OpenCPN on Lenovo TAB-M10 - need help

[CassidyNZ]

Based on info from assorted threads I learned that OpenCPN works on Android tablets. Being an iPad user normally and not wanting the cumbersome alternative of a notebook in the cockpit, I decided to buy another tablet to configure as a “plotter” for our boat.

So I bought the subject model and expanded the memory with a 16gb Sandisc. I proceeded to load OpenCPN which went off without a hitch or at least it appeared to.

The, with some difficulty I transferred the CM93 chart folio to the Sandisc andhad it appear in the tablet’s directory. I selected the folio and the chart of my immediate neighborhood appeared with a little boat on my house. So far, so good.

My enthusiasm soon waned when I discovered that no matter what I did I could not influence the chart on-screen using the normal touch-screen processes. The screen is essentially “dead”.

I took some pictures and I have no idea why CF upload process appears to orient pictures totally randomly - all these pictures are the right way up everywhere but on CF where they load upside down (maybe someone can help me fix that?)

The 1st image attached shows what the screen looks like. None of the buttons work, the screen cannot be zoomed in or out, can’t be moved in any direction. The only thing that works is the tri-dot button top right of the screen. When pressed it reveals the menu in 2nd image and most of the stuff there has an influence but nothing useful. 3rd screen appears if I touch the tools button and everything here appears responsive but nothing changes the “dead” screen.

Strangely, if I select the Switch to Google Maps option, I can scroll anywhere, zoom anywhere and when I toggle the mode off, the new screen has been adjusted to what I did in Google Maps.

Does anyone know what I’m doing wrong? Any advice to get some activity on the screen?

Thanks

[cagney]

You have downloaded a free, as in no cost, version, that has been abandoned by it the person who originally forked it. This version has had no updates for 5 years.
Don't expect any support for this version.
You can thank Google for the confusion as they refuse to put the correct version as the default on search for "OpenCPN".

The current version is available here https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....opencpn&gl=IE, and cost a small amount, but includes free updates for "life".
This "official" version also has it's own support forum.

[CassidyNZ]

Thanks for that. I loaded the version you recommended and it worked fine.

Right up until I tried to load and use files from CM93 that I introduced to the tablet via an SD card.

The first image shows the folder that I selected to choose the CM93 directory on the SD card following which I pressed “Apply”. I now believe I am using the C-Maps directory the same as on my notebook. Maybe I’m wrong, have read somewhere that loading charts for OpenCPN can be quite a challenge.

The second image shows the northern coastline of Vita Levu (Fiji) as displayed by the tablet.

The third image shows the same coastline as displayed using the same chart directory on my ancient notebook. As you can see, the detail on the notebook image knock the socks off the tablet display which to be fair is pretty dismal. No way can use this tablet image to navigate through dense coral fields.

Once again, please help. Is there a simple fix for this?

[nohal]

Switch the tablet to show CM93, not the raster chart it shows now. Do that by touching that brown rectangle down on the bottom of the screen.

[Moo]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

Thanks for that. I loaded the version you recommended and it worked fine.

Right up until I tried to load and use files from CM93 that I introduced to the tablet via an SD card.

The first image shows the folder that I selected to choose the CM93 directory on the SD card following which I pressed “Apply”. I now believe I am using the C-Maps directory the same as on my notebook. Maybe I’m wrong, have read somewhere that loading charts for OpenCPN can be quite a challenge.

The second image shows the northern coastline of Vita Levu (Fiji) as displayed by the tablet.

The third image shows the same coastline as displayed using the same chart directory on my ancient notebook. As you can see, the detail on the notebook image knock the socks off the tablet display which to be fair is pretty dismal. No way can use this tablet image to navigate through dense coral fields.

Once again, please help. Is there a simple fix for this?

As nohal said. I've compared pirate C-Map with genuine up to date C-Map along that coast... All I'll say is don't use it to navigate that coast. Use pilotage and your eyes... Or spend some money on new charts.

[sv_pelagia]

I use OCPN for Android (official version) and have NO problems with CM93 charts (2012 ver), other than the fact they are often very (!) out-of-date (so I don't use them)....

As already suggested, get up-to-date charts.

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by Moo

As nohal said. I've compared pirate C-Map with genuine up to date C-Map along that coast... All I'll say is don't use it to navigate that coast. Use pilotage and your eyes... Or spend some money on new charts.

My copy of C-Maps chart portfolio is a remnant of a genuine copy of Maxsea purchased for a lot of money back in the day, that became redundant/non-functional following continuous updates to Windows. But AFAIK, the chart portfolio is genuine C-Maps.

Using pilotage requires charts or have I got that wrong? And using your eyes is all good and well provided that you know where you’re going in the first place and for that - you guessed it - you need charts.

And thanks for the suggestion of buying new charts - don’t know why I never thought of that.

[CassidyNZ]

Thanks for the useful comments and advice, I got to where I need to be by changing a few settings.

No further help required (at least for now).

[bcn]

For NZ you have the LINZ S-63 sets for free.


Get your S-63 UserPermit for OpenCPN from o-charts.org, register at LINZ and sail with the latest official charts.

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by bcn

For NZ you have the LINZ S-63 sets for free.


Get your S-63 UserPermit for OpenCPN from o-charts.org, register at LINZ and sail with the latest official charts.

I already have LINZ charts for NZ. LINZ don’t produce charts for Fiji (or anywhere else for that matter).

[Moo]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

My copy of C-Maps chart portfolio is a remnant of a genuine copy of Maxsea purchased for a lot of money back in the day, that became redundant/non-functional following continuous updates to Windows. But AFAIK, the chart portfolio is genuine C-Maps.

Using pilotage requires charts or have I got that wrong? And using your eyes is all good and well provided that you know where you’re going in the first place and for that - you guessed it - you need charts.

And thanks for the suggestion of buying new charts - don’t know why I never thought of that.

Out of date charts are out of date charts, they were all genuine once.. a couple of years ago I also compared out of date Maxsea with the latest in Nobeltec TimeZero (which I was lucky enough to be sponsored with at the time). The latest ones were great.. only one reef out of place; which according to the track we sailed across.

No, you don't need charts to practice pilotage. You certainly don't need "GPS" accurate charts. That channel is pretty obvious anyway.. Most of the marks went in the last big hurricane a few years back, maybe the rest have gone now.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of whit

[Moo]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

I already have LINZ charts for NZ. LINZ don’t produce charts for Fiji (or anywhere else for that matter).

Except Tonga, Nui, Samoa, bits of Antarctica and few other bits

[CassidyNZ]

I’ve heard it said that OCPN can be quite buggy. I’m solving problems as I go along but now I have one that has me cornered.

With the program running, I have text so dense on the page that it blots out everything else. That in itself is not the problem. I’m sure there are settings to fix this.

The problem is that when I open the Settings menu to try to adjust the text size/density/extent, the menu opens but the part of the menu that lets you press OK or Escape or whatever to close the menu is not on the screen - the menu block is too big.

Effectively that’s it. The only way I can get out of the menu is to totally power-down the device - switch it completely off. If I exit OCPN, it simply starts back on the open menu page. On restarting everything appears and works normal as long as the Settings menu is not opened. But the text still overwhelms the charting and cannot be reset/adjusted.

Any ideas? Anyone?

[Moo]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

Any ideas? Anyone?

This is on Android right? The best place for this question is on the dedicated forum.

https://bigdumboat.com/aocpn/forum/

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by Moo

Out of date charts are out of date charts, they were all genuine once.. a couple of years ago I also compared out of date Maxsea with the latest in Nobeltec TimeZero (which I was lucky enough to be sponsored with at the time). The latest ones were great.. only one reef out of place; which according to the track we sailed across.

No, you don't need charts to practice pilotage. You certainly don't need "GPS" accurate charts. That channel is pretty obvious anyway.. Most of the marks went in the last big hurricane a few years back, maybe the rest have gone now.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of whit

I’m obviously out of touch - help me understand pilotage without charts. Just a broad overview will do.