Free Routing Software. qtVlm

[boating2go]

Originally Posted by symagellan

Hello b,

you are right about MaxSea, but it is not really inexpensive, isn't it? Right now i think about collecting NMEA data an analyze it. Anyways ...

I've attached two pics to show you where i found GPS settings in QtVlm.

There is an other very nice and free program when it comes to weather and gribs. It is called "weather assistant", you can download it from Marine Weather for free. I've mailed the developer and he told me, that the prog is still under development. There is a handbook to download as well ad i have to admit, that i love this tool.

I do not know the merits and won't commend on that either way. Only thing I know after over thirty years in IT is "free software" usually is not upgraded like software you pay for. Usually any software you buy will send you notice of any updates for free.

Only warning I have to offer on this one but definitely worth noting. Is it free if the coding isn't updated and causes you a problem or is MaxSea inexpensive because it prevents you from that accident?

Like my Dad always told me you get what you pay for.

[nohal]

Developing commercial software for living (and trying to get the support we paid for from our suppliers) and using and contributing to opensource projects in my free time for the past 20 years I have to say I can't completely agree

Pavel

[rgleason]

I completely agree with Pavel. It is truly remarkable what qtVlm and OpenCpn and plugins can do, the almost immediate response to problems, the good documentation and development process, which is the a result of users helping and working together, the efforts of many talented programmers working on plugins and small improvements and a small cadre of amazingly talented and dedicated programers who are patient and forgiving. Thank you all!

[jacrider]

Ok, I am sorry to ask, but how do I install QtVlm in Ubuntu 12.10? I already have the dependencies installed ... make, gcc, c++. etc

How do I install from an SVN? I have never done that before.

Thanks.

[nohal]

jacrider...
there's a pretty straightforward guide (in French, but the commands are there ) at QtVlm - VlmWiki
If you don't want to compile and just want to install the packaged version Dom Hauser from the zyGrib team packaged (currently 3.5.0), the instructions are at QtVlm - VlmWiki - haven't tried it myself as I'm building from source...

Pavel

[jacrider]

Pavel, many thanks for the reply.

I went back to the French documentation. Many of the links are not working for adding the repository and the key. However, with a bit of help from Google, I managed to get it installed.

I ended up with the following to add the repository in Software Sources:

deb http://doc.hausser.ch/debpackages ubuntu-dha quantal

Then, I simply copied the key from here into a text file:

http://doc.hausser.ch/debpackages/dha-debpackages.key

Then I added this key within Software Sources.

I did an apt-get update then sudo apt-get install qtvlm

All went well, until I run the program and on start up I get an error in French:

Impossible d'écrire dans le répertoire de qtVlm
Changez les permissions de ce répertoire ou
réinstallew qtVlm autre part

My French is ok, but not very technical ... I think this is a permissions error around the folder ... maybe ...

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[maitai]

Yes it means "Unable to write in qtVlm directory, please change the permissions or install qtVlm elsewhere"

I'll make sure this is translated too in the next version

[jacrider]

Maitai, thanks for the response.

I figured this out and ended up getting the application to run.

I am now muddling my way through as a virtual boat.

Thanks.

[rgleason]

Here's the English Wiki, if it will be a help.
QtVlm/en - VlmWiki

[NorthPacific]

My brain hurts at times. 5 years ago I had to change from PC to Mac. Now I sruggle turning on PC.

[fastm]

Hello,

the meteo fax opening is working only with *.png images and not with .tif .jpg .gif, and usually the faxes are available on internet as .tif
I tested with v3.3.5 and 3.3.4 on 2 different PC and the behaviour is the same; I have win xp home 32 bit on both.

On the opposite the meteo fax opening is working well on the v3.4beta2.

On v3.4beta2 I have anyway crashes everytime I open with a real boat; to open without a crash I have to start with a virtual boat (false as I don't have a VLM account) and then switch to the real one.

Anyway I find QtVlm a very nice software for the weather routing with lot of useful options, so thanks a lot to the developers!

Stefano

[maitai]

Thanks for the bug report concerning real boat mode in 3.4-beta2, we'll check it out. Concerning opening tif and so files there was a bug in 3.3.5 that has been fixed.

Hopefully 3.4.0 stable will be released soon I hope.

For the courageous, beta version (windows) are there:

win64:

http://virtual-winds.com/maitai/qtVl...eta2_win64.zip

win32:

http://virtual-winds.com/maitai/qtVl...eta2_win32.zip

Any bug report or suggestion are welcomed...

Please note that this version is intended to work on qt 5.x. It will compile and work on qt4 but you will loose some features, such as pinching with touch-screens.

[hwecken]

Hello maitai,
3.4 beta 2 crashes direct after selecting real or VLM boat.
Win32 Vista
vb Hartmut

[oxygen77]

Ok problem solved. Will be available in next bêta thx for your report.

[hwecken]

Hi oxygen77
is there someone working on reading files in GRIB2 format.
For the north an baltic sea there is a very good source of current files in grib2 format
ftp://ftp.bsh.de/Stroemungsvorhersagen/
Or do anyone know a tool to konvert grib2 to grib1 format ?
Hartmut