Feature Requests

[cagney]

Originally Posted by clausont

Language error handling.
A request was made by Jamie on s/v Totem for a fix regarding language error handling. He installed OpenCPN on a laptop and it failed to open. Turned out that the failure was that the laptop was set to "English - Singapore". A couple of days, a few posts to the forums and a number of Sailmails back and forth got it running just fine.
It would be nice if rather than just failing to run, it would give a simple alert stating that there is a language error and to set the machine to a compatible language.
See thread on the worlds first dugout canoe with a computer chartplotter
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...png-93548.html

Thanks,

Tim Clauson

Tim

The bug was fixed in the "master" Aug 06, 2012, by JesperWe.
First beta release including the fix was Beta 3.1.814, but the fix was not mentioned in the release notes.
I just tested a win XP with the 3.1.1105 beta, by setting the default language to Zimbabwean English. No problems encountered.
This is the way the log looks now.

17:36:07: 2012-11-28
17:36:07:  ------- Starting OpenCPN -------
17:36:07: Version 3.1.1105 Build 2012-11-05
17:36:07: wxWidgets version: wxWidgets 2.8.12
17:36:07: MemoryStatus:  mem_total: 2942 mb,  mem_initial: 10 mb
17:36:07: SData_Locn is F:\Program Files\OpenCPN\
17:36:07: Using existing Config_File: F:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\opencpn\opencpn.ini
17:36:07: Styles loading from F:\Program Files\OpenCPN\uidata\styles.xml
17:36:07: No styles found at: F:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\opencpn\
17:36:07: No styles found at: F:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\opencpn\.opencpn\
17:36:07: Setting Viewpoint Lat/Lon 33.0449, 2.7239
17:36:07: Setting Ownship Lat/Lon 33.0408, 2.7102
17:36:07: System default Language:  en_ZW
5:36:07 PM: Opencpn language set to:  en_US
5:36:08 PM: ChartSymbols loaded from F:\Program Files\OpenCPN\s57data\chartsymbols.xml
5:36:08 PM: Using s57data in F:\Program Files\OpenCPN\s57data
....
.....

Thomas

PS
I wish my memory was better....
I actually documented this bug here: Known issues with the current stable release. | Official OpenCPN Homepage

[Endless Voyage]

Ok, will try - but 10 days is far too much.
My suggestion is to show the predictor in any chart scale and not to hide it when smaller than 1:300.000

[Endless Voyage]

It would be nice to have a setting for the visibility of WP names in a route. At the moment I have to open the properties of every WP and click the "show" box - a lot of work for a longer route.

Very nice is the feature for re-numbering the WPs when reversing the route. Unfortunately inserted WPs are not re-numbered but keep their names.

[bdbcat]

Endless voyage....

I'm confused. The predictor is never hidden. But at very small scales (1:300,000), the predictor length on screen is very very small unless the prediction time is increased.

Maybe this is the confusion:
It is a position predictor, not a course predictor.

Are we clear, or am I still missing the point?
Dave

[Endless Voyage]

Dave: thank you!
I am just testing the beta and here it works exactly how I would like it. So the point is solved - great!

PS: I love the handling of the NMEA sentences - great job!

[Wally66]

<good morning,
When we select a waypoint and choose goto waypoint, i would like to have an big arrow showing the direction of the waypoint. (like in memorymap). The size of arrow could be very big as the computer can stay inside the boat and we can see the arrow from the steering wheel.

[a_koseoglu]

First ,I am currently using this excellent program on merchant vessel and thanks to creators which save my vessel many times while navigating congested waters.

I experienced some difficulties while zooming chart due to size of ship ( lenght: 229M beam :32.2M) . Current "My ship symbol" is not scaled with actual ship and some times causing misunderstandings.


In order to avoid this presentation error, some kind of alignment adjustment features may add to program by means adjusting antenna position on ship and adjustable size of ship icon/symbol . It will be very usefull while approaching anchorage areas and narrow channels.


Capt. AhmetKOSEOGLU
Oceangoing Master

[a_koseoglu]

Also one more requisition I have,

During some ocean passages I am using Great Circle routes instead of Rhumb line.

It is very difficult to transfer calculated waypoints from another pc program to Open CPN smoothly.

Sometimes I am using Rhumb line route legs and Great Circle Route legs together and some king of selection option may add to Route Properties menu which may reflect directly to presented route line on chart.

Capt. Ahmet KOSEOGLU
Oceangoing Master

[cagney]

a_koseoglu

Both your requests are implemented in the current beta and will be included in the next stable release, 3.2 .
Have a look here
Setting Options | Official OpenCPN Homepage
and here
Great-circle Sailing | Official OpenCPN Homepage

Thomas

[a_koseoglu]

Dear Cagney,

I just install beta version and thanks for your information which is very usefull for me.
I will test is during my voyages.

Brgds/ a_koseoglu

[sy_gilana]

DRAGGABLE WAYPOINTS IN ROUTE PLANNER.

I always plan a route at a scale where dangers are not shown. I lay the origin and destination and the rough route. Next, I zoom in, and would like to be able to add, delete, and grab and drag the waypoints into safety, off headlands, shallows, TSS etc.

I feel this would be a feature that most users would benefit from.

thanks.

[HappySeagull]

sv_gilana, you can already do this if you "unlock" waypoints in Toolbox . You'll have to look for it- the Betas are a little different and I don't know which you have.
Then,Right click the route,choose properties, and when the Routemanagerwindow is open, you can drag points anywhere. You have to drag that big window out of the way of course.... It may also be as well to go open any particular wpt properties page because When any wpt property window is open, you can drag ANY wpt around...

Anyways I am doing this on Linux (with 3.02)now and also on WinXP with Beta1206

[tiersp]

Hello,
I think it would be nice, for the dashboard, representation with a single dial to the true wind and apparent wind with two needles with different colors and two boxes for speed.

[George64]

Originally Posted by tiersp

Hello,
I think it would be nice, for the dashboard, representation with a single dial to the true wind and apparent wind with two needles with different colors and two boxes for speed.

Good piont Tiersp. Would look like PCNavMon dails

[Hakan]

Hi
A parallel window.
First, I haven't went trough all posts here to find if this request already exist. Please advise if so.

Request:
A possibility to open a second window inside the started program where I can view the same as the default but in a different scale. The goal is to have one window with overview following the boat and one in more detailed scale also following the boat, for example when entering a harbour. Else the same properties, like communication ports etc, for for both windows. All the same but apart from dashboards etc for which it's of course is enough with one.

Instant work around:
I've now tested the a more or less similar function by starting OpenCPN two times. The second edition will then also read the ini file and try to connect to the same ports as the already started. This seems to work but for the last started I do take away the autopilot output. And I have to take care when closing to do it right order. I'm not sure what happens to the log and ini file. Probably only the first started is able to write? But if this work around is feasable it could work for me instead of a massive development. Can anyone imagine doubts or other comments? Appreciate your contributions.