Android Chart Downloader

[Maine_bill]

When trying to download charts using the chart Downloader I get an error message:
Failed to download Catalogs:http//www.charts.noaa.gov/RNCs/02Region_RNCProdCat.xml
Verify there is a working internet connection.

Verified the connection ...still get the error message.

Any help will be appreciated
Bill

[transmitterdan]

Can you open that link (RNC Product Catalog 02 Region) in a web browser? Does it give any error?

I just tried to update this catalog and it worked ok.

[Maine_bill]

Talking to the developer....
Looks like an issue with writing to an external Sd card with Android Tab 4 tablet and their latest OS update
I can still use OpenCpn, just not the chart Downloader ..no big deal
Thanks

[transmitterdan]

I'm just a tester and did only a small part. The other developers did 98% of the work. Hope they get the drive names sorted. This is a common issue as I understand it.

[bdbcat]

Bill/Dan...

More backstory....
https://plus.google.com/+TodLiebeck/posts/gjnmuaDM8sn

Dave

[rgleason]

Our Samsung Androids have been updated
S4 Phone to Android Version 5.0.1 Last System Update 8-19-2015 (Lollipop)
Note 8.0 to Android Version 4.4.2 -Kernel Version dated 9-21-2015 (KitKat)
Android Version History
4.4 Storage Access Framework, an API allowing apps to retrieve files in a consistent manner.

Examining MicroSD changes in Android 4.4

This disallowed any third party application from writing to the microSD card, although they could write to their own private folder on the microSD card, much like how applications can write to their own folder on /data/apps/ but they can't modify any other folder in that directory. With permission to write to external storage, it is possible to read any file on the microSD card that isn’t a private folder, but it isn’t possible to write to any other folder. The permission to write to any folder on the microSD card is now limited to system/OS applications only.

The big news isn’t that Samsung is adopting the change. Rather, it seems that Google is now enforcing this change in microSD behavior across all OEMs. Presumably, this means that the Android CTS (Compatibility Test Suite) now requires compliance with the new system of accessing microSD storage. Based upon user feedback, both Samsung and HTC devices with microSD slots are no longer capable of allowing user applications to write to folders outside of the application’s private folder. While it was once hard to say whether this would only be followed by a few OEMs, it seems that this standard is well on track to universal adoption.

@bdcat: Does OpenCPN Android currently support those standards? Maybe it is compliant, on our S4 phones the External MicroSD card uses directory "Charts" with not a problem.
Is it just a matter of OpenCPN has to create the correct Directory on "/storage/extSdCard/", lets say "Charts" and make sure it has read write access? That is all that is needed. Opencpn does not need to write anywhere else on the extSD card, nor does it want to.

Charts - Chart Sources and Options
Chart Files - Configure Installed Charts
Chart Files - Current Chart Directories (listed)
Selections on the screen "Add" "Remove" "Cancel" "OK"
Selecting "Add" is the same as "Browse"

@ bdbcat: Maybe it should say Add (Browse) to eliminate confusion for non-techies?

On Note 8.0 Our Charts Directories are setup up for
/storage/extSdCard/Charts <---External MicroSD card
/storage/emulated/0/Charts/RNC/US_CGD01 <--Internal Storage
/storage/emulated/0/Charts/ENC/US_CGD01 <--Internal Storage
The last two were created by chartdownloader I believe

On S4 our Charts Directories are setup up for
/storage/extSdCard/Charts <---External MicroSD card

Observation: The path structures in Android are byzantine and not conducive to user navigation. There is no easy way around this from a programming point of view, Is there? --IE There are just two places that the brower can see.. The standard "Chart" directory at "/storage/emulated/0/Charts" and an "/storage/extSdCard/" ?

But then there are all the USB ports.....?

Is there a simpler way of presenting the Chart location options to the Android User? and filtering out the extraneous directories.

[bdbcat]

Rick...

As a commercial vendor of OpenCPN for Android, I cannot respond to requests for Android support on this forum.

Please bring your (very interesting) discussion to the OpenCPN for Android forum whose URL is shown in the Play Store listing.

Thanks
Dave

[rgleason]

Will post here, as I should have before.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=155378

Main thread for Opencpn Android, under commercial.
I wonder if the thread could be moved to a separate thread under Navigation since it is now free? It might be found easier.