Jirka Jirout

Of course it is Aychamo's decision, but I strongly disagree. A true front-end must provide the user with a standardized and consistent user interface for all the functions. So the functionality either has to be built-in or the front end application must be kind of operating system, providing an environment and API for plug-ins that implement the functionality.

If you just launch external applications using their original GUI, you do not have a front end, but only a launcher

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Bugbyte

I'd say short term, just set up a nav window in AMP that lets you see GE running underneath it. In that window, put some information you pull off of GPSD like speed and altitude, big enough to read when driving.

Later on, look at getting GPS2GE out of the picture so that AMP is controlling GE. That way AMP users can configure it for what altitude they want to view from, how far down to tilt the camera, etc. etc. For example, at a stoplight GPS2GE zooms out to give you an over view. Frankly, I'd like it to zoom in closer, the slower I'm going, so street names and stuff get revealed.

Isn't there a way to send Applescript commands to GE from Cocoa? I'm almost certain there is. In that case, it is pretty trivial to, for example, ask GPSd what the speed is, then send the Applescript commands to GE.

You'd also have to output the kml file from Amp, which is a pain, but should be straightforward. Anyhow, that's a longer term solution.

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Jirka Jirout

Last time I checked (beginning of summer), Google Earth was not scriptable. If this is still so, you can't send AppleScript commands to GE from any application or framework. Besides that, the GE seems to be written using some really obscure libraries and frameworks, so the common cocoa hacks and reverse engineering tricks do not work either.

Using JavaScript with Google maps seems to be the best method to integrate Google's maps into a custom product. There are still issues though (like you can't directly rotate the map, you do not get the 3D view etc.).

Bugbyte

It's got a couple of scripting commands. I opened the dictionary of version 4 and found these:

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blaforce

I like the RouteBuddy but I am still waiting on the features. It still doesn't do routing. I like what I see so far. The map shows my location and I can bring up points of interest. I purchased it now to support the project hoping it will be a solution for the mac. I would guess it will be another 4 - 6 months before they get routing working (being a programmer myself). The forum on their website is very helpful and they seem to be taking note to customer comments. They put out the software early so they can get feedback as they develop the software and add features.

aychamo

YUP! Check again! GE is Apple Scriptable (i'm so ******* durnk)(

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aychamo

Why don't we work together on some of this stuff man? I openly admit you can code circles around me, I can't grasp what is an object and what isn't, or whatever it is, or however it goes. But.. I think AMP is much more widely used than TatraApp, so if we combied forces.. hahah AMP is my first App for Apple I really ever made! Sitll drunk!

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JakobMetzger

haha, of course your drunk you posted 2min after the previous post(lol its my homecoming weekend and im ******* trashed, well coming down off of being wasted!!) just do w/e you want aychamo, this is your rodeo.

....(but GPS has got my vote for the next item on the list of to do's)

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Jirka Jirout

First - I do not think that the actual coding is your problem. I looked at AMP and the coding is rather clean. The biggest problem you have is design. The application is very monolithic and static, you are basically throwing away most of the wonderful functions Cocoa gives you. I understand it is so easy to get carried away by the ease of ObjC/Cocoa and just start writing, but I prefer to sit down and think first. Since the TatraApp host/mail application was created in late 2002, only about 50 lines were changed in the app itself. Although the whole thing has changed significantly, including the look and many new functions, all that was done in the plug-ins. From what I can see, AMP lacks some sort of this "basic framework".

As for the cooperation - all my code is available to you and if you have any particular questions, issues or problems, I can try to help you by looking at them, making some examples and pointing you in the right direction (ehm, better "the direction I believe is right :-) ). But I do not think that I will take any direct part in development of AMP as such.

aychamo

Jirka, thank you, and I will definitly be PMing you for this upcoming GPS stuff

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Guys, ok, what "options" should be on the little GPS overlay menu. The idea is to be small as it can be, but still provide some functionality. I'm thinking:

1. The internet access light
2. Time
3. some way to access the music pop-up control
4. and X to terminate it

That's pretty simple. Any other ideas? I had some free time today and finished the "QuickMenu" thing.

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Also, I'm thinking that this little menu should be on the side of the screen, instead of bottom. Since we have so much more horizontal space than vertical. Thoughts?

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pepsibobby

I think that about sums it up. Is it going to be a side app like the importer and other things? I think as long as when you press the button it takes you back to AMP its all good.

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aychamo

Nah, this will be a rather small addition to the core of AMP.

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pepsibobby

ohh good. then just have a back button like everything else.

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LightningMac

I think some type of smart switching, like you're in music and you want to get to the GPS screen to get directions, and then go right back to music. like a toggle switch. This would only happen if you started in GPS mode and then fast switch to the music screen, Amp would know that you were going to be switching between both while getting your location, so GPS would stay loaded in the background while was playing. Did all that make sense?

aychamo

Well, I just added a "QuickMenu" type thing, where if you touch (click) the upper-left corner of the screen, the blank area, it pops down a small menu to pick between the big 4 options (music, movies, photos, apps) and it instantly brings you there. So it actually works pretty well for getting you around AMP quickly. (I decided to add that, because I like to use AMP as my media center on my laptop while studying, and it got to be such a pain to be in the song view and have to hit back three times, then hit another button to go to the config screen. Now I can be there in less than a second.)

I know what you talking about, but I think I want to shy away from predicting what the user is going to do. I find that anytime I do something like that, I always end up wanting to do the opposite of what it makes me do. The quick-switch includes GPS, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Here's an interesting problem. Ok, you are in GPS, and you hit "back", should it close the GPS apps, or just leave them running in the background? I assume leave them running..

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