Using OpenCPN for Odds and Ends

[cagney]

OpenCPN can be used for a few odds and ends. Let's swap some ideas!

Paper charts.
Having neglected my paper charts for a few years they were in need of sorting and documenting. After a few heavy swapping sessions with other yachties, I had lost track of what I had.
Time for stocktaking. I used O's tracks to outline each chart with help of the printed positions in the SW and NE corners. Each chart was entered as a comma separated line in a text file, later also used with a spreadsheet for prettier printing. The other way around, starting with a spreadsheet, would also work. A ruby script reading the text lines created a gpx file for each chart.
All charts could of course be in one gpx file to start with, but I was thinking of easy future chart adding and deleting. In the end, after exporting all
chart.gpx files, they all ended up in one file anyway. This, all inclusive file, is now used as a layer.
So, now I have a nice visual overview of my charts, even though I did not bother to include every plan, neither every page in a few chart
books. Very handy for planning!


Starting with a line for each chart


Spreadsheet for printing a nice paper copy


OpenCPN "Blue Charts"

This isn't my idea, i think PjotrC popped the idea about paper charts, a long time ago.

Thomas

[HappySeagull]

I use O to view the entire "current.gpx" from my Nuvi... the Nuvi is always making a track of everywhere it goes including the speed... So, before Big Brother gets a look at it, I import it into O, so I can see and edit the whole thing! I may have time to make a tinfoil hat during the wait while she digests a big gpx but it's really nice to see it
Viewed either on cm93,

or in detail (the blue line in this example) on topographic maps converted to kaps...etc.


O's Route Manager is a handy platform to fiddle with these tracks and make extra marks or notes....

[gpshephe]

I know this is an old thread, but I was looking for a way to print charts from O and ran across it. Probably don't need to know, but I read it a couple times and not quite sure what you're detailing here.

[carlspackler]

Originally Posted by gpshephe

I know this is an old thread, but I was looking for a way to print charts from O and ran across it. Probably don't need to know, but I read it a couple times and not quite sure what you're detailing here.

Obviously printing charts is one of those tricky liability things. Certainly NOAA markets chartpacks (I forget the name).

I do have a related post here that touches on something similar.

[PjotrC]

I am using OpenCPN to keep a geographically-oriented directory of links referring to various weather sites, mostly those offering official marine forecasts.

Maintaining the links in waypoints takes a bit more effort than keeping browser links, but is obviously more convenient and readable. I load them into OpenCPN as a layer, so they can be easily hidden or shown as needed.

I mentioned this already before, in another thread, but I added some sources to the collection since then, so maybe it is worth posting here...

[cagney]

Thanks Pjotr.

That is a useful layer!
Do yo mind if I post your creation here -> Layers Library | Official OpenCPN Homepage ?

Thomas

[PjotrC]

Thomas,

Of course, please do post it. My pleasure!

Thanks,

Piotr

[PjotrC]

More and more often I am using OpenCPN for preparing illustrations for various purposes, including professional reports.

They consist of various types of chart backgrounds with navigational info on top - positions, tracks, plots, weather, explanatory remarks, etc.

It is very convenient to use a real chartplotter, and real nav objects for this... I appreciate very much the control over fonts, style, colour, thickness etc. of vectors and marks drawn.

I look forward very much to (Windows) binary availability of the drawing plugin, which I understand is in the making...

At the same time, I would welcome very much a version that would allow to lift all the safety checks, preventing displaying charts that some may consider unsafe for navigation. As I am in full control of what the final screen image is going to be used for, I would like to be able to produce whatever best suits my specific purpose - illustrate/enhance what I need in a particular case. Something like "raw mode" or "natural mode", skipping all the non-implementation imposed restrictions...

For example, to remove the overzoom warning (not needed in my case) I prepared a special language version with a nil translation.

I think this might be quite a valid field of application, alternative to passage planning and underway work.