Chart Subdirectories, Waypoints, Raster or ENC

[Chessyman]

I have some questions I hope someone can help with. I have just started switching from SeaClear.

I have made my chart directories, the look like this:

F:\OpenCPN\Charts for OpenCPN
F:\OpenCPN\Charts for OpenCPN\Florida Charts
F:\OpenCPN\Charts for OpenCPN\New England Charts

I have made other subdirectories which I haven’t added yet so they don’t show up.

I started with just the Florida subdirectory and when that was successful I added the other subdirectories. I have NOAA raster charts in Florida and New England so far, but only the outlined red chart boarders that show up on the OpenCPN base map, are for the Florida subdrectory. Why can’t I see the red borders for the New England Charts on the base map? I have done the Scan Charts and Update Database a number of times.

I am not sure what the Force Full Database Rebuild is for. It wasn’t clear to me when I read about it.

Should I be using the ENC charts instead?

Is there a way to place waypoints in OpenCPN by entering lon and lat similar to how push pins can be entered in Google earth or do I have to use the cursor? I believe I can copy waypoints from Google Earth to OpenCPN, but I haven’t gotten that far yet.

Thank you for any help.

[rgleason]

Chessyman,
It is good you are learning about the chart system starting at the basics.
1. Chart Files -Define chart directory(S) for Opencpn to include.
2. Chart Groups - Add a group, naming them for the chart type and area, and then add appropriat chart directories to that group. Don't forget to make an Empty Group, that is useful sometimes.
3. You will become familiar with the requirement to build the database and refresh the charts. Also some operations zooming and panning will initially create SENC files, be patient while this occurs, as opencpn is making data which will speed up operations next time. See settings for Display Advanced and enable OpenGL and the Texture Cache if your graphics card supports it properly. (If it is Intel HP Graphics, sometimes it is better to turn that off)

The thing I wanted you to know is that the Chartdwnloader which is a great tool for getting most available free charts ENC and RNC, (Options > Charts > ChartDownloader TaB ) has defaults that will save files into standard directories (recommended) and you will have a very easy time updating. Read about it in the
ChartDownloader TAB "Help" button on the lower right.

You might want to consider doing your directories as ChartDownloader defaults to simplify things.

Good Luck
Rick

PS
Full force Rebuild, rebuilds the entire database for the chart structure. This is useful when charts are not behaving properly sometimes, or the database has become out of date. Rebuild it and often the issue is fixed.

Otherwise the other alternative Update just builds what has changed recently, when you update charts for example, or add new ones.

Chart Groups are useful because there is a quick way to change to display a chart group.
With cursor on the ocean, right click, pick Charts and then select the group.

Depending on the size and speed of your computer, you will want to limit the size of the charts in a given directory. On my laptop the limit for me for speed that is practical, is All of New England for example with out mixing types of charts (RNC exclusive or ENC exclusive) , plus some of NY. It is certainly possible to have the entire East Coast and Gulf in one Chart Group and it does work for me, but why do it. I slows down things.

Smaller cpu will have other limits.

[rgleason]

Should I be using the ENC charts instead?
- Which one do you like? RNC is often what I chose because I am more used to it from paper charts, but I do often use ENC too as a separate group.
No reason not to have both of your region.

Is there a way to place waypoints in OpenCPN by entering lon and lat similar to how push pins can be entered in Google earth or do I have to use the cursor? I believe I can copy waypoints from Google Earth to OpenCPN, but I haven’t gotten that far yet.

Yes, of course you can enter way points. Locate the Curser and right click.
You can move the boat to the cursor or Mark a waypoint.

Also from the Icon Toolbar you can use the Route Tool to make a route.
You really should read the manual Basics or click on the "?" for help.

OpenCPN User Manual | Official OpenCPN Homepage

Good Luck. Use the forum and be active, as you are doing.

PS: There is a tool for using Google Earth, but you should read up on that first, and I would get your use of Opencpn down firts.

[Chessyman]

Thank you rgleason. I guess I should have used the chart downloader and chart groups.

I went into Charts for OpenCPN and made my own directories then downloaded the charts to them.

I will pratice using the downloader by creating an ENC subdirectory.

Thanks again.

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by Chessyman

I have some questions I hope someone can help with. I have just started switching from SeaClear.

.......

Is there a way to place waypoints in OpenCPN by entering lon and lat similar to how push pins can be entered in Google earth or do I have to use the cursor? I believe I can copy waypoints from Google Earth to OpenCPN, but I haven’t gotten that far yet.

Thank you for any help.

Yes. Several ways to make a mark or edit a wpt

1) goto Route Manager, choose "Marks" tab. click "New". Fill in the blanks and write over the existing Lat/Long..Copy and paste is also a possibility Don't forget you can suit yourself by changing from Decimal Degrees to Degrees/Minutes or Degrees/Minutes/Seconds in" Settings", "UserInterface"

2) or make a Mark anywhere with the cursor using right-click. But somewhere in the area you are interested in allows you to see what you are doing... Then double-click the mark you made and edit the lat/long.
not specifically what you want per "direct entry" but amounts to the same thing

3) or key board combo "CTRL and m" makes a mark at cursor position

and so on. Perhaps by importing a gpx file saved from Google Earth. ( (installed-I don't think the online Google Maps allows saving as gpx...?)

[bcn]

Chessyman,

just in case: there is an excellent manual at your fingertips which contains and explains all the details.
The "?" button from the toolbar.
Or at the web OpenCPN User Manual | Official OpenCPN Homepage

bcn

[rgleason]

One other suggestions Chessyman regarding you chart structure:

F:\OpenCPN\Charts for OpenCPN
F:\OpenCPN\Charts for OpenCPN\Florida Charts
F:\OpenCPN\Charts for OpenCPN\New England Charts

These are long names and there are many many charts and sub charts requiring Opencpn to store very long names in an index... so this will slow things up. Keep your chart names short and paths short.

For example mine are here: C:\Data-Dart\Chart\
But if I had C: & D: (Data) Data drives: D:\Chart\
Another alternative: C:\Charts\
Inactive Charts, kept here right now: C:\Archive\Chart-Inactive\

Once the top chart directory is set, I would let Chartdownloader default directories be made and followed. I started with a different system and am starting to think it would be easier to have my two machines use the defaults. Someday I may change. Right now I am doing something like this: C:\Data-Dart\Chart\USenc\CG-01

PS: Don't use spaces, that takes up extra characters. Use a dash or underline instead.
PSS: Pavel or TDan may have some better advice on some of this.

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by bcn

Chessyman,

just in case: there is an excellent manual at your fingertips which contains and explains all the details.
The "?" button from the toolbar.
Or at the web OpenCPN User Manual | Official OpenCPN Homepage

bcn

.. however, I couldn't find where it specifically mentions editing the waypoints in the properties dialogues. Just goes so far as "properties" which may not be intuitively recognized by everyone as a place to edit... but maybe I am overthinking the helplessness of a new user here
Marks and Routes | Official OpenCPN Homepage
The Route Manager and Gpx Data | Official OpenCPN Homepage

[Chessyman]

Mystery solved, I downloaded each chart from the NOAA site in my Florida directory. For my New England directory used a much faster method I copied all the charts in my SeaClear directory.

This meant that they were in WCI format, which is unreadable by OpenCPN. I know there is a way to convert WCI so I will look that up.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

[Paul Munnik]

I have a two questions about subjects that most probably have been discussed earlier somewhere on this forum. Regrettably the number of subjects is so diverse that the search function is not enough to help me.


I had OCPN with NV-verlag charts in good working order. I was however struggling with the problem of recalling HF-radio weather charts.
So ultimately I uninstalled OCPN in an effort to create a chart map during a new installation specifically for both sea charts and weather charts. That didn’t turn out right.

Now I struggle with two problems.
a. - Making NV-verlag charts visible
b. - Recalling HF-radio weather charts after they have been stored


I have placed the question about the HF-radio weather charts in the HF radio WeatherFax thread


I use Windows 7
I have limited knowledge of Windows

From the OCPN site I downloaded the NV-charts plugin. This plugin is a single dll file.
Am I correct in placing this plugin dll file in the OCPN map together with the other files already there? Or should it be placed somewhere else?
I installed the charts via the path “wrench > options > charts > chart groups”
When I do a Full Data base rebuild I see for a very short moment the rebuild window. It becomes green for a very short part and then disappears.
I ticked the box ‘Show charts outlines’
I don’t see any charts or red outline in the navigation window.
So what is going wrong?

Paul Munnik

[bdbcat]

Paul....

The nvc PlugIn dll should be placed in the "plugins" directory of your installed OpenCPN application. Probably, this will be

C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins

See attached pix.

Then, the NVC PlugIn needs to be "enabled" in the Options(wrench)->PlugIns tab.

Good Luck
Dave