Managing Charts in Opencpn

[SV Demeter]

New user and am wondering what folks are doing to manage their charts? I have downloaded a decent collection of RNC's from NOAA as well as pilot charts and a copy of cm93. I have all of my charts in a few folders and all folders in the chart directory. Does it make sense to limit the number of charts in the active directory to the area likely to be visited and keep the other charts in a separate folder? Does this help the software run faster? What's the best way to stay organized and keep charts up to date? Lastly how do I install additional plugins?

[idpnd]

The new version (due in May) should support chart groups; check here if you feel like testing the beta.. Otherwise you can do this manually of course. cm93 and noaa overlap for you cruising region so I suppose it only makes sense to use either?

[SV Demeter]

Im still getting used to using vector charts, more comfortable with rasters so I like to go back anf forth. I read about the chart groups in the next version will give that go when I update. I guess Im just looking for suggestions on how to organize my charts in folders so its easier to keep them updated and to just keep in the active directory the ones most likely to be used. For example I probably dont need to have pilot charts for the med and south pacific in the active directory, heck might not make sense to have any pilot charts in the active directory and just put them in when I want to veiw one and take it out when Im done. Also been thinking if I get my charts more organized it will be easier for me to back them up on a thumb drive in case of laptop problems. I suppose most of this is just basic windows stuff but Im not the sharpest computer person.

[HappySeagull]

Do it the Same way you organize nuts and bolts....you don't mix bolts and screws and if you have enough, it's by size and/or SS,Bronze,Rust

... keep them in their own folders...most raster charts have numbers. Sort them that way...Alaska is 17000's and then sub-folders if you have too many..17300 + 17400 etc.Include the number first and the area second in the name of the folder.
Should be worldwide...But be happy. You can sort however you like.
Definitely put pilot charts and miscellany in separate folders!

Be aware that if you point OpenCPN to a folder, she will load all the SUB folders inside it, so don't just load "C:\Charts" ! It's like dumping the entire drawer onto the cabin sole...

The new Chartgroup feature is coming...But you can do a lot now without it.

load "C:\Charts\ 17_Alaska" or "C:\Charts\17_Alaska\174_AlaskaPanhandle"

...if you want pilot charts, load em all from C:\Charts\PilotCharts or put the one you want into a sub-folder of "PilotCharts" folder...as in C:\Charts\PilotCharts\NorthPacific.
...and so on through the collection. To load a thumbdrive, keep the same folder layout but take out all the folders or just the charts you don't need .This'll keep it easy for you, being what you are used to and easy to add subtract from..

[HappySeagull]

Install plugins ...About Plugins | Official OpenCPN Homepage
OpenCPN actually has her own manual aboard too.
Click the ? button and choose Help tab...

[SV Demeter]

Thanks Seagull this is very helpful. Now that I think of it I probably have dumped to the whole drawer on the cabin sole. Will get my charts organized!

On the plugins I went to dedicated download page and clicked on the windows icon. Got some message asking about software. Am I supposed to download anf save the file some place?

[HappySeagull]

here's a better way that works most browsers... Right click the link (yes, that's right, for you, it'll be the Windows link)
and choose "save as"
and it should offer something like this
"nvc_win32_pi15_v11_pi.dll"
and choose a folder...likely My Documents or something...that dll you can move or copy as above, into plugins folder

Now of course the confusion of instructions for all the browsers
firewalls ... and BillGates or SteveJobs might start to try to "serve+protect" because "dlls" (DirectLinkLibrary) can be pretty heavy medicine in a computer so there could be some yelling from these. You'll just have to smack them down .



PlugIns | Official OpenCPN Homepage

[SV Demeter]

Originally Posted by HappySeagull

here's a better way that works most browsers... Right click the link (yes, that's right, for you, it'll be the Windows link)
and choose "save as"
and it should offer something like this
"nvc_win32_pi15_v11_pi.dll"
and choose a folder...likely My Documents or something...that dll you can move or copy as above, into plugins folder

Now of course the confusion of instructions for all the browsers
firewalls ... and BillGates or SteveJobs might start to try to "serve+protect" because "dlls" (DirectLinkLibrary) can be pretty heavy medicine in a computer so there could be some yelling from these. You'll just have to smack them down .



PlugIns | Official OpenCPN Homepage

Ok. Im at work right and dont have OpenCPN on this machine but it sounds like there is a plugins folder I just need to stick these dll files in? Im guessing it should be in the programs folder uner OpenCPN? Thanks for your patience.

[HappySeagull]

SVDemeter, yes, C: is the drawer, folders are the boxes and jars even inside the other boxes so get right down to the OpenCPN jamjar and in there, find the "plugins" pillbox where you carefully plop your dlls. Easy, eh? Maybe folders analogy is easier if you don't think about how thick such a "folder" would really be.
Program Files is likely called Program Data folder if you are using a newer version of wi-dows than me.
You could just look for something called "Search" and type "plugins" into it or "Opencpn\plugins" or whatever but it gets harder as our computers' layouts diverge. I don't even HAVE Search. I muzzled it and put it in the basement where I think it may still be alive, albeit very very skinny....