OpenCPN not recognising Virtual COM port

[ktcanuck]

Ignore my COM6 comment. Should have cleared log before doing this exercise!

[fragmentpruts]

I just subscribed because of this bluetooth problem. It took me some time to find out it was O related problem (as I'm new to bluetooth as well). Now with the beta version (I only find 3.3.1117) the 2 com ports are availeble but no data is received. As I've been using PolarCom and GPSmonitor to verify NMEA data I thinks its not my fault.

So I've used the beta 3.3.1117 version on Win 7. I do see two ports. I've selected the COM 6 port as windowns marked it as "outgoing" and then ... nothing hapens.. No info in de NMEA debug window.

my log:
18:58:36: 2013-12-12
18:58:36: ------- Starting OpenCPN -------
18:58:36: Version 3.3.1117 Build 2013-11-17
18:58:36: wxWidgets version: wxWidgets 2.8.12
18:58:36: MemoryStatus: mem_total: 2550 mb, mem_initial: 8 mb
18:58:36: SData_Locn is C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\
18:58:36: Using existing Config_File: C:\ProgramData\opencpn\opencpn.ini
18:58:36: Styles loading from C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\uidata\styles.xml
18:58:36: No styles found at: C:\ProgramData\opencpn\
18:58:36: No styles found at: C:\ProgramData\opencpn\.opencpn\
18:58:36: Setting Viewpoint Lat/Lon 39.831, -6.8371
18:58:36: Setting Ownship Lat/Lon 0, 180
18:58:36: System default Language: nl_BE
6:58:36 PM: Opencpn language set to: en_US
6:58:37 PM: ChartSymbols loaded from C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\s57data\chartsymbols.xml
6:58:38 PM: Using s57data in C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\s57data
6:58:38 PM: Setting Viewpoint Lat/Lon 39.831, -6.8371
6:58:38 PM: Setting Ownship Lat/Lon 0, 180
6:58:38 PM: Opening NMEA Datastream Serial:COM6
6:58:41 PM: Creating glChartCanvas
6:58:41 PM: PlugInManager searching for PlugIns in location C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins
6:58:41 PM: PlugInManager: Loading PlugIn: C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins/dashboard_pi.dll
6:58:41 PM: C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins/dashboard_pi.dll Version detected: 106
6:58:41 PM: PlugInManager: Loading PlugIn: C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins/grib_pi.dll
6:58:41 PM: C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins/grib_pi.dll Version detected: 107
6:58:41 PM: ChartDB Cache policy: Application target is 1024 MBytes
6:58:41 PM: Loading chart db version: V017
6:58:41 PM: Chartdb: Chart directory list follows
6:58:41 PM: Chart directory #0: D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010
6:58:41 PM: Chart directory #1: D:\navigatie\Charts
6:58:41 PM: GPS Watchdog Timeout is: 6 sec.
6:58:41 PM: Initializing Chart D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\
6:58:41 PM: CM93Composite Chart Root is D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\\
6:58:41 PM: Loaded CM93 Dictionary from D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\\
6:58:41 PM: Loading CM93 cell D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\\02700960/Z/02700960.Z
6:58:41 PM: Loading CM93 cell D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\\02700000/Z/02700000.Z
6:58:41 PM: Loading CM93 cell D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\\03900960/Z/03900960.Z
6:58:41 PM: Loading CM93 cell D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\\03900000/Z/03900000.Z
6:58:41 PM: Initializing Chart D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\00300000\A\00300000.A
6:58:41 PM: CM93Composite Chart Root is D:\navigatie\Charts\opencpn 2010\
6:58:41 PM: Loaded CM93 Dictionary from D:\navigatie\Charts\
6:58:42 PM: NMEA input device open failed: COM6...GetLastError(): 1168
6:58:47 PM: EnumerateSerialPorts() Found Garmin USB Driver.
6:59:32 PM: Closing NMEA Datastream Serial:COM6
6:59:32 PM: Opening NMEA Datastream Serial:COM6
6:59:33 PM: Error, comm port open failure, INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, Datastream skipped.
6:59:37 PM: LOGBOOK: 2013-12-12 17:59:37 UTC DR Lat 0.00000 Lon 180.00000
7:00:25 PM: opencpn::MyFrame exiting cleanly.
7:00:25 PM: Closing NMEA Datastream Serial:COM6
7:00:25 PM: Chart cache purge
7:00:25 PM: PlugInManager: UnLoading PlugIn: C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins/dashboard_pi.dll
7:00:25 PM: PlugInManager: UnLoading PlugIn: C:\Program Files\OpenCPN\plugins/grib_pi.dll
7:00:25 PM: Chart cache purge
7:00:25 PM: LOGBOOK: 2013-12-12 18:00:25 UTC OFF: Lat 0.00000 Lon 180.00000
7:00:25 PM: opencpn::MyApp exiting cleanly...

Is this usefull info? I realy do hope to find a solution as we are running out of paper maps right now. Still have to go a long way

[tiersp]

Hello, try with no plugin added.
For me the bluetooth on win XP and win 7 is ok but i have no plugin.
Miniplex BT is ok also with one COM port in use.

[fragmentpruts]

Nice to hear that it IS possible! But with no plugins it's still not working. Somethimes I'm wondering if my gps receiver is the bad guy but when using "GPSmonitor" I get my position right away. (also wit PolarCOM I got some NMEA streaming)

I won't be able to figure it out myself anymore. I'll really need help if I want this thing to work! Even a work around by another program like "PolarCOM" to feed Opencpn is good enouf for me (but I cannot get it to work).
Maybe I need to try to find some other drivers for my GPSreceiver?? I have an "ADAPT Maraton" receiver. There is no way to find the manual or software for it as I've spend 5hours and some mailing to find it!! So maybe there is something I'm missing here? As my adaptor works right away with GPSmonitor I tought all was fine but maybe not?!!
Sometimes I would like to buy just I USB Gpsreceiver but even that is difficult to find...
So any tips are more than welcome!
Thx

[tiersp]

Hello,
I have this one :
Globalsat G SAT BT 359 BT359 Sirf Star III Bluetooth GPS Receiver Module | eBay
and it's OK .

[bcn]

Just to check two issues that sometimes go wrong with COM-ports:

- You are sure that no other program is linked to the port (or released the port correctly on exit)?
- The baud rates are the corresponding ones?

Hubert

[tiersp]

Originally Posted by tiersp

Hello,
I have this one :
Globalsat G SAT BT 359 BT359 Sirf Star III Bluetooth GPS Receiver Module | eBay
and it's OK .

Exactly this one in new.
Globalsat BT359 Bluetooth GPS Receiver NEW | eBay

[fragmentpruts]

I'm quite shure no other program is using the port. No other program is running and before launching Opencpn (or other programs like PolarCOM) I reset the bluetooth usb receiver. I need to do this everytime otherwise the programs wont receive the bluetooth GPS data..

Also in device manager and in Opencpn the baud rate is the same "4800". Is this dependable of my GPS adaptor? I mean; is it possible I need different settings for my GPS device?

Kobe

[fragmentpruts]

Originally Posted by tiersp

Exactly this one in new.
Globalsat BT359 Bluetooth GPS Receiver NEW | eBay

Well, mayby If nothing works I should get another one But as we are navigating and living on the boat right now it difficult to now where to send it to. I found one USB gps receiver once in a store (boat store) and they asked 120eur !! I was very surprised

[bcn]

Originally Posted by fragmentpruts

Also in device manager and in Opencpn the baud rate is the same "4800". Is this dependable of my GPS adaptor? I mean; is it possible I need different settings for my GPS device?

Kobe

Yes - do you have the documentation for the BT device? 4.800 is the GPS standard setting (and 38.400 in case of AIS), but one never knows....

[fragmentpruts]

Originally Posted by bcn

Yes - do you have the documentation for the BT device? 4.800 is the GPS standard setting (and 38.400 in case of AIS), but one never knows....

Well... I cannot find the documentation for my BT device. Somehow the website is unavaileble. Many hours and mails later still no succes with documentation (adapt-marathon)
Anyway, I think this is not THE problem because it works with GPSmonitor. When I look at the NMEA data in GPSmonitor (witch gives my a fix) it displays
"Raw data stream from GPS on COM8 , 4800baud, 8/none/one"
So I would think this is the baudrate my BT device uses and Opencpn should work with it, no?

[bdbcat]

kobe....

From your log:

Opening NMEA Datastream Serial:COM6
6:59:33 PM:    Error, comm port open failure, INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, Datastream skipped.

There is your problem.
Now, to the root cause. Usually this means one of two things:
a. Some other program has the COMM port open, or
b. The port does not actually exist.

In Bluetooth, it can also mean that the external device did not recognise the pairing.

I know this is not what you want to hear, but unless you need Bluetooth GPS for some special reason, I would convert to a simple BU353 receiver.

IMHO, Bluetooth is an extremely fragile interface on Windows, and does not make much sense for fixed device interfacing....

There is another thread somewhere discussing how to get Polarcom to retransmit Bluetooth so that OCPN can read it. Maybe that will help.

Good Luck
Dave

[fragmentpruts]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

kobe....

From your log:

Opening NMEA Datastream Serial:COM6
6:59:33 PM:    Error, comm port open failure, INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, Datastream skipped.

There is your problem.
Now, to the root cause. Usually this means one of two things:
a. Some other program has the COMM port open, or
b. The port does not actually exist.

In Bluetooth, it can also mean that the external device did not recognise the pairing.

I know this is not what you want to hear, but unless you need Bluetooth GPS for some special reason, I would convert to a simple BU353 receiver.

IMHO, Bluetooth is an extremely fragile interface on Windows, and does not make much sense for fixed device interfacing....

There is another thread somewhere discussing how to get Polarcom to retransmit Bluetooth so that OCPN can read it. Maybe that will help.

Good Luck
Dave

Well, it's not exactly what I wanted to hear but it's better than staying in the dark! But to be clear: so even when it works with other programs it is still possible that in opencpn it doesn't work because of pairing problems? ( The com port is not in use by other programs)
If that is the case I'll try to find an bu353 or find an other solution as you mentioned!
Thanks for the help on this forum!

Kobe

[bdbcat]

Kobe....

The problems with RFCOMM BT interface on Windows are many. The main issue is that Windows provides no useful error messages to help users or developers to figure out what is going on when it doesn't work. We get INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, and that is it.

Actually, the problem is usually with the device's virtual device driver, not with MS code. And the drivers are unsupported and often quite buggy.

We can usually tweak something to make a specific device work, if we have access to the hardware. Not possible in the this case. So any changes we try for your hardware will be true shots in the dark.

Sorry....
Dave

[fragmentpruts]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

Kobe....

The problems with RFCOMM BT interface on Windows are many. The main issue is that Windows provides no useful error messages to help users or developers to figure out what is going on when it doesn't work. We get INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, and that is it.

Actually, the problem is usually with the device's virtual device driver, not with MS code. And the drivers are unsupported and often quite buggy.

We can usually tweak something to make a specific device work, if we have access to the hardware. Not possible in the this case. So any changes we try for your hardware will be true shots in the dark.

Sorry....
Dave

I'll right Dave, thanks for this explenation! Just bad luck then, no problem. I'll find, or an other one that works (would like to find a simple USB GPS receiver... but that seems to be difficuld) or I'll find a work arround for my BT device.

Kobe