Android Development Underway

[Sir Rondo Normal]

Originally Posted by manimaul

Lutra,
However, I'm currently working with the UKHO to bring some UK, Ireland and the Channel Is. charts into MX. If that works out well then Canada and then the Caribbean will most likely come next.

Will

What? UK before Canada? I thought we were friends? j/k but I'm on the fence trying to decide between an iPhone or Droid and it's all about the navigation apps.
I use MacENC on the Macbook so am leaning toward the iPhone/iNavX but on the other hand, the android (Galaxy S III) is very appealing so I'm thinking maybe MX on the Droid in the cockpit backed up by MacENC on the Macbook below backed up by paper.
But no Canada yet?

[GrowleyMonster]

I like iNavX for U.S. waters. The NOAA charts download from within the app. I have not tried to use other charts but it looks like a real can of worms. OTOH, both Marine Navigator and MX Navigator work on Android, and you can load your own charts directly from your PC or I guess a Mac. I would say for outside the U.S., the Droids currently have the advantage, for use as a chart display. At least for now.

Currently I am in the process of trying to get OpenCPN running in Linux on my Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7". It is a pretty convoluted process. But MX Navigator and Marine Navigator are both running fine on it already so I have basic chart display and navigation already, anywhere in the world that I already have chart coverage for.

[Andres_RG]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

Currently I am in the process of trying to get OpenCPN running in Linux on my Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7".

I also have that tablet. How do you do that?

[Andres_RG]

CMAP now for Android:
Plan2Nav Mobile App | Light Marine | Jeppesen
Plan2Nav on Vimeo

I think that implementing CM93 charts into MX Navigator would be a great idea

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Andres_RG

I also have that tablet. How do you do that?

See Armido's thread. I finally got it done today. It was a major project. But OCPN didn't see my GPS. So, I uninstalled everything.

First of course you have to root your droid. Google is your friend. It was a semi-involved project but no more difficult than jailbreaking an iphone. I don't remember the steps... I was just following the recipe LOL! Next was installing Linux in a loop file. I just followed Armido's instructions for this. It was a major PITA. Then you have to build OCPN in the Linux environment. Not too hard, that. The biggest hurdle was getting Linux running. Took me 5 days, all told, for the entire process. But I don't know much about Droids or Linux and so you might be able to get it done with fewer false starts and backtracking. If you ask me, I say don't bother with this; just go with Marine Navigator or MX Navigator for now. To me, if your electronic chart navigation app can't access your GPS, it is more convenient to just put a fix on a paper chart than diddle around with manually entering the coordinates in OCPN. YMMV of course.

[armido]

Andres_RG,

Whether it is easier or not to plot one's position on a paper chart or modify the properties of a mark dropped in OpenCPN is of course a matter open to debate. I would much rather do the latter than have to drag out a paper chart, ruler, dividers and find someplace flat and large enough on my boat to simply plot my current position. GrowleyMonster is on a ship where the charts and tools necessary to plot one's position are probably already out at a chart table - a non-existent luxury on my boat.

Furthermore, if you adhere to my instructions here: Building on Motorola Xoom | Official OpenCPN Homepage and have a decent internet connection it will not take 5 days, nay it shouldn't take more than 4 hours including time to resolve errors - to do everything but root your device. That should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

Not hard. Additionally, rather than "shelving" and deleting the whole enchilada because you may not at the present time be able to connect and use your gps - you and others can contribute to the effort by trying to find solutions.

Give it a go. Nothing to lose. What you gain is energy efficiency and conservation, small footprint of the tablet when compared to a laptop, linux and android systems/programs.

OpenCPN is not the only program you can use - zyGrib runs in the chrooted linux environment as well - giving you access to free grib downloads and viewing.

armido

[familycruisers]

Nothing to loose, unless he bricks his tab.

[armido]

familycruisers,

Take a look at the xda-developer's site: Android, Windows Phone, and Windows Mobile Development News, Information, and Howtos - XDA Developers You will learn that "bricking" a phone is a very rare event. Also, "hard bricking" as opposed to "soft bricking" a device is an even rarer event. Hard bricking renders a device useless. Soft bricking may lead to data loss if one has not done a "nandroid backup" before the so called "bricking" event. But, the device can be restored to full functionality.

armido

[familycruisers]

I rooted my EVO and use it for the tethering. Besides following step by step instructions, I'm lost. Great work you've been doing Armido.

[armido]

familycruisers,

You are following step by step instructions for what? If you are following my instructions at Building on Motorola Xoom | Official OpenCPN Homepage and have run into something that seems to not work, or you do not fully understand let me know via my thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...now-94064.html and I'll help out.

armido

[Good News]

Will:

I purchased your program for my android. Excellent job! Your an excellent programmer!

I have a number of BSB / KAP files I want to convert to GEMF from a 2011 program that I purchased on CD.

I tried MXCart and it would say at end "O of 1 Converted." I can copy the C prompt text if you want. It would not convert them.

How do I know if a BSB files is version 4?

I've tried "MAPC2MAPC" and "Mobile Atlas Creator v 1.9.11" with no success.

Can you help? Can you give me your email so I can send you the BSB / KAP files?

Thanks,
Doug

[Good News]

Will,

(Continued from above):

I have BSB / KAP files for the entire Bahamas and I want to convert them to GEMF for the awesom MX Mariner app.

I did pay for the CD of these maps; however, I suspect they are BSB4, as per above, since MX Cart would not convert them.

Any ideas? Does anyone know of a full Bahama set of drawings that are BSB 2 or 3 that MX Cart will convert? I have no problem paying for them. I just NEED them for MX Mariner as I love that program so much on my Droid.

- Douglas

[Tristan]

We haven't heard from Will since last year. His website seems to be not updated for a while. I wonder if MX Mariner project is still active. I hope, he took a nice vacation and he will come back with a bunch of new ideas.
T.

[manimaul]

Originally Posted by Tristan

We haven't heard from Will since last year. His website seems to be not updated for a while. I wonder if MX Mariner project is still active. I hope, he took a nice vacation and he will come back with a bunch of new ideas.
T.

Tristan,

I've been spending a lot of time with my new 1yr old daughter the last few months when not at work. However, I've also gained 2 work days a week to devote to MX Mariner and I've also been spending some time playing around with the new Goolgle Map api for Android. Even though it can do some really cool things, I've elected to stick with the current open Osmdroid map library that MX Mariner has been using. The main reason is having complete control over the source code as Google likes to be quite the moving target.

I've pushed out a new MX Mariner today (1.3.25). Here is what is new:

1 - The United Kingdom, Ireland and Channel Islands are now available to download as in-app purchases. (**The other public domain regions remain free )
NOTE: UKHO requires me to encrypt their data and pay royalty fees for every in-app purchase. I have tried to keep the prices as low as possible.
2 - Configurable chart storage directory for devices with multiple storage devices
3 - Average speed and total distance update faster when tracking is on
4 - New vector world overview map
5 - Cursor info box moved to upper left corner so chart is more visible when panning arround
6 - Other slight UI improvements and bug fixes

What is planned next:

I plan on spending time making routes more usable (editable points, undo, planning info and options). Waypoints will also get a little attention so you can drag them around. Tracks will change slightly. Active tracks will have a slightly different color to make them distinguishable from older tracks displayed on the chart. Tracks will also get a clickable icon at their start (like routes currently have). This will allow you to delete, hide, or edit them from the map/chart view. This will get pushed out as probably the final 1.3.x series and then I'll move onto 1.5.x series where we will start to add tides and currents.

Thanks,

Will

[Tristan]

Thanks Will
Good work as usually. I'm really glad to hear, everything is OK.
T.