Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

GNUITE, is there any idea when you'll start making the big changes you have planned for the Mapper? I just got my car vent mount and can't wait for these awesome changes! Keep up the good work. My only suggestions is that some less information on the satellites is given on the main screen and more quick touch buttons are added. I love the idea of making the maps rotate for direction you're headed.

Thanks again.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I have to second the rotation. At the least a means to have the map show "UP" as the direction you're going in. I've made a few wrong turns trying to figure out if I need to make a left or right.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

This was a suggestion I made way back when for the 770. If the 770 doesn't have the horse power for map rotation, I would then prefer a flashing arrow pointing in the direction of my next turn.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

That That would make it more like navicore or other gps things. I'm not sure this product is
going in that direction.
On another note since I missed a few turns due to the screen not being lit, it would be nice for the app to light up the screen when important direction changes are coming.would make it more like navicore or other gps things. I'm not sure this product is going in that direction.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

All these new feature suggestions/possibilities sound great, and Maemo Mapper is already one of the best free applications available for the 770/N800.

Personally, what I'd like to see that I don't think anyone else has mentioned:
- Increased stability
- No-map mode (just display blank tiles, maybe a grid?)
- Ability to browse/search through the POI database
- High contrast mode (not sure how this would be done..)
- Thumb mode (put some big useful buttons on the left/right of the screen)
- An option to automatically retrieve the reverse route when downloading a route (and append/queue it to the first route)
- Further Open Street-Maps integration (ability to upload tracks/open browser with editor, etc.)

With all that said, Maemo Mapper is already great - anything extra now is just a bonus :)

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I think the Contrast issue is with the N800 (perhaps 770 but I don't have one).
I have to second the no-Map mode. It would probably be better than the bitmapped graphics that become as the program attempts to blow up a diffferent map. I think that may also help with stability as each time I've crashed the program it has been when it has tried to load a map it didn't have. Poof! Gone!

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Maemo Mapper keeps the screen lit when in full screen mode (and when you are moving). There is an option in the Settings dialog to instruct Maemo Mapper to keep the screen on (when moving) even in non-full-screen mode. Maybe this will suit your needs?

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I'm not trying to deflect the blame or anything, but many of the crashes that cause Maemo Mapper to die are caused by Maemo/Hildon itself, i.e. GtkNotebook (can seg fault when destroyed) and something surrounding bluetooth (can cause Maemo Mapper to crash when the GPS receiver goes out of bluetooth range).

I am still looking for ways to avoid the problems that cause the crashes.

Not sure what you're asking for here. If you just want a black screen, then create a new, empty repository, with no URL. Maemo Mapper draws a black square on areas of the map for which it has no map data.

cjackiewicz wrote the POI code, and I don't know enough about it to easily make those kinds of changes. It's certainly possible; I just want to focus on my areas of expertise first. Maybe ask cjackiewicz. :)

Maybe there are some image manipulation tools I can use to increase contrast. It might not look too pretty, though...

I like a clean user interface, but what kind of buttons did you have in mind?

Sounds reasonable...

You can always save your tracks separately and upload those to OpenStreetMaps (maybe after some modification).

I don't condone this, as it's almost definitely illegal on some level, and I'll probably get yelled out for even suggesting this, not to mention it undermines the entire purpose of OpenStreetMaps (to derive open-source map data)... But if you really wanted to "help out" OpenStreetMaps, I wonder what stops you from downloading routes from the GPX Driving Directions Web Service (say from "New York, NY" to "Los Angeles, CA", or from "34.05329, -118.24501" to "37.77916, -122.42005") and uploading the resulting GPX files (after some minor XSLT transforms) to OpenStreetMaps? ... :)

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I'm a bit surprised nobody mentioned this yet, but I think lots of people would like the ability to add kml-feeds.

It would allow easy import (lots of sites offer KML feeds for Google earth), and near-realtime display of POIs (if you can set a refresh time), and should be really simple, since kml is easy to parse.

I'm trying to hack an online FON access point list now, but it's really ugly since I can't do it in MM (don't know C), so there is an external app running besides MM.

Being able to also upload your own POIs into some repository would be a nice feature as well I think.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Some suggestions I have are:

- clearer voice synthesis (slower), multiple warnings.
- when you arrive at destination state on screen and vocally "Arived at destination," not geological coordinates.
- if < 1 km state in meters.
- ability to download route TO and route BACK on one click.
- if accidently leave route, give warning and when you arrive back on track continue vocal directions. Seems it stops vocal directions if you go off track, or cut into an old route.

Other than a few missing things this is an otherwise great application. Thank you for your hard work and effort.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Funny you wrote this. On one leg of my trip I couldn't figure out why the screen would NOT dim and it never occured to me that I was in full screen mode. I'll check it out.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Gnuite, Maemo Mapper is already one of the killer apps for NITs, but here is my wishlist for 2.0:

-Smaller GPS information display. Maybe skinable with transparency? Or maybe have a "full info" mode and one which displays a smaller but still useful subset? Most of the time, I just want a compass and to see how many GPS sats are locked in.
-Vertical display mode. It is much easier to hold the N800 securely with one hand while walking by slipping one's hand through the stand than by holding it horizontally. Combined with an auto map rotation function, a vertical map orientation would also display more of your upcoming route as well. It might also be nice to keep one's present location about 3/4 of the way down the screen to display as much of the upcoming route as possible. For car use, you are really much more interested in what is ahead of you than what is behind.
-Would be cool to export ones tracks to a variety of common gps formats.
-Would be cool to be able to do a screenshot of one's route from directly within the program. Even cooler would be to be able to specify a given zoom level and have the program build a giant map from all the appropriate tiles, plotting one's path along it. Would be very handy for those "here is where I went today on my hike/bike/vacation" type blog posts.
-database oriented map storage as an option. Storing tens of thousands of tiny images as files presents all sorts of filesystem issues.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Not to get impatient, but is there any estimate on a release date? I am looking forward to this more than the release of Skype!

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Try using "Lead mode" instead of "Auto-centering". While moving this will show you more of what's ahead.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I apologize if it has already been suggested, but an updated "you are here" icon (perhaps a large arrow like the garmins and navicores?) would be helpful. All too often I find myself searching the screen for the little blue dot, especially in bright sunlight while driving down the road. Perhaps I've missed the option to increase the icon size?

Thanks!

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

The option is called "Line Width" and is in the "Misc." tab of the Settings dialog. It affects both "marks" (circles representing current position or waypoints) and the lines between them (including the "velocity vector"). Perhaps it is poorly labeled... :)

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Mapper v2 multilanguage ? I can help for french.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Very new to use of Maemo Mapper with BT GPS unit, fantastic software gnuite.

Slightly off subject, but could we prepare and manipulate our intended routes and saved Tracks via a Personal Computer using something similar to http://routebuilder.org/ manipulating/updating and transferring them as seamlessly as possible between PC and Internet Tablets?

Perhaps there is something already available as I have not read through all Maemo Mapper posts/threads yet ? :o (GPX Driving Directions http://gnuite.com:8080/cgi-bin/gpx.cgi)

---edit---Here is an example of what would be really great to achieve in an automated fashion from a Nokia N800 in the future i.e. Planned Route, becomes a track taken with Photos/Videos along the planned route. Geotagged Picasa JSON/KML Output + Driving Directions = Instant Scenic Tours!

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I'm a big fan of maemo-mapper and mostly search geocaches with it.

When you do this the following features woulb be nice:
- Add POIs in the format 00° 01.000'
- Add a possibility to add a POI, that is 500m and in 35° direction from current (GPS location)
- Make a (switchable) sound if your GPS location matches exactly the location of a POI.
- Go to POI would be nice to.

All i can say it's a great program and i'm looking forward to V2.0.

Many thanks!!
asys3

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I have a very difficult time trying to figure out which maps and which zoom levels I have downloaded for Google Streets. Scanning the maps directory doesn't really tell me much because it's a bunch of non-intuitive numbers.

What I might be suggesting is a method that Garmin MapSource uses. When you look at the US map in the county selection mode, you see the counties that you have selected to your Garmin. The selected counties show up in pink instead of white. Could we have a helper application that is run outside of Maemo=Mapper that will look at the maps directory and show you what regions have been downloaded. Maybe the user could select a zoomlevel at a time.

As a side note, I am having trouble using mt.google.com to select and download groups of maps to my PC. Is there a tutorial anywhere that I can refer to?

(Maemo=Mapper is definitely a killer app...it would be great having it run on a Linux or Windows machine)

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

You can run Maemo Mapper on Linux inside the Maemo SDK, if you are motivated enough...

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

To bring my deposit up to $0.06 thus in far in this thread, i have another idea...

Possibly make route, waypoint and poi icons/lines size indepent. I like having the big blue dot representing me as i rip down the broad green road that lies ahead...leaving only an ominous red streak in my wake. All of a sudden I blast into town only to find myself completely shadowed and overtaken by a vast sea of violet squares!!

...or perhaps you could just make the poi's size independent of everything else - ''we're runnin outa gas, where's the nearest BP?!...These things are starting to descend!!''

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

The sizes only affect drawn lines and circles, not bitmaps. You can use your own JPGs or PNGs for the POIs. Search the forums for how to do this.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

I keep getting ?error in map downloading? when I try to download new areas, anyone else getting this message?

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

A request for MM2.0. Single click on a POI will give you the name, as it does now but a double click will center it on screen.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Hey Guys, I have a couple more ideas to bounce against you. Let me know what you think.

First of all, I'd like to add an option to repositories to allow them to work without a cache at all. This means that, whenever a new tile is needed (i.e. not already drawn on the screen), Maemo Mapper will have to download it - it won't try to retrieve it from a cache database, because there won't be a cache database (for that particular repository). It's a bit of extra work, but I think it's definitely doable. But is it worth the effort?

Actually, cacheless repos are really only useful in and of themselves if you don't want to use your file system space for storing maps. But, they're especially useful in conjunction with transient map sources, like traffic data. Unfortunately, Google treats traffic data (like "hybrid map" data) as a separate layer, which Maemo Mapper 1.x doesn't support. Soooo... Idea #2 for Maemo Mapper 2.x is to support layered repositories. Basically, you can enable any or all of the repositories, and Maemo Mapper will draw them on top of each other (in the order you specify). Of course, top layers will need to have transparency for it to be effective. This might seriously slow down Maemo Mapper's drawing speed (transparency is hard), but it will only slow down when new maps have to be drawn on-screen (not for simple, short-distance panning). Of course, you don't have to use them if you don't like the slowness.

Layering would allow the use of Google's traffic overlay as well as their hybrid overlay. (Virtual Earth's hybrid maps don't use an overlay, so you can use them in Maemo Mapper v1.x.)

So, what do you guys think? Should I take the extra time to implement one or both of these ideas? Would anyone find it useful?

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Panning will work differently in 2.0. You will tap and drag the stylus to pan. Single-clicking on an area will display detailed information about a POI or waypoint (as it does now), and double-clicking on any point will center the map on that point.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Something I'd like to see which is, I hope a simple change:

Pressing the center button cycles through the auto-center modes. If I'm scrolling around and accidentally press the button I lose the position I was looking at.

How about the button cycles through three modes - the two auto-center ones and then back to the last manually-scrolled position?

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Hi gnuite,

Thanks for the report/ideas! Living in southern California, I'd love traffic capabilities added to Maemo Mapper.

Regards,

Cecil

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

This is my first post, so I want to start positive. I've been using Maemo Mapper for a couple of months with my LD-1W. I have previously used a Garmin 76CS, and since I work for Nokia get free licenses for Wayfinder 7 (on E90 and E61i), Telmap Nav and 'Maps' on E90. My point is that right now I prefer Mapper because of the quality and size of the maps.

Anyway, my suggestion: I like to use the 'Auto-update' checkbox when I >Download a route. However, it would be better (less CPU, less data, less distraction) if it only updated when you were off course. It would be nice if how far off course before update could be configurable too.

It is a little annoying that every few seconds my route is being 'recalculated' because the status dialog overlaps the turn directions.

Did I miss something or is there a way to only update my route only when I am off course?

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Good idea!

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

A minor suggestion. I have reconfigured my Hardware keys so that '>' (right) is 'Select Next Repository'. It would be nice if I could configure '<' left to be 'Select *Previous* Repository'.

An unrelated suggestion: The scale box at the bottom could be larger.

Finally, if it's possible to control the brightness from Mapper maybe increase/decrease brightness could be added to the cofigurable commands *OR* if you could schedule times of the day when the screen would be bright or dim. I find that when I use my tablet at night (at home) I turn the brightness way down. The next day when I navigate I have to increase the brightness.

Thanks again for a great program.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

First off, great app! I'm getting more and more used to it especially when walking around the city. One of these days I'll figure out how POIs work ;-) Maybe there could be a POI mode where clicking on the map opens a dialog to add a POI, just name and category.

Another suggestions. Would it make sense to have zoom levels definable where only selected levels would be used in both zoom and automatic download? This could help keep down the amount of storage used.

Again, thanks for great work!

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

In version 1.4.6...
Touch and hold a place on the map ->Location->add poi...

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Maemo Mapper should only update your route when you're off course, but of course, the judgement of "off course" is left to the application. I made a guess that figures when you're off course, but I guess in your case, the guess is too conservative. I'll consider making the sensitivity an option, but these things are hard to make configurable without confusing the average user.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

What are you asking for? That feature is already there....

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Never knew that. Just tried it out. Great tip!

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Hi gnuite,
So you always should be online to use this. In my region / state this is not the case or to expansive in most cases.
I'd prefer improving the already implemented cache mode if it is possible:
Detect if a tile of a region is outdated in the cache => update.
But on the other hand I think this is not possible or the handling to time consuming.
Am I right? That would mean that POIs that can be overlayed in Google Maps e.g. can be shown in maemo-mapper,too?
That would be great if the xml overlay structure (kml?!) by google could be directly
imported like a route,track!!
I also see the performance issue with transparency - so perhaps there is a way for you to implement a 'hello world' transparency demo program without too much effort?
So we could see what it costs...

Regards,
Uwe

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Yeah, that's probably excessive. If you're using a non-transient (i.e. standard) map repository, there isn't much ROI in checking for out-of-dateness. You can still overwrite existing maps using the "Manage Maps" dialog, if you want.

Not quite. POIs in Google Maps are not implemented as bitmap overlays, so that wouldn't really work. Even if it did, you'd probably have to define a separate repository for each POI search criterion, which is far too inconvenient. No, I'd have to write a POI web service in order to parse Google's POI HTML output and convert it to GPX - not impossible, maybe someday.

Re: Plans for Maemo Mapper v2.0
 

Ahh! Of course. I never got use to 'touch and hold' thingy on N800. It makes perfect sense. And MM just got a whole lot more useful for me ;-)

Thanks for the great tip.