MapThis! GPS enabled map viewer for PSP

[deniska]

Here is my entry in to this competition:

MAP THIS! GPS MAP VIEWER FOR PSP
-------------------------------------------------


short video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nitCHViaCU

DISCLAIMER
----------
This software is distributed under GPL license and provided for education purposes only.
It is not fully tested and therefore should be used with caution.
I shell not be responsible for any damages and/or legal problems which may arise from using this
application & underlying hardware setup.
This software acquires image data from Google Maps online service. Please read and understand Google Maps' "Terms of Use"
agreement before using this application.



MAIN FEATURES
-------------
- Scroll through large (up to 65536x65536 pixels) maps.
- Zoom in/out. The number of zoom levels depends of on the size of the map.
- Large coverage. The program uses imagery from Google Maps, which currently have pretty good coverage of
  North America, Western Europe, Australia, Japan. Visit Google maps, to find out if they provide required
  coverage for your location.
- Customizable map size, level of detail and coverage.
- Ability to display zipped maps (currently buggy)
- Ability to display satellite and hybrid maps from Google.
- WIFI map retrieval: ability to acquire and store map data to memory stick over WIFI
- Linux/Cygwin script is also provided to generate a map of given size and detail for a given location.
- GPS support: ability to read and interpret NMEA sentences from a GPS receiver communicating through PSP's serial port.
  Rather simple DYI hook up with GPSlim 236 receiver from Holux is explained in following thread:
  http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=30035
  In GPS mode there are following features:
     - Speed, direction, altitude, latitude, longitude, number of satellites in view.
     - NORTH UP mode: map is displayed with NORTH always on top. The arrow in the middle turns to shows current direction.
     - TRACK UP mode: map rotates so that direction of movement is always from top down.
     - Record GPS data (captures NMEA sentences in gps.txt file for later replay)
- POI/Attractions data support. Ability to select and display different types of attractions.
- PSPSDK compatible source code provided.


 
INSTALLATION
------------

1.5  users: copy contents of 1.5 folder to ms:/PSP/GAME
1.0  use EBOOT.PBP from 1.0 folder with data files from 1.5 folder
2.0+ try using EBOOT.PBP from NOGPS folder with data files from 1.5 folder
2.7+ generate maps of up to 32x32 size with provided cygwin script and html files,
     copy them on MS and view through the PSP's browser.

View the attached README file for further details...

Here is the executables:http://deniska.dcemu.co.uk/bin/mapViewer_v01.zip

Paste the link in to your browser if the link does not work directly

Sample hybrid map for some part if Paris, France::http://deniska.dcemu.co.uk/bin/_PARIS_FRANCE_48.862957_LON_2.34497_16x.zip
 
Note to admins: I tried numerous times to upload the files to this thread but it kept timing out.. Perhaps someone can do it for me..

[EDIT]
Added support for MSN/ Virtual Earth maps:

See the post below for details...

[EDIT]
Since some people did not like the cygwin scripts, here is yet another PC tool, for downloading the maps for the viewer, created by in7ane:

screenshot:
http://homepage.mac.com/f.levin/psp/gmdl21.jpg

source and exe (in /bin/debug/):
http://homepage.mac.com/f.levin/psp/gmdl21.zip

it requires Microsoft .net 2 from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/ (~22Mb)

Check this thread if you run in to problems:
http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=32725&page=3 

[wraggster]

great release for the PSP Scene

[saulotmalo]

so bad for me it is a hard competition i like the concept

[geezup]

awesome !!

Good luck man ! You did a nice job!

[futaris]

Thanks for this deniska...  We just need to modify in the future to work with a live feed from Google via Wifi (rather than grabbing via scripts) and support for XML, searching and it will be the equivalent of Google Maps for PSP.

[Dr.neo]

deniska,i like your idea so much 

[fokia]

Awesome work! Even better than I anticipated (I've been following this work for a while now...) but the best is that, in spite of been very, very good it can be improved to other great functionalities!!!!

Don't know how to vote (probably only after the submissions are closed) but I'll vote for this. For sure!!!

Great job!!!

[saulotmalo]

there  is a votation time??

[Darksaviour69]

nice release

[seesoe]

ok this gonna sound dumb but where do we vote?

[deniska]

I have updated the scripts section with a new cygwin script, which gets the maps from MSN maps/ Virtual Earth engine (http://local.live.com)

========================================================================
usage:
        ./getVEmap.sh [latitude] [longitude] [base zoom] [map size]
example:
         ./getVEmap.sh 40.619442 -73.970926 1 16
latitude/longitude must be in decimal format
base zoom: 0-16
map size: number of 256x256 pix tiles in 1 row
map size: 16 will create an equivalent of 4096x4096 pixel map at base zoom
========================================================================

You'll need to install cygwin (cygwin.com) and Java (JRE) from java.sun.com to run the script.
Both distributions are free and there are plenty of instructions & tutorials on how to set them up.

MSN Maps/ Virtual Earth seem to have a better than Google coverage of some areas, for example: Eastern Europe.

Here is a screenshot of a map for Riga, Latvia, which, according to Google just does not exist :-)   :


Go to http://local.live.com to check the coverage for your area..
Once you find your map, you can get the GPS coordinates this way:
1) Center your map on the location you want.
2) Click on "Share" tab and select "View Permalink"
3) You'll get something like: _http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=56.945724~24.145804&style=r&lvl=15&scene=1935198&rtp=null~null - The highlighted number are the coordinates that you'll need for the getVEmap.sh  script

Here is the same area mapped my Google and MSN:



...and a pre-made sample map of that area:
http://deniska.dcemu.co.uk/bin/_BROOKLYN_MSN_GE_16x.zip (unzip it for best results)

Well, I hope you like it :-)

[DJ Tim]

How can I dowload other maps?

[Charlie]

Hello deniska.
To add the attractions does have to be manually? cannot they be download as the maps?
Would be also interesting, if it is possible, for future versions to be able to indicate where to want to go and that it indicates you the pointer like to arrive, or another form.
It is a lot of work but your homebrew it is very well!!

Btw, I believe that I found a bug, upload map for wifi and cancel. Then I try to download another map and it didn't connect wifi, but before connected me.

Thanks a lot

[vibez]

Works perfect. I'm going to order me a GPS mouse for this!


How do we download satellite and hybrid maps from Google instead of juts map view?

It would also me nice if you could do a lon/lat lookup via wifi to get the co-ordinates for wifi upload.

[danzel]

Very nice.

Just bought myself a GPS so I can connect it up to my psp