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Projects | Software Development | My Palm

NEW (31 March 1999) SameGame Version 2 Available!
(8 March 1999): SameGame source code & explanation added!
Total number of hits to date :

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I have a Garmin GPS38 and I would like to interface the GPS unit to the Palm. I have seen a PC (Win95) based software package that would take a number of readings and average out the error introduced by Selective Availability. Also, I would like to extend the mapping facilities of my GPS unit by doing the mapping in the Palm (bigger screen, bigger memory).

I know that commercial packages doing exactly this is available (for example GPSTracker), but as a challenge I would like to write the software for myself. I have written a communication utility that read the output from the GPS unit for the PC, but I would like to do a little more than just read the info. Ideally, a utility with a mode to estimate the position more correctly (using averaging), and secondly a mapping mode (drawing a map on screen based on information from the GPS unit).

Links to some GPS-related pages (not necessarily including the Palm):

Thomas Ott's page on GPS-Palm interfacing
Peter Bennett's GPS Page

Software Development

My attempts (so far) at developing for the Palm Connected Organiser:

ParRes (freeware) - Little utility to calculate the equivalent resistance of two resistors placed in parallel. Source code is included in the zipped file (based on the tutorial included in the gcc development kit (see link below)). I know, it isn't TOO useful, but a nice start to PalmOS development. I used the gcc Software Development Kit for the PalmOS. If you're interested in developing software for PalmOS, be sure to visit RoadCoders!

SAMEGAME! This is an implementation of the popular game called SameGame, a highly addictive game somewhat similar to Tetris. The goal of the game is to remove all the blocks. You can only remove two or more blocks at a time. Only identical blocks immediately adjacent to each other can be removed. Tapping on a block will indicate all adjacent blocks that can be cleared. Scoring is according to the formula n^2-3n+4 (n is the number of blocks cleared). Long strings of adjacent blocks therefore score much better than a number of short strings. It's much faster, it's got more features, it's bigger! It's SameGame version 2! (Hey, I sound like a Microsoft programmer). Version 2 incorporates most of the change requests I have received via e-mail. Included are selectable patterns, a 5 level high score list with player initials and date, and a small icon for list view in the PalmOS application launcher. The board size is still fixed at 20x16 blocks. Unfortunately, you have to delete the old SameGame (version 1) from memory before installing version 2... Download SameGame version 2 NOW! (It's FREE!) And if you want the version 1 source code (including executable and code description), click here. It's approximately 38 kB. If you like the game, I would appreciate an email. By the way, my best score to date is 6222 (a string of 78 touching blocks)...

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This page last updated on 8 March 1999.