What is new in the Alpha 0_8_6 release [April 13, 2016]
- SNIP underwent a general rework of the loading logic in the Relay Streams Tab to make editing and adding streams easier. Now, rather than selecting an existing file with the list of casters to be loaded and run, the tool provides a dialog to add/edit a caster and to set various controls. This provides a cleaner user experience that is similar to the way many NTRIP Client tools have a dialog to handle similar connections. It also allows changing one stream without interrupting service on the other active streams. In addition, a collection of the user’s favorite settings for each mount point and for each caster are maintained to allow easy reconfiguration. All this new magic is found in the right-click Edit button. This article describes the new features in more detail.
- SNIP now ships with a set of serial port device setup scripts for the popular uBlox 6T and uBlox M8T L1-only devices, as well as setup scripts for the Hemisphere Eclipse family of precision L1-L2 GPS/GLO devices. These setup scripts are files with commands that provide common configuration values. They are used for setting the GNSS device to send only the desired information to the SNIP Caster. Users can easily create their own command sequences to meet unique needs as well. A new protocol decoder supports viewing the commands and replies for debugging use. At this time the Novatel OEM protocol is scheduled to be the next GNSS design to have scripts added and for native message decoding support. This article describes using the new serial command features in more detail.
- SNIP now provides a basic universal message decoder to augment the detailed RTCM3 message decoder which SNIP has always had. While the detailed RTCM3 message decoder provides an element by element view of the RTCM3 message contents in the streams in its own dialog, the universal message decoder provides a short summary of what protocol types and messages are present in the selected stream (such as NMEA mixed with proprietary data). Various stream monitoring methods are further described here.
- Minor changes in the way SNIP handles graphical charting when monitoring a stream were made to allow adding more chart types.
- The web site Knowledge base for SNIP has grown by over four dozen new articles since the last alpha release in mid-March.
- We expect to move to a beta release level at the end of the month. At that time we will open the door for wider testing and allow purchasing of SNIP by the general public to begin. To our valued Alpha testers: please continue to provide us with your feedback.