Ovi Maps Extra Features

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Contents

[edit] What is Ovi Maps Extra Features

Ovi Maps Extra Features is a project that's been worked on to bring enhancements and extra features to Ovi Maps on the N900. It began as adding simple functionality, but has progressed to adding voice commands and spoken street names.

Currently the features present in the latest release include:

  • Addition of two extra buttons when routing
    • First button is to show all maneouvers in the current route and allows them to be turned on and off.
    • Second button shows Points of interest on the map, again allowing them to be turned on and off. Further customizations of Points of Interest is discussed below.
  • Brought back 3D view of maps which was removed through an update
  • Added extra menu to customize POIs
  • Added voice capability with spoken languages (requires server, details below)
  • Voice capability also allows for spoken street names through espeak
  • Added feature to allow saved results to be displayed offline (still experiemental)

[edit] How to use the latest version

  1. Download omVoiceServer from Extras-Devel. Be mindful that this is a work in progress and may contain many bugs. Software from this repository may also cause data loss and problems with your N900. Be sure to backup incase you need to reflash.
  2. The omvoiceServer icon will be available through the program menu
  3. Using your prefered method, access your "/usr/share/nokia-maps/html" folder. This contains the necessary files to change.
  4. Download the newest html file from this talk.maemo.org post. Link will be available in the top.
  5. In that folder is the original "index.html" file. Rename it to something else for backup purposes. Incase of any errors or problems with ovi maps, restore this file.
  6. Copy the new modified "index.html" file into the folder
  7. Copy any extra icons required from here
  8. the location of the extra icons is given inside the zip folder (html\pfw\images\spices\{folders})
  9. omVoiceServer will look for voice files under cities folder (where all the map data is saved). This location can be changed from the options in omVoiceServer
  10. POI saved results are found again under the cities folder, but under a sub folder named "poi". This folder may need to be made.

One method for accessing all these required folders is using winSCP. http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=41422

[edit] Features explained

[edit] Maneuvers

With PR1.2, maneuver support was added so that when selecting a junction, its appropriate icon will be displayed. This functionality has been extended to allow all maneuvour icons to be displayed through a simple button, hence allowing the user to know what turns are approaching. The button is only displayed while traveling to a destination (needs a valid route to display manevours for), and hence will only be visible at times of routing. This button requires a new icon which can be added manually or automatically through the latest version of omVoiceServer.

{information on how to edit manuevour button can be added here}

[edit] Points Of Interest While Driving

Ovi Maps supports points of interest display on the map however the default is only transport icons, hence an extra button was added to enable POIs to be displayed and removed, as well as a new menu which allows for customizations of catagories. These catagories can be modified further if the user requires catagories other than the default ones. Similarly to the Manevours button, the button for POI is only availble while routeing. A new icon is again available.

[edit] Turning on and off certain POI icons

A new menu has been added with a few main catagories for POI. This can be found under "Maps" > "More" > "POI Settings". It currently has

  • Transport
  • Shops
  • Education
  • Parking
  • Activites
  • All

WARNING: Choosing the all category will load all points of interest on the map. In cities and areas with many shops/schools/etc it will take a long time to turn them on and off.

[edit] Customizing the Points of Interest

The required function that contains the points of interest is under 

showAllCategories: function (showthem) {

with the following items under each category 

poiRegExp[0] = /AIRPORT|AIRLINE|METRO|UNDERGROUND|RAILWAY|FERRY|SBAHN|RER_/; 	//Transport
poiRegExp[1] = /BAR|SHOP/;		//shops
poiRegExp[2] = /EDUCATION|EXHIBITION|LIBRARY|MUSEUM|UNIVERSITY/;	//Education
poiRegExp[3] = /PARKING/;	//Parking
poiRegExp[4] = /BEACH|CAMPING|CASINO|CINEMA|GOLF|HOLIDAY|OPERA|STADIUM|THEATRE|TOURIST|ZOO|SPORT/;	//Activities

Full list of possible POIs are 

AIRLINE_ACCESS
 AIRPORT
 ALL
 AMUSEMENT_PARK
 AUT_METRO_ACCESS
 AUT_METRO_STOP
 BARS_CAFES
 BAR_DISCO
 BEACH
 BEL_METRO_ACCESS
 BEL_METRO_STOP
 CAMPING
 CAR_DEALER
 CAR_REPAIR
 CASH_DISPENSER
 CASINO
 CINEMA
 COMPANY
 CONCERT_HALL
 CONGRESS
 COURTHOUSE
 CULTURAL_CENTRE
 CZE_METRO_ACCESS
 CZE_METRO_STOP
 DEN_METRO_ACCESS
 DEN_METRO_STOP
 DEU_METRO_ACCESS
 DEU_METRO_STOP
 DEU_SBAHN_ACCESS
 DEU_SBAHN_STOP
 EDUCATION
 EMBASSY
 ESP_BARCELONA_METRO_ACCESS
 ESP_BARCELONA_METRO_STOP
 ESP_CERCANIAS_METRO_ACCESS
 ESP_CERCANIAS_METRO_STOP
 ESP_MADRID_METRO_ACCESS
 ESP_MADRID_METRO_STOP
 EXHIBITION_CENTRE
 FERRY_TERMINAL
 FIN_METRO_ACCESS
 FIN_METRO_STOP
 FRA_METRO_ACCESS
 FRA_METRO_STOP
 FRA_RER_ACCESS
 FRA_RER_STOP
 FRONTIER_CROSSING
 GBR_GLASGOW_METRO_ACCESS
 GBR_GLASGOW_METRO_STOP
 GBR_LONDON_METRO_ACCESS
 GBR_LONDON_METRO_STOP
 GOLF_COURSE
 GOVERNMENT_OFFICE
 HOLIDAY_PARK
 HOSPITAL
 HOTEL
 ITA_METRO_ACCESS
 ITA_METRO_STOP
 LIBRARY
 METRO_ACCESS
 MOUNTAIN_PASS
 MOUNTAIN_PEAK
 MUSEUM
 NOR_METRO_ACCESS
 NOR_METRO_STOP
 OPERA
 PARKING
 PARKING_AREA
 PARKING_GARAGE
 PARK_RECREATION
 PETROL_STATION
 PHARMACY
 PLACE_OF_WORSHIP
 POLICE
 POST_OFFICE
 PRT_METRO_ACCESS
 PRT_METRO_STOP
 RAILWAY_STATION
 RAILWAY_STATION_ACCESS
 RENT_A_CAR_FACILITY
 RESTAURANT
 REST_AREA
 SHOP
 SHOPPING_CENTRE
 SPORT_OUTDOOR
 STADIUM
 SWE_METRO_ACCESS
 SWE_METRO_STOP
 THEATRE
 TOURIST_ATTRACTION
 TOURIST_INFORMATION_CENTRE
 UNDERGROUND_STATION
 UNIVERSITY
 ZOO

In addition to changing the categories, you may also change the text displayed to the user. This can be found under the function 

_createPoiScreen: function (aEvent) {//HERE HERE
...
this._aboutBtn = new nokia.aduno.medosui.Button("ButtonWithIcon", "About");	
this._transportBtn = new nokia.aduno.medosui.Button("ButtonWithCheck", "Transport");
this._shopsBtn = new nokia.aduno.medosui.Button("ButtonWithCheck", "Shops");
this._educationBtn = new nokia.aduno.medosui.Button("ButtonWithCheck", "Education");
this._parkingBtn = new nokia.aduno.medosui.Button("ButtonWithCheck", "Parking");
this._activitesBtn = new nokia.aduno.medosui.Button("ButtonWithCheck", "Activities");
this._allBtn = new nokia.aduno.medosui.Button("ButtonWithCheck", "All");

[edit] 3D View

3D view has been re-added to Ovi Maps including the rotation wheel and 3D buildings. This feature was removed in a previous update from Nokia. With this feature, you can also stop the map from rotating at all and lock its direction to always north (or any other direction you choose).

{Add part about changing the code to prevent rotation}

[edit] Voice Navigation and Espeak - OmVoiceServer

One of the main additions to Ovi Maps has been voice navigation and later on spoken street names. This was first done using a python server which would listen for requests from the Maps application and then play the corresponding sound. One drawback from this was the javascript inside the maps application had to convert turns and other route information into file names. This causes a slight problem when changing languages as not all languages contain the same file names for commands and turns. The most current version is omVoiceServer which parses the information from the maps application and looks up the sound files. This allows the maps application to only send the turn information, and the server to do the rest of the work. It also contains a GUI for changing of various options and settings, allowing languages to be changed during routeing and turning on and off spoken street names using eSpeak.

As the server has been changed to get the voice files itself, the code for maps application has also been changed, hence omVoiceServer requires a new index.html page to function. These can be found here.

[edit] Saved POI results - OmVoiceServer

The latest version of omVoiceServer also allows for semi-offline routing to common destinations. When connected to the internet, a search may be made and the contents of the result can be saved for later use when there is no internet (or when you wish to save on data downloads). To enable POI offline searching you will need to add an empty ad-hoc network (as ovi maps still requires network connection to search, however due to a bug in maemo, you can connect to non-existant ad-hoc connections and trick ovi maps into thinking your connected).

To setup a no internet network, simply go to

{Settings} > {Internet Connections} > {Connections} > {New} > {Next} > Type a connection name, ie "no internet" > {Next} > Select {No} when asked to search for WLAN Networks > Enter anything in the network name ie "no internet" > untick {Network is hidden} > Change Network Mode from infrastructure to {Ad hoc} > {Next} > {Finish}.

Then:

  1. With omvoiceserver running, and open the maps application and search for something. For example search for your home address (this step needs internet access).
  2. press Ctrl + backspace to get to the taskmanager and open omvoicesever. In the last tab under "Last Search" it'll have the details of your last search (in this example, your home address).
  3. Press the "Save this search" button and save the file under your cities folder in a new folder called "poi" (ie /home/user/MyDocs/cities/poi). Save it with the filename "poi-home" (or any other name but make sure it begins with "poi-".
  4. omvoiceserver will save the file there as an xml file (see it through the file manager)
  5. Connect to your ad-hoc network
  6. In maps (ctrl+backspace to shift screens) do a search for "poi-home"
  7. Watch as your result comes up even though theres no internet
Retrieved from "http://wiki.maemo.org/Ovi_Maps_Extra_Features"