OpenCPN

[cagney]

Dave
In case you need more compiler output or testers with Ubuntu 7.10,
send me a mail and I do what I can to help out.
Thomas

[bdbcat]

Thanks for your interest.
The current version (1.2.2) has some known issues with Ubuntu, I'm afraid.

We will be releasing opencpn 1.2.4 in a few days, which (should) provide
full Ubuntu support. I would appreciate your help at that time.

Keep an eye on the sourceforge site for that update.
SourceForge.net: OpenCPN

I will also try to contact you when the release happens.

Thanks
Dave

[buivantuyen2005]

Dave...
Thanhs you for OPenCPN.
I'm Tuyen, living in Viet Nam. I development a Project's Nautical. I need a software about ENC, navigator, Radar...I have using OpenCPN, but It's error when compile. I need hepl me. You send a Email for me
:buivantuyen2005@yahoo.com.
Bui Van Tuyen
Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa - Viet Nam.

[melis.cpn]

Hi there;
I have just met opencpn and it seems to be a very good job. Congrats to the developers

I want to ask about that .S57 extensioned files. What is that file about? I just have a .000 extensioned file and no .S57 file for that ENC. Is there some converter for converting .000 files to .S57 files?? If so how and where can I get?

Any ideas or leadings are greatly appreciated

PS: I dont know whether this is the right place to ask such a question if not then I also want to ask whether there is a developer/user forum other than this. So that I dont bother advanced users with dummy quests )

Thanks a lot

Melis

[bdbcat]

Thanks for trying opencpn.
This is a great question. It involves a subtle point regarding ENC chart
display on nav programs.


.S57 files are what is known as SENC (System ENC) files. They are derived
from .000 ENC files, and have been converted and optimized for efficient
on-screen display. The format of SENC files is unique to the nav program
in use. For instance, opencpn has its own SENC format, Coastal Explorer
uses another, and Fugawi yet a third. The formats are proprietary for
commercial packages, and not published. Of course, opencpn's format is
published within the source-code provided.

In opencpn, .S57 SENC files are created automatically as an ENC is opened
for the first time. They are stored on disk for ready access the next time
that particular chart is opened. You will see a progress dialog on-screen as it is created.

It does take some little CPU time to create a SENC file, and they can be quite large. This is a developer choice in favor of snappy display performance. Normally, a user will have no direct interaction with a .S57
file. If it gets accidentally deleted, it will be recreated.

So, you do not need an external .S57 converter. It is built in to opencpn.

Dave

[ssullivan]

So what's the story? Is this software ready for prime time? Can I bet my life on it yet? Just picked up a cheap PC for navigation only.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

So what's the story? Is this software ready for prime time? Can I bet my life on it yet? Just picked up a cheap PC for navigation only.

Also... how do you select the COM port for the GPS data stream? Mine's on COM8. Your COM selections go to COM4. Any ideas? I tried manually putting COM8 into the dialog box and it didn't take the string.

Any config file I can tinker with to set the COM port?

Thanks!

PS: Latest version displays BSB/KAP files lightning fast!

[bdbcat]

SSulivan....

Thanks for your interest in opencpn.

Like all computer nav applications, opencpn is no substitute for traditional
look-out-the-window navigation methods. Nav software authors have no control over the source of chart data input, GPS reliability, etc. Read some of Nigel Calder's articles on the subject of chart accuracy and scaling if you want to learn more.

However, I've been using opencpn and his ancestors for three years, full-time cruising the east coast. Crashes are rare. Works for me.

YMMV

COM8: Been having some trouble getting all possible NMEA sources enumerated on Windows platform. You could try to edit the config
file opencpn.ini, which will be found wherever the application was installed.

You will find a line like this:

Source=Serial:COM4

Change to ....COM8 and give it a try. I'd like to hear about the results, please.
Also, more info on you port configuration would be helpful. Are you using a USB adapter? Type?

Thanks
Dave

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

So what's the story? Is this software ready for prime time? Can I bet my life on it yet? Just picked up a cheap PC for navigation only.

What kind of laptop , brand ,processor, screen size,ram, yada yada yada

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

SSulivan....

Thanks for your interest in opencpn.

Like all computer nav applications, opencpn is no substitute for traditional
look-out-the-window navigation methods. Nav software authors have no control over the source of chart data input, GPS reliability, etc. Read some of Nigel Calder's articles on the subject of chart accuracy and scaling if you want to learn more.

However, I've been using opencpn and his ancestors for three years, full-time cruising the east coast. Crashes are rare. Works for me.

YMMV

COM8: Been having some trouble getting all possible NMEA sources enumerated on Windows platform. You could try to edit the config
file opencpn.ini, which will be found wherever the application was installed.

You will find a line like this:

Source=Serial:COM4

Change to ....COM8 and give it a try. I'd like to hear about the results, please.
Also, more info on you port configuration would be helpful. Are you using a USB adapter? Type?

Thanks
Dave

Legal mumbo jumbo aside (I'm not a litigous person), I gave it a shot.

It worked for a minute or so, then gave me a general protection fault, or other "blue screen of death" scenario. I didn't pay attention to the error - sorry.

It was certainly this move though, because this computer is brand new as of yesterday, and has very little installed software. This was the first crash. Anyway, I have unfortunately just plunked down $$ for Fugawi's Global Navigator, because I need to get this sorted out so I can continue my delivery.

Thanks for the response. From what I saw of the program, you have done an excellent job. I was able to see my position on a BSB chart of the area with very quick loading, put in a route, and well... that's where things went south on me. But still... it looks like a great app! Good work!

No USB adapter. Out of the box (literally) compaq machine with US Globalsat BU-353 GPS plugged into USB port.

PS: I started navigating 20 years ago, before software existed for it. I'm all set with Nigel Calder... lol

PPS: I'd be happy to volunteer time to help QA this app. I'm a big fan of open source, being a former software developer (C++, JAVA).

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

What kind of laptop , brand ,processor, screen size,ram, yada yada yada

Compaq Presario
C751NR
120GB HD
1 gig of RAM
Pentium Duo-Core 1.6GHz
Windows Vista (ouch)

$450

Man, I wish I didn't drop my Mac.

[bdbcat]

SSulivan....

Sorry for the BSOD. I'd appreciate any QA help I can get at this point. I
have not tested on Vista, I'm kicking and screaming.....

Maybe there is something in the log file. opencpn.log
Sometimes the last thing done before a crash produces something useful for debugging.

Anyway, more info would be great if you have the time.

opencpn is built in c++ on the wxwidgets cross-platform tools. The Windows version is compiled with Watcom toolset.


Dave

ps
Whats your current delivery project? I'm currently in Cape May, on the way north to do the Down East Loop. Waiting on a south wind....

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

SSulivan....

Sorry for the BSOD. I'd appreciate any QA help I can get at this point. I
have not tested on Vista, I'm kicking and screaming.....

Maybe there is something in the log file. opencpn.log
Sometimes the last thing done before a crash produces something useful for debugging.

Anyway, more info would be great if you have the time.

opencpn is built in c++ on the wxwidgets cross-platform tools. The Windows version is compiled with Watcom toolset.




Dave

ps
Whats your current delivery project? I'm currently in Cape May, on the way north to do the Down East Loop. Waiting on a south wind....

Will do, Dave... when I get moment.

I'm currently on a delivery from Key Largo to the same destination you are!

I'm in the Chesapeake, waiting for that same wind change. Looking for a good West wind, which is predicted tomorrow to carry me up your way.

Will you spend the summer in Maine?

[witzgall]

A far off question - Do you think that this program could ever be compiled to work on a Zaurus SL600L PDA? I own one, and a great GPS to work with it - a Garmin 16A (5hz updates!).

Runs Qtopia with a xscale 400mz processor, only 64mb of memory.

Chris

[hanson_liu]

Originally Posted by bdbcat

Hello All...

I'm Dave, the author of OpenCPN.

I'm sorry some have had trouble with installing and using the program.
It is still in active development, with lots of known and unknown bugs.
We try not to release a version that crashes or hangs up under "normal"
use, but obviously you have had problems.

We are seriously looking for active users willing to provide specific
feedback on installation and usage problems. Specific bugs can be corrected
in days, usually. Please contact me on or off-list if you would like to help.

We are committed to bringing OpenCPN up to world-class standard. The
object is not to displace the many fine commercial products available, but to
enable a viable Open Source alternative usable by real cruisers. OpenCPN
will never be (and can never be) a commercial product.

Personal note: Just returned from annual winter Bahamas cruise. I'm in
culture shock at Palm Beach, FL. Back in the developement saddle now.
We are full-time cruisers with frequent WiFi communications.

Dave
Status: Online

hi,Dave:
compile env: D:\wxWidgets-2.8.7,D:\WATCOM1.7a
wpp386 -bt=nt -zq -fo=.\release_\mygeom.obj -d0 -ot -ox -bm -d__WXMSW__
-i=D:\wxWidgets-2.8.7\lib\wat_lib\msw -i=.\include -wx -wcd=549 -wcd=656
-wcd=657 -wcd=667 -i=. -wcd=726 -wcd=389 -wcd=716 -i=.\src\mygdal -dUSE_S57 -d
USE_GLU_TESS -dUSE_GLU_DLL -i=D:\wxWidgets-2.8.7\include -dNOPCH -xr -xs -hc -
fr=.\release_\mygeom.err .\src\mygeom.cpp
.\src\mygeom.cpp(1520): Error! E199: col(0) premature end-of-file encountered du
ring compilation
Error(E42): Last command making (.\release_\mygeom.obj) returned a bad status
Error(E02): Make execution terminated

the same problem with v1.2.2 and V1.2.4
help, please,thanks!!!
pls contact me with mr.lxc@126.com
thanks
hanson