Streets and Trips GPX problem with time

[RsH]

It turns out that Streets and Trips saves the time in Standard Time in the time zone. As a result I am in Eastern Daylight Time -4, the record says -5. While I know it should always show Zulu time, the fact is that it does NOT... so what now?

Extracted from the beginning of the file below...
<time>2009-09-03T22:00:07-05:00</time>
clearly shows the -05:00 when it is now -04:00 due to the use of Daylight Savings Time.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gpx xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1" creator="Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips" version="1.1" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd"><metadata><name>Testing GPX.gpx</name><desc>Data exported from Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips</desc><copyright author="Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips"><license>http://www.microsoft.com/streets</license></copyright><time>2009-09-03T20:37:05</time><keywords>Testing GPX.gpx, Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips</keywords></metadata><trk><trkseg><trkpt lat="43.7624461067136" lon="-79.412792649419"><time>2009-09-03T22:00:07-05:00</time><ele>205.9000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt>

[routeconverter]

It turns out that Streets and Trips saves the time in Standard Time in the time zone. As a result I am in Eastern Daylight Time -4, the record says -5. While I know it should always show Zulu time, the fact is that it does NOT... so what now?

Maybe another workaround that creates GMT/Zulu time out of the read time if the creator is "Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips"? (Like the speed Km/h vs. m/s workaround for Mobile Action)

[RsH]

It turns out that Streets and Trips saves the time in Standard Time in the time zone. As a result I am in Eastern Daylight Time -4, the record says -5. While I know it should always show Zulu time, the fact is that it does NOT... so what now?

Maybe another workaround that creates GMT/Zulu time out of the read time if the creator is "Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips"? (Like the speed Km/h vs. m/s workaround for Mobile Action)

Below is a stripped down example with the first position recorded, so you can see the -05:00 and the really dumb 13 decimal places of 'accuracy' for the latitude and longitude, which would be accurate to the width of a hair, if valid [which we know it isn't]. I suspect that for the 2011 version they might well have this corrected, since I've been in contact with the team at Microsoft and they now KNOW this is wrong, but the 2010 version is gold and out in the stores now.

Somehow I do not see them putting out a patch to fix this problem, which to them is likely considered minor [since MS tries to re-write standards all the time]... So we'll have to wait a year to see if this 'patch' needs any revision to the wording you search for, but for now that sort of patch would work...

Of course, it hasn't been tested in other places that use Daylight Savings Time, so it likely is unique to the time zones used in North America, where the program maps.

I loaded the Panama Canal GPX in and it showed up [pretty useless as you cannot zoom in to see anything] but then, Streets and Trips does NOT import the time info from any GPX file that is loaded in, so the issue only applies to an exported GPX FROM Streets and Trips 2010. Thus to examine the GPX file and get info like speed, time, etc., you need to look into the file itself or use a program like Route Converter to look at it, after the fact.

I could then save the results of using the GPX file in Route Converter to get the time info corrected, and THEN use the GPX file to geocode photos with the CORRECT time parameters in the GPX file, so that is one advantage of doing this sort of 'fix' via Route Converter, and I will point it out at www.laptopgpsworld.com, where Streets and Trips is covered in detail.

You might want to look for <license>http://www.microsoft.com/streets</license> as I hope they take this nonsense out for next year. What do they think they are licensing to you, in any case? GPX is not theirs to license! You'll find it in the extract below <grin>

Bob [aka RsH]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gpx xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1" creator="Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips" version="1.1" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd"><metadata><name>Testing GPX of path.gpx</name><desc>Data exported from Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips</desc><copyright author="Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips"><license>http://www.microsoft.com/streets</license></copyright><time>2009-09-04T15:29:26</time><keywords>Testing GPX of path.gpx, Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips</keywords></metadata><trk><trkseg><trkpt lat="43.7645156540322" lon="-79.4104635549121"><time>2009-09-04T19:10:03-05:00</time><ele>398.3000</ele></trkpt></trkseg></trk></gpx>

[routeconverter]

I could then save the results of using the GPX file in Route Converter to get the time info corrected, and THEN use the GPX file to geocode photos with the CORRECT time parameters in the GPX file, so that is one advantage of doing this sort of 'fix' via Route Converter, and I will point it out at www.laptopgpsworld.com, where Streets and Trips is covered in detail.

Hi Bob,

sorry, I'm still struggeling to understand what you meant with the sentences above and below:

You might want to look for <license>http://www.microsoft.com/streets</license> as I hope they take this nonsense out for next year. What do they think they are licensing to you, in any case? GPX is not theirs to license! You'll find it in the extract below <grin>

What I understood is, that if I'd fix the time you'd name RouteConverter in your review on www.laptopgpsworld.com?

[RsH]

I could then save the results of using the GPX file in Route Converter to get the time info corrected, and THEN use the GPX file to geocode photos with the CORRECT time parameters in the GPX file, so that is one advantage of doing this sort of 'fix' via Route Converter, and I will point it out at www.laptopgpsworld.com, where Streets and Trips is covered in detail.

Hi Bob,

sorry, I'm still struggeling to understand what you meant with the sentences above and below:

You might want to look for <license>http://www.microsoft.com/streets</license> as I hope they take this nonsense out for next year. What do they think they are licensing to you, in any case? GPX is not theirs to license! You'll find it in the extract below <grin>

What I understood is, that if I'd fix the time you'd name RouteConverter in your review on www.laptopgpsworld.com?

I've already pointed out Route Converter on that site in my review, but would ADD to that review by stating that Route Converter will correct the time problem that Streets and Trips has created.

[routeconverter]

I've already pointed out Route Converter on that site in my review, but would ADD to that review by stating that Route Converter will correct the time problem that Streets and Trips has created.

Date, time and especially time zones are not my friend in Java. Please try the latest prerelease 1.29.16 whether it works for you. I was very conservative and thus RouteConverter should convert the time from track (and only track) positions in a GPX 1.1 file with creator "Microsoft Streets & Trips" from the time zone to GMT.

On my machine, a position with "2009-09-04T19:10:03-05:00" is shown in the UI as "2009-09-05T02:10:03 AM" (local time: GMT+2) and stored as "2009-09-05T00:10:03.000Z" (GMT). Does that make sense?

[RsH]

I've already pointed out Route Converter on that site in my review, but would ADD to that review by stating that Route Converter will correct the time problem that Streets and Trips has created.

Date, time and especially time zones are not my friend in Java. Please try the latest prerelease 1.29.16 whether it works for you. I was very conservative and thus RouteConverter should convert the time from track (and only track) positions in a GPX 1.1 file with creator "Microsoft Streets & Trips" from the time zone to GMT.

On my machine, a position with "2009-09-04T19:10:03-05:00" is shown in the UI as "2009-09-05T02:10:03 AM" (local time: GMT+2) and stored as "2009-09-05T00:10:03.000Z" (GMT). Does that make sense?

The real time of the file was between 15:10:03 and 15:24:45 and the file was created at 15:29:26 showing that it covered 19:10:03-05:00 to 19:24:45-05:00 when it should have shown 19:10:30Z to 19:24:45Z if my math is correct. Or so I think. Let me try again tomorrow to create a path where I am definite on the precise time and look at it. Note that that 15:29:26 creation time is in the header information, created by S&T when I exported the GPX data, and is based on the actual time EDST in Toronto.

So you should be showing 21:10:03 I think if you are 2 hours east of Zulu time. I'm frankly not certain what they are doing at this point!

[RsH]

Just ran this for a few seconds. The time it was run was between 20:43:28 and 20:43:47 EDST, and it was saved, as below, at 20:44:49. Note that the time in the records turns out to be correct in Zulu time and the only error is the -05:00, which should be Z instead, as they are showing 00:43:28-05:00 when it is 00:43:28Z. Route Converter IS showing the right time in Zulu time in the list. I used version 1.29.2 and it showed <time>2009-09-08T00:43:28.000Z</time> in the output, which is correct! So go back to the way it was in Route Converter. It handled the time correctly and effectively ignored the -05:00. Microsoft still has it wrong, but your code gets it right. REMOVE the search for Microsoft Streets and Trips.

Bob

You can test with the following GPX file... which I named as 2009-09-07-2043EDST.gpx and which is really short.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gpx xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1" creator="Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips" version="1.1" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd"><metadata><name>2009-09-07-2043EDST.gpx</name><desc>Data exported from Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips</desc><copyright author="Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips"><license>http://www.microsoft.com/streets</license></copyright><time>2009-09-07T20:44:49</time><keywords>2009-09-07-2043EDST.gpx, Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips</keywords></metadata><trk><trkseg><trkpt lat="43.763504786035" lon="-79.4115973663143"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:28-05:00</time><ele>189.2000</ele></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7634842954675" lon="-79.411624687071"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:29-05:00</time><ele>189.4000</ele></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7634603898054" lon="-79.4116520078276"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:30-05:00</time><ele>189.8000</ele></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7634194086704" lon="-79.4117134795302"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:31-05:00</time><ele>190.7000</ele></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7633681822516" lon="-79.4117817814219"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:32-05:00</time><ele>191.6000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7633101256436" lon="-79.4118500833136"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:33-05:00</time><ele>192.4000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7632486539411" lon="-79.4119252153944"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:34-05:00</time><ele>193.4000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7631769369548" lon="-79.4120140078537"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:35-05:00</time><ele>194.6000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7631086350631" lon="-79.4121028003129"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:36-05:00</time><ele>195.8000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7627295595642" lon="-79.4124852909064"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:37-05:00</time><ele>196.9000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.76268174824" lon="-79.4125467626089"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:38-05:00</time><ele>198.2000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7625588048349" lon="-79.4126901965815"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:39-05:00</time><ele>199.5000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7624256161461" lon="-79.4128268003649"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:40-05:00</time><ele>200.8000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7623914652003" lon="-79.4128746116891"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:41-05:00</time><ele>202.1000</ele><sat>3</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7623743897274" lon="-79.4129087626349"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:42-05:00</time><ele>203.3000</ele><sat>4</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7623914652003" lon="-79.4129019324457"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:43-05:00</time><ele>204.5000</ele><sat>4</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7624153708624" lon="-79.4128882720674"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:44-05:00</time><ele>205.6000</ele><sat>4</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7624358614299" lon="-79.4128746116891"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:45-05:00</time><ele>206.6000</ele><sat>4</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.762459767092" lon="-79.4128609513107"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:46-05:00</time><ele>207.6000</ele><sat>4</sat></trkpt><trkpt lat="43.7624631821866" lon="-79.4128609513107"><time>2009-09-08T00:43:47-05:00</time><ele>208.3000</ele><sat>4</sat></trkpt></trkseg></trk></gpx>


Route Converter produced the following from the above file. So you can see the time is right! Not certain why you have the .000Z instead of just the Z but that is your call.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<gpx xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1" xmlns:gpxx="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3" xmlns:rcxx="http://www.routeconverter.de/xmlschemas/RouteCatalogExtensions/1.0" xmlns:nmea="http://trekbuddy.net/2009/01/gpx/nmea" version="1.1" creator="Generated by Christian Pesch's RouteConverter. See http://www.routeconverter.de">
<metadata>
<name>2009-09-07-2043EDST.gpx</name>
<desc>Data exported from Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips</desc>
<copyright author="Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips">
<license>http://www.microsoft.com/streets</license>
</copyright>
<time>2009-09-07T20:44:49</time>
<keywords>2009-09-07-2043EDST.gpx, Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips</keywords>
</metadata>
<trk>
<name>Position 1 to Position 20</name>
<trkseg>
<trkpt lon="-79.4115973663143" lat="43.763504786035">
<ele>189.2</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:28.000Z</time>
<name>Position 1</name>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.411624687071" lat="43.7634842954675">
<ele>189.4</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:29.000Z</time>
<name>Position 2</name>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4116520078276" lat="43.7634603898054">
<ele>189.8</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:30.000Z</time>
<name>Position 3</name>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4117134795302" lat="43.7634194086704">
<ele>190.7</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:31.000Z</time>
<name>Position 4</name>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4117817814219" lat="43.7633681822516">
<ele>191.6</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:32.000Z</time>
<name>Position 5</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4118500833136" lat="43.7633101256436">
<ele>192.4</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:33.000Z</time>
<name>Position 6</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4119252153944" lat="43.7632486539411">
<ele>193.4</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:34.000Z</time>
<name>Position 7</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4120140078537" lat="43.7631769369548">
<ele>194.6</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:35.000Z</time>
<name>Position 8</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4121028003129" lat="43.7631086350631">
<ele>195.8</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:36.000Z</time>
<name>Position 9</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4124852909064" lat="43.7627295595642">
<ele>196.9</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:37.000Z</time>
<name>Position 10</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4125467626089" lat="43.76268174824">
<ele>198.2</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:38.000Z</time>
<name>Position 11</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4126901965815" lat="43.7625588048349">
<ele>199.5</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:39.000Z</time>
<name>Position 12</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4128268003649" lat="43.7624256161461">
<ele>200.8</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:40.000Z</time>
<name>Position 13</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4128746116891" lat="43.7623914652003">
<ele>202.1</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:41.000Z</time>
<name>Position 14</name>
<sat>3</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4129087626349" lat="43.7623743897274">
<ele>203.3</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:42.000Z</time>
<name>Position 15</name>
<sat>4</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4129019324457" lat="43.7623914652003">
<ele>204.5</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:43.000Z</time>
<name>Position 16</name>
<sat>4</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4128882720674" lat="43.7624153708624">
<ele>205.6</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:44.000Z</time>
<name>Position 17</name>
<sat>4</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4128746116891" lat="43.7624358614299">
<ele>206.6</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:45.000Z</time>
<name>Position 18</name>
<sat>4</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4128609513107" lat="43.762459767092">
<ele>207.6</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:46.000Z</time>
<name>Position 19</name>
<sat>4</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lon="-79.4128609513107" lat="43.7624631821866">
<ele>208.3</ele>
<time>2009-09-08T00:43:47.000Z</time>
<name>Position 20</name>
<sat>4</sat>
<extensions>
<nmea:speed>0.0</nmea:speed>
</extensions>
</trkpt>
</trkseg>
</trk>
</gpx>

[routeconverter]

I used version 1.29.2 and it showed <time>2009-09-08T00:43:28.000Z</time> in the output, which is correct! So go back to the way it was in Route Converter. It handled the time correctly and effectively ignored the -05:00.

Ok. That is easy

I thought from your description that changing the -05:00 time zone information to GMT has to effect the time (which is reasonable). But bugs are never reasonable...

Route Converter produced the following from the above file. So you can see the time is right! Not certain why you have the .000Z instead of just the Z but that is your call.

That is a valid xsd:dateTime, too. And it's the one that the JAXB XML library likes to produce by default.