PPP Forum

Hi,

here I explain a little what and how will happen in the near future

Important change!!
TomTom just sent us the beta of the new SDK.
It is possible that we will wait for this release before releasing this version of TTNCF5.

If we decide to make two shipments (because the current enhancment is important for some customers),
you will get the update to the next version with the SDK changes for free!

We will release a new version of TTNCF5 - the new things are:

1. Keep TTN alive
   This means TTNCF runs a thread restarting TTN if terminated or died
2. Check TTN running
   "Blocking" calls will be precided by "CheckIfTTNRunning" (see below)
   This depends on the "Kepp alive" feature.
   So if you don't activate "Keep alive" - everything works as usual
3. .NET 2.0 Support
   We'v got the final release of VS 2005 earlier than expected - so we are already working on it with the release

So what do the points mean in greater detail?

Kepp Alive - this thing will have 3 states.

1. TTN must live
   Here a thread checks every XX seconds if TTN is still running - if not it start TTN
2. TTN check call
   A thread starts to check if TTN is running while you make a (blocking) call.
   So this means - you call a function in TTNCF - and the entry starts (acticates) the "watchdog".
   When the function is finished - the watchdog is reset.
3. TTN ignore
   You know what TTNCF does at the moment - it will act the same with this setting.

With 1 and 2 every call is preceeded by a "CheckIfTTNRunning" call. This will check when TTN was the last time checked if it is running.
If this is more than a second away - IsApplicationRunnig followed by (if needed) StartApplication preceeds your call.

By the way - if TTN must start it will take over the screen. Since it did not before - your app will be sent to foreground if StartApplication has to be run.

.NET 2.0 support

In the next version TTNCF will ship whith two different components (PPPTTCF....dll) a .NET 1.0 and a .NET 2.0 version.
But don't worry - it will stay one product - you will only get a little bit more.
You will also get a different version of TestTTN - built for .NET 2.0.

The further future

We will furhteron enhance the wrapper for both versions of .NET. This means that we keep supporting .NET 1. as well as 2.x .
This will stop sometimes in the future. At this time we will bring a "last release" and then stop .NET 1.x. enhancment.
But it will take a certain time till this happens. And we will preceed it with a survey checking who many customers still use 1.x.

We will also bring an enhanced TestTTN only for .NET 2.0. So you can still check the most important functions with TestTTN.
But the enhanced version will present (and relay on) NET 2.0 features such as the ComPort.
With this thing we will share our .NET 2.0 experience to our customers and help them on this way to migrate to .NET 2.0.

Pricing, updates and ...

Starting with TTNCF5 we introduced subscriptions. But we think a lot of customers did not understand the true meaning of this feature.
And so we will

1. Extend the subscription
2. Clarify subscription updates
3. Clarify the things once more - here and in the product pages.
4. Make a single time a license upgrade special
5. Make a last time an update special

Extension of the subscription

The subscription will include a time dependent free update service.
This means that you can for one year (half a year with single developer) obtain every paid update for free.

The extension is that you will get at least one paid update within your subscription period.

Subscription updates

At the end of a subscription every customer will receive a mail.
He can the extend the subscription for another period.
The price for this enhancment will be about 50% of the regular subscription price.

Clarify the update things

Without subscription every new version will have to be bought at the regular price.
The only exception are "brandnew" sales. We will - close to new versions notify that a buyer will get a free update
to the new version. For an example - these days (sorry for delays) we will place an anouncment on the website,
that customers who buy now will get the next version for free.
In the current case orders place on the 1st of November (or later) will count in that regulation.

Every other version change will bring no rebates or things like this.
Of course every "non subscribing customer" can use early bird rebates or such things if we offer them.

Subscriber simply get updates for free.
And since it takes time to place the SW in the webshops - subscribers get it a little earlier.

Single time license upgrade offer

We offer license upgrades. So you can upgrade from your kind of license to a bigger one.
The price is about the difference between your license and the destination license plus about 30 Euros for handling.
Doing such an update means the same for you as if you had bought the product with this license.
Example:
--You bought on July 1st a 3 developer license.
--You update this licens on November 1st to 3 developer subscription
##You have now a subscrition that lasts till July 1st in the next year.
##No difference (except the handling fee) as if you bought the subscription on July 1st

To be clear - you hace SD normal - upgrade to SD subscription - but you still have TTNCF5 Version 1.
But with subscription you can now download (for free) TTNCF5 Version 1.2 (what I'm talking about here).

You can also upgrade for an example from SD to 3D or enterprise whithout subscription.
But in this case - you stay on the version you bought since you habe no right for free updates.

This license upgrade offer is limited to 3 Months after purchase.
We enhanced this period so every customer of TTNCF5 can use it.
TAKE CARE - only an upgrade to a Subscription brings the new version!!

Last time update special

This time we will for the last time offer an update from TTNCF5 prior Versions to the most current version.
This is made especially for people who only need .NET 2.0 support and will not need any kind of other enhancments
future versions will bring. This is a one time offer!!

Pricing for the new version

Althoug we enhanced a lot - we will keep exactly the same price for all products.
We raised the price from 5.0 to 5.1 a little - but we will not do it this time.
The reason - 5.0 was kept on the price of TTNCF3 although much more effort to handle,
and we also have to pay more provision to our shop provider.

Now we think TTNCF5 has reached a fair price - and we will keep it.

If you have any questions about this update - yust reply here.

Regards

Manfred

Hi Manfred.

I've spoken with TomTom, and they said that they will release the second version of TomTom SDK 5 at 21st of November. Have you heard anything from TT, and will you update TTNCF with the new updates in the SDK. When do you think you would have an update ready with this changes?. One of the most important updates in the SDK for me and my company, is the functionality to skip the route overview screen, and the fix to swithtonavigatorview...

Thomas

Hi Thomas,

thanks for your information - I think talking with TomTom "woke them up" because today we got the beta bits .

So the message above (I'll edit an change it!!) has to be changed.
The SDK changes are more or less minor (but important).

What happens? They primarily changed the Navigator Apllication itself - so this will prevent some "stange things" (as you posted),
and on that way they implemented some new things in the SDK.

We do not know how we will handle this - we see two ways:

a.) Release the things mentioned above
-- we think we are able to do this till mid november
b.) Wait with the release and bring it after TomTom releases the update to the SDK
-- both will be shiped as one version about 1 to 2 weeks after TomTom released the SDK 

Anyhow we will see what we decide after a deeper look at the betas.
If we decide for b) everything is clear.

If we decide for a) we will ship the version mentioned above and than give the new stuff a bit later for free via TTNCFGen.

But the answer to your question is clear - yes we will implement that stuff.
It is just the question how we do it - within the release of Version 5_2 or a few weeks later.
For you this means anyhow - that you can get this version AFTER the release of the new TomTom SDK.
The only possible change is that you can get (may be) another version before - or if it will be one shipment.

We will keep you up to date here.

Manfred

Hi,

new iformation is added to the Update Thread on top of this forum.

In a few words - 5.2 will stay what it is planned to be.
And if TomTom ships realy on the 21st of November - we will include the new SDK functions in this release.

If not than we will ship in 2 seperate versions - but this 5.3 will be free of charge for 5.2 owners.

Regards

Manfred

Hi,

TomTom almost kept their time frame.
Except a little "bugfix" 2 days after release

So we hope to finish our tests mid to end next.
Closer information can be found here: http://ttncf.pp-p.net/update5.aspx

Regards

Manfred