ever gets 180 displayed. What am I doing wrong?
Best regards
kompass.aia (60.5 KB)

[andy1]

I only ever need one arrow that stays pointing north.

[SteveJG]

@andy1

need one arrow that stays pointing north.

I don't think you can point the North pole using this formula (the one from MovableType). The formula becomes unstable when one of the sets of coordinates approaches the neighborhood of the pole. You seem be trying to point at the North pole.

You are not going to build a compass doing that. The code was developed to be able to use for navigation way points. It does that quite well.

@andy1

What am I doing wrong?

I didn't thoroughly check your Math blocks for math errors and logic errors.

I am very busy today. If I can, I will post something that shows how the algorithm works late today or sometime tomorrow. In the meanwhile, someone else might post. You could use the advice @TIMAI2 posted using a destination north of you (high latitude, your locationsensor determined longitude). (but it also uses the Orientation component)

I build a compass like this:

using the Orientation sensor.

What devices are you using (the one without Orientation sensor capability)?

[andy1]

Thanks this is needed for the route guidance of some self-propelled mobiles. The equipment is pretty rudimentary.
Greetings