Hello Hans.

Though I hardly have any time to do so, I am still _very_ interested in developing an empeg based navigation system. I am trying (but not very successful as it seems) to keep http://www.sourceforge.org/project/nav-em/ up to date.
Currently, I´m still researching on map formats, so your info did help me alot. My approach to this project is the following:

1. Research and evaluate possible map sources


2. make a decent software design, keeping map handling (importing that is) apart from navigation routines apart from user interface.


3. start actual coding

I know that not going the way of rapid prototyping is somewhat against established open source procedures, but due to the complexity of a navigation system, I am convinced that this is the better way for this.

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As for the SDAL format specs, I must admit I am eager to implement the needed routines to read (and display) the database. However, it is probably not really appropriate for use within nav´em. The reason is that navtech prohibits redistribution of the format specs (probably even of source that is capable of handling the format appropriately and might easily been reverse engineered). There might be two ways around this though:

• Implement a library that is capable of reading SDAL data, and is itself distributed as binary only


• Implement a database conversion program (distributed binary only again) that converts SDAL data to data in "our" own format

Any other thoughts?

cu,
sven
(MkII 12GB blue, #080000113)