Runtime version

[Ken Steinhoff]

I wish it was possible to distribute a runtime version of a track. I have friends who ride with me who don't have a GPS or a need for Topofusion, but would like to see the track of our ride.

I think a runtime version would encourage more folks to buy GPSs and your product.

[Krein]

Do you mean an executable that would load up, display maps, and playback the track?

One thought would be to add a "export to movie" feature.  That might make more sense, because passing executables around by email isn't such a good idea and often doesn't work.

Or would it be a stripped version of TF that can only play back tracks?

[Ken Steinhoff]

Quote (Krein @ Mar. 10 2007,5:59)

Do you mean an executable that would load up, display maps, and playback the track? One thought would be to add a "export to movie" feature.  That might make more sense, because passing executables around by email isn't such a good idea and often doesn't work. Or would it be a stripped version of TF that can only play back tracks?

I kind of like the "export to movie" option. You're right about .exe files. A lot of them would get stripped out by virus filters.

Option 2 would be cool, but it would mean that your friends would probably have to install a program rather than just "playing" a movie.

[alimamo]

I think exporting to a movie is a good idea, too, but that would add a whole other large layer to TF for the bitmap capture. (Wouldn't it?)

Since you have the GPX data, which includes location and usually time, and it is already in a version of xml, how easy would it be to export that data, a static cycler icon, and anything else needed to a kml/kmz file, which is a slightly different version of xml?

Google Earth could then "play" the file using the new time function in the latest version. You could possibly include usermaps as overlays for Google Earth, or just use the images that Google Earth already provides.

[edit] http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map?form=googleearth
GPS Visualizer can already do much of this, though not time codes and animation I believe, but it certainly would be much nicer to have it all come out from one export process from TF.


Sorry, just thinking out loud. '>

Robert