Add GPS Profile, deprecate Position Flags #749
Conversation
This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
|
The latest Buf updates on your PR. Results from workflow pull-request / build (pull_request).
|
This patch makes two major changes to address the current complexity of GPS Configuration. GpsProfile, a new enum in PositionConfig we will use to configure a pre-tuned selection of GPS settings. The aim is to replace the current 5 configuration options with a single user-friendly label that is tailored to real-world Meshtastic use cases. Based on a users selection of pedestrian, vehicle, or fixed position, we will apply different settings to GPS Update Interval, Position Broadcast Interval, Smart Broadcast Min Interval, Smart Broadcast Min Distance, and Position Flags in firmware. This should allow the apps to drastically simplify the position configuration shown to users. The profile will also allow us to support new features in firmware to improve the accuracy of our position information. For example, taking advantage of advanced features in GPS hardware specific to each case. We should also be able to discard some erroneous positions based on physically impossible movement. ENUM 0 corresponds to no profile, which should mean an easier transition, and also support the 'manual' use case for people like cynfab/gpsfan, and balloons/aircraft/boats. More information about the selections anticipated for each use case is available in this [google sheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-f9z5zx2VCYqE6ivYXm-XqtLeVZSGMKpC3G3wma6-vw/edit?gid=633840990#gid=633840990): This patch deprecates PositionFlags, which will now be selected in firmware based on the GPS Profile. PositionFlags has long been seen as a complicated and confusing burden in the apps. We determined that very few users use them, with the majority happy with the default set, and some of the 'advanced' flags don't even work.
caveman99
reviewed
Aug 30, 2025
8 tasks
This was referenced Oct 16, 2025
fifieldt
added a commit
to fifieldt/meshtastic-firmware
that referenced
this pull request
Nov 2, 2025
This patch makes two major changes to address the current complexity of GPS Configuration. GpsProfile, a new protobuf we use to configure a pre-tuned selection of GPS settings. The aim is to replace the current 5 configuration options with a single user-friendly label that is tailored to real-world Meshtastic use cases. Based on a users selection of pedestrian, vehicle, or fixed position, we apply different settings to GPS Update Interval, Position Broadcast Interval, Smart Broadcast Min Interval, Smart Broadcast Min Distance, and Position Flags in firmware. This should allow the apps to drastically simplify the position configuration shown to users. In this patch we take advantage of the profie to support new features in firmware to improve the accuracy of our position information. For example, taking advantage of advanced features in GPS hardware specific to each case. Because of this, some erroneous positions will be discarded based on physically impossible movement. More information about the selections for each use case is available in this [google sheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-f9z5zx2VCYqE6ivYXm-XqtLeVZSGMKpC3G3wma6-vw/edit?gid=633840990#gid=633840990) As part of the config screen simplication, this patch deprecates PositionFlags, which will now be selected in firmware based on the GPS Profile. PositionFlags has long been seen as a complicated and confusing burden in the apps. We determined that very few users use them, with the majority happy with the default set, and some of the 'advanced' flags don't even work. Depends on: meshtastic/protobufs#749
8 tasks
thebentern
approved these changes
Jan 2, 2026
Contributor
|
Tagging the app / client folks, but I'm definitely in favor of killing the position flags in favor of a simple list of profiles like this |
Sign up for free
to join this conversation on GitHub.
Already have an account?
Sign in to comment
Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.
This suggestion is invalid because no changes were made to the code.
Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is closed.
Suggestions cannot be applied while viewing a subset of changes.
Only one suggestion per line can be applied in a batch.
Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.
Applying suggestions on deleted lines is not supported.
You must change the existing code in this line in order to create a valid suggestion.
Outdated suggestions cannot be applied.
This suggestion has been applied or marked resolved.
Suggestions cannot be applied from pending reviews.
Suggestions cannot be applied on multi-line comments.
Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is queued to merge.
Suggestion cannot be applied right now. Please check back later.
This patch makes two major changes to address the current complexity of GPS Configuration.
GPS Profile
GpsProfile, a new enum in PositionConfig we will use to configure a pre-tuned selection of GPS settings. The aim is to replace the current 5 configuration options with a single user-friendly label that is tailored to real-world Meshtastic use cases.
Based on a users selection of pedestrian, vehicle, or fixed position, we will apply different settings to GPS Update Interval, Position Broadcast Interval, Smart Broadcast Min Interval, Smart Broadcast Min Distance, and Position Flags in firmware. This should allow the apps to drastically simplify the position configuration shown to users.
The profile will also allow us to support new features in firmware to improve the accuracy of our position information. For example, taking advantage of advanced features in GPS hardware specific to each case. We should also be able to discard some erroneous positions based on physically impossible movement.
ENUM 0 corresponds to no profile, which should mean an easier transition, and also support the 'manual' use case for people like cynfab/gpsfan, and balloons/aircraft/boats.
More information about the selections anticipated for each use case is available in this google sheet
PositionFlags
This patch deprecates PositionFlags, which will now be selected in firmware based on the GPS Profile.
PositionFlags has long been seen as a complicated and confusing burden in the apps. We determined that very few users use them, with the majority happy with the default set, and some of the 'advanced' flags don't even work.
Checklist before merging