lbk

Ok so I'm just getting started on my project the majority of my components should be here next week and I want to address GPS First and Foremost. MP3, DVD's are nice but GPS is the driving force behind my project.

I already have my receiver which is great use COM and has worked with every software I've tried it with. So now I'm looking for feed back on the following packages.

I have:
Delorme Street Atlas 7.0 and 9.0 (9 I don't like, 7 is nice but old maps)
Microsoft Streets and Trips 2002
Microsoft MapPoint 2002

and the one that is at the top of my list so far is Teletype GPS. They offer routing from where you are and a lot of other features I like, they also have an SDK available on their website. The biggest problem I see with this one is it doesn't load all the maps on startup, but I want to see if I can fix that with the SDK.

What are opinions about these software packages? I've played with them all but only minimal.

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ddt

I'm sorry for getting off your thread topic, but you obviously know, so I'll ask.

What the hell is SDK? I've heard you guys talking about it but I haven't a clue.

frodobaggins

[S]oftware [D]evelopment [K]it

Filip

I don't know if you've seen this thread, but I've found it helpful for making GPS software choices:
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...threadid=12577

__________________
No Carputer YET.
A car I'm designing...

lbk

Yeah I did see that thread and it helped some, but no one mentioned Teletype which is the one that I'm leaning towards the most. I can't justify dropping another couple hundred bucks for the Co-Pilot software.

Anyway I'm going to check out the SDK and see if I can alter the interface enough to easily select maps.

digitallexus

I took a quick look at the so called SDK. Basically they document how to use their gps DLL to get raw GPS information. No big deal, you could just read the serial stream and get the same info.

Next they tell you how to control their app. Well, it turns out they are just giving you the menu ID's so you can send messages to the application to select menu options. How exciting.

In other words, their Sdk consists of information you could get from Spy++.

Of course I don't have the software so, maybe this is enough for people to automate the app and do useful things.

Just don't look for tight integration using COM or implementing your own custom UI.

lbk

digitallexus, thanks for doing my research for me

Actually that is specifically what I was looking for was a way to send menu commands. So now I will have to download it. What do they offer for doing the menu commands? Could you easily write VB code to do that? Sorry don't want to make you do all the work but figure if you already looked at the document I would go from what you already know.

digitallexus

You can easily use VB. Just locate the GPS app window using FindWindow and then send a WM_COMMAND along with the menu item ID using PostMessage.

Here is their readme file with a list of menu item ID's:

//Readme file
//Teletype Inc., Aug 30, 1999.

//This is a simple help file on how to communicate with TeletypeGPS application
//from your own appliation by posting certain messages to it.

//1. Find the GPS application main window
HWND hGPS; //global handle of the GPS main window
hGPS = ::FindWindow(TEXT("TTGWMain"), NULL);
if (hGPS==NULL) //no single instance of GPS.exe was launched
WinExec("gps.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL); //lets launch it; if gps.exe is not
//in the same directory as your own
//application, specify the path.

//2. Your application communicates with TeletypeGPS application by posting message.
// for example, if you want to load some maps, you can do as follows.
if(hGPS)
::PostMessage(hGPS, WM_COMMAND, ID_GPS_FILE_LOAD, 0);

//3. The following section defines all the messages that you can post.
// You can pass them as wParam to call
::PostMessage(
HWND hWnd, // handle of destination window
UINT Msg, // message to post
WPARAM wParam, // first message parameter
LPARAM lParam // second message parameter
);
//4. Also please find the demo application, CallGps.exe, and its source (using MFC). This demo shows how
// to post message to TeletypeGPS.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//messages and their functions

//load maps
#define ID_GPS_FILE_LOAD 32771

//unload maps
#define ID_GPS_FILE_UNLOAD 32796

//terminate TeletypeGPS application
#define ID_GPS_FILE_EXIT 40002

//zoom in the map
#define ID_GPS_VIEW_ZOOMIN 40003

//zoom out the map
#define ID_GPS_VIEW_ZOOMOUT 40004

//right shifting the map
#define ID_GPS_VIEW_LEFT 40005

//left shifting the map
#define ID_GPS_VIEW_RIGHT 40006

//down shifting the map
#define ID_GPS_VIEW_UP 40007

//up shifting the map
#define ID_GPS_VIEW_DOWN 40008

//automatically indicates your current position
//to be in the cener of the display window
#define ID_GPS_VIEW_CENTER 32780


//provides access to gps receiver configuration
#define ID_GPS_TOOLS_GPS 40012

//waypoint management
#define ID_GPS_TOOLS_WAYPOINTS 32797

//find your desired location
#define ID_GPS_TOOLS_FIND 40014


//read the help document of TeletypeGPS
#define ID_GPS_FILE_HELP 40020
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

grunar

So has anyone ever used teletype. This is the first time I've heard of it and it looks interesting. Defenitly cheaper then copilot or destinator. But is it as good. I found some articles online but they are really old. I'm looking for a review on thier newest version. Anyone have opinions?

lbk

I got my version about 6 months ago, and used it on my iPaq. It works really well for routing has very up to date maps, and overall I like it. Clear display, voice prompted turns, auto-center, heads-up option, and even a fixed scroll where it is always centered and the map moves underneath the vehicle (Note this is EXTREMELY resource intensive). It also offers ways to import your own maps from a variety of sources. Works with any NMEA compliant GPS.

That is the good.

The bad.
Seems to be pretty resource intensive if you want to load the entire US at street level.

No auto-rerouting feauture, you have to select it from a menu.

In order to do routing, you need to have all street level maps loaded, for any state you may be traveling through.

grunar

Thanks lbk. I read about the resource intensive part in the few reviews I read. And I don't like the no auto rerouting. I'm still going to consider it...because of the price difference. I wish they had a trial you could download.

lbk

Actually I think if you download the SDK from their site, it has a sample application. Just minimal maps. I think.

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