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[fgd3]

Originally Posted by emenskl

Well I tried O just to see if it would still work for me.

Got the problem message "Could not open serial port COM3.

Below is the O log. Doesn't mean much to me. Hopefully someone technically savy will identify the problem. Yes sadly it did not end with "exiting cleanly". I think the front end of the log from when I last looked is missing. Maybe there is some size limit and it just keeps the latest information.

It seemed to be working fine when I last stopped using it. I don't recall how I closed it. And, I may have set the COM port to none, based on some recomendation on the help site.

Is there any chance you could have minimized OpenCPN rather than closing it? That would explain the FrameWinPosX=-31984, FrameWinPosY=-31944 entries in the opencpn.ini file. Those values have been know to prevent OpenCPN from launching. The fix is to use a text editor and change those values back to FrameWinPosX=0, FrameWinPosY=0. Be sure not to shut down OpenCPN while it's minimized in the future.

If you set the GPS com port to NONE you will not get the problem message "Could not open serial port COM3". After OpenCPN launches you can set the GPS NMEA Data Source to a com port from the drop down list. If Windows has recognized your GPS on COM3 that port will be included in the list. If the GPS has been assigned to a different com port it will show up on the list instead of COM3. If COM3 was selected when you last quit OpenCPN and the GPS is not plugged in the next time you try to start OpenCPN you will get the "Could not open serial port COM3" error message.

Originally Posted by emenskl

My BU 353 is connected to COM3 and seems to be working based on the blinking red light. It has been there and connected since I last used O. I did shut down the PC last night and restarted it this morning.

Once again, the blinking red light doesn't tell you Windows has recognized the device and assigned a com port to it. It just tells you that the GPS has acquired enough satellites to produce a position. You need to look at your Device Manager (accessible via the Control Panel) to be sure a com port has been assigned and to learn which one it is. Looking at the ports in the drop down list (toolbar/GPS/NMEA Data Source) will also work provided the port was previously removed from the list.

[emenskl]

As to Dave's comments and suggestions-

1. Via Device Manager, the GPS shows there (Prolific USB-to-serial comm port (com3).

2. Implimented the opencpn.ini file fix. O seems to be running OK again. (As an aside, what are the line items in the ini file? Is it computer code, and if so what language? Or, execution instructions for an operating system?)

Thanks.

Not sure, but I may have been impatient when I clicked on the O icon in the bottom (task?) bar, for the minimized O to appear and moved on. Once the minimized version appeared and I could then maximize it. So, O may well have been running there in the past, but not apparent to me cause I did not allow enough time for the minimized version to appear. For, whatever reason, now when I open O, a maximized version appears.

Again, thanks.

Ken

[somf]

I hope this is the right place for this question. I am new to Ubuntu, using 11.04, installed opencpn just fine. Tried to connect gps but only see com ports 1,2 ect. In Ubuntu com ports is listed as ttyUSB0. I checked I am using a usb to serial adapter (porlific) and checked it in the serial port terminal, it is producing sentences at 4600 baud. How can I get opencpn to recognize ttyUSB0?
Thanks

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by somf

I hope this is the right place for this question. I am new to Ubuntu, using 11.04, installed opencpn just fine. Tried to connect gps but only see com ports 1,2 ect. In Ubuntu com ports is listed as ttyUSB0. I checked I am using a usb to serial adapter (porlific) and checked it in the serial port terminal, it is producing sentences at 4600 baud. How can I get opencpn to recognize ttyUSB0?
Thanks

also very new to penguin stuff ..but I recall you can type into the port selection field in OpenCPN..Type "ttyUSB0"?as a wild try but I think that is just for usb pucks,not usb->serial emulators...
if you can discover the name your terminal is seeing(likely a similar gobbledegeek label) ,type that in...?
I'm presently in process of trying my ol serialgps via usb/serial same way you are.Maybe can help anon.

[HappySeagull]

...somf,ok.I was wrong.USB0 is correct...Mine is working(garmin 12xl->prolific2303usb/serial->ttyUSB0 in Opencpn...(yes it shows on the menu) by the way,Opencpn has a feature to monitor the gps in the gpssetup window.
so,do you have gpsd package installed?...the gpsd page online also has a list of some gps and how well they work...

[somf]

HS, I tried installing gpsd still no luck. I have finally given up. Not only can I not get it to work in either Opencpn or Offshore Navigator but I managed to ruin my Raymarine 125 gps in the process. At some point it started putting out giberish instead of nema sentences. I tried all kinds of settings but no luck. So I tried using my Windows system, which the 125 has been used with for a year now. Although the com port is found there is no output to the nav program. The ray 125 has an led on the mushroom that gives status, it is supposed to blink green every 2 seconds for nema and 4 seconds for seatalk but mine is blinking 6 seconds so I hope to salvage it. Anyway good luck with your endevors.

[HappySeagull]

...aargh,somf!
you will be too pssd to want unasked for mechanical advice...(sorry!)but I hope it's just a contact at serial port etc...not sure your device but my ol garmin12xl handheld gps only needs txd gps->computer and signal ground pins connected....then,...per (Worst unfounded?fear?)hope the raymarine and linux didn't start fighting if linux thought it was a modem or something... is not possible...
naah,not likely..

[somf]

Not sure what happend but I plan to clean and check all connections after I cool down. It is just so strange because although there are proigrams that talk to the GPS I wasn't using any of them, at leasst that I am aware of. My setup is just 3 wires through a 9pin connector so it will be easy to check. I know one thing, if the Raymarine is bad I'll be using the $20 GPS pucks you see on Ebay, that is what I have for a back up now. It's a little slower than the Raymarine but gives all the same info.

[DeborahLee]

This has probably been addressed earlier but I haven't found it. I am trying to connect my hand held to Opencpn. I have SeaClear and use G7to Win 7. I now need to use a USB adapter. I use a hand held so I can put my routes in it and take it to the helm. Can anyone tell me how to connect the hand held?

[fgd3]

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

This has probably been addressed earlier but I haven't found it. I am trying to connect my hand held to Opencpn. I have SeaClear and use G7to Win 7. I now need to use a USB adapter. I use a hand held so I can put my routes in it and take it to the helm. Can anyone tell me how to connect the hand held?

I'm not sure where you're having trouble. If you connect the GPS to the same USB port using the same adapter Windows will assign the same COM port number to it. With everything connected you tell OpenCPN where to find GPS data by selecting the NMEA Data Source in Toolbox/GPS. There is a drop down list of available COM ports.

I use a Garmin GPS 72. If I want OpenCPN to get position data from it I set the GPS 72 to NMEA interface mode. OpenCPN "listens" to the NMEA sentences streaming from the GPS 72 and displays the boat's position, course, and speed.

If I want to send a route to the GPS 72 I make sure the "Use Garmin GRMN/GRMN (Host) Mode for Waypoint and Route Uploads" box is checked in Toolbox/GPS. I set the GPS 72 interface mode to GRMN.

I open the Route Manager, select the route I want to upload, and click "Send to GPS". When the upload is finished the GPS 72 beeps and OpenCPN displays "Upload complete". Now I can set up the GPS 72 in the cockpit and follow the route I just uploaded.

If you're using a different model Garmin the procedure should work pretty much as I've described. If you're using another brand GPS the procedure should be generally the same but I can't offer any specific help.

Fabbian

[DeborahLee]

Thank you. I was able to find a bad connection since I knew it was connected right.

[fgd3]

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

Thank you. I was able to find a bad connection since I knew it was connected right.

Great. I'm glad you got it working.

Fabbian

[aroett]

Hello,

Installed Open CPN on my Windows7 laptop recently. It all worked great and I was very impressed. However now I have run into a problem. When I try to open it, it does open and I can see it in the taskbar but I cant actually see the program. Have tried right clicking on the icon in taskbar but that doesnt work nor does going to the task manager and saying switch to application.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!!

Adey

[nohal]

Adey...
this is a known issue with 2.5.0 and Win7. If you close the program while it's minimized, it refuses to restore the window on subsequent runs. The fix: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post761712

Pavel

[James S]

Welcome to the forum Adey