Map Helper

Version 1.00BETA2

Copyright ©2001 Tapani J. Otala

Table of Contents

Introduction

Map Helper is a utility that enables you to quickly look up an address extracted from your PIM data. It attaches into the Pocket Outlook Contacts, Calendar, and Tasks applets to add a new Map It... menu item to the Tools menu as well as to the menu that appears when you click-and-hold on an item a shown in the screenshot below. If you select this menu item, Map Helper will open a map indicating the selected item's address information.

System Requirements

• PocketPC (Windows CE 3.0) operating system
• StrongARM, MIPS, or Hitachi SH3 CPU
• At least 100KB free storage space
• At least 500KB free program memory

Additional map provider modules may impose further requirements.

Tested Platforms

• Compaq iPAQ H3630 with ROM upgrade: Windows CE 3.0.9348 (Build 9616)
• Compaq iPAQ H3135 with ROM 1.46

Beta Software Warning

This software is not yet released to the general public. Therefore it may contain defects that could result in the loss of data, loss of functionality, loss of use, etc. Prior to using this pre-release software, be sure to read and understand the known problems section. Furthermore, portions of this document may be incorrect or missing. When in doubt, contact the author.

Concepts

Address Sources

Map Helper supports multiple sources of addresses in each enabled Pocket Outlook application. The sources are the various fields within each Pocket Outlook record.

Map Helper allows you to turn on or off the use of each field as well as change the order in which they are used. The table below shows the default order which can be modified.

Address Components

Map Helper supports the following components as part of an address:

The Map Helper can automatically fill in the City, State, and Country fields from either the home city or the visiting city, or whichever is currently selected as the "current" city. BETA NOTE: this configuration item is currently hard-coded to use the currently selected city.

Map Providers

Map Helper utilizes one or more plug-in modules called map providers to actually display the map of the selected address. Currently there are two plug-in map providers:

Pocket Streets Map Provider (PSMP)

This provider interfaces with the free Pocket Streets 2001 application that is available from Microsoft for all Palm-size PC and PocketPC devices. It will also support Pocket Streets 2002 which is no longer a free download but rather a part of Microsoft Streets & Trips package. The map provider can be configured to either always use a single map file, or automatically select a map file based on the city name, state name, or country name. See the options section for further details.

Internet Map Provider (IMP)

This provider interfaces with the most common Internet map services: Yahoo! Maps, MapQuest, and MapBlast. It uses the Pocket Internet Explorer as the viewer. See the options section for further details. BETA NOTE: this provider is not yet fully functional.

Options

Selecting the Map Helper item brings up a tabbed dialog.

The About tab shows general information about the Map Helper utility.
The Providers tab shows the currently installed map providers, and which one of them is selected as the default provider. You can select a provider in the drop-down list, and see the details below. You can click on Show Options to view the options offered by that provider, or click on Set as Default to make that provider the default map provider.
The Contacts tab shows general options that apply to the addresses retrieved from Pocket Outlook Contacts application. You can configure Map Helper to either automatically pick the first available address in the order specified, or have Map Helper prompt you to select an address (assuming multiple addresses are available). You can also select to have Map Helper to fill in the missing address components using the current home city, state or country. In other words, let's assume the following sample address: 1234 Elm Ct Sunnyvale Further, let's assume that the PocketPC's current home city is set to to San Jose, CA in USA. If the Fill in... check box is selected, Map Helper will fill in the missing state and country from the current system settings to build the following composite address: 1234 Elm Ct Sunnyvale, CA USA Note that not all map providers require all address components to be present.

Pocket Streets Map Provider (PSMP) Options

Selecting Show Options in the Providers tab while Pocket Streets Map Provider is selected in the drop-down list shows the following dialog:

 

Enable shortcuts (.LNK) to maps	If this option is checked, PSMP will search for both map files (.MPS) as well as shortcut files (.LNK) that point to map files. If you have large capacity removable drives, you may wish to turn this option off.
Scan removable drives for maps	If this option is checked, PSMP will search removable drives as well as built-in storage of the PocketPC. If you have large capacity removable drives, you may wish to turn this option off.
Automatically show first matching address	Pocket Streets may show multiple matching hits for any given address search. If this option is checked, PSMP will automatically pick the first matching address.
Truncate street address to single line	If this option is checked, PSMP will automatically truncate a multi-line street address to avoid confusing Pocket Streets. In other words, if you have selected an address such as 1234 Elm Ct Suite 100 Sunnyvale, CA 94086 it would be truncated to 1234 Elm Ct Sunnyvale, CA 94086 in order to avoid confusing Pocket Streets.
Scan for a matching map in this order	If this option is selected, PSMP will attempt to search for the best matching map in the order indicated by the list. For example, assuming the following address 1234 Elm Ct Suite 100 Sunnyvale, CA 94086 USA then PSMP will attempt to search for the following map files (assuming the order shown above): Sunnyvale.MPS CA.MPS USA.MPS If shortcuts (.LNK) are enabled, then PSMP search will be expanded to include the following map files and shortcut files: Sunnyvale.MPS Sunnyvale.LNK CA.MPS CA.LNK USA.MPS USA.LNK
Use this map by default	If this option is selected, PSMP will always use a single map regardless of the address being searched. The drop-down list shows all available maps. If a map is represented by a shortcut file, it is shown as name1 (-> name2) where name1 is the shortcut file and name2 is the target map file.

Internet Map Provider (IMP) Options

This section is still under construction

Installation

Using a Desktop PC and ActiveSync

1. Create a temporary folder on your desktop PC.
2. Extract the ZIP file contents to the temporary folder on your desktop PC.
3. Execute SETUP.EXE from the temporary folder.
4. Follow the prompts presented by ActiveSync. Couple of noteworthy items:
   • Even if you select any other location (i.e. not "default location"), the files will still be installed in the \Windows folder.
   • If your PocketPC prompts you to replace a newer file with an older file, select the option to keep the newer file.
5. Remove the temporary folder from your desktop PC.

Using only PocketPC

1. Create a temporary folder on your PocketPC.
2. Extract the ZIP file contents to the temporary folder on your PocketPC.
3. Using File Explorer or similar application, execute the appropriate cabinet (.CAB) file for your PocketPC (e.g. MapHelp.arm.CAB for Compaq iPAQ which uses the StrongARM CPU). Refer to your manufacturer's published materials to find out the PocketPC's CPU type if you are uncertain.
4. Remove the temporary folder from your PocketPC.

Removal

Using a Desktop PC and ActiveSync

1. Soft reboot your PocketPC (see known problems). The exact method to do this varies from PocketPC to PocketPC: refer to your manufacturer's user guide instructions on how to do this. On Compaq iPAQ, insert the stylus tip in the small hole on the bottom right edge of the unit.
2. Re-connect your PocketPC to the desktop PC.
3. On the desktop PC in ActiveSync, click on Tools, then Add/Remove Programs.
4. Select TJOtala MapHelp from the list of installed programs, and click on Remove.
5. Soft reboot your PocketPC again.

Using only PocketPC

1. Soft reboot your PocketPC (see known problems). The exact method to do this varies from PocketPC to PocketPC: refer to your manufacturer's user guide instructions on how to do this. On Compaq iPAQ, insert the stylus tip in the small hole on the bottom right edge of the unit.
2. Click on Start, then Settings.
3. Select the System tab.
4. Click on Remove Programs.
5. Select TJOtala MapHelp from the list of installed programs, and click on Remove.
6. Soft reboot your PocketPC again.

Known Problems and Limitations

1. The Map Helper module (MapHelp.cpl) remains loaded in memory until a soft reboot is performed, or until the calling application (e.g. Pocket Outlook) terminates.
2. Some of the address sources are not yet supported due to the lack of good ideas for the data format.
3. Pocket Streets Map Provider does not yet have any facilities for managing the shortcut files (.LNK) that point to map files. You will need to either use ActiveSync Explorer or a 3rd utility such as Scott's NewShortcut or Resco File Manager to create shortcuts for now.
4. Internet Map Provider is installed but is not yet functional. Please do not attempt to use it.
5. Pocket Outlook Calendar support is installed but not yet functional. Please do not attempt to use it.
6. Pocket Outlook Tasks support is installed but not yet functional. Please do not attempt to use it.

Revision History

Legal Disclaimers

To be filled out... the usual stuff about doing this at your own risk, etc.

Author

Tapani J. Otala

tapani@tjotala.com

http://www.tjotala.com