Automatically save tracks.

[nixontankgirl]

Over the years I have lost 1000's of miles of tracks. Sometimes it was because the lap top froze, but other times it was because opcn crashed. I understand that "it" happens but I was wondering if someone could develop a plug-in that automatically saved tracks?

[petter5]

Originally Posted by nixontankgirl

Over the years I have lost 1000's of miles of tracks. Sometimes it was because the lap top froze, but other times it was because opcn crashed. I understand that "it" happens but I was wondering if someone could develop a plug-in that automatically saved tracks?

VDR or Voyage Data Recorder v0.3, released 2015-01-01 Save NMEA stream to a file.
Replay NMEA stream previously saved.


PlugIns | Official OpenCPN Homepage

[rgleason]

I thought this had been solved in several ways.
You can set preferences to save a new track each day reducing what can be lost. Also opencpn saves multiple navobj files as backup.

You could make a batch file or script to save these to a backup file or directory if you would like. I believe this problem is licked. The tracks and navobj files work fine for me.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[nixontankgirl]

[QUOTE=rgleason;1865218]I thought this had been solved in several ways.
You can set preferences to save a new track each day reducing what can be lost. Also opencpn saves multiple navobj files as backup.

You could make a batch file or script to save these to a backup file or directory if you would like. I believe this problem is licked. The tracks and navobj files work fine for me.


That's interesting. I didn't know any of that info. I had seen navobj files but had no idea what it was. Thank you.

[nixontankgirl]

These navobj files of which you speak.... What do I do with them?

[HappySeagull]

NTG, you can
This isn't about automatic but is need to know...

These navobj files of which you speak.... What do I do with them?

copy the navobj.xml file right back into a new install of opencpn.it's ugly though, and safetySam says, rename the original something.

BUT BETTER is:
....change the ".xml" to ".gpx" and save them with a creative name ...say perhaps, a date or place or the word "backup". in it.
Otherwise, you will for sure overwrite the old one you forgot you really should save with a new one you don't. But there are more backups too.... xml.1,xml.2,xml.3 etc.You can look at each one of them easily by using the above renaming process...

Example .
Assuming you have found it browsing with a file manager on your Personal Computer (or even Android) copy navobj.xml to somewhere you will find it again.

Then, highlight the copy with your mouse right click and choose "Rename" (or improve your tweaking skills- highlight;tap the F2 key...)

Type over the name with something like :"BackupRouteManager-Aug11-2015.gpx" or just "RM1.gpx",RM2.gpx,RM3.gpx ad nauseum.
No doubt some AnxietyMessage appears, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Yes, you do.

When you want to see it on OpenCPN simply click the route manager's Import GPX button -there at the bottom of RM's window- and browse to the place on your computer you remember you put it....

Whatever you import get's written to navobj.xml...it contains everything you find in the route manager. ... see about "layers" in the manual-if you are not sure you want it "written in", layers are the way to go. You can Look at it first.

but BEST is a little input from you.
....You may notice there's an Export Selected Button nearby at the side of the window....this button becomes available when you click (=highlight) on a track, route, wpt/mark .
This is very selective and allows you to export just the highlighted item as a ".gpx "file. Like your track, for instance. You could do this anytime of the day when you think you want to save something. You should do this as soon as you can after something wildly interesting has happened. It's pretty much a log entry.

Not done yet. : Look back beside that import button and you see a Export All Visible button.
This one exports everything "Visible" from RM that you see on opencpn. What do you see? everything with the eyeball open. And that is what get's exported, as a single inclusive ".gpx " file. You might not want to export everything, so click the eyeball and an X makes it invisible on the chart AND it won't be exported...
So, to sum up,
copying navobj.xml is a backup you can copy back to a new install of opencpn BUT it's better if you "import" it after renaming it.

single items, your track for instance can be very quickly exported whenever you want with "Export Selected". and of course imported again.

Multiple Selected items can be Exported to a suitable place as a Package that describes a cruise, a day, or a place.

Everything you import gets written into navobj.xml....it's a pain if you don't want Everything and takes awhile to clean up if there's suddenly a bunch of useless routes cluttering the screen. They have to be deleted one by one....Sooo, It is is a good idea to read the manual about "Layers" which could be your saved stuff from earlier trips that won't get written into navobj.xml but are visible when you want them to be...You can make the layer invisible with a single click on eyeball so it keeps the screen "clean" and only what is new when that's all you want to see.

[nixontankgirl]

Thank you for all that detailed info, and the numerous options. I will try later to rename the files as you suggest.

Thank you.

[HappySeagull]

gracious of you to say so,NTG. I suppose I "need a life" but...

It is almost "easy" to make automatic backups in Windows if you figure out how to get Task Scheduler running and how to direct it to a file you will make...

on my computer which is different from yours ,I bet, it's exactly like this:

copy D:\Mapping\OPCN_4.Portable\navobj.xml D:\Backup\backupnavobj.xml

so to get the path correct for yours

You can find "the path" easily by clicking "Help, then "About"..you don't want opencpn. ini, so type in navobj.xml instead....then the path and name.xml you want it to be...


Hard to see the single space between the command to copy, and the two paths but they are there.

Finally Save the notepad file as "whatever name.cmd". and Yes, you want to "change it" when asked... You can double click the file to test it. Or whenever you feel the urge. It overwrites the last backup you made.

Unfortunately, if it doesn't work, there's a required registry tweak I know for Win7 at least that gets simple scripts like this to work again..... <sigh>

http://www.7tutorials.com/how-create...ic-task-wizard

[nixontankgirl]

I did exactly as you suggested, and renamed the navobj files, of which I had 5, to gpx and imported them. It worked perfectly. As of course I knew it would! Unfortunately, I only ended up with about 7nm of tracks. I presume the other few hundred miles have vanished. Ah well. Incidentally this is on Android, though I realize that the same method is useful for Windows.
I will take a closer look at you newest advice also. I have to motivate myself to sit in front of the computer, but I am upskilling all the time.
Once again I appreciate your patience and input.

[HappySeagull]

That's awful,NTG. I hate stuff like that. Hopefully you won't have to move into your parents' basement to get this to work..

It's a little odd that you've only got about an hour's worth of track. You can open these as text files, you know- drag them onto notepad exe or the like... and that will show you just how much track and data is in them and also the times of the 'trk pts" will be a clue if something is awry. Better test this next time out or you won't know for sure the stuff is getting written in beyond an hour or so.
Maybe go into toolbox(settings)/Ships/Ownship/ and fiddle or unfiddle with "daily tracks" and "tracking precision". you might even have run into some kind of bug...

...I'm pretty confused myself in Android but yes, you can do the same: copy-out-and-rename for backups. However, it's a little weirder on Android if your tablet is newer. You might run into a read-only thingy going on that defies a simple description depending on the version and your method of getting around in it.

[nixontankgirl]

I keep meaning to do as you suggest, but we are leaving to Indonesia shortly and I have been getting distracted with other things. But I will certainly try to follow your advice.