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Old 10-01-2013, 05:26   #1
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AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

For new users without an AIS data stream, you can still simulate OpenCPN's AIS capability. It is very good. I would suggest using one of the recent Betas such as 3.1.1224 available here Download OpenCPN | Official OpenCPN Homepage

Simulate AIS - No AIS nmea data stream available? Run the VDR Plugin Voyage Data Recorder to "play" an AIS Nmea file.
  1. To get the VDR plugin go to the website Plugin page PlugIns | Official OpenCPN Homepage and download "VDR or Voyage Data Recorder v0.3, released 2012-05-28, supports OpenCPN 2.6 and later."
  2. Place the VDR plugin dll in the C:/ProgramFiles(x86)/Opencpn/plugins folder.
  3. Download the necessary nmea file "Rausch.nmea" from this post here. Unzip it and place in a data folder you have access to.
  4. OpenCPN > Settings > VDR > Enable, exit settings.
  5. OpenCPN > Toolbar at the top > Two orange Icons, left one hit "Play", Browse to "Rausch.nmea" location and open the file.
  6. A "VDR replay" pop up will show the file reading process. The file is being read by VDR now.
  7. Now move chart to Latitude 44.27 Longitude 14.68, between Italy and Croatia and you should see AIS ships approaching each other.
Credit goes to Jesper for sending a Nmea AIS data file, and advice on this technique and Thomas for uploading the file to the forum.

Perhaps someone could add this suggestion to the wiki somewhere -- if it isn't already there?

--This is for you Ted.
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Old 10-01-2013, 06:28   #2
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

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Now move chart to Latitude 44.27 Longitude 14.68, between Italy and Croatia and you should see AIS ships approaching each other.
You can just click on the "Auto Follow" button (the red boat next to the wrench) or even go for the shortcut F2 and the display will move there.
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Old 10-01-2013, 09:41   #3
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

You can also use AISMon to play back NMEA files but it requires setting up two virtual ports to move the data to OpenCPN. You can find more NMEA files on the AISMon forum as well.
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Old 11-01-2013, 08:13   #4
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

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Originally Posted by rgleason View Post
.......
.....
Perhaps someone could add this suggestion to the wiki somewhere -- if it isn't already there?
"Someone".. will not do it. You yourself is in the best position to do it. The wiki is after all .... a WIKI, you can edit it yourself. It would be nice if more of the plugins had some documentation, but it will not happen by itself. More contributors to the English language wiki are needed.
Just add a page for each plugin following the other plugin pages.
Give it a try!

Thomas
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Old 11-01-2013, 09:37   #5
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

Thomas, that's all I need for encouragement. It will be a first for me. I'll get to this in the next couple of days. Also, thank you for the additional expert comments, which will be included.
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Old 11-01-2013, 14:06   #6
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

Added to the Wiki VDR Voyage Data Recorder Plugin | Official OpenCPN Homepage
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Old 11-01-2013, 14:17   #7
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

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Well done!

Thomas
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Old 11-01-2013, 15:14   #8
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

I am having trouble inserting a screenshot into the wiki. How should this be done and what are the requirements? This one is 350 x 258 approx and 76k png. Copy and Cntrl V Doesn't seem to work. The image is ok in edit mode but disappears when I submit.

On another note, I have gotten really attached to a neat qtVlm "screenshot" command that copies a screen png properly sized to the clipboard. It is very simple and does not require loading Gimp. I'd be very nice to have that in OpenCpn, perhaps with shortcut keys
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Old 11-01-2013, 15:28   #9
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

Ah, figured it out. In the Wiki, first upload the file by hitting my user account "User Name" on the lower left, then click on "File Browser" a file listing appears that allows you to upload a file. Upload a file.

Then go back to the Wiki page you are editing, and select "Insert an image" then you are presented with your user File page, pick the file you uploaded.
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Old 12-01-2013, 02:11   #10
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

Good you figured the pictures out. I think that your screen shoot is on the small side. Users may have a hard time getting anything out of it. As I'm using Linux Kubuntu, I use KSnapshot, that seems superior to anything else I have seen.
There are a few not so obvious things to consider when writing documentation.

1 You did your screen shot in "png", that is exactly what we want.
All pictures will later be run through "optipng -o7" to reduce the size as much as possible, before being included in the final O documentation.
Just now we have one "gif" as it contains an animation, and one jpg which I will get rid of!

2 One very important aspect is internal linking in the final document, which allows users without Internet to move around in the final document. Manimaul has a php script that takes care of this. But it puts some special demands on us as writers. Every link within the document must have a link name that is exactly the title of the page it links to. For example your link on "http://opencpn.org/ocpn/plugins" will never be internally linked. For this to happen the link that users click on must be renamed "VDR Voyage Data Recorder Plugin" which is the title of your page. I think that the title should be cut to "Voyage Data Recorder Plugin" as you explain in the next line what "VDR" is. So when we put a title on a page we have to think about how this will fit in with link names. Normally you can adjust the language so it fits, but on occasion i may look a bit funny.

2 The address to your page is "http://opencpn.org/ocpn/node/234", compare this with the address to the other plugin pages.
Adjust this in Edit-> URL path settings

3 You copied a lot from your post here on the forum into the wiki. Nothing wrong with that, I do the same. BUT there is a gotcha here.
Without knowing we get a lot of garbage links into the wiki. These needs to be cleared. Have a look at the picture below and compare the number of links, to what you intended!
Click image for larger version

Name:	bad links.png
Views:	239
Size:	92.4 KB
ID:	52705
To get rid of: open page in edit mode, put cursor over one of the links, say"Croatia", and then "Delete Link".

I'm sure more things will pop up.

Thanks
Thomas
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Old 12-01-2013, 07:38   #11
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

1. Removed extraneous links (in future will paste without formatting)
2. Renamed the page as directed taking out VDR
Changed link on plugins page to be "voyage_data_recorder_plugins"
3. Added an "Alternative URL" (at the bottom) of the Edit page, same as above.
4. Checked the links in the manual.
5. Loaded a new screenshot, its a little better photo. What are limits on size? Can we do pdf's? etc?

Noticed that the new Great Circle Plugin is not showing up in the list. Tried taking out #salty on the link, didn't help. Put it back.

Maybe we need a Wiki for the Wiki editing instructions page?
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Old 12-01-2013, 08:22   #12
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

rgleason

Reg the Route plugin. I did a thing I haven't tried before. Linking to a html anchor on another page. I shows up that instead of the title of the page, you must use the headline following the anchor. Check it out!

I added a "Goto table of contents" link, at the bottom of your page for ease of navigation. If you notice, this link is added on every page.
I also changed the links on Plugins | Official OpenCPN Homepage to "italics" which is used as a hint to the user that the link is internal to the final documentation.

Quote:
What are limits on size? Can we do pdf's? etc?
Quite large, certainly larger than we want in the O documentation. I was slightly horrified to notice that some pics ends up close to 500 kb! When I get around to it, I think those needs some adjustment in size.
As I said before, png pictures are ideal. I have never tested a pdf, and wonder why would you like to use it instead of a normal picture file?
To me it seems like a round about way to publish a pictures!

Quote:
Maybe we need a Wiki for the Wiki editing instructions page?
Good idea. Just start a new wiki page in "Supplementary Software"!

Thomas
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Old 12-01-2013, 08:34   #13
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

...start a new wiki page in "Supplementary Software"! Ok will do.

How do we get the new Great Circle Logbook Plugin showing in the Manual dropdown?
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Old 12-01-2013, 09:57   #14
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

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..

How do we get the new Great Circle Logbook Plugin showing in the Manual dropdown?
Impossible as things are now. I just linked to a totally different page, where I mentioned the plugin in connection with the built in new GC feature. It is far from a full documentation.
Hey, "Salty Paws", Ahoy! What about documenting your own plugin?
To make it show up like the others, we have to write a dedicated page.

Thomas
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Old 12-01-2013, 10:12   #15
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Re: AIS Simulation - Run VDR to play AIS Nmea file

Quote:
..."Salty Paws", Ahoy! What about documenting your own plugin?
To make it show up like the others, we have to write a dedicated page...."
...Regarding this I thought it was a link problem and tried fixing that, but no dice.

Quote:
...Maybe we need a Wiki for the Wiki editing instructions page? ...Good idea. Just start a new wiki page in "Supplementary Software"!
Manimaul has that locked... we don't need access...php used. Another location?
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