Location services doesn't work

[SamuelLindsay]

The location services on Mobile versions of WS don't work very well at all. This has been long awaited and would be incredibly useful, but it has not yet performed any useful function.
I have tested several times at different sites on different days on different devices and i have not had the GPS positioning work with any degree of usefulness.
The first issue I have is that the GPS utilities don't appear to work unless the device is connected to the internet (wifi or phone network). This doesn't make sense, as all the program needs is a GPS location to Set Location and track your movements. In a vast country like Australia where phone networks only cover populated areas this is very limiting. But you can still get GPS signals in the middle of a paddock in the middle of nowhere, so why you'd need internet connection is beyond me. Without an internet connection it will say "your current location is temporarily unavailable", even if it can clearly see the sky.
Secondly, it is wildly inaccurate. I can stand in one location, "set location" and then (without moving) check "My Location" and it will show my location up to 20m away! I understand there is inaccuracy involved with GPS, and a couple meters may be acceptable, but discrepancies of over 20m nullifies any potential benefit of locating oneself on a plan on site.
I have done internet searches to see if i have missed something, I have tried different project sites and different devices and different drawings, all with the same issues. I have checked the units of drawings and the orientation of north.
I have even used other apps to check my GPS location and found the co-ordinates to be quite close to those shown in WS, yet the app still won't accurately display the locations.

[dorit_visualtao · Accepted solution]

Hi Samuel, First of all, make sure you set your Geo Marker in AutoCAD. Second, you did mention checking the units in your drawing but just to make sure - the GPS uses meters\feet as measuring units, moving on the drawing accordingly. If the units in your drawing are different the result would be inaccurate. For example, if you move 30 meters the GPS will move 30 units in your drawing. If your drawing is in kilometers it will move 30km, if it's in cm - it will move 30 cm. AutoCAD WS does not require internet connection for GPS (it does however require it for opening a drawing if it wasn't previously synced locally - http://www.autocadws.com/tutorials/using-autocad-ws-when-offline/). AutoCAD WS uses your device GPS, so the accuracy depends on the device. Wifi is known to increase GPS accuracy, perhaps the device requires it when unable to find a GPS signal. With regards, Dorit