Garmin RR: Overlay and OSK for GMPC Updated 11/09/08

monkeyracer · 09-05-2008, 12:34 AM

Garmin Mobile PC with OSK integration with Road Runner.

>>>Download Here<<<
New User Guide available here

New version uploaded 11/09/08.

I present to the forum a fully functioning Overlay and OSK for Garmin Mobile PC. This will work with any skin, and has support for both 800x480 and 800x600 screen resolutions.

This uses ElCamino's Overlay Plugin, and Thunderstick's fast OSK script.

Support for those plugins can be found at the links above, but the most recent copy of each is included with the download here.

For this to work, you will need to open the included User Guide.ppt and follow the instructions provided.

The button in the top left corner (garmin rr) shows or hides the OSK overlay. 800x480 version shown, but 800x600 version is very similar.

Please post any issues, comments or suggestions with my OSK on this thread.

Enjoy!

FAQ

ElcosMenu.exe is hungry for memory - Download version 1.25 or newer from the OVERLAY plugin page

GMPC doesn't embed correctly - Make sure you are using the same resolution files as what is set in your skin's general.ini under "show width" and "show height" and that you have followed all the included instructions.

GMPC.skin has a strange background - Open up your skin's skin.ini and make sure the "background=" is defined. If you do not use a transparent skin (BMV2 for example) make this value RGB000000 (example: background=RGB000000) to make the background black. This screen only shows until GMPC loads.

This overlay and OSK doesn't load properly - New version updated 11/09/08, make sure you follow the directions provided with that version.

Garmin Mobile PC doesn't close properly when I exit RoadRunner - Make sure you have closeapps=true in your rr.ini, otherwise, open the "GMPCClose" folder and follow the instructions provided.

I don't see my skin's resolution available - I am always taking suggestions on new resolutions, and currently support 800x600, and 800x480. I am also currently working on 640x480, and 1024x600. Any other resolutions required, please leave a post on this thread. I have provided a set of Photoshop PSD images that you can edit if you would like.

I used DFX4.0's button editor, but it doesn't work right. - DFX4.0's button editor (and similar skins) doesn't add the necessary strings in order for this to work right, you will have to edit it yourself. In windows explorer, open up the folder that contains DFX, and find the menu.skin. Double click it (open with notepad, make .skin files default to open with notepad) and find where the GPS button is, and replace it as I've described in the user guide.

I am trying to change the button to the code you provided, but I can't find the right button. - There are a few ways to find the GPS button in your .skin file in notepad: (any one of these methods will work)
1. Find a button with "GPS" at the end of it, and replace it with "GMPC||RUNGMPC||GMPC_OVERLAY"
2. The second and third set of numbers in the commas are the location of the button's top left corner from the top left of the screen. for example;

Code:

B03,313,39,158,77,"GMPC||RUNGMPC||GMPC_OVERLAY"

313,39 = The top left of this button is 313 pixels to the right, and 39 pixels down from the top, 158,77 = this button is 158 pixels wide, and 77 pixels tall. Find the button with coordinates approximately where the GPS button should be, and change the code after the 5th comma to the above command.
3. You can also open the skin in RRskineditor and double click on the button to load the pop-up info box, and change the code next to the ellipsis (...) to the above command.
Make sure you save your new command, and open up RR to test to make sure it works.

I'm still having issues! Please Help! - If you did follow the instructions EXACTLY as provided, and you still have issues, please post them here. When you post your issue, make sure you include;
1. The steps you've taken to try to resolve it.
2. The skin you are using.
3. The version of RR you are using.
4. Attach a copy of your rr.ini and exectbl.ini, as well as the menu.skin (open it in notepad, and save as menu.skin.txt so it can be uploaded) from the skin you are using.
Without this information, it will be very hard for me to help figure it out.

Only for personal use, images copyright under prior art law, and cannot be used without express permission other than for thier original intended use.

borutcebulj · 09-05-2008, 12:49 AM

Just tested it, works like a charm. Excellent work.

brandensin · 09-05-2008, 01:50 AM

wow.. MR, I am not a garmin user but, a lot of people will appreciate this for sure.. Great work... U should post this in gps section as well..

maddop · 09-05-2008, 03:20 AM

This is fantastic! Works like a charm.
I only bought Garmin last week with the intention of knocking something like this up...

You've saved me alot of pain.

BIG WELL DONE.
Nice one.

blk02si · 09-05-2008, 09:31 AM

Overlay is a great start, its works ok over here except it takes GMPC a good 30-45 seconds to start up. Its really slow. That's not caused by your plugin but it makes it kind of useless for me to use GMPC in the car. Also the BACK button on the overlay closes GMPC, RR and Winamp. Seems like it should only exit the GPS screen

Also not sure if anyone else noticed this but Elco'sMenu.exe running this garmin overlay has a bad memory leak problem. Look at it in task manager as it runs. It rather quickly uses all the available RAM. Leaks about 2Mb/sec.

This screen cap was taken about 60 seconds after starting the overlay, with it idling.

May just be my setup/system, its a development build that's been hacked on pretty hard.

monkeyracer · 09-05-2008, 09:47 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by blk02si

Also the BACK button on the overlay closes GMPC, RR and Winamp. Seems like it should only exit the GPS screen

It just executes two commands: Close the overlay and return to previous caller screen. I did notice that if it didn't embed correctly, it just uses the skin you were in before it embeds (usually the menu.skin) and when the "exit" command is used from there it closes RR.

Make sure it's embedding in the skin and GMPC resizes automatically.

I only have a trial version of GMPC, so I'm not able to fully test this overlay.

You say it takes that long to start up? or do you mean to get to the main screen?
Once I get my version of GMPC, I was going to add some autoit magic to get through any nag screens that may come up.

Quote: Originally Posted by blk02si

Also not sure if anyone else noticed this but Elco'sMenu.exe running this garmin overlay has a bad memory leak problem. Look at it in task manager as it runs. It rather quickly uses all the available RAM. Leaks about 2Mb/sec.

This screen cap was taken about 60 seconds after starting the overlay, with it idling.

May just be my setup/system, its a development build that's been hacked on pretty hard.

I just now noticed that, it does that for my IG overlay too, but I never had any problems related to it, so I never checked the usage. That would be better suited to ElCamino for him to answer.

blk02si · 09-05-2008, 09:56 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by monkeyracer

I only have a trial version of GMPC, so I'm not able to fully test this overlay.

You say it takes that long to start up? or do you mean to get to the main screen?

I have GMPC with all of north america maps installed and it takes a long time to launch. If I click MobilePC nothing happens for about 30 seconds, then it will finally pop up, then about another 15 seconds of so for the program to initialize and be ready to accept commands.

monkeyracer · 09-05-2008, 11:12 AM

Have you tried preloading GMPC when RR starts? That should help with starting the program.

veiloctane · 09-05-2008, 11:47 AM

omg this is great thanks gonna give this a try this weekend........ you are my hero!!!!

btw nice instructions.

Fiberoptic · 09-05-2008, 01:23 PM

I blogged about this on the home page. Let us know if your bandwidth gets out of control and we can host the rar. Very cool.

Bimmerstyle · 09-05-2008, 01:34 PM

Can't get it to work properly. When I use this line:

"GMPC","LOAD;GMPC.skin||RUN;$garminpath$;!CDP",GMP C.skin

Nothing happens, only the overlay shows. No GMPC skin and Garmin doesn't start.

When I use:

"GMPC","RUN;$garminpath$;!CDP"

Garmin loads but at the wrong resolution and the overlay shows but not in the right place as Garmin isn't at 800x600...

When I use "GMPC","LOAD;GMPC.skin"

The GMPC skin loads...

So it's only when both are used in the same line none of them load. Individual they work.

Any ideas?

monkeyracer · 09-05-2008, 02:07 PM

I think you probably have done this, but have you set garminpath correctly in rr.ini?
GMPC should fill the skin dimensions if this is set up correctly.

monkeyracer · 09-05-2008, 02:10 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Fiberoptic

I blogged about this on the home page. Let us know if your bandwidth gets out of control and we can host the rar. Very cool.

I have plenty of bandwidth, but will probably dual host it with the forums here.

One thing to note with the blog is that this wasn't all my doing, I had ThunderStick and ElCamino's help, and I think credit should be shared. All I basically did was the graphics, TS did the script, and ElCamino did the overlay plugin.

Edit: btw thanks for the recognition! It's nice to be noticed.

EL CAMINO · 09-05-2008, 02:17 PM

agreed!!

Bimmerstyle · 09-05-2008, 02:32 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by monkeyracer

I think you probably have done this, but have you set garminpath correctly in rr.ini?
GMPC should fill the skin dimensions if this is set up correctly.

Yes the path is set correctly. It also runs when just using this part oft the line:

"GMPC","RUN;$garminpath$;!CDP"

But at the wrong resolution. And when trying to use the entire line, nothing happens. Only the overlay loads but not Garmin or the GMPC skin. I don't get it. It should work, I know, but it doesn't...

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