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- What Location Tools does?
Location tools is a multipurpose app using GPS data and tracking technology. The main Features are : GPS Tracking Engine, Satellites Info, Real time tracking of your Location, Navigation, Information for providers, signals, Altitude, Latitude, Longitude, ability to share your location, Find my parked Car with maps - live gps - address status, Find My Car WIDGET for your home screen, Record your routes.
- What requirements Location Tools has?
Location Tools Needs GPS antenna to be turned on, when you are using tracking services needs a network provider and a phone number so an active SIM Card installed, internet access to send location data for tracking services and for using Navigation Engine, an SD Card for the GPS Tracking Log Engine. *We Recommend in order for everything to work at 100% internet access must be available via 3G or WIFI every time you are using any function related with Location Tools. Also SIM Card must be installed and active at all times.
- Anything Critical i need to know?
Yes! You need to know that after market task killers and sms applications may cause serious problems to Location Tools. We recommend to use the default sms application and no task killers. Friedly tip : If you're running android 2.2+ you dont really need a task killer. Os is already optimized to handle just fine the background processes.
- Can u explain me how GPS tracking services works?
Ok let’s start configuring the preferences. If you want to use GPS tracking services the first thing you need to do is to go to GPS Tracking settings (in Location Tools main screen press the button GPS Track) and configure the preferences as you like. We will talk about them one by one explaining what is the best choice for you.
- Ok Start with the basics.
Ok then. The first setting is "Activate on Sms" and it’s pretty obvious what it does. When you select it you will enable your phone's ability to listen to out coming sms commands. That means your phone will filter all the incoming sms messages will receive and if the Sms have the keyword (that you need to setup in the settings) will do a specific procedure. Same Goes for the "Activate on Call" Your Phone will perform a task if you call it from a specific host phone number (You need to set it up in the settings. You can setup up to 3 different numbers). Finally you have the Email Remote Engine that will enable your phone to listen for email commands to a specific gmail address that you will setup ( Read below ).
- So I can start the Tracking Services with sms, calls and Emails?
Yes you can. You can send a sms command or call your phone from your specific host phone numbers (that you have already setup up in the settings). If you call it from a non-host number it will not perform the command (WARNING *Your Phone must not be in silent mode for the call commands to work*). If you want to use the sms commands your phone will listen from any number BUT it will reply ONLY to the host phone numbers for the GPS Tracking Engine. For the battery stats and the car finder it will reply to any phone number if you know the command.
- What is Email Remote Engine?
This is a new feature for the Pro users. You can send email commands to a specific gmail address. For example you can start the tracking services with your prefered command but with a simple email avoiding the sometimes painful sms cost. Please read the instructions from inside the Email Remote Engine's menu on how to do a proper setup and what to avoid.
- What is Command parameters?
The Engine will allow you to set/change/manage command parameters remotly without entering the settings of Location Tools.
How it works?
It's very simple, when you send a command from the list below you can add an extra parameter. The list of supported commands is:
- Spy Cam Command
- Spy Video Command
- Spy Rec Command
- Where's My phone Command
How can i use the parameters?
Let's asume that you know how to use the remote commands, the procedure is the same, you send the command that you want (ex: lt.ring.on) you leave a space and then you add the parameter.
The List below contains all the command and parameter combinations. Use them as you like (In the examples below we're using the default commands)
- Spy Cam Command Parameters
Parameter 1 : front (Take a picture with the front camera)
Parameter 2 : rear (Take a picture with the rear camera)
Syntax example 1: lt.cam.shot front
Syntax example 2: lt.cam.shot rear
- Spy Video Command Parameters
Parameter 1 : front (Record a video with the front camera)
Parameter 2 : rear (Record a video with the rear camera)
Syntax example 1: lt.video.rec front
Syntax example 2: lt.video.rec rear
- Spy Rec Command Parameters
Parameter 1 : 30s (Record audio for 30 seconds)
Parameter 2 : 1m (Record audio for 1 minute)
Parameter 3 : 2m (Record audio for 2 minute)
Parameter 4 : 3m (Record audio for 3 minute)
Parameter 5 : 5m (Record audio for 5 minute)
Syntax example 1: lt.sound.rec 30s
Syntax example 2: lt.sound.rec 1m
Syntax example 3: lt.sound.rec 2m
Syntax example 4: lt.sound.rec 3m
Syntax example 5: lt.sound.rec 5m
- Where's My Phone Command Parameters
Parameter 1 : 30s (Ring for 30 seconds)
Parameter 2 : 1m (Ring for 1 minute)
Parameter 3 : 5m (Ring for 5 minute)
Parameter 4 : 10m (Ring for 10 minute)
Syntax example 1: lt.ring.on 30s
Syntax example 2: lt.ring.on 1m
Syntax example 3: lt.ring.on 5m
Syntax example 4: lt.ring.on 10m
- What is the "Activate Logs" for?
You can activate the log engine and at the end of every tracking route (when we say at the end we mean when you going to deactivate the services via sms, phone call or manually) the system will send to your Host Email address a log file with all the tracking data. *To use this function you need to have a SD Card installed on the phone.
- What is the "Record Tracking Routes" for?
You can activate the Record engine and the phone will start recording all the routes that will follow until you disable the GPS Tracking services. All the routes are saved with date and time as a title and you can navigate to them and see them live on the map from your Gps Tracking Main Screen by pressing the My Recorded Routes Navigate Button.
- What is the "Start tracking on boot"?
You can activate this feature and every time your phone will reboot the tracking services will start automatically. This feature is great if you use your device for GPS Tracking only for example for your car or your child or as a spy phone or anything you can imagine. The services will start with your selected preferences so even if the phone reboots Location Tools knows exactly the previous state of the Tracking. "WARNING: This feature will not work if you have installed Location Tools on your SD card. In order for Tracking on boot to work properly please move Location Tools back to internal phone's memory."
- What is the password setting for?
Setting up a password is very important. You can protect your Settings and you can ensure that no one can manually close/open the Tracking Services without authorization.
- What is FTP Report Engine?
Its an advance security measure to help you collect all your system and tracking logs to your FTP Server. Tracking logs will be uploaded automatically every time the Tracking Engine finishes a Cycle. To setup your ftp server is easy just insert your server's details and test the connection. if it's successful then your ready to go, if it's not try again and check the path of the folder you added, if its valid and if the permissions of the folder are correct (775 or 777 is the best choice).
- What is Perimeter Zone Security?
Your can define a perimeter zone area for your phone and protect it from leaving this area without your knowlege. When you're going to open this setting you will need to wait 10 secs until the phone gets your location, then you can choose the zone area size and the alert action. If the perimeter zone is bridged then your phone will perform your selected action and will disable perimeter zone security option so you dont get spammed with messages. If you want to re-use it simple reopen the setting, wait for Location Tools to get your location and then enable it again. The Engine will stay active as long as the phone remains inside your specific zone area.
- What is Spy Sound Rec?
This Option is for activating the microphone of your phone and silently start recording. After the recording is done the system will automatically send the sound file to your host email address. You can choose the recording's process time from "Sound Rec Time" option ( File Type : 3gp ).
- What is Spy Video Rec?
This Option is for activating the microphone and Camera of your phone and silently start video recording. After the recording is done the system will automatically send the sound file to your host email address. Recording time is 30 seconds. ( File Type : mp4).
- What is Spy Cam?
This Option is for activating the camera of your phone and silently takes a picture and emails it to your host email address ( File Type : jpg ).
- Ok now tell me about the commands.
Commands are keywords you set up for your android to understand, when a message is received if it’s a command or a simple message.
*Car Finder command: When you will send this to your phone it will reply you the saved parking spot of your car and remind you the address of where your car is parked. (We will talk about car finder later).
*Enable GPS Tracking services Command.
*Disable GPS tracking services.
*Battery Status Command: To ask the battery level of your phone
*Activate where's my phone engine: This is for finding your phone in a small space for example your office or your home. The phone will start ringing for a specific amount of time in order to find it. No worries if it’s set to silent or vibrate, it will still ring
*Activating spy cam Engine, Spy video Recording, Spy Sound Recording Commands: These are commands you can send to your phone to activate Camera and Microphone Recording for a specific amount of time. After the recording is done you will get the file to your host email address ( File types are : Spy Cam : jpg , Spy Sound Rec : 3gp , Spy Video Rec : mp4 ). *You can enable only 1 function per time* For Example : You can send the Spy Video Rec command to campure a 30 secs video. After the recording is done the system will automatically send the video file to your host email address. Same goes also for the other 2 functions.
When your phone receives a command it will always reply to you what's the status of your request.
- is there any specific way to setup the commands?
Yes. Your commands must be unique. If the command is for example: "hello" when a friend sms you and says hello the phone will understand that this is a command and will execute the procedure of this command. So your commands must be something like the default ones. *ATTENTION* don’t use symbols in you commands because the app may crash on receive.
-Which are the default Commands?
Car Finder Command : lt.car.loc
GPS Tracking Activation Command : lt.start.track
GPS Tracking Deactivation: lt.stop.track
Battery Level Command : lt.bat.stats
Where's my phone Command : lt.ring.on
Spy Cam Command : lt.cam.shot
Spy Sound Recording : lt.sound.rec
Spy Video Recording : lt.video.rec
* We Recommend to change the default commands. *ATTENTION* Don't use symbols in you commands because the app may crash on receive.
- Ok Now what about the other settings?
- Log Data Type is for you to choose the data format that will be written in the log file (You must also activate the log engine in order for this to work).
- GPS Data type is for you choose if you want to receive the address and the speed of your phone (If the phone doesn't have internet and the address data type is selected will reply only the latitude, longitude and the speed because in order to calculate the address from a geopoint requires internet connection) or a Google maps link to open it from a browser and see the location on a map.
- Schedule Rate Option is for choosing what rate you want for your phone to know when to send you gps data (Time Rate uses an interval timer and that means if you select 10m the phone will send you data every 10m, if you select Distance rate the phone will send you data with no timer but whenever the phone will move a specific distance measured in meters)
-Host phone number and Extra phone numbers. These numbers are for where the phone will send the GPS Tracking data. You can setup up to 3 numbers and they can be your secondary phone and your family phones (You must at least setup the Host Phone Number in order for the services to work. *ATTENTION* Please DO NOT use symbols in your *Host Phone Number*. If your phone number is 2117133234 and you live in Greece, you don't need to add your Country code i mean don't use this format : +30211..... just write the phone number without the + symbol and your Country code like this : 2117133234 .The other two Extra phone numbers are not mandatory. If you don't need them leave them blank)
-Host Email address. You can setup your email address to receive notification messages about phone's location data when you have GPS Tracking Services on. Phone will not stop sending to your Host phone number no matter what but if you setup your email will send data to both. Email's format is better than sms because it can support Address, Speed and Link on Google maps at the same time. So we recommend using it.
"Select Spy Cam". Select which Camera will take the Spy Pictures or shoot the Spy Video Recordings.
"Spy View Background". Select from 3 options (black screen, android image, none) the background of the SurfaceView when the Spy Cam or Spy Video Rec is activated.
"Spy Video Action". Choose if you want the system to store the spy video file in your storage or send it to your Host Email Address. The big difference between these 2 options is that if you choose to store the file, the camera will shoot at HD. (To use this function you need to have the RearCam Selected from the option "Select Spy Cam")
"Ringing Time". Select How long the phone will ring when using Where's My Phone Command.
"Sound Rec Time". Select how long your phone will record audio when using Spy Sound Rec Command.
- After that? What?
After you have setup all the preferences as you like you can start using the services. Simply send the command from your second phone to your android and will be executed. It is very simple and safe. You data will be available only to you no one else will have access on them because no servers or web services are Interfering. You can also enable or disable the tracking service from inside the application. Simply press enable or disable in the screen of GPS Tracking.
- How long will it take to get a reply from my android?
Immediately! You will receive first a message with the estimated location of your phone. Then the GPS Provider will start initializing for accurate location. It depends from phone's position when you will receive the next messages from the GPS Provider. If the phone is in a basement it may take long to setup a connection with satellites.
- What about silent tracking?
When you sent a command to your phone via sms, Location Tools recognizes that this sms is a command and deletes it from your inbox immediately without notifying the phone user that a new sms arrived. Also when the phone replies to you via sms or email it does it 100% silently.
- How Can i keep the sms cost down?
a) Use the Email Remote Engine to send commands via email to your phone.
b) Setup the "Schedule Rate option" to use Time Rate and not Distance rate. The reason is because "Time Rate" option will make the GPS Tracking Engine to wake up and send you the location of your phone every (X) minutes (You can select how often you want to receive data from "GPS Time Rate" option). On the other hand Distance Rate will send you the location of your phone every (X) amount of meters and that means if you have selected to receive data every 500m and the phone is located inside a car and the car is moving with 150Km/h then you will be spammed with Location Messages.
*We suggest to decide wisly what option you want to use because both are useful for different kinds of situations.
- Can you please tell me About Car Finder?
Car Finder is very easy to use. When you finished parking your car you can open Car Finder activity, wait for GPS initialization (will take few seconds) and then press "Save Loc" a message will notify that you have successfully saved your parking location. After that you car's parking Loc is in Location Tools database and you can navigate to your car from wherever you are by pressing "Find Car". Also there is a small widget for your home screen that tells you the address of your car and by pressing on the blue car in your widget screen will open for you the Car Finder.
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