Auto switch to night skin via GPS

Spawn · September 29th, 2009, 11:37 AM

Right, I've seen it in another thread but it was never really explained. I have a night and day skin and would like it to switch between the 2 based on the sunrise/sunset values from my gps. Exactly how do I set this up?

I have it set on time right now with 0700 for the day skin and 1900 for the night skin, but I can't find the option for auto switching. I looked in navigation and set the port, and have autoswitch to on, but it wasn't working last night when I tested it.

Any help?

Salmizar · September 29th, 2009, 12:33 PM

I am not aware of the ability for GPS to obtain sunset/sunrise values. is this even possible or wishful thinking?

Spawn · September 29th, 2009, 12:40 PM

Oh no, it's not wishful thinking at all. I know that every GPS receiver I've had in the past 4 years has been able to get that information. iGuidance shows the info if you check on gps signal strength, but I haven't used ig in 2 years.

Sonicxtacy02 · September 29th, 2009, 01:30 PM

GPS do certainly have this capability. I was implementing auto day/night switch based on a photosensor value through my centrafusion plugin, but if this gets included there's no real reason to do that.

Spawn · September 29th, 2009, 01:33 PM

From what I read in a post from last year, it already is implemented. I just want to have a flux-er chime in to explain the process of getting it setup properly, especially for someone who does not use destinator.

Reagan · September 30th, 2009, 01:43 PM

The option should be under Graphics (probably under Advanced Settings), and its a toggle called AUTO SWITCH SKIN, that is defaulted to OFF. Turn this on, and it will change CF skin at a specified time.

We looked into writing our own algorithm that tried to calculate using sunset/sunrise based on lat/long, but was going to be aquite a project, and decided to just use a time, as you really only need to change it 2-3 times a year, and this method gives you MORE control.

If we would've gone down the auto-sunset/sunrise calculation route, then you may live on the edge of a timezone and it may change too soon or too late, giving you much less control. This way you can specify the exact time to change to each skin.

Spawn · September 30th, 2009, 02:43 PM

Well that confirms that it doesn't work. Ah well, i would still like to suggest it. I know that the majority of the GPS apps i've used (iGO, iGuidance, Sygic, etc) all have the ability to switch automatically without defining the time, so why not have the autoswitch on time or autoswitch on GPS as a setting in CF and pull the switch from destinator? Seems logical rather than building your own algorhythm.

Salmizar · September 30th, 2009, 06:22 PM

Well, I learned something new.. I wonder what else the GPS can do I am not aware of..

nemo · October 1st, 2009, 08:31 AM

Yeah, I wish we could get this feature, as well. iGuidance and most other GPS's that I've seen do this automatically, so I don't see why CF shouldn't be able to do it. Or at least give us the option to do it. If someone wants manual control over skin switching, that should be there, too.

strikeback03 · October 1st, 2009, 04:02 PM

What's funny is that Destinator, inside CF, switches at sunrise/sunset, but might not make that available outside the program.