Progress: Blue Boxes and Contacts

[Giessen]

(First post on this forum, so I hope its posted in the right thread...)

I personally like the blue boxes, so I've modified the navigatemap_800_480.ui in such away that the blue boxes only appear when navigating. The streetnames are easier to read then.

For this solution you don't have to replace the bmps, only some code needs to be added:

 

Find this piece of code in the navigatemap_800_480.ui file:

;road name picture

 

And replace with

 ;road name picture

 

A bit lower in the file, replace this (credits to Stephanie):

 

by this:

 

As you see, the trick is in the visiblemodel="navigation.distance_to_manuver.valid".

This enables/disables objects on the screen while navigating.

Works perfectly wel on my F900BT!

 

For my contacts I also used the SQLight browser tool, but exported the database to Excel. Modified whatever I wanted (including the sort order of the contacts) and imported back into the db file.

 

Great forum, by the way! Cheers

[Stephanie]

Good work Giessen - I don't know why that didn't work when I tried it; maybe I messed it up. That's what I was trying to do originally, anyhow

 

Re. a firmware update, I figure the worst-case scenario is that they release an update that replaces our customized data.zip with their original one, and closes the testmode door so we can't get in any more.

 

I've examined the first update thoroughly and I know that before I apply a new one, I'll modify it to contain my own data.zip and fonts etc.

 

That, and maybe wait for someone else to apply it, and then find out what exactly it does and if testmode is still available afterwards

[rv7flyer]

I will be working to find a way to dump the rom today just as soon as I obtain the vender info for the chip. I have several way to read the data without physically removing the chip but I have to know the pin outs. You know... these roms are blank when they are machined onto the board and there is always a physical way to program them after manufacturing.

 

BTW Steph.. I like what you have done with the Data. file but I really really want to keep the 3D feature. Like I said I have little skill with windows scripts. What I would my F90 to look like.

Clock on EVERY screen

No boxes when not navigating--but show up when navigating

The delete nav button placed below all the other buttons

Basically The GUI to stay stock looking with the addition of the kill button and more clocks.

 

This is a great thread. Reminds me of the old Dish hacking days. At least there is no security code to deal with in the AVIC

 

 

Oh and on the thought of new updates locking down the access to the OS.

They can very well do that... Once we know that has been done all we have to do is install a back door. But the new units being sold with the updated software wont be so lucky. I can think of several ways Pionner could make it very tough to get back in but I really do not know why they would go to that trouble.

[CatchMeIfYouCan631]

but I really do not know why they would go to that trouble.

 

agreed, you'd think they'd leave it alone....more people tampering with the unit = more voided warranties.

[Stephanie]

One thing is as long as there is an upgrade path, there is a way to get in...the challenge is to figure it out. A few years back I was playing with an embeded linux device called a Zipit. Somebody figured out the manufacturer's upgrade path and after that the door was wide open. So you could probably take their upgrade files and use them to install your own software. Just find where the version info is kept and increment it, so the device thinks you're installing even newer software.

 

As for why they might want to stop (or at least slow down) the tinkerers, who knows. Some companies seem happy to pretend we don't exist, sort of a silent understanding; while others for whatever reason get all bent out of shape and work very hard to 'protect' the product from us.

 

I unfortunately don't know enough about Windows, but I was wondering if it would be possible to add a button somewhere -- maybe in the nav settings menu -- that would simply launch explorer. There is an execute command in the iGo scripts, but it is being used with a few arguments, and I don't know if it actually executes a program or just executes some built in functions. One of these days though I'll give it a try... If we could launch explorer though from inside the normal UI then we probably wouldn't need the 'testmode' method of getting in...

[Jascias]

Changing map colors is pretty simple. Go into the igo folder->content->schemes and grab one of the .zip files unzip it or explore it. (I did it by unzipping then rezipping it in OSX 10.5 just fine) Edit the files called color.ini and color3D.ini. All of the colors are in RGB values.

 

If you want an explanation of what some of the lines change go here http://www.navguide.net/igomiofan/color-maps/create-your-own-color-scheme/

 

 

Also when you edit the files make sure you change the name and specify if the map is day or night. The website above shows how to do this.

 

Ok , been editing the color.ini and the color3d.ini but can't for the life of me figure out how to change the night back ground to black instead of brown. It seems like the only option is to change the colors of roads, highway, etc... Anyone know if I looking in the right spot?

[CatchMeIfYouCan631]

I know if you go in the directory where I found all those bmps

http://www.avic411.com/forum/viewtopic. ... guide+bmps

there's a template for the 3D textures in the day time...look around there and see if you can find the day or the night...reason I also said day is they could be 2 in 1 template.

[skicrave]

The reason it did that is mac os x is retarded in the way it deals with archiving. Instead of selecting the data.zip folder open the folder, Apple+A, then right click and select compress.

 

If you select the folder and compress it makes a data.zip with a data folder at the root ie. data.zip->data->contents of folder.

 

Wow - I never noticed this. Thank you gjas18!

 

Unfortunately this still doesn't work. OS X inserts a _MAC OS X folder into the zip that the F-Series doesn't like.

[skicrave]

Here's just a small mod, but there are probably some people interested in it.

[Stephanie]

Here's just a small mod, but there are probably some people interested in it.

 

Nice! Was that the daycar.bmp file that you changed?

[VBLUE42]

Ok folks, this stuff is really getting interesting. I wanted to request that since these threads are starting to get really long that we go ahead and start new threads for each hack with simplified and final instructions and PM jason h to sticky them. This will make it much easier for people to find these hacks at the forum. Keep up the awesome work.

[VBLUE42]

Here's just a small mod, but there are probably some people interested in it.

 

Can the car icon be displayed in 3D view?

[CatchMeIfYouCan631]

Here's just a small mod, but there are probably some people interested in it.

 

Can the car icon be displayed in 3D view?

 

it probably needs a bunch of views so you can rotate it

[djhuab]

very nice!

[skicrave]

Nice! Was that the daycar.bmp file that you changed?

Yep, daycar.bmp and nightcar.bmp are the graphics for 2D view. They (and all of the other graphics) do use Alpha channel transparency, so you need to be aware of that when making them.

 

I'll start another thread about this with concise instructions.

 

Can the car icon be displayed in 3D view?

Not without access to Pro Motion. In 2D mode a regular BMP is used, in 3D mode, to account for the ability to change the angle, daycar.spr and nightcar.spr are used. If anyone has Pro Motion I would love to see what we can come up with.

 

it probably needs a bunch of views so you can rotate it

 

Correct, see above.