OCPN data sharing Focus Group

[dietmar]

I would liek to complete customize the GUI to my own liking rather than have a GUI which lacks the appeal - with virtual instruments - my own boat name logo colors etc .


I know that sharing with everyone is a thing but I prefer to select and choose rather than having it all.

Sharing data in sub groups or select groups by region, vessel type, region, needs etc is also high on my list

[CyKlop]

As someone who regularly uses Expedition as well as OpenCPN, I would love to be better able to interoperate between the two.

More generically, i would like the ability to import files much like, say, spreadsheets allow me to pick parts of the file, assign them names, etc. If i could do that for output as well and then save the schema, i would be able to read and write files that would work with nearly anything i think.

[Polipo]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

Hello all.

The OCPN development team is working actively on the next release of OCPN, currently scheduled for late this year.
One of the perennial topics under discussion relates to communications between various devices and/or OCPN instances found in a modern electronics suite.

In this thread I'd like to discuss the capabilities to share waypoint, route, and track information between devices. We have seen many, many threads addressing this functionality in the past. Sadly, these threads generally start out by describing a problem faced by a specific use-case. They usually fade away, resulting in no specific actionable feature changes to the OCPN core functionality. So some problems and inconveniences still exist in OCPN.

So I'd like to try a different approach, something of an "online focus group". Here are the "soft rules":

1. Please reply with your specific "wish list" on functionality. Detail on your configuration is good.
2. Comments starting with "I would like to be able to..." are strongly encouraged.
3. Comments starting with "I think people would like to...." are discouraged, and will generally be disregarded. This is what leads a group astray.
4. Of course, your wish list should be within the realm of possibility. No teleportation available, yet.
5. It is OK (and entertaining) to think "outside of the box", if it pertains to your wish-list.
6. Ideas for code implementation methods are not (yet) solicited. We are focused on functionality, first.
6. Please remember, we are talking only about points, routes, and tracks here.

I'll start.

I would like to be able to "sync" routes, points, or tracks between multiple instances of OCPN accessible on a network. The GUI to perform this should be clear and explicit, with no more than two levels of dialog detail, accessible reasonably on a touch screen. As a user, I don't want to know the details of "GUID conflict", whatever that is. I just want it to work about as seamlessly as sending a photo on a social media app.

Bring it on, and let's go!

Thanks
Dave

I know the average speed of my boat and the route that I am following. I would like to be able to see the grib file synchronized with my route using a slider. So that, by scrolling the cursor I can see where I will be and the grib file of that hour

[Jon Hacking]

I have a Raymarine 400G autopilot brain which listens to ST1, & can speak (& understand somewhat) 0183. I have a Simrad NSS7 plotter on my NMEA2K bus. OpenCPN is listening to 0183 but not currently talking on it.

I'm still working on getting these to all talk to each other, using a ShipModul MiniPlex-3, but it's not working yet. When I can get it working, I'd like to:

• Have the 400G follow the active route to a waypoint (it has this ability with its own ST1 GPS, which has, unfortunately, recently died, & it seems to be unreplaceable).

• Upload waypoints (& the active route) to the Simrad NSS7, so perhaps it can direct the 400G AP brain.

This may already be possible, & please excuse me if so, but when I saw Dave's OP I thought I should get my foot in the door.

[Pizzazz]

I would like to be able to share waypoints, MARPA targets, depth and wind data with other boats around me, preferably over cellular data networks.

These days routing is so easy to do that I do not want to see other people's routes (it takes longer to import than to create my own). But waypoints are super useful to me. MARPA targets (as output by my Raymarine radar over nmea 0183) would be great to share with other boats that do not have radar. Depth and wind would be interesting, speed less so.

In general, I like simple touch interfaces like Navionics and with all of the above could easily be done with one or two touches vs. nested menu's that are difficult to navigate on a rocking boat.

In general, I would much prefer a more functional android version of OpenCPN, including the radar plugin on android, to the data sharing above. Thank you very much for asking for our input.

Regards,
SV Pizzazz (OpenCPN on laptop, Remote to android tablets, radar plugin)

[verkerkbr]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

I have a Raymarine 400G autopilot brain which listens to ST1, & can speak (& understand somewhat) 0183. I have a Simrad NSS7 plotter on my NMEA2K bus. OpenCPN is listening to 0183 but not currently talking on it.

I'm still working on getting these to all talk to each other, using a ShipModul MiniPlex-3, but it's not working yet. When I can get it working, I'd like to:

• Have the 400G follow the active route to a waypoint (it has this ability with its own ST1 GPS, which has, unfortunately, recently died, & it seems to be unreplaceable).

• Upload waypoints (& the active route) to the Simrad NSS7, so perhaps it can direct the 400G AP brain.

This may already be possible, & please excuse me if so, but when I saw Dave's OP I thought I should get my foot in the door.

I'am using the SignalK data server softwae.

In OpenCPn I make a new connection Out (not IN Out !)

Udp localhost port 2000

In the lower instruction I set these the required output. Remove all first and then the items I need.

In the SignalK server a made a new connection, NMEA183, udp and port 2000.

Now rhe route and waypoint data runsin the SignalK server. Can be send out as NMEA183 and NMEA2000 via a canbus adapter. SK also acts as a multiplexer.

The route data can be seen in the NMEA2K B&G instruments too. To send out NMEA183 data. You can use the SK what plugin nmea183-nmea183 with the choice you like to transfer.

You have to look what data the autopilot needs.

My idea is to simplify this setup.

And of course it only works if you made a route in O.


Bram

[mojosailing]

As a user I would like to be able to add existing waypoints into an existing route.

[Antipole]

Originally Posted by mojosailing

As a user I would like to be able to add existing waypoints into an existing route.

Youcan ado that now. Cntl-click on the leg in which you want to add the waypoint and add a new one. Then drag the new waypoint onto the existing waypoint and accept the offer to use that instead.

[mojosailing]

Awesome! Thank you for the tip.

[Baikal]

My wishes completely coincide with Dave's vision.
Waypoints, tracks, routes must be synchronized between CPN instances over the network. Perhaps this will be done through the built-in CPN nmea repeater. CPN instances on the network must be labeled Master and Slave.
In the synchronization settings, there should be a choice of which types of objects to synchronize, in both directions, or one. Date and time of the last synchronization. It would also be nice to be synchronized over the NMEA2000 network between MFDs.
It is possible to backup to cloud storage, FTP, etc. via the Internet.

[rooiedirk]

+1 so far. But in case of more then two instances of O (Marina wifi?) there might be an option needed to select receivers, and at the receiving end an option to accept/reject the received data.

How complex should it be? Suppose we send a wpt with an icon that is not available on the receiving end. Should there be an automatic request send back for the missing icon, or just use the default wpt icon?



In my personal setup it would be nice to do it via a serial connection as well. But I could also add a network switch.

[stevead]

It would also be nice to be synchronized over the NMEA2000 network between MFDs.

To the best of my knowledge only one brand; Navico, transmits and receives PGN 130074 (Route & Waypoint Service - Waypoint List) over the NMEA 2000 network. I don't know of any MFD's that support PGN 130065 (Route & Waypoint Service - Route List).

The current version of TwoCan has an option upon reception of PGN 130074 to create a waypoint in OpenCPN. For example if a waypoint is created on a B&G Zeus MFD, it can automatically create the waypoint in OpenCPN.

The reverse cannot be performed automatically, as OpenCPN lacks a mechanism to alert a plugin that a new waypoint has been created. (Refer to FS#2805)

[teppokurki]

With O running on a computer in the nav station I would like to make use of route, waypoint and track information (including the current active track and its waypoint data) independent of what O happens to be displaying at the time, on any device. So access the data, not use O via screen sharing/VNC.

I would like to have objects updated on all the relevant devices and displays (multiple O instances, web and standalone apps, commercial MFDs) automatically, in real time, without dedicated Save/Share/Sync action by the user. Unless I have chosen to keep my device separate / changes local.

I would like to have the current navigation state (activated route/waypoint/go to cursor, next waypoint, route direction, etc) propagated to all devices on the network and enable controlling navigation (for example advancing to next waypoint in the route) from all devices and apps.

I would like to access and modify route, waypoint and track information from outside a single O process, local or over network, using any language I want via a documented API so that I can freely integrate anything with O. I would like to have a notification mechanism sending me updates as this data is manipulated within O. I would like the same APIs to be in use within O and by the plugins, so that we are all eating the same dogfood.

I would like to transfer my plans (waypoints, routes) created off vessel to the boat and "install" them, so that they are available on all the devices onboard.

_____________________
PS. You ask the community for help on some features. You try to structure your request with enough constraints so that this particular discussion is valuable and not a total mess. You ask people not to go into implementation details to keep the discussion to what users might need, not how exactly it should be built. What do you get? Totally unrelated comments about other features, implementation details and complaints that you are ignoring the users.

We must be crazy to keep doing this...

[Tehani]

I think I am going to ask for something that is not science fiction and does not add extra load to the system.
I'd like Ocpn to debug the navigation features before tackling more extensions, these are:

1) It will abort navigation when it stops receiving GPS data. It is not necessary to correct the sending of #xxx at the end of RMB. Simply, I think it have to abort the navigation because it can be erratic.

2) That navigation will not be aborted when we move away from the waypoint and we are in a range greater than the arrival alarm distance, that is, when that alarm has not been activated.
The reason for this: It is normal for a course or wpt to be marked before the start of a race, but before the shot, the boats tack and tack.

3) Of course, in the previous point, I would like Ocpn to correct the sign of the VMG (VMC for the most purists). Currently it always comes out positive until the navigation is aborted.

Now something that I already requested, but that I describe again in other words:
1- I would like Ocpn to replicate in its navigation window the data VMG, BRG and distance to the waypoint that it receives from the outside in the RMB sentence. This allows us to "synchronize on the fly" the playback of data from other external navigators. (Other Ocpn instances or other commercial devices).
Other MFDs/Commercial Plotters have been doing this since the dawn of time.

2- I would like Ocpn to paint on the screen the position of the waypoint that it receives in the RMB sentence. Also "on the fly". I think it is easy to do it if it is not saved in the waypoints list, because that would already be done by a user action.

I think that what I have asked can be done without big problems. I haven't talked about coding.

I accept that the following petition is rejected or criticized because it goes off topic, but please read it:
- I would like Ocpn to fix the XDR sentence filters regarding temperature and atmospheric pressure. This is interfering with the dashboard presentation when there is data from other sources.

[bdbcat]

teppo...
"We must be crazy to keep doing this..."
Thanks for noticing


Dave