Extracting the pushpin database out of the file

Hi,

Well I'm attempting to try something different to solve a problem.

I know that Streets & Trips 2007 uses the Jet 4.0 database to store the pushpins and other data. I'm trying to figure out how to extract the database even if I have to manually do it with a hex editor.

If I can extract the database then maybe I can figure out a way to manually add pushpins to the database and then put it back into the file.

This is something a real programmer with some experience might be able to tackle but I'm not that great of a programmer. Maybe a developer forum would be better place for this question but it's hard to find an Streets & Trips developer forum for this type of activity.

Any one have some resources or have found a way to do this?

Thanks,
Curt

Hi Curt,

I think it would be a whole lot easier just to use the Import Data Wizard to add addtional points of interest. You can even make them 'permanent' additions to your map template by saving the map as an .stt (template file) and replacing the original one called New North American map.stt.

Can you elaborate on the problem you are trying to solve and maybe someone on this forum could suggest something that would even be within the software licensing agreement .

Hi Larry,

Always good to hear from you. Using the data import wizard is the way to go for importing data... no doubt.

I use other programs to get my data but I use S&T for planning my routes because that's what it was originally intended for. However, when importing the data I lose the pushpin symbols. Now obviously S&T can't possibly know what symbols were in another program I was using but I'm not trying to use symbols from another program. I simply want to be able to specify the symbol, from the set S&T has, for "each" point I import.

Now I know that I can import a set of pushpin data and then specify a pushpin for that set. However, for my application that doesn't work because I would need at least 12 pushpin sets and it's more time consuming.

The import wizard could easily have a column for pushpin symbol that would allow you to reference the built in pushpin set (by name or # reference) but to this point MS has decided not to implement that feature.

So there's my want/need. I use the program for competitions. Speed and accuracy are a necessity. I've automated things I need to do fast using AutoHotKey to get around some of these issues but that's getting hard to maintain because of the interface changes that MS is making to the program (which also slow down it's responsiveness to the point of annoyance).


So I'm looking for a way to import a single set of data but be able to specify the pushpin symbol to use for each waypoint.

Didn't mean to post something that's considered illegal. You can pull the post if you need to.

Thanks,
Curt

I love that suggestion of being able to include the pushpin icon symbol as part of the import data. It has been mentioned before and it is a good one.

Note: Curt this may not apply or fit to your situation but it worthy of mention - if you do use custom pushpin symbols for your .est files then these icons will remain the same year over year during the upgrade process. Only the internal pushpin icons are subject to change.

Thanks Larry. I use the ones in the file but your suggestion is a good one and one that I should be aware of.

Thanks,
Curt

This feature could be useful to MapPoint users, too. In various MapPoint-related communities I've heard people asking if it was possible to specify pushpin symbol during the import process.

To me it just makes sense but I'm not the one writing the program.

OT a bit but is modifying the output file against the license agreement? I could see modifying the S&T executable but if I wanted to modify the output file am I still violating the agreement?

Curt

Hi Curt,

I'm not sure what file you are refering to when you say "output file".

Do you mean an exported .GPX file? A saved map file (.EST)? A saved template file (.STT)? A saved web page?

Or none of the above?

...ken...

Hi Ken,

I mean the .est file.

Curt

Ok so I did some poking and extracted the database from the S&T file and hope the MS police don't come beating down my door.

**** CORRECTION ****
I can see that there is a column in the database that refers to the pushpin symbol, I think, but the column is in binary so at this point I'm not sure what I can do with that. I suppose if I can get the binary reference for every pushpin and then just copy in the ones I need.... ug-ug-ugly!

*******************

Now I guess I'll have to wait to see if they ever implement that feature. I've left out the details as I don't want to be accused of spreading information that might violate the user agreement.

Curt

I don't see any EULA issue with monkeying with the .EST file. It is essentially "user" data.

The only problem you might encounter is if you screwed something up and expected Microsoft to help you unscrew it. They might or might not be polite when they brush you off.

Don't you just hate it when they put binary data in the user files? !!

...ken...