Test Polauto by using OpenCpn w/o instruments

[tiersp]

Hi, cansailor,

Here an help for the Polauto filters.




Filter the data

Wind speed :

if the difference between the value and the average is upper dif speedwind
the value is discard from the table and the average is recalculated.

Wind direction :

-if Dif Dirwind=2 then
if the difference between the value and the average is upper 2
the value is discard from the table and the average is recalculated.

- if Dif Dirwind>2 then
if the difference between the mini and the maxi value is
upper Dif dirwind all the value in the table are initilised and the average not calculated.

boat speed :

if the difference between the value and the average is upper dif speedboat
the value is discard from the table and the average is recalculated.

Recording range speed wind :

The average speed wind (asw) is calculated with the wind speed filter.
then this value (asw) is transform in the nearest value of the spreadsheet (nasw)
if the difference between asw and nasw is upper the range speed wind all the tables are initialised
and the speed boat is discard.

exemple:
The average speed wind is 6.85 (asw)
this value is tranform in 6 (nasw)
if range speed wind is downer 0.85 all the tables are initialized.



Recording range dir wind :

The average dir wind (adw) is calculated with the wind dir filter.
then this value (adw) is transform in the nearest value of the spreadsheet (nadw)
if the difference between adw and nadw is upper the range dir wind all the tables are initialised
and the speed boat is discard.

exemple:
The average dir wind is 122.4 (adw)
this value is tranform in 124 (nadw)
if range dir wind is downer 1.6 all the tables are initialized.

Sorry for my poor english.
Patrick

[rgleason]

Patrick, you're english is far better than my french...please forgive me, just a few changes Please correct me if I misunderstood.


Filter the data

Wind speed :

if the difference between the value and the average is [above] dif speedwind value.
the value is discarded from the table and the average is recalculated.

Wind direction :

-if Dif Dirwind=2 then
if the difference between the value and the average is [above] 2
the value is discarded from the table and the average is recalculated.

- if Dif Dirwind>2 then
if the difference between the mini and the maxi value is
[above] Dif dirwind all the values in the table are initialized and the average not calculated.

boat speed :

if the difference between the value and the average is [above] dif speedboat
the value is discard from the table and the average is recalculated.

Recording range speed of wind :

The average speed wind (asw) is calculated with the wind speed filter.
then this value (asw) is transformed [to] the nearest value of the spreadsheet (nasw)
if the difference between asw and nasw is [above] the range speed wind all the tables are initialized
and the speed boat is discarded.

Example:
The average speed wind is 6.85 (asw)
this value is tranformed into 6 (nasw)
if range speed wind is [below] 0.85 all the tables are initialized.


Recording range direction of wind :

The average dir wind (adw) is calculated with the wind dir filter.
then this value (adw) is transformed [to] the nearest value of the spreadsheet (nadw)
if the difference between adw and nadw is [above] the range dir wind all the tables are initialized
and the speed boat is discard.

example:
The average dir wind is 122.4 (adw)
this value is tranformed into 124 (nadw)
if range dir wind is [below] 1.6 all the tables are initialized.

Patrick

[tiersp]

Thank you Rick.
Ok for the corrections.
I'll put this help in the Polauto new version.
I'll also add a checkbox : Only recording if the dif between the new value and the old is below a selectable value.
I'll also add an offset? for the wind direction and a coefficient for the calibration speedo.
Patrick

[rgleason]

Dear Patrick,

Kiltym asks in another thread:

Quote:
Originally Posted by rgleason
Patrick has prepared an updated Post #29 -Testing Polauto - Polauto Version 5.

Am I missing something? I only see 4.3 (English) and 4.3.1 (Fr)?

[tiersp]

Dear Rick,
the last version of Polauto is the 5.1.1 here
Pratiques et Techniques de la Plaisance

or here :
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_H2...it?usp=sharing

Patrick.

[rgleason]

Thanks Patrick for the links. Have you had any User responses after actually recording, with information about what the most effective techniques and settings are for getting good polars?

[cansailor]

Hey, I am still in the process of creating polars from 10 days of sailing 24 hours a day.

So far, I have found the most accurate results for what I am trying to achive by using the lowest average and widest range of settings that I could. I have also noticed a difference in the polars that are created through nmea playback in Polauto, instead of through navmon.

Does the Polauto nmea playback repeat? Or is it just played back at normal speed instead of navmon where you can increase the speed?

My goal for the polar creation is to have a set of polars for routing, and have them generalized for all conditions and sail setups. I am not using these for racing.

So the data that I collected is all compiled together over all ranges of wind/sea/sails/ etc.

I will be logging about 4 more days within the next week specificaly to create polars, and I am going to try to create the polars in real time with Polauto trying various options to get a better feel for the settings.

[tiersp]

Hello cansailor,
thank for testing Polauto.
Actualy, when you read a nmea file, Polauto read a sentence all the seconds.
I can modify that if you want.
Patrick.

[rgleason]

Does anyone know the format for Opencpn polars?
The manual does not have this information yet.

I would like to test Loading a polar csv file in Weather_Routing.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1418960

[NEVERMIND]

The format to Polauto was:
.pol





Pratiques et Techniques de la Plaisance

JP

[rgleason]

In the current version of Polauto, I am having some trouble understanding and determining the following:
1. How to save a particular type of file: qtVLM, Opencpn, MaxSea in Polauto.
2. How to load and convert a particular file: qtVLM, Opencpn, MaxSea into Polauto.
3. What format Polauto uses natively? --I think it is using Opencpn.
5. Is the XML format only for the program Sailtimer?
6. What format each type of polar has such that it can be loaded and used properly in the respective program.
7. Is a .pol file always the same format, or does it vary in format? (It appears to be the latter.
8. The final question I have is, how can Polauto menu's be adjusted to make import and translation, and export more intuitive to users?

[rgleason]

I finally found Bluewater Racing Polar File format....searched last night too. I believe Opencpn and Bluewater and Expedition have the same format.

Bluewater, Opencpn and Expedition Polar file format
http://www.bluewaterracing.com/bluew...#_Toc343740589

A polar file is a sequence of lines. Each line describes the curve for one windspeed, ws. Optionally, the first line may begin with the string "pol", in which case it is treated as a comment line. This klunky format is not my idea; it is for compatibility with Expedition and other software tools, and because it loads easily into spreadsheet tools such as Excel.

Each curve is described on one line of the text file by a windspeed, followed by a sequence of pairs of True Wind Angle and boatspeed. (TWA in degrees, BSP in knots)
eg:

10 30 0 45 6 90 8.1 160 7 180 5
15 30 0 40 8 90 12 150 10 165 9 170 5

This gives two curves, one for windspeed 10, one for windspeed 15. Different curves may have different TWA points, and different numbers of points. The line for windspeed 10 specifies a boatspeed of zero knots at a true wind angle of 30 degrees, a boatspeed of six knots at TWA 45, 8.1 knots at 90, seven knots at 160 degrees, and five knots at 180 degrees.

There can be a zero windspeed curve with non-zero boatspeed, i.e., “when the wind is gone, the motor's on.”

Rules for the data in polar files:
1) One windspeed curve per line.
2) There must be a least 3 points per curve.
3) There must be at least one non-zero windspeed curve.
4) The minimum TWA is zero, and the maximum is 180.
5) The 2nd smallest TWA in a line is the best VMG upwind angle for that windspeed. The 2nd largest TWA is the best VMG downwind angle for that windspeed
6) The first TWA should be less than any 2nd TWA in any curve. Ideally, zero.
7) The last TWA should be greater than any 2nd-to-last TWA in any curve. Ideally, 180

If these rules are broken, the behavior of the program is undetermined.

This helps to answer why the format is so clunky, and gives me enough information to prepare a file for Opencpn I hope!

[NEVERMIND]

Next week I'll be on the boat in Corsica where I recorded polar with opncpn and Polauto.
I can provide that if you need.
jp

[tiersp]

Save and load polars files with Polauto :

- Native format in Polauto is .pl ( it’s not very différent than OpenCPN, but it’s not the same )
These files are auto-save in the directory :
.....\polauto\polaires\
with the name of the polar + .pl
exemple
c:\program files\polauto\polaires\monboat.pl

1. To save a particular type of file :

With the extension .pol to be used with OpenCPN, Bluewater-racing, Maxsea or Qtvlm.

Click on radiobutton "Create Type"

- Bluewater-OpenCPN
The files will be save in the directory :
.......\polauto\polaires\OCpn\
with the name of the polar +.pol
Exemple
C:\program files\polauto\polaires\Ocpn\monboat.pol
And you can uses this file in OpenCPN or in BlueWater-Racing

- Maxsea
The files will be save in the directory :
.......\polauto\polaires\Maxs\
with the name of the polar +.pol
Exemple
C:\program files\polauto\polaires\Maxs\monboat.pol
And you can uses this file in Maxsea

- qtVlm
The files will be save in the directory :
.......\polauto\polaires\Qtv\
with the name of the polar +.pol
Exemple
C:\program files\polauto\polaires\Qtv\monboat.pol
And you can uses this file in Qtvlm


With the extension .xml to be use with other programmes.

Check the box Create and export .xml files ( sorry for the mistake ‘end’ !! )
The files will be save in the directory :
.......\polauto\polaires\xml\
with the name of the polar +.xml
Exemple
C:\program files\polauto\polaires\xml\monboat.xml
And you can uses this file in a programme witch use this type of polar.



If you want, this files can be also save in an other directory

see the attach image

Here only .pol type qtVlm files will be also save in D:\polaires dvII\
If you want to create and save also the .xml files in this directory, you must check Create and export .xml files.



2. To load and convert a polar file go to the edit polar window and import this file.

You must be in manual mode



Select type then click OK

And then click transforme


5. Is the XML format only for the program Sailtimer?
I do’nt know ?
That must be tested .

6. Is a .pol file always the same format, or does it vary in format? (It appears to be the latter.

It vary in format, and i can not do otherwise.
But with the three différents directories you can identified them.
And if you use the possibility of send them in an other derectory, directly in the program that use them, you can not do a mistake.

It seem that there is a bug with qtVlm, new with the 5.2 and the new import and export xml files. i look at that and publish the correction.

7. Purhaps create a main menu ?

[rgleason]

Thank you Patrick! Very helpful explanation. I have been developing some written text about the different types and formats too. So hopefully we can publish and make this clearer to others.

Nevermind, we are very interested in your testing. Please save some nmea files as good examples, and post/attach as doc files so others can run them. And let us know what filters work best for you. It will be very helpful to others recording.