ANN: Postcode support for TTN2 on PocketPC

dynamite

Hi All,

If like me you've been missing proper UK postcode support for TTN2, help is at hand. I've written a small application that runs alongside TTN2 and gives you the ability to type in a postcode and automatically navigate to it in TTN2. It has now been tested by a small handful of helpful individuals from this forum (thanks guys!) and is now released for everyone to benefit - oh, and it's FREE.

You need to be using a PocketPC running Windows Mobile 2003 (or possibly WM2002 with .NET - not yet tested), and have about 12 MBytes free on your storage card. You don't need the POI postcodes installed, this system replaces them.

The postcodes come from the files on this site, compressed and indexed to take up just 12 MBytes and the lookup of postcodes is instant!

If you're interested, you can see more on www.digitools.co.uk

Niels

Howarduk · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 5:18 am Post subject:

Hi dynamite

Sounds like a really brilliant programme. Thanks very much for allowing us to use it.

I'm sure it must be something I am doing, but I cant get it to load.
I followed step 1 and step 2 but when I get to step 3 the application manger window comes up but the install amount shows 0.00 so when I click okay nothing gets installed and it doesnt show the programme in the list either.

Howard

The_Pilgrim · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 10:32 am Post subject:

Hi dynamite

Fantastic!! i just installed this on my XDA2 worked first time no problems encountered. many thanks

matt_e · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 11:26 am Post subject:

yes - this is a work of genius!!

Thumbs Up

Matt

Wizzo · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 12:31 pm Post subject:

Thanks dynamite,

It Works Laughing

and it's Free :D

Keep up the good work.

Mick.

dynamite · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 12:50 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your kind comments guys! My pleasure.

Howard, can you let me know a bit more about your configuration please. Which machine and operating system?

You could try to install the .cab file manually - from what I understand you copy it and the .inf file to somewhere on your PocketPC then click on it in File Explorer on the PocketPC. If anyone out there knows more about this, please shout - I'm a bit of a PocketPC novice myself...

Niels

matt_e · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 12:59 pm Post subject:

Hi Niels,

Well I have tried but haven't managed to break it!

Some general comments about using it and some (sometimes wild) suggestions!!! Rolling Eyes

Like many others I like to use checkpoint along with TTN2. It would be nice to have the option to load checkpoint along with TomTom when it goes to show a postcode.

When it doesn't recognise a postcode and you click on navigate to you get 2 error messages when I wonder if 1 would actually be enough.

When you look up a partial postcode e.g. HP13 6Q it tells you postcode is not valid and then takes you somewhere nearby. It would be nice to know where it was actually taking you to and also to say it was a partial postcode rather than a full postcode. Could the same principle apply if you just entered N8 or NW3? Might be useful to know where these places were even if you didn't know the full postcode.

When you go to a postcode (or partial postcode) it would be nice to know which areas were included within that postcode. Don't know how this would be achieved in tom tom. Could it autozoom to the approximate whole area covered?

Would be nice to Navigate to... Postcode From the navigator screen within tom tom (maybe even within the address section). Also from the map screen to have the option come up when you click on the search icon.

Would be nice to integrate to pocket outlook to navigate to. Bound to do a better job than TomTom's attempt at it.

Keyboard is maybe a little small to operate with fingers. Like the qwerty keyboard though.

The drop down list doesn't seem to remember postcodes across sessions which would be nice. Also it only seems to be 2 lines deep which means some tricky scrolling.

The postcode window allows you to select all characters or 1 character but the delete behaviour only deletes the last character and one at a time. Would be nice to select all and press delete to get rid of them all. Or select 1 character (at any position) and delete characters 1 at a time from that position.

You've done a great job squishing all those locations and postcodes into that sized file. Using the same principle how big a file would you have to use to allow road name lookup from the postcodes?

It ought to be possible to look up a street from a postcode by getting the lat/long from that postcode then finding any streets within x metres of that point and presenting them in a list to choose from. Don't know if that's any easier than a full street name postcode list??

Maybe you could integrate to the WM2003 search facility on the start screen to add an option to search for a ukpostcode?

Anyway, well done on creating such a great little program. If I think of any more things I'll let you know.

Cheers,

Matt

Steve_o · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 19, 2004 Posts: 15

Dynamite.....

Great program and works real good on iPaq 1940. As I am a courier and travel all over the uk, this software will serve me well.

A great free program.

Thanks again.

Steve_o

thax1 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 05, 2003 Posts: 28

Hi,

Program works really well, but installation wasn't quite to plan on my IPAQ1940.

Didnt list program in the Add/Remove programs window on the PC.

Also no message on Ipaq screen regarding ocx control.

So I just copied the ukpostcodes.exe and the .dat files to the sd card and ran it.

All works OK. I think that a previous program must have registered the ocx? Maybe CheckPOInt???

Hope this helps.

Keep up the excellent work. I vote this thread as a Sticky.

pgchimp · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 2:31 pm Post subject: need help

I thought this was a dream come true when i saw this thread however
I have unzipped the files as instructed but the set up exe will not transfer on to te ppc no error messages nothing

I am running wm 2002 but i do not know if the .NET compact framework exists on the PPC. Being new to this , only one week i dont know where to look to check this out. If it is not installed where do i find this patch to install it. Also will the lack of the .NET not being installed stop the set up exe from comming over

Parky · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 2:49 pm Post subject:

Unfortunately the program will not run under 2002, on my machine at least. However myself not being up on the .net aspect requirement, does anybody know what is required to download from the microsoft site to be able to use the program under 2002?

Alan

dynamite · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 6:05 pm Post subject:

The .NET Compact Framework is downloadable from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=359EA6DA-FC5D-41CC-AC04-7BB50A134556&displaylang=en

I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences if anyone tries this...

- Niels

Howarduk · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 9:20 pm Post subject:

Hi dynamite

I actually did as thax suggested and just copied both the exe file and the dat file to the memory card and the shortcut to the start file. I can put in a post code but when I press "show on map" or Navigate to" I get an error message which said " installation error ukpostcode.dat not found in .exe folder"
Now I know that It is important that the .exe file is in the same folder on the PocketPC as the .dat file, or it won't work.
I have tried putting the dat and the exe file both into where the maps are but that doesnt work, I have also opened up a new file and put them both in that, which doesnt work either.
I know its very simple and its staring me in the face but I can't seem to work it out. where exactly do the files actually have to live in order for it to work ?

Howard

dynamite · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 11:51 pm Post subject:

Hi Howard,

It shouldn't matter where the ukpostcode files (.dat and .exe) are stored, as long as they are together in the same folder. One other user has reported similar problems with the shortcut, but I can't reproduce it here.

I created my shortcut by holding down Alt on the PC while dragging the ukpostcode.exe file from my storage card to the "Windows\Start menu" folder - all of this in Windows Explorer.

Alternatively, try using File Explorer on the PocketPC to browse your storage card and tap-and-hold on ukpostcode.exe, then select "Copy" from the pop-up menu. Then go to "\windows\start menu" and tap the Edit menu then select "Paste Shortcut". This should definitely work.

Niels

Howarduk · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2004 12:21 am Post subject:

hi dynamite

Got it !!! Thanks for that, what I hadn't realised until you said it was the fact that when I copied and pasted the shortcut I right clicked it instead of using edit and then paste shortcut.
When I did as you said I then went back and used the rightmouse button and then realised that it wasnt pasting the shortcut with the little arrow indicating a short cut it was pasting just the icon but not as a short cut.

Anyway, thanks very much for all your hard work it is much appreciated into making the post codes a much more user friendly environment Thumbs Up

Howard

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