Integration with QtVlm - Data files and Import/Export

[maitai]

That's good to ear

[maitai]

In fact you don't need an account on SF if you use:
svn://svn.code.sf.net/p/qtvlm/code/trunk

(svn:// instead of hptts://)

[maitai]

Originally Posted by maitai

yes no pb at all, especially since you are right

We will come up with a better solution, and as a bonus if you want you will be the first one to test it

here you are:

http://www.virtual-winds.com/~oxygen...tup-3.3-0+.exe

Please let us know if this time all is ok.

[sailias]

Maitai:

Have the QT4 dev environment installed which includes the translation app. Cant seem to find the localization file however in the source, downloaded a few days ago. Nubie at the wheel. If you can point me to the correct file then I could correct some of the english language issues in the app..also I guess since there are several output formats which one is preferred?

Best and kind regards...nice app.

/ch

[maitai]

The files you are looking for are located in the "tr" directory. You can easily update them with linguist (comes with qt). All you have to do is to make your changes, then save and release (no recompilation needed so you can see your changes in qtVlm if you relaunch the application). I will need the 2 files (qtVlm_en.ts and qtVlm_en.qm) by email.

If you decide to do so please switch to branch qtVlm_dev in the svn since there has been new labels added and the trunk is not sync yet (it will be very soon, probably tonight so you can also decide to wait a bit)

svn://svn.code.sf.net/p/qtvlm/code/branches/qtVlm_dev

Thanks for your help with that

[sailias]

Hay no problem. Glad to help out for a change. Fun little project.

kind regards

/ch

[rgleason]

Maitai, I've downloaded the update. Thank You. Hope to try later today. Would you mind going to this thread and commenting on the utility of Polares Auto , what you have read and your experience with it? That would be a help re figuring out Polars. Thanks. Rick

[rgleason]

QtVlm Help Card - English
QtVlm Web Page - English

Maitai the 3.3 installation routine is much better. -Also Finally found Marks -Save POIs and Routes. Still have to study it more.

[maitai]

We will probably release the 3.3.1 this weekend so if Nohal and Sailias want their traductions to be included...

[rgleason]

QtVlm (Virtual Loop-De-Mer) Webpage - English

[rgleason]

Maitai, I wonder why these french sailors are virtual sailing all over the world just like they do in fast multihulls? No really, what is the attraction, skills or softwares? How does it work? Thanks.

[maitai]

Ah ah...

In fact both. Most of the VLM players are using either qtVlm or frogTools (or Adrena, or maxSea, or...), to calculate their routes and try to win. But the thing is that due to the fact that a new grib arrives every 6 hours, the ideal route calculated before is not ideal anymore. So it's a matter of experience, skills in meteo analysis with the help of other instruments like meteo faxes, pilot charts, etc, plus a good balance beween risks and safety. All that makes it a good game, plus it is the best way I know to learn how to use a routing sofware.

For us developpers it's also a game in the game of course, since our programs are being used and tested under a lot of various situations. If it's not able to propose something sensible you get news quite rapidly

Anyway if you follow blindly the routing proposed by the tools and just update your route every 6 hours, you will probably finish well placed, but you will (almost) never make it to the podium...

You should try it, it's free and VLM is open source too. Choose a long enough race to start, not a WE race in the middle of rocks which is much more demanding.

Again it's certainly the best way to learn qtVlm, but be careful it's pretty addictive

The wiki for VLM is here: VlmWiki (there is an english wiki but very limited so better use the french one with google translation imo).

[rgleason]

Thankyou Maitai. Okay, so success in virtual-loup-de-Mer depends on:
1. Routing Software (gtVLM) which uses tide/current? and grib forecast.
2. Polars - (One design?) Is a single polar assigned for given race?
3. Skill required to anticipate the difference in routing due to actual conditions reported.
4. Skill required to guide boat with optimum 'helmsmanship' along desired course around all waypoints and gates/doors without grounding or hitting any other boat.
5. What is the start like? What rules apply?
6. What other software tools are needed, than qtVlm?
6. I can see it could be addictive, but I need these skills too, but thanks for heads up.

Tried to read LaTaverne Forum with Google translate, kicked off with 401. Landed on http://www.virtual-winds.com
Not very friendly, but found these pages. Wish I could read LaTaverne as some of the Race forums are there.

Sleesoland in Google English Translate. Then pick from menu.

Weather - Extensive Weather and Grib Tools and files all over the world.
ToolBox VLM -
ToolBox OV
Optimizer Sailing

Does anyone know of a good nautical calculator for windows that has VMG and other forces and functions needed or should I make a spreadsheet? I would really like to have it all in one place with the math. I suppose there must be a good excel spreadsheet that visually shows the vectors and has the math below the graphic?

[maitai]

1) In VLM there is no tidal/currents nor waves. Just wind
2) Polar is the same for all boats participating in a race. It's automatically downloaded from VLM if you don't have them.
3) There is no short answer to that. It depends a lot on the boat, and on the region. Mediterranean Sea for instance is much more tricky that Atlantic, generally speaking (i.e. you can expect a lot of wind shift from one grib to another, while in Atlantic more general considerations prevail).
4) Not rocket science, but take some practice to master. We have all hit a number of beaches and rocks, and it still happens from time to time. There are different types of doors in VLM.
5) Start is very simple, at the begining your are at TWA 0 so you don't move, as soon as you change this you're sailing. No navigation rule apply (starboard, etc), we don't care, it's a routing game.
6) qtVlm is enough. You just need to create an account on VLM site and a boat (or many). And you need to register a boat in a race on the site. Then qtVlm does it all. There are other, equivalent tools.

You can post in english at La Taverne, no problem at all.

In VLM there are 5 navigation mode:

-Heading: you just enter a heading and the boat will go that way. Loxodromic route, in fact.
-Wind Angle: the boat will sail at a fix TWA
-Orthodromic toward a WP: the boat will follow an orthodromic route to reach a WP
-VMG: the boat will follow the best VMG route towards a WP according to polar, grib and a WP.
-VBVMG: (stands for VeryBestVMG) The boat will follow an orthodromic route towards a WP, unless the WP heading is not inside the best-VMG winds according to polar and wind (i.e. it will go ortho unless for instance ortho will make it sailing to much upwind)

You can also use autoPilot to pass up to 5 orders in advance. So you don't need to be 24/24 on it. Practically 2 or 3 times a day,but it's not rare to program several days in advance.

[rgleason]

Thanks Maitai, I've registered, need to join a race. Had to look up some definitions to understand:

Loxodromic a rhumb line (or loxodrome) is a line crossing all meridians of longitude at the same angle, Rhumb line - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Orthodromic or Great-circle distance is the shortest distance between any two points on the surface of a sphere Great-circle distance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Additionally I expect there's no trimming of sails by the sailor, the boat uses the polar provided and must guide the boat within the optimal polar ranges using the tools Maitai described above.