S&T Keys for Streets & Trips 2009 Wish List

You can Post your wish list for S&T Keys 2009 and future versions.

Follow the procedure below:

1- Which version of S&T keys 2009 you are using.
2- Explain your needs with few sentences (complicated idea are not generally easy to implement!).
3- Please be patient, S&T Keys 2009 is a free product and i need some time for traveling also


S&T Keys 2009 Software main thread

Have not installed 2009 Keys - I'm using S&T 2008.
I'd like the ability to assign a preferred zoom level to a key combination - else, swap between the current zoom level and the predefined level.

Hello all. I have used S&T 2007 for several years faithfully. I really like most of the functionality, and S&T Keys really makes it better! In fact, I don't think I could use S&T without S&T Keys....I wouldn't know what buttons to push.

Something that has always frustrated me about S&T was its inability to use the real time-of-day from the laptop. For example, if "My current location (GPS)" is the first location in your route, then when you push F3 to recalculate your route, I think S&T should load the current time in the "directions list" and calculate all of the estimated real times for the different turns and future stops. This should be easy to do.

So here is the question for an S&T Keys addition. Can you make a hot-key that when pressed, automatically loads the current time-of-day into the menu item "Route -> More Options -> Start Driving At" and then does the F3 recalculation automatically. The net effect of it would be what I described above. This is just my concept of how it could work.....perhaps there is an easier way.

Isn't there somebody else out there that wants to see real times displayed without having to do all of the math yourself?

If S&T Keys 2009 can do that it would be awesome! (I am currently trying the 60 day trial of 2009)

Hokie said:
This could do the trick for a very short travel (less than one day). But if you are travelling a long time (more than one day) it wouldn't do the job i guess:

1- It would force to be reajust every day

2- It would also requiere that the "end driving at" option be set (possibly at midnight to avoid stopping the travel for a day?)


3- I guess that if you are travelling at night, the "end driving at" option will stop the travel at maximum midnight for that day. Manual key press to reajust the start driving time may be needed after midnight to solve this problem?

Ater testing, it looks that setting starting time at current day hour end stopping time 1 minute less allow to travel a full 24 hr without being bothered by a stopping (and midnight) issue, but it would be diffcult to figure out in which day we are (Day 1, Day 2) if the travelled route is many days...


4- You would need to press the key at least everyday....

5- If you do a stop while travelling for a day, you would have to reajust the start time pressing the hotkey and you would loose the past history also?


Give more details about your proposed scenario

Thanks for the quick response. Here are some answers to some of your comments/questions:

This could do the trick for a very short travel (less than one day). But if you are travelling a long time (more than one day) it wouldn't do the job i guess:

1- It would force to be reajust every day

I would use it several times a day to calculate the ETA for stops during that day and the final destination of that day. During the next day of the trip, you just continue to do the same thing.

2- It would also requiere that the "end driving at" option be set (possibly at midnight to avoid stopping the travel for a day?)

Agree

3- I guess that if you are travelling at night, the "end driving at" option will stop the travel at maximum midnight for that day. Manual key press to reajust the start driving time may be needed after midnight to solve this problem?

Ater testing, it looks that setting starting time at current day hour end stopping time 1 minute less allow to travel a full 24 hr without being bothered by a stopping (and midnight) issue, but it would be diffcult to figure out in which day we are (Day 1, Day 2) if the travelled route is many days...

Agree

4- You would need to press the key at least everyday....

I envision myself pressing the button several times during the day to update the ETAs.

5- If you do a stop while travelling for a day, you would have to reajust the start time pressing the hotkey and you would loose the past history also?

As I travel throughout the day going through planned stops, such as gas stations, I typically delete the stop in the route plan so that the current GPS location is always at the top. You still keep your GPS trail history, just not the previous stops.


Give more details about your proposed scenario [/QUOTE]

The real value with this is the calculation of real times in the directions lists. For example, I may plan a two city trip with a gas station stop in between. If I had the button that we are talking about, then once I hit it, I could look in the directions list and see the estimated time-of-day that I will be at the stops. I could continue to hit this button every now and then to update the times to see if they are changing. Perhaps I want to know what time I will be arriving at my planned gas station stop to see if it is a good time for lunch as well, I could just look at the most recent direction list to do so. In the same example, say I just stopped at the gas station stop and had a longer lunch than planned. Once I start driving again, I delete the gas station stop, hit the new button, and now I have the new ETAs to the future stops.

Hopefully this helps describe my usage more.

Thanks

I just realized that the S&T Keys source is distributed in the package. That is great!

If you think my above idea is crazy and nobody uses S&T in that manner, then I may take an evening to implement this for myself.

Thanks for being open with the source code!

Hokie:

I like your main idea and i think i will add it in the next release. But i am thinking of adding it differently as what you described:

1- Instead of using a hotkey to be pushed manually each time to refresh the ETA, i am thinking of adding a configuration option (so user that don't want this can disable it) in S&T Keys option panel so it is more automatic than manual (you don't have to think about it)

2- When the option is selected, each time the navigation is started using S&T Keys <F2>, <F5>, <Home>, <End> keys and so on (maybe i forgot a couple), it would refresh the ETA time in S&T automatically. The only assumption for this is that if you are doing a stop and stopping the GPS navigation, next time you restart, the ETA would refresh by itself.

This way, it would look more integrated in S&T and if you open up the direction panel, you can always expect that the ETA is up to date most of the time. No hassle of forgetting to press a hotkey to achieve the purpose...

What do you think of the idea?

I think i would use it myself if it was done behind the scene...

I like your idea and agree that it would seem more integrated to S&T. For my use, I believe it will work because I typically use the F3 key to update my routing which essentially stops and then restarts navigation anyway.

I appreciate the consideration and look forward to your next release whenever that occurs.

Hokie:

Thank you for this very good idea. Stay tuned to hear about it soon...

Any other good idea to improve S&T utilization could be suggested, and i would be glad to hear about it

LineChaser said:
Sorry i forgot about your post

The 2009 version of S&T Keys can only be used with S&T 2009. The 2008 version is not developed anymore (and not created by myself).

I am working mostly on the 2009 version now...

The old 2007 version (in my signature), i don't think i would update it anymore, except maybe for some annoying bug fixes if needed.

I don't know if your request can easily be done, but if it could be, it would not be done in any other version than 2009.

For the 2008 old version, you can look at this thread: http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/1318-s-t-keys-2008-a

This might be a really odd idea, but I can see some function for it and at a glance it appears easy to add. How about a "black screen" hot key. Idea is that instead of putting the laptop into suspend or hibernate I just toggle the black screen so that it looks off and much less likely to attract attention while out of the car for quick stops. Some times stops are too short to justify waiting on a standby/wake up, but leaving the screen with something on it while out of the car is not a good idea to me. I've noticed that you already do overlays onto the map area so I'm thinking it will be really easy to add a black screen that "overlays" the entire screen.

Sorry if this function is already covered else where with some other software add-on. I just picked up S&T 2009 April 17th before leaving Saturday morning for a Trip to PA from NC after "co-pilot" bailed on me.

Thanks
Screech.

Oh, I'm running version 2.54.0

Screech said:

Here my suggestions to achieve this purpose:

1- Standby to ram (or suspend to ram) function is a pretty quick operation on my laptop (few seconds).

2- It is possible to configure a screen saver in windows to achieve this purpose (black screen). A shortcut on the desktop can easily be used to trigger the screen saver fct. (so minimizing S&T with S&T Keys F2 function and clicking the desktop shortcut to trigger screen saver can do the trick).

3- Why not just lowering the screen toward the keyboard, this would hide it pretty easily, without turning it off...

4- I don't think this function can be usefull to a lot of people. But if many are voting for it and have a different opinion than mine, i may reconsider later

Thanks for the idea...

1. I've tried that, but it seams a bit cumbersome having to stop the receiver before suspending and then restart it once the system is one again. I'm talking really short, frequent stops. I've read that xport may prevent me from having to stop/start the GPS receiver, just haven't had time to test that yet.

2. Screen saver idea is a no go for me due to the small car and having an optical mouse, closing the door moves the mouse and disables the screen saver.

3. Not an option with my setup. Toshiba Satellite R20 tablet PC in an 86 Civic Si. I turn the screen around back-wards and have the keyboard wedged between the center console and the dash. Looks like the car was designed to hold the system there, minus blocking access to the climate controls and radio. But the car is so small that the screen is behind the wiper controls and steering wheel some, so I can't fold the screen down.

4.Understood, this is a wish list, not a "make it now list".

Last night I did come up with a process that works for the most part. I turned off the wallpaper and set the desktop color to black with the task bar set to auto hide. Now I just press Windows+D to show desktop. Then I can alt+tab back to the app when back.

...or, instead of the Alt+Tab, do the Win+D again. That should bring up the minimized windows to where they were before the first Win+D.

Agree

It is just that i am planning a new version soon and now the wish list is also a little of the make list

Yes i know, time is a precious thing and sometimes things go slowlier than expected. But for the curious, here are the things i have on the next todo list for S&T Keys 2009 :

1- Correct most of the actual known bugs
2- Speed optimization so it does not slow operation on slow laptop as much
3- Add automated ETA time of arrival (discussion with Hokie in this thread)

Thanks! I am looking forward to it!

Heading out this weekend for a long trip....let me know if you need a beta tester!

Hokie said:
For this time you should ride the old time fashion cause it would not be ready

A couple of things that I would really like on the new addition of keys..

1. Be able to turn off the navigation voice completely, without having to mute my laptop.

2. Instead of the navigation voice. Have an option of just having a "beep" maybe 50 yards prior to the next turn (Or better yet, an adjustable distance from the turn). This way before the turn comes up, it will beep, and then I will know that the next turn coming up is the one that I need to turn at. Maybe there could be a different tone for a right turn vs a left turn. This way, I can still follow the route w/o having to listen to the voice or look down at the computer.

3. I am trying to figure out a way to SKIP a stop in the route. I work a job where I may have 50 stops within a day. There might be a reason why I want to skip the next stop, but proceed to the one after that. Could there be a way to do this already that I am not aware of. If not, it would be nice to have it on the next addition of keys. Or maybe I want to skip the next 3 stops and have it route me immediately to the 4th.

4. On the navigation screen, have it indicate on the bottom of the screen what street you are currently driving on w/o having to look at the map to see. This would especially be nice in full screen mode.

5. On full screen mode, have it indicate the Distance to your next stop on your route as well as the ETA if possible. Also to indicate the overall distance and the overall ETA to your final stop.

Thanks very much..
Robert

If you use the = or - keys or the mouse wheel to zoom in and out the steps are quite large.

If you click on the slider bar you can then use the arrows to zoom in and out in small steps.

This is very useful because it allows you to select the appropriate zoom level for whatever navigation task you are performing.

You can use the Page Up and Down keys to zoom in large steps.

If there isn't an existing keyboard shortcut to do it (I have looked but I can't find it) I would like to have a key that selects the slider.

My partner Christine and I have spent the last 4 months travelling 18,000 km around Europe using MapPoint 2009 every day. We will be returning to Europe for 4 months next year so I would like this feature to be available in a Keys version for MP2k9.

We will probably go to the USA and Canada for Fall next year (as we did for 2 months last year) so we would use this feature in S&T Keys 2009.

Some people use TomTom for navigation. My system is called ChrisChris, ie a laptop running MS mapping software with Chris providing the voice navigation guidance.

Andrew Watson
Perth, Western Australia

Robertm said:

For item 1, just press F7 key while driving in fullscreen mode to mute the voice guidance (feature built-in S&T 2009)

For item 2, if the voice guidance is turned off as explained above, there is an option in S&T Keys 2009 to activate "Turn beep" (see documentation). But the turn beep is the same whatever turn is coming (left right)...

werdnanostaw said:
The feature was there in previous version of S&T Keys (like 2007 version). It is using the PgUp/PgDown keys to do the zooming. User can program in S&T Keys option panel the zooming increment needed. So it is possible to zoom very precisely with this method.

Unfortunatly, in S&T Keys 2009, the feature is still there, but can only be used while navigating not in full screen mode. This is a known issue.

See first known issue in the release 2.54 of S&T Keys 2009:

S&T Keys 2009 release info

As a workaround, if you just want to do it for a short time while using full screen navigation in S&T Keys 2009, you can just press <F11> to exit full screen navigation, then press PgUp/PgDn to do the precise zooming you want (as programmed in S&T Keys option panel) then press <F11> to return full screen to continue navigation (not the best workaround in town, but possible )...

I'm currently running S&T 2009 with S&T Keys. I travel alone in my RV and use a touch screen laptop but find I have difficulty using much of S&T Keys because I can't accurately select the proper screen key while driving. I can zoom in and out but the other functions built into the program are not really available to me unless I stop.

I recently bought a wireless keypad and plan on using it to access some of the functionality of the S&T Keys. I would like to see some of the keys for the keypad used in a future version of S&T, perhaps in the 2010 version. My idea would be to use the asterick (*) key for inserting a pushpin at the current location just as the F6 key does now. Perhaps the forward slash key (/) could be used for the Day/Night toggle just as the F9 key does. I'm thinking that the added, and duplicate use, keys would be for those functions that are available while in navigation mode.

phays said:

What do you mean exactly by you cannot accuratly use the touch screen with it ?

If you are not using the touch screen, you can also use the laptop keyboard hotkeys instead?

Hi MisterMoonlight,

He said: "I can't accurately select the proper screen key...". I thought he meant that when he is driving he has trouble finding and using the correct Function key on the keyboard, probably because of the location of the laptop and he doesn't want to take his eyes off the road. I didn't think he has a touchscreen.

It sounds like he plans to get a wireless number pad because it's small and he can locate closer to him to make it easier to use safely and he would like to be able to have some "alias" keys on the number pad that would do the same things as the Function keys he mentioned.

...ken...

Since you can't buy a small keypad with only F keys, what about a USB touch pad such as one from Cirque.
Touchpad Mouse Overview - Cirque
You could mount it near your location and control the mouse on the screen without reaching for the computer. I know you would have to divert your attention but it would be less than you do now.

Otherwise, get a full size wireless or USB keyboard and mount it within easy reach. You should have room in the RV.

Terry

I guess I need to clarify how I use my laptop when I drive. The laptop has a swivel screen that allows me to place the screen closer to me while I drive. However, the screen is below the level of the dash and just within arms length. Although I have a touch screen, about all I can accomplish with the touch screen while driving is to hit the on screen + and - zoom keys. I can also bring up the onscreen menu but those menu keys are difficult to hit. Although I drive a comfortable motor home, there is still vibration and I'm not as steady as I once was. In addition, a great deal of concentration is required to accurately touch the screen in the correct location to select the action I want.

I've got a wireless mouse but I must take my eyes off of the road for too long a time in order to use the mouse.

I can use a remote keyboard with all the keys but the keyboard is rather large. I can attach a number pad with velcro to the steering wheel for ready access. Plus the number pad has a bump on the 5 key that allows me to home my hand over the keypad with accuracy without looking at the keypad.

I think Ken said it best and I couldn't come up with the words.
". . . he would like to be able to have some "alias" keys on the number pad that would do the same things as the Function keys he mentioned.

I can use the number pad with S&T Keys the way it is and have better access to some of the functions. But being able to use the keypad for access to some of the other functions would be desirable. Especially those functions that are used during navigation. Through the use of the NumLock key on the keypad, there would be more keys available.

Again, this is my current wish list for S&T Keys. If it is too much work to warrant the benefit I fully understand. I've reviewed the source code for S&T Keys and it is much more involved than I, or I suspect many others, believed.

As it is now, the keypad will give me much more access to the functions than I had before. I now have easy access to the functions that correspond to Home, End, Insert, Delete, PageUp, PageDown, +, and - keys.

By the way, when I use the Insert key to turn on the gps trail, the GPS Pane comes up, the check box is checked, or unchecked if it was previously checked but the GPS pane does not go away. This behavior is the same whether I use the number pad or the full size keyboard.

phays said:

I guess you are not driving in fullscreen mode. When not driving in fullscreen mode, all actions that are opening panels will let the panel on screen. It is quite difficult to know what was on-screen before the user action. So you would have to push another key to revert to the previous panel you were seeing before the first action you made (if needed)...

In fullscreen navigation, usually you should not see any panel on the screen when doing an action...

I do not drive in full screen mode. I run another program that displays my engine and transmission temps, fuel used, speed, rpm, etc. It takes up about one-fourth of the screen.

phays:

Like i said, actual workaround is simply to select which panel you want or not on-screen by using the related hotkeys (or through S&T hotkeys menu)

MisterMoonlight, thanks for reminding me to look at all the hotkeys available. I guess I still need to study everything that is available. I never use a gps trail while traveling so I have never noticed this behavior. However, the Z hotkey is not available on my number pad so I will try to remember to not use the Ins key.

phays said:

You can see in this picture botttom right four hotkeys: Z,X,C,V. These hotkeys will allow to control the numerous panels on screen. When navigating not in full screen, you can just press the <F4> key than press one of these four keys (Z,X,C,V) to play with the panels (you may also do this by using a touch screen or a mouse by pressing the F4 button on the screen and the buttons near these 4 letters keys)

Hello,

I love the S&T Keys 2009 and we use it while traveling in our RV.

One nice feature would be a quick way to have it show you certain "nearby places" along your route of travel. My specific desire would be gas stations in front of us - say within 50 miles. When doing it manually it looks in a circle from where you are and some are behind you or way off your route of travel. Also, it would be nice to have it filter based on desired category and/or name. I prefer the Flying J's gas stations as they have easy access for RVs, but that's just an example.

Would be very helpful to hit a hot-key that would pop up (or plot on the map) the matches in front of you along your route. Then another hot-key to clear them. Maybe the search values are in an .ini file? That way I could look for upcomming gas stations without driving my rig into the ditch

Thanks for your consideration,
Eric Olsen
Denver, CO.

ericolsen01 said:
There is actually a function to do something similar in S&T Keys 2009 v2.54

Here an abstract from the help page

F10: this hotkey will allow you to find interesting nearby places from S&T Point Of Interest database, around your actual gps location. You can use this function even when navigating in full-screen, by defaut it will locate POI around your actual position for the around distance you used the last time. It will manage the navigation switching mode necessary to make this function posible.

Did you try it?

Just try it once and then change the distance in km/miles you want to look around your current gps position. The next time you will use it, it will remember and look around POI on this distance...

If you were navigating in fullscreen before doing this function, just press F11 after finishing to look the POI and you will return to fullscreen navigation!

MisterMoonlight,

Thanks for working on this for us. I use S&T 2008 and still use Marvin's version. I have quickly scanned your posts and additions to the newer version and I look forward to the new functionality. I am considering buying (if I don't win it first) S&T 2010. Will your current Keys work with the new 2010 version?

Also, has the functionality been added to Keys which would set the start time whenever a route was created/re-created? If not, consider this a vote Especially if this feature could be quickly turned on/off.

I like to schedule my route the night before. NOT establishing the start time allows me to set the arrival time at my first destination and then determine what time i need to leave the office by.

Conversely, once i am on the road, I would prefer real times to be used so i can see and quickly report my ETA to each of my remaining stops for the day.

THANKS!

rcurry71 said:
It has not been updated for the 2010 version yet.

The latest version supported at this time is the 2009 version...

It'd be nice to have a hotkey that takes you to a user-defined zoom level.

LineChaser said:

Well it is not a bad idea. The problem is that i don't see how it can be implemented easily and reliably. There is still a problem with the increment zooming function of the S&T Keys tools with the 2009 version because MS changed the main toolbar menu design last year and now the zoom control is not a control that can be easily/directly addressable anymore, especially when driving in fullscreen mode (as can be seen in 2009 known issues).

Too bad

I'm currently using S&T 2010 and really miss being able to use S&T Keys with it, as S&T Keys 2009 is not compatible or at least I can't figure out how to make it work. S&T Keys is an extremely handy add-on. Does anybody know a relatively easy fix to make it useable with the 2010 versioni?

Unfortunately there is no an easy fix. Each version of Streets and Trips is very different as far as S&T Keys is concerned. A lot of code rewriting is needed to make each S&T Keys version work with each new Streets & Trips release. It only depends on MisterMoonlight if he has the time and energy to continue on with the project.

Alternatively, you could look into learning AutoIt ( AutoIt v3 - Automate and Script Windows Tasks - For Free! ), and you could attempt to modify S&T Keys. You may actually enjoy it. It's not too difficult, one doesn't need to be a programmer to do this, and AutoIt has a helpful manual and even an online forum full of people willing to help.

Thanks Marvin. I will take a stab at it.

Actually i am still working on adding new function for the 2009 version that i will eventually move to the 2010 version i guess. But time is precious and limited for this project...

I can understand the preciousness of time. Thank you!

Hokie said:
Yep real time displayed when navigating, this is a very cool idea and it is now called "calendar navigation mode". This new function will be part of release v2.55.0 of S&T Keys 2009. Yes i know, it has been a long time since this request and maybe not many user will use it with S&T 2009. But i hope i can move the feature to the next version of S&T Keys 2010

See info about this release here:
S&T Keys 2009 v2.55.0 release information