Jump to content

Cachemate For Pocket Pc


Maeglin

Recommended Posts

First off, if you're coming here for help with the current (Palm OS) versions of CacheMate, go here instead.

 

Now, on to what this thread is about. Mostly in response to the demand for such a beast, I'm working on a Pocket PC port of CacheMate. I'll be doing my testing with a Garmin iQue M5 (as soon as I can get my hands on one, anyway), but I'm developing for a target of PPC 2002 and later.

 

If you've used the Palm OS version of CacheMate, you'll find that some things are familiar while others are different. It's all about what works best for the facilities provided by the OS, and some lessons learned in hindsight that are difficult if not impossible to put into the Palm OS version without completely reinventing the database format (not something I really want to do, even for migration issues alone).

 

What I've got in there so far and what I have on the list for 1.0 is a lot to list here, but what I'm here for is getting some ideas for not only the initial version but also get a list going for future releases. It's obvious, given my choice of test hardware, that I want to support Bluetooth and iQue Mx GPS interfaces out of the gate... while 1.0 won't have GPS navigation or waypoint upload/download, though, the hooks will be there for me to add that soon after. For the latter, I'll have to either find an adapter or break down and get another PDA anyway (not sure that the M5 has RS232, does it?).

 

I'm hoping to get something usable within a month's time, and I'll be able to show some screenshots closer to that point. I could take some now, but there really won't be much exciting to show until I get GPX import working (entering more than a couple records manually using an emulator is... gah, I don't want to think about it).

 

So... what would you guys like to see? Since I'm targeting 2002 as a base, I won't likely be getting anything inherent to later OS versions in 1.0, but suggestions along those lines are not currently out of the question for later on.

Link to comment

I'm happy to read about a Pocket PC version. I used CacheMate until my M105 died and I ended up with a PocketPC. Since it's been a while since I've used CacheMate I can't think of anything that was missing at the time I used it. I would be willing to help you test as soon as you are willing to release a version. I do software development for a living and have gotten pretty good at breaking things :).

Link to comment

VGA compatibility. Nice crisp graphics. Native GPX seeing as the hardware will handle it.

Loved Cachemate during my Sony Clie days. Cachemate was database with nav on the side for me. Currently using Beeline which is more nav with database on the side.

Be happy to beta. iPaq 4700 w/Globalsat BT338

Link to comment

Things are progressing... here are some screenshots taken today, for those interested. The plugin interface and GPX/LOC importing are working as of today, so I was finally able to get some decent ones. Not everything is in there yet that I want for 1.0, but it is getting closer.

 

Don't go hunting for caches based on the information shown here, though... it's based on a pocket query that's pretty old ;)

 

shot1.gifshot2.gif

 

shot3.gif

Link to comment
I am planning on upgrading from a Palm IIxe to a Palm E2, but I am also hoping in the future you will make an udated version of Cachemate for the newer palms that will have images incorperated in it.  On occations I find I need the clue which in some cases is a picture.

Look at the options for CMConvert... there's one to generate an HTML file with links to those during the file conversion. You can take that into Plucker, iSilo, whatever on the Palm side. The main reasons I didn't do images directly in the app were to try and keep the app size down, plus I'm not all that adept at writing the code to display them, especially on that platform.

 

With Pocket PC, it's much easier because the Pocket IE engine is in there, ripe for use by any applications that want to use it. That way, all I need to do is generate an HTML image tag and it takes care of the rest. There's no standard browser on most Palm devices that can be used in the same way.

Link to comment

That looks very cool. How much extra work would it be to produce a Microsoft Smartphone version? (From what I know, most of the APIs are pretty similar, but obviously there are a few look-and-feel changes due to the lack of a touchscreen.)

 

I'm trying to retire my old bloated Palmphone, and most likely I'll get something like a Cingular 2125 (or Audiovox SMT5600, or Motorola MPx220 -- they're all very similar). But I'd rather not have to write a whole CacheMate-alike for myself...

 

(I've looked at Java solutions like Spot, but most of these phones, despite having both Java and Bluetooth, don't have the glue code (JSR-82) to link them together and hence get the phone talking to a GPS blob. Plus Spot was pretty awful the time I tried it.)

Link to comment

If this will require GPX files to be imported before use, any chance that a PC-based tool can create the databases without having to do the work on the PPC?

 

Right now, I have a macro in GSAK which creates a GPX, converts it to Mapopolis MLP, and copies both files to a card - and I just go.

 

GPXSonar reads the GPX file directly, so no more work to be done.

Link to comment
That looks very cool. How much extra work would it be to produce a Microsoft Smartphone version? (From what I know, most of the APIs are pretty similar, but obviously there are a few look-and-feel changes due to the lack of a touchscreen.)

The APIs are pretty similar, but from what I understand the nature of the UI is completely different (as you said, for one, there's no touchscreen). I'm not sure what the effort would be to get something designed for the Pocket PC UI working on there, but if it's that much different I don't plan to bend over backwards to get it all working.

 

If this will require GPX files to be imported before use, any chance that a PC-based tool can create the databases without having to do the work on the PPC?

This version will not require files to be converted before being put on the device. There were two reasons for that with the Palm OS version... 1) the default for those devices is the lack of a real filesystem and 2) it's easier to get certain parts of the conversion process working efficiently on Pocket PC (mostly the XML parsing and HTML-to-text conversion).

 

CacheMate still maintains its own database, true to the same functionality in the Palm OS version, but there's no conversion that's needed on the GPX file before it's usable. Instead, the GPX file is read directly and the information is added to the database.

 

Said information is also compressed in CacheMate's database. In the emulator testing that led to those screenshots, I took a 500-record pocket query (zipped around 850k, unzipped over 3.2 megs) and the resulting database file was around 1.6 megs.

Edited by Maeglin
Link to comment

I too have migrated from a Palm IIIxe to a Pocket PC - mainly driven by my desire to consolidate the burgeoning amount of kit I was beginning to have to lug around.

 

Being able to use MM in the field was a driver too (althought the PPC eats its battery) and, after I got TT5 with POI-Warner to alert me to the locations of "safety" cameras, I find myself permanently on the Dark Side. Indeed, we go a second PPC for Sue too.

 

I still have the Palm and do miss Cachemate - I am using GPSonar instead - but would be delighted to return to Cachemate.

 

Quick question, would the original Palm registration be honoured on the PPC or would users need to register a second time?

Link to comment
Quick question, would the original Palm registration be honoured on the PPC or would users need to register a second time?

I was wondering when that one was going to come up :ph34r:

 

The original registration will be honored, as long as you haven't exhausted the 5 registration code limit for your order (as far as I know, no one has yet). You'll just use the original order number to request a new code for the Pocket PC version.

Link to comment
Quick question, would the original Palm registration be honoured on the PPC or would users need to register a second time?

I was wondering when that one was going to come up :ph34r:

 

The original registration will be honored, as long as you haven't exhausted the 5 registration code limit for your order (as far as I know, no one has yet). You'll just use the original order number to request a new code for the Pocket PC version.

Ahhh the guy has worked hard on this give him some more money. He suffered through GWIII promoting Cachemate, probably only found a couple of hundred caches. We had a good time didn't we? I can't wait for the new PPC Cachemate.

Link to comment
Ahhh the guy has worked hard on this give him some more money.  He suffered through GWIII promoting Cachemate, probably only found a couple of hundred caches.  We had a good time didn't we?  I can't wait for the new PPC Cachemate.

I wouldn't exactly call it "suffered"... Mr. CacheMate met Mr. GPSBabel, as well as everyone else, and all was well in the universe :ph34r:

 

I'm just saying that it's not necessary for existing registered users to pay again... naturally, I wont say no to an additional registration fee if you want to pay it :ph34r:

Edited by Maeglin
Link to comment

I'm one of the many who picked up a cheap PalmIIIxe to begin paperless caching followed very quickly by adding Cachmate and have been extremely happy with this setup. But I expect to upgrade my PDA this coming year and had planned to jump to PPC with a bit of sadness at the thought of losing Cachemate.

 

With this new development, the "urgency to buy a new PDA" meter just jumped several notches! Really looking forward to the PPC version.

 

I for one will gladly pay for another registration to support the cause.

 

Great work and thanks, Maeglin!!

Link to comment

I am impressed by your desire to port to PPC. Like others, I love Cachemate and still use it, but the lack of a port to PPC has lead to problems. I currently carry both a PPC and Sony Clie when caching to enable the best software for each job. Unfortunatly, a PPC port of Cachemate won't get round the fundemental problem with PPC verses Palm, but I welcome it even with the inevitable PPC limitations such as expensive hardware, poor battery life and bloated applications.

Link to comment
Unfortunatly, a PPC port of Cachemate won't get round the fundemental problem with PPC verses Palm, but I welcome it even with the inevitable PPC limitations such as expensive hardware, poor battery life and bloated applications.

Apparently enough people are a fan of all of those problems (or are OK dealing with them) to warrant a port of the program, though :rolleyes: Plenty of demand for it in the last several months.

 

---

 

A bit of an update, for those interested... I'm about a week away from something beta-testable. If you're interested in doing that, I'm now taking "applications" for testers... send an email to support (at) smittyware.com with the following information:

 

- GC.com user name

- Make/model of your PDA (including OS version, if you know it, in case of upgrades)

- Whether or not you've purchased the Palm OS version in the past

 

I'm being selective about beta testers here, mostly because I want to cover a wide variety of hardware instead of testing with half a dozen people using the same device. I'm also favoring those with existing registrations... I'm prepared to hand out a few free regs to testers, but not many. If I don't get back to you when things are ready (will likely wait until then to get back with anyone), it's nothing personal.

 

Incidentally, I'm personally testing on a Garmin iQue M5, so the need for testers with that hardware isn't very high :(

Edited by Maeglin
Link to comment

Thanks for the interest. not only in the application itself but also for those that have volunteered to beta test it. I think I've got enough people now with enough variety to get things going with that, and will be sending something out later.

 

I'm closing this thread now, but keep a lookout for one in a few weeks for the official release.

 

Thanks again!

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...