Unofficial MapThis!! (gracefully finished)

[deniska]

@Deniska
I was chatting about the "speaking" thing before...you said you and in7ane were working on this. Did you get some code down? PM me if you like a 3rd person on that...PLEASE

It's pretty much done, but I wanted to test it a bit more and have a better sound collection before it gets posted.
Basically we took a more generic approach in to voice prompts: every POI now will have ability to have an associated sound to it. (this way one can have a sound notification of a speed trap or mcDonalds nearby)... It will be up to a user to link it though... This is where in7ane's tool comes in. It's going to parse through the directions instructions and match sertain phrases in them to predefined soundtracks. (MERGE LEFT, SLIGHT RIGHT, etc) The vocabulary is going to be user configurable, so anyone with some effort could expand it to any size or tweak it to own language...

I'll try to wrap it up in a few days - as always with the source - for folks who wants to customize/ tweak it...

[atari800]

Expanded vocabulary.....Awesome!!!
I cant wait
/|\

[An0nJ0hn]

That sounds great Deniska!
I can't wait to try out the next version you release. It sounds like it could be a huge step toward matching commercially sold GPS units. Good stuff, man.

[SupRay]

Is there a site where I can d/l pre-made maps around the world? Im a dumdum when using that Google map extraction whatever.

After wandering aimlessly for the last couple hours I found this.

http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=33068

It is a very, very easy tool to extract maps. d/l from this link, extract, goto the "bin\debug\Google Map Download.exe" and away you go. I had to use the "MSN Map" option because I kept getting an error when I tried to use Google. I hope this helps.

Nice work in7ane, I just wish it wasn't so hard to find.

[Nocuddle]

After wandering aimlessly for the last couple hours I found this.

http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=33068

It is a very, very easy tool to extract maps. d/l from this link, extract, goto the "bin\debug\Google Map Download.exe" and away you go. I had to use the "MSN Map" option because I kept getting an error when I tried to use Google. I hope this helps.

Tried that. Still too complicated for me LOL.

[teosh1]

where to get the latest singapore map? I just loaded mapthis without map. any1 can help me??

[teosh1]

I unable to extract from map available in the net. Can any1 send me the readily map so that i can load into my psp and test run it??

[atari800]

semi update:
{granted I am just programming for fun - you have NO idea of how many compiles and drive I took to see if this works - like $100 in gas going around golf course neighborhood}

Anyways what I got-
Got rid of the MIDPOINT heads up
--nice to have for debugging but not really needed on winding roads with no option to turn to alter course

Got the blinders going
--so it reads what you next target is and not a random "left turn ahead" in a "right turn, left turn ahead" in a tight spot or ARRIVAL when you need to make a u-turn

Got a quasi-intelligent directional system
--so you dont need to have 2 maps (to , from) to get from here to there. If it determines you are going backwards on a plotted course - it speaks in opposite directions although the direction panel below says "right turn at..." it says left when you head home. No 2 maps needed. With me? thought not...

Got a green line over the red line when heading a direction
--more of a debugging tool for me that I thought looked cool. So I chalk it up to cosmetics and left it in there


What I dont have yet:
Stuff above in MAP UP MODE
--should take too long and hopefully not too much gas to test

Rewording the direction panel when going in opposite direction
--change it to read "TURN LEFT AT.." to "TURN RIGHT AT..." when heading home. String manipulation in C is non-existent....or I haven't learned the trick...one of the 2.

Making sentences:
If a quick - "turn right, turn left, turn left" are in the range together - make it say "turn right, then left and then left"...hard to queue up MP3's in a row

Stuff thought about:
Sonar pings when you get to a point of interest
--not a turn but like a store, restaurant, gas, etc. Give it that submarine sound - hell I pay attention to this more when I am driving than driving itself

Auto map zoom
--so when you are driving on a highway...the faster you go, the further out you see (zoom out). When you slow down, zoom back in. This is most of a self wish as I think if you hit that "sweet spot" at a certain direction or stop and go type traffic, if may be unwatchable. Unless I can figure out faster redraw mapping method or maybe a delay so it stays zoomed out until you slow down for a period of time.

Super wish - autoload all POI plots
-- why? if you have a bunch of courses, which all have plots, and they intersect, once you get on a known route - give "potential directions" based on intersections/crossovers and jump on that route. Kind of the "get me out of here" mode. This is beer talking - not a paper, pencil, programming effort

Superduper wish- watch videos until you hit a direction change
--now THIS would be the holy grail of tricks. Imagine - you converted a Simpsons episode to PSP format. Instead of using all the power to draw maps and refresh the screen and move stuff around, watch a movie and only show direction panel (below) and speak the action to take. Generally I know where I am going in the city, but a long term trip in an unknown area, might be cool. Kicker is...how to play MP4's vs. CPU power used for GPS guidance vs graphical overlays on a video is way out of my league. Stephan Hawkins, where are you??

I only get to work on this for an hour in the AM, a bit at lunch, and about 5 hours after work so .... there is a lot of wishing going on.


Friday I'll probably compile what I got and package it up for upload for you folks.



Also...something I notice:
I have now 2 GPS-290's both take as long to fix on sat's. However - even in rain - I can get locked on to sats quicker in 1 parking lot (open field) than the other. And stand outside of truck to get best reception. So, still figuring out WTF is the issue with that. Tonight...1:20 to lock-in in driveway....18 seconds to lock-in at barroom parking lot (in the rain)
I need to study the GPS locking routine....maybe there is a clue in there- what is considered a lock

Till Friday....
/|\:thumbup:

[BaDaPpLe]

Sounds fantastic! keep it up

[Ranmax09]

Atari800, is there anyway you can add a feature so that you can create a trip with directions with MapThis without the use of a computer? or is it not possible?

Anyways, Can't release for your next release!