Visit My Harbour Charts and Tidal Currents

[Rasbats]

For users of OpenCPN, using Visit My Harbour UK/Ireland charts and tidal stream atlases, who are trying the VMH Tidal Streams plugin; I have attached an updated version, which uses OpenCPN tidal data to link tide times to the tidal current chart.

Rename the plugin file 'EUTidalcurrents_pi.dll' already on your computer if you want a fall-back option.

Download the new plugin from my website (Right click on 'Here', Save Link As - choosing your OpenCPN plugins folder).

You need 'libexpat.dll' in your main OpenCPN folder (From the VMH disk/stick or the link below).

When the plugin is running click the '+' button and choose the main VMH 'TIDAL STREAM ATLASES' folder on your disk/stick. Select the NP you want to use and press 'HW' etc. You can change the start date and the next tidal current pages will reflect that new date.

www.mikerossiter.co.uk/OpenCPN/OpenCPNFiles.html

Please try and break the plugin. It's the only way to make it better!

Mike

[rgleason]

"For users of OpenCPN, using Visit My Harbour UK/Ireland charts and tidal stream atlases, who are trying the VMH Tidal Streams plugin; I have attached an updated version, which uses OpenCPN tidal data to link tide times to the tidal current chart."

It would be helpful if you would explain more completely if there are any prerequisites for this and where they are located.

Where is the VMH Tidal Plugin, I haven't heard of it?

[Rasbats]

Sorry, this is the EUTidalCurrents plugin mentioned some time ago on this forum.

At that time it relied on users making up a folder of KMZ files to show tidal stream data. I made an example from public sources.

Previous thread: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ain-84608.html

Working with 'Visit My Harbour' KMZ files have been produced from 20 UKHO Tidal Stream Atlases. Obviously these publications are copyright. Users who purchase a DVD or USB Stick of VMH UK/Ireland charts and install OpenCPN (also on the media) have a protected folder called 'TIDAL STREAM ATLASES' on the media. For copyright purposes the DVD/USB Stick can be moved to another machine but the data cannot be copied. The media needs to be attached to the computer running OpenCPN.

Reference:
2013 ChartStick- UK charts for OpenCPN and PolarNavy (NEW) : by VisitMyHarbour [Charts for OpenCPN and Polar Navy] - VisitMyHarbour articles

More information, including coverage, is shown at the bottom of the page.

The EUTidalCurrents plugin on the media and this updated version allows the user to select a folder corresponding to a UKHO Tidal Stream Atlas and view the tidal currents for each hour before/after HW at the base port. The tidal current information is raster as are the VMH charts.

The plugin needs OpenCPN V3.0.0 or better to run and 'libexpat.dll' in the main OpenCPN folder.

The updated plugin now uses tidal calculations based on Dave's code. This allows the user to select a date and the HW times are calculated for the base port for the Tidal Stream Atlas in use (not always Dover!).

The plugin coding relies heavily on SethDarts 'KMLOverlay' plugin.

My code needs a lot of cleaning but could be put on github later if there is enough interest.

Mike

[Rasbats]

Rick,

The same as the KMLOverlay plugin, the EUTidalCurrents plugin is only for Windows.

I am running Win XP SP3 and coding with VS2010 express and wxWidgets 2.8.12.

Mike

[cagney]

The KML plugin works just fine on Linux. Are here any other issues,preventing the EUTidalCurrents plugin, to run on Linux?
Thomas

[Rasbats]

Thomas,

Thanks. I'll have a look.

Mike

[Rasbats]

Progress!

On Debian Squeeze I compiled the KMLOverlay plugin and also the derived EUTidalCurrents plugin.

The plugins are attached, and also TS Demo, a folder of KMZ tidal streams for the English Channel (Western Part). Remove the .pdf extensions and unzip the files. The files from TS Demo 1 and 2 need to be placed in one folder, which is selected when the EUTidalCurrents plugin is run.

The demo tidal streams are from public sources. Next step is to work out how UKHO tidal stream atlases can be supplied in a suitable licensed format for Linux users!

Compiled alongside OpenCPN 3.2.0. Not tested with earlier versions.

Mike

[rgleason]

Interesting development, can we use the tides even though we may not have purchased the charts?

[Rasbats]

Problem is that DRM on the Visit My Harbour DVD is Windows only. Even using Wine I have not been able to unlock the media to use with OpenCPN. On Windows the tidal current data can be used standalone with any charts.

If anyone knows about a DRM program for DVD/USB Stick compatible with Linux then it might be possible to move forward.

Mike

[Silvermorning]

Mike, thanks for the great work.
Feedback: I recently installed OpenCPN on my Windows 8 laptop, 64 Bit, 8GB Ram, i5 processor and installed your tide plug-in from the visit my harbour chartstick. After playing with the chart stick version I upgraded it to your latest download.
The original chartstick version ran reasonably well. Norton removed your update on initial download, after I forced a download your updated version has a lot of good new features but proved unstable and was slow to use even though the laptop is reasonable well specified. On a couple of occasions I got 100% processor usage error messages.
I hope this feedback is helpful. This plug in has a lot of potential, thank you for sharing your endeavours.

John

[Rasbats]

John,

'Visit My Harbour' is supplying OpenCPN V3.0 on their media.

If you have not already done so, it may be useful to upgrade to the latest stable version 3.2 and see if this resolves the performance issues of the plugin. Look and feel will change but there are plenty of enhancements. The updated Tidal Currents plugin has been compiled alongside V3.2 OpenCPN.

If you go down this route please let me know if you see any changes.

Mike

[Rasbats]

I am now running OpenCPN 3.3.814 with the Tidal Current plugin.

This latest version seems to render to pages of the tidal atlas faster.

User comments are always welcome.

Mike