OpenCPN

[RBEmerson]

FWIW, the SourceForge page link goes to a bar marked 1.2.8.

[Viking Sailor]

To get the download - press the green 1.3.0 download button, then follow the link to "browse all packages" it well take you to the real download link.

[bdbcat]

All..

Thanks for the heads up about the sourceforge link. Sourceforge was "broken" for a few days during the opencpn release, and this page link could not be updated from the previous release. They fixed it today at sourceforge, so...

Opencpn link is fixed now. Windows platform links to opencpn 1.3.0 setup program for windows.

Dave

[RBEmerson]

SourceForge has, and is, undergoing major changes. Bye-bye orange screens!

[bdbcat]

Hello RBEmerson....

I never followed through very well concerning your performance issues with opencpn. We made some small changes in the database management code with 1.3.0, but nothing that should have had a major up or down influence on the speed of chart database additions.

Have you tried 1.3.0, especially adding a large S57 ENC file tree to the chart database? I'd be curious as to the performance of this version, and I'd like to track down this problem if it still exists.

Thanks
Dave

p.s. Sourceforge is getting better, but the new black-screen stuff introduced a bunch of breakages....

[gjorgensen]

bdbcat: hat's off for 1.3.0! I'd been playing with previous versions at home, but used 1.3.0 for the first time for a race this weekend and we're very happy with how it's working. Adding the ability to load and save gpx files was really the last thing we needed to begin using it instead of SeaClear or Maptech.

Comments:
- I was having a similar issue as rbemerson with ENC chart loading times, although not as bad. I had originally loaded all the ENC charts for the entire west coast, and it brought a fairly fast laptop (centrino 1.8 GHz with 3 GB of RAM) to its knees. Turning off M_QUAL helped. But 1.3.0 seems to be significantly faster at loading as I scroll around doing planning.

- With previous versions, I tended to point opencpn at either my BSB or ENC trees, but not both, since loading both tended to just grind to a hault. Again, with 1.3.0 using both trees simultaneously seems to work pretty well.

- We had no problem with loading and running for the day. I have the occasional odd crash while creating routes if I do a lot of scrolling around dynamically loading lots of charts.

- I had originally created and maintained all my routes and waypoints in SeaClear, exported them, loaded them into GPSUtility (which I use to talk to my Furuno 1650 chart plotter), and saved them out as text. To import into opencpn 1.3.0, I opened all my text files (routes and waypoints) with GPSUtility, saved that out as one big gpx file, and loaded it into opencpn. Works like a champ. I've edited them and saved them back out as gpx files with no trouble, and the interchange with GPSUtility appears to be working fine.

- I use opencpn front-end to display position, COG/SOG, etc. It would be nice if those were built-in (yeah, that's probably item 10,000 on the wish list). :-)

- I don't have access to a copy of the CM93 charts (although I'd love to know where to find them) so I can't test that.

A big thank you to you and the development team for all the hard work. I really like what you've done with opencpn, and for me anyway I find it vastly simpler and more intuitive than SeaClear.

[idpnd]

Does OpenCPN use the rhum line or great circle calculation method? (Although I never really understood the discussion regarding Seaclear http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lear-8881.html )

Any thoughts regarding the implementation of the free pilot charts?

[SouthernDrawl]

I'm sure this software does more than I can make it do just by exploring and trying different things. Is there any users hint sheet or instructions that are available? When I try to set up the GPS data input parameters, I have no idea about what it's asking for except for Com4 and Baud rate. The rest is Greek to me, and probably most other potential users.
Thanks for your help.
SouthernDrawl

[cagney]

FWIW, instructions for gps input on Linux.

First install the gpsd program (GPSd) .
On most debian based systems including Ubuntu, execute this command: "sudo apt-get gpsd" for installation.

In OpenCPN under settings (picture of wrench)
Set
NMEA Data Source = Network Gpsd
Set
GPSD Data Server = localhost

Thats about it. Start gpsd, start OpenCPN, and it just works.

I had some problem starting gpsd on my box, and use the script below, which also starts "xgps"(included when you install gpsd).
This little program gives you the basic gps info in a nice overview.
--------
#!/bin/sh

sudo killall gpsd

sudo gpsd -n -D 2 /dev/ttyUSB0

xgps -speedunits knots -l m

--------------
Hope this will help someone......

Thomas

[bdbcat]

For idpnd....

Opencpn uses rhumb line calculations. Most raster charts use Mercator projection, so that bearings and headings are straight, measurable lines on the drawn chart. Similarly, Vector ENCs are rendered as Mercator projections in opencpn and most other ECS's for the same reason. Errors which occur using rhumb line instead of great circle calculations are small for the distances usually covered by one chart and for typical coastal navigation. Great circle navigation is more useful when one wants to travel the minimum possible distance between two widely spaced points on the globe.

I cannot personally imagine using one chart for one electronically navigated leg across an entire ocean. However, if I crossed an ocean with opencpn, I would lay out a route with great circle points manually plotted every couple of degrees, and engage the autopilot. Maybe the weather would cooperate.....

Question: Are pilot charts available electronically? I have not seen them myself. Could be a useful option for opencpn, I agree.

Thanks for your comments
Dave

[bdbcat]

For SouthernDrawl....

Sorry, we do not have any useful documentation at this point. We are looking for an interested technical writer to join the team......

Meanwhile, maybe I can help you get up and running.
Are you running Vista? XP?
What type of GPS connection do you have? Serial port? USB?

With this info, we should be able to get the GPS running, and some charts loaded, and you will be able to do basic navigation. Its a start.....

Let me know how I can help.

Dave

[bdbcat]

For VikingSailor...

Paul...
Thanks for your comments re opencpn cm93 support.

The behavior you mentioned, namely that cm93 charts are discontinuous at 160W longitude, is a known issue with Version 1.3.0.

As you discovered, the workaround for now is to approach the Pacific region you are interested in from the proper direction, so to speak. Not to be flippant, the current behavior will be most apparent to those who regularly need to cross the longitude 160W line on their trans-Pacific voyages.

Anyway, this bug is on the list for fixup in Version 1.3.2.

Sorry for any inconvenience, and thanks again.

Dave

[idpnd]

Thanks for your elucidation of the navigational techniques.

Question: Are pilot charts available electronically? I have not seen them myself. Could be a useful option for opencpn, I agree.

Worldwide pilot charts (apart from Pacific) are published free in pdf format by the US Gov here:

Pilot Charts

May be somewhat difficult to implement

This function is provided by virtual passage planner-

Visual Passage Planner

as discussed here:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f121/visual-passage-planner-any-thoughts-21868.html

[morigan]

Hello Paul,
I Marie, french girl .... i just download your OpenCPN and i have some trouble !!!! i'm running on Vista with CM93
OK with my GPS, i have my position but i stay on the chart cap Hatteras, i don't no to escape to go on another chart ..... please help me thinking i'm not american and my preferred language is the french !!!!!
thanks a lot in advance
marie

[SouthernDrawl]

For bdbcat-- Thanks so much for your response. I have the software on Vista coming in a USB port. And I'm not sure where to file the raster chart collection I have on SeaClear II. Should they be filed in Sample charts? or make another file with my own charts? This is probably handled in the Settings> charts> vector charts menu, but I'm not sure how.
What do I enter when it comes to "parity" , "handshake", "bits", and "stop" in the NMEA tab.
I really appreciate your help. Actually, I have some experience as technical writer, but that's mostly with explosive systems and processes, vice software documentation. If you think I can help, I'd give it a try.
Again, thanks a lot.
SouthernDrawl