Needed: BETA Testers for Google Earth Plugin

guino · 09-25-2006, 01:56 AM

Ok, so I was approched by a user requesting improvements on intergration between Goops and RR (Embeding, GPS handling etc). I was very inclined to do this work simply because of how nicely I was asked to do it.. So, I got in touch with Goop's author and he is a little tied up with family matters lately, so I made my own version of GPS integration for Google Earth. I may still add support for Goops features later if there's enough interest on doing so..

Anyway, before you go any further, here are the main things you need to know:
-This is more for a "WOW" effect than anything else
-This plugin ONLY works with Google Earth 4 (and hopefully above too)
-It is NOT recommend to run this on machines with less than 512Mb of RAM
-It is NOT recommend to run this on machines with less 1.2Ghz
-It is NOT recommend to run this on machines with less 32Mb of Video
-It is NOT required to have internet in the CarPC, but without it the only feature available will be to display the maps with GPS positioning.
-CPU load is considerably high while running this plugin, so detection of Gestures is highly affected. I'm still researching ways to prevent such issue -- at least outside the GE plugin screen. I'll probably work out a way to turn the GPS centering OFF while the map is not embedded on the current screen (This is what uses so much CPU).

I would like to have some feedback on how this works for different users since this was a hell of an API based interfaced WITHOUT any real SDK made available from Google.

Also, I have only made a "raw" sketch of what a skin may look like.. If any skinner is up to the task of making a nice skin for this, please be my guest. I would be specially grateful if someone made images for the Brushed skins. I would also be greteful if someone made a video of this feature working (since I don't currently have a camera myself) -- I must say I'm loving this plugin.

This is the latest version (for Google Earth Versions 4.0 to 4.2x -- can't say if it works on newer versions)
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/rr-p...ml#post1180835

Please follow included instructions for install procedures,
Guino.

JohnWPB · 09-25-2006, 05:13 AM

VERY Kewl Gino! Look out Street Deck

Just downloaded to test here on development PC, will see how that goes, and will test in the Car PC as the next stpe. WIll keep you posted along the way

EDIT:

Ok, sor far it's looking pretty good! I have still yet to get it to show my current position, via GPS, but I only started tinkering with it 10 minutes ago. I figgured a screen shot was at least in order

Here is a Video of RR-Google Earth:
(I appolagize for the poor quality, it was recorded with my QuickCam Orbit on a 26" LCD Monitor)

I uploaded another video done with a "Screen Recorder" but it's not much better as YouTube really compresses it, and makes it very pixilated.

Supergong · 09-25-2006, 09:06 AM

Wow Guino that looks amazing! Nice Job ! This is a feature i always wanted!
However i have some problems -> Could you put up a link to the version of Google Earth you are using?? Cause the latest beta iam using doesnt work very well with this plugin... the map always zooms out a bit and i cannot get it to stop! Also the flyto feature doesnt work for me ! So the route,playpause and so on doesnt work too!
And while i was trying this i asked myself if you could overlay Google Earth maps when using mappoint? Is this possible ?? I dont know how Streetdeck handles this cause i havent been able to try this yet!! Does Streetdeck overlay it over mappoint??? If thats the case it would be possible or am i wrong??
But i looked at the video and it works very well perhaps iam doing something wrong! Have to search the correct version of GoogleEarth!
Guino you rock!Thx man...
Supergong

JohnWPB · 09-25-2006, 09:28 AM

HERE is the link to Google Earth Beta 4 (The one on the right side of the screen)

Sonicxtacy02 · 09-25-2006, 10:51 AM

i downloaded this last week when it was first posted on the beta site(i think tuesday'ish) couldnt get it to do anything on my test machine. Has anything been changed since then?

ccsnet · 09-25-2006, 10:59 AM

Intresting... does "It is NOT required to have internet in the CarPC, but without it the only feature available will be to display the maps with GPS positioning." mean it has a way off caching ? I'm thinking cache a selected area while at home using broad band then go out driving ??

Terran

Supergong · 09-25-2006, 11:10 AM

Quote:

HERE is the link to Google Earth Beta 4 (The one on the right side of the screen)

hm this is actually the version iam using!! But it does weird things on my lappy....i can enter various addresses in germany and the flyto feature now works ok (had to use the english version) but after the flyto it goes back to a location in usa..Also when i start it from RR it goes to that location and zooms in!!! Routing and directions dont work up to now( iam testing with diffrent settings in GoogleEarth). Perhaps i´ll make a video cause iam confused why this happens..?!?
Supergong

Edit: ok i turned off gps and so it doesnt return to a destination in usa (stupido supergong). But i can enter a 1. address and can push flyto(works) then enter a 2. address and push flyto(works) but then if i press directions googleearth says it doesnt find results for my search??? why, cause the flyto feature works, so google knows the addresses !?! So no planning of a route-> no showroute,no play/pause etc.

guino · 09-25-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Sonicxtacy02

i downloaded this last week when it was first posted on the beta site(i think tuesday'ish) couldnt get it to do anything on my test machine. Has anything been changed since then?

Hell yes, it was very buggy back then, I'm still sorting out one minor issue.

guino · 09-25-2006, 11:56 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by ccsnet

Intresting... does "It is NOT required to have internet in the CarPC, but without it the only feature available will be to display the maps with GPS positioning." mean it has a way off caching ? I'm thinking cache a selected area while at home using broad band then go out driving ??
Terran

Hell yeah, I've cached my whole town (about 300Mb) and it works awesome.. I do have GPRS in the car (though I leave it disconnected most of the time), but that would be enough to connect and get directions or display a location on GE at reasonable performance -- since the maps are already cached.

You can also cache the maps on one machine and just copy the cache (2 files) onto the CarPC. There's a cache builder application here in the mp3car forums.

guino · 09-25-2006, 12:04 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Supergong

hm this is actually the version iam using!! But it does weird things on my lappy....i can enter various addresses in germany and the flyto feature now works ok (had to use the english version) but after the flyto it goes back to a location in usa..Also when i start it from RR it goes to that location and zooms in!!! Routing and directions dont work up to now( iam testing with diffrent settings in GoogleEarth). Perhaps i´ll make a video cause iam confused why this happens..?!?
Supergong

Edit: ok i turned off gps and so it doesnt return to a destination in usa (stupido supergong). But i can enter a 1. address and can push flyto(works) then enter a 2. address and push flyto(works) but then if i press directions googleearth says it doesnt find results for my search??? why, cause the flyto feature works, so google knows the addresses !?! So no planning of a route-> no showroute,no play/pause etc.

If you don't want it to zoom into the GPS position you should turn OFF the gps display -- you can edit the NET.KML.INI to where it doesn't fly-to-view automatically (set it to 0 -- Zero). Depending on how far you are from the location, it would be usefull to zoom into the location and return to the GPS position, that's why I left it that way. If you don't want it to return to the GPS position you should just toggle it off until you're done.

The main use for this plugin is the GPS display. Now, I can't guarantee the GPS directions will work, it does require internet.. I would think that if you can fly to the from/to locations that it would also provide directions. I would like you to open GE by itself (outside RR) and try entering the same addresses, see if it works, if it does work, post me (or send me a private message) with the addresses entered so I can check on what's wrong.. if not, GE may just not support directions for that location.. anyway, making GE accept the messages coming from RR was a hell of a job, so it may very well be that there's a bug in it.

Custommx3 · 09-25-2006, 12:14 PM

This is VERY cool.. reminds me of the mapmonkey plugin that was in development that has seemed to have died off.
Thanks Guino!

deus ex machina · 09-25-2006, 12:16 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by guino

Hell yeah, I've cached my whole town (about 300Mb) and it works awesome.. I do have GPRS in the car (though I leave it disconnected most of the time), but that would be enough to connect and get directions or display a location on GE at reasonable performance -- since the maps are already cached.

You can also cache the maps on one machine and just copy the cache (2 files) onto the CarPC. There's a cache builder application here in the mp3car forums.

Roughly how big is your town? I'd like to cache all of NY state. Am I going to have to free up 20 gigs?

ccsnet · 09-25-2006, 12:23 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by guino

Hell yeah, I've cached my whole town (about 300Mb) and it works awesome.. I do have GPRS in the car (though I leave it disconnected most of the time), but that would be enough to connect and get directions or display a location on GE at reasonable performance -- since the maps are already cached.

You can also cache the maps on one machine and just copy the cache (2 files) onto the CarPC. There's a cache builder application here in the mp3car forums.

Yeh I've seen it so it was a bit of a leading question really - ie had you built your own.

I have a realy use for this in the future for where I'm moving too... no need for routing there but over head view yeh....

Terran

JohnWPB · 09-25-2006, 01:09 PM

Does anyone know how Google Earth Cache's? For instance, if I cache an area at a high zoom level (street level), will GE be able to zoom out, or are they seperate images? I know when you cache a higher level image, that you can't zoom in, just don't know if it works the other way around or not.