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TomTom Navigator SDK Wrapper for the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework


Easily build your own robust applications for the TomTom Navigator

The fusion of two great technologies

 
TomTom Navigator SDK Microsoft .NET Compact Framework (CF)
From our point of view TomTom Navigator is one of the best navigation solutions for the Pocket PC.
With the TomTom Navigator SDK you can easily integrate the power of the TomTom Navigator into your applications, or extend the functionality of the TomTom Navigator.
With the .NET Compact Framework (Part of the .NET Framework) you can easily build robust applications for the Pocket PC. With Visual Studio .NET you get a RAD environment that makes it easy to bring your product fast to the market.
You can even share code between desktop and PPC applications.
The TomTom SDK ships with an OCX (ActiveX Control), which is easy to use with Embedded Visual Basic - EVB.
But this control has only limited functions!
In the TomTom SDK 3.0 this are 32 functions - instead of 56 in the C++ DLL!
To keep the footprint on the device small some features of the desktop Framework are not available in the CF. One of these missing features is AxtiveX support.
In the next version of the CF (Sept. 2005) ActiveX support will be available. But the TomTom OCX offers only a subset of the functions in the C++ DLL.
For the C++ developers a DLL is included in the SDK. To enable fast development and provide secure execution
CF code is isolated in its own runtime environment.

The Wrapper
Due the facts above it is not possible to use the TomTom SDK OCX with CF. And even if this will be possible - you will only get a subset of the functionality.
The use of the C++ DLL is also difficult, because the interoperation between the native DLL and the isolated CF (managed code) needs deep knowledge of the CF, the underlying OS, memory management and things like this.

So at the one hand you get a great SDK where you can easily develop application for the TomTom Navigator.
All things are well done and you just call functions and access values in well designed structures.

On the other hand you get an environment where you just use the things from the CF;
no thinking about the underlying OS, no troubles with memory management - just "design" your application.

We put these two parts together for you!
Our Wrapper acts as the glue between the TomTom SDK and the .NET CF.
For you it looks like the TomTom Navigator SDK is a normal .NET CF component.


There are no runtime fees for the Wrapper!
Buy one TTNCF version per developer
build as many applications as you want
ship any number of copies of your apllications
without any extra fees for TTNCF


Some Details
Changes to the TomTom Navigator SDK Nothing left out - we implemented the wrapper for the whole SDK (TTNCom.h). Changes NONE!!
With TTNCF you get the whole functions of TomTom Navigator SDK 2.0
and with TTNCF3 you get the same for the TomTom Navigator SDK 3.0
Coordinate notation  The TomTom SDK uses integer values. Some developers (like us) are used to decimal notation.
We simply added the ability to use both - so it's your choice to decide what you will use - you can even mix it.
Documentation We kept the things like they were, which means, that even the numbers of the functions are the same as in the TomTom Navigator SDK. If you are familiar with the TomTom Navigator SDK you will find all your well know functions and structures remaining the same - just use them with CF as you did before in C++.
Enhancements of the TomTom Navigator SDK There were little difficulties we had using the SDK with the .NET CF.
We ADDITIONALLY (!) built little helpers!
For an example there is no function to bring your application back to foreground - we made one.
It's not easy to make a good thing better :-)
Map switching support (TTNCF3 only) The Navigator SDK 3.0 enables you to load a different map. But there is no support for finding those maps on your device.
We built an extra class that does these things for you.

Additional things for the needs of the .NET CF
GF File support enhancements Since the CF does not directly support Windows Messages, which are used by a part of the TomTom Navigator SDK we changed this mechanism to "CF events".
BUT: you can still use (if you need it) the native functionality!
We didn't remove it, we just built an interface for easier use.
GPS Driver support enhancements The Navigator SDK enables you to implement you own GPS driver for the use with the TomTom navigator.
The way this is done does not fit in the .NET CF environment. (Loading Modules and so on).
Now you just call simple TTNCF functions - that's it.

The two versions
TTNCF   TTNCF3
Runs with TomTom Navigator 2.0 All 32 functions usable   42 out of 83 functions usable
Runs with TomTom Navigator 3.0 All 32 functions usable   All 83 functions usable
Runs with TomTom SDK 2.0 Full function set (32)   Not supported
Runs with TomTom SDK 3.0 Only the functions of TomTom SDK 2.0   Full function set (83)
CPU types supported   ARM (Strong-ARM) based     ARM (Strong-ARM) / MPIs / SH3 (like TomTom SDK 3.0)
Number of functions included 32 All usable with both versions of the TomTom Navigator   83 42 usable with TomTom Navigator 2.x
Click here for a detailed feature map

Prerequisites
The TomTom Navigator SDK
AND
The TomTom Navigator
TTNCF (TTNCF3) is an ADDON to enable the TomTom Navigator SDK in .NET CF.
So without the TomTom Navigator SDK TTNCF (TTNCF3) will not work!!
TTNCF (TTNCF3) does NOT ship with the TomTom Navigator SDK.
In order to use the functions and test your apps you need a TomTom Navigator.
TTNCF (TTNCF3) does NOT ship with the TomTom Navigator.
If already have the TomTom Navigator SDK 2.0 (or 3.0) you must not buy an extra copy to use this wrapper!
The Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 TTNCF does not include the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1!
Follow this link to learn how to get the FREE Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
Environment This wrapper adds no extra needs - your environment must only meet the needs for the TomTom Navigator SDK and the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework.
Unlike with the TomTom SDK with TTNCF you do NOT need the Embedded Visual Tools (EVB, EVC++)!
Startpage
TTNCF for the TomTom SDK 2.0 and 3.0
Company and Contact Information Startpage
TTNCF3 for the full TomTom SDK 3.0 function set