Release Navit


The OpenStreetMap Image Of the Week showing Navit on the Pandora made me dust-off my Pandora again and try to get Navit working. So far not much joy.

Initially it went very well following the instructions on the Navit wiki. Downloading Navit and running it showed a map of a city in Germany and scrolling through the map was possible. I installed espeak and successfully tested the audio output as described on the wiki page. So on to the next step, adding a default navit.xml: this is where I'm stuck currently. When I add xml and start Navit I see some disk activity and then nothing but a black screen with a mousepointer that is moveable. No popups, no map, no GUI, nothing visible or working besides the mousepointer.

Any ideas? Does anyone have a functioning navit.xml to share?

Edit: I've enabled debugging in navit.xml (<debug name="global" level="3"/>) and now everytime I start Navit I get a new debug_20130318_[n].txt which contains one line:


type=track_tracked
Edit: Copying the navit.xml from the wiki page seems not the way to to go. Copying the navit.xml from /mnt/utmp/navit/ to pandora/appdata/navit/ and configuring the XML from there worked. Great!
 
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Unfortunately, this is the default state of the xml file when you first install Navit. It certainly gives the impression that Navit is broken.

The 1st thing you need to do is get a map and put it in the correct place on your memory card. (this was discussed early in this thread)

The next thing you need to do is enable the zoom in & zoom out buttons in the xml file. (it is pretty obvious once you find the place in the xml file, you need to change "no" to "yes" when you find it). The default is to use the scroll wheel to zoom in and zoom out, but the Pandora does not have a scroll wheel.

Even with a blank screen, you should be able to access the menu by clicking anywhere on the screen.

You also need to find the magic words to put in the xml file to get Navit to talk to you GPS. This requires knowing what type of GPS you have. (Bluetooth or USB)

What really should happen is that a default xml file for Pandora should be made so that the starting condition is not quite so scary as a blank screen.
 
Has anyone figured out how to adjust the zoom level in autozoom? It always seems to be zoomed in closer than I would like.

I took a look in the XML file, but all I found was how to disable & enable autozoom.
 
I think the property 'autozoom_secs' is responsible for that:

Number of seconds of the way ahead to leave visible during autozoom.
In effect, this specifies the zoom level when autozoom is enabled.
autozoom_secs="1" is closest zoom.
This attribute has no effect without autozoom_active="1".
Click to expand...
Try setting it to a larger number to have the map zoomed out more.

(http://wiki.navit-project.org/index.php/Configuration/Full_list_of_options'>Source)
 
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Lambertus said:
I think the property 'autozoom_secs' is responsible for that:

Number of seconds of the way ahead to leave visible during autozoom.


In effect, this specifies the zoom level when autozoom is enabled.


autozoom_secs="1" is closest zoom.


This attribute has no effect without autozoom_active="1".
Click to expand...
Try setting it to a larger number to have the map zoomed out more.

(Source)
Click to expand...
This will help, Thanks.

Unfortunately this will do nothing for when I'm stopped.

The timeout feature does not appear to work. Moving the map or zooming in or out, it immediatly rescales back to tracking mode with no delay. One has to manually turn off autozoom to be able to pan around the map.
 
I just had to re-install the OS on my Pandora since the upgrade failed.

Needless to say, it wiped out my GPS setup.

I'm trying to follow this wiki again http://pandorawiki.org/GPS#Bluetooth_GPS but it is out of date.

Specifically, gpsd and espeak are not in the pandora repository, so the commands to install them don't work.

Would it be possible for someone to add them to the panodara repository so that the command to install them is not so nasty?

These are the current commands necessary to install espeak:

sudo opkg install http://www.angstrom-distribution.org/feeds/unstable/ipk/glibc/armv7a/base/libportaudio2_v19+svnr1387-r0.6_armv7a.ipk
sudo opkg install http://www.angstrom-distribution.org/feeds/unstable/ipk/glibc/armv7a/base/espeak_1.37-r0.5_armv7a.ipk

At the moment, I don't know the command required to install gpsd.
 
So much for that. I just tried installing espeak using the above commands. The first one just hangs.

It turns out that gpsd is not necessary for Navit. The xml file needs to be edited, but it will work fine without gpsd.

espeak is still necessary though.
 
It certainly works.

However it really would be awesome if someone with a bit if skill (that's why I'm out) would work on the interface (and good Pandora settings).

I had a few colour issues (see that blue area in the picture? It does not make sense and moves around)

Still...very nice project :)

Besides the colours, I cannot understand a word of espeak but I'll eventually get to that later on ;)

Attached a shot of Navit on the Openpandora doing actual navigation for a Prius. Could it get any geekier? Should we aim for a second "Picture of the week"? ;)

2013-04-26.jpg
 
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There are other issues:

Bluetooth on the Pandora is a nuisance to use. Having to do a sudo command to get it connected, having to disable and re-enable bluetooth after the Pandora has been in sleep mode to get it to work again.

If the pandora is moved far enough away from the Bluetooth GPS that it looses contact, navit must be restarted to re-connect.

The color scheme for night mode makes the surface streets all but invisible.

It automatically switches to night mode long before the sun sets.

The pandora taking too long to power up its sound system so that the first several words of every espeak announcement are missing.

No control of autozoom maximum zoom level, so when stopped, I'm zoomed in too far to see anything around me.

Missing an auto zoom mode that zooms to show my current position and the next turn in the navigation.

Lots of room for improvement, but it has promise.

The most important feature is that it does not require an internet connection to function, unlike the other GPS tools available for the Pandora.
 
Sure there are many issues before I'd call this fit for daily use and it certainly has no WAF yet....but it has potential, and I cannot see any real problem...must stuff is cosmetics.

I am lucky that my GPS stays at least attached (while driving that is) as I read about far more trouble in here with BT-GPS that I had. It "just worked" (with console connect)
 
I don't recall needing root permissions to sync my bluetooth GPS..

Mine seems stable once connected as well, I had navit working on one of my pandoras. but lost all the settings and such.. need to work on it again at some point.
 
I haven't run into any bluetooth problems myself, but I've only tried a few bluetooth devices.  A portable keyboard and another bluetooth usb receiver plugged into my main PC.  I can send files back and forth to the Pandora this way.  Plus a new optical mouse.  In fact I literally physically purchased it and tried it this morning.  Works great....now I await my tv-out cable.   :)  Should make my babysitting duties at my sister's house seem less tedious at least...but I digress.

My newest purchase didn't ask for any permissions at all...not even a PIN number (which I think my keyboard did).  It just worked.  Maybe you're on an older version of SZ or something?  Maybe Notaz will chime in.  Haven't tried a GPS receiver yet, but it's on my list of cool things to try on my new 1GiggityGiggity...   B)  

Edit1:  I just tried letting the Pandora go into sleep mode and it wasn't (waking up) responsive to moving the mouse, but using the stylus I just clicked on the bluetooth icon on the menu bar and the status said it was "connected"...and I moved the mouse and so it was...

I'm on SZ 1.52 (came standard with my 1GHz unit a month ago).  Haven't felt the need yet to upgrade yet.  I'd be interested to hear why you're having bluetooth issues, DAP.
 
 
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Franko said:
I haven't run into any bluetooth problems myself, but I've only tried a few bluetooth devices.  A portable keyboard and another bluetooth usb receiver plugged into my main PC.  I can send files back and forth to the Pandora this way.  Plus a new optical mouse.  In fact I literally physically purchased it and tried it this morning.  Works great....now I await my tv-out cable.   :)  Should make my babysitting duties at my sister's house seem less tedious at least...but I digress.


My newest purchase didn't ask for any permissions at all...not even a PIN number (which I think my keyboard did).  It just worked.  Maybe you're on an older version of SZ or something?  Maybe Notaz will chime in.  Haven't tried a GPS receiver yet, but it's on my list of cool things to try on my new 1GiggityGiggity...   B)

Edit1:  I just tried letting the Pandora go into sleep mode and it wasn't (waking up) responsive to moving the mouse, but using the stylus I just clicked on the bluetooth icon on the menu bar and the status said it was "connected"...and I moved the mouse and so it was...


I'm on SZ 1.52 (came standard with my 1GHz unit a month ago).  Haven't felt the need yet to upgrade yet.  I'd be interested to hear why you're having bluetooth issues, DAP.
Click to expand...
I don't have gpsd installed, it is not in the repository.

I'm using "sudo rfcomm connect 0" to connect to the GPS.

If the GPS mouse gets turned off, or moved too far (10 m) from the pandora, rfcomm exits, so it must be re-run to re-connect.

If the GPS is not connected when navit is started, navit will never find it.

If I leave bluetooth enabled when I put my pandora in sleep mode, it is not functional when I wake it up again. If I try to run the rfcomm command after the pandora is in sleep mode, it will fail and will not work until bluetooth is disable then re-enabled.

All of these behaviours are 100% repeatable on my pandora.
 
DAP said:
Franko said:
I haven't run into any bluetooth problems myself, but I've only tried a few bluetooth devices.  A portable keyboard and another bluetooth usb receiver plugged into my main PC.  I can send files back and forth to the Pandora this way.  Plus a new optical mouse.  In fact I literally physically purchased it and tried it this morning.  Works great....now I await my tv-out cable.   :)  Should make my babysitting duties at my sister's house seem less tedious at least...but I digress.


My newest purchase didn't ask for any permissions at all...not even a PIN number (which I think my keyboard did).  It just worked.  Maybe you're on an older version of SZ or something?  Maybe Notaz will chime in.  Haven't tried a GPS receiver yet, but it's on my list of cool things to try on my new 1GiggityGiggity...   B)

Edit1:  I just tried letting the Pandora go into sleep mode and it wasn't (waking up) responsive to moving the mouse, but using the stylus I just clicked on the bluetooth icon on the menu bar and the status said it was "connected"...and I moved the mouse and so it was...


I'm on SZ 1.52 (came standard with my 1GHz unit a month ago).  Haven't felt the need yet to upgrade yet.  I'd be interested to hear why you're having bluetooth issues, DAP.
Click to expand...
I don't have gpsd installed, it is not in the repository.

I'm using "sudo rfcomm connect 0" to connect to the GPS.

If the GPS mouse gets turned off, or moved too far (10 m) from the pandora, rfcomm exits, so it must be re-run to re-connect.

If the GPS is not connected when navit is started, navit will never find it.

If I leave bluetooth enabled when I put my pandora in sleep mode, it is not functional when I wake it up again. If I try to run the rfcomm command after the pandora is in sleep mode, it will fail and will not work until bluetooth is disable then re-enabled.

All of these behaviours are 100% repeatable on my pandora.
Click to expand...
Okay.  Maybe we do need a better interface for this type of device.  I can see now why you'd need to use a root permission to (re)connect with that particular device.  Maybe just tapping a key on the Pandora's keyboard every few minutes (or disable sleep mode) would at least allow you to have uninterrupted service?  This is a bit out of my realm I have to be honest.


Edit1:  It just sounds like (to me) that most of your problems are related to the bluetooth signal being interrupted....if I'm reading you right.
 
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Sounds like some part of the bluetooth driver, or rfcomm, does not like being put to sleep. Does anyone know if other bluetooth devices (mice or headphones, for example) go in and out of sleep properly?
 
WizardStan said:
Sounds like some part of the bluetooth driver, or rfcomm, does not like being put to sleep. Does anyone know if other bluetooth devices (mice or headphones, for example) go in and out of sleep properly?
Click to expand...
I don't believe it is rfcomm that is the problem. rfcomm will not connect to a bluetooth GPS after the Pandora has been asleep with bluetooth enabled. Bluetooth must transition fro disabled to enabled after the computer is woken up for rfcomm to connect.
 
Which version of Navit are we running on the Pandora?

The PND on the web site says 1.0.0.1

The About for Navit says 0.5.0 5339-

The Navit project page says the latest stable version is 0.2.0

and I'm confused!
 
I just spent an hour figuring out how to get gpsd installed on my Pandora again.

This time I documented it here: http://pandorawiki.org/GPS#Installation so next time I won't have to go through the painful process of figuring this out, and the trial and error of figuring out what order the dependencies need to be installed in.

(I'm not really sure the "update" command in necessary in this instance.)
 
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